US 5,321,582 AGranted

Electronic component heat sink attachment using a low force spring

AssigneeCummins Engine Company, Inc.

InventorPaul G. Casperson

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Abstract

A thermal attachment assembly for heat generating electronic devices which includes a multi-element spring having low force, high deflection, spring fingers, and which is adjustable and attached by screws to a cover to apply pressure directly against electronic components arranged generally perpendicular to at least one edge of a printed wired board (PWB). The attachment assembly includes a heat sink housing in which the electronic components are pressed against an electrically insulating, thermally conductive film positioned against one wall of the heat sink housing. The PWB is snapped to a carrier and both are placed into the housing so that the electronic devices are positioned within spaces of the carrier. The carrier includes sloping surfaces, so that the spring fingers are deflected downward when the cover is attached to the housing, thereby insuring that the spring fingers are properly positioned onto the electronic devices, between the spaces of the carrier.

Claims10

Dependent claims

Electronic component heat sink arrangement comprising a housing formed of a heat sinking material and containing a printed circuit wiring board and a plurality of heat generating electronic components, at least one carrier upon which said electronic components are supported and which is attached to said printed circuit wiring board, a cover panel closing an open end of the housing, and at least one spring member having a plurality of spring fingers pressing the electronic components into a nonelectrically conductive, heat exchange relationship with an inner wall surface of the housing;

wherein a heat conductive, electrically insulating film is disposed between the electronic components and the inner wall surface of the housing;
wherein said at least one spring member is mounted to an inner side of the cover panel;
and wherein said at least one carrier has a deflection surface means for deflecting the spring fingers so as to prevent them from pressing down on the electronic components as the cover is being positioned onto the housing and which permits the spring fingers to freely engage a side of the electronic components once the cover is in position closing the open end of the housing.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.