Strap spring for heat sink clip assembly

Claim 2

A strap mounting a heat sink having a plurality of spaced fins to an electronic device with an electrically insulating frame, comprising: a flat, straight leg releasably gripping said frame urging said heat sink into thermal contact with the face of said electronic device, said leg having an opening mating with an ear on said frame; at least two longitudinal spring members extending generally perpendicularly to said leg with an opening between said spring members, said spring members fitting between said fins of said heat sink to hold said heat sink; and at least one spring tab extending from each spring, said tab flexibly engaging the fins of said heat sink to lodge said clip in said heat sink.

Claim 3

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said frame is a socket having said ear extending therefrom.

Claim 4

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said electronic device is a pin grid array, the pins of said pin grid array fitting into receptacles in said socket.

Claim 5

The apparatus in claim 1 wherein said strap is generally U-shaped and has two legs with openings in each end thereof which mate with two corresponding ears on opposite sides of said frame.

Claim 6

The apparatus recited in claim 2 wherein said frame has a pair of spaced ears extending from opposite sides of said frame.

Claim 7

The apparatus recited in claim 3 wherein said strap comprises two springs with an opening therebetween, said springs being inserted between the fins of said heat sink.

Claim 8

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said elongated clip includes a thumb tab for pushing said elongated clip over said heat sink so that said means to mate engages said latching means.

Claim 9

The apparatus recited in claim 5 further comprising at least one spring tab extending from each spring, said tab flexibly engaging the fins of said heat sink to lodge said clip in said heat sink.

Claim 10

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein each spring has two upwardly extending tabs.

Claim 11

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said heat sink has at least one pair of ratchet indentations on opposed fins, said spring members being lodged in said ratchet indentations.

Claim 12

The apparatus recited in claim 5 wherein said springs are bowed downwardly and wherein each has a horizontal center portion which is lodged between the fins of said heat sink.

Claim 13

The apparatus recited in claim 10 wherein the center portion of each spring has a horizontally extending tab which flexibly engages the fins of said heat sink to lodge said clip in said heat sink.

Claim 14

The combination of two single clips of the type recited in claim 1 with a heat sink, and an electronic device with a frame having latching means, a single clip being used on both ends of said heat sink and securing it to said electronic device socket.

Claim 15

The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said elongated clip has three projections extending perpendicularly from said springs, the central projection being bent outwardly from the other two projections to flexibly engage a fin of said heat sink.

Claim 16

The apparatus recited in claim 1 further comprising: a nub extending from each spring member, each nub bearing against one of said spaced fins to prevent movement of said strap in the longitudinal direction.

Claim 17

Apparatus mounting a heat sink having a plurality of spaced fins to an electronic device comprising: insulating frame means for supporting said electronic device having a pair of spaced ears extending from opposite side of said frame; an elongated clip to releasably grip a heat sink and urge it into thermal contact with the face of said electronic device, said elongated clip being generally U-shaped with two flat, straight legs at the extremes of an elongated center portion, each of said legs having an opening in each end thereof which mate with one of said ears on said frame; said elongated clip having a center portion including two springs extending perpendicularly to said legs with an opening therebetween, said springs being inserted between the fins of said heat sink to lodge said clip in said heat sink; and at least one spring tab extending from each spring, said tab flexibly engaging the fins of said heat sink to lodge said clip in said heat sink.

Claim 18

Apparatus mounting a heat sink having a plurality of spaced fins to an electronic device comprising: insulating frame means for supporting said electronic device having a pair of spaced ears extending from opposite side of said frame; an elongated clip to releasably grip a heat sink and urge it into thermal contact with the face of said electronic device, said elongated clip being generally U-shaped with two flat, straight legs at the extremes of an elongated center portion, each of said legs having an opening in each end thereof which mate with one of said ears on said frame; said elongated clip having a center portion including two springs extending perpendicularly to said legs with an opening therebetween, said springs being inserted between the fins of said heat sink to lodge said clip in said heat sink; and at least one spring tab extending from each spring, said tab flexibly engaging the fins of said heat sink to lodge said clip in said heat sink.

Claim 19

The apparatus recited in claim 1 having at least four of said flat longitudinal spring members fitting between said fins of said heat sink.

Claim 20

The apparatus recited in claim 16 further comprising: an electrically insulated shoe connected to said spring members, said shoe engaging said frame to urge said heat sink into thermal contact with said electronic device.

Claim 21

The apparatus recited in claim 16 further comprising: a conductive sheet stock base having said legs and said springs, said openings in said legs and said opening between said springs being stamped in said sheet metal base.