Mounting a heat sink in thermal contact with an electronic component

A method of assembling a heat transfer apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• attaching a load frame to a printed circuit board having an electronic component thereon, the load frame having an open region into which the electronic component extends exposing a surface of the electronic component;
• dispensing a thermally conductive material on the surface of the electronic component;
• placing a heat sink on the load frame so that a surface of the heat sink is in thermal contact with the surface of the electronic component through the thermally conductive material;
• applying a preload force to the heat sink toward the electronic component to compress the thermally conductive material and achieve a desired thermal interface gap between the surface of the heat sink and the surface of the electronic component;
• and
• subsequent to the step of applying the preload force, actuating at least one non-influencing screw, and each urging an element transversely against a sidewall within a bore of the heat sink and threaded into the load frame to secure the heat sink to the load frame and maintain the desired thermal interface gap.

A method of assembling a heat transfer apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• attaching a load frame to a printed circuit board having an electronic component thereon, the load frame having an open region into which the electronic component extends exposing a surface of the electronic component;
• dispensing a thermally conductive material on the surface of the electronic component;
• placing a heat sink on the load frame so that a surface of the heat sink is in thermal contact with the surface of the electronic component through the thermally conductive material;
• applying a preload force to the heat sink toward the electronic component to compress the thermally conductive material and achieve a desired thermal interface gap between the surface of the heat sink and the surface of the electronic component;
• and
• actuating a plurality of non-influencing screw each disposed within a bore of the heat sink and threaded into the load frame to secure the heat sink to the load frame and maintain the desired thermal interface gap, wherein the step of actuating a plurality of non-influencing screw includes the step of turning the plurality of NIF screws each urging an element transversely against a sidewall of the bore of the heat sink so that the non-influencing screw is actuated without significantly altering the desired thermal interface gap.

A heat transfer apparatus comprising:

• a printed circuit board having an electronic component thereon;
• a load frame mounted to the printed circuit board, the load frame having an open region into which the electronic component extends exposing a surface of the electronic component;
• an actuation mechanism to apply a preload force to a heat sink disposed on the load frame and having a surface in thermal contact with the surface of the electronic component through a thermally conductive material that provides a desired thermal interface gap between the surface of the heat sink and the surface of the electronic component;
• and
• at least one non-influencing screw disposed within a bore of the heat sink and attached relative to the load frame to secure the heat sink to the load frame and maintain the desired thermal interface gap, wherein the at least one non-influencing screw, and each urging an element transversely against a sidewall of the bore of the heat sink.