US 12,474,747 B2
Reworkable fixing element
Wen-Ji Lan, New Taipei (TW)
Assigned to Asia Vital Components Co., Ltd., New Taipei (TW)
Filed by ASIA VITAL COMPONENTS CO., LTD., New Taipei (TW)
Filed on May 29, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/202,956.
Prior Publication US 2024/0402767 A1, Dec. 5, 2024
Int. Cl. F16B 41/00 (2006.01); G06F 1/18 (2006.01); G06F 1/20 (2006.01); H01L 23/40 (2006.01)
CPC G06F 1/183 (2013.01) [F16B 41/002 (2013.01); G06F 1/20 (2013.01); H01L 23/4006 (2013.01); F16F 2226/04 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A reworkable fixing element being repeatedly usable for connecting a heat dissipation device to a bare die heat source, comprising:
a screw having a spring externally fitted therearound, a screw head and a plurality of male threads formed at an upper and a lower end thereof, respectively, two cuts located at two diametrically opposite positions on the screw head to axially cut through the screw head, and a retaining groove formed closely above the male threads for receiving a retaining ring therein; and the spring having a top end and a bottom end with the bottom end pressed against the retaining ring such that the spring is held between the retaining ring and the screw head before connecting the heat dissipation device;
a sleeve having an open upper end, an open lower end, and a receiving space defined in the sleeve between and communicable with the upper and the lower end; the sleeve including a pair of windows correspondingly formed near the upper end at two diametrically opposite positions and being communicable with the receiving space, and an outer surface of the sleeve located between a lower edge of the windows and the lower end of the sleeve being defined as a coupling zone; the sleeve being configured to be mounted on the heat dissipation device; and the sleeve being externally disposed around a length of the screw having the spring fitted thereon; and
a spring retaining ring being fitted on around the coupling zone of the sleeve and including an upward extended hooked arm set, which includes a pair of hooked arms for extending into the windows of the sleeve to abut on the top end of the spring and hold the spring in an elastically compressed state; and the hooked arms of the spring retaining rings on a plurality of fixing elements being operable to move out of the windows for the springs to release from the compressed state synchronously when the fixing elements are used to connect the heat dissipation device to the heat source, so that the released springs can apply synchronous and even downward forces to the heat dissipation device; and
wherein, when the screw is used to connect the heat dissipation device, the retaining ring is first detached from the retaining groove, allowing the bottom end of the spring to contact and apply force to the heat dissipation device, and after the screw and the spring are installed on the heat dissipation device, the retaining ring is then reinstalled in the retaining groove to secure the spring; and wherein, when the fixing element having been tightened to connect the heat dissipation device to the heat source is to be reworked, a reworking tool is used to axially extend through the two cuts on the screw head to apply axially downward pressure to the top end of the spring and compress the spring into the sleeve, and the hooked arms are allowed to extend through the windows and press on the top end of the spring again to hold the spring in the compressed state.