Loading of compliant tape

Claim 2

Apparatus for loading beam-lead devices into preselected, repetitively spaced locations of a continuous tape having a plurality of adhesively treated portions at each of such locations, which comprises: a loading station comprising aligning means for precisely aligning one of the preselected locations of the tape to the loading station; means for indexing consecutive ones of the preselected locations of the tape into rough alignment with the loading station; means for receiving beam-lead devices iN sequence and for indexing the devices in sequence into rough alignment with the loading station; means for moving the alignment means of the loading station into engagement with the tape and with the receiving means to precisely align the tape to the receiving means and to locate a plurality of the beam leads of the device indexed to the loading station opposite the adhesively treated portions at the aligned location of the tape; and means for urging each one of the beam leads opposite one of the adhesively treated portions into contact with such portions.

Claim 3

Apparatus for loading successive beam-lead devices into preselected locations of a length of compliant tape, which comprises: a loading station; means for receiving the devices in succession and for generally aligning and orienting each of the devices, as received, with the loading station; means, located spaced from the loading station, for applying a plurality of dots of adhesive to localized regions of the preselected locations in a pattern coincident with selected leads of the devices to be loaded; means for indexing the tape to at least roughly aligned successive locations on the tape first with the applying means and then with the loading station; means, rendered effective after the tape is indexed, for precisely aligning the roughly aligned locations to the applying means and to the loading station; and means for simultaneously activating the applying means and pressing selected leads of the aligned and oriented device at the loading station into contact with coincident spots of adhesive applied to the aligned locations during a preceding operation of the applying means to load the device into the aligned location.

Claim 4

Apparatus for loading successive beam-lead devices into preselected locations of a length of compliant tape, which comprises: a loading station; means for receiving the devices in succession and for generally aligning and orienting each of the devices, as received, with the loading station; means, located spaced from the loading station, for applying a plurality of dots of adhesive to localized regions of the preselected locations in a pattern coincident with selected leads of the devices to be loaded; means for indexing the tape to at least roughly aligned successive locations on the tape first with the applying means and then with the loading station; means, rendered effective after the tape is indexed, for precisely aligning the roughly aligned locations to the applying means and to the loading station; and means for simultaneously activating the applying means and pressing selected leads of the aligned and oriented device at the loading station into contact with coincident spots of adhesive applied to the aligned locations during a preceding operation of the applying means to load the device into the aligned location.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the device receiving means includes a collapsible nest into which the devices are deposited, said nest having a cross-sectional shape substantially the same as the overall planar shape of the device, and said nest being constructed so that the bottom of the nest and top of the nest are movable with respect to each other whereby a device in the nest can be forced out of the nest during the loading operation.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the means for indexing the tape includes tape inversion means whereby the adhesive dots are applied to an upwardly facing portion of the tape but the devices are loaded to downwardly facing portions of the tape.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 2 which further comprises means to heat the adhesive after application thereof to the tape to improve the tackiness of the adhesive.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein: the precise aligning means includes at least two alignment pins engageable with alignment holes in the tape and also engageable with alignment holes on the device-receiving means whereby a desired portion of the tape is aligned to a desired portion of the receiving means when said alignment pins are engaged with said alignment.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the means for indexing the tape includes sprocket means having sprocket projections thereon spaced and shaped to operate with the same holes in the tape in which the alignment pins of the precise aligning means operate.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the adhesive application means comprises: an adhesive reservoir having openings extending through an otherwise closed end thereof, said reservoir being mounted on a reciprocatable member and said member having alignment pins thereon arranged to engage with alignment holes in the tape whereby upon approximate alignment of a desired portion of the tape with the application means, and upon contact of the reciprocatable member with the tape, and subsequent removal therefrom the alignment pins provide accurate alignment and droplets of adhesive from the openings are applied to a precise area of the tape.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the end of the reservoir having openings therein is shaped to provide small pedestals for said openings Which extend outwardly of the main body of the reservoir whereby contact of the reservoir with the compliant tape will result in deposits of adhesive which are limited in size to the area of the pedestals.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the openings of the reservoir have a maximum diameter of 0.007 inch and at least portions of the edges of the pedestals are within 0.001 inch of the edge of the openings.

Claim 13

Apparatus for loading beam-lead integrated circuit chips into a compliant bonding tape having a series of apertures for receiving the chips and alternately spaced therewith a series of alignment holes, which comprises: means for receiving chips and orienting the chips to a desired alignment including a collapsible nest into which the chips are deposited, said nest having a cross-sectional shape substantially the same as the overall planar shape of the chip, and said nest being constructed so that the bottom of the nest and top of the nest are movable with respect to each other whereby a chip in the nest can be forced out of the nest; transfer means for transferring the chips in sequence to one of the apertures in the tape, said transfer means having accurate locations means thereon, including at least two alignment pins engageable with selected ones of the alignment holes in the compliant-bonding tape and also engageable with alignment holes on the chip receiving means whereby one of the apertures of the tape is aligned to a desired portion of the chip receiving means when said alignment pins are engaged with said alignment holes; means for applying adhesive to localized regions about the periphery of each of the apertures in the tape including an adhesive reservoir having apertures extending through an otherwise closed end thereof, said end of the reservoir being shaped to provide small pedestals for each of said openings, which extends outwardly of the main body of the reservoir, said reservoir being mounted on a reciprocatable member and said member having alignment pins thereon arranged to engage with alignment holes in the tape whereby upon approximate alignment of a desired portion of the tape with the application means, and upon the reciprocatable member being moved toward the tape, the alignment pins provide accurate alignment so that droplets of adhesive are applied to a precise area of the compliant tape, in deposits of controlled shape, limited to the area of the pedastals; means for translating the portion of the tape with adhesive thereon to the transfer means, said means including a sprocket having projections thereon spaced and shaped to operate with the same holes in the tape in which the alignment pins of the transfer means operate whereby the tape is expeditiously translated to the transfer means; and means for actuating the transfer means one of the chips and one of the portions of tape with adhesive thereon are translated to said means to press selected ones of the leads of the chip to the adhesive on the tape and thereby load the tape.

Claim 14

Apparatus for loading beam-lead integrated circuit chips into a compliant bonding tape having a series of apertures for receiving the chips and alternately spaced therewith a series of alignment holes, which comprises: means for receiving chips and orienting the chips to a desired alignment including a collapsible nest into which the chips are deposited, said nest having a cross-sectional shape substantially the same as the overall planar shape of the chip, and said nest being constructed so that the bottom of the nest and top of the nest are movable with respect to each other whereby a chip in the nest can be forced out of the nest; transfer means for transferring the chips in sequence to one of the apertures in the tape, said transfer means having accurate locations means thereon, including at least two alignment pins engageable with selected ones of the alignment holes in the compliant-bonding tape and also engageable with alignment holes on the chip receiving means whereby one of the apertures of the tape is aligned to a desired portion of the chip receiving means when said alignment pins are engaged with said alignment holes; means for applying adhesive to localized regions about the periphery of each of the apertures in the tape including an adhesive reservoir having apertures extending through an otherwise closed end thereof, said end of the reservoir being shaped to provide small pedestals for each of said openings, which extends outwardly of the main body of the reservoir, said reservoir being mounted on a reciprocatable member and said member having alignment pins thereon arranged to engage with alignment holes in the tape whereby upon approximate alignment of a desired portion of the tape with the application means, and upon the reciprocatable member being moved toward the tape, the alignment pins provide accurate alignment so that droplets of adhesive are applied to a precise area of the compliant tape, in deposits of controlled shape, limited to the area of the pedastals; means for translating the portion of the tape with adhesive thereon to the transfer means, said means including a sprocket having projections thereon spaced and shaped to operate with the same holes in the tape in which the alignment pins of the transfer means operate whereby the tape is expeditiously translated to the transfer means; and means for actuating the transfer means one of the chips and one of the portions of tape with adhesive thereon are translated to said means to press selected ones of the leads of the chip to the adhesive on the tape and thereby load the tape.

Claim 15

Apparatus for adhesively loading a plurality of beam-lead devices in preparation for successively feeding the devices to and compliantly bonding the devices to substrates at a bonding station, the apparatus comprising: a loading station; means for receiving beam-lead devices in sequence and for indexing each received device in sequence and with a predetermined orientation to the loading station; a supply of tape of a compliant material, the tape having a first series of equally spaced apertures, each of such apertures being sized to receive the body of one of the devices with the leads extending over the edges of the aperture, and each of such apertures further having an embossed configuration about its periphery larger than the lateral extent of the leads of the respective device, the embossed configuration being of a depth greater than the thickness of the leads to provide a pocket for the leads with respect to the surface of the tape, and a seconD series of apertures in the tape located alternately to the apertures of the first series and spaced a predetermined distance from the apertures of the first series to serve as locator means therefor; an adhesive applicator station including an adhesive reservoir and a plurality of applicator tips rigidly joined to each other but spaced to fit within portions of the tape bordered by the periphery of the embossed configurations about each of such apertures; means for indexing the tape to move successive apertures of the first series into at least rough alignment with the applicator station and to move apertures out of alignment with the applicator station and into at least rough alignment with the loading station; aligning means, positioned at the applicator station and at the loading station, for engaging the tape after the indexing means has operated for precisely aligning the roughly aligned apertures with the applicator and the loading stations; means for engaging the tips with the embossed configuration at the applicator station to apply a plurality of adhesive dots to the embossed configuration and for contacting the leads of the device indexed to the loading station to such dots applied during a prior operation of the engaging means about the aperture in alignment with the loading station, to load the device onto the tape; and means for storing the tape with the loaded devices, the storing means being removably attached to the apparatus to permit the stored tape to be transferred to a bonding apparatus for employment in feeding the devices to the bonding station, and in compliantly bonding the devices to substrates.

Claim 16

Apparatus for adhesively loading a plurality of beam-lead devices in preparation for successively feeding the devices to and compliantly bonding the devices to substrates at a bonding station, the apparatus comprising: a loading station; means for receiving beam-lead devices in sequence and for indexing each received device in sequence and with a predetermined orientation to the loading station; a supply of tape of a compliant material, the tape having a first series of equally spaced apertures, each of such apertures being sized to receive the body of one of the devices with the leads extending over the edges of the aperture, and each of such apertures further having an embossed configuration about its periphery larger than the lateral extent of the leads of the respective device, the embossed configuration being of a depth greater than the thickness of the leads to provide a pocket for the leads with respect to the surface of the tape, and a seconD series of apertures in the tape located alternately to the apertures of the first series and spaced a predetermined distance from the apertures of the first series to serve as locator means therefor; an adhesive applicator station including an adhesive reservoir and a plurality of applicator tips rigidly joined to each other but spaced to fit within portions of the tape bordered by the periphery of the embossed configurations about each of such apertures; means for indexing the tape to move successive apertures of the first series into at least rough alignment with the applicator station and to move apertures out of alignment with the applicator station and into at least rough alignment with the loading station; aligning means, positioned at the applicator station and at the loading station, for engaging the tape after the indexing means has operated for precisely aligning the roughly aligned apertures with the applicator and the loading stations; means for engaging the tips with the embossed configuration at the applicator station to apply a plurality of adhesive dots to the embossed configuration and for contacting the leads of the device indexed to the loading station to such dots applied during a prior operation of the engaging means about the aperture in alignment with the loading station, to load the device onto the tape; and means for storing the tape with the loaded devices, the storing means being removably attached to the apparatus to permit the stored tape to be transferred to a bonding apparatus for employment in feeding the devices to the bonding station, and in compliantly bonding the devices to substrates.