Method and apparatus for touch-free lead bending

A method of bending leads in a multiple lead dual-in-line package having two rows of leads, one on each side of said package, and wherein the said plurality of leads are originally substantially parallel to the surface of the package and ultimately substantially nearly vertical to the plane of the package for insertion into electrical sockets and the like, said method comprising the steps of:

• supporting the base of at least one row of leads proximate the junction where one end of said leads is disposed in said package;
• forming a U-shaped channel having a length at least equal to the length of said row of leads from a smooth thin sheet of metal;
• inserting a vertically positionable bending member within said U-shaped channel;
• lowering said bending member and said surrounding metal sheet to operatively engage the top portions of one row of leads immediately outside of said supported bases;
• and
• bending said row of leads from the horizontal position to the substantially nearly vertical position without said bending member physically touching said leads, so that any sliding of the bending member is over the surface of the steel sheet to substantially eliminate scratching and similar damage to said leads.

A method of bending leads in a multiple lead dual-in-line package having two rows of leads, one on each side of said package, and wherein the said plurality of leads are originally substantially parallel to the surface of the package and ultimately substantially nearly vertical to the plane of the package for insertion into electrical sockets and the like, said method comprising the steps of:

• supporting the base of at least one row of leads proximate the junction where one end of said leads is disposed in said package;
• forming a U-shaped channel having a length at least equal to the length of said row of leads from a smooth thin sheet of metal;
• inserting a vertically positionable bending member within said U-shaped channel;
• lowering said bending member and said surrounding metal sheet to operatively engage the top portions of one row of leads immediately outside of said supported bases;
• and
• bending said row of leads from the horizontal position to the substantially nearly vertical position without said bending member physically touching said leads, so that any sliding of the bending member is over the surface of the steel sheet to substantially eliminate scratching and similar damage to said leads, said bending including sliding said thin metal sheet with respect to said bending member so that said sheet, at least partially, slides off of the end of said bending member to provide new portions of said steel sheet between the top surface of said plurality of leads and the side of said bending member without sliding across the lead surfaces to further minimize scratching and similar damage to said leads.

In a multiple pin dual-in-line package including a generally rectangular package having substantially parallel top and bottom surfaces and having two rows, each of which includes a plurality of leads, one row being disposed on each longitudinal side of such rectangular package, and the leads being originally extended from the longitudinal side of the package approximately parallel to the top and bottom surfaces thereof, apparatus for bending at least one row of leads at a time substantially vertically downward from said parallel position to enable the leads to be inseted into socket holds and the like for incorporation into electrical circuits, said bending apparatus comprising:

• a stationary anvil means extending at least the entire length of a row of said leads and operably disposed under the leads and proximate the ends thereof sealed within said package for operatively supporting the same to prevent the leads from breaking at the point at which the leads enter and are sealed in the package and for preventing improper lead spacing for the sockets;
• a vertically movable bending member having its working end operably disposed along at least the entire length of the row of leads upward of said stationary anvil means and substantially immediately adjacent thereto;
• and
• a thin U-shaped sheet of buffer means operatively disposed about the working end portion of said bending member for protecting the top surface of said leads from scratching and the like when the bending member descends to bend the leads to a substantially nearly vertical position, said buffer means being operably disposed between said plurality of leads and said buffer means, such that any slipping by said bending member occurs overt the surface of said buffer means, thereby protecting said leads from damage.

An apparatus for bending both rows of leads of a rectangular dual-in-line semiconductor package simultaneously, comprising:

• a pair of bending means operably disposed on opposite sides of the package for bending opposite rows of leads, each of said bending means including a bending face;
• a pair of thin sheets of buffer means for protecting said opposite rows of leads from scratching, each of said buffer means being wrapped about at least a portion of one of said bending means including said bending faces;
• and
• anvil means for operatively positioning said package and including a pair of anvil tip means for supporting that portion of the leads immediately adjacent the edges of the package while permitting said bending means to bend that portion of the leads extending beyond said anvil tip means, said buffer means being the only contact between said leads and said bending means for preventing scratching, lead damage and the like.

A method of bending leads in a dual-in-line semiconductor package comprising the steps of:

• forming a first pocket from a first relatively thin sheet of metal;
• inserting a first bending punch into the pocket;
• placing the package on an anvil;
• supporting a first portion of each of a first row of leads on a first anvil face extension;
• clamping to secure the package on the anvil and the first portion of each of the first row of leads between a first clamp face extension and the first anvil face extension during bending;
• lowering the sheet-covered first bending punch to contact the top surface of a second portion of each of the first row of leads to be bent so that the first bending punch slides over the first relatively thin sheet of metal in order to substantially eliminate damage to the first row of leads;
• bending the second portion of each of the first row of leads along one side of the anvil until each bent second portion makes an angle of approximately 90.degree. with the plane of the package bottom;
• returning the first bending punch to a predetermined raised position;
• and
• releasing the clamping to free the package.

A method of bending leads in a dual-in-line semiconductor package comprising the steps of:

• forming a pocket from a relatively thin sheet of metal;
• inserting a bending punch into the pocket;
• placing the package on an anvil;
• supporting a first portion of each of a row of leads on an anvil face extension;
• clamping to secure the package on the anvil and the first portion of each of the row of leads between a clamp face extension and the anvil face extension during bending;
• lowering the sheet-covered bending punch to contact the top surface of a second portion of each of the row of leads to be bent so that the bending punch slides over the relatively thin sheet of metal in order to substantially eliminate damage to the row of leads;
• bending the second portion of each of the row of leads along a side of the anvil until each bent second portion makes an angle of approximately 90.degree. with the plane of the package bottom;
• returning the bending punch to a predetermined raised portion;
• unwinding and winding said thin sheet of metal from a pulley apparatus as said bending punch is lowered and raised;
• and
• releasing the clamping to free the package.