Cutting – With work immobilizer – Work-stop abutment
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-12
2003-01-21
Shoap, Allan N. (Department: 3724)
Cutting
With work immobilizer
Work-stop abutment
C083S468500, C083S929100, C083S953000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06508154
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention pertains to methods of forming integrated circuit packages, as well as to devices for separating integrated circuit packages.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Circuit constructions having integrated circuit (IC) chips bonded to circuit boards (such as SIMMs and DIMMs) can be fabricated by joining IC chips on a single large circuit board comprising a plurality of the constructions. The circuit board can be subsequently cut to separate discrete constructions from one another. The discrete constructions are referred to herein as integrated circuit packages. The smaller the individual circuit packages, the more likely it is for industry processing to utilize the above-described method of forming the packages on a single large board and subsequently cutting individual packages from the board.
An exemplary prior art process of separating integrated circuit packages is described with reference to FIG.
1
.
FIG. 1
illustrates a board assembly
10
having a plurality of IC chips
12
(only some of which are labeled) bonded thereto. Chips
12
are aligned into individual IC package configurations
14
(only some of which are labeled) to form a repeating pattern of integrated circuit packages
14
across the board assembly
10
. Dashed lines
16
are shown to illustrate the boundaries between individual IC packages
14
. In the shown exemplary embodiment, assembly
10
comprises three separate circuit boards
11
,
13
and
15
. The number and size of individual circuit boards can vary depending on the number and size of IC packages that are ultimately to be formed.
Each of boards
11
,
13
and
15
comprises a pair of lateral waste sections
21
,
23
and
25
, respectively. The lateral waste sections
21
,
23
and
25
are separated from the remainder of boards
11
,
13
and
15
, respectively, by imaginary dashed lines
20
,
22
and
24
. In further processing, the individual IC packages
14
are separated from one another by cutting through boards
11
,
13
and
15
along the regions illustrated by dashed lines
16
. During the cutting to separate IC packages
14
from one another, boards
11
,
13
and
15
are also cut along regions illustrated by dashed lines
20
,
22
and
24
to remove waste portions
21
,
23
and
25
from the lateral sides of the boards, and accordingly from lateral edges of the ultimately formed IC packages.
Orifices
19
(only some of which are labeled) are provided throughout circuit boards
11
,
13
and
15
. Specifically, pairs of orifices
19
are provided in each IC package
14
, and at least two orifices
19
are provided in each of waste portions
21
,
23
and
25
.
FIG. 1
further illustrates an IC package separator
40
comprising a cutting mechanism
42
(shown schematically as a cutting wheel, although other cutting mechanisms, such as, for example, router bits or linear blades, are known to persons of ordinary skill in the art), a retaining table
44
, and a control mechanism
45
configured to control orientation of cutting wheel
42
relative to table
44
. Retaining table
44
can comprise, for example, an x-y table (i.e., a table horizontally adjustable S in x and y directions; an “X”, “Y” and “Z” axis system is illustrate in a lower corner of FIG.
1
). Control mechanism
45
can control the x and y orientation of table
44
and the z (i.e., vertical) orientation of cutting mechanism
42
to precisely cut a board retained on table
44
. Table
44
, cutting mechanism
42
, and control mechanism
45
can be comprised by commercially available cutting systems, such as, for example, Advanced Technology Incorporated's CM
101
single spindle router (or, more generally, a circuit board depanelization router).
FIG. 1
also illustrates that table
44
comprises an upper platform
46
. A subplate
48
is provided over platform
46
, and a stripper plate
50
is provided over subplate
48
. Subplate
48
comprises a plurality of upwardly extending pins
60
(only some of which are labeled), and stripper plate
50
comprises a number of orifices
62
configured to slide over pins
60
. Subplate
48
is retained on table
44
by downwardly extending pins (not shown) which are aligned with and precisely received within orifices (not shown) extending within platform
46
of table
44
.
Orifices
19
of boards
11
,
13
and
15
align with pins
60
. In operation, boards
11
,
13
and
15
are slid over pins
60
until the pins protrude through orifices
19
. Typically, orifices
19
are only about 0.003 inches wider than pins
60
to insure tight alignment of boards
11
,
13
and
15
with subplate
48
. After boards
11
,
13
and
15
are retained on table
44
by pins
60
, cutting mechanism
42
is utilized to cut along the regions illustrated by dashed lines
16
,
20
,
22
and
24
. Such cutting separates discrete integrated circuit packages
14
from one another, as well as from waste regions
21
,
23
and
25
. The separated circuit packages are retained on table
44
by pins
60
extending through the packages. Specifically, each of individual packages
14
comprises a pair of orifices
19
and is thereby retained on table
44
by a pair of pins
60
.
After the IC packages are separated from one another, stripper plate
50
is manually lifted off of subplate
42
to lift the IC packages
14
from pins
60
. Once stripper plate
50
is lifted off from pins
60
, the individual IC packages can be separated from stripper plate
50
. An exemplary method of removing the IC packages from stripper plate
50
is to tilt plate
50
and allow the packages to slide off plate
50
. After the packages
14
are removed, plate
50
can be returned to over
48
and used again for separating IC packages.
Difficulties can occur in utilizing the assembly of
FIG. 1
for separating IC packages. For instance, separated IC packages can be broken as stripper plate
50
is lifted from subplate
48
. It would be desirable to reduce or eliminate such problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect, the invention encompasses a method of forming integrated circuit packages. A base having a plurality of pins extending upwardly therefrom is provided. A support is provided over the base. The support has an upper surface and a plurality of holes extending therethrough. The pins extend through the holes and upwardly beyond the upper surface of the support. An actuator is provided beneath the support. A board having a plurality of integrated circuits bonded thereto is provided. The integrated circuits form a repeating pattern of integrated circuit packages across the board, and the board has a plurality of holes extending through it. The board is placed over the support upper surface with the pins extending into the holes in the board. While the board is over the support upper surface, it is cut to separate the integrated circuit packages from one another. After the cutting, the support is vertically displaced by the actuator to lift the support off the pins.
In another aspect, the invention encompasses an integrated circuit package separator for separating integrated circuit packages from a board. The board comprises a plurality of integrated circuits bonded thereto, and has a plurality of holes extending within it. The separator includes a base having a plurality of pins extending upwardly therefrom and a support over the base. The support has an upper surface, a plurality of holes extending therethrough, and a pair of opposing ends. The pins extend through the holes in the support and upwardly beyond the upper surface of the support. The support and pins are configured such that the pins extend into the holes in the board when the board is placed over the support upper planar surface. The separator further includes a pair of actuators beneath the support and configured to vertically displace the support and lift the support off the pins. Additionally, the separator includes a cutting mechanism configured to cut the board while the board is over the support upper planar surface and thereby separate the integrated circuit packages f
Choi Stephen
Shoap Allan N.
Wells St. John P.S.
LandOfFree
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