Abstract: A heatsink is pressure compliantly mounted against a substrate-mounted packaged electronic device such that the heatsink is not readily dislodged from the device package. A layer of pressure-compliant elastomeric foam material is sandwiched between the upper surface of the heatsink and an overlying shroud, which biases the heatsink downward toward the packaged device, which may be a BGA-packaged device. The lower heatsink surface is attached to the upper device package surface with double-sided thermal tape, and the shroud is attached to the substrate and compressively but compliantly urges each heatsink into more intimate thermal contact with an underlying device. The pressure-compliant material compensates for dimensional vertical tolerances associated with the substrate-mounted devices and heatsinks, while dampening vibrations and minimizing stress and torque that could otherwise damage the devices and/or the integrity of their electrical connections to the substrate.

Abstract: An assembly for clamping a heat sink to an integrated circuit package that is mounted to printed circuit board. The assembly includes a pair of pin headers that are mounted to the printed circuit board. The assembly also contains a clip that is snapped onto the pin headers and presses the heat sink into the package. The pin headers each have a pair of posts that extend from a spacer. The posts are soldered to the printed circuit board to secure the headers to the board. The headers also have wire loops that extend from the spacers and capture the ends of the clip.