Plastic package for electronic devices

Claim 2

A semiconductor electronic device, comprising: a chip of a semiconductor material having a first surface, a second surface, sides, and corners; a supporting metal plate for the chip, having a major surface in contact with the first surface of the chip; a set of metal conductors adjacent to the plate; a set of wire leads joining selected points on the second surface of the chip to the metal conductors; a body made of a plastic material which encapsulates everything but the ends of the metal conductors; wherein the supporting metal plate comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions each extending along an opposing side of the chip, and including an extension having a free end disposed inwardly at an end of each portion; wherein the supporting metal plate further includes a third portion that bisects the semiconductor material chip and joins the first and second portions together; wherein the third portion includes an elastic center portion which allows a partial elongation of the supporting metal plate in the longitudinal direction of the third portion. wherein the elastic center portion has the shape of a trapezoid.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1 , wherein the length of each of the first and second portions is at least that of the opposing sides along which the first and second portions extend.

Claim 4

The device of claim 2 , wherein said supporting metal plate comprises about 50 percent of the area of the first surface.

Claim 5

The device of claim 1 wherein the plate and conductors are blanked off a single piece of sheet metal.

Claim 6

The device of claim 1 , wherein the trapezoid-shaped elastic portion includes a trapezoidal opening therein.

Claim 7

The device of claim 5 , wherein the elastic center portion is adhesively unattached to the chip, thereby allowing said supporting metal plate to retain elasticity.

Claim 8

The device of claim 6 wherein the supporting metal plate and the conductors are blanked off a single piece of sheet metal.

Claim 9

The device of claim 1 , wherein; each extension free end has a free end face, each extension extends toward said extension free end in a direction between said opposing sides, and the free end faces of respective extensions of said first and second portions are disposed in relative facing relationship one to the other.

Claim 10

The device of claim 1 , wherein said third portion extends between said first and second portions, and in a direction between said opposing sides.

Claim 11

The device of claim 8 , wherein said a third portion that extends between said first and second portions, and in a direction between said opposing sides.

Claim 12

The device of claim 10 , wherein each of said first and second portions has a pair of extensions, one of each pair disposed at opposite ends of respective first and second portions.

Claim 13

The device of claim 11 , wherein the extensions of said pairs of extensions each have face ends with free end faces.

Claim 14

The device of claim 12 , wherein the face end faces of respective pairs of extensions of said first and second portions are disposed in relative facing relationship one to the other.

Claim 15

The device of claim 1 , wherein the extension is disposed extending in a direction between said opposing sides.

Claim 16

A semiconductor electronic device, comprising: a semiconductor material chip having a first and a second surface, said first surface supported by a metal plate, said metal plate comprising a first portion and a second portion, said first and second portions each extending along opposing sides of said first surface, said first and second portions each including an extension having a free end disposed inwardly at an end of each portion, and said metal supporting plate constructed and arranged to allow a resin to uniformly flow around said chip when said chip is positioned in a mold, so as to provide a substantially void-free plastic encapsulation of said chip and said metal supporting plate; wherein the metal plate further includes a third portion that bisects the semiconductor material chip and joins the first and second portions together; wherein the length of each of the first and second portions is at least that of the opposing sides along which the first and second portions extend; wherein said supporting metal plate comprises about 50 percent of the area of the first surface; wherein the third portion includes an elastic center portion which allows a partial elongation of the supporting metal plate in the longitudinal direction of the third portion; wherein the elastic center portion has the shape of a trapezoid.

Claim 17

A semiconductor electronic device, comprising: a semiconductor material chip having a first and a second surface, said first surface supported by a metal plate, said metal plate comprising a first portion and a second portion, said first and second portions each extending along opposing sides of said first surface, said first and second portions each including an extension having a free end disposed inwardly at an end of each portion, and said metal supporting plate constructed and arranged to allow a resin to uniformly flow around said chip when said chip is positioned in a mold, so as to provide a substantially void-free plastic encapsulation of said chip and said metal supporting plate; wherein the metal plate further includes a third portion that bisects the semiconductor material chip and joins the first and second portions together; wherein the length of each of the first and second portions is at least that of the opposing sides along which the first and second portions extend; wherein said supporting metal plate comprises about 50 percent of the area of the first surface; wherein the third portion includes an elastic center portion which allows a partial elongation of the supporting metal plate in the longitudinal direction of the third portion; wherein the elastic center portion has the shape of a trapezoid.

Claim 18

The device of claim 15 , wherein said metal plate is constructed and arranged to provide partial compensation of internal stresses in said encapsulated device which are due to varying material coefficients of expansion.

Claim 19

The device of claim 15 , wherein the plate and conductors are blanked off a single piece of sheet metal.

Claim 21

The device of claim 18 , wherein the supporting metal plate and the conductors are blanked off a single piece of sheet metal.

Claim 22

The device of claim 15 , wherein; each extension free end has a free end face, each extension extends toward said extension free end in a direction between said opposing sides, and the free end faces of respective extensions of said first and second portions are disposed in relative facing relationship one to the other.

Claim 23

The device of claim 20 , wherein said third portion extends between said first and second portions, and in a direction between said opposing sides.

Claim 24

The device of claim 21 , wherein each of said first and second portions has a pair of extensions, one of each pair disposed at opposite ends of respective first and second portions.

Claim 25

The device of claim 22 , wherein the extensions of said pairs of extensions each have face ends with free end faces.

Claim 26

The device of claim 23 , wherein the face end faces of respective pairs of extensions of said first and second portions are disposed in relative facing relationship one to the other.

Claim 27

The device of claim 15 , wherein the extension is disposed extending in a direction between said opposing sides.