Heat sink assembly

• US 6,401,806 B1
• Filed: 03/29/2001
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Foxconn Precision Component Company Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Foxconn Precision Component Company Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Zili, Lee, Tsung Lung, Lai, Chung Tien
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCKINNON, TERRELL L
• Application Number:
  US09/821,288
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 165/121, 165/80.3, 165/185, 174/15.1, 174/16.3, 361/695, 361/697, 361/710, 257/722
• US Class Current: 165/80.3
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/4093 Snap-on arrangements, e.g. clips
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/467 by flowing gases, e.g. air H01L23/473 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

A heat sink assembly includes a heat sink (40), a fan (30), and a fixing device (10). The fan has a chassis (32), and a hollow cylinder (34) extending upwardly therefrom. The heat sink has a base (42) which defines a pair of grooves (422) in a bottom surface thereof, and a plurality of fins (44) with a transverse slot (442) defined through the fins. The fixing device includes a body (12), and four resilient legs (14) depending from corners of the body. A pair of lips (22) depends from opposite edges of the body. A tab (24) extends inwardly from each lip, for engaging in the slot of the heat sink and thereby preventing the fixing device from moving laterally. A hook (18) is formed at a distal end of each leg, for engaging in the grooves and thereby attaching the fan to the heat sink.

Claims

1. A heat sink assembly comprising:

a heat sink having a base and a plurality of fins extending from the base, at least one void defined in the base, and a slot defined through the fins;

a fan; and

a fixing device fastening the fan to the heat sink, the fixing device comprising a body and a plurality of resilient legs depending therefrom, the legs having engaging portions for engaging with the corresponding void of the heat sink and thereby attaching the fan to the heat sink, the body having at least one engaging member extending into the slot of the fins of the heat sink for preventing the fixing device from moving laterally.

2. The heat sink assembly as described in claim 1, wherein at least one of the resilient legs of the fixing device extends upwardly and outwardly from the body and then extends downwardly and inwardly, an end of the at least one leg having a corresponding engaging portion.

3. The heat sink assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the fixing device further has at least one reinforcing member connecting two of the legs.

4. The heat sink assembly as described in claim 1, wherein a plurality of lips depends from opposite edges of the body, and wherein at least one corresponding engaging member extends from at least one lip.

5. The heat sink assembly as described in claim 1, wherein a plurality of flanges depends from opposite sides of the body for reinforcing the body.

6. The heat sink assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the fan has a chassis and a hollow member extending upwardly from the chassis for accommodating a fan blade mechanism therein.

7. The heat sink assembly as described in claim 6, wherein an opening is defined in the body of the fixing device for extension of the hollow member of the fan therethrough.

8. A fixing device for attaching a fan to a heat sink, comprising:

a body for pressing the fan against the heat sink, having an opening for extension of the fan therethrough, a pair of lips depending from opposite edges of the body, at least one tab extending from each lip into the heat sink for preventing the fixing device from moving laterally relative to the heat sink; and

a plurality of resilient legs depending from the body in vicinity of corners of the body, respectively, a distal end of each leg having an engaging portion for engaging with the heat sink and thereby attaching the fan to the heat sink.

9. The fixing device as described in claim 8, wherein a plurality of flanges depends from opposite sides of the body, for reinforcing the body.

10. The fixing device as described in claim 8, wherein at least one of the legs is dimensioned to provide resilience.

11. A heat sink assembly, comprising:

a heat sink having a base and a plurality of fins projecting upwardly from the base;

a fan mounted on the fins; and

a fixing device having a body depressing the fan against the fins, a leg depending from the body and engaging with the base, and a tab cooperating with the fan for preventing the fixing device from moving alone a lateral direction of the heat sink.

12. The heat sink assembly as described in claim 11, wherein the leg has a hook at a lower end thereof, said hook fitting into a void defined in the base.

13. The heat sink assembly as described in claim 12, wherein the void is defined in a bottom face of the base.

14. The heat sink assembly as described in claim 13, wherein the body forms a downwardly extending lip, and the tab is horizontally extended from a bottom end of the lip.

15. The heat sink assembly as described in claim 14, wherein the fan comprises a chassis and a fan blade mechanism received in a hollow portion of the chassis, the body depressing the chassis against the fins, the body of the fixing device further defining an opening aligning with the fan blade mechanism.