Retention mechanism for an electrical assembly

A method for installing an electronic assembly which includes a substrate and a heat sink, the method comprising:

• mounting a retention mechanism to a printed circuit board using a nut captured In a nut retainer in the retention mechanism and a threaded stud coupled to said nut;
• inserting the substrate into a substrate slot of said retention mechanism that is mounted to said printed circuit board;
• and
• inserting the heat sink into a heat sink slot of said retention mechanism.

An electrical assembly comprising:

• a printed circuit board;
• a threaded stud that extends from said printed circuit board;
• a retention mechanism mounted to said printed circuit board, said retention mechanism including a plurality of walls that create a heat sink slot to receive a heat sink, said retention mechanism further having a nut retainer;
• a nut that is captured by said nut retainer and is rotated onto said threaded stud;
• a substrate to extend through a substrate slot of said retention mechanism
• and wherein said heat sink to extend into said heat sink slot.

An assembly comprising:

• a printed circuit board;
• a first retention mechanism mounted to the printed circuit board, the first retention mechanism including
• a first heat sink slot to receive a first end of a heat sink,
• a first substrate slot to receive a first end of a substrate, and
• a first pair of clearance holes to receive a first pair of studs;
• a second retention mechanism mounted to the printed circuit board, the second retention mechanism including
• a second heat sink slot to receive a second end of the heat sink,
• a second substrate slot to receive a second end of the substrate,
• a second pair of clearance holes to receive a second pair of studs;
• the substrate to extend into the first and second substrate slots;
• and
• the heat sink to extend into the first and second heat sink slots.

An assembly comprising:

• a printed circuit board;
• a first retention mechanism mounted to the printed circuit board, the first retention mechanism including
• a first heat sink slot to receive a first end of a heat sink,
• a first substrate slot to receive a first end of a substrate,
• a first pair of clearance holes to receive a first pair of studs, and
• a third heat sink slot to alternatively receive the first end of the heat sink;
• a second retention mechanism mounted to the printed circuit board, the second retention mechanism including
• a second heat sink slot to receive a second end of the heat sink,
• a second substrate slot to receive a second end of the substrate,
• a second pair of clearance holes to receive a second pair of studs, and
• a fourth heat sink slot to alternatively receive the second end of the heat sink;
• the substrate to extend into the first and second substrate slots, and
• the heat sink to extend into the first and second heat sink slots or the third and fourth heat sink slots.