# US 5,148,959 A · Wedge bonding tool

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- Number: US 5,148,959 A
- Document ID: US5148959A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 07/652,117
- Filed: 1991-02-07
- Granted: 1992-09-22
- Earliest claimed: 1991-02-07
- Assignees: Tribotech
- Inventors: Earl S. Cain; Jerome A. Carlson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5148959A

## CPC

- B23K 20/005: {Capillary welding}
- H10W 72/07141: {Means for applying energy, e.g. ovens or lasers}
- H10W 72/534: {being rectangular}
- Y10S 228/904: Wire bonding
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A wedge bonding tool having a shank and a tapered work end including a narrow bonding tip for holding a wire against a surface to which it is to be bonded, a shank secured to said tapered work end for guiding wire to the rear of the tapered work end, and a wire guiding channel or passage for guiding wire from the shank to the narrow bonding tip.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A bonding tool including
a tapered work end including a narrow bonding tip for holding a wire against a surface to which it is to be bonded,
a shank secured to said tapered work end for guiding a wire along a vertical axis to the rear of said tapered work end, and
guide means secured to the rear of said tapered work end and defining therewith a guide channel extending along the rear of said tapered work end, said guide means for guiding a wire tangentially along said tapered work end from said shank to said narrow bonding tip, and
said guide channel having a portion adjacent said shank in alignment with said vertical axis

### Claim 2

A wedge bonding tool including
a tapered work end including a narrow bonding tip for holding a wire against a surface to which it is to be bonded,
a shank secured to said tapered work end for guiding a wire along a vertical axis to the rear of said tapered work end, and
guide means secured to the rear of said tapered work end and defining therewith a guide channel for guiding a wire from said shank to said narrow bonding tip, said tapered work end including spaced grooves formed in the rear of said tapered work end for receiving said guide means, and
said guide channel having a portion adjacent said shank in alignment with said vertical axis.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A wedge bonding tool as in claim 2 in which said guide means comprises a channel shaped guide.

### Claim 4

A wedge bonding tool including
a tapered work end including a narrow bonding tip for holding a wire against a surface to which it is to be bonded,
a shank secured to said tapered work end for guiding a wire along a vertical axis to the rear of said tapered work end, and
guide means secured to the rear of said tapered work end and defining therewith a guide channel for guiding a wire from said shank to said narrow bonding tip, and said guide means having a portion adjacent said shank in alignment with said vertical axis said guide means comprising spaced grooves formed in the rear of said tapered work end and a channel-shaped guide whose section is that of three sides of a rectangle with opposite sides extending into said grooves to define with the rear of said tapered work end an elongated channel whose section is an oblong rectangle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A wedge bonding tool as in claim 4 in which the sides of said channel-shaped guide are slotted to provide openings for egress of debris.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

A wedge bonding tool as in claim 5 in which the height and width of said channel-shaped guide are slightly larger than the thickness and width of a wire ribbon to precisely guide the ribbon to the bonding tip and to prevent rotation of the ribbon as it is guided along said channel.