Heat sink

Abstract

A heat sink for electronic components has a heat sink contact surface contacting the heat sink with a component to be cooled. At least one SMT fastening surface is disposed at an underside of the heat sink substantially at a right angle relative to the heat sink contact surface. A suction face for an SMT pipette is disposed at the heat sink substantially at a right angle to the heat sink contact surface above the SMT fastening surface. In another version, the heat sink has at least one receptacle slot that extends from an upper side of the heat sink into a wall forming the heat sink contact surface, the receptacle slot serving for the acceptance of a clamp element for clamping the appertaining component tightly against the heat sink contact surface. A suitable clamp element for such a heat sink has a plug-in web adapted in dimensions to the heat sink, a pressure element that presses against the component, and an abutment element that lies against the wall of the heat sink when the heat sink and clamp element are assembled.

We claim as our invention:  
     
         1 . A heat sink for cooling an electronic component, comprising: 
 a heat sink base in thermal communication with a heat sink contact surface, adapted for thermal contact with an electronic component to be cooled;    at least one SMT fastening surface disposed at an underside of said heat sink base substantially at a right angle relative to said heat sink contact surface; and    a suction face adapted to interact with an SMT pipette, said suction face being connected to said heat sink base substantially at a right angle to said heat sink contact surface and above said SMT fastening surface.    
     
     
         2 . A heat sink as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising an element impeding thermal conduction connecting said at least one SMT fastening surface to said heat sink base.  
     
     
         3 . A heat sink as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said element comprises a thin web.  
     
     
         4 . A heat sink as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said heat sink base and said heat sink contact surface are formed by a wall, said heat sink further comprising two sidewalls connected to said wall and forming a U-profile in a plane parallel to said SMT fastening device.  
     
     
         5 . A heat sink as claimed in  claim 4  wherein each of said sidewalls has a lower end, and comprising two SMT fastening surfaces, one of said SMT fastening surfaces being disposed at the lower end of each of said sidewalls.  
     
     
         6 . A heat sink as claimed in  claim 5  wherein, proceeding from said lower ends of said sidewalls, the SMT fastening surfaces project into a base area defined by said U-profile.  
     
     
         7 . A heat sink as claimed in  claim 4  wherein said heat sink contact surface is a first heat sink contact surface, and wherein said wall has a bottom edge at said heat sink base terminating flush with said at least one SMT fastening surface, said bottom edge forming a second heat sink contact surface.  
     
     
         8 . A heat sink as claimed in  claim 4  wherein each of said sidewalls has an upper end, and wherein said suction face is disposed at the upper end of one of said sidewalls.  
     
     
         9 . A heat sink as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said suction face proceeds from said upper end of said one of said sidewalls toward the upper end of the other of said sidewalls.  
     
     
         10 . A heat sink as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said suction face is disposed at a distance from said wall.  
     
     
         11 . A heat sink as claimed in  claim 8  further comprising an extension tongue proceeding upwardly from said heat sink contact surface as an extension of said wall beyond said upper ends of said sidewalls and said suction face.  
     
     
         12 . A heat sink as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said heat sink base, said heat sink contact surface, said at least one SMT fastening surface and said suction face are all comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of brass, bronze and copper.  
     
     
         13 . A heat sink as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said heat sink base, said heat sink contact surface, said at least one SMT fastening surface and said suction face are all bent from a one-piece sheet metal blank.  
     
     
         14 . A heat sink as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said heat sink base, said heat sink contact surface, said at least one SMT fastening surface and said suction face are all tin plated.  
     
     
         15 . A heat sink for cooling an electronic component, said heat sink comprising: 
 a heat sink base;    a heat sink contact surface adapted for thermal contact with an electronic component to be cooled, said heat sink contact surface and said heat sink base forming a wall having an upper side, said wall having a slot therein proceeding into said wall from said upper side; and    a clamp element received in said slot and disposed to clamp a component to be cooled between said clamp element and said heat sink contact surface.    
     
     
         16 . A heat sink as claimed in  claim 15  comprising a lateral surface connected to said wall, said slot being disposed parallel to said lateral surface.  
     
     
         17 . A heat sink as claimed in  claim 15  further comprising at least one further slot disposed parallel to said slot.  
     
     
         18 . A heat sink as claimed in  claim 15  comprising two lateral surfaces connected to said wall and each disposed substantially at a right angle relative to said wall, and wherein said slot is a first slot and said heat sink further comprising a second slot in said wall, said first slot being disposed next to one of said lateral surfaces and said second slot being disposed next to the other of said lateral surfaces.  
     
     
         19 . A heat sink as claimed in  claim 18  wherein said wall and said lateral surfaces and said clamp element are all composed of a material selected from the group consisting of brass, bronze and copper.  
     
     
         20 . A heat sink as claimed in  claim 18  wherein said wall and said lateral surfaces and said clamp element are all tin plated.  
     
     
         21 . A heat sink as claimed in  claim 18  wherein said wall and said lateral surfaces are bent from a one-piece sheet metal blank.  
     
     
         22 . A heat sink as claimed in  claim 12  wherein said slot has a width and wherein said wall has a thickness, and wherein said clamp element comprises: 
 a plug-in web received in said slot and having a thickness corresponding to the width of said slot and a length corresponding to the thickness of the wall and a dimension of an electronic component adapted to be clamped between said clamp element and said heat sink contact surface;  
 at least one pressure element connected to said plug-in web and adapted to press against an electronic component between said clamp element and said heat sink contact surface; and  
 at least one abutment element connected to said plug-in web disposed against said wall, said pressure element and said abutment element being disposed at opposite ends of said plug-in web.  
 
     
     
         23 . A heat sink as claimed in  claim 22  wherein said clamp element comprises two abutment surfaces respectively proceeding at right angles from said plug-in web in directions opposite from each other, said plug-in web having a plug-in direction associated therewith along which said plug-in web is plugged into said slot, and said two abutment elements being disposed at a right angle relative to said plug-in direction.  
     
     
         24 . A heat sink as claimed in  claim 22  wherein said clamp element comprises two abutment elements disposed in parallel planes spaced from each other and being matched to said thickness of said wall.  
     
     
         25 . A heat sink for cooling an electronic component, comprising: 
 a heat sink base;    a heat sink contact surface adapted for thermal contact with an electronic component to be cooled, said heat sink contact surface and said heat sink base forming a wall having an upper side, said wall having a slot therein proceeding into said wall from said upper side;    at least one SMT fastening surface disposed at an underside of said heat sink base substantially at a right angle relative to said heat sink contact surface;    a suction face adapted to interact with an SMT pipette, said suction face being connected to said heat sink base substantially at a right angle to said heat sink contact surface and above said SMT fastening surface; and    a clamp element received in said slot and disposed to clamp a component to be cooled between said clamp element and said heat sink contact surface.    
     
     
         26 . An electronic circuit comprising: 
 a circuit board;    an electronic component mounted on said circuit board; and    a heat sink comprising a heat sink base in thermal communication with a heat sink contact surface, in thermal contact with said electronic component to cool said electronic component, at least one SMT fastening surface disposed at an underside of said heat sink base substantially at a right angle relative to said heat sink contact surface; and a suction face adapted to interact with an SMT pipette, said suction face being connected to said heat sink base substantially at a right angle to said heat sink contact surface and above said SMT fastening surface.    
     
     
         27 . An electronic circuit as claimed in  claim 26  wherein said heat sink is mounted on said circuit board in an upright position with said heat sink contact surface disposed substantially at a right angle to said circuit board.  
     
     
         28 . An electronic circuit as claimed in  claim 26  wherein said electronic component is disposed in direct contact with said heat sink contact surface.  
     
     
         29 . An electronic circuit as claimed in  claim 26  wherein said heat sink contact surface is a first heat sink contact surface, and wherein said electronic circuit comprises a contact pad on said circuit board for said electronic component, and wherein said heat sink base has a bottom edge disposed on said contact pad and forming a second heat sink contact surface for said component.  
     
     
         30 . An electronic circuit as claimed in  claim 26  wherein said heat sink is disposed horizontally on said electronic component.  
     
     
         31 . An electronic circuit as claimed in  claim 26  comprising a plurality of electronic components, and wherein said heat sink is a first heat sink and further comprises lateral surfaces connected to and disposed at opposite sides of, said wall, and wherein said electronic circuit comprises a plurality of heat sinks identical to said first heat sink respectively in thermal contact with said plurality of electronic components, said plurality of heat sinks being disposed side-by-side with the respective lateral surfaces of adjacent heat sinks facing each other, with the respective heat sink contact surfaces of said plurality of heat sinks being aligned in a row.  
     
     
         32 . An electronic circuit as claimed in  claim 26  further comprising an extension heat sink, separate from said heat sink, in thermal contact with said heat sink.  
     
     
         33 . An electronic circuit as claimed in  claim 32  wherein said heat sink has an extension tongue connected to and disposed above said heat sink contact surface, said heat sink and said extension heat sink being in thermal contact via said extension tongue.  
     
     
         34 . An electronic circuit comprising: 
 a circuit board;    an electronic component mounted on said circuit board; and    a heat sink comprising a heat sink base, a heat sink contact surface in thermal contact with said electronic component to cool said electronic component, said heat sink contact surface and said heat sink base forming a wall having an upper side, said wall having a slot therein proceeding into said wall from said upper side, and a clamp element received in said slot and disposed to clamp a component to be cooled between said clamp element and said heat sink contact surface.    
     
     
         35 . An electronic circuit as claimed in  claim 34  wherein said heat sink is mounted on said circuit board in an upright position with said heat sink contact surface disposed substantially at a right angle to said circuit board.  
     
     
         36 . An electronic circuit as claimed in  claim 34  wherein said electronic component is disposed in direct contact with said heat sink contact surface.  
     
     
         37 . An electronic circuit as claimed in  claim 34  wherein said heat sink contact surface is a first heat sink contact surface, and wherein said electronic circuit comprises a contact pad on said circuit board for said electronic component, and wherein said heat sink base has a bottom edge disposed on said contact pad and forming a second heat sink contact surface for said component.  
     
     
         38 . An electronic circuit as claimed in  claim 34  wherein said heat sink is disposed horizontally on said electronic component.  
     
     
         39 . An electronic circuit as claimed in  claim 34  comprising a plurality of electronic components, and wherein said heat sink is a first heat sink and further comprises lateral surfaces connected to and disposed at opposite sides of, said wall, and wherein said electronic circuit comprises a plurality of heat sinks identical to said first heat sink respectively in thermal contact with said plurality of electronic components, said plurality of heat sinks being disposed side-by-side with the respective lateral surfaces of adjacent heat sinks facing each other, with the respective heat sink contact surfaces of said plurality of heat sinks being aligned in a row.  
     
     
         40 . An electronic circuit as claimed in  claim 34  further comprising an extension heat sink, separate from said heat sink, in thermal contact with said heat sink.  
     
     
         41 . An electronic circuit as claimed in  claim 40  wherein said heat sink has an extension tongue connected to and disposed above said heat sink contact surface, said heat sink and said extension heat sink being in thermal contact via said extension tongue.