Patent ID: 8035208

Claim:
A package for an integrated circuit (IC), said package ( 1 ) comprising: a housing ( 3 ) of a first material, having top and bottom horizontal major surfaces ( 4 , 5 ) which are opposite and substantially parallel to each other; a lead frame ( 6 ) for carrying the IC ( 2 ), the lead frame ( 6 ) comprising contact terminals ( 7 ) for electrical communication with the IC ( 2 ), the contact terminals ( 7 ) partly extending beyond the housing ( 3 ); a through-hole ( 8 ) extending vertically through the two major surfaces ( 4 , 5 ) forming a space within the housing ( 3 ) and between the top and bottom major surfaces ( 4 , 5 ); and an electronic component ( 12 ) extending into the space of said through-hole ( 8 ), at least one of an upper and a lower surface of the electronic component ( 12 ) being completely within the space so that a portion of the space extends vertically between the at least one of the upper and lower surface of the electronic component and a corresponding one of the top and bottom major surfaces.