The present invention relates generally to a memory module assembly, and more particularly to a memory module assembly including heat dissipating members for dissipating heat generated by electronic components on a surface of the memory module.
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 at or below 66 MHz do not generate enough heat to require a cooling device for dissipating the heat. However, as the industry progresses, memory module assemblies such SDRAM DIMM memory module assemblies are required to be operated at 100 MHz and over. For these state-of-the-art memory module assemblies, heat dissipating members will be required to remove generated heat. A locking device such as a clip is also desired in order to secure the heat dissipating members to the electronic components.
What is needed, therefore, is a memory module assembly incorporating a heat dissipating member with great heat dissipating capacity and a clip for easily mounting the heat dissipating member to a surface of the memory module assembly.
A memory module assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a memory card having a circuit board and a plurality of electronic components mounted on the circuit board. A pair of shells sandwiches the memory card therebetween. A first pair of clips sandwiches the memory card and the pair of shells therebetween. A fastener extends through the first pair of clips, the pair of shells and the circuit board, and then rivets them together. The first pair of clips each comprises a pair of pressing portions which press a corresponding shell of the pair of shells toward the memory card. A second pair of clips each clamps the pair of shells toward the memory card.
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 memory card 10 has a circuit board 110 and a plurality of electronic components 120 mounted on the two faces thereof. A through hole 111 is defined in a center of the circuit board 110. Two gaps 113 are respectively defined in upper portions of two opposite lateral edges of the circuit board 110.
The first, second shells 20, 30 are both manufactured from thermal conductive material such as a metal plate. The first and second shells 20, 30, respectively define two through apertures 211, 311 in centers thereof, aligning with the through hole 111 of the circuit board 110 of the memory card 10. Central areas of lower and upper edges of the first, second shell 20, 30 are stamped to form concave indents extending toward each other, thereby forming fixing portions 213, 313 with through apertures (not labeled) defined therein. Two U-shaped convexes 215, 315 are stamped outwardly adjacent to two ends of the first, second shell 20, 30. Therefore, a pair of positioning portions 217, 317 on the first, second shell 20, 30 are surrounded by the two convexes 215, 315, respectively. The first, second shells 20, 30 have upper edges thereof defining two notches 218, 318 corresponding to the two positioning portions 217, 317. Corresponding to the gaps 113 of the circuit board 110 of the memory card 10, two fixing tabs 219 extend from two lateral edges of the first shell 20 toward the second shell 30. Each tab 219 forms upper and lower barbs (not labeled) adjacent to a distal end thereof. The second shell 30 defines two cutouts 319 corresponding to the gaps 113 of the circuit board 110 and the tabs 219 of the first shell 20.
In order to ensure that the shells 20, 30 have good thermal contact with the electronic components 120 on the circuit board 110 of the memory card 10, thermal tapes 130 are sandwiched between the shells 20, 30 and the memory card 10. The tapes 130 have good thermal conductivity, and cover the electronic components 120 on the circuit board 110. The thermal tape 130 attached to a corresponding face of the memory card 10 can be a single piece, or can be divided into pieces. In this preferred embodiment, the tape 13 between the first shell 20 and the memory card 10 is a single piece, while the tape 130 between the second shell 30 and the memory card 10 is divided to two pieces, because the electronic components 120 on a rear face of the circuit board 110 as viewed from
Each of the pair of first clips 40 is integrally formed by bending a length of metal, and comprises an engaging portion 410, two arc-shaped flexible portions 430 extending from two lateral sides of the engaging portion 410, and two pressing portions 450 extending from their respective ends of the two flexible portions 430. A fastening hole 411 is defined in a center of the engaging portion 410.
Each second clip 60 is substantially inverted U-shaped, and comprises a main body 610 and two clamping boards 630 descending from two opposite edges of the main body 610. The two clamping boards 630 define two fastening apertures (not labeled) adjacent to distal ends thereof.
In assembly, the tabs 219 of the first shell 20 are fitted in the gaps 113 of the circuit board 110 of the memory card 10 and the cutouts 319 of the second shell 30. The distal ends of the tabs 219 are deformed to abut against the second shell 30 toward the memory card 10. The barbs abut against the circuit board 110 of the memory card 10 toward the first shell 20. Additionally, the first, second shells 20, 30 and the circuit board 110 are locked together via two bolts 321 connecting the fixing portions 213, 313 of the first, second shells 20, 30 and the circuit board 110 together. Therefore, the first, second shells 20, 30 and the memory card 10 are preassembled together with the tapes 130 being sandwiched between the first, second shells 20, 30 and the memory card 10. The pair of first clips 40 sandwiches the first shell 20, the tape 130 the memory card 10 and the second shell 30 therebetween. A fastener 50 extends through the first shell 20, the tape 130, the memory card 10 and the second shell 30, by fitting in the fastening holes 411, the through aperture 211 of the first shell 20, the through hole 111 of the circuit board 110 of the memory card 10 and the through aperture 311 of the second shell 30. Two ends of the fastener 50 which project beyond the fastening holes 411 of the two first clips 40 are expanded to form two abutting portions 510 abutting against the engaging portions 410 of the first clips 40 to press the two first clips 40 toward each other. A rear one of the first clips 40 is further fixed to the second shell 30 via screws (not shown) extending through the pressing portions 450 of the rear one of the first clips 40 and screwing in the protrusions 330 of the second shell 30. The second clips 60 clamp the first and second shells 20, 30 toward each other via the clamping boards 630 thereof abutting against the positioning portions 217, 317 of the first and second shells 20, 30. Furthermore, the clamping boards 630 are fixed to the first and second shells 20, 30 by a plurality of screws (not shown). Therefore, the first shell 20, the memory card 10 and the second shell 30 are firmly assembled together, and the thermal tapes 130 thermally connect the electronic components 120 and the shells 20, 30 together, whereby heat generated by the electronic components 120 is transmitted to the shells 20, 30 and dissipated to surrounding air.
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.