Spring spacer assemblies for maintaining electrical components in contact with thermal transfer surfaces

A spring spacer assembly for maintaining thermal contact between a thermal transfer surface of a heat sink and a heat-generating electrical component mounted on a printed circuit board between the printed circuit board and the thermal transfer surface, comprising

• a spring spacer including a face defining a fixation segment and a finger extending from and deflectible relative to said fixation segment, a protrusion extending from said finger on a first side of said face for insertion through a corresponding aperture in the printed circuit board, and a spacer extending from said fixation segment on said first side of said face and terminating at an end surface for insertion through a corresponding hole in the printed circuit board into abutment with the thermal transfer surface;
• and
• a fixation element for securing said end surface in abutment with the thermal transfer surface, said protrusion contacting and being deflected by the heat-generating electrical component to cause deflection of said finger in a direction away from the thermal transfer surface in response to said end surface being secured in abutment with the thermal transfer surface, said finger being adapted, when deflected, to apply a spring force against the heat-generating electrical component in the direction of the thermal transfer surface to urge the heat-generating electrical component into thermal contact with the thermal transfer surface.

A thermally protected electrical component system comprising

• a heat sink having a thermal transfer surface;
• a printed circuit board spaced from said thermal transfer surface and having a heat-generating electrical component mounted thereon between said thermal transfer surface and a first side of said printed circuit board, an aperture extending through said printed circuit board in alignment with the heat-generating electrical component, and a hole extending through said printed circuit board;
• and
• a spring spacer assembly comprising a face disposed over a second side of said printed circuit board, opposite said first side, and defining a fixation segment and a deflectible finger extending from said fixation segment, a spacer extending from said fixation segment through said hole and secured in abutment with said heat sink, and a protrusion extending from said finger through said aperture into contact with said heat-generating electrical component, said finger being spring biased toward said thermal transfer surface to urge said heat-generating electrical component into thermal contact with said thermal transfer surface.