Bonding tool and clamp assembly and wire handling method
AssigneeHughes Aircraft Company
InventorWilliam H. Hill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bonding tool and clamp assembly is disclosed and includes an upper wire guide (23,51) and a bonding tool (17,75) having a short guide hole (45) adjacent the heel of the bonding tool foot (41). The bonding tool tip (17a) includes a clamping surface (47) adjacent the guide hole (45); and a clamp (21b,49b) is selectively forced toward the clamping surface (47) to clamp the bonding wire (39,77). The clamp (21b,49b) is biased toward the clamping surface by a spring (37,73), and is released from the clamping surface by an electromagnet (29,57).
Claims10
A bonding tool and clamp assembly for handling bonding wire relative to a workpiece, comprising:
- a bonding tool having a bonding foot with a heel;
- guiding means cooperating with said bonding tool for guiding the bonding wire substantially perpendicularly with respect to the workpiece;
- and
- clamping means cooperating with said bonding tool for selectively clamping the bonding wire against a clamping surface on said bonding tool near said bonding foot heel.
A method for handling bonding wire comprising the steps of:
- guiding bonding wire substantially perpendicularly relative to a workpiece and along a clamping surface on a bonding tool having a foot with a heel;
- and
- selectively clamping the bonding wire against the clamping surface near the heel of the bonding tool foot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.