Heat sink fastener
AssigneeSouthco, Inc.
InventorRichard E. Schlack
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heat sink fastener assembly for fastening a heat sink onto a heat generating computer component. The fastener assembly includes a stud comprising at least one cam follower, and a rotatable nut defining a cam surface. A spring may be mounted to the heat generating computer component, and the spring is biased away from the heat sink. The stud is mounted to the spring and the nut is mounted to the heat sink. A clip mounted to the heat sink provides a secondary catch or attachment of the heat sink to the component.
Claims30
A fastener configured for fastening a heat sink onto a heat generating component of a computer to dissipate heat generated by the heat generating component, the fastener comprising:
- a rotatable nut defining a cam surface and a recess extending along a nut axis, the recess extending into a distal end portion of the rotatable nut;
- and
- a stud having a proximal end portion configured to extend within the recess of the rotatable nut and along the nut axis, the stud also having at least one cam follower extending at an angle relative to the nut axis and configured to follow the cam surface of the rotatable nut, and the stud further having a distal end portion configured to engage the heat generating component;
- wherein the stud is configured to be coupled to the heat generating component and the rotatable nut is configured to be coupled to the heat sink;
- and
- wherein, when the stud is extended within the recess of the rotatable nut and the at least one cam follower of the stud follows the cam surface of the rotatable nut, a rotation of the rotatable nut relative to the stud causes the heat sink to be translated toward the heat generating component of the computer, the heat sink contacts the heat generating component, and the heat sink dissipates the heat from the heat generating component.
A system for fastening a heat sink onto a heat generating component of a computer, the system comprising:
- a rotatable nut defining a cam surface and a recess extending along a nut axis, the recess extending into a distal end portion of the rotatable nut;
- a stud having a proximal end portion configured to extend within the recess of the rotatable nut and along the nut axis, the stud also having at least one cam follower extending at an angle relative to the nut axis and configured to follow the cam surface of the rotatable nut, the stud further having a distal end portion configured to engage the heat generating component;
- a clip configured to provide a secondary attachment to the heat sink;
- and
- a retainer configured to attach the rotatable nut to the heat sink.
A heat sink system for dissipating heat generated by a heat generating component of a computer, the heat sink system comprising:
- a heat sink;
- a rotatable nut defining a cam surface and a recess extending along a nut axis, the recess extending into a distal end portion of the rotatable nut;
- a stud having a proximal end portion configured to extend within the recess of the rotatable nut and along the nut axis, the stud also having at least one cam follower extending at an angle relative to the nut axis and configured to follow the cam surface of the rotatable nut, the stud further having a distal end portion configured to engage the heat generating component;
- wherein the stud is configured to be coupled to the heat generating component and the rotatable nut is configured to be coupled to the heat sink;
- and
- wherein, when the stud is extended within the recess of the rotatable nut and the at least one cam follower of the stud follows the cam surface of the rotatable nut, a rotation of the rotatable nut relative to the stud causes the heat sink to be translated towards the heat generating component of the computer, the heat sink contacts the heat generating component and the heat sink dissipates the heat from the heat generating component.
A computer comprising:
- a heat generating component for the computer;
- a heat sink for dissipating heat from the heat generating component;
- a rotatable nut defining a cam surface and a recess extending along a nut axis, the recess extending into a distal end portion of the rotatable nut;
- and
- a stud having a proximal end portion configured to extend within the recess of the rotatable nut and along the nut axis, the stud also having at least one cam follower extending at an angle relative to the nut axis and configured to follow the cam surface of the rotatable nut, and the stud further having a distal end portion configured to engage the heat generating component;
- wherein the stud is configured to be coupled to the heat generating component and the rotatable nut is configured to be coupled to the heat sink;
- and
- wherein, when the stud is extended within the recess of the rotatable nut and the at least one cam follower of the stud follows the cam surface of the rotatable nut, a rotation of the rotatable nut relative to the stud causes the heat sink to be translated toward the heat generating component of the computer, the heat sink contacts the heat generating component and the heat sink dissipates the heat from the heat generating component.
A method of coupling a heat generating component attached to a base to a heat sink, the base having a spring and a stud extending from the spring, the method comprising steps of:
- a) coupling a rotatable nut to the heat sink, wherein the rotatable nut defines a cam surface and a recess extending along a nut axis, the recess extending into the rotatable nut;
- b) extending the proximal end portion of the stud within the recess of the rotatable nut and along the nut axis, wherein at least one cam follower is positioned on the cam surface of the rotatable nut;
- and
- c) rotating the rotatable nut relative to the stud;
- wherein a rotation of the rotatable nut causes the heat sink to be translated toward the base and the heat sink contacts the heat generating component with a contact force, wherein the contact force is related to a stiffness coefficient of the spring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.