Patent ID: 6449157
Filing Date: 2002-09-10
Classification: H01L,Y10T

Abstract:
An IC (Integrated Circuit) package assembly comprising:a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) having a plurality of contact pads on a top surface thereof; a socket mounted on the PCB, the socket receiving a plurality of contacts each having oppositely projecting contact portions; an IC package coupled to the socket and having a plurality of contact pads on a bottom surface thereof; a heat sink positioned on the IC package, the heat sink including a planar substrate and a plurality of heat dissipating fins upwardly extending from the substrate; and a retention mechanism for mechanically and electrically assembling the PCB, the socket, the IC package and the heat sink together, the retention mechanism comprising: a spring clip attached to a top surface of the substrate of the heat sink and disengaged from the heat dissipating fins, the spring clip having a pair of engaging legs and a biasing strip between the pair of engaging legs substantially parallel with the substrate of the heat sink; and a lever having an actuation beam retentively seated on the top surface of the substrate of the heat sink, the actuation beam having an arcuate section located beneath the biasing strip of the spring clip, the lever being rotatable from a first position where the arcuate section is contained in a plane parallel with the biasing strip of the spring clip to a second position where the arcuate section is contained in a plane perpendicular to the biasing strip of the spring clip and engages with the biasing strip of the spring clip; wherein, when the lever is rotated to the second position to engage with the biasing strip of the spring clip, the biasing strip is biased upwardly to engage the engaging legs of the spring clip with a bottom surface of the PCB, whereby a reliable electrical connection is established between the contact portions of the contacts of the socket and corresponding contact pads of the IC package and the PCB.