Curing oven for magazine holding computer chip lead frames, providing flow direction control for hot gas stream

A curing oven for heat treating lead frames fitted with electronic chips, while the lead frames are disposed in a cuboidal magazine having a horizontally extending longitudinal axis and the lead frames extend parallel to one another and to said longitudinal axis,

• said curing oven comprising:
• a box having a housing providing a heat-treating cavity for receiving said magazine, said housing being provided with a charging opening for said cavity, said opening being defined by perimetrical edges, and an openable door closing said opening;
• a heater for providing a heated gas within said heat-treating cavity;
• fan means comprising at least two fans arranged to be alternately used, for organizing said heated gas into a gas stream flowing along a path within said heat-treating cavity;
• and
• at least one gas stream-directing element fixedly arranged within said heat-treating cavity for directing said gas stream to flow subsfantially horizontally and parallel to said longitudinal axis in a section of said path which, in use, is proximate said magazine;
• said fan means being operable for reversing direction of flow of said gas stream along said path, including in said section of said path, for thereby evening direction of flow-dependent disparity in heating effects of the heated gas on the lead frames fitted with electronic chips.