Abstract: A printed circuit heatsink technique and assembly is disclosed which increases the heat dissipating capabilities of a printed circuit assembly. A thermally conductive plate is etched using the same artwork or mask employed to define the patterns of terminals and conductive areas on one surface of a printed circuit board. The plate is etched in those regions corresponding to the terminal and conductive areas so that holes are produced in the terminal areas and channels are produced in the conductive areas. The plate is then bonded to the printed circuit board prior to the attachment of the leads of electronic components through the holes formed in the thermally conductive plate. The assembly absorbs heat generated by the electronic components and provides a greater surface area for dissipating that heat without the need for specially fabricated heatsink elements or complex milling procedures.

Abstract: A technique and assembly is disclosed which allows more effective heat dissipation in a printed circuit assembly. A heatsink plate is etched using the artwork or masks used to form the conductive strips and terminals on a conventional printed circuit board. The heatsink plate is secured over at least a portion of the surface of the printed circuit board by an adhesive and the resulting heatsink assembly is mounted adjacent to a thermally conductive bracket. The heatsink assembly is then secured to the bracket by a wedge clamp which includes mating wedges configured to provide a high thermally conductive path between the heatsink plate and bracket for dissipating heat generated in or about the printed circuit heatsink assembly. The clamp configuration is such as to allow slidable movement between similarly shaped wedges which produces proper formation of the thermally conductive path during clamping.The Government has rights to this invention pursuant to contract No.