Assemblies for holding heat sinks and other structures in contact with electronic devices and other apparatuses

Structures and methods for positioning heat sinks in contact with electronic devices are described herein. In one embodiment, a structure for holding a heat sink in contact with an electronic device in accordance with one aspect of the invention includes an electronic device holding portion and a heat sink holding portion. The electronic device holding portion is configured to support the electronic device. The heat sink holding portion is configured to position the heat sink in contact with the electronic device. The structure further includes a spring holding portion configured to support a coil spring in transverse compression. When transversely compressed, the coil spring presses the heat sink against the electronic device with a uniform, or at least approximately uniform, pressure that enables the heat sink to efficiently conduct heat away from the electronic device without damaging the device.