IC package hold-down fixture

An apparatus for holding a lead of an integrated circuit package in intimate contact with a corresponding contact pad while said lead and pad are being bonded by a bonding means to said pad, said apparatus comprising:

• a base means having an aperture therethrough;
• a first hold-down means, said first hold-down means adjoining said base means and being made of a compliant material such that it is capable of elastically deforming with said first hold-down means in compressive force contact with a first portion of said lead;
• and
• a second hold-down means, said second hold-down means adjoining said base means and being spaced in relation to said first hold-down means such that said aperture is positioned between said first and second hold-down means, said second hold-down means being positioned on said base such that with said first hold-down means in compressive force contact with said first portion of said lead, said second hold-down means compressively engages a second portion of said lead, said compressive force of said first and second hold-down members thereby holding said lead and pad in intimate contact for bonding.

An apparatus for holding a plurality of leads of an integrated circuit package in intimate contact with a plurality of corresponding contact pads while said leads and pads are being bonded by a bonding means, said leads each having a first and second bent portion, said first and second bent portions being generally parallel to one another such that said first and second bent portions are separated by a given distance "h", said apparatus comprising:

• a base means having an aperture therethrough;
• a first hold-down means, said first hold-down means adjoining said base means and being made of a compliant material such that it is capable of elastically deforming with said first hold-down means in compressive force contact with said first bent portions of said leads;
• and
• a second hold-down means, said second hold-down means adjoining said base means and being spaced in relation to said first hold-down means such that said aperture is positioned between said first and second hold-down means, said second hold-down means being positioned on said base such that with said first hold-down means in compressive force contact with said first bent portions of said leads, said second hold-down means compressively engages said second bent portions of said leads, said compressive force of said first and second hold-down members thereby holding corresponding leads and pads in intimate contact for bonding.

A method for bonding a first electrically conductive element to a second electrically conductive element, said method comprising the steps of:

• aligning said first conductive element with said second conductive element;
• compressively forcing a first portion of said first conductive element into contact with said second conductive element, by means of a first hold-down means having the ability to elastically deform under said compressive force;
• compressively forcing a second portion of said first conductive element in the direction of said second conductive element by means of a second hold-down means, said compressive force of said first and second hold-down members holding said first conductive element in intimate contact with said second conductive element;
• and
• heating said first and second conductive elements with a bonding means.

A method for bonding each of a plurality of leads on an integrated circuit package to a plurality of contact pads, such that each lead corresponds to one pad, said leads each having a first and second bent portion, said first and second bent portions being generally parallel to one another, said method comprising the steps of:

• aligning said first bent portion of each of said leads with its corresponding pad;
• compressively forcing said first bent portion of each of said leads into contact with its corresponding pad, by means of a first hold-down means having the ability to elastically deform under said compressive force;
• compressively forcing said second bent portion of each of said leads in the direction of its corresponding pad by means of a second hold-down means, said compressive force of said first and second hold-down means holding said first bent portion of each of said leads in contact with its corresponding pad;
• and
• heating said lead/pad combinations through a bonding means.