Lead conditioning system for semiconductor devices

An apparatus for conditioning the bent leads of a semiconductor device of the type normally having parallel leads projecting from a body in a predetermined configuration comprising:

• a support for holding said semiconductor device when conditioning said leads;
• at least one arm pivotal about a pivot axis between a first position spaced from said leads and a second position compressing a portion of said leads between said arm and said support;
• said arm and said support being configured for forming said leads to an intermediate configuration when said arm is in said second position to remove memory from said leads of said predetermined configuration and any bends distorting said predetermined configuration;
• and
• means for pivoting said arm between said first position and said second position, said pivoting means including at least one actuator configured for reciprocating movement relative to said arm, said actuator having a contact surface engaging a portion of said arm spaced from said pivot axis and said actuator pivoting said arm about said pivot axis from said first position to said second position when said actuator is moved toward said arm in a direction substantially perpendicular to said contact surface of said actuator to substantially minimize sliding movement of said contact surface relative to said arm.

An apparatus for conditioning the bent leads of a semiconductor device of the type normally having parallel leads projecting from a body in a predetermined configuration, said predetermined configuration including a first bend proximate said body and a second bend proximate a tip of said leads;

• comprising:
• a support for holding said semiconductor device when conditioning said leads;
• at least one arm pivotal between a first position spaced from said leads and a second position compressing a portion of said leads between said arm and said support;
• said arm and said support being configured for forming said leads to an intermediate configuration when said arm is in said second position to remove memory from said leads of said predetermined configuration and any bends distorting said predetermined configuration;
• means for pivoting said arm between said first position and said second position;
• and
• said arm and said support member being configured for reforming said leads to said first bend of said predetermined configuration and removing memory from said leads of said second bend of said predetermined configuration.

An apparatus for conditioning the bent leads of a semiconductor device of the type normally having parallel leads projecting from a body in a predetermined configuration comprising:

• a support for holding said semiconductor device when conditioning said leads;
• at least one arm pivotal between a first position spaced from said leads and a second position compressing a portion of said leads between said arm and said support;
• said arm and said support being configured for forming said leads to an intermediate configuration when said arm is in said second position to remove memory from said leads of said predetermined configuration and any bends distorting said predetermined configuration, said arm including a lead forming surface having a radius of curvature such that when said arm is in said second position, only a portion of said leads is compressed between said lead forming surface and said support;
• and
• means for pivoting said arm between said first position and said second position.

An apparatus for conditioning the bent leads of the type normally having parallel leads projecting from a body in a predetermined configuration, said semiconductor device having a plurality of bends in said leads, comprising:

• a support for holding said semiconductor device when conditioning said leads;
• at least one arm pivotal between a first position spaced from said leads and a second position compressing a portion of said leads between said arm and said support;
• said arm and said support being configured for forming said leads to an intermediate configuration when said arm is in said second position to remove memory from said leads of said predetermined configuration and any bends distorting said predetermined configuration;
• means for opening the one of said bends proximate said body of said semiconductor device;
• and
• means for pivoting said arm between said first position and said second position.

An apparatus for conditioning the bent leads of a semiconductor device of the type normally having parallel leads projecting from a body in a predetermined configuration comprising:

• means for engaging and massaging said leads to reintroduce a predetermined spacing between each of said leads projecting from said body to bring said leads into parallelism;
• means for forming said leads to a partially unbent condition;
• and
• means for reforming said leads to a predetermined lead configuration, said reforming means includes a support member formed to receive said semiconductor device, a reform anvil proximate said support member and means for adjusting said support member relative to said reform anvil.

A method for conditioning bent leads of a semiconductor device which normally has a plurality of parallel uniformly configured leads projecting from a body, said method comprising the steps of:

• bringing said leads into parallelism;
• positioning said semiconductor device on a support;
• pivoting at least one arm toward said leads of said semiconductor device and compressing a portion of said leads between said arm and said support to form said leads to a partially unbent condition;
• and
• shaping said leads in a desired lead configuration.