Window Clamp

Abstract

A wire bonding machine window clamp assembly. The assembly includes a support plate adapted to support a leadframe strip. The assembly also includes a frame structure defining a central clamp opening adapted to expose a portion of the leadframe strip. The frame structure includes at least one elongate frame member having a first surface portion adapted to engage a top surface of the leadframe strip and a second surface portion adapted to engage upper surfaces of integrated circuit (“IC”) component stacks mounted on the leadframe strip.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wire bonding machine window clamp assembly comprising:
 a support plate adapted to support a leadframe strip; and   a frame structure defining a central clamp opening adapted to expose a portion of said leadframe strip, said frame structure comprising at least one elongate frame member having a first surface portion adapted to engage a top surface of said leadframe strip and an second surface portion adapted to engage upper surfaces of integrated circuit (“IC”) component stacks mounted on said leadframe strip.   
     
     
         2 . The wire bonding machine window clamp assembly of  claim 1 , said frame structure comprising at least two oppositely positioned elongate frame members, each having a first surface portion adapted to engage a top surface of said leadframe strip and an second surface portion adapted to engage upper surfaces of IC component stacks mounted on said leadframe strip. 
     
     
         3 . The wire bonding machine window clamp assembly of  claim 1 , said frame structure comprising four orthogonally positioned elongate frame members each having a first surface portion adapted to engage a top surface of said leadframe strip and an second surface portion adapted to engage upper surfaces of IC component stacks mounted on said leadframe strip. 
     
     
         4 . The wire bonding machine window clamp assembly of  claim 1  wherein said second surface portion adapted to engage upper surface portions of IC component stacks is adapted to engage upper surface portions of clip leadframes. 
     
     
         5 . The wire bonding machine window clamp assembly of  claim 1  wherein said elongate frame member first and second surface portions are parallel. 
     
     
         6 . The wire bonding machine window clamp assembly of  claim 1  wherein said elongate frame member first and second surface portions are flat. 
     
     
         7 . The wire bonding machine window clamp assembly of  claim 6  wherein said elongate frame member second surface portion is adapted to engage an upper surface of a plurality of IC component clips mounted on a plurality of different IC component stacks arranged in one of a single row and a single column on said leadframe strip. 
     
     
         8 . The wire bonding machine window clamp assembly of  claim 1  wherein said at least one elongate frame member comprises a lip portion. 
     
     
         9 . The wire bonding machine window clamp assembly of  claim 8  wherein said lip portion comprises a downwardly facing surface portion. 
     
     
         10 . The wire bonding machine window clamp assembly of  claim 9  wherein said lip portion extends inwardly relative to said central clamp opening. 
     
     
         11 . The wire bonding machine window clamp assembly of  claim 9  wherein said downwardly facing surface portion of said lip portion extends parallel to said first surface portion of said frame member. 
     
     
         12 . The wire bonding machine window clamp assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said lip portion is integrally formed with said elongate frame member. 
     
     
         13 . A wire bonding assembly comprising:
 a window clamp comprising:
 a generally rectangular frame structure having four orthogonally arranged frame structure portions, said frame structure portions having substantially coplanar bottom surfaces, each of said four orthogonally arranged frame structure portions having an second surface portion substantially coplanar with said frame structure bottom surfaces; and 
   a plurality of clip Quad Rat No-lead Packages (“QFNs”) assemblies each comprising:
 a bottom leadframe; 
 a vertical stack of components mounted on said bottom leadframe; and 
 a clip leadframe mounted on said vertical stack; 
   wherein said second surface portions of said frame structure portions engage a plurality of said clip leadframes of said plurality of QFNs.