Method of providing a variable-pitch leadframe assembly

Claim 1

A method of providing a variable pitch tab leadframe assembly which permits electrical connection between bonding locations (110) on a semiconductor device and a plurality of bonding sites on a circuit board, the pitch of said bonding sites and said bonding locations being different, said method comprising the following steps: a) providing a variable pitch tab leadframe assembly (103) comprising a plurality of patterned conductive elements (107); b) arranging the pattern of the leadframe conductive elements to provide a first section (130), a second section (132), and at least one third section (134); each section comprising adjacent conductive elements (107) arranged in parallel and with each section comprising pitch spacing (P1, P2, P3) that is different from the other sections, said first section forming an inner end portion (107) in which the conductive elements are adapted for connection to said bonding locations (110); c) positioning a leadframe conductive element fourth section (133) in connection with the first (130) and second (132) sections, and a fifth section (135) in connection with the second section (132) and the third section (134), and sixth sections connecting further ones of said at least one third section, so that adjacent conductive elements (107) in each of the fourth (133) fifth (135) and sixth sections are positioned in a non-parallel fanned relation; and d) severing said plurality of conductive elements at one of said third sections, said remaining outer portions (123) being adapted to be bonded to said plurality of bonding sites.