Fastening device for a heat sink

A fastening device for a heat sink assembly, comprising:

• a retaining element including a spring portion defining first and second opposite ends, an elongated slot defined through a middle of the spring portion for increasing the resiliency of the spring portion of the retaining element, and a first latching arm extending downwardly from the first end;
• and
• an operating element pivotably attached to the second end of the spring portion via a pivotal section thereof, said operating element including a manual operation portion and a second latching arm, said second latching arm defining locking means for latchable engagement with a socket thereunder, said manual operation portion positioned above the pivotal section while said locking means positioned below the pivotal section;
• and
• means for preventing the manual operation portion from inadvertently inwardly pivotally moving toward the retaining element, so as to assure the locking means reliably latchably engages the socket.

A heat sink assembly comprising:

• a socket having two opposite tabs on two sides;
• a CPU positioned atop the socket;
• a heat sink positioned atop the CPU;
• a fastening device positioned atop the heat sink;
• said fastening device including:
• a retaining element defining a spring portion with a first latch arm integrally extending downwardly from a first end thereof, said first latch arm defining therein a first locking means latchably engaged with one of said two tabs of the socket;
• and
• an operating element pivotally, via a pivotal section thereof, attached to a second end of the spring portion opposite to said first end, said operating element including a manual operating portion and a second substantially planar latch arm with thereof a second locking means which latchably engages the other of said two tabs of the socket;
• wherein
• said fastening device further includes means located above the pivotal section to bias the manual operating portion outwardly, so as to assure the second locking means will not be disengaged from the corresponding tab inadvertently.