Method for thermally connecting a heat sink to a cabinet
AssigneeSun Microsystems, Inc.
InventorVernon P. Bollesen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heat sink structure includes a lower heat sink in thermal contact with a heat emitting component. The heat sink structure further includes an upper heat sink and at least one heat pipe extending from the lower heat sink to the upper heat sink. At least one spring urges the upper heat sink away from the lower heat sink and into thermal contact with a cabinet, sometimes called a cover or a lid, of a computer system. During use, the heat emitting component generates heat. This heat is conducted to the lower heat sink, the upper heat sink, and the cabinet. The cabinet dissipates heat to the outside of the computer system.
Claims17
A method comprising:
- pressing a first heat sink into thermal contact with a heat emitting component;
- supporting a second heat sink above said first heat sink comprising supporting said second heat sink with at least one spring, said first heat sink being thermally connected to said second heat sink;
- and
- pressing said second heat sink against a cabinet comprising compressing said at least one spring, wherein said compressing said at least one spring comprises:
- contacting said second heat sink with said cabinet;
- and
- moving said second heat sink towards said first heat sink with said cabinet.
A method comprising:
- pressing a first heat sink into thermal contact with a heat emitting component;
- supporting a second heat sink above said first heat sink, said first heat sink being thermally connected to said second heat sink;
- and
- pressing said second heat sink against a cabinet, wherein said cabinet is an outer cover of a computer system, said pressing said second heat sink against a cabinet comprising installing said cabinet to said computer system.
A method comprising:
- pressing a first heat sink into thermal contact with a heat emitting component;
- supporting a second heat sink above said first heat sink, said first heat sink being thermally connected to said second heat sink;
- and
- pressing said second heat sink against a cabinet, wherein a pin extends through an aperture of said first heat sink, through an aperture of said second heat sink and into a pinhead cavity of said second heat sink, and
- wherein a first spring surrounds said pin, said first spring pressing said first heat sink into thermal contact with said heat emitting component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.