Method and apparatus for the excise and lead form of TAB devices

Claim 1

A method of excising and forming a plurality of metal leads connected at inner ends to an electronic device which extend beyond a sidewall of the device, comprising the steps of: clamping a first portion of the leads spaced from the device by contacting the top of the first portion with the bottom surface of a first lead clamp and the bottom of the first portion with the top surface of a form anvil, said form anvil further comprising a forming edge between the top surface and a forming surface on the side opposite the device; clamping a second portion of the leads further from the device than the first portion and spaced from the first portion by contacting the top of the second portion with the bottom surface of an excise/form tool and contacting the bottom of the second portion with the top surface of a second lead clamp, said excise/form tool further comprising a forming surface on the side facing the device, an outer surface on the side opposite the device and a forming edge between the bottom surface and the forming surface, and said second lead clamp further comprising an outer surface on the side opposite the device, wherein the outer surfaces of the excise/form tool and second lead clamp are aligned; excising a third portion of the leads further from the device than the second portion which extends beyond the outer surfaces of the excise/form tool and second lead clamp, thereby forming outer lead ends; moving the excise/form tool and second lead Clamp downwards and toward the device until a fourth portion of the leads between the first and second portions is moved through an arc between the forming surfaces of the form anvil and the excise/form tool, thereby bending the leads at the forming edge of the form anvil to form a first corner in the leads and at the forming edge of the excise/form tool to form a second corner in the leads; and releasing the leads from the first lead clamp, form anvil, form/excise tool, and second lead clamp.

Claim 2

A method of excising and forming a plurality of metal leads connected at inner ends to an electronic device which extend beyond a sidewall of the device, comprising the steps of: clamping a first portion of the leads spaced from the device by contacting the top of the first portion with the bottom surface of a first lead clamp and the bottom of the first portion with the top surface of a form anvil, said form anvil further comprising a forming edge between the top surface and a forming surface on the side opposite the device; clamping a second portion of the leads further from the device than the first portion and spaced from the first portion by contacting the top of the second portion with the bottom surface of an excise/form tool and contacting the bottom of the second portion with the top surface of a second lead clamp, said excise/form tool further comprising a forming surface on the side facing the device, an outer surface on the side opposite the device and a forming edge between the bottom surface and the forming surface, and said second lead clamp further comprising an outer surface on the side opposite the device, wherein the outer surfaces of the excise/form tool and second lead clamp are aligned; excising a third portion of the leads further from the device than the second portion which extends beyond the outer surfaces of the excise/form tool and second lead clamp, thereby forming outer lead ends; moving the excise/form tool and second lead Clamp downwards and toward the device until a fourth portion of the leads between the first and second portions is moved through an arc between the forming surfaces of the form anvil and the excise/form tool, thereby bending the leads at the forming edge of the form anvil to form a first corner in the leads and at the forming edge of the excise/form tool to form a second corner in the leads; and releasing the leads from the first lead clamp, form anvil, form/excise tool, and second lead clamp.

Claim 19

A method of excising and forming a plurality of flat metal TAB leads connected at inner ends to the top of an integrated circuit chip which extend beyond a sidewall of the chip, comprising the following steps in the sequence set forth: removably securing the chip to a base; clamping (i) a first portion of the leads spaced from the device by contacting the top of the first portion with the bottom surface of a first lead clamp and the bottom of the first portion with the top surface of a form anvil, said form anvil further comprising a forming edge between the top surface and a forming surface on the side opposite the device, and (ii) a second portion of the leads further from the device than the first portion and spaced from the first portion by contacting the top of the second portion with the bottom surface of an excise/form tool and contacting the bottom of the second portion with the top surface of a second lead clamp, said excise/form tool further comprising a forming surface on the side facing the device, an outer surface on the side opposite the device, a forming edge between the bottom surface and the forming surface, and a cutting edge between the bottom surface and the outer surface, and said second lead clamp further comprising an outer surface on the side opposite the device, wherein the outer surfaces of the excise/form tool and second lead clamp are aligned; excising a third portion of the leads adjacent the outer surfaces of the excise/form tool and second lead clamp by slidingly engaging an excise blade with the outer surfaces of the second lead clamp and excise/form tool, respectively, so that the third portion is sliced by a cutting edge on top of the excise blade and the cutting edge of the excise/form tool, thereby forming outer lead ends; moving the excise/form tool, second lead clamp and excise blade downwards and toward the device in a curved path while the first lead clamp and form anvil remain stationary, thereby bending the leads at the forming edge of the form anvil to start forming a first corner in the leads and at the forming edge of the excise/form tool to start forming a second corner in the leads; continuing moving the excise/form tool, second lead clamp and excise blade downwards and toward the device in the curved path while the first lead clamp and form anvil remain stationary until a fourth portion of the leads between the first and second lead corners is moved through an arc between the forming surfaces of the form anvil and the form/excise tool, thereby forming the first and second lead corners at an angle between 0 degrees and 90 degrees; releasing the leads from the first lead clamp, form anvil, form/excise tool, second lead clamp and excise blade; and releasing the chip from the base.

Claim 20

A method of excising and forming a plurality of flat metal TAB leads connected at inner ends to the top of an integrated circuit chip which extend beyond a sidewall of the chip, comprising the following steps in the sequence set forth: removably securing the chip to a base; clamping (i) a first portion of the leads spaced from the device by contacting the top of the first portion with the bottom surface of a first lead clamp and the bottom of the first portion with the top surface of a form anvil, said form anvil further comprising a forming edge between the top surface and a forming surface on the side opposite the device, and (ii) a second portion of the leads further from the device than the first portion and spaced from the first portion by contacting the top of the second portion with the bottom surface of an excise/form tool and contacting the bottom of the second portion with the top surface of a second lead clamp, said excise/form tool further comprising a forming surface on the side facing the device, an outer surface on the side opposite the device, a forming edge between the bottom surface and the forming surface, and a cutting edge between the bottom surface and the outer surface, and said second lead clamp further comprising an outer surface on the side opposite the device, wherein the outer surfaces of the excise/form tool and second lead clamp are aligned; excising a third portion of the leads adjacent the outer surfaces of the excise/form tool and second lead clamp by slidingly engaging an excise blade with the outer surfaces of the second lead clamp and excise/form tool, respectively, so that the third portion is sliced by a cutting edge on top of the excise blade and the cutting edge of the excise/form tool, thereby forming outer lead ends; moving the excise/form tool, second lead clamp and excise blade downwards and toward the device in a curved path while the first lead clamp and form anvil remain stationary, thereby bending the leads at the forming edge of the form anvil to start forming a first corner in the leads and at the forming edge of the excise/form tool to start forming a second corner in the leads; continuing moving the excise/form tool, second lead clamp and excise blade downwards and toward the device in the curved path while the first lead clamp and form anvil remain stationary until a fourth portion of the leads between the first and second lead corners is moved through an arc between the forming surfaces of the form anvil and the form/excise tool, thereby forming the first and second lead corners at an angle between 0 degrees and 90 degrees; releasing the leads from the first lead clamp, form anvil, form/excise tool, second lead clamp and excise blade; and releasing the chip from the base.

Claim 21

An apparatus for excising and forming a plurality of metal leads connected at inner ends to an electronic device which extend beyond a sidewall of the device, comprising the steps of: means for clamping a first portion of the leads spaced from the device by contacting the top of the first portion with the bottom surface of a first lead clamp and the bottom of the first portion with the top surface of a form anvil, said form anvil further comprising a forming edge between the top surface and a forming surface on the side opposite the device; means for clamping a second portion of the leads further from the device than the first portion and spaced from the first portion by contacting the top of the second portion with the bottom surface of an excise/form tool and contacting the bottom of the second portion with the top surface of a second lead clamp, said excise/form tool further comprising a forming surface on the side facing the device and an outer surface on the side opposite the device and a forming edge between the bottom surface and the forming surface, and said second lead clamp further comprising an outer surface on the side opposite the device, wherein the outer surfaces of the excise/form tool and second lead clamp are aligned; means for excising a third portion of the leads further from the device than the second portion which extends beyond the outer surfaces of the excise/form tool and second lead clamp for forming outer lead ends; means for moving the excise/form tool, second lead clamp and excise blade downwards and toward the device in a curved path until a fourth portion of the leads between the first and second lead corners is moved through an arc between the forming surfaces of the form anvil and the excise/form tool in order to bend a first corner in the leads at the forming edge of the form anvil and a second corner of the leads at the forming edge of the excise/form tool; and means for releasing the leads from the first lead clamp, form anvil, form/excise tool, and second lead clamp.

Claim 22

An apparatus for excising and forming a plurality of metal leads connected at inner ends to an electronic device which extend beyond a sidewall of the device, comprising the steps of: means for clamping a first portion of the leads spaced from the device by contacting the top of the first portion with the bottom surface of a first lead clamp and the bottom of the first portion with the top surface of a form anvil, said form anvil further comprising a forming edge between the top surface and a forming surface on the side opposite the device; means for clamping a second portion of the leads further from the device than the first portion and spaced from the first portion by contacting the top of the second portion with the bottom surface of an excise/form tool and contacting the bottom of the second portion with the top surface of a second lead clamp, said excise/form tool further comprising a forming surface on the side facing the device and an outer surface on the side opposite the device and a forming edge between the bottom surface and the forming surface, and said second lead clamp further comprising an outer surface on the side opposite the device, wherein the outer surfaces of the excise/form tool and second lead clamp are aligned; means for excising a third portion of the leads further from the device than the second portion which extends beyond the outer surfaces of the excise/form tool and second lead clamp for forming outer lead ends; means for moving the excise/form tool, second lead clamp and excise blade downwards and toward the device in a curved path until a fourth portion of the leads between the first and second lead corners is moved through an arc between the forming surfaces of the form anvil and the excise/form tool in order to bend a first corner in the leads at the forming edge of the form anvil and a second corner of the leads at the forming edge of the excise/form tool; and means for releasing the leads from the first lead clamp, form anvil, form/excise tool, and second lead clamp.

Claim 23

An apparatus for excising and forming a plurality of metal leads connected at inner ends to an electronic device which extend beyond a sidewall of the device, comprising: a base for releasably securing the device; a first lead clamp with a bottom surface; a form anvil with a top surface, a forming surface on the side opposite the base, and a forming edge between the top and forming surfaces; an excise/form tool with a bottom surface, a forming surface on the side facing the base, an outer surface on the side opposite the base, a forming edge between the forming and bottom surfaces, and a cutting edge between the bottom and outer surfaces; a second lead clamp with a bottom surface and an outer surface on the side opposite the base and aligned with the outer surface of the excise/form tool; an excise blade with a leading cutting edge which slidingly engages the aligned outer surfaces of the excise/form tool and the second lead clamp; and computer controlled means for clamping together the bottom surface of the first lead clamp with the top surface of the form anvil, clamping together the bottom surface of the excise/form tool with the top surface of the second lead clamp, moving the excise blade upwards in sliding engagement with the aligned outer surfaces of the excise/form tool and the second lead clamp, moving the clamped excise/form tool and second lead clamp along with the excise blade toward the clamped first lead clamp and form anvil in a curved path until the forming edge of the excise/form tool contacts the forming edge of the form anvil, and separating the first lead clamp, form anvil, excise/form tool and second lead clamp without separating the second lead clamp from the excise blade.

Claim 24

An apparatus for excising and forming a plurality of metal leads connected at inner ends to an electronic device which extend beyond a sidewall of the device, comprising: a base for releasably securing the device; a first lead clamp with a bottom surface; a form anvil with a top surface, a forming surface on the side opposite the base, and a forming edge between the top and forming surfaces; an excise/form tool with a bottom surface, a forming surface on the side facing the base, an outer surface on the side opposite the base, a forming edge between the forming and bottom surfaces, and a cutting edge between the bottom and outer surfaces; a second lead clamp with a bottom surface and an outer surface on the side opposite the base and aligned with the outer surface of the excise/form tool; an excise blade with a leading cutting edge which slidingly engages the aligned outer surfaces of the excise/form tool and the second lead clamp; and computer controlled means for clamping together the bottom surface of the first lead clamp with the top surface of the form anvil, clamping together the bottom surface of the excise/form tool with the top surface of the second lead clamp, moving the excise blade upwards in sliding engagement with the aligned outer surfaces of the excise/form tool and the second lead clamp, moving the clamped excise/form tool and second lead clamp along with the excise blade toward the clamped first lead clamp and form anvil in a curved path until the forming edge of the excise/form tool contacts the forming edge of the form anvil, and separating the first lead clamp, form anvil, excise/form tool and second lead clamp without separating the second lead clamp from the excise blade.