Spring clip for a heat sink apparatus
First Claim
1. A spring clip for urging an electrical component onto a heat sink housing, said spring clip comprising:
- an elongated planar body having a longitudinal axis extending from a right end to a left end, an intermediate portion therebetween, and an inner edge and an outer edge parallel to said longitudinal axis;
retention means for securing the body to said, heat sink housing, said retention means depending downward from each of said right and left ends of said body;
urging means for contacting and urging the electrical component into a heat conducting relationship with the heat sink housing, said urging means including a first elongated member depending downward from said inner edge of said body to a first end, a u-shaped junction extending from said first end to a second elongated member extending upward from said u-shaped junction toward said outer edge of said body, terminating at a contact surface.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A spring clip for urging an electrical component onto a heat sink housing within an electronics component module is described. The spring clip comprises an elongated planar body, retention device for securing the body of the spring clip to the heat sink housing, the retention device depending downward from the body. The spring clip also includes urging device for contacting and urging the electrical component into a heat conducting relationship with the heat sink housing. The urging device includes a first elongate member depending downward from the body to a u-shaped junction. A second elongate member, extending upward from the u-shaped member and terminating at a contact surface, maintains the electrical component in a heat conducting relationship with the heat sink housing.
59 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A spring clip for urging an electrical component onto a heat sink housing, said spring clip comprising:
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an elongated planar body having a longitudinal axis extending from a right end to a left end, an intermediate portion therebetween, and an inner edge and an outer edge parallel to said longitudinal axis; retention means for securing the body to said, heat sink housing, said retention means depending downward from each of said right and left ends of said body; urging means for contacting and urging the electrical component into a heat conducting relationship with the heat sink housing, said urging means including a first elongated member depending downward from said inner edge of said body to a first end, a u-shaped junction extending from said first end to a second elongated member extending upward from said u-shaped junction toward said outer edge of said body, terminating at a contact surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An electronic module having an electrical component, said module comprising:
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a heat sink housing including; a wall having a first and a second end; a first pocket disposed at said first end of said wall; a second pocket disposed at said second end of said wall; a vertical rib disposed on said wall substantially midway between said first end and said second end; a spring clip including an elongated planar body having a longitudinal axis extending from a right end to a left end, an intermediate portion therebetween, and an inner edge and an outer edge parallel to said longitudinal axis, said clip comprising; retention means for securing said clip to said heat sink housing, said retention means extending downward from each of said ends of said body; a tab disposed on said outer edge of said intermediate portion of said planar body substantially midway between said right and left ends, said tab being operative to contact said rib to limit the installation depth of said body into said heat sink housing; and urging means for contacting and urging said electrical component into a heat conducting relationship with said heat sink housing, said urging means includes a first elongated member depending downward from said inner edge of said body to a first end, a u-shaped junction extending from said first end to a second elongate member extending upward from said u-shaped junction toward said outer edge of said body, terminating at a contact surface. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An electronics component module for an automotive vehicle, said module comprising:
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a heat sink housing including an exterior wall on said heat sink housing on which an electronic device is maintained in a thermally conductive relationship, said wall further includes a pair of vertically extending pockets offset on an interior side of said wall and oppositely disposed, said wall further comprises a vertical rib disposed on said interior side of said wall substantially midway between said pockets; a top cover directly and sealingly securable to said heat sink housing; a bottom cover directly and sealingly securable directly to said heat sink housing, thereby forming a sealed electronic module; a spring clip including an elongated planar body having a longitudinal axis extending from a right end to a left end, an intermediate portion therebetween, and an inner edge and an outer edge parallel to said longitudinal axis, said spring clip comprising; retainers extending downward from each of said ends of said body, said retainers adapted to compressively engage said first and second pockets, operatively securing said planar body in said heat sink housing; a first elongated member extending downward from said inner edge of said body to a first end, a u-shaped junction extending from said first end to a second elongated extending upward from said u-shaped junction toward said outer edge of said body, terminating at a contact surface, said contact surface adapted to maintain said electrical component in a heat conducting relationship with said heat sink housing; and a tab disposed on said outer edge of said intermediate portion of said planar body substantially midway between said right and left ends, said tab being operative to engage said rib to limit the installation depth of said body into said heat sink housing. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification