U.S. patent application number 12/206966 was filed with the patent office on 2009-10-15 for protective cap for thermal grease of heat sink.
This patent application is currently assigned to HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (ShenZhen) CO., LTD. Invention is credited to NING-YU WANG, LI-FU XU, ZHI-GUO ZHANG.
Application Number | 20090255659 12/206966 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41163022 |
Filed Date | 2009-10-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090255659 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
XU; LI-FU ; et al. |
October 15, 2009 |
PROTECTIVE CAP FOR THERMAL GREASE OF HEAT SINK
Abstract
A protective cap for use with a heat sink, includes a cover
plate for enclosing thermal grease on the heat sink, and a
plurality of strengthening ribs positioned on the cover plate. The
strengthening ribs resist the heat sink to prevent the thermal
grease from being pressed against the cover plate.
Inventors: |
XU; LI-FU; (Shenzhen City,
CN) ; WANG; NING-YU; (Shenzhen City, CN) ;
ZHANG; ZHI-GUO; (Shenzhen City, CN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PCE INDUSTRY, INC.;ATT. Steven Reiss
288 SOUTH MAYO AVENUE
CITY OF INDUSTRY
CA
91789
US
|
Assignee: |
HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY
(ShenZhen) CO., LTD
Shenzhen City
CN
HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
Tu-Cheng
TW
|
Family ID: |
41163022 |
Appl. No.: |
12/206966 |
Filed: |
September 9, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/185 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 2924/0002 20130101;
H01L 23/3672 20130101; F28F 2265/02 20130101; H01L 23/4006
20130101; H01L 23/367 20130101; H01L 2924/3011 20130101; H01L
23/427 20130101; H01L 2924/0002 20130101; H01L 2924/00
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/185 |
International
Class: |
F28F 7/00 20060101
F28F007/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 14, 2008 |
CN |
200810301128.6 |
Claims
1. A protective cap for enclosing thermal grease spread on a base
plate of a heat sink, comprising: a cover plate; and a plurality of
strengthening ribs formed on the cover plate to resist the heat
sink for preventing the thermal grease from being pressed against
the cover plate.
2. The protective cap of claim 1, wherein a side plate extends from
a perimeter of the cover plate, the cover plate and the side plate
cooperatively form a cavity to cover the base plate; the
strengthening ribs extend to an inside space of the cavity.
3. The protective cap of claim 2, wherein the strengthening ribs
extend to connect with the side plate.
4. The protective cap of claim 1, wherein the strengthening ribs
are positioned at corners of the cover plate.
5. A heat sink for dissipating heat generated by a heat source,
comprising: a base plate having a bottom face and configured to
contact the heat source; thermal grease applied on the bottom face;
and a protective cap for enclosing thermal grease comprising a
cover plate and a plurality of strengthening ribs positioned on the
cover plate to resist the bottom face for preventing the thermal
grease from being pressed against the cover plate.
6. The heat sink of claim 5, wherein a side plate extends from a
perimeter of the cover plate, the cover plate and the side plate
cooperatively form a cavity to cover the base plate; the
strengthening ribs extend to an inside space of the cavity.
7. The heat sink of claim 6, wherein the strengthening ribs extend
to connect with the side plate.
8. The heat sink of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of heat
pipes positioned on a top face of the base plate; the side plate
comprises a plurality of cutouts corresponding to the plurality of
heat pipes; the plurality of heat pipes are received in the cutouts
to fix the protective cap onto the heat sink.
9. The heat sink of claim 5, wherein the cover plate has a shape
similar to a shape of the bottom face, the strengthening ribs are
positioned at corners of the cover plate; the thermal grease is
spread in a middle portion of the bottom face.
10. The heat sink of claim 5, wherein a height of the strengthening
ribs is larger than a height of the thermal grease.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] The present invention relates to a heat sink having a
removable protective cap for enclosing thermal grease on the heat
sink.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] A heat sinks is typically used to dissipate heat generated
by a central processing unit (CPU). Thermal grease may be applied
to a bottom surface of the heat sink before being mounted to a CPU
module to improve heat conductivity between the heat sink and the
CPU module. However, thermal grease cannot be directly applied to
the heat sink in advance because it is not solid at ambient
temperature, may contaminate surrounding articles, or be
contaminated by dust or foreign particles before the heat sink is
mounted to the CPU module. A removable protective cap for enclosing
thermal grease, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,049,458, includes a
periphery removably attached to a bottom surface of a heat sink
around the thermal grease, and a middle protrusion defining a
cavity receiving the thermal grease. The protective caps are
commonly made of plastic and may twist under pressure, and press
against the thermal grease, affecting the heat conductivity between
the heat sink and the CPU module.
[0005] Therefore, a new protective cap for thermal grease of a heat
sink is desired to overcome the above-described deficiencies.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a protective
cap for enclosing thermal grease on a heat sink;
[0007] FIG. 2 is an assembled, isometric view of the protective cap
mounted on the heat sink of FIG. 1; and
[0008] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the protective cap enclosing
thermal grease on the heat sink of FIG. 1, taken along line
III-III.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0009] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a protective
cap 30 for thermal grease 15 applied on a heat sink 10. The heat
sink 10 includes a metallic base plate 11 and a plurality of
metallic heat dissipating fins 14 positioned on a top face of the
base plate 11. A bottom face 113 is configured to contact a heat
source. The thermal grease 15 is spread on a middle portion of the
bottom face 113. Corners of the base plate 11 have no thermal
grease. Two heat pipes 13 are positioned between the base plate 11
and the heat dissipating fins 14.
[0010] The protective cap 30 includes a cover plate 31 having a
shape similar to a shape of the bottom face 113. A side plate 32
extends from the perimeter of the cover plate 31. The cover plate
31 and the side plate 32 cooperatively form a cavity to cover the
base plate 11. A plurality of strengthening ribs 33 are formed at
corners of the cover plate 31 and extend to an inside space of the
cavity to connect with the side plate 32. The strengthening ribs 33
are configured to contact the bottom face 113 to prevent the
thermal grease 15 from being pressed against the cover plate 31. In
one embodiment, a plurality of cutouts 321 is defined in the
sidewall to allow the protective cap 30 to fit over heat pipes 13
positioned between the base plate 11 and the heat dissipating fins.
In the illustrated embodiment, two cutouts are defined in two
opposite walls of the side plate 32 corresponding to the heat pipes
13. In one embodiment, a height of the strengthening ribs 33 is
larger than a height of the thermal grease 15, and a width of the
cutouts 321 is slightly less than a width of the heat pipes 13.
[0011] Referring also to FIGS. 2 and 3, the protective cap 30 is
pressed onto the base plate 11 until the heat pipes 13 are received
in the cutouts 321 and the strengthening ribs 33 resist the bottom
face 113. The strengthening ribs 33 prevent the thermal grease 15
from being pressed against the cover plate 31.
[0012] It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous
characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set
forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the
structure and function of the embodiments, the disclosure is
illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in
matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the
principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the
broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are
expressed.
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