Heat sink assemblies having removable portions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10691184-B1
Application number	US-201816204846-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 29, 2018
Priority date	Nov 29, 2018
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

An apparatus includes a chassis; a circuit board assembly; and a heat sink assembly. The circuit board assembly includes a component to be removably installed in the connector. The heat sink assembly forms a cover for the chassis. The heat sink assembly includes a first heat sink and a second heat sink. The first heat sink is attached to the chassis, and the first heat sink includes an opening in the cover that corresponds to a location of the component. The second heat sink is to be attached to the first heat sink to close the opening and to be removable from the first heat sink to allow access to the opening to service the component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a chassis;
a circuit board assembly comprising a connector configured to receive a first component removably installed in the connector; and
a heat sink assembly attached to the chassis such that the heat sink assembly and chassis form an enclosure that houses the circuit board with the heat sink assembly forming a cover of the enclosure, wherein the heat sink assembly comprises:
a first heat sink attached to the chassis, wherein the first heat sink comprises an opening that, when unclosed, allows access to the first component and a pedestal that thermally couples a second component of the circuit board assembly to the first heat sink; and
a second heat sink to be secured relative to the first heat sink and to engage the first heat sink such that the second heat sink closes the opening, wherein the second heat sink can be disengaged from the first heat sink such that the opening is unclosed, wherein comprises a second pedestal that is located such that, when the second heat sink is engaging the first heat sink at the opening, the second pedestal is above the installed location of the first component.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heat sink assembly further comprises a hinge to enable the second heat sink to pivot relative to the first heat sink.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein pivoting the second heat in a first direction causes the second heat sink to engage the first heat sink and close the opening and pivoting the second heat sink in a second direction causes the second heat sink to disengage the first heat sink such that the opening is unclosed.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
the second heat sink comprises a sidewall portion and a top portion;
the opening is defined by a sidewall portion of the first heat sink and a top portion of the first heat sink; and
the heat sink to pivot about the hinge in a first direction to close the opening and to pivot about the hinge in a second direction to allow side and top access to the component.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the first heat sink comprises a flange to circumscribe the opening; and
the second heat sink engaging the first heat sink includes the second heat sink mounting to the flange such that the first heat sink and the second heat sink are thermally coupled together via the flange.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a gap pad disposed between the pedestal and the second component.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pedestal is integral with a base plate of the first heat sink.

8. A method comprising:
providing the apparatus of claim 1 ;
with the second heat sink disengaged from the first heat sink such that the opening is unclosed, causing the second heat sink to engage the first heat sink such that the second heat sink closes the opening.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the causing the second heat sink to engage the first heat sink includes rotating the second heat sink about a hinge.

10. A method comprising:
providing the apparatus of claim 1 ;
with the second heat sink engaged with the first heat sink such that the second heat sink closes the opening, causing the second heat sink to disengage from the first heat sink such that the opening is unclosed.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the causing the second heat sink to disengage from the first heat sink includes rotating the second heat sink about a hinge.

12. A heat sink to form a cover of an enclosure, the heat sink comprising:
a first part comprising
a base to attach to a chassis, the base comprising an opening,
a plurality of fins integral with the base and extending away from a first side of the base in a first direction;
a plurality of pedestals integral with the base and extending away from the base in a second direction;

a second part comprising
a second base that is to engage with the first base to close the opening, wherein the second base can be removed from the opening such that the opening is exposed, and the second base includes a pedestal integral with the second base; and
a second plurality of fins integral with the second base.

13. The heat sink of claim 12 , wherein:
the first base comprises a flange extending around an outer periphery of the opening; and
the second base is to engage with the first base to close the opening by mounting to the flange, the flange thermally coupling the first part to the second part.

14. The heat sink of claim 12 , further comprising a hinge connection to pivotably couple the second base to the first base.

15. The heat sink of claim 12 , wherein the second base comprises an L-shaped portion.

16. A method comprising:
attaching a first part of a heat sink to a chassis and thermally coupling the first part of the heat sink to one or more components mounted on the circuit board assembly, wherein the circuit board assembly is mounted to the chassis, the heat sink and chassis form an enclosure that houses the circuit board with the heat sink forming a cover of the enclosure, and the first part of the heat sink has an opening that, when unclosed, allows access to the circuit board assembly, wherein the first part of the heat sink is integral with a plurality of pedestals that extend away from the first part; and
removably securing a second part of the heat sink relative to the first part of the heat sink and engaging the second part of the heat sink with the first part of the heat sink such that the second part of the heat sink closes the opening, wherein the second part is capable of being disengaged from the first heat sink such that the opening is unclosed, wherein the second part of the heat sink is integral with a plurality of pedestals.

17. The method of claim 16 , removably securing the second part of the heat sink relative to the first part of the heat sink includes rotating the second part about a hinge.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Entpr Dev Lp

Inventors

• Ganta Papa Rao Bala Sunil Rao
• Smith Kelly K
• Allen Joseph

Classifications

• H05K7/20418

  the radiating structures being additional and fastened onto the housing · CPC title

• G06F1/20 Primary

  Cooling means · CPC title

• G06F1/181

  Enclosures (for portable computers G06F1/1613) · CPC title

• H05K7/20454

  with a conformable or flexible structure compensating for irregularities, e.g. cushion bags, thermal paste · CPC title

• H05K7/20409

  Outer radiating structures on heat dissipating housings, e.g. fins integrated with the housing · CPC title