Snap-in heat sink for semiconductor mounting

Abstract

A snap-in heat sink assembly that has an injection molded one piece frame having a plurality of spring members extending outwardly with protrusions at the free ends thereof. The assembly has a spring located against the frame and an electronic component is located atop of the spring. A heat sink has lateral surfaces with elongated grooves formed along those lateral surfaces. The sink is affixed to the frame by a simple step of inserting the heat sink into the space between the spring members such that the protrusions of the spring members snap into the grooves when the heat sink is in the desired location. By sandwiching the spring between the frame and the electronic component, the spring creates a bias to force the electronic component against the heat sink to assure good conductivity of heat from the electronic component through the heat sink.

1 . An extruded heat sink for use in cooling an electronic component, said heat sink having a body with a flat generally planar surface and two laterally facing exterior surfaces, a plurality of thin fins extending outwardly from said body and being elongated in the direction along said two lateral exterior surfaces, each of said lateral surfaces having elongated ridges formed thereabout extending the full length of said lateral exterior surfaces.  
     
     
         2 . The extruded heat sink of  claim 1  wherein said extruded heat sink is aluminum.  
     
     
         3 . The extruded heat sink of  claim 1  absent surface machining and absent surface holes therein.  
     
     
         4 . A heat sink comprising: 
 a base having a first side and a second side;    a plurality of fins extending from the first side of the base and including a first fin and a last fin; and    a groove formed in the first and the last fin and constructed to engage a retainer therein.    
     
     
         5 . The heat sink of  claim 4  further comprising a second fin extending from the first and the last fins.  
     
     
         6 . The heat sink of  claim 4  wherein the retainer maintains a contact between the second side of the heat sink and a heat generating component.  
     
     
         7 . The heat sink of  claim 4  wherein the groove in the first fin is generally coplanar with the groove formed in the second fin.  
     
     
         8 . The heat sink of  claim 4  where the groove in the first fin and the groove in the second fin are a common distance from the base.  
     
     
         9 . The heat sink of  claim 4  wherein the plurality of fins extend a distance from the base longer than a distance between the first and the last fins.  
     
     
         10 . The heat sink of  claim 4  formed of extruded aluminum.  
     
     
         11 . The heat sink of  claim 4  wherein the plurality of fins are generally perpendicular to the base.  
     
     
         12 . A heat sink comprising: 
 a base having a first and a second end;    a pair of external surfaces having a length and extending from the first and second ends of the base; and    a plurality of fins extending from the base between the pair of external surfaces; and having a length different from the length of the external surfaces.    
     
     
         13 . The heat sink of  claim 12  wherein the length of the external surfaces is approximately half the length of the plurality of fins.  
     
     
         14 . The heat sink of  claim 12  further comprising a retainer constructed to engage an end of each of the pair of external surfaces.  
     
     
         15 . The heat sink of  claim 12  wherein the base is constructed to thermally engage an electrical component.  
     
     
         16 . The heat sink of  claim 12  formed of extruded aluminum.  
     
     
         17 . The heat sink of  claim 12  wherein the plurality of fins are generally perpendicular to the base and generally parallel to the external surfaces.  
     
     
         18 . The heat sink of  claim 12  wherein the external surfaces are generally thicker than the plurality of fins.  
     
     
         19 . A heat sink assembly comprising: 
 a heat sink having a base with a pair of generally parallel sides and a first and a second end;    a plurality of fins extending from the base between the generally parallel sides thereof; and    a retainer constructed to receive the heat sink therein and engage the first and second ends of the base.    
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 19  further comprising a heat generating device in thermal contact with the base.  
     
     
         21 . The assembly of  claim 19  wherein the plurality of fins are generally perpendicular to a section of the base between the pair of generally parallel sides.  
     
     
         22 . The assembly of  claim 19  wherein the heat sink is extruded aluminum.  
     
     
         23 . The assembly of  claim 19  wherein the pair of generally parallel sides of the base each have a groove formed therein.  
     
     
         24 . The assembly of  claim 19  wherein the plurality of fins are longer than the pair of generally parallel sides of the base.