Information
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Patent Grant
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6330905
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Patent Number
6,330,905
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Date Filed
Tuesday, October 10, 200023 years ago
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Date Issued
Tuesday, December 18, 200122 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
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CPC
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US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 165 803
- 165 121
- 165 185
- 174 163
- 257 718
- 257 719
- 257 722
- 361 697
- 361 704
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International Classifications
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Abstract
A heat sink assembly includes a heat sink (60), a fan (20) and a fixing device (70). The heat sink has a plurality of fins (64). The outermost fins define catches (66). The fixing device includes an upper portion (10) and a lower portion (30). The upper and lower portions respectively define upper and lower openings (14, 36) providing air flow access for the fan. A pole (18) depends from each comer of the upper portion. The fan has first through holes (22) for extension of the poles therethrough. A pair of latches (38) extends upwardly from the lower portion, for engaging with the upper portion. The upper portion defines two cutouts (16) in communication with the upper opening, for receiving the latches. A side wall (50) depends from each of two opposite sides of the lower portion. Each side wall defines two recess (54) at respective opposite ends thereof. A barb (52) is formed at each opposite end of each side wall, for engaging with the corresponding catch of the heat sink.
Description
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat sink assembly, and particularly to a heat sink assembly having a fixing device for readily and firmly attaching a fan to a heat sink.
2. The Related Art
During operation of an electronic device of a computer system, a large amount of heat is often produced. The heat must be quickly removed from the electronic device, to prevent the computer system from becoming unstable or being damaged. Typically, a heat sink is attached to an outer surface of the electronic device to facilitate removal of heat therefrom. Fans are often attached to the heat sink to provide forced convection therefrom.
A conventional means for attaching a fan to a heat sink is by using screws. Referring to
FIG. 6
, each of four corners of a fan
2
defines a through hole. A heat sink
1
forms threading corresponding to the through holes of the fan
2
. Screws
3
extend through the through holes and engage with the threadings of the heat sink
1
, thereby attaching the fan
2
to the heat sink
1
. However, installation and removal of the fan requires a tool such as a screwdriver. This makes the process cumbersome and complicated. Moreover, aluminum chips may be torn off the threadings of an aluminum heat sink as the screws
3
are rotated during installation. Such loose chips can migrate to other parts of the computer system during installation or use, where they may cause malfunction or damage. Furthermore, this mode lacks generality because it can only be used in heat sink of a given size and given configuration heat sink.
Thus a heat sink assembly which overcomes the above problems of the prior art is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a heat sink assembly having a fixing device which firmly attaches a fan to a heat sink.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a heat sink assembly which is readily assembled and disassembled.
To achieve the above-mentioned objects, a heat sink assembly comprises a heat sink, a fan and a fixing device. The heat sink has a plurality of parallel fins. The outermost fins define internal catches. The fixing device comprises a rectangular upper portion and a rectangular lower portion. The upper and lower portions respectively define upper and lower openings providing air flow access for the fan. A pole depends vertically from each corner of the upper portion. The fan has through holes for the extension of the poles therethrough. A pair of latches extends upwardly from opposite sides of the lower portion, for engaging with the upper portion. The upper portion defines two opposed cutouts in communication with the opening, for receiving the latches. A side wall depends from each of two opposite sides of the lower portion. Each side wall defines two recess at respective opposite ends thereof. A barb is formed at each opposite end of each side wall, for engaging with the corresponding catch of the heat sink.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be drawn from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with the attached drawings, in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is an exploded view of a fixing device in accordance with the present invention together with a fan;
FIG. 2
is a view of a lower portion of the fixing device of
FIG. 1
, but now inverted;
FIG. 3
is an assembled view of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 4
is a perspective view of a heat sink in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 5
is an assembled view of the fixing device attached to the heat sink; and
FIG. 6
is an exploded view of conventional means of attaching a fan to a heat sink using screws.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to
FIG. 1
, a fixing device
70
of the present invention is used to attach a fan
20
to a heat sink
60
(see FIG.
4
). The fan
20
is generally rectangular, with a vertical first through hole
22
defined in each comer thereof.
The fixing device
70
includes an upper portion
10
and a lower portion
30
. The upper portion
10
is generally rectangular. The center of the upper portion
10
defines a large upper opening
14
, for providing air flow access for the fan
20
. The upper portion
10
defines two opposing cutouts
16
, each cutout
16
being in communication with the upper opening
14
. A pole
18
depends vertically from a bottom surface (not labeled) of the upper portion
10
at each corner thereof, corresponding to each first through hole
22
of the fan
20
.
The lower portion
30
has a generally rectangular base
32
. The base
32
defines a second through hole
34
at each comer thereof, corresponding to each first through hole
22
of the fan
20
. The center of the base
32
defines a large lower opening
36
, for providing air flow access for the fan
20
. A pair of latches
38
extends upwardly from respective opposite sides of the base
32
, corresponding to the cutouts
16
of the upper portion
10
. A pair of protrusions
42
respectively extends upwardly from the other two opposite sides of the lower portion
30
. Two side walls
50
depend vertically from respective opposite sides of the lower portion
30
, adjacent the protrusions
42
. Two recesses
54
are defined in respective opposite ends of each side wall
50
(see also FIG.
2
). A pair of external barbs
52
is formed at respective opposite ends of each side wall
50
. Each barb
52
is adjacent a lower limit of its corresponding recess
54
.
Referring to
FIG. 3
, in assembly, the poles
18
of the upper portion
10
respectively extend through the first through holes
22
of the fan
20
, and then enter the second through holes
34
of the lower portion
30
. The latches
38
of the lower portion
30
abut against respective opposite sides (not labeled) of the fan
20
, and extend through the cutouts
16
to engage with the upper portion
10
. The protrusions
42
abut against the other two opposite sides of the fan
20
, to prevent the fan
20
from moving in a lateral direction.
Referring to
FIGS. 4 and 5
, the heat sink
60
includes a chassis
62
and a plurality of parallel fins
64
extending vertically from a top surface (not labeled) of the chassis
62
. The outermost fins
64
define internal catches
66
corresponding to the barbs
52
of the lower portion
30
. In attaching the fixing device
70
to the heat sink
60
, the barbs
52
of the lower portion
30
engage with the catches
66
of the heat sink
60
. Thus the fixing device
70
is securely attached to the heat sink
60
.
The whole assembly process is simple and convenient. Furthermore, when a heat sink of different size and/or configurations used, only the lower portion
30
needs to be replaced to make the entire fixing device
70
fully operational. Thus the fixing device
70
is highly versatile. Moreover, since the fixing device
70
does not need screws to secure the fan to the heat sink, the risk of accidental damage to the heat sink during assembly is minimized.
It is understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof thus, the present example and embodiment are to be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.
Claims
- 1. A heat sink assembly comprising:a heat sink having a plurality of fins at least two fins formed with a catch; a fan; and a fixing device comprising an upper portion and a lower portion with the fan interposed therebetween, the upper and lower portions respectively defining upper and lower openings providing air flow access for the fan, the lower portion forming at least two latches for engaging with the upper portion thereby securing the fan between the upper and lower portions, and the lower portion having at least two barbs engaging with the at least two catches of the fins thereby securing the lower portion to the heat sink.
- 2. The heat sink assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the upper portion forms at least a pole, and the fan defines at least a first through hole for extension of the pole therethrough.
- 3. The heat sink assembly as described in claim 2, wherein the lower portion defines at least a second through hole for extension of the pole therethrough.
- 4. The heat sink assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the upper portion defines at least two cutouts in communication with the upper opening, for receiving the at least two latches of the lower portion.
- 5. The heat sink assembly as described in claim 1, wherein at least a pair of protrusions extends upwardly from respective opposite sides of the lower portion, the protrusions abutting respective opposite sides of the fan.
- 6. The heat sink assembly as described in claim 1, wherein at least a pair of side walls depends from respective opposite sides of the lower portion, the side walls abutting respective outermost fins of the heat sink.
- 7. The heat sink assembly as described in claim 6, wherein the at least two barbs are respectively formed in the opposite side walls of the lower portion, and the at least two catches are respectively formed in opposite outermost fins of the heat sink.
- 8. The heat sink assembly as described in claim 7, wherein at least two recesses are respectively defined in the opposite side walls adjacent the at least two barbs, for facilitating engagement of the barbs with the catches of the heat sink.
- 9. A heat sink assembly comprising:a heat sink including a plurality of fins thereon; a fan; and a fixing device including spaced upper and lower portions with said fan interposed therebetween, the upper portion and the lower portion respectively defining upper and lower openings providing air flow access for the fan; means for retaining the fan in position in the fixing device; means for holding the upper portion and the lower portion together; and means for securing one of said upper portion and the said lower portion to the heat sink.
- 10. The assembly as described in claim 9, wherein the means for retaining the fan includes at least one pole extending through a hole of the fan.
- 11. The assembly as described in claim 9, wherein the means for holding the upper portion and the lower portion includes at least one latch formed on one of the upper portion and the lower portion and latchably engaged with the other.
- 12. The assembly as described in claim 9, wherein the means for securing to the heat sink includes at least one barb of the fixing device and one catch formed on the heat sink.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
89215869 |
Sep 2000 |
TW |
|
US Referenced Citations (4)