Universal clamping fixture to maintain laminate flatness during chip join

Abstract

A clamping apparatus and method for maintaining a workpiece flatness during processing includes a base having a planar surface for receiving a first workpiece. Two sets of opposing clamping mechanisms are mounted to the base and include a clamp head at a distal end of a rod extending from a housing in removable overlapping relation to the first workpiece. Each set of the clamp heads are in opposing spaced relationship to each other defining a second workpiece area, and the clamp heads are configured to mate with a top surface of the first workpiece. A biasing member is coupled to each of the housings and apply a downward vertical force to the housings, rods, and the clamp heads for applying a downward vertical pressure to the first workpiece. The first workpiece is thereby discouraged from thermally expanding in a vertical direction and is thermally expandable horizontally along the planar surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A clamping apparatus for maintaining a workpiece flatness during processing, comprising:
 a base having a planar surface for receiving a first workpiece;   two sets of opposing clamping mechanisms mounted to the base and each of the clamping mechanisms including a clamp head at a distal end of a rod extending from a housing in removable overlapping relation to the first workpiece, each set of the clamp heads being in opposing spaced relationship to each other defining a second workpiece area for a second workpiece, and the clamp heads being configured to mate with a top surface of the first workpiece; and   a biasing member coupled to each of the housings, the biasing members communicating with the rods via the housings and applying a downward vertical force to the housings and rods and therethrough the clamp heads for applying a downward vertical pressure to the first workpiece such that the first workpiece is discouraged to thermally expand in a vertical direction with respect to a horizontal plane defined by the planar surface and is thermally expandable along the horizontal plane.   
     
     
         2 . The clamping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first workpiece is a laminate, and the second workpiece is a die positionable over the laminate. 
     
     
         3 . The clamping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second workpiece is receivable by the planar surface and positionable over the first workpiece being configured for a processing interaction between the first and the second workpiece. 
     
     
         4 . The clamping apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the second workpiece is positioned on the planar surface in the second workpiece area, the second workpiece being positionable between the opposing sets of clamp heads and over the first workpiece. 
     
     
         5 . The clamping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rod and the clamp head of each of the clamping mechanisms is rotatably connected at the housing to rotate in the horizontal plane defined by the planar surface to a non-engaged position free from overlapping the first workpiece, and the rod and the clamp heads being rotatable to an engaged position with each set of the clamp heads being in opposing spaced relationship to each other overlapping the first workpiece for the clamp heads to provide the downward vertical pressure to the first workpiece. 
     
     
         6 . The clamping apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a frame defining a work area over the base, and the housings being mounted to the base.   
     
     
         7 . The clamping apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a frame defining multiple work areas over the base, and the two sets of opposing clamping mechanisms being configured for each of the multiple work areas such that the housing are mounted to the base to provide the downward vertical force to the housings and rods and therethrough the clamp heads for applying the downward vertical pressure to a plurality of the first workpieces wherein each of the first workpieces are in the multiple work areas.   
     
     
         8 . The clamping apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the rod and the clamp head of each of the clamping mechanisms is rotatably connected at the housings to rotate in the horizontal plane defined by the planar surface to a non-engaged position free from overlapping the first workpiece such that the rods of each of the clamping mechanisms are positioned along an axis defined by each leg of the frame, and the rod and the clamp heads being rotatable to an engaged position with each set of the clamp heads being in opposing spaced relationship to each other overlapping the first workpiece for the clamp heads to provide the downward vertical pressure to the first workpiece. 
     
     
         9 . The clamping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the biasing member includes a spring loaded metal element fixed to a bottom side of the base and attached to the housing on a top side of the base via a shaft through the base. 
     
     
         10 . The clamping apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the spring loaded element compresses to a compressed state to enable the shaft to reversibly extend through the base positioning the housing in an elevated position such that the housing is in spaced relation with the base, and the shaft being movable in a reverse direction positioning the housing in a rest position such that the housing is on the base and the spring loaded element is in an expanded state. 
     
     
         11 . The clamping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second workpiece area defined by the clamp heads includes specified dimensions for receiving the first workpiece. 
     
     
         12 . The clamping apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the downward vertical force applied to the housings is applied to the rods at an attachment junction between the rods and the housings, and the downward vertical force is applied to the clamp heads via the rods. 
     
     
         13 . A method of manufacturing a clamping apparatus for maintaining a workpiece flatness during processing, comprising:
 mounting two sets of opposing clamping mechanisms on a base and each clamping mechanism including a clamp head at a distal end of a rod extending from a housing in removably overlapping relation to a first workpiece, each set of the clamp heads being in opposing spaced relationship to each other defining a second workpiece area for a second workpiece, and the clamp heads being configured to mate with a top surface of the first workpiece; and   coupling a biasing member to each of the housings, the biasing members communicating with the rods via the housings and applying a downward vertical force to the housings and rods and therethrough the clamp heads for applying a downward vertical pressure to the first workpiece such that the first workpiece is discouraged to thermally expand in a vertical direction with respect to a horizontal plane defined by the planar surface and is thermally expandable along the horizontal plane.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the second workpiece is receivable by the planar surface and positionable over the first workpiece for a processing interaction between the first and the second workpiece, and the second workpiece is positioned on the planar surface in the second workpiece area, the second workpiece being positionable between the opposing sets of clamp heads and over the first workpiece. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 rotatably connecting the rod and the clamp head at each of the housings of each of the clamping mechanisms such that the housings rotate in a horizontal plane defined by the planar surface to a non-engaged position free from overlapping the first workpiece, and the rod and the clamp heads being rotatable to an engaged position with each set of the clamp heads being in opposing spaced relationship to each other overlapping the first workpiece for the clamp heads to provide the downward vertical pressure to the first workpiece.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 defining multiple work areas using a frame over the base, and the two sets of opposing clamping mechanisms being configured for each of the multiple work areas such that the housings are mounted to the base with the frame therebetween to provide the downward vertical force to the housings and rods and therethrough the clamp heads for applying the downward vertical pressure to each of the first workpieces on each of the multiple work areas.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 rotatably connecting the rod and the clamp head of each of the clamping mechanisms to the housings to rotate in the horizontal plane defined by the planar surface to a non-engaged position free from overlapping the first workpiece such that the rods of each of the clamping mechanisms are positioned along an axis defined by each leg of the frame, and the rod and the clamp heads being rotatable to an engaged position with each set of the clamp heads being in opposing spaced relationship to each other overlapping the first workpiece for the clamp heads to provide the downward vertical pressure to the first workpiece.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 affixing the biasing member including a spring loaded metal element to a bottom side of the base, the biasing member being connected to the housing on a top side of the base via a shaft through the base.   
     
     
         19 . The clamping apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the spring loaded element compresses to a compressed state to enable the shaft to reversibly extend through the base positioning the housing in an elevated position such that the housing is in spaced relation with the base, and the shaft being movable in a reverse direction positioning the housing in a rest position such that the housing is on the base and the spring loaded element is in an expanded state. 
     
     
         20 . A method for maintaining a workpiece flatness during processing, comprising:
 receiving a first workpiece on a base having a planar surface;   positioning a second workpiece between two sets of opposing clamping mechanisms mounted to the base and each clamping mechanism including a clamp head at a distal end of a rod extending from a housing in removable overlapping relation to the first workpiece, each set of the clamp heads being in opposing spaced relationship to each other defining a second workpiece area for receiving the second workpiece, and the clamp heads being configured to mate with a top surface of the first workpiece; and   applying a downward vertical pressure to the first workpiece using a biasing member coupled to each of the housings, the biasing members communicating with the rods via the housings and applying a downward vertical force to the housings and rods and therethrough the clamp heads such that the first workpiece is discouraged to thermally expand in a vertical direction with respect to a horizontal plane defined by the planar surface and is thermally expandable along the horizontal plane.