Method of making a header or housing for electrical connection to a

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of making a header or housing for connection to a semi-conductor device including the step of trimming a single terminal frame molded into the header while the header or housing is in the molding cavity. To accomplish this, the present invention utilizes a single terminal frame including a plurality of substantially parallel electrical connection fingers held together at one end by a tie-bar. The terminal frame has a 'V-notch' in each of the electrical connection fingers at a location adjacent the tie-bar. The terminal frame is placed in a mold having an upper and lower mold shell each having cavities formed therein which together define the header or housing to be molded. The upper and lower mold shells come together and grasp the terminal frame at a position adjacent the notch and so that the tie-bar extends outwardly from the upper and lower mold shells. The molding apparatus includes a trim punch positioned to advance towards the tie-bar so that the terminal frame bends at the location of the notch and the tie-bar is eventually torn away from the electrical connection fingers. The tie-bar may be trimmed from the terminal frame either before or after the plastic material is injected into the molding cavity and solidified to form the plastic header or housing.