Heat Sink Strap Assembly for Stable Chip Package Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The lateral movement of heat sinks during installation causes damage to I/O connections between chip packages and sockets due to their large mass, leading to instability and potential damage.
Innovation Solution
Integration of leaf springs with the heat sink's support hardware to minimize lateral movement by strapping the heat sink in place, using bolts and nuts to mechanically integrate the leaf springs with the bolster plate, ensuring minimal movement and tilt during installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If heat sink mass is increased to improve thermal dissipation, then thermal performance is improved, but lateral movement during installation increases causing damage to I/O connections
Solution Approach 1:
The support hardware is segmented into multiple components: bolster plate, strap elements, and mounting hardware. This segmentation allows the heavy heat sink to be controlled through distributed attachment points rather than requiring single-point support, reducing lateral movement during installation while maintaining the necessary thermal mass.
Solution Approach 2:
The strap elements are pre-positioned and attached to the bolster plate before the heat sink is installed. This preliminary action creates a pre-configured restraint system that immediately constrains lateral movement when the heat sink is placed, preventing damage to I/O connections from the outset of the installation process.
2Power
If heat sink mass is increased to improve thermal dissipation, then cooling capacity is improved, but lateral movement during installation causes damage to I/O connections
Solution Approach 1:
The strap elements function as counter-restraint mechanisms that oppose the lateral movement tendency of the heavy heat sink. By providing opposing forces through the strap elements attached to the bolster plate, the system counteracts the inertial effects of the large mass during installation, preventing damage while maintaining the necessary cooling capacity.
3Reliability
If strap elements are added to constrain lateral movement, then installation reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The strap elements serve multiple functions: they constrain lateral movement during installation, provide mechanical attachment between the heat sink and bolster plate, and maintain thermal contact pressure. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components for each function, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity while achieving improved installation reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively reduces lateral movement and tilt of the heat sink, preventing damage to I/O connections and ensuring a flush, secure installation process.
Implementation Method 1
Integration of leaf springs with the heat sink's support hardware to minimize lateral movement by strapping the heat sink in place
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus is described. The apparatus includes a bolster plate having a first fixturing element and a strap. The strap is positioned along a frame arm of the bolster plate. The strap has a second fixturing element to be fixed to a cooling mass. The strap is to diminish movement of the cooling mass along the frame arm's dimension and a dimension that is orthogonal to the frame arm's dimension. A semiconductor chip package is to be placed in a window opening formed by the bolster plate's frame arms. The cooling mass is to be thermally coupled to the semiconductor chip package.