Method for handling and manipulating microelectronic components

Abstract

A method for handling or manipulating microelectronic components in manufacturing assembly processes. In one embodiment of handling microelectronic components, a microelectronic component handling system may have a base or a support member, a track or platform attached to the base to rotate about a rotational axis, and a linear drive assembly to rotate the track about the rotational axis. The track may have a first end, a second end spaced apart from the first end along a longitudinal axis of the track, a top surface facing away from the base, and a bottom surface facing toward the base. Additionally, the linear drive assembly may have an actuator and a rod driven by the actuator along a displacement axis spaced apart from the rotational axis. In operation, the actuator moves the rod along the displacement axis to rotate the track about the rotational axis to a raised position at an inclination sufficient to slide a microelectronic component down the track. In one particular application of manipulating microelectronic components, the handling system is a constituent part of a lead configuring device having a first die with a first blade set and a second die with a second blade set. In this embodiment, the handling system may remove a protective frame from a packaged device after the first and second blade sets have cut the leads of the device. In another particular application of manipulating microelectronic components, the handling system is a constituent part of a microelectronic component assembly line in which the track is positioned between first and second assembly line sections to selectively raise the track for removing selected microelectronic components from the assembly line.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.