U.S. patent application number 12/632843 was filed with the patent office on 2011-06-09 for low profile computer processor retention device.
This patent application is currently assigned to INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Pat Gallarelli, David J. Jensen, Vinod Kamath, Brian M. Kerrigan.
Application Number | 20110134606 12/632843 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44070907 |
Filed Date | 2011-06-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110134606 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gallarelli; Pat ; et
al. |
June 9, 2011 |
LOW PROFILE COMPUTER PROCESSOR RETENTION DEVICE
Abstract
A low profile computer processor retention device, the computer
processor including a processor substrate and a heat spreader
mounted on the processor substrate. The retention device includes a
retention housing. The retention housing is shaped to fit around a
socket. The retention device also includes a load frame. The load
frame is operatively coupled to the retention housing and is
configured to retain the computer processor in the socket of a
motherboard with direct contact between the load frame and the
processor substrate. The load frame has a cutout. The retention
device also includes a heat sink fastening member coupled to the
retention housing and configured to fasten a heat sink to the
retention housing and configured to couple the heat sink to the
heat spreader through the cutout of the load frame.
Inventors: |
Gallarelli; Pat; (Pittsboro,
NC) ; Jensen; David J.; (Raleigh, NC) ;
Kamath; Vinod; (Raleigh, NC) ; Kerrigan; Brian
M.; (Cary, NC) |
Assignee: |
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES
CORPORATION
Armonk
NY
|
Family ID: |
44070907 |
Appl. No.: |
12/632843 |
Filed: |
December 8, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
361/679.54 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05K 7/1007 20130101;
H01L 2224/16225 20130101; H01L 23/4006 20130101; H01L 2224/73253
20130101; H01L 2924/01079 20130101; H01L 23/48 20130101; H01L 23/32
20130101; H01L 2924/01005 20130101; H01L 2924/14 20130101; H01L
24/16 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
361/679.54 |
International
Class: |
G06F 1/20 20060101
G06F001/20 |
Claims
1. A low profile computer processor retention device for a computer
processor, the computer processor comprising a processor substrate
and a heat spreader mounted on the processor substrate, the
computer processor retention device comprising: a retention
housing, the retention housing shaped to fit around a socket; a
load frame, the load frame operatively coupled to the retention
housing, the load frame configured to retain the computer processor
in the socket of a motherboard with direct contact between the load
frame and the processor substrate, the load frame having a cutout;
and a heat sink fastening member coupled to the retention housing
and configured to fasten a heat sink to the retention housing and
configured to couple the heat sink to the heat spreader through the
cutout of the load frame.
2. The low profile computer processor retention device of claim 1
further comprising a load plate, wherein the heat sink fastening
member is further configured to fasten the retention housing and
the load plate on opposite faces of the motherboard.
3. The low profile computer processor retention device of claim 1
wherein the retention housing is configured to couple the heat sink
to the heat spreader by compressing the heat sink to thermal
interface material applied to the heat spreader.
4. The low profile computer processor retention device of claim 1
wherein the thermal interface material comprises a thermal
grease.
5. The low profile computer processor retention device of claim 1
wherein the socket comprises a land grid array socket, the land
grid array socket comprising a plurality of spring contacts.
6. The low profile computer processor retention device of claim 1
wherein the heat sink fastening member comprises a spring-loaded
fastener configured to compress the heat sink to the processor.
7. The low profile computer processor retention device of claim 1
wherein the retention housing further comprises a lever latch
configured to latch the load frame when the load frame is in a
closed position, enclosing the computer processor within the socket
and retention housing.
8. A computer comprising: a computer processor, the computer
processor comprising a processor substrate and a heat spreader
mounted on the processor substrate, the computer processor
installed in a socket of a motherboard; a computer processor
retention device for the computer processor, the computer processor
retention device comprising: a retention housing, the retention
housing shaped to fit around the socket; a load frame, the load
frame operatively coupled to the retention housing, the load frame
retaining the computer processor in the socket with direct contact
between the load frame and the processor substrate, the load frame
having a cutout; and a heat sink fastening member coupled to the
retention housing; and a heat sink fastened to the retention
housing by the heat sink fastening member and coupled by the heat
sink fastening member to the heat spreader through the cutout of
the load frame, the heat sink comprising one or more heat
dissipating fins, the heat dissipating fins dissipating heat
generated by the computer processor.
9. The computer of claim 8 wherein the computer processor retention
device further comprises a load plate, the retention housing and
the load plate are fastened by the heat sink fastening member on
opposite faces of the motherboard.
10. The computer of claim 8 the heat sink is coupled by the
retention housing to the heat spreader by compressing the heat sink
to thermal interface material applied to the heat spreader.
11. The computer of claim 10 wherein the thermal interface material
comprises a thermal grease.
12. The computer of claim 8 wherein the socket comprises a land
grid array socket, the land grid array socket comprising a
plurality of spring contacts.
13. The computer of claim 8 wherein the heat sink fastening member
comprises a spring-loaded fastener compressing the heat sink to the
processor.
14. The computer of claim 8 wherein the retention housing further
comprises a lever latch configured to latch the load frame when the
load frame is in a closed position, enclosing the computer
processor within the socket and retention housing.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The field of the invention is processor retention devices,
or, more specifically, low profile computer processor retention
devices and computers configured with low profile computer
processor retention devices
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] The development of the EDVAC computer system of 1948 is
often cited as the beginning of the computer era. Since that time,
computer systems have evolved into extremely complicated devices.
Today's computers are much more sophisticated than early systems
such as the EDVAC. Computer systems typically include a combination
of hardware and software components, application programs,
operating systems, processors, buses, memory, input/output devices,
and so on. As advances in semiconductor processing and computer
architecture push the performance of the computer higher and
higher, more sophisticated computer software has evolved to take
advantage of the higher performance of the hardware, resulting in
computer systems today that are much more powerful than just a few
years ago.
[0005] Computer systems today are increasingly more computationally
powerful due in large part to technological advances in processors.
Current processors, however, generate a relatively large amount of
a heat. Heat, if not efficiently dissipated, may cause errors and
failure in a computer over time. Heat generation by processors and
heat dissipation are important operational characteristics of a
computer. Heat sinks are presently employed to dissipate heat
generated by computer processors. The heat sink may be in physical
contact with a heat spreader of a processor or may be in contact
with a thermal grease applied to a heat spreader. The heat spreader
is typically installed directly on an organic substrate of the
processor. Physical contact between the heat sink and the heat
spreader is effected through use of fasteners of a retention
mechanism. A retention mechanism holds the processor in a socket on
a motherboard and enables the heat sink to come into direct contact
with the processor.
[0006] At the same time computer processors are increasing
operating speeds and heat generation, size requirements for
computers are decreasing. That is, computer enclosures are
decreasing in size. Heat generation in a smaller enclosure has a
greater effect on computer system components. In addition,
efficiency of heat dissipation is greatly reduced due to reduced
air flow volume in and through the enclosure.
[0007] Current retention mechanisms that hold processors into
sockets and couple heat sinks to heat spreaders of the sockets are
not optimized for smaller computer enclosures. For further
explanation, FIG. 1 sets forth a line drawing of a cross-sectional
view of a retention mechanism of the prior art. In FIG. 1, a
computer processor consisting of an organic substrate (220) and a
heat spreader (322) is installed in a socket (216). A retention
frame (210) is connected to a housing (308) and is retaining the
processor by direct contact on the heat spreader (322). Two
spring-loaded screws are used to attach a heat sink (202) having a
number of fins (204) to the heat spreader (322).
[0008] The heat sink (202) in FIG. 1 includes a number of fins
(204). The surface area of the fins (204) is a critical variable to
the effectiveness of the heat transfer. Increasing the surface area
of the fins (204) increases the effectiveness of heat transfer and
vice versa. However, with the ongoing decrease in enclosure size
and an increase in computer processor and other computer component
size, the surface area of heat sink fins (204) is jeopardized in
current computers. An example of a computer having a smaller
enclosure is an IBM Blade Server. The Blade Server is approximately
29 millimeters tall. With a processor installed and with the
retention mechanism increasingly becoming larger, the heat sink fin
(204) height has been reduced over time. In some cases, the heat
sink fin heath is reduced such the surface area of the fins does
not provide for a practical thermal solution for dissipating
processor generated heat.
[0009] In addition to heat sink fin surface area, the geometry of
the base of the heat sink (202) is another critical variable to the
effectiveness of the heat sink (202). A heat sink with a large base
and a continuous surface without steps or cutouts has better heat
flux through the base then a heat sink of the same material with
irregular geometry such as a pedestal from the base that extends
downward to make contact with the heat spreader of the processor.
In the example of FIG. 1, the heat sink (202) has a pedestal-type
base. Current trends in processors and their associated hardware
are driving more irregular shaped bases for the heat sinks and are
therefore inefficient thermal solutions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Low profile computer processor retention devices and
computers configured with such computer processor retention devices
are disclosed. The computer processor includes a processor
substrate and a heat spreader mounted on the processor substrate.
The computer processor retention device includes a retention
housing. The retention housing is shaped to fit around a socket.
The computer processor retention device also includes a load frame
that is operatively coupled to the retention housing. The load
frame is configured to retain the computer processor in the socket
of a motherboard with direct contact between the load frame and the
processor substrate.
[0011] The load frame also has a cutout. The computer processor
retention device also includes a heat sink fastening member that is
coupled to the retention housing and configured to fasten a heat
sink to the retention housing. The heat sink fastening member is
also configured to couple the heat sink to the heat spreader
through the cutout of the load frame.
[0012] The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of
the invention will be apparent from the following more particular
descriptions of exemplary embodiments of the invention as
illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like reference
numbers generally represent like parts of exemplary embodiments of
the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 sets forth a line drawing of a cross-sectional view
of a retention mechanism of the prior art.
[0014] FIG. 2 depicts a line drawing of a cross-sectional view of a
computer processor subsystem having an example low profile computer
processor retention device configured according to embodiments of
the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 3 sets forth a line drawing of an exploded perspective
view of a computer processor subsystem having an example low
profile processor retention device configured according to
embodiments of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 4 sets forth a block diagram of automated computing
machinery comprising an exemplary computer configured with a low
profile computer processor retention device in accordance with
embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0017] Exemplary low profile computer processor retention devices
and computers configured with low profile computer processor
retention devices in accordance with embodiments of the present
invention are described with reference to the accompanying
drawings, beginning with FIG. 2. FIG. 2 depicts a line drawing of a
cross-sectional view of a computer processor subsystem having an
example low profile computer processor retention device (300)
configured according to embodiments of the present invention. The
term `low profile` is used in this specification to describe
computer processor retention devices configured in accordance with
embodiments of the present invention and contrast retention
mechanisms of the prior art. More specifically, the distance from a
motherboard to the top of load frame in low profile computer
processor retention devices configured according to embodiments of
the present invention is less than the distance from a motherboard
to the top of a retention frame (210 of FIG. 1) of a retention
mechanisms of the prior art (FIG. 1).
[0018] In the example of FIG. 2, the computer processor (326)
includes a processor substrate (320) and a heat spreader (322)
mounted on the processor substrate (320). A processor substrate is
material upon which one or more semiconductor devices forming the
operational units of a computer processor are located. In some
embodiments, a processor substrate may be implemented as a printed
circuit board (PCB), an electrically insulating portion of a PCB, a
ceramic wafer, and so on as will occur to readers of skill in the
art. Such processor substrates may also be referred to as "organic
substrates."
[0019] A heat spreader is (324) is a primary heat exchanger that
moves heat between a heat source and a secondary heat exchanger--in
this example of FIG. 2, a heat sink (302). The secondary heat
exchanger, the heat sink (302), is larger in cross sectional area,
surface area, and volume. A heat spreader may be implemented as a
copper plate having high thermal conductivity. The heat generated
by a processor (300) is spread out such that the heat sink has a
larger cross sectional area contacting the heat spreader than the
heat source. The heat flow is the same in both heat exchangers, but
the heat flux density is less in the secondary. The secondary heat
exchanger, the heat sink (302), may be implemented as a variety of
metals and metal alloys, such as aluminum.
[0020] In the example of FIG. 2, the top a thermal interface
material (324) is applied to the top of the heat spreader (322). A
thermal interface material is (324) is a material used to fill gaps
between thermal transfer surfaces, such as gaps formed between
microprocessors and heat sinks, in order to increase thermal
transfer efficiency. These gaps would otherwise be filled with air
which is a very poor conductor. Thermal interface material may take
many forms. One form is a white-colored paste or thermal grease.
Such thermal grease may be silicone oil filled with aluminum oxide,
zinc oxide, or boron nitride. Some thermal interfaces use
micronized or pulverized silver. Another form of thermal interface
materials is phase-change materials. Phase-change materials are
solid at room temperature and liquefy and behave like grease at
operating temperatures. Such phase-change materials offer the
benefit of ease of use.
[0021] The example computer processor retention device (300) of
FIG. 2 includes a retention housing (308). The retention housing
(308) in the example of FIG. 2 is shaped to fit around a socket
(316). The term retention housing as used in this specification
describes an apparatus capable of surrounding a socket on all sides
except top and bottom.
[0022] The example computer processor retention device (300) of
FIG. 2 also includes a load frame (310). A load frame is a plate
that presses and a processor into and retains a processor in a
motherboard socket. The load frame (310) in the example of FIG. 2
is operatively coupled to the retention housing (308). A load frame
may, for example, be coupled to the retention housing by a hinge.
The load frame (310) of FIG. 2 differs from the retention frame
(210) of the prior art retention mechanism of FIG. 1 in that the
load frame (310) of FIG. 2 is configured to retain the computer
processor (326) in the socket of a motherboard with direct contact
between the load frame and the processor substrate. Rather than
retaining a computer processor (326) in a socket with direct
contact on the heat spreader, as in the prior art retention frame
(210) of FIG. 1, the load frame (310) of FIG. 2 directly contacts
the processor substrate. Although not depicted in the example of
FIG. 2 due to the cross-sectional view, the load frame (310) also
has a cutout. Cutouts of load frames useful in computer processor
retention devices configured according to embodiments of the
present invention are described and depicted in greater detail
below with respect to FIG. 3.
[0023] The example low profile computer processor retention device
(300) of FIG. 2 also includes a heat sink fastening member (306)
coupled to the retention housing (308) and configured to fasten a
heat sink (302) to the retention housing (308). The heat sink
fastening member (306) is also configured to couple the heat sink
(302) to the heat spreader (322) through the cutout of the load
frame (310). In the example low profile computer processor
retention device (300) of FIG. 3, the retention housing (308) is
configured to couple the heat sink (302) to the heat spreader (322)
by compressing the heat sink (302) to the thermal interface
material (324) applied to the heat spreader (322). Although a heat
sink fastening member (306) useful in retention devices configured
in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may be
implemented as a variety of fastener types, the example heat sink
fastening members (306) of FIG. 3 are implemented as spring-loaded
fasteners configured to compress the heat sink (302) to the
processor (326).
[0024] The heat sink (302) in the example of FIG. 2 is similar to
the heat sink (202) in the example of FIG. 1 in that the heat sink
(302) has a number fins (304). The fins (304) in the example of
FIG. 2, however, have a greater vertical height and thus, greater
surface area, than the fins (204) of FIG. 1. The fins are allowed
greater vertical height due to the lower profile of the load frame
(310) which 2 contacts the substrate (320) of the processor rather
than the heat spreader (322). As mentioned above, greater surface
area of fins provide greater heat dissipation of processor (326)
generated heat. In addition to having greater height relative to
the prior art heat sink of FIG. 1, the heat sink (302) of FIG. 2
also has non-irregular shaped base that contacts a greater surface
are of the heat spreader (322). By contrast, the heat sink (202) of
FIG. 1 includes a pedestal-style base with less surface area
contacting the heat spreader (222) of FIG. 2. The heat sink (302)
of FIG. 2, therefore, provides greater heat transfer, through the
base and greater heat dissipation by the fins of the heat sink
(302) in comparison to heat sinks of the prior art.
[0025] The example low profile computer processor retention device
(300) of FIG. 2 also includes a load plate (312). In the example of
FIG. 2, the load plate (312) and the retention housing (308) are
fastened to one another on opposite faces of the motherboard (314)
by the heat sink fastening member (306). The retention housing
(308) in the example of FIG. 2 is positioned on the motherboard
around the socket (316) by the fasteners (306) for clarity of
explanation only. Readers of skill in the art will immediately
recognize that retention housings useful in low profile computer
processor retention devices (300) according to embodiments of the
present invention may be position on a motherboard in various ways
such as, for example, by affixing the housing to the motherboard
with an adherent, soldering pads of the housing to pads of the
motherboard, laminating the housing to the motherboard, inserting
mounting pins of the housing into a housing socket-holes of the
motherboard, and so on.
[0026] In the example low profile computer processor retention
device (300) of FIG. 2, the socket (316) is a land grid array (LGA)
socket that includes a number of spring contacts (318). LGA is a
type of surface-mount packaging used for integrated circuits. LGA
packaging may be electrically connected to traces of a PCB by use
of a socket, soldering directly to a PCB, or in other ways. Example
processors that implement the LGA interface include Intel's.TM.
Pentium 4.TM., Xeon.TM., Core i7.TM., Advanced Micro Devices
(AMD.TM.) Opteron.TM. family of processors, and others. In some LGA
implementations there are no pins on the chip. In place of the pins
are pads of bare gold-plated copper configured to contact pins on
the motherboard.
[0027] For further explanation, FIG. 3 sets forth a line drawing of
an exploded perspective view of a computer processor subsystem
having an example low profile processor retention device (400)
configured according to embodiments of the present invention. The
computer processor (426) in the example of FIG. 3 includes a
processor substrate (420) and a heat spreader (422). The heat
spreader (422) in the example of FIG. 3 is mounted on the processor
substrate (420).
[0028] The example low profile computer processor retention device
(400) of FIG. 3 includes a retention housing (408). The retention
housing (408) is shaped to fit around a socket (416). The socket
(416) in the example of FIG. 3 is an LGA socket configured with a
number of spring contacts (418) configured to contact pads of the
processor (426).
[0029] The example low profile computer processor retention device
(400) of FIG. 3 also includes a load frame (410). The example load
frame (410) of FIG. 3 is operatively coupled to the retention
housing (408). As mentioned above the load frame (410) may
operatively coupled to the retention housing (408) in a variety of
ways including, for example, by hinge. The example load frame (410)
of FIG. 3 is configured to retain the computer processor (426) in
the socket (416) of the motherboard (414) with direct contact
between the load frame (410) and the processor substrate (420). In
the example of FIG. 3, the load frame (410) has a cutout (411)
through which the heat spreader (422) of the processor (426) and
the heat sink (402) contact. In the example low profile computer
processor retention device (400) of FIG. 3, the retention housing
(408) includes a lever (428) latch (430) configured to latch the
load frame when the load frame is in a closed position, enclosing
the computer processor (426) within the socket (416) and retention
housing (408).
[0030] The example low profile computer processor retention device
(400) of FIG. 3 also includes two heat sink fastening members (406)
coupled to the retention housing (408). The heat sink fastening
members (406) are configured to fasten a heat sink (402) to the
retention housing (408). The heat sink fastening members (406) are
also configured to couple the heat sink (402) to the heat spreader
(422) through the cutout (411) of the load frame (410). In the
example of FIG. 3, the heat sink fastening members (406) are
spring-loaded fasteners configured to compress the heat sink to the
processor. The heat sink (402) in the example of FIG. 3 includes a
number of fins (404) having increased surface area relative to heat
sinks used with retention mechanism of the prior art.
[0031] The example computer processor subsystem of FIG. 3 also
includes a load plate (412). The load plate (412) and the retention
device (400) are coupled to one another on opposite faces of the
motherboard (414) by the heat sink fastening members (406).
Although the example of FIG. 3 depicts a load plate used in part to
hold the retention housing to the motherboard, the retention
housing may be held in place in various ways as will occur to
readers of skill in the art. The retention housing (408), as one
example, may be affixed to the motherboard (414) by soldering or
adhesive or in other ways as will occur to readers of skill in the
art.
[0032] Low profile computer processor retention devices such as the
example devices depicted in the FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are generally
implemented as part of a computer, that is, in automated computing
machinery. For further explanation, therefore, FIG. 4 sets forth a
block diagram of automated computing machinery comprising an
exemplary computer (152) configured with a low profile computer
processor retention device in accordance with embodiments of the
present invention. The computer (152) of FIG. 4 includes at least
one computer processor (156) or `CPU` in a computer processor
subsystem (102).
[0033] The example computer processor subsystem (102) is configured
with a low profile retention device in accordance with embodiments
of the present invention. The computer processor (156) in the
example of FIG. 4 includes a processor substrate (320) and a heat
spreader (322) mounted on the processor substrate (320). The
computer processor (156) in the example of FIG. 4 is installed in a
socket (316) of a motherboard (314). In the example of FIG. 4, the
socket (316) is an LGA socket that includes a number of
spring-contacts (318).
[0034] The example computer processor subsystem (102) of FIG. 4
includes a computer processor retention device that, in turn,
includes a retention housing (308). The retention housing (308) is
shaped to fit around the socket (316). The retention device also
includes a load frame (310). The load frame (310) in the example of
FIG. 4 is operatively coupled to the retention housing (308). The
load frame (310) is retaining the computer processor (156) in the
socket (316) with direct contact between the load frame (310) and
the processor substrate (320). The load frame has a cutout through
which the heat spreader (322), applied with a thermal interface
material (324), and the heat sink (302) contact. The retention
device of FIG. 4 also includes two heat sink fastening members
(306) coupled to the retention housing (308).
[0035] The example computer processor subsystem (102) of FIG. 4
also includes a heat sink (302) fastened to the retention housing
(308) by the heat sink fastening members (306). The heat sink (302)
is also coupled by the heat sink fastening members (306) to the
heat spreader (322) through the cutout of the load frame (310). The
heat sink includes one or more heat dissipating fins (304)
configured to dissipate heat generated by the computer processor
(156).
[0036] The processor (156) is connected through a high speed memory
bus (166) and bus adapter (158) to random access memory (168)
(RAM') and to other components of the computer (152). Stored in RAM
(168) is a user application (126), a module of computer program
instructions for carrying out user-level data processing tasks.
Examples of user applications (126) include word processor
applications, spreadsheet applications, multimedia applications,
email applications, and so on as will occur to readers of skill in
the art. Also stored in RAM (168) is an operating system (154).
Operating systems useful in computers configured with low profile
computer processor retention devices according to embodiments of
the present invention include UNIX.TM. Linux.TM. Microsoft XP.TM.,
AIX.TM. IBM's i5/OS.TM. and others as will occur to those of skill
in the art. The operating system (154) and user application (126)
in the example of FIG. 4 are shown in RAM (168), but many
components of such software typically are stored in non-volatile
memory also, such as, for example, on a disk drive (170).
[0037] The computer (152) of FIG. 4 includes disk drive adapter
(172) coupled through expansion bus (160) and bus adapter (158) to
processor (156) and other components of the computer (152). Disk
drive adapter (172) connects non-volatile data storage to the
computer (152) in the form of disk drive (170). Disk drive adapters
useful in computers configured with low profile computer processor
retention devices according to embodiments of the present invention
include Integrated Drive Electronics ('IDE') adapters, Small
Computer System Interface (SCSI') adapters, and others as will
occur to those of skill in the art. Non-volatile computer memory
also may be implemented for as an optical disk drive, electrically
erasable programmable read-only memory (so-called `EEPROM` or
`Flash` memory), RAM drives, and so on, as will occur to those of
skill in the art.
[0038] The example computer (152) of FIG. 4 includes one or more
input/output ('I/O') adapters (178). I/O adapters implement
user-oriented input/output through, for example, software drivers
and computer hardware for controlling output to display devices
such as computer display screens, as well as user input from user
input devices (181) such as keyboards and mice. The example
computer (152) of FIG. 4 includes a video adapter (209), which is
an example of an I/O adapter specially designed for graphic output
to a display device (180) such as a display screen or computer
monitor. Video adapter (209) is connected to processor (156)
through a high speed video bus (164), bus adapter (158), and the
front side bus (162), which is also a high speed bus.
[0039] The exemplary computer (152) of FIG. 4 includes a
communications adapter (167) for data communications with other
computers (182) and for data communications with a data
communications network (100). Such data communications may be
carried out serially through RS-232 connections, through external
buses such as a Universal Serial Bus ('USB'), through data
communications networks such as IP data communications networks,
and in other ways as will occur to those of skill in the art.
Communications adapters implement the hardware level of data
communications through which one computer sends data communications
to another computer, directly or through a data communications
network. Examples of communications adapters useful in computers
configured with low profile computer processor retention devices
according to embodiments of the present invention include modems
for wired dial-up communications, Ethernet (IEEE 802.3) adapters
for wired data communications network communications, and 802.11
adapters for wireless data communications network
communications.
[0040] The arrangement of computers and other devices making up the
exemplary system illustrated in FIG. 4 are for explanation, not for
limitation. Data processing systems useful according to various
embodiments of the present invention may include additional
servers, routers, other devices, and peer-to-peer architectures,
not shown in FIG. 4, as will occur to those of skill in the art.
Networks in such data processing systems may support many data
communications protocols, including for example TCP (Transmission
Control Protocol), IP (Internet Protocol), HTTP (HyperText Transfer
Protocol), WAP (Wireless Access Protocol), HDTP (Handheld Device
Transport Protocol), and others as will occur to those of skill in
the art. Various embodiments of the present invention may be
implemented on a variety of hardware platforms in addition to those
illustrated in FIG. 4.
[0041] In view of the explanations set forth above, readers will
recognize that the benefits of low profile computer processor
retention devices configured in accordance with embodiments of the
present invention include: [0042] Greater surface area of a heat
spreader of a processor may be exposed for increased heat transfer
through a heat sink or through air; [0043] Greater surface area of
the contact between a heat sink and a heat spreader; [0044] Greater
height, and therefore surface area, of fins of a heat sink,
increasing heat dissipation; [0045] Reduction in material costs of
retention mechanisms due to a reduction in size of retention
devices; And [0046] Greater amount of air flow volume available in
an enclosure having the same size as an enclosure that includes a
retention mechanism of the prior art.
[0047] It will be understood from the foregoing description that
modifications and changes may be made in various embodiments of the
present invention without departing from its true spirit. The
descriptions in this specification are for purposes of illustration
only and are not to be construed in a limiting sense. The scope of
the present invention is limited only by the language of the
following claims.
* * * * *