Appliance for releasable fastening of a cooling member to an integrated module

Claim 2

An appliance releasably fastening a cooling member to an integrated circuit module mounted on a plug base, the cooling member having a core and cooling fins extending from the core, the appliance comprising: an H-shaped spring clip including a first leg section including first legs for releasably engaging the plug base, a second leg section including second legs for releasably engaging the plug base, an intermediate section connecting said first and second leg sections and including a central aperture for receiving the core of the cooling member, and intermediate section portions adjacent said central aperture for receipt between a pair of the cooling fins and a parting slot extending from the central aperture to one end of said spring clip to facilitate spreading of the spring clip over the cooling member, and a plurality of spreader brackets extending from and in the opposite direction of said first and second legs effecting releasable engagement of said first and second legs upon movement of said spreader brackets towards one another.

Claim 3

The appliance of claim 1, wherein: a pair of U-shaped slots in said spring clip define said spreader brackets.

Claim 4

The appliance of claim 1, and further comprising: T-shaped distal ends on said first and second legs engaging the plug base.

Claim 5

The appliance of claim 3, wherein said parting slot extends between said first legs, and further comprising: locking means on said first legs locking said first legs against separation from one another after mounting.

Claim 6

The appliance of claim 4, wherein: said locking means comprises an L-shaped projection on one of said first legs and an L-shaped recess on another of said first legs receiving said L-shaped projection.

Claim 7

The appliance of claim 1, wherein: a pair of parallel U-shaped slots define one of said spreader brackets; and a further slot extends from one of said U-shaped slots to the respective end of said clip to define a separation between said second legs.

Claim 8

The appliance of claim 6, wherein: said intermediate section comprises a downwardly directed V-shape.

Claim 9

The appliance of claim 3, wherein: said T-shaped distal ends of said first and second legs extend downwardly from said intermediate section at a convergent angle towards one another.

Claim 10

In combination, an integrated circuit module and a spring clip releasably fastening a cooling member to said integrated circuit module, the cooling member having a plurality of spaced fins extending from a core, and a base, said combination comprising: a plurality of spaced edge rectangular recesses on said base, said spring clip comprising an intermediate section and first and second leg sections depending from said intermediate section at a convergent angle towards one another, a central aperture in said intermediate section flanked by a pair of intermediate portions, said central aperture receiving the core and said intermediate portions being received between adjacent cooling fins, each of said leg sections including a pair of legs each comprising a T-shaped distal end, each of said distal ends including a cross bar on a respective leg, with each leg received in a respective recess and the cross bar engaging against said base adjacent a respective recess, spreader brackets extending from said first and second leg sections in directions opposite said distal ends releasably engaging said distal ends with said base upon movement of said spreader brackets towards the core, and a parting slot extending from said central aperture to one end of said spring clip to facilitate mounting of said spring clip over the cooling member.

Claim 11

In combination, an integrated circuit module and a spring clip releasably fastening a cooling member to said integrated circuit module, the cooling member having a plurality of spaced fins extending from a core, and a base, said combination comprising: a plurality of spaced edge rectangular recesses on said base, said spring clip comprising an intermediate section and first and second leg sections depending from said intermediate section at a convergent angle towards one another, a central aperture in said intermediate section flanked by a pair of intermediate portions, said central aperture receiving the core and said intermediate portions being received between adjacent cooling fins, each of said leg sections including a pair of legs each comprising a T-shaped distal end, each of said distal ends including a cross bar on a respective leg, with each leg received in a respective recess and the cross bar engaging against said base adjacent a respective recess, spreader brackets extending from said first and second leg sections in directions opposite said distal ends releasably engaging said distal ends with said base upon movement of said spreader brackets towards the core, and a parting slot extending from said central aperture to one end of said spring clip to facilitate mounting of said spring clip over the cooling member.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 9, wherein: said base comprises surfaces in the rectangular recesses which are beveled toward the center of the base.