Apparatus used to package multimedia card by transfer molding

Abstract

A semiconductor card is made by an apparatus using a method which in one molding step forms a plastic body on a substrate attached to a surrounding frame by narrow connecting segments spanning a peripheral opening. The connecting segments are motivated downward by pins outside of the card periphery, holding the substrate against a lower level of the mold cavity during molding. Molded wings extending laterally from the card periphery are also formed. Following molding and curing, the casting is removed and the card singulated by excising the wings from the card. The resulting card has smooth edge surfaces and precise dimensions. Separate glob top encapsulation is avoided.

1 . A transfer mold assembly for forming a semiconductor card with peripheral card edges from a planar module having a peripheral opening defining a substrate therein, said opening interrupted by a plurality of narrow module segments, said assembly comprising: 
 a first plate having a first molding surface for contacting the back side of a planar module;    a second plate having a second molding surface for contacting the circuit side of the planar module;    an internal molding cavity comprising portions of the first and second molding surfaces;    Apparatus for injecting fluid molding compound into the internal molding cavity;    peripheral molding structures defining lateral edges of a semiconductor card body, said molding structures having a plurality of slits for downward passage of said module segments;    a plurality of internal molding cavity portions comprising wing cavities projecting outwardly from the peripheral molding structures; and    a plurality of throughholes in the second plate, said throughholes aligned with the module segments outside of the peripheral molding structures.    
   
   
       2 . A transfer mold assembly in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of down-set pins insertable in said throughholes to motivate module segments and substrate attached thereto downwardly from the frame to a lower position against a cavity surface, said throughholes positioned to pass through said wing cavities outside of said peripheral molding structures.    
   
   
       3 . A system for forming a semiconductor card having a card periphery, comprising: 
 a planar module having a substrate formed therein by a peripheral opening surrounded by a frame;    a plurality of segments of the module connecting said substrate to said frame; 
 a transfer mold assembly comprising:  
 a first plate having a first molding surface for contacting the back side of a planar module, said first plate having a peripheral raised portion with a plurality of slits for passage of module segments therethrough;  
 a second plate having a second molding surface for contacting the circuit side of the planar module;  
 an internal molding cavity comprising portions of the first and second molding surfaces;  
 means for injecting fluid molding compound into the internal molding cavity;  
 peripheral molding structures defining lateral edges of a semiconductor card body;  
 a plurality of internal molding cavity portions comprising wing cavities projecting outwardly from the peripheral molding structures;  
 a plurality of throughholes in the second plate, said throughholes aligned with the module segments outside of the peripheral molding structures; and  
 a plurality of down-set pins insertable in said throughholes to motivate module segments and substrate attached thereto downwardly from the frame to a lower position against a cavity surface, said throughholes passing through said wing cavities outside of said peripheral molding structures.  
   
   
   
       4 . A system in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein said module comprises one of a set of modules on a strip insertable into a molding assembly for simultaneous molding.  
   
   
       5 . A system in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein said molding assembly comprises a transfer mold.  
   
   
       6 . A system in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein said plurality of connecting module segments comprises four segments.  
   
   
       7 . A system in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the peripheral opening has a width which is increase adjacent the outer ends of said module segments.  
   
   
       8 . A system in accordance with  claim 3 , further comprising ejection pins insertable into said throughholes to eject said casting from said molding assembly.  
   
   
       9 . A mold assembly for forming a semiconductor card having peripheral card edges from a planar module having a peripheral opening defining a substrate therein, said opening interrupted by a plurality of narrow module segments, said mold assembly comprising: 
 a first plate having a first molding surface for contacting the back side of a planar module;    a second plate having a second molding surface for contacting the circuit side of the planar module;    an internal molding cavity including portions of the first and second molding surfaces;    apparatus for injecting fluid molding compound into the internal molding cavity;    peripheral molding structures defining lateral edges of a semiconductor card body, said molding structures having a plurality of slits for downward passage of said module segments;    a plurality of internal molding cavity portions comprising wing cavities projecting outwardly from the peripheral molding structures; and    a plurality of throughholes in the second plate, said throughholes aligned with the module segments outside of the peripheral molding structures.    
   
   
       10 . A mold assembly in accordance with  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of down-set pins insertable in said throughholes to motivate module segments and substrate attached thereto downwardly from the frame to a lower position against a cavity surface, said throughholes positioned to pass through said wing cavities outside of said peripheral molding structures.    
   
   
       11 . A system for making a semiconductor card having a card periphery, comprising: 
 a planar module having a substrate formed therein by a peripheral opening surrounded by a frame;    a plurality of segments of the module connecting said substrate to said frame; 
 a transfer mold assembly comprising:  
 a first plate having a first molding surface for contacting the back side of a planar module, said first plate having a peripheral raised portion with a plurality of slits for passage of module segments therethrough;  
 a second plate having a second molding surface for contacting the circuit side of the planar module;  
 an internal molding cavity comprising portions of the first and second molding surfaces;  
 means for injecting fluid molding compound into the internal molding cavity;  
 peripheral molding structures defining lateral edges of a semiconductor card body;  
 a plurality of internal molding cavity portions comprising wing cavities projecting outwardly from the peripheral molding structures;  
 a plurality of throughholes in the second plate, said throughholes aligned with the module segments outside of the peripheral molding structures; and  
 a plurality of down-set pins insertable in said throughholes to motivate module segments and substrate attached thereto downwardly from the frame to a lower position against a cavity surface, said throughholes passing through said wing cavities outside of said peripheral molding structures.  
   
   
   
       12 . A system in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein said module comprises one of a set of modules on a strip insertable into a molding assembly for simultaneous molding.  
   
   
       13 . A system in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein said molding assembly comprises a transfer mold.  
   
   
       14 . A system in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein said plurality of connecting module segments comprises four segments.  
   
   
       15 . A system in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the peripheral opening has a width which is increase adjacent the outer ends of said module segments.  
   
   
       16 . A system in accordance with  claim 11 , further comprising ejection pins insertable into said throughholes for ejecting said casting from said molding assembly.