Retention mechanism for an electrical assembly

• US 6,722,908 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2003
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Llapitan, David J., Crocker, Michael, Davison, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard, Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARRIS, ANTON B
• Application Number:
  US10/335,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20030096524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 474 Days
• Field of Search: 439/327, 439/328, 439/573, 439/377, 361/703, 361/704, 361/801
• US Class Current: 439/327
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/4093 Snap-on arrangements, e.g. clips
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/7047 with a fastener through a screw hole in the coupling device
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1405 by clips or resilient members, e.g. hooks

Abstract

A retention mechanism for an electronic assembly which has a substrate and a heat sink. The retention mechanism includes a substrate slot that receives the substrate and a heat sink slot that receives the heat sink. There may be two retention mechanisms that are attached to a printed circuit board adjacent to an electrical connector. There may be two heat sink slots symmetrically located about the substrate slot so that the mechanism can be mounted to a left side or a right side of the connector. The symmetric slots eliminate the need for a left side mechanism and a right side mechanism. The retainer mechanism may also have a nut retainer that captures a nut that is used to attach the mechanism to the printed circuit board. The nut retainer allows the nut to be transported with the retainer mechanism during an assembly process.

Claims

1. A retention mechanism comprising:

a first pair of walls joined at a first lower end by a first base portion to form a first heat sink slot adapted to receive a heat sink between the first pair of walls and support the heat sink on the first base portion;

a second pair of walls joined at a second lower end by a second base portion to form a second heat sink slot adapted to receive the heat sink between the second pair of walls and support the heat sink on the second base portion; and

a substrate slot formed between the first pair of walls and the second pair of walls adapted to receive a substrate between the first pair of walls and the second pair of walls and allow the substrate to extend below the first base portion and the second base portion.

2. The retention mechanism of claim 1, further comprising:

a backwall coupled to the first and the second pair of walls.

3. The retention mechanism of claim 2, wherein, the backwall includes a first latch aperture aligned with the first heat sink slot and a second latch aperture aligned with the second heat sink slot.

4. The retention mechanism of claim 3, further comprising:

a latch arm coupled to the backwall such that depressing the latch arm causes the latch aperture included in the backwall to move away from the aligned heat sink slot.

5. The retention mechanism of claim 2, further comprising:

a nut retainer coupled to the backwall to retain a nut.

6. The retention mechanism as recited in claim 1, wherein the base portion of the heat sink slot is adapted to support the heat sink above a connector of a printed circuit board.

7. The retention mechanism as recited in claim 3, wherein the first latch aperture to receive a tab of the heat sink and the second latch aperture to receive a tab of the heat sink.

8. The retention mechanism of claim 3, further comprising:

a first latch arm coupled to the backwall aligned with the first heat sink slot; and

a second latch arm coupled to the backwall aligned with the second heat sink slot.

9. The retention mechanism of claim 8, wherein

the first latch aperture to receive a tab of the heat sink, and

the first latch arm to move the backwall to decouple the tab of the heat sink from the first latch aperture.

10. The retention mechanism of claim 9, wherein

the second latch aperture to receive a tab of the heat sink and

the second latch arm to move the backwall to decouple the tab of the heat sink from the second latch aperture.

11. A retention mechanism comprising:

a first wall and a second wall joined at a first lower end by a base portion to form a heat sink slot adapted to receive a heat sink between the first pair of walls and support the heat sink on the base portion;

a third wall adjacent the second wall to form a substrate slot adapted to receive a substrate between the second wall and the third wall and allow the substrate to extend below the base portion.

12. The retention mechanism of claim 11, further comprising:

a backwall coupled to the first, second, and third walls.

13. The retention mechanism of claim 12, wherein the backwall includes a latch aperture aligned with the heat sink slot.

14. The retention mechanism of claim 13, further comprising:

a latch arm coupled to the backwall such that depressing the latch arm causes the latch aperture included in the backwall to move away from the aligned heat sink slot.

15. The retention mechanism as recited in claim 13, wherein the latch aperture is adapted to receive a tab of the heat sink.

16. The retention mechanism of claim 13, further comprising a latch arm coupled to the backwall.

17. The retention mechanism of claim 16, wherein

the latch aperture to receive a tab of the heat sink, and

the latch arm to move the backwall to decouple the tab of the heat sink from the latch aperture.

18. The retention mechanism of claim 12, further comprising:

a nut retainer coupled to the backwall to retain a nut.

19. The retention mechanism as recited in claim 11, wherein the base portion of the heat sink slot is adapted to support the heat sink above a connector of a printed circuit board.

20. An electrical assembly comprising:

an electronic assembly including

a substrate having a plurality of contacts on an edge of the substrate, and

a heat sink mounted to the substrate;

an electrical connector to receive the plurality of contacts; and

,

a retention assembly including a first retention mechanism and a second retention mechanism in a facing relationship adjacent opposing ends of the electrical connector, each retention mechanism including

a first pair of walls joined at a first lower end by a first base portion to form a first heat sink slot adapted to receive the heat sink between the first pair of walls and support the heat sink on the first base portion,

a second pair of walls joined at a second lower end by a second base portion to form a second heat sink slot adapted to receive the heat sink between the second pair of walls and support the heat sink on the second base portion, and

a substrate slot formed between the first pair of walls and the second pair of walls adapted to receive a substrate between the first pair of walls and the second pair of walls and allow the substrate to extend below the first base portion and the second base portion and to be inserted into the electrical connector;

wherein the opposing substrate slots is aligned with the electrical connector, and the first heat sink slot of the first retention mechanism is aligned with the second heat sink slot of the second retention mechanism, such that the heat sink is supported by the base portions of the first heat sink slot of the first retention mechanism and the second heat sink slot of the second retention mechanism when the plurality of contacts is inserted into the electrical connector.

21. The electrical assembly of claim 20, wherein each retention mechanism further comprises:

a backwall coupled to the first and the second pair of walls.

22. The electrical assembly of claim 21, wherein each retention mechanism further comprises:

a nut retainer coupled to the backwall to retain a nut.

23. The electrical assembly of claim 21, wherein each backwall includes a first latch aperture aligned with the first heat sink slot and a second latch aperture aligned with the second heat sink slot.

24. The electrical assembly of claim 23, wherein each retention mechanism further comprises:

a latch arm coupled to the backwall such that depressing the latch arm causes the latch aperture included in the backwall to move away from the aligned heat sink slot.

25. The electrical assembly as recited in claim 23, wherein the first latch aperture of the first retention mechanism to receive a first tab of the heat sink and the second latch aperture of the second retention mechanism to receive an opposing second tab of the heat sink.

26. The electrical assembly of claim 23, wherein each retention mechanism further comprises:

a first latch arm coupled to the backwall aligned with the first heat sink slot; and

a second latch arm coupled to the backwall aligned with the second heat sink slot.

27. The electrical assembly of claim 26, wherein

the first latch aperture to receive a first tab of the heat sink, and

the first latch arm to move the backwall to decouple the first tab of the heat sink from the first latch aperture.

28. The electrical assembly of claim 27, wherein

the second latch aperture to receive an opposing second tab of the heat sink and

the second latch arm to move the backwall to decouple the second tab of the heat sink from the second latch aperture.