Mounting device for heat sink

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to mounting devices for heat sinks, and particularly to pin-type mounting devices for mounting heat sinks to circuit boards.

[0003] 2. Related Art

[0004] Electronic devices such as central processing units (CPUs) generate a lot of heat during normal operation. This can deteriorate their operational stability and damage associated electronic devices. Thus the heat must be removed quickly to ensure normal operation. A heat dissipation device is often attached to a top surface of a CPU, to remove heat therefrom. Oftentimes, mounting devices are used to mount the heat dissipation device to the CPU.

[0005] FIGS. 6–7 show a conventional mounting device mounting a heat sink 6 to a circuit board 9. The mounting device comprises a pin 1 and a spring 2 surrounding the pin 1. The pin 1 comprises a head 3 formed at a top end thereof, and a taper barb 4 formed at a bottom end thereof. An elongate slot 5 is defined in the barb 4 to divide the barb 4 into two halves. The heat sink 6 defines a plurality of first through holes 7. The circuit board 9 defines a plurality of second through holes 7′. In assembly, the heat sink 6 is placed on an electronic component 8 of the circuit board 9 with the first through holes 7 of the heat sink 6 aligned with the second through holes 7′ respectively. The pin 1 extends through the corresponding first and second through holes 7, 7′ in a up-to-down direction. In the process of the pin 1 extending through the second through hole 7′, the two halves of the barb 4 are compressed. After the barb 4 extends through the second through hole 7′, the two halves of the barb 4 return to their original states and abut a bottom surface of the circuit board 9. The spring 2 presses a top surface of the heat sink 6 downwardly and the heat sink 6 is therefore mounted to the heat generating component 8.

[0006] However, a large operation force is required to exert on the pin 1 to overcome the elastic force of the barb 4 when the pin 1 is extended through the second through hole 7′. Furthermore, the pin 1 is easy to deflect to wear the heat sink 6 and the circuit board 9 in the through holes 7, 7′ in assembly. The size of the through holes 7, 7′ therefore increases which results in the pin 1 not capable of firmly attaching the heat sink 6 to the circuit board 9.

[0007] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a mounting device which can readily and firmly mount a heat sink to a circuit board.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a mounting device which has little damage to a heat sink and a circuit board in using.

[0009] To achieve the above-mentioned objects, a mounting device in accordance with the present invention comprises a locking member extending through the heat sink and including a through hole and barbs formed in one end portion thereof for engaging with the circuit board, an operation member comprising a cylinder and a rod extending from the cylinder into the through hole of the locking member. First and second bumps are formed in the locking member, and a pair of slots is defined in the cylinder for engaging with the first and second bumps at first and second positions respectively. A spring is received in the cylinder, surrounding the rod and compressed between one end of the cylinder and the first bumps. The rod expand the barbs outwardly cause the barbs to engage with the circuit board at the second position to and releases the barbs to cause the barbs to disengage from the circuit board at the first position.

[0010] 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 attached drawings, in which:

[0017] Referring to FIG. 1, a mounting device 10 in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention is used to mount a heat sink 20 to an electronic component 30, such as a central processing unit (CPU) 30 which is attached on a printed circuit board 40. The heat sink 20 comprises a rectangular base 22 defining four through holes 24 in respective four corners thereof (see FIG. 4). The printed circuit board 40 defines four through holes 42 surrounding the CPU 30 and corresponding to the through holes 24 of the heat sink 20.

[0018] Referring to FIGS. 2–3, the mounting device 10 comprises an operation member 12, a spring 14, and a pin-type locking member 16. The operation member 12 comprises a hollow cylinder 122 with a pair of flanges 124 formed on opposite first and second ends thereof. A pair of elongate slots 126 is defined in a circumferential wall of the cylinder 122 adjacent to the second flange 124. An elongate rod 128 extends from the first flange 124 through the second flange 124 to the locking member 16. The rod 128 is coaxial with the cylinder 122. The spring 14 is surroundingly attached on the rod 128 and received in the cylinder 122. The locking member 16 defines a through hole 162 extending therethrough and comprises a connection portion 164, a locking portion 166, and a stopping fringe 168 formed between the connection portion 164 and the locking portion 166. The connection portion 164 defines two pairs of slots (not labeled) along a longitudinal direction thereof. A pair of spring arms 176 is therefore formed. Each spring arm 176 forms a first bump 178 at a top end thereof and a second bump 179 at a middle portion thereof. The locking portion 166 defines a neck 174 and a pair of slots (not labeled) in a lower end thereof to therefore form a pair of spaced barbs 172. Each barb 172 has an inverted circumferential surface. One portion of the through hole 162 located in the connection portion 164 has a larger diameter than the other portion of the through hole 162 located in the locking portion 166.

[0019] Referring to FIGS. 4–5, in assembly, the connection portion 164 of the locking member 16 of the mounting device 10 extends through a corresponding through hole 24 of the base 22 of the heat sink 20 in a down-to-up direction until the second bumps 179 of the connection portion 164 abut a top surface of the base 22. The rod 128 of the operation member 12 extends downwardly into the through hole 162 of the locking member 16 to cause the connection portion 164 of the locking member 16 to be received in the slots 126 of the cylinder 122 of the operation member 12. The spring 14 is compressed between the first bumps 178 and the second flange 124 and presses the locking member 16 downwardly to cause the first bumps 178 of the locking member 16 to abut the second flange 124 of the operation member 12 in the corresponding slots 126. The stopping fringe 168 can prevent the mounting device 10 from sliding upwardly off from the base 22 via the through hole 24. The mounting device 10 is thus pre-assembled to the heat sink 20. The remained mounting devices 10 are pre-assembled to the heat sink 20 in the same way. The combined heat sink 20 and mounting devices 10 is then placed on the printed circuit board 40 with the heat sink 20 seated on the CPU 30 and the barbs 172 extending through the corresponding through holes 42 of the printed circuit board 40. The operation members 12 are downwardly pushed until the second flanges 124 slide over the second bumps 179 of the locking members 16. The second bumps 179 are therefore engaged in the corresponding slots 126 of the operation member 12. The rods 128 of the operation members 12 expand the pair of barbs 172 outwardly to cause the barbs 172 to firmly engage with the printed circuit board 40 in the necks 174. The second flanges 124 of the operation members 12 bear against the base 22 of the heat sink 20. The heat sink 20, the CPU 30, and the printed circuit board 40 are secured between the second flanges 124 of the operation members 12 and the barbs 172. Thus, the heat sink 20 is thus firmly attached on the CPU.

[0020] In disassembly, the spring arms 176 of the locking member 16 are squeezed to cause the second bumps 179 to disengage from the corresponding slots 126 of the operation member 12. At the same time, the operation member 12 are pulled upwardly to draw the rod 128 upwardly until the rod 128 locates above the circuit board 40. The barbs 172 are released from the rod 128 and therefore disengage able from the circuit board 40. The mounting device 10 can then be readily detached from the circuit board 40.

[0021] It is understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, the present example and embodiment is to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.