Active solid-state devices (e.g. – transistors – solid-state diode – Housing or package – Insulating material
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-30
2004-10-12
Wojciechowicz, Edward (Department: 2815)
Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diode
Housing or package
Insulating material
C257S715000, C257S719000, C257S721000, C438S117000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06803652
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus for removing heat from electronic devices. In particular, the present invention relates to a heat sink having a load centering mechanism.
2. State of the Art
Higher performance, lower cost, increased miniaturization of integrated circuit components, and greater packaging density of integrated circuits are ongoing goals of the microelectronic and computer industry. As these goals are achieved, microelectronic dice become smaller. Accordingly, the density of power consumption of the integrated circuit components in the microelectronic die has increased, which, in turn, increases the average junction temperature of the microelectronic die. If the temperature of the microelectronic die becomes too high, the integrated circuits of the microelectronic die may be damaged or destroyed.
Various apparatus and techniques have been used and are presently being used for removing heat from microelectronic dice. One such heat dissipation technique involves the attachment of a heat dissipation device to a microelectronic die. One known embodiment, as shown in
FIG. 3
a
, comprises a pin grid array-type (“PGA”) microelectronic die
202
placed in a socket
204
mounted on a carrier substrate
206
, wherein pins
208
extending from the microelectronic die
202
make electrical contact with conductive vias
212
in the socket
204
. The socket
204
is, in turn, in electrical contact (not shown) with the carrier substrate
206
. The heat dissipation device
220
(shown as a finned heat sink having a plurality of fins
222
) is kept in contact with the microelectronic die
202
with a spring clip
224
(see also
FIG. 3
b
), which spans the heat dissipation device
220
and connects to the socket
204
. Conductive grease or other such thermal interface
226
is placed between the microelectronic die
202
and the heat dissipation device
220
. The disadvantage of this assembly is that the spring clip
224
distributes a disproportionate, lateral force or loading across the microelectronic die
202
, which may cause cracking of the microelectronic die
202
.
In order to prevent disproportionate loading, two load centering techniques have been developed.
FIGS. 4
a
and
4
b
illustrate one technique for load centering comprising a secondary clip
240
attached to or snapped on a spring clip
234
. The force imposed on the heat dissipation device
208
by the spring wire
234
is directed through the secondary clip
240
. Thus, the secondary clip
240
can be positioned at any desired location on the spring clip
234
to provide loading in that position. The disadvantage with using a secondary clip
240
for load centering is that it requires additional processing steps to correctly place the secondary clip
240
.
FIG. 5
illustrates a second technique for load centering comprising a spring clip
242
having an altered portion
244
. The altered portion
244
may comprise a bend or a series of bends in the spring clip
242
. Thus, when the spring clip
242
is attached, the force imposed on the heat dissipation device
208
by the spring clip
242
is directed through the altered portion
244
. Thus, the altered portion
244
may be positioned at any desired location on the spring clip
242
to provide loading in that position. The disadvantage with using the spring clip
242
is that forming the altered portion
244
tends to reduce the retention force of the spring chip
242
.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to develop a heat dissipation device having a load centering mechanism, which overcomes the disadvantages of known load centering mechanisms.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5386338 (1995-01-01), Jordan et al.
patent: 5428897 (1995-07-01), Jordan et al.
patent: 5615735 (1997-04-01), Yoshida et al.
patent: 5932925 (1999-08-01), McIntyre
patent: 6219241 (2001-04-01), Jones
patent: 6229703 (2001-05-01), Lee
patent: 2 281 149 (1995-02-01), None
patent: 2000 022370 (2000-01-01), None
Eckblad Michael Z.
Sopko Jeffrey J.
Winkel Casey R.
Intel Corporation
Winkle Rob G.
Wojciechowicz Edward
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