Memory heatsink set with supplementary retaining devices   

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a memory heatsink set with supplementary retaining devices for dissipating heat from a memory module (Dynamic Random Access Memory, DRAM) and more particularly, to a memory heatsink set with supplementary retaining devices that provide an engaging function for positioning securely on two opposite sides of the memory module.

2. Description of Related Art

Nowadays, computer system has become a part of our daily life. Many people use computer system daily as a requisite operation tool. Following fast development of computer technology, the performance of computer system has been greatly improved. The rise of computer performance results in rise of waste heat from computer components. To solve waste heat problem, heat dissipation device such as heatsink becomes necessary.

Memory heatsinks are intensively used with memory modules for heat dissipation. A known technique is to hook one side of each of two memory heatsinks up together, and then to turn the other side of the two memory heatsinks outwards from each other for insertion of a memory module into the gap between the two memory heatsinks According to this known design, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the memory heatsink set comprises a first memory heatsink 50 and a second memory heatsink 60. The first memory heatsink 50 has a female engagement member 51 and a male engagement member 52 located on one end thereof. The second memory heatsink 60 has a female engagement member 61 and a male engagement member 62 located on one end thereof corresponding to the male engagement member 52 and female engagement member 51 of the first memory heatsink 50. During installation, the respective male engagement members 52 and 62 are respectively engaged into the respective female engagement members 61 and 51. After engagement between the respective male engagement members 52 and 62 and the respective female engagement members 61 and 51, the free ends of the first memory heatsink 50 and the second memory heatsink 60 are turned outwards in reversed directions for enabling a memory module 70 to be set in between the first memory heatsink 50 and the second memory heatsink 60.

The aforesaid prior art memory heatsink set is still not satisfactory in function. During installation, the user must hold the memory module 70 with one hand and the memory heatsink set with the other hand while keeping the free ends of the first memory heatsink 50 and the second memory heatsink 60 widely opened. Although the respective male engagement members 52 and 62 are respectively kept in the respective female engagement members 61 and 51 when the free ends of the first memory heatsink 50 and the second memory heatsink 60 are widely opened, the respective male engagement members 52 and 62 may escape from the respective female engagement members 61 and 51 accidentally upon vibration when the first memory heatsink 50 and the second memory heatsink 60 are closed together after insertion of the memory module 70 into the space between the first memory heatsink 50 and the second memory heatsink 60. To avoid disconnection between the first memory heatsink 50 and the second memory heatsink 60 during installation of the memory module 70, the user must carefully manipulate the memory heatsink set. Further, the first memory heatsink 50 and the second memory heatsink 60 do not provide any engaging function to assure tight contact with the memory module 70.

SUMMARY

In view of the aforesaid circumstances, the invention provides a memory heatsink set with supplementary retaining devices for memory module, which facilitates installation and provides an engaging function to assure tight contact with the installed memory module.

To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a heat transfer strip set comprises:

a first memory heatsink and a second memory heatsink, the first memory heatsink and the second memory heatsink being narrow elongated strip members, each having a top bearing flange perpendicularly extended from the top side thereof;

at least one guide device provided between the top bearing flanges of the first memory heatsink and the second memory heatsink for positioning during the assembly process of the memory heatsink set and for guiding the first memory heatsink and the second memory heatsink into alignment;

two supplementary retaining devices respectively provided at two ends between the first memory heatsink and the second memory heatsink, each supplementary retaining device comprising first engagement means and second engagement means respectively located on one end of the first memory heatsink and the corresponding end of the second memory heatsink for supporting a memory module in between the first memory heatsink and the second memory heatsink, the first engagement means comprising a main engagement opening ant at least one sub-engagement opening arranged in a parallel manner at the free end thereof, the main engagement opening having a relatively narrower outer end and a relatively wider inner end, the second engagement means comprising a main engagement block and at least one sub-engagement block disposed arranged in a parallel manner at the free end thereof for engaging the main engagement opening and at least one sub-engagement opening of the first engagement means respectively, the main engagement block having a relatively thicker outer end and a relatively thinner inner end.

The first engagement means further comprises a spacer block disposed between the main engagement opening and each sub-engagement opening. The spacer block has a recessed portion at the root thereof. Further, each sub-engagement block of the second engagement means has a configuration fitting the associating sub-engagement opening, and a root expanding in direction toward the main engagement block.

The first engagement means further comprises a locating groove disposed in each sub-engagement opening; each sub-engagement block has a locating protrusion for engaging the locating groove in the respective sub-engagement opening.

Further, each guide device comprises first retaining means and second retaining means respectively located on the top bearing flange of the first memory heatsink and the top bearing flange of the second memory heatsink for engagement with each other to prohibit displacement between the first memory heatsink and the second memory heatsink in left-right direction and to hold the first memory heatsink and the second memory heatsink in alignment. The first retaining means comprises a first retaining block protruded from the top bearing flange of one of the first memory heatsink and the second retaining means; the second retaining means comprises two second retaining blocks protruded from the top bearing flange of the other of the first memory heatsink and the second memory heatsink and defining therebetween a space for the engagement of the first retaining block.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a memory heatsink set in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side plain view in an enlarged scale of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing of the present invention, showing engagement between the first engagement means and second engagement means of one supplementary retaining device (I).

FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing of the present invention, showing engagement between the first engagement means and second engagement means of one supplementary retaining device (II).

FIG. 6 is an exploded top plain view of a memory heatsink set according to the prior art.

FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing showing a status of use the prior art memory heatsink set.

FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing showing a status of use of the memory heatsink set according to the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a memory heatsink set in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a first memory heatsink 10, a second memory heatsink 20, two guide devices 30, and two supplementary retaining devices 40.

The first memory heatsink 10 and the second memory heatsink 20 are narrow elongated strip members, each having a wing 18\28 respectively protruded from each of two distal ends thereof near the top side and a top bearing flange 19\29 perpendicularly extended from the top side.

The two guide devices 30 are respectively provided between the top bearing flanges 19\29 of the first memory heatsink 10 and the second memory heatsink 20 for positioning during the assembly process of the memory heatsink set and for guiding the first memory heatsink 10 and the second memory heatsink 20 into alignment. Each guide device 30 comprises first retaining means, for example, a first retaining block 31 protruded from the top bearing flange 19 of the first memory heatsink 10, and second retaining means, for example, two second retaining blocks 32 protruded from the top bearing flange 29 of the second memory heatsink 20 in a parallel manner for enabling the retaining portion 31 to be engaged into the space between the two second retaining blocks 32 to prohibit displacement between the first memory heatsink 10 and the second memory heatsink 20 in left-right direction and to hold the first memory heatsink 10 and the second memory heatsink 20 in alignment.

The two supplementary retaining devices 40 are respectively provided at two ends between the wings 18\28 of the first memory heatsink 10 and the second memory heatsink 20, each comprising first engagement means 41 and second engagement means 42 respectively perpendicularly extended from the wing 18 of the first memory heatsink 10 and the wing 28 of the second memory heatsink 20 toward each other. The first engagement means 41 and the second engagement means 42 are a good match, and therefore the positions of the first engagement means 41 and second engagement means 42 at the wing 18 of the first memory heatsink 10 and the wing 28 of the second memory heatsink 20 can be exchanged.

According to the present preferred embodiment, the first engagement means 41 comprises, at the free end thereof, a main engagement opening 411, two sub-engagement openings 412 located on two opposite sides relative to the main engagement opening 411, two spacer blocks 413 respectively disposed between the main engagement opening 411 and the sub-engagement openings 412, two recessed portions 414 respectively located on the roots of the spacer blocks 413 in the sub-engagement openings 412 at one side to reduce the thickness of the roots of the spacer blocks 413, and two location grooves 432 respectively disposed in the sub-engagement openings 412 opposite to the recessed portions 414. The main engagement opening 411 has a relatively narrower outer end and a relatively wider inner end. The configuration of the free end of the second engagement means 42 matches the configuration of the free end of the first engagement means 41. The second engagement means 42 comprises a main engagement block 421 for engaging the main engagement opening 411 of the first engagement means 41, two sub-engagement blocks 422 disposed at two sides relative to the main engagement block 421 for engaging the sub-engagement openings 412 of the first engagement means 41 respectively, and two locating protrusions 431 respectively protruded from the sub-engagement blocks 422 for engaging the locating grooves 432 of the first engagement means 41 respectively. The sub-engagement blocks 422 are configured to fit the sub-engagement openings 412, each having the root thereof expanding in direction toward the main engagement block 421. To match the configuration of the main engagement opening 411, the main engagement block 421 has a relatively thicker outer end and a relatively thinner inner end.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, during installation of the first and second memory heatsinks 10\20, the first retaining blocks 31 of the guide devices 30 are respectively forced into engagement with the respective second retaining blocks 32 to hold the first memory heatsink 10 and the second memory heatsink 20 together and to keep them in alignment. At this time, the first engagement means 41 of the supplementary retaining devices 40 are respectively aimed at the respective second engagement means 42. Thus, the user can press the wings 18\28 of the first memory heatsink 10 and the second memory heatsink 20 to force the first engagement means 41 of the supplementary retaining devices 40 into engagement with the respective second engagement means 42. When the main engagement block 421 is being forced into the associating main engagement opening 411, the associating spacer blocks 413 are curved slightly outwards for allowing the main engagement block 421 to enter the associating main engagement opening 411, and at the same time the sub-engagement blocks 422 are respectively forced into the associating sub-engagement openings 412. Immediately after the main engagement block 421 entered the associating main engagement opening 411, the spacer blocks 413 return to their former shape to clamp the relatively thinner inner end of the associating main engagement block 421, and the locating protrusions 431 are respectively forced into engagement with the associating locating grooves 432. Thus, the first engagement means 41 of the supplementary retaining devices 40 are respectively engaged with the respective second engagement means 42, securing the first memory heatsink 10 and the second memory heatsink 20 positively together.

According to the aforesaid description, the memory heatsink set of the present invention can be assembled rapidly and accurately in a manner totally different from that of the aforesaid prior art design. Unlike the prior art design in which the two memory heatsink must be bent outwards for allowing insertion of the memory module into the space between the two memory heatsinks, the installation of the present invention is much easy. As shown in FIG. 8, the first engagement means 41 or second engagement means 42 of the two supplementary retaining devices 40 are used as positioning boundary to support the memory module 80 in place, allowing the first memory heatsink 10 and the second memory heatsink 20 to be rapidly and accurately fastened together to hold the memory module 80 therebetween.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for enabling any person skilled in the art to know the invention, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form or to exemplary embodiments disclosed. Accordingly, the foregoing description should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in this art. The embodiment is chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its best mode practical application, thereby to enable persons skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use or implementation contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents in which all terms are meant in their broadest reasonable sense unless otherwise indicated. It should be appreciated that variations may be made in the embodiments described by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.