Securing heat sinks to electronic components

Abstract

A clip for holding a heat sink in heat conductive engagement with an integrated circuit mounted upon a substrate. The clip has a resilient beam for extending across the heat sink and two arms to extend down opposite edges of the heat sink and the substrate. The arms have free end extensions. When assembled, the heat sink and substrate sandwich between them the integrated circuit and a compression spring forming part of the clip, compresses the heat sink, integrated circuit and substrate together between the spring and the free end extensions. The compression spring is compressed in turn between the heat sink and the beam which is resiliently flexed away from the heat sink. The clip is devoid of screwthreaded attachments together with their disadvantages and the spring is the sole means of holding the assembly together. The beam of the clip may be spaced from a base of the heat sink so as not to extend across cooling air passages between heat transfer projections of the heat sink. The clip does not cause electrical shorting. Loosening of the clip cannot take place in the assembly. The clip is registered with the heat sink and with the substrate to accurately locate the heat sink relative to the integrated circuit. Cooling air is funnelled through a space defined by the beam, a base of the heat sink and the two arms so as to pass the air through air flow passages of the heat sink.