At&t Technologies, Inc.

Richard K Beltz

Donald M Large

Daniel D Leffel

Components such as lids (9) and electronic chip carriers (10) are assembled by registering respective mating faces of each component. An array of assembly stations (75) are formed on an upwardly extending edge (67) of a base (66) having a special inclination. For example, a lid (9) is supported with its mating face upturned and a carrier (10) is supported with its mating face downturned upon the upturned face of the lid (9) on the base (66). The inclination causes the components to slide relative to each other and the base in a given direction within each station (75). A plate (92) overlies a plate (72), supported on and inclined with the base (66). Plate (72) has an opening (74) and plate (92) has an overlying opening (94) to each station (75). The openings (74) and (94) have respective reference edges for stopping sliding of, and thereby positioning an upturned lid (9) and a downturned carrier ( 10) thereupon with a desired registration. A shuttle mechanism (80) reciprocates plate (72) with the openings (74) to and from a magazine (78) to guidably deliver an inverted lid (9) into each station (75). Another magazine (90) is moved to and inclined with the base (66) and guidably delivers an inverted carrier (10) on top of each lid (9) in each station (75). Magazine (90) is moved away and a group clamp (125) is utilized to grasp a resulting array of assembled components for transfer to a subsequent operation.

Assembling components having mating faces

An article such as a semiconductor wafer (10) is cut by splitting along a line (22) in a plane known to facilitate splitting. Wafer (10) is supported in a laterally unrestrained manner in a holder (34) lined with preferred paper (26) and fitted with a reference plate (43). Paper liner (26) is of a type having a surface (25) capable of developing lateral restraint by friction between such surface (25) and a surface (13) of wafer (10). A resilient force is applied normal to and upon a top surface (11) of wafer (10) by a press (60) having members (75 and 76) applied along line (22). Separation stresses develop along line (22) of the splitting plane and friction forces develop along paper surface (25) providing lateral resistance to an expected cutting force. A cutter (80) has an elongate tool (92) which is advanced at a top edge (27) of wafer (10) where it abuts plate (43). Tool (92) has a leading edge (94) for cutting and lateral faces (95 and 96) converging angularly toward edge (94) for separating cut surfaces. Tool (92) is advanced into and along the splitting plane at a preferred angle of about forty-five degrees between wafer surface (11) and elongate portion (93) of tool (92). Utilizing a micrometer assisted assembly (86), a gradual, calibrated force is applied to advance tool (92) for a precise distance into wafer (10). Tool (92) provides sufficient cutting and separation that a split becomes self-propagating along line (22) through wafer (10).

Cutting articles along known planes

Wafers (12), including those in the solid state electronics industry, are demounted from an adherent surface (79). A respective passageway (90) is extended from a fluid supply device (92), through the adherent surface (79) to and in communication with, the mounting surface (16) of a respective wafer (12). The fluid is applied via the passageway (90) to and between the mounting surface (16) of the wafer (12) and the adherent surface (79) with sufficient pressure to dislodge the wafer (12). In an advantageous embodiment, the passageway (90) extends to a location between about the centerline (98) and the periphery of the wafer (12). The fluid is thereby applied in an off-center manner with leveraged force to break the seal between the adherent surface (79) and the wafer (12).

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Hamburg, PA, United States of America

Richard K Beltz