Patent CA554718A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5889653A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5889653A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Strap spring for heat sink clip assembly
Assignee: Aavid Thermalloy LLC
•
Filing: 1996-11-06
•
Granted: 1999-03-30
•
Expires: 2016-11-06
Abstract
Abstract A strap spring mounts a heat sink to an electronic device by snapping holes in the leg over ears of a catch on the socket. Two perpendicularly extending springs have an opening between them so that the springs fit between the fins of a heat sink and are latched in ratched indentations.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald Clemens
- 👤 Matthew C. Smithers
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 06:38
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W40/00; H10W40/60; H10W40/641; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T24/00; Y10T24/45; Y10T24/45225; Y10T24/45471; Y10T24/45524; Y10T24/45545; Y10T24/45581
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
158 words
An apparatus for use with an electronic device with an electrically insulating frame, said apparatus comprising: a heat sink having a plurality of spaced fins and having at least one pair of rachet indentations on opposed fins; a strap comprising: a flat, straight leg for releasably gripping said frame and for urging said heat sink into thermal contact with a face of said electronic device, said leg having an opening for 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 adapted to fit between said fins of said heat sink to hold said heat sink, said spring members being lodged in said rachet indentations; and a central projection and two other projections extending generally perpendicularly from said spring members, the central projection being bent outwardly from the other projections for flexibly engaging a fin of said heat sink.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
158 words
An apparatus for use with an electronic device with an electrically insulating frame, said apparatus comprising: a heat sink having a plurality of spaced fins and having at least one pair of rachet indentations on opposed fins; a strap comprising: a flat, straight leg for releasably gripping said frame and for urging said heat sink into thermal contact with a face of said electronic device, said leg having an opening for 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 adapted to fit between said fins of said heat sink to hold said heat sink, said spring members being lodged in said rachet indentations; and a central projection and two other projections extending generally perpendicularly from said spring members, the central projection being bent outwardly from the other projections for flexibly engaging a fin of said heat sink.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The strap recited in claim 1 wherein the central projection is a central projection disposed between said two other projections.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The strap recited in claim 1 wherein the central projection is separated from the other projections by a pair of slots.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The strap recited in claim 1 wherein each one of the central projection and the other projections extend from the spring members opposite from the leg to form a Z-shaped strap.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
The strap recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of the spring members is connected to a lower end of at least one of the central projection and the other projections, and at least one of the spring members is connected to an upper end of the leg to form a Z-shaped strap.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The strap recited in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of each one of the central projection and the other projections are co-linear.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The strap recited in claim 1 wherein the spring members are longer in the longitudinal direction than in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
11 words
The strap recited in claim 1 wherein the opening is rectangular.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
180 words
An apparatus comprising: a heat sink having a plurality of spaced fins; an electronic device having an electrically insulating frame and a socket, said frame having two ears; and two straps, comprising a strap being positioned on a side of said heat sink and another strap being positioned on another side of said heat sink; each one of said two straps comprising: only one flat straight leg releasably gripping said frame and urging said heat sink into thermal contact with a face of said electronic device, said leg having an opening mating with one of the ears of 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, said spring members securing said heat sink to said electronic device; and a central projection and two other projections extending generally perpendicularly from said spring members, the central projection being bent outwardly from the other projections for flexibly engaging a fin of said heat sink.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
180 words
An apparatus comprising: a heat sink having a plurality of spaced fins; an electronic device having an electrically insulating frame and a socket, said frame having two ears; and two straps, comprising a strap being positioned on a side of said heat sink and another strap being positioned on another side of said heat sink; each one of said two straps comprising: only one flat straight leg releasably gripping said frame and urging said heat sink into thermal contact with a face of said electronic device, said leg having an opening mating with one of the ears of 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, said spring members securing said heat sink to said electronic device; and a central projection and two other projections extending generally perpendicularly from said spring members, the central projection being bent outwardly from the other projections for flexibly engaging a fin of said heat sink.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
168 words
Apparatus mounting a heat sink having a plurality of spaced fins to an electronic device comprising: insulating frame means supporting said electronic device having a pair of spaced ears extending from opposite sides of said frame; an elongated clip releasably gripping said heat sink and urging 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 generally 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 a tab on each of said legs, each tab being separated from each one of said springs by slots so that said tab flexibly engages a fin of said heat sink.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
168 words
Apparatus mounting a heat sink having a plurality of spaced fins to an electronic device comprising: insulating frame means supporting said electronic device having a pair of spaced ears extending from opposite sides of said frame; an elongated clip releasably gripping said heat sink and urging 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 generally 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 a tab on each of said legs, each tab being separated from each one of said springs by slots so that said tab flexibly engages a fin of said heat sink.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5485351A
Cited
US5208731A
Cited
US5276585A
Cited
US5396402A
Cited
US5371652A
Cited
US5386338A
Cited
US5448449A
Cited
US5436798A
Cited
US5594624A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-03-29 | 2002-09-28 | 2003-03-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-03-29 | 2006-09-28 | 2007-03-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-03-29 | 2010-09-28 | 2011-03-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |