Thermalloy, Inc.

Howard G Hinshaw

Matthew C Smithers

William D Jordan

Donald L Clemens

Donald L Bland

Keith R Moulton

A strap spring for insertion into a circuit board for securing a heat sink to an electronic device is disclosed that has a body portion having two ends and a contact section and one or more engaging sections extending from said ends. The ends are inserted into an aperture in the circuit board and an aperture in the heat sink to anchor the circuit board to the heat sink. Electronic assemblies comprising a circuit board having a microprocessor and a heat sink having a surface larger than the microprocessor are also disclosed in which a strap spring is disposed on a side of the circuit board opposite the heat sink, and the strap extends through the circuit board to engage the heat sink.

Strap spring for attaching heat sinks to circuit boards

Heat sinks and electrical components pre-coated with a layer of a material such as thermal grease are disclosed. Contamination and migration of the thermal grease is substantially reduced by covering the coated areas with a release liner that is removed prior to the assembly of the heat sink into a circuit board or other assembly. By providing a pre-coated heat sink, productivity can be enhanced, by increasing accuracy with which the thermal grease is applied, thus eliminating waste and clean up. Methods for pre-coating either a heat sink or the release liner with thermal grease are also disclosed. In preferred embodiments areas of the heat sink can be either fully coated, or portions electively coated, and the coating may be accomplished by a silk screening or pad printing process, which includes using an applicator head. The release liner is preferably provided with a pull-off tab to facilitate the removal of the release liner. The present invention also discloses methods and devices for packaging a heat sink and an electrical component capable of mounting to the heat sink that has a layer of thermal grease disposed on its surface. The present invention also discloses improved methods of installing a heat sink using heat sinks that are pre-coated with thermal grease.

Heat sink packaging devices

Heat sinks pre-coated with a layer of a material such as thermal grease are disclosed. Contamination and migration of the thermal grease is substantially reduced by covering the coated areas with a protective film that is removed prior to the assembly of the heat sink into a circuit board or other assembly. By providing a pre-coated heat sink, productivity can be enhanced, by increasing accuracy with which the thermal grease is applied, thus eliminating waste and clean up. Methods for pre-coating either a heat sink or the protective film with thermal grease are also disclosed. In preferred embodiments areas of the heat sink can be either fully coated,, or portions electively coated, and the coating is most preferably accomplished by a silk screening or pad printing process. The protective film is preferably provided with a tear off tab to facilitate the removal of the protective film. The present invention also discloses improved methods of installing a heat sink using heat sinks that are pre-coated with thermal grease.

Pre-application of grease to heat sinks with a protective coating

A clip secures a heat sink having a slot with grooves on opposing sides thereof to a transistor. The frame has sides with a width therebetween which can be wedged into grooves on opposing sides of a slot in the heat sink. A portion of the frame is raised up between two parallel cuts in the frame. A transistor is wedged under the raised up portion. The clip has legs which are insertable into a printed circuit board for easy assembly of a heat sink, transistor, clip and printed circuit board.

Solderable transistor clip and heat sink

Heat sink apparatus for cooling large electronic devices is formed with a heat sink body having a plurality of pins extending outwardly from the base of the heat sink body and a rotary fan having a blowing surface mounted adjacent the outer extremity of the pins. The pins are separated by intersecting grooves providing a large surface area for the heat sink body. The surface area of the heat sink body is sufficiently large to provide a thermal impedance of substantially less than 1.0.degree. C./W and the volume occupied by the heat sink is sufficiently small to provide a volume performance value of less than about 6.degree. C. in.sup.3 /W.

Method and apparatus for dissipating thermal energy

A mounting clip for securing a heat sink to a device package is secured to the heat sink by forming a groove in the heat sink, positioning the central body portion of the clip in the groove and deforming the wall of the groove to trap the clip in the groove. The clip is an elongated body with ends extending from the axis of its central body. The ends may be trapped or hooked in appropriate receivers on a frame or socket holding an electronic device package to secure the heat sink adjacent the device package.

Spring clamp and heat sink assembly

Disclosed are solderable fastener devices for mounting heat sinks and electronic device packages on circuit boards. The fastener includes at least one mounting member extending to the circuit board and adapted for soldering thereto. The mounting member spaces the fastener, heat sink and electronic device package above the surface of the circuit board. The fastener further includes attachment means for gripping the heat sink and attaching it to the fastener. Securing means are provided for affixing the electronic device package to the heat sink and the fastener above the surface of the circuit board.

Solderable heat sink fastener

Unitary heat sink apparatus for use in removal of heat from a heat generating component is disclosed which includes a heat sink body formed by extrusion. Parallel fins extend outwardly a first predetermined distance for the heat sink body and are separated by a first predetermined number of grooves of a first predetermined depth and width. The ratio of the height of the fins to the width of the grooves is approximately four to one. The first predetermined number of parallel grooves are gang sawed to a second predetermined depth to provide a second and greater predetermined height to the parallel fins such that the new ratio of the second predetermined height of the fins to the width of the parallel grooves is increased to at least six to one. In another embodiment, the heat sink is then rotated ninety degrees and a second predetermined number of grooves are gang sawed at right angles across and through the parallel fins to provide a predetermined number of pins extending outwardly from the heat sink body.

Method of manufacturing heat sink apparatus

Unitary heat sink apparatus for use in removal of heat from a heat generating component is disclosed which includes a heat sink body formed by extrusion. Parallel fins extend outwardly a first predetermined distance from the heat sink body and are separated by a first predetermined number of grooves of a first predetermined depth and width. The ratio of the height of the fins to the width of the grooves is approximately four to one. The first predetermined number of parallel grooves are gang sawed to a second predetermined depth to provide a second and greater predetermined height to the parallel fins such that the new ratio of the second predetermined height of the fins to the width of the parallel grooves is increased to at least six to one. In another embodiment, the heat sink is then rotated ninety degrees and a second predetermined number of grooves are gang sawed at right angles across and through the parallel fins to provide a predetermined number of pins extending outwardly from the heat sink body.

A heat sink having a clip bonded thereon for resiliently securing the heat sink to an electronic device package. The clip includes an integral standoff directly bonded to the heat sink for spacing the clip from the heat sink. Preferably the heat sink and clip are surface treated before use.

Bonded clip heat sink

Disclosed is means for mounting semiconductor device cases on mounting substrates such as circuit boards. The mounting means includes studs passing transversely through the body of the mounting means for mounting a semiconductor case or semiconductor case and heat sink on one side of the body. The opposite ends of the studs are coated with a solder-promoting material so that the studs may be soldered directly to the circuit board. The body may include electrically conductive pin receptacles for mating with pins extending from the semiconductor case. The pin receptacles have solderable shanks extending from the opposite side of the socket body. Stand-off bosses are also disclosed for spacing the mounting body from the surface of the circuit board and for spacing the heat sink from the surface of the mounting body.

Growing community of inventors

Dallas, TX, United States of America

Howard G Hinshaw