Electronics connector with heat sink

• US 7,133,285 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2004
• Issued: 11/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yamaichi Electronics USA, Inc. (Yamaichi Electronics Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Yamaichi Electronics USA, Inc. (Yamaichi Electronics Company Limited)
• Inventors: Nishimura, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Lynn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoffberg, Robert J.
• Application Number:
  US10/847,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20050162834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 361687-688, 361/704, 361/715, 361/719, 257/706, 257/718, 257/719, 257/722, 257/727, 165/80.3, 165/104.33, 165/185, 174/16.1, 174/16.3, 439/485, 439/487
• US Class Current: 361/715
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0265 of PCMCIA type
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0286 Receptacles therefor, e.g. card slots, module sockets, card groundings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20509 Multiple-component heat spreaders; Multi-component heat-conducting support plates; Multi-component non-closed heat-conducting structures

Abstract

A heat sink includes a body and a heat transmitting member coupled thereto. The body and member are arranged such they each contact a different section of an electronic component, e.g., a PCMCIA card. The heat sink can be integrated into an electronic component connector that enables the heat sink to move parallel with the component during insertion and extraction. The connector can also enable vertical movement of the heat sink during component insertion and extraction.

Claims

1. An electronic component connector, comprising:

a connector frame capable or receiving an electronic component;

a heat sink unit vertically and horizontally movably coupled to the connector frame, such that insertion of the component into the connector frame causes the heat sink unit to move horizontally in parallel with the component and vertically to contact the component.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein the heat sink unit comprises:

a heat sink body to contact a first section of the computer component; and

a heat transmitting member coupled to the heat sink body, the member extending from the heat sink body, thereby enabling contact between the member and a second section of the computer component.

3. The connector of claim 2, wherein the body comprises a plurality of fins.

4. The connector of claim 2, wherein the member comprises a plurality of ribs extending from the heat sink body.

5. The connector of claim 2, wherein the body includes a thermal interface sheet that improves heat dissipation.

6. The connector of claim 1, wherein the connector frame includes at least one arm biased against the heat sink unit.

7. The connector of claim 1, wherein the heat sink unit is movably coupled to the connector frame via guard rails which have a sloping shape slit, wherein shafts coupled to the heat sink unit travel within the guard rails.

8. The connector of claim 7, wherein the guard rails are coupled to the connector frame.

9. The connector of claim 7, wherein the sloping shape comprises at least two sections, the first section having a steeper slope than the second section.

10. The connector of claim 9, wherein the first section slope is approximately 45 degrees and the section slope is approximately 20 degrees.

11. The connector of claim 7, wherein sloping shape has an additional shaft recess section in the slit.

12. The connector of claim 11, wherein the shaft recess section has a protrusion in between the slope section.

13. The connector of claim 1, wherein the heat sink unit is movably coupled to the connector frame via two sets of guard rails, the first set having a vertical slit, the second set having a sloping shape slit, wherein shafts coupled to the heat sink unit travel within the guard rails.

14. The connector of claim 13, wherein the first set further includes a horizontal slit to form a horizontal and vertical L shape.

15. The connector of claim 14, wherein the horizontal slit prevents vertical movement of the shafts of the heat sink unit.

16. The connector of claim 13, wherein the first set of guard rails is coupled to an ejector.

17. The connector of claim 13, wherein the second set of guard rails is coupled to the connector frame.

18. The connector of claim 13, wherein the sloping shape comprises at least two sections, the first section having a steeper slope than the second section.

19. The connector of claim 18, wherein the first section slope is approximately 45 degrees and the section slope is approximately 20 degrees.

20. The connector of claim 13, wherein the sloping shape slit on the second set of guard rails has an additional shaft recess section in the slit.

21. The connector of claim 20, wherein the shaft recess section has a protrusion in between the slope sections.

22. The connector of claim 1, wherein the connector enables further compression of the heat sink unit against the component after initial contact between the component and the heat sink unit during insertion.

23. The connector of claim 22, wherein the heat sink unit comprises a heat sink body, a heat sink frame and springs;

the heat sink body is assembled movably to the frame with the springs.

24. The connector of claim 7 or 13, wherein the connector enables further compression of the heat sink unit against the component after initial contact between the component and the heat sink unit during insertion.

25. The connector of claim 24, wherein the heat sink unit comprises a heat sink body, a heat sink frame, springs and shafts;

the heat sink body is assembled movably to the frame with the springs, and the shafts which are inserted into the guard rails protrude from the heat sink frame.

26. The connector of claim 1, wherein the insertion of the component into the connector frame causes the heat sink unit to move horizontally in the direction of the component'"'"'s movement.

27. The connector of claim 1, wherein there is no relative horizontal movement between the component and the heat sink unit after initial contact between the component and the heat sink unit during insertion.

28. A method, comprising:

receiving an electronic component within a frame of a system component connector;

using an ejector to horizontally move a heat sink unit in parallel with the component; and

using guard rails to move the heat sink unit vertically to contacts the component.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the heat sink unit comprises:

a heat sink body to contact a first section of the computer component; and

a heat transmitting member coupled to the heat sink body, the member extending from the heat sink body, thereby enabling contact between the member and a second section of the computer component.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the body comprises a plurality of fins.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the member comprises a plurality of ribs extending from the heat sink body.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the body includes a thermal interface sheet that improves heat dissipation.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein the connector frame includes at least one arm biased against the heat sink unit.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein the heat sink unit is movably coupled to the connector frame via guard rails which have sloping shape slit, wherein shafts coupled to the heat sink unit travel within the guard rails.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the guard rails are coupled to the connector frame.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the sloping shape comprises at least two sections, the first section having a steeper slope than the second section.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the first section slope is approximately 45 degrees and the section slope is approximately 20 degrees.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein sloping shape have additional shaft recess section in the slit.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the shaft recess section has a protrusion in between the slope section.

40. The method of claim 28, wherein the heat sink unit is movably coupled to the connector frame via two sets of guard rails, the first set having a vertical slit, the second set having a sloping shape slit, wherein shafts coupled to the heat sink unit travel within the guard rails.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the first set further includes a horizontal slit to form a horizontal and vertical L shape.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the horizontal slit prevents vertical movement of the shafts of the heat sink unit.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein the first set of guard rails is coupled to an ejector.

44. The method of claim 40, wherein the second set of guard rails is coupled to a connector frame.

45. The method of claim 40, wherein the sloping shape comprises at least two sections, the first section having a steeper slope than the second section.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the first section slope is approximately 45 degrees and the section slope is approximately 20 degrees.

47. The method of claim 40, wherein sloping shape slit on the second set of guard rails have additional shaft recess section in the slit.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the shaft recess section having a protrusion in between the slope section.

49. The method of claim 28, further comprising

using an ejector to expel the component from the connector frame;

using the ejector to horizontally move the heat sink unit in parallel with the component; and

using the guard rails to move the heat sink unit vertically so that it no longer contacts the component.

50. The method of claim 28, 34 or 40, wherein the connector enables further compression of the heat sink unit against the component after initial contact between the component and the heat sink unit during insertion.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the heat sink unit comprises heat sink body, heat sink frame, springs, and shafts;

the heat sink body is assembled movably between the heat sink frame with springs, and the shafts which inserted to the guard rail protrude from the heat sink frame.

52. The method of claim 28, wherein the insertion of the component into the connector frame causes the heat sink unit to move horizontally in the direction of the component'"'"'s movement.

53. The method of claim 28, wherein there is no relative horizontal movement between the component and the heat sink unit after initial contact between the component and the heat sink unit during insertion.