Patent ID: 6714414
Filing Date: 2004-03-30
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
A spring spacer assembly for maintaining thermal contact between a thermal transfer surface of a heat sink and a heat-generating electrical component mounted on a printed circuit board between the printed circuit board and the thermal transfer surface, comprisinga spring spacer including a face defining a fixation segment and a deflectible finger extending from said fixation segment, a spacer extending from said fixation segment on a first side of said face and a protrusion extending from said finger on said first side of said face, said face having an undefected configuration in which said finger is disposed in an initial position relative to said fixation segment, said spacer and said protrusion being insertable through the printed circuit board with said face in said undeflected configuration to place said spacer in abutment with the thermal transfer surface and to contact the heat-generating electrical component with said protrusion, said protrusion having a length to cause movement of said face from said undeflected configuration to a deflected configuration in which said finger is moved relative to said fixation segment from said initial position in a direction away from the thermal transfer surface when said spacer is placed in abutment with the thermal transfer surface and said protrusion contacts the heat-generating electrical component, said finger being biased toward said initial position to urge the heat-generating electrical component into thermal contact with the thermal transfer surface; and a fixation element for securing said spring spacer to the heat sink with said spacer in abutment with the thermal transfer surface.