Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-05
2003-07-15
Martin, David (Department: 2844)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S760000, C361S752000, C361S796000, C361S803000, C361S807000, C361S810000, C361S761000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06594151
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to printed circuit boards and components coupled therewith, and in particular relates to a frame support for supporting components, for example, components that are to be coupled with the printed circuit board.
BACKGROUND
Processors and related computer components are becoming more powerful with increasing capabilities, resulting in increasing amounts of heat dissipated from these components. Simultaneously, package and die sizes of the components are decreasing or remaining the same, which increases the amount of heat energy given off by the component for a given unit of surface area. Furthermore, as computer related equipment becomes more powerful, more chips are surface mounted to the printed circuit board. As an increasing number of components are placed in closer proximity on the printed circuit board, more components are being placed inside the equipment or chassis which is also decreasing in size. Larger amounts of heat are being generated in a smaller volume of space. However, increased temperatures can potentially damage the components of the equipment, or reduce the lifetime of the individual components and the equipment. In addition, some complex components have become more susceptible to damage resulting from stress and strain occurring during testing, packaging, and use of the printed circuit board.
Heat sinks have been used to dissipate heat from the processor and other heat producing components within a housing. However, the overall size of the heat sink is limited by the volume constraints of the housing, and the footprint of the and/or the size constraints. Heat dissipation has been increased by using clips which physically hold a heat sink to the processor package. For some heat sinks, a spring force is used in coupling the heat sink with the heat producing component to maximize the amount of heat dissipated from the heat producing components. However, when assembling the heat sink with the heat producing component, the assembly of the spring clip causes the printed board to flex adjacent to the heat producing component, resulting in stress to the solder balls or connection between the chips and the printed circuit boards. In addition, rigorous handling processes, such as shipping and/or testing place additional stresses on the circuit board and/or the components, increasing the risk of failure to the structurally weak solder balls.
FIG. 1
illustrates another conventional manner in which heat sink assemblies
50
are coupled with heat producing components. A retention mechanism
52
is coupled to a lower portion
54
of the heat sink assembly
50
. The retention mechanism
52
is disposed through mounting holes
56
directly adjacent to the heat sink assembly
52
and the heat producing component, which causes stress to the solder balls or connection between the chips and the printed circuit board
58
.
Accordingly, there is a need for a way to cool components without increasing the risk of damage to a substrate. What is also needed is a way to minimize stress and damage to the connections between components and the printed circuit boards.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5546275 (1996-08-01), Moutrie et al.
patent: 5586005 (1996-12-01), Cipolla et al.
patent: 6180874 (2001-01-01), Brezina et al.
Dishongh Terrance J.
Dixon Scott
Hsieh George
Intel Corporation
Martin David
Schwegman Lundberg Woessner & Kluth P.A.
Tran Thanh Y.
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