Patent US5085362A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5085362A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Gravity-held alignment member for manufacture of a leadless chip carrier
Assignee: Atmel Corp
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Filing: 1991-01-16
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Granted: 1992-02-04
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Expires: 2011-01-16
Abstract
Abstract An alignment apparatus for use in sealing of a package lid to a base of an integrated circuit package. A fabrication boat for leadless chip carriers includes a plurality of arrays of upwardly extending fingers disposed to secure a base of a leadless chip carrier. An alignment member is slidably fit over the carrier base and the upwardly extending fingers. Each alignment member includes shoulders, each shoulder having a lower vertical surface in contact with the carrier base and having a horizontal surface resting upon the carrier base. Upper vertical surfaces of the shoulders are spaced apart to slidably receive a package lid for alignment with the base. The package lids are held within the alignment member primarily by gravitational force.
Inventors
- 👤 Jack Art
- 👤 Douglas J. Levad
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 17:35
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/04; H10P72/0441; H10P72/70; H10P72/74; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49117; Y10T29/49121; Y10T29/49124; Y10T29/4913; Y10T29/49144; Y10T29/53; Y10T29/5313; Y10T29/53265
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
An apparatus for use in hermetically sealing of a lid to a base of a leadless chip carrier comprising, a base of a leadless chip carrier, said base having a die-receiving cavity to house an integrated circuit chip, a carrier lid adapted to be secured to said base to hermetically seal said die-receiving cavity of said base, a support means for retaining said base in a substantially fixed, generally horizontal position, and an alignment member releasably coupled to said support means, said alignment member having first and second levels, said first level having a configuration to receive said base, said second level having a configuration to receive said carrier lid and to maintain said carrier lid in generally fixed horizontal registration with respect to said base, gravitational force thereby being the primary force for maintaining said carrier lid in contact with said base during hermetical sealing of said carrier lid to said base.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
153 words
An apparatus for use in hermetically sealing of a lid to a base of a leadless chip carrier comprising, a base of a leadless chip carrier, said base having a die-receiving cavity to house an integrated circuit chip, a carrier lid adapted to be secured to said base to hermetically seal said die-receiving cavity of said base, a support means for retaining said base in a substantially fixed, generally horizontal position, and an alignment member releasably coupled to said support means, said alignment member having first and second levels, said first level having a configuration to receive said base, said second level having a configuration to receive said carrier lid and to maintain said carrier lid in generally fixed horizontal registration with respect to said base, gravitational force thereby being the primary force for maintaining said carrier lid in contact with said base during hermetical sealing of said carrier lid to said base.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support means is a fabrication device having positioning means for securing said base, said alignment member having a common opening through said first and second levels, said positioning means extending into said common opening.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein each positioning means is a plurality of upwardly extending fingers disposed to capture said base therebetween.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second level of said alignment member has a plurality of shoulders, each shoulder having a horizontal surface positioned to contact said base and having a vertical surface positioned to contact said lid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said first level includes vertical surfaces positioned to contact said base.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
142 words
An apparatus for use in sealing of a package lid to a base of an integrated circuit package comprising, a boat for the fabrication of a leadless chip carrier, said boat having upwardly extending fingers disposed to secure a base of said leadless chip carrier in a horizontal position, and an alignment member having opposed first and second major sides, said alignment member having an opening extending therethrough from said first major side to said second major side, said alignment member slidably fit to said boat to receive said base and said upwardly extending fingers in said opening via said first major side, said opening configured to receive a package lid and to horizontally align said package lid with respect to said base, said package lid thereby held within said opening by the gravitational force of the mass of said package lid.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
142 words
An apparatus for use in sealing of a package lid to a base of an integrated circuit package comprising, a boat for the fabrication of a leadless chip carrier, said boat having upwardly extending fingers disposed to secure a base of said leadless chip carrier in a horizontal position, and an alignment member having opposed first and second major sides, said alignment member having an opening extending therethrough from said first major side to said second major side, said alignment member slidably fit to said boat to receive said base and said upwardly extending fingers in said opening via said first major side, said opening configured to receive a package lid and to horizontally align said package lid with respect to said base, said package lid thereby held within said opening by the gravitational force of the mass of said package lid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
62 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said alignment member includes shoulders at the periphery of said opening, said shoulders having first vertical surfaces extending from said first major side to contact edges of said base and having horizontal surfaces located to contact the upper surface of said base, said shoulders having second vertical surfaces located to contact edges of said package lid.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said alignment member is a unitary member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said boat includes a plurality of arrays of upwardly extending fingers, each array supporting a base, and wherein said apparatus further comprises a plurality of alignment members, each alignment member being slidably fit to one of said arrays.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
146 words
A method of hermetically sealing a lid to a base of a leadless chip carrier comprising, providing a base and a carrier lid of a leadless chip carrier, providing a support member for retaining said base in a substantially fixed, generally horizontal position, stationing said base on said support member, providing an alignment member having a first level configured to receive said base and having a second level having a configuration to receive said carrier lid and to maintain said carrier lid in generally fixed horizontal relation with respect to said base, sliding said alignment member over said base, thereby resting said alignment member on said support member, inserting said carrier lid into said second level of said alignment member, thereby resting said carrier lid on said base, and without applying a clamping force on said carrier lid, hermetically sealing said carrier lid onto said base.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
146 words
A method of hermetically sealing a lid to a base of a leadless chip carrier comprising, providing a base and a carrier lid of a leadless chip carrier, providing a support member for retaining said base in a substantially fixed, generally horizontal position, stationing said base on said support member, providing an alignment member having a first level configured to receive said base and having a second level having a configuration to receive said carrier lid and to maintain said carrier lid in generally fixed horizontal relation with respect to said base, sliding said alignment member over said base, thereby resting said alignment member on said support member, inserting said carrier lid into said second level of said alignment member, thereby resting said carrier lid on said base, and without applying a clamping force on said carrier lid, hermetically sealing said carrier lid onto said base.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said step of inserting said carrier lid is a step including leaving an upper surface of said carrier lid exposed to the ambient atmosphere.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said step of fixing said base to said support member includes capturing said base between upwardly extending fingers of said support member.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said step of sliding said alignment member includes inserting said fingers into said first level of said alignment members.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-02-03 | 1995-08-05 | 1996-02-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-02-03 | 1999-08-05 | 2000-02-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-02-03 | 2003-08-05 | 2004-02-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |