Assembly lead frame with common lead arrangement for semiconductor devices

A lead frame for facilitating assembly and interconnection of a plurality of integrated circuit chips to form a module, said lead frame comprising a pattern of planar conductors comprising:

• a plurality of common leads disposed in a semicircular pattern, each common lead being adapted for common connection to selected electrodes of said plurality of chips;
• a plurality of chip mount conductive areas, each for mounting one of said plurality of chips, disposed along the curved periphery of said semicircular pattern of common leads;
• a surrounding outer connecting strip having an open end and a closed end, said closed end connected to each of said plurality of chip mount conductive area be respective tie bars;
• a chip mount lead extending from each of said chip mount conductive areas;
• a first plurality of parallel external leads drawn out from said common leads;
• and
• a second plurality of parallel external leads drawn out form said chip mount leads, said first and second pluralities of external leads arranged in a row and all temporarily connected together and to said outer connecting strip by a common tie bar extending across the open end of said outer connecting strip.