Encapsulated semiconductor device

Claim 1

A SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE, COMPRISING A PLATE-SHAPED SEMICONDUCTOR MEMBER HAVING SPACED OPPOSITE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL SURFACES AND ELECTRODES ON SAID SPACED SURFACES; A FLUID-TIGHT SEALED CAPSULE ASSEMBLY ENCLOSING SAID SEMICONDUCTOR MEMBER, SAID CAPSULE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING COMPONENTS ON EACH SIDE OF SAID SEMICONDUCTOR MEMBER HAVING SURFACES ADJACENT AND SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID SPACED SURFACES OF SAID SEMICONDUCTOR MEMBER; MEANS FOR APPLYING ELECTRICAL ENERGY TO SAID SEMICONDUCTOR MEMBER COMPRISING A CONNECTING TERMINAL AND MEANS FOR PASSING SAID CONNECTING TERMINAL THROUGH SAID FLUID-TIGHT SEALED CAPSULE TO SAID CAPSULE ASSEMBLY; A LAYER OF SOLDER BONDING EACH OF THE ELECTRODES OF SAID SEMICONDUCTOR MEMBER TO THE ADJACENT SURFACE OF THE CORRESPONDING COMPONENT OF SAID CAPSULE ASSEMBLY; AND SPRING MEANS MOUNTED BETWEEN SELECTED COMPONENTS OF SAID CAPSULE ASSEMBLY AND EXERTING A CONTINUOUS COMPRESSION PRESSURE UPON SAID CORRESPONDING COMPONENTS OF SAID CAPSULE ASSEMBLY, AND UPON SAID SOLDER LAYERS AND SAID SEMICONDUCTOR MEMBER POSITIONED BETWEEN THE SAID CORRESPONDING COMPONENTS, SAID SPRING MEANS COMPRISING AN ARCUATE SPRING HAVING A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY EXTENDING LEGS THEREBY EXERTING A SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM PRESSURE UPON SAID CORRESPONDING COMPONENTS, SAID SPRING MEANS EXERTING A COMPRESSION PRESSURE IN THE RANGE OF 0.2 TO 2.0 KILOPONDS PER SQUARE MILIMETER ON SAID SOLDER LAYERS.