Torsion bar clamp apparatus and method for improving thermal and mechanical contact between stacked electronic components
AssigneeAavid Engineering, Inc.
InventorRandolph H. Cook
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A torsion bar clamp device and method for mounting a heat sink to an electronic component comprising a torsion bar having a longitudinally extending bar and at least one integral lever adapted to engage a heat sink and mounting legs which couple forces imparted by the torsion bar to the heat sink and electronic component such that the heat sink and electronic component are compressively coupled. The invention may be manufactured of injection molded plastic and may be adapted to allow the mounting legs to engage bosses on a socket in which an electronic component is mounted.
Claims20
A heat sink retaining apparatus for thermally and mechanically coupling a lower surface of a heat sink to a device requiring assisted cooling, said apparatus comprising:
- a biasing member comprising a biasing bar having a longitudinal axis and a first substantially rigid lever fixedly secured to said biasing bar for engagement with said heat sink, said first lever radially extending from said longitudinal axis and having a free end at a fixed radial distance from said longitudinal axis, said first lever torsionally stressing said biasing bar in a first direction as said first lever is brought into an engaged position against said heat sink so as to create a biasing force which biases said first lever against said heat sink when said first lever is in said engaged position;
- means for mounting said biasing member proximate said device and said heat sink so as to maintain said first lever in said engaged position such that said biasing force is transferred through said first lever for urging said lower surface of said heat sink against said device to thermally and mechanically couple said heat sink to said device, said mounting means comprising a pair of mounting legs between which said biasing bar longitudinally extends;
- and
- a second substantially rigid lever fixedly secured to said biasing bar and having a free end radially extending from said biasing bar by a fixed radial distance for torsionally stressing said biasing bar in a second direction as said second lever is brought into an engaged position against said heat sink, said first and said second levers torsionally stressing said biasing bar in opposing directions about said longitudinal axis to create said biasing force when said first and second levers are in their respective engaged positions.
A heat sink retaining apparatus for clamping a heat sink on a device requiring assisted cooling, said heat sink having a lower surface for contacting said device and an upper surface, said apparatus comprising:
- a torsion bar having a longitudinal axis and first and second ends, said first and second ends of said torsion bar being fixed against upward movement relative to said upper surface of said heat sink;
- a first substantially rigid lever secured to said torsion bar against rotation thereabout, said first lever extending radially from said torsion bar and having a free end at a fixed distance from said longitudinal axis, said first lever being seated on said upper surface of said heat sink when said first lever is in a clamping position wherein said torsion bar applies a torsional force to said first lever urging said first lever against said upper surface of said heat sink for clamping said lower surface of said heat sink to said device;
- and
- a second substantially rigid lever secured to said torsion bar against rotation thereabout, said second lever having a free end extending radially from said torsion bar at a fixed distance from said longitudinal axis, said second lever in said clamping position seating against said upper surface of said heat sink and extending from an opposite side of said torsion bar than said first lever, such that said torsion bar imparts torsional forces in opposite directions about said longitudinal axis to said first and second levers for clamping said heat sink to said device.
A heat sink retaining apparatus for clamping a heat sink on a device requiring assisted cooling, said heat sink having a lower surface for contacting said device and an upper surface, said apparatus comprising:
- a torsion bar having a longitudinal axis and first and second ends, said first and second ends of said torsion bar being fixed against upward movement relative to said upper surface of said heat sink;
- and
- a first substantially rigid lever secured to said torsion bar against rotation thereabout, said first lever extending radially from said torsion bar and having a free end at a fixed distance from said longitudinal axis, said first lever being seated on said upper surface of said heat sink when said first lever is in a clamping position wherein said torsion bar applies a torsional force to said first lever urging said first lever against said upper surface of said heat sink for clamping said lower surface of said heat sink to said device, wherein said first lever is connected to said torsion bar between said first and second ends thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.