Apparatus for cutting and forming flexible beam leads of an integrated

Abstract

Apparatus for blanking an integrated circuit (I.C.) chip and the chip's thin flexible ductile leads which extend beyond the four sides of each chip from a segment of film to which the leads are attached and forming the leads including forming a foot at the free end of each lead of the chip in a single operation of a hollow punch having contiguous cutting and forming edges with a contiguous forming surface between them and a hollow die having cutting edges with a forming block having contiguous forming edges and forming shoulders positioned within the die. The punch and die are mounted on a punch press. Alignment means accurately position the chip and its leads with respect to the punch and die. A pressure pad is mounted in the punch and presses the leads against a portion of the forming block to isolate the bonds between the leads and the integrated circuit chip from forces applied to the leads during cutting and forming. The punch then approaches the die until the cutting edges of the punch and die sever the leads, the forming edges of the punch and forming block bend the leads, and the free ends of the leads are formed into feet between the forming shoulder of the forming block and the forming surface of the punch. The forming block is resiliently mounted in the die to accommodate variations in the thickness of the ductile leads. The severed I.C. chip and its formed leads are lifted from the forming block by being held against the pressure pad by a vacuum as the punch returns to its initial position.