Abstract: Diode chips (44) are cut from a p-n sheet-diffused semiconductor wafer (41). Instead of having conventional rectangular shapes, the chips have a rhomboidal shape. This makes the shape of the chips asymmetric in that one surface (46) of each chip becomes a distinguishable mirror image of its other surface (47). The direction of the p-n junction in the wafer is oriented with respect to the shape of the chips to be cut to place the same conductivity type region adjacent to the same rhomboidal shape of the surface. The shape of the chips (44) thereby aids apparatus (59) to sort the chips into two groups, each group consisting of chips of the same polarity or orientation of their p-n junctions with respect to a common support plane. The apparatus (59) includes a feed track (60) leading to a fork (61) in the track.

Abstract: Articles 12 are mounted in a holder 24 and the holder is floatingly supported on a liquid 16 such that only portions 53 of the articles 12 to be treated in the liquid 16 become immersed to a predetermined depth therein. The relative position of the holder 24 with respect to the surface 14 of the liquid remains constant, even though the level of the liquid may change with respect to a tank which holds the liquid. A substantially self-supporting electrical conductor 45 mounted to fixed external structures and tied to the floating holder couples the articles 12 into an electrolytic treating circuit 56 without noticeably changing the immersion depth of the articles. The floating support frame 11 of the holder 24 also includes buoyant blocks 41 which are adjustably mounted with respect to a rigid support structure 17. A lateral shifting of the blocks 41 with respect to the structure adjusts the orientation of the frame 11 and the holder 24 with respect to the surface of the liquid.

Abstract: A chromate conversion coating formed on an article in an acidic chromating bath in reaction with a metal surface on the article, such as cadmium or zinc, is stabilized by subjecting the coating to an alkaline bath having a pH in a range between 11 and 12, immediately upon removing the article from the chromating bath and without first rinsing the article in water. The stabilized coating exhibits resistance to damage during rinsing and drying operations.

Abstract: End portions of a plurality of articles (12) are simultaneously treated in an electrolytic bath. End portions of the articles are inserted into an array of apertures (17) extending between major surfaces of a planar holder (11). Inserting the articles (12) into the apertures guides them into an interfering contact with coil springs (28). Coils of the springs (28) are urged aside and provide an urging force to retain the articles in the holder (11). The contact of the springs (28) with the articles (12) also establishes electrical continuity between the articles (12) through the springs (28) to external ends (43) of anchoring rods (37) for the springs, such that when the ends (43) are coupled into a treating circuit and protruding ends of the articles depend into a treating bath such ends become treated. A frame located relative to the surface of the treating bath receives the holder (11) and establishes a reference for the depth of insertion of the articles into the bath.

Abstract: A thermode (12) of a thermocompression bonding head (11) is adjustably mounted to a frame (35). A bonding tip (26) of the thermode (12) rests against a reference surface (17). After an initial adjustment of the thermode (12) with respect to a bonding platform (37), the bonding tip (26) may be removed from the thermode (12) and replaced by another identical tip (26) without a need for readjusting the thermode (12) with respect to the bonding platform (37). A comparatively large interface surface area between a dovetailed groove (16) and the mating surfaces of the bonding tip (26) and a wedging action of the dovetailed section urging mating surfaces against each other minimize thermal resistance across the interface between the thermode (12) and the bonding tip (26).

Abstract: A gas tube surge protector (11) includes a housing (12) and spaced electrodes (14 and 16) which form a gastight envelope (27). A width of a gap (31) between the electrodes is precisely established by urging at last one of the electrodes (14) toward the other. By moving a plunger (66) a stressed center (43) plastically yields to establish the desired gap width. The gap width is controlled by a test set (76) which measures the electrical characteristics of the surge protector.

Abstract: Hermetically sealed electronic articles (11) such as, for example, diodes are leak tested by exposing the articles to a fluid (28) under pressure. The fluid is capable of altering the electrical characteristics of the articles to a value outside of an acceptable range of values upon penetrating through faulty hermetic seals of the articles (11). After such exposure the articles (11) are routinely tested and the articles with values of their characteristics outside the range of acceptable values are identified or discarded. Ethylene glycol is an example of a preferred fluid (28) in that it has conductive properties which significantly increase the reverse bias leakage current of the diodes.

Abstract: An article (11) which has a body portion (12) and lateral protrusions (14) at fixed angular positions is oriented and centered with respect to predetermined axes. Sloped walls (61) of a plurality of channels (62) located about a central axis (24) engage lateral edges of the protrusions to urge the protrusions laterally toward desirable positions in relationship to the axes. The disclosed methods and apparatus are advantageously applied to a four-leaded electronic chip as a typical example of the article with respect to which orienting and centering offers desirable precision for handling such article during packaging operations.

Abstract: In the production of varistors, diode chips are cut from a p-n sheet-diffused semiconductor wafer. Instead of having conventional rectangular shapes, the chips have a rhomboidal shape. This makes the shape of the chips asymmetric in that one surface of each chip becomes a distinguishable mirror image of its other surface. The direction of the p-n junction in the wafer is oriented with respect to the shape of the chips to be cut to place the same conductivity type region adjacent to the same rhomboidal shape of the surface. As a result, the polarity of the chips, or the direction in which the p-n junctions are oriented within the chips, becomes identifiable by the shape of the chips. This substantially aids in sorting, inspecting, assembling and other handling operations performed on the chip. The chips can, for instance, be inspected visually to determine whether the p-type or the n-type doped portion of the chips are facing away from a supporting surface.

Abstract: PLanar articles such as silicon wafers 40 are removably mounted onto a flat microcellular polyurethane surface layer 48 of a carrier 30 to permit an exposed surface 42 of each wafer 40 to be polished.To retain the wafers 40 against lateral polishing forces on the carrier 30 the surface of the layer 48 is treated with a dilute organic acid prior to mounting the wafers 40. The treatment involves contacting the surface of the layer 48 with the acid selected from the group consisting of citric, propionic, formic and acetic acids. The surface of the layer 48 is thoroughly wetted with the acid after which all excess acid is scraped from the surface. The wafers 40 are then manually placed upon the surface while it is still wet.

Abstract: In the production of varistors, diode chips are cut from a p-n sheet-diffused semiconductor wafer. Instead of having conventional rectangular shapes, the chips have a rhomboidal shape. This makes the shape of the chips asymmetric in that one surface of each chip becomes a distinguishable mirror image of its other surface. The direction of the p-n junction in the wafer is oriented with respect to the shape of the chips to be cut to place the same conductivity type region adjacent to the same rhomboidal shape of the surface. As a result, the polarity of the chips, or the direction in which the p-n junctions are oriented within the chips, becomes identifiable by the shape of the chips. This substantially aids in sorting, inspecting, assembling and other handling operations performed on the chip. The chips can, for instance, be inspected visually to determine whether the p-type or the n-type doped portion of the chips are facing away from a supporting surface.

Abstract: An edge surface (18) of an article (16) is treated in a fluid (52) with a minimum effect on other adjacent side surfaces of the article by contacting the edge surface to the surface of the fluid such that the fluid wets the side surfaces and forms a meniscus adjacent to each of the side surfaces. In the meniscus the fluid stagnates and quickly becomes an inactive barrier which shields the side surfaces of the article, while the edge surface of the article remains exposed for the duration of the treatment to the active bulk of the fluid.

Abstract: The inner wall of a cylindrical glass envelope is delineated by a combination of a diffused light source and peripheral shutters placed behind the envelope. The precise position of the shutters is adjusted to block some of the peripheral light from the source from reaching the envelope. When the article is viewed from the front, dark lines delineate the lateral extent of the inner wall of the envelope. With the help of such a delineation it is possible to check the accuracy of the assembly of contacts in a miniature mercury-wetted sealed contact switch relative to the inner surface of its glass envelope.

Abstract: In a dynamic MOS (Metal Oxide Semiconductor) random access memory, reverse bias leakage currents which deplete stored charges are reduced by minimizing minority carrier generation-type currents. By so minimizing these currents, the leakage currents become dominated by minority carrier diffusion currents. The memory is ideally formed in an upper semiconductor layer (14) of a layered structure (11). The semiconductor layer (14) is grown epitaxially with a relatively low dopant concentration on a semiconductor substrate (12) with a dopant concentration of the same conductivity type and about three orders of magnitude greater than that of the epitaxially grown layer. The epitaxially grown structure is advantageously suited for the memory circuits in that it may be formed with very low leakage currents. The material further offers by its layered structure a basis for optimizing dynamic memory device characteristics.

Abstract: An electronic circuit package (11) includes a substrate (14) with leads (21) extending from at least one edge thereof. The leads (21) have a split end (26) formed by two slits (31, 51). The slits divide the end into a lead stub (29) and a flag end (28). The flag end (28) is formed up in a step of approximately the thickness of the substrate (14). The forming of the flag end (28) foreshortens a flag support (32) to locate a flag (34) in substantial superposition to the lead stub (29). Both the lead stub (29) and the flag (34) are solder bonded to respective bond pads (18) on the upper and lower major surfaces of the substrate (14).

Abstract: An incandescent lamp has a coiled filament with an improved life when it is mounted substantially in the same direction in which a mechanical shock occurs. In a particular embodiment of a miniature lamp known as a switchboard lamp, the filament is mounted, without further support, between two posts. This results in a greater light effectiveness that permits a current reduction through the filament while maintaining desired light output levels in its operational environment. The filament is protected from harmful shock levels by being mounted between twisted posts which orient the filament in the general direction of a mechanical shock imparted to the lamp through key telephone button releases.

Abstract: The position of an armature 22 located within a sealed glass envelope 12 of a sealed contact switch 11 is adjusted to meet a gap width requirement between the armature and an electrical contact 23. The glass envelope 12 is placed into a holer 48 adjacent a magnetic pole face of a magnetizing apparatus. The holder 48 supports the envelope in a position wherein the armature 22 becomes oriented perpendicular to a magnetic force field and the path of movement of the armature in closing or opening the contact extends in the same direction as that of the field. Under the influence of the applied magnetic field, the armature 22 is yieldably pulled beyond its normal path of movement toward the pole face. When the envelope is removed from the field, the armature remains in an adjusted rest position within the envelope, different from its initial rest position. The adjustment of the armature is useful in the manufacture of mercury-wetted sealed contact switches.

Abstract: An article, such as a light-emitting diode, for replacing a slide base switchboard lamp has polar characteristics. The article has a light emitting cap located at one end and a cylindrical slide base with two contacts located diametrically across the base extending from the emitter. Handling the articles for testing their light intensity and hue characteristics involves orienting them. The articles are first oriented longitudinally in a vertical direction and to face the emitter all in the same direction. The articles are then conveyed in sequence to a test station. An eccentric force is applied to the base through friction between the moving articles and a stationary ledge. The applied force rotates the articles into one or the other of two oriented positions in which the contacts on the base become located in a plane perpendicular to the direction of their conveyance. A preliminary test determines which of the two positions have been assumed by each article.

Abstract: In the production of varistors, diode chips are cut from a p-n sheet diffused semiconductor wafer. Instead of having conventional rectangular shapes, the chips have a rhomboidal shape. This makes the shape of the chips asymmetric in that one surface of each chip becomes a distinguishable mirror image of its other surface. The direction of the p-n junction in the wafer is oriented with respect to the shape of the chips to be cut to place the same conductivity type region adjacent to the same rhomboidal shape of the surface. As a result, the polarity of the chips, or the direction in which the p-n junctions are oriented within the chips, becomes identifiable by the shape of the chips. This substantially aids in sorting, inspecting, assembling and other handling operations performed on the chip. The chips can, for instance, be inspected visually to determine whether the p-type or the n-type doped portion of the chips are facing away from a supporting surface.

Abstract: An edge connector for a printed circuit board includes a housing having a central passageway for guiding the board. Contact elements are rotatably mounted in cavities of the housing adjacent to the passageway. Cantilever spring-type conductive terminals resiliently urge the contact elements so that they partially extend into the passageway. In their normal position (that is, without a board inserted into the passageway) the contact elements are in interfering relationship with the path of the board. Upon insertion of a board the contact elements resiliently yield to the board. Such contact elements selectively roll over the edges and any surface irregularities of the board to minimize the force required to fully insert the board into the passageway of the housing and to minimize the wear of the board. Such contact elements also provide both a good mechanical and electrical connection to contact areas of the board.