The present invention relates generally to a memory module assembly, and more particularly to a memory module assembly including a clip for mounting a heat sink to an electronic component attached on a surface of a printed circuit board of the memory module assembly.
Memory module assemblies that are currently in the use generally do not require cooling devices to dissipate heat. The electronic components and memory module assemblies currently available, which are operated on or below 66 MHz do not generate heat that requires a cooling device for dissipating the heat. However, as the industry progresses, the memory module assemblies, such SDRAM DIMM memory module assemblies are required to be operated on 100 MHz or above. For these up-to-date memory module assemblies, heat sinks will be required to remove heat generated thereby. However, since the memory module assemblies each have a little board area and are crowdedly mounted on a motherboard of a computer, how to mount the heat sink to the memory module assembly becomes an issue.
A memory module assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a printed circuit board having an electronic heat-generating component thereon, a heat sink and a clip for securing the heat sink onto the heat-generating component mounted on the printed circuit board. The heat sink comprises a base and a plurality of fins arranged on the base. A recess is defined in the fins of the heat sink, extending across a middle portion of the heat sink. The clip comprises a retaining portion resting against a bottom face of the printed circuit board and an elastic pressing portion spaced from the retaining portion. The pressing portion is received in the recess of the heat sink and resiliently presses the base of the heat sink toward the heat-generating component, whereby the clip clamps the heat sink and the printed circuit board therebetween. The heat-generating component is mounted on a substrate which is soldered to the printed circuit board. The heat sink has a pair of feet engaging opposite sides of the substrate.
Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Referring to
The clip 10 is U-shaped and made by folding a metallic wire. The clip 10 comprises a retaining portion 12, an elastic pressing portion 16 spaced from the retaining portion 12 and a curved portion 14 interconnecting the pressing portion 16 and the retaining portion 12. Guiding portions 13, 17 are extended from free ends of the retaining portion 12 and the pressing portion 16, respectively, for facilitating an engagement of the clip 10 with the heat sink 20 and the printed circuit board 30. The guiding portions 13, 17 are extended in directions away from each other. The pressing portion 16 extends in a same direction with the retaining portion 12 from the curved portion 14, and its end near the guiding portion 17 is inclined toward the retaining portion 12. The curved portion 14 is arranged around the long side of the printed circuit board 30 in which the cutout 32 is defined to extend through the cutout 32. The retaining portion 12 and the guiding portion 13 are covered with an insulated sheath 15 thereby preventing the retaining portion 12 and the guiding portion 13 from causing the printed circuit board 30 to short-circuit. The pressing portion 16 presses the heat sink 20 onto a top of the heat-generating component 40 on the printed circuit board 30 and the retaining portion 12 rests against a bottom surface of the printed circuit board 30.
The heat sink 20 comprises a base 22 for contacting the heat-generating electronic component 40 and a plurality of fins 24 arranged on an upper surface of the base 22. The base 22 defines an opening 26 in a side thereof, corresponding to the cutout 32 of the printed circuit board 30, for the curved portion 14 to extend therethrough. A recess 28 is defined in the fins 24 of the heat sink 20, extending across a middle portion of the heat sink 20 and in line with the opening 26 and the cutout 32. The pressing portion 16 of the clip 10 is received in the recess 28 and presses the base 22 tightly against the electronic component 40.
Referring to
The electronic component 40 is mounted on a substrate 41 which is then soldered on the printed circuit board 30. The heat sink 20 has a pair of feet 25 extending downwardly from the base 22. The feet 25 engage with two opposite sides of substrate 41, respectively, when the heat sink 20 is mounted to the electronic component 40 (best seen in
It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.