Carrier Tape Segment Including Mechanical Interlocking Features Thereon
A carrier tape segment to carry a microelectronic component thereon. The carrier tape segment includes a tape segment body having a head portion and a tail portion, and a component carrying portion between the head portion and the tail portion. The head portion includes a first mechanical interlocking feature thereon. The tail portion includes a second mechanical interlocking feature thereon. The first mechanical interlocking feature is configured to mechanically interlock with a mechanical interlocking feature belonging to a separate carrier tape segment and shaped similarly to the second mechanical interlocking feature, and the second mechanical interlocking feature is configured to mechanically interlock with a mechanical interlocking feature belonging to a separate carrier tape segment and shaped similarly to the first mechanical interlocking feature. The carrier tape segment is thereby configured to be linked to other carrier tape segments to form a carrier tape chain therewith.
The present invention relates to carrier tapes for temporarily carrying microelectronic components for storage or transportation.
BACKGROUNDThe prior art uses carrier tape packaging systems to facilitate automatic handling of microelectronic components, such as IC chips or surface mount devices (SMD's), in a manner to protect those components and to avoid damage to the same while simultaneously minimizing electro-static charge buildup during automatic handling. Existing carrier tape packaging systems typically include an elongated double sided and flexible carrier tape which is made of paper or plastic. The flexible carrier tape has a multiplicity of either punched or embossed cavities or pockets which are utilized for retaining microelectronic components therein
Generally, heat sealed cover tapes, one on each side of a punched carrier tape, or one on the open side of an embossed carrier tape, are used to retain components within the pockets. The current manufacturing process sends a singulated IC chip or other SMD to a Tape and Reel Die Sort (TRDS) module. At the TRDS module, the die is picked from a mounting Mylar, flipped over so that it is placed bump-side in a pocket of the carrier tape, then covered with the tape to hold the die in the carrier tape pocket. The carrier tape is then wound onto an output reel. When the correct amount of die are processed, the carrier tape is cut and the output reel is removed from the TRDS tool and transported to the chip attach module (CAM module). At the CAM module the cover tape is peeled back, and the die is then removed from the carrier tape and placed on a substrate. In order to standardize output reel sizes from the TRDS and to avoid wasting remnant carrier tape, a tape splicer is typically used at the output of the TRDS. A tape splicer is a machine that welds one reel of carrier tape to the next.
Disadvantageously, the tape splicer has performed poorly with carrier tapes, and especially with 24 mm carrier tapes, because index holes exist on only one side of 24 mm carrier tapes. The splicer was originally designed to utilize index holes on both sides of the carrier tape during the splicing process. Where index holes exist on only one side of the pocket, this could cause poor splicing and/or indexer jams within the splicer. Furthermore, the poor splicing could cause problems at the CAM module if the transition of a pocket to the CAM module is not smooth.
The prior art fails to provide an effective arrangement to standardize output reel sizes and to avoid wasting remnant carrier tape.
For simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements in the drawings have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity. Where considered appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the drawings to indicate corresponding or analogous elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONIn the following detailed description, a carrier tape segment and a set including a plurality of such segments are disclosed. Reference is made to the accompanying drawings within which are shown, by way of illustration, specific embodiments by which the present invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may exist and that other structural changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.
The terms on, above, below, and adjacent as used herein refer to the position of one element relative to other elements. As such, a first element disposed on, above, or below a second element may be directly in contact with the second element or it may include one or more intervening elements. In addition, a first element disposed next to or adjacent a second element may be directly in contact with the second element or it may include one or more intervening elements.
Aspects of this and other embodiments will be discussed herein with respect to
Referring to
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According to an embodiment, one of the mechanical interlocking features on a given carrier tape segment, either the first or the second, may comprise a male interlocking feature, and another one of the mechanical interlocking features, that is, the remaining mechanical interlocking feature on the given carrier tape segment, may comprise a female interlocking feature. In the shown embodiments of
Advantageously, embodiments provide an effective system to standardize output reel sizes and to avoid wasting remnant carrier tape, in this way overcoming the problems of the prior art noted above and obviating the necessity for splice tools. Specifically, embodiments as described above allow uniform indexing quality, increase cost savings and decrease consumables by avoiding carrier tape waste and allowing the carrier tape segment to be reused and/or recycled. In addition, embodiments as described above may advantageously be implemented within the TRDS machine and even integrated into the pick setup of the TRDS machine, although to do so would require machine changes on the pick and place mechanisms as well as on the feed system. While such modifications are possible, a path of least difficulty would be to link the carrier tape chain within the feed system of the TRDS tool. Doing so would also require a machine modification to allow the feed system to feed and link the carrier tape segments to one another. Additionally, advantageously, using a chain link geometry as a proposed linking mechanism as described above requires no external heat or sonic welding processes, and allows for a reloading the carrier tape segments into the TRDS module during a functioning of the module without stopping the same. The segments of carrier tape may come pre packed in a dispensing cartridge by the supplier, which dispensing cartridge may be recyclable. The input of the TRDS module may include a section adapted to receive a set of carrier tape segments as described above. The sets may, for example, be in stacked format. The TRDS module may then provide an adhesive tape on top of the carrier tape chain moving therethrough, the adhesive tape being, for example, similar to adhesive tapes used on top of carrier tapes of the prior art. The adhesive tape may advantageously strengthen the mechanical chain linked connection between individual carrier tape segments. The thus strengthened carrier tape chain may then be wound onto an output reel in a conventional manner.
The various embodiments described above have been presented by way of example and not by way of limitation. Having thus described in detail embodiments of the present invention, it is understood that the invention defined by the appended claims is not to be limited by particular details set forth in the above description, as many variations thereof are possible without departing from the spirit or scope thereof.
Claims
1. A carrier tape segment to carry a microelectronic component thereon, the carrier tape segment including a tape segment body having a head portion and a tail portion, and a component carrying portion between the head portion and the tail portion, wherein:
- the head portion includes a first mechanical interlocking feature thereon;
- the tail portion includes a second mechanical interlocking feature thereon; the first mechanical interlocking feature being configured to mechanically interlock with a mechanical interlocking feature belonging to a separate carrier tape segment and shaped similarly to the second mechanical interlocking feature, and the second mechanical interlocking feature being configured to mechanically interlock with a mechanical interlocking feature belonging to a separate carrier tape segment and shaped similarly to the first mechanical interlocking feature, the carrier tape segment being thereby configured to be linked to other carrier tape segments to form a carrier tape chain therewith.
2. The carrier tape segment of claim 1, wherein the component carrying portion is configured to carry a single component thereon.
3. The carrier tape segment of claim 1, wherein the component carrying portion is configured to carry multiple components thereon.
4. The carrier tape segment of claim 1, wherein one of the first mechanical interlocking feature and the second mechanical interlocking feature comprises a male interlocking feature, and another one of the first mechanical interlocking feature and the second mechanical interlocking feature comprises a female interlocking feature.
5. The carrier tape segment of claim 4, wherein the first mechanical interlocking feature is configured to snap into a mechanical interlocking feature belonging to a separate carrier tape segment and shaped similarly to the second mechanical interlocking feature, and the second mechanical interlocking feature is configured to snap into a mechanical interlocking feature belonging to a separate carrier tape segment and shaped similarly to the first mechanical interlocking feature.
6. The carrier tape segment of claim 5, wherein the first mechanical interlocking feature is configured to automatically snap into a mechanical interlocking feature belonging to a separate carrier tape segment and shaped similarly to the second mechanical interlocking feature as a result of a predetermined alignment and spacing of the carrier tape segment with the separate carrier tape segment, and the second mechanical interlocking feature is configured to automatically snap into a mechanical interlocking feature belonging to a separate carrier tape segment and shaped similarly to the first mechanical interlocking feature as a result of a predetermined alignment and spacing of the carrier tape segment with the separate carrier tape segment.
7. The carrier tape segment of claim 1, wherein the tape body defines index holes on at least one side thereof.
8. The carrier tape segment of claim 1, wherein the component carrying portion includes one or a plurality of pockets, or an adhesive portion adapted to hold the component thereon.
9. A set of carrier tape segments, each of the carrier tape segments including a tape segment body having a head portion and a tail portion, and a component carrying portion between the head portion and the tail portion, wherein:
- the head portion includes a first mechanical interlocking feature thereon; and
- the tail portion includes a second mechanical interlocking feature thereon; the first mechanical interlocking feature being configured to mechanically interlock with a mechanical interlocking feature belonging to a separate carrier tape segment and shaped similarly to the second mechanical interlocking feature, and the second mechanical interlocking feature being configured to mechanically interlock with a mechanical interlocking feature belonging to a separate carrier tape segment and shaped similarly to the first mechanical interlocking feature, the carrier tape segment being thereby configured to be linked to other carrier tape segments to form a carrier tape chain therewith.
10. The set of claim 9, wherein the component carrying portion is configured to carry a single component thereon.
11. The set of claim 9, wherein the component carrying portion is configured to carry multiple components thereon.
12. The set of claim 9, wherein one of the first mechanical interlocking feature and the second mechanical interlocking feature comprises a male interlocking feature, and another one of the first mechanical interlocking feature and the second mechanical interlocking feature comprises a female interlocking feature.
13. The carrier tape segment of claim 12, wherein the first mechanical interlocking feature is configured to snap into a mechanical interlocking feature belonging to a separate carrier tape segment and shaped similarly to the second mechanical interlocking feature, and the second mechanical interlocking feature is configured to snap into a mechanical interlocking feature belonging to a separate carrier tape segment and shaped similarly to the first mechanical interlocking feature.
14. The carrier tape segment of claim 13, wherein the first mechanical interlocking feature is configured to automatically snap into a mechanical interlocking feature belonging to a separate carrier tape segment and shaped similarly to the second mechanical interlocking feature as a result of a predetermined alignment and spacing of the carrier tape segment with the separate carrier tape segment, and the second mechanical interlocking feature is configured to automatically snap into a mechanical interlocking feature belonging to a separate carrier tape segment and shaped similarly to the first mechanical interlocking feature as a result of a predetermined alignment and spacing of the carrier tape segment with the separate carrier tape segment.
15. The set of claim 9, wherein the set comprises one of a stack and a carrier tape chain including the carrier tape segments chain linked to one another via the mechanical linking mechanisms.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 17, 2007
Publication Date: Mar 19, 2009
Inventor: Andrew N. Contes (Chandler, AZ)
Application Number: 11/856,370
International Classification: B65D 85/00 (20060101);