Apparatus for increasing heat dissipation capacity of a din rail mounted enclosure

Abstract

A mounting enclosure assembly is configured to mount electronic components onto a DIN rail. The mounting enclosure assembly includes a mounting bracket including a body having at least one elongate slot configured to receive an edge of the electronic component therein. The mounting enclosure assembly further includes a heat sink secured to the mounting bracket. The heat sink includes a mounting configuration configured to secure the heat sink and the mounting bracket to the DIN rail. The mounting enclosure assembly further includes a thermal bonding material disposed within the slot to secure the electronic component to the body of the mounting bracket within the slot. Other embodiments of the mounting enclosure assembly are further disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of mounting electronic components onto a DIN rail, the method comprising:
 providing a mounting bracket, the mounting bracket including a body having a heat sink and at least one elongated slot formed in the body, the elongated slot being configured to receive an edge of an electronic component therein;   disposing a thermal bonding material within the slot of the body of the mounting bracket;   positioning the electronic component in the slot to secure the electronic component to the body of the mounting bracket within the slot; and   securing the mounting bracket onto the DIN rail.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal bonding material includes a flexible sheet that is wrapped along the edge of the electronic component. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the flexible sheet embodies a thermal foam pad. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal bonding material includes a thermal compound paste that is disposed within the slot prior to inserting the edge of the electronic substrate into the slot. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heat sink includes a mounting configuration configured to secure the mounting bracket to the DIN rail, the mounting configuration including a slot sized to receive the DIN rail within the slot of the mounting configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the heat sink is configured to engage an edge of the DIN rail to hold the mounting bracket in place on the DIN rail. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting bracket is fabricated from plastic material and the heat sink is fabricated from heat dissipating material. 
     
     
         8 . A method of mounting electronic components onto a DIN rail, the method comprising:
 providing a mounting bracket, the mounting bracket including a body having at least one elongated slot and a raised portion having a display panel, a back wall of the body of the mounting bracket including a locking mechanism comprising a head portion and a handle portion that is connected to the head portion;   receiving an edge of a printed circuit board assembly in the at least one elongated slot;   securing a heat sink to the mounting bracket, the heat sink including a mounting configuration;   securing the heat sink and the mounting bracket to the DIN rail with the mounting configuration;   disposing a thermal bonding material within the at least one elongated slot to secure the printed circuit board assembly to the body of the mounting bracket within the at least one elongated slot;   releasably locking the mounting bracket to the DIN rail by pushing the handle portion so that the head portion overlaps a flange of the DIN rail and slides into a recessed slot of the back wall of the mounting bracket; and   displaying information on the display panel about the printed circuit board assembly.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the thermal bonding material includes a flexible sheet that is wrapped along the edge of the printed circuit board assembly. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the flexible sheet embodies a thermal foam pad. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the thermal bonding material includes a thermal compound paste, and the method further comprises disposing the thermal compound paste within the at least one elongated slot prior to inserting the edge of the printed circuit board assembly into the at least one elongated slot. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the mounting configuration includes a slot having snap-fit protrusions, and the method further comprises the snap-fit protrusions receiving, in snap-fit relation, the DIN rail within the slot of the mounting configuration having the snap-fit protrusions. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the heat sink includes fins that extend toward the DIN rail. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the mounting bracket is fabricated from plastic material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the heat sink is fabricated from aluminum material. 
     
     
         16 . A method of mounting electronic components onto a DIN rail, the method comprising:
 providing a mounting bracket, the mounting bracket including a heat sink, a retainer, and a body, the body including a locking mechanism comprising a head portion and a handle portion that is connected to the head portion;   securing the mounting bracket to the DIN rail with the heat sink;   securing the retainer to the heat sink;   inserting an edge of a printed circuit board assembly into the retainer;   disposing a thermal bonding material within the retainer to secure the printed circuit board assembly to the heat sink of the mounting bracket within the retainer; and   releasably locking the mounting enclosure assembly to the DIN rail by pushing the handle portion so that the head portion overlaps a flange of the DIN rail and slides into a recessed slot of the back wall of the mounting bracket.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the thermal bonding material includes a thermal compound paste, and the method further comprises disposing the thermal compound paste within the retainer prior to inserting the edge of the printed circuit board assembly into the retainer. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the thermal bonding material includes a flexible sheet that is wrapped along the edge of the printed circuit board assembly. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein providing the mounting bracket further comprises providing the mounting bracket having a display panel, and the method further comprises displaying information on the display panel about the printed circuit board assembly. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the heat sink includes a mounting configuration configured to secure the mounting bracket to the DIN rail, the mounting configuration including a slot sized to receive the DIN rail within the slot of the mounting configuration.