Wiring apparatus with wire path forming means

Claim 2

In combination with a bonder for attaching a wire to a bonding site on a subject to be wired and a positioner for positioning the subject with respect to a reference point where the bonding operation is to take place, wire handling apparatus comprising: a carriage, wire supply means mounted on said carriage, a wire clamp mounted on said carriage, and means supporting said carriage for movement with the wire in said wire clamp maintained in substantially straight alignment with said reference point, means for manipulating the wire only in the region of said reference point to bond a wire to the subject and for holding the wire at said reference point for a bending operation as the subject is rotated in a horizontal plane about an axis intersecting said reference point, means for pivoting said carriage supporting means about a horizontal axis intersecting said reference point for raising the apparatus to clear the subject during wire bending rotation of the subject and for maintaining components of said wire manipulating means in said region of the reference point; and means for moving said carriage on said supporting means in synchronism with movement of said subject to feed additional wire onto said subject without disturbing previously formed portions of the wire.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 in which said carriage is a rear carriage and said apparatus further comprises a carriage mounted forward of said rear carriage on said supporting means and said wire manipulating means includes a wire feed tube mounted on said forward carriage to support the wire at said reference point.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a second feed tube mounted on said rear carriage and extending into said wire feed tube to support the wire between said first and second carriages.

Claim 5

In combination with a bonder for attaching a wire to a bonding site on a subject to be wired and a positioner for positioning the subject with respect to a reference point where the bonding operation is to take place, wire handling apparatus comprising, a forward carriage and a rear carriage, means supporting said carriages for linear movement, and means for pivoting said carriage supporting means about a horizontal axis intersecting said reference point for raising the apparatus to clear the subject during wire bending rotation of the subject, wire supply means mounted on said rear carriage, a first wire feed tube mounted on Said forward carriage and a second wire feed tube mounted on said rear carriage for supporting said wire, and a wire clamp mounted on said rear carriage, means for moving said rear carriage toward said reference point in synchronism with movement of said subject with said wire clamp set to feed additional wire onto said subject without disturbing previously formed portions of the wire and means for moving said forward carriage independently of said rear carriage to a forward most position where said first wire feed tube supports the wire at said reference point for wire manipulating operations, and a pair of wire dressing tools mounted independently of said carriages in the region of said reference point on either side of the line formed by a wire fed from said wire feed tube to the subject to be wired, each dressing tool being extendable to engage the surface of the subject and flexible to pivot partially about said reference point as the subject is rotated for a bending operation for preventing the bending operation from disturbing previously formed portions of the wire.

Claim 6

In combination with a bonder for attaching a wire to a bonding site on a subject to be wired and a positioner for positioning the subject with respect to a reference point where the bonding operation is to take place, wire handling apparatus comprising, a forward carriage and a rear carriage, means supporting said carriages for linear movement, and means for pivoting said carriage supporting means about a horizontal axis intersecting said reference point for raising the apparatus to clear the subject during wire bending rotation of the subject, wire supply means mounted on said rear carriage, a first wire feed tube mounted on Said forward carriage and a second wire feed tube mounted on said rear carriage for supporting said wire, and a wire clamp mounted on said rear carriage, means for moving said rear carriage toward said reference point in synchronism with movement of said subject with said wire clamp set to feed additional wire onto said subject without disturbing previously formed portions of the wire and means for moving said forward carriage independently of said rear carriage to a forward most position where said first wire feed tube supports the wire at said reference point for wire manipulating operations, and a pair of wire dressing tools mounted independently of said carriages in the region of said reference point on either side of the line formed by a wire fed from said wire feed tube to the subject to be wired, each dressing tool being extendable to engage the surface of the subject and flexible to pivot partially about said reference point as the subject is rotated for a bending operation for preventing the bending operation from disturbing previously formed portions of the wire.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising means for pivoting said wire dressing tools in a line parallel to the line formed by a wire fed from said wire feed tube for clearing a bonding site of any wires positioned over the bonding site from a previous wiring operation.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising means for rotating said wire clamp to compensate for the twist that would otherwise occur in the wire as the subject is rotated when the carriage support is raised at an angle with respect to the plane of the subject.