IC lead retaining mechanism in IC package carrier

Claim 1

A carrier which retains a flat IC package of the type having a plurality of IC leads projecting sideways from the IC package, said carrier comprising a carrier substrate having an IC package accommodation section formed on the upper central surface thereof and also having a plurality of partition walls formed about said IC package accommodation section so as to project upwardly from the upper surface of the carrier substrate and define between adjacent partition walls IC lead receiving grooves having bottoms flush with the upper surface of the carrier substrate for receiving therein and supporting on the bottoms thereof IC leads of an IC package accommodated within said IC package accommodation section, said carrier further comprising an IC lead retainer, a flexible thin hinge means on said retainer and connected integrally to one side on said carrier substrate for permitting said IC lead retainer to be rotated toward and away from said upper surface of the carrier substrate, and retaining means for retaining said IC lead retainer rotated toward said upper surface of said carrier substrate againsta said upper surface of said carrier substrate further comprising at least one engaging means for detachably engaging said at least one retaining claw when said retainer is rotated against said upper surface of said carrier substrate, said retaining means comprising at least one retaining claw on said retainer, said retaining claw extending outwardly from said IC lead retainer, said upper surface of said carrier substrate, whereby IC leads of an IC package are retained between said IC lead retainer and said carrier substrate wherein said receiving means comprises at least one opening formed in said carrier substrate for permitting the insertion of said at least one retaining claw thereinto and disengagebly retaining said at least one retaining claw by edges thereof, wherein downward forces applied to the upper surface of said IC lead retainer act to force said at least one retaining claw outwardly and into enhanced engagement with said at least one opening.