APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING AND HANDLING LEAD FRAME STRIPS OR OTHER SUPPORT STRUCTURES OR SUBSTRATES

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING AND HANDLINGAn apparatus for handling a set of substrates (e.g., lead frame strips) includes a modularmagazine having a frame that includes a plurality of elongate frame members and a plurality of transverse frame members, and a tablet that is selectively engageable with the frame. The frame includes openings along a planar side region of the frame (e.g., sized to facilitate uniform / rapid fluid communication with inner regions of the frame) disposed betweenadjacent transverse frame members along the elongate frame members' length. Each transverse frame member carries a first set of slots. Each tablet carries at least one set of guide elements that includes a second set of slots. Engagement of the frame and the tablet collinearly aligns the first and second sets of slots parallel to the elongate members' length, facilitating slidable motion of substrates along the first and second sets of slots. Theapparatus can further include a conventional or additional magazine that carries a third set of slots. The conventional magazine can be aligned with the modular magazine such that the first, second, and third sets of slots are collinearly aligned. The apparatus can also include a force displacement device (e.g., a tilt table or a pushrod device) configured to provide a displacement force to substrates such that the substrates slide along the first,second, and/or third sets of slots, facilitating magazine to magazine substrate transfer (e.g., batch substrate transfer). FIG. 2B