Patent Publication Number: US-6698089-B2

Title: Device for bonding a wire conductor

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 09/368,149 filed Aug. 4, 1999, now abandoned, which is a divisional of 09/117,970 filed on Aug. 7, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,233,818 which is a 371 of PCT/OE97/00261 filed Feb. 12, 1997 and the entire disclosure of this prior application is considered to be part of the disclosure of the accompanying application and is hereby incorporated by reference therein. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a process for the contacting of a wire conductor in the course of the manufacture of a transponder unit arranged on a substrate and comprising a wire coil and a chip unit and a device for implementing the process and a device for the wiring of a wire-shaped conductor on a substrate. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In particular in the course of the manufacture of transponder units arranged on a substrate and comprising, by way of essential elements, a wire coil and a chip unit which has been contacted with the ends of the coil, the contacting of the ends of the coil with the terminal areas of the chip unit proves to be a particular problem. This is mainly due to the very small dimensions of the components to be connected to one another. For instance, the terminal areas of a chip unit, which as a rule are of square or approximately square design, customarily have an edge length of about 100 to 150 μm By way of coil wire, particularly for the purpose of forming low-frequency coils, use is made of a copper wire having a diameter which as a rule amounts to around 50 μm-. 
     As can be gathered from WO 91/16718 for instance, in the past a direct contacting of the ends of the coil wire with the terminal areas of a chip unit has been circumvented through use being made, by way of coupling element between the ends of the coil wire pertaining to a wire coil arranged on a coil substrate and the terminal areas of the chip unit, of a contact substrate comprising enlarged terminal areas, so that by virtue of the contact faces of the contact substrate that are very large in comparison with the diameter of the coil wire a contact could be brought about without making great demands as regards the precision of the relative positioning between the ends of the coil wire and the contact faces. Since with the known process the chip unit is equipped with additional contact conductors for the purpose of making contact with the enlarged terminal areas of the substrate, in the case of the manufacturing process known from WO 91/16718 a total of at least three contacting steps are required in order finally to establish an electrically conductive contact between the terminal areas of the chip unit and the wire coil. 
     SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     The object underlying the invention is therefore to propose a process and also a device enabling direct contacting of wire ends on the terminal areas of a chip unit. 
     With the process according to the invention, in the course of the manufacture of a transponder unit arranged on a substrate and comprising a wire coil and a chip unit, the coil wire is guided in a first process step via the assigned terminal area of the chip unit, or a space that is intended to accept this terminal area, and is fixed to the substrate. By this means an exactly defined alignment of the coil wire relative to the terminal area is obtained after the first process step has been carried out. In the second process step the connection of the wire conductor to the terminal area is then effected by means of a connecting instrument. 
     By virtue of the process according to the invention there is no longer any necessity, with a view to bringing the terminal areas of the chip unit into contact with the ends of the coil, to provide a separate contact substrate on which enlarged terminal areas are formed. Rather, the coil substrate, which is used in any case as substrate for the wire coil and which, for example in the case where the transponder unit is intended to serve for the manufacture of a chip card, is formed by means of a plastic support sheet corresponding to the dimensions of the chip card, serves virtually as a contacting or positioning aid for the relative positioning of the ends of the coil in relation to the terminal areas of the chip unit. In this case the chip unit may either be arranged in a recess in the substrate provided for this purpose or may be provided on the surface of the substrate. The first alternative affords the possibility of arranging the chip unit in the recess optionally prior to fixation of the wire conductors or of introducing the chip unit into the recess only after fixation of the wire conductors, in order subsequently to implement the actual contacting of the wire conductors on the terminal areas. 
     By virtue of the wire conductors which are fixed on the coil substrate the process according to the invention consequently enables simplified contacting of the wire conductors with the terminal areas of the chip unit. 
     With one variant of the process, which independently of for bringing a terminal area into contact with a wire conductor also enables an advantageous arrangement of the wire conductor on the substrate, the wire conductor is subjected to the action of ultrasound in a direction transverse to the wiring plane, and the transverse movement of the wiring device induced by the action of ultrasound is superimposed on the wiring movement extending in the wiring plane. 
     The superimposition of the wiring movement together with the transverse movement countersinking the cross-section of the wire conductor in the surface of the substrate or bringing it into close contact with the latter enables continuous operation of the wiring device, so that the wire conductor is capable ofbeing connected to the surface of the substrate not only in the region of definite connecting points but over any length without the actual wiring movement having to be interrupted in the process. Furthermore, the transverse movement induced by ultrasound proves to be particularly effective during the at least partial countersinking or the close contacting of the cross-section of the wire, since the movement induced by the ultrasound extends in the direction of sinking and not transversely thereto, as is the case with the process described in the introduction. 
     It proves to be particularly advantageous if the transverse movement induced by ultrasound takes place along a transverse-movement axis that is variable as regards its angle in relation to the axis of the wiring movement. By this means it is possible to adjust the transverse-movement axis so as to conform to the special requirements. Thus it is possible in the case where an elevated temperature of the wire conductor to be countersunk is desired, possibly depending on the substrate material, to align the transverse-movement axis more in the direction of the wiring-movement axis, in order in this way to obtain a greater longitudinal-force component which acts on the wire conductor and which as a consequence of the associated rubbing of the wire guide on the wire conductor results in heating of the same. In order to obtain a rate of sinking of the wire conductor in the surface of the substrate that is as high as possible it can be advantageous to align the transverse-movement axis at an angle of 45 degree. to the wiring-movement axis, in order to achieve a shearing effect in the substrate material that is as great as possible. 
     In order to vary the depth of penetration of the wire conductor into the surface of the substrate, the ultrasonic frequency and/or the angle between the axis of the wiring movement and the transverse-movement axis may also be varied. 
     With respect to a connecting process following the wiring of the wire conductor in the form of a wire coil on the surface of the substrate for the purpose of connecting the wire conductor to terminal areas of a chip unit it can prove particularly advantageous if the final region of the coil and the initial region of the coil are guided via a recess in the substrate, so that the subsequent connection of the terminal areas of a chip unit to the initial region of the coil and to the final region of the coil can be effected without impairment caused by the substrate material. 
     In order to enable an alignment of the initial coil region and of the final coil region that is as rectilinear as possible between opposite edges of the recess it is advantageous to interrupt the exposure of the wire conductor to ultrasound in the region of the recess. 
     An interruption of the exposure of the wire conductor to ultrasound also proves to be advantageous for the purpose of crossing an already wired section of wire in the crossing region, whereby in addition the wire conductor in the crossing region is guided in a crossing plane that is spaced from the wiring plane. This ensures that a crossing of wire conductors becomes possible without it being possible for damage to occur in the process as a result of collision of the wire conductors, which could possibly result in destruction of the insulation of the wire conductors. 
     The use of the process described above in various embodiments has also proved to be particularly advantageous for the manufacture of a card module having a substrate, a coil which is wired on the substrate and a chip unit which is connected to the coil. In this case a coil having an initial coil region and a final coil region is formed on the substrate in a wiring phase by means of the wiring device, and in a subsequent connection phase a connection to terminal areas of the chip unit is brought about between the initial region of the coil and the final region of the coil by means of a connecting device. 
     As a result of the integration of the wiring of the wire conductor on the substrate into a process for the manufacture of a card module on the basis of any substrate that permits an at least partial penetration of the wire conductor into the surface of the substrate or close contact of the wire conductor against the surface of the substrate, this application of the process enables the formation of card modules that are easy to handle and that are used as semifinished products in the manufacture of chip cards. With a view to completion of the chip card the card modules are then, as a rule, provided on both sides with laminated surface layers. Depending on the configuration and thickness of the substrate material, the connection between the wire conductor and the substrate material can be effected via a more or less positive inclusion of the cross-section of the wire conductor in the surface of the substrate—for instance, when the substrate is formed from a thermoplastic material—or by means of a predominantly close-contact fixing of the wire conductor on the surface of the substrate, for instance by bonding the wire conductor together with the surface of the substrate. The latter will be the case, for example, when the substrate material is a fleece-type or woven-fabric-type support. 
     Particularly in the course of the manufacture of paper bands or card bands such as are used, for example, for identifying luggage, the connection of the wire conductor to the surface of the substrate via a layer of adhesive between the wire conductor and the surface of the substrate has proved to be advantageous. In this case the wire conductor comes into close contact against the surface of the substrate in a peripheral region via the layer of adhesive. If the wire conductor is provided with a suitable surface coating, for example baking lacquer, the layer of adhesive may be formed from the surface coating. 
     With the application of the process as described above, the use of a thermocompression process for connecting the initial region of the coil and the final region of the coil to the terminal areas of the chip unit has proved to be particularly effective. 
     It is possible for a further increase in the effectiveness of the application of the process as described above to be achieved if a plurality of card modules are manufactured at the same time in such a way that in a feed phase a plurality of substrates arranged collected together in a yield are supplied to a card-module production device comprising a plurality of wiring devices and connecting devices and subsequently in the wiring phase a plurality of coils are formed simultaneously on substrates arranged in a row, then in the connection phase a plurality of chip units are connected via their terminal areas to the coils and finally in a separation phase a separation of the card modules from the composite yield takes place. 
     Furthermore, an application of the process for the manufacture of a rotationally symmetrical coil bobbin has proved advantageous wherein the wire-shaped conductor is wired on a substrate taking the form of a winding support and rotating relative to the wiring device. For the purpose of establishing the relative rotation there is the possibility either to cause the substrate to rotate about its longitudinal axis in the case of a stationary wiring device or, in the case of a stationary substrate, to move the wiring device on a trajectory about the longitudinal axis of the substrate, or even to superimpose the two aforementioned types of motion. 
     The aforementioned application of the process enters into consideration in particular for the manufacture of a moving coil of a loudspeaker unit that is integrally connected to a vibrating diaphragm. 
     According to another application of the process the process serves to wire a wire-shaped conductor on a substrate by means of a wiring device that subjects the wire conductor to ultrasound with a view to manufacturing a ribbon cable, whereby a number of wiring devices corresponding to the number of cable conductors desired is arranged transversely in relation to the longitudinal axis of a ribbon-shaped substrate and a relative movement between the substrate and the wiring devices takes place in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the substrate. 
     In order to achieve a reliable and operationally dependable contact between the wire conductor and the terminal areas of the chip unit, which are customarily constituted by aluminium surfaces, it is advantageous, particularly when use is made of a copper wire conductor, to subject the aluminium surface of the terminal areas to a preparatory treatment. With a particularly advantageous embodiment of the process according to the invention the preparatory treatment of the aluminium surface is virtually integrated into the actual connecting operation—that is to say, the contacting of the wire conductor with the terminal areas by virtue of the wire conductor being connected to the terminal areas by means of a connecting instrument taking the form of an ultrasonic instrument. In this case an oxide layer disposed on the aluminium surface is eliminated mechanically by subjecting the oxide layer to the ultrasonic vibrations of the ultrasonic instrument. This manner of cleansing the aluminium surfaces of the oxide layer, which takes place substantially at the same time as the actual connecting operation, has the particular advantage that with regard to shielding the connecting points from environmental influences—by creating an inert or reducing atmosphere, for example—it is possible to dispense with special measures intended to prevent the formation of a fresh oxide layer prior to implementation of the connecting operation. 
     If, on the other hand, as an alternative to the afore-mentioned ultrasonically induced removal of the oxide layer in conjunction with an ultrasonic connecting operation a preparatory treatment or cleansing process is chosen that is decoupled from the actual connecting operation, the connecting operation itself can be carried out in an inert or reducing atmosphere. 
     The use of etching processes that have great selectivity proves to be particularly advantageous for the purpose of cleansing the aluminium surfaces pertaining to the terminal areas of oxide layers. An example of dry-etching processes is ion-beam etching. But the use of processes that can be implemented easily, such as wet etching or oxide-layer removal by laser treatment, in particular by excimer-laser treatment, is also advantageous. 
     With a view to preventing renewed oxidation of the aluminium surface there is also the possibility of providing the aluminium surface with a multilayered contact metallisation having a zincate layer applied to the aluminium surface by way of intermediate layer and having an interconnect layer which is disposed on said zincate layer and which is provided for making contact with the wire conductor. In this case the zincate layer serves primarily to eliminate the oxide layer on the aluminium surface, and the interconnect layer, which may for instance consist of nickel or palladium or corresponding alloys, serves to improve the adhesion to the copper wires which are used as a rule by way of wire conductors. 
     In the case where use is made of an ultrasonic instrument for establishing the connection between the wire conductor and the terminal areas it proves to be particularly advantageous if the vibrational loading of the wire conductor which is brought about by ultrasound takes place in a plane substantially parallel to the terminal area and transverse to, for instance at right angles to, the longitudinal axis of the wire conductor. For, by virtue of the transverse flexibility of the wire conductor which is fixed on the substrate on both sides of the terminal area in the longitudinal direction the greatest possible relative movements can be achieved between the wire conductor and the aluminium surface by means of the ultrasonic loading of the wire conductor which takes place transverse to the longitudinal axis of the wire. 
     Irrespective of the type and manner of the preparatory treatment and also of the choice of the connecting process it is a particular advantage if by way of coil substrate use is made of a plastic support sheet which together with the coil and the chip unit forms a card inlet for the manufacture of a credit card or such like. Alternatively, differing configurations of the coil carrier are also possible which in each case—that is to say, irrespective of the particular configuration—merely have to enable secure bilateral fixation of the wire conductor relative to the terminal areas of the chip unit. By this means a virtually suspended arrangement and hence a “floating acceptance” of the chip in the substrate also becomes possible. For instance, the use of a sheet of paper by way of coil substrate is also possible, in which connection the wire conductor may be fixed on the substrate via an adhesive layer which is provided on the sheet of paper and which adheres to the wire conductor, or even via an adhesive layer which is provided on the wire conductor itself, for instance a layer of baking lacquer. 
     Irrespective of the type of coil substrate which is used, it proves to be advantageous if the wire conductor is fixed on the substrate by means of a wiring instrument which is employed in any case for the coil-shaped arrangement of the wire conductor on the substrate and which enables a continuous or intermittent connection of the wire conductor to the surface of the substrate. In this case, particularly when use is made of plastic substrates, it proves to be advantageous if by way of wiring instrument an ultrasonic instrument is employed which enables an at least partial embedding of the cross-section of the wire conductor into the surface of the substrate and hence enables fixation with good adhesion. 
     A particularly good fixation of the wire conductor on the surface of the substrate and the establishment of a particularly reliable connection of the wire conductor to the terminal areas of the chip unit is possible if the ultrasonic instrument which is used for the wiring and fixation of the wire conductor on the substrate brings about a vibrational loading of the wire conductor transverse to the longitudinal axis of the wire conductor and transverse to the surface of the substrate, and if the ultrasonic instrument which is used for connecting the wire conductor to the terminal areas brings about a vibrational loading of the wire conductor in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate and transverse to the longitudinal axis of the wire conductor. 
     The wiring device for wiring a wire-shaped conductor on a substrate by means of ultrasound comprises a wire guide and an ultrasonic generator, whereby the ultrasonic generator is connected to the wire guide in such a way that the wire guide is stimulated to execute ultrasonic vibrations in the direction of the longitudinal axis. 
     It is advantageous if the device that is suitable for implementing the process according to the invention comprises an ultrasonic instrument with a vibrating punch partially encompassing the cross-section of the wire and having an ultrasonic oscillator which brings about a vibrational loading of the vibrating punch transverse to the longitudinal axis of a wire conductor that is guided by the vibrating punch. 
     According to a preferred embodiment of the device the ultrasonic instrument is coupled to a wire-laying instrument. 
     A particularly simple configuration of the device becomes possible if the ultrasonic oscillator of the ultrasonic instrument serves simultaneously for ultrasonic loading of the wiring instrument, for instance by the ultrasonic oscillator being arranged in such a way that the axis of its effective direction is variable. 
     It proves to be advantageous for the design of the wiring device if the latter is equipped with a wire-guidance capillary which at least in the region of a wire-guide nozzle extends in the wire guide parallel to the longitudinal axis. In this manner it is ensured that in the region of the wire-guide nozzle the axial advancing movement of the wire conductor is not impaired by ultrasonically induced transverse loads. Rather the ultrasonic loading extends in the longitudinal direction of the wire. 
     For the purpose of introducing the wire conductor into the wire guide, however, it proves to be advantageous if the wire guide comprises, spaced from the wire-guide nozzle, at least one wire-feed channel extending obliquely in relation to the longitudinal axis of the wire. 
     With a view to avoiding ultrasonically induced transverse loads on the wire conductor in the region of the wire-guide nozzle it also helps if the ultrasonic generator is arranged coaxially with respect to the wire guide. 
     The process according to the invention and devices that are suitable for implementing the process are elucidated below in exemplary manner on the basis of the drawings. 
     The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the wiring of a wire conductor on a substrate by means of ultrasound; 
     FIG. 2 is an electron micrograph for the purpose of representing a wire conductor embedded in the substrate; 
     FIG. 3 is a wiring device for wiring a wire conductor by means of ultrasound; 
     FIG. 4 is a wire conductor wired in coil form on a substrate with ends guided away via a recess in the wire conductor; 
     FIG. 5 is a coil configuration that is varied in comparison with FIG. 4 with wire ends guided away via a substrate recess; 
     FIG. 6 is the placement of a chip unit in the substrate recess represented in FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is the connection of the wire ends represented in FIG. 5 to terminal areas of the chip unit which is inserted in the recess; 
     FIG. 8 is a production device for the manufacture of card modules; 
     FIG. 9 is the wiring of a wire conductor by means of ultrasound on a rotationally symmetrical winding form; 
     FIG. 10 is a moving coil of a loudspeaker unit manufactured by means of ultrasonic wiring on a cylindrical winding form; 
     FIG. 11 is a longitudinal-section representation of a ribbon cable equipped with wire conductors; 
     FIG. 12 is another wiring device for wiring a wire conductor by means of ultrasound; 
     FIG. 13 is a top view of a card inlet pertaining to a chip card with a transponder unit formed from a wire coil and a chip unit; 
     FIG. 14 is a sectional representation of the card inlet represented in FIG. 13 according to the course of the line ofintersection II—II, for the purpose of elucidating the manufacturing process; 
     FIG. 15 is another sectional representation of the card inlet represented in FIG. 13 according to the course of the line of intersection III—III; 
     FIG. 16 is a representation corresponding in its view to FIG. 14 for the purpose of elucidating an alternative procedure with subsequent application of a chip unit; 
     FIG. 17 is a view showing the contacting of the chip unit applied subsequently according to FIG. 17; 
     FIG. 18 is a possible contact metallization of a terminal area of a chip with contacting according to the process represented in FIG. 17; 
     FIG. 19 is another possible contact metallization of a terminal area of a chip; and 
     FIG. 20 is a representation corresponding in its view to FIG. 14 of a transponder unit arranged on a coil substrate. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the drawings in particular, FIG. 1 shows, in a schematic representation, the wiring of a wire conductor  20  on a substrate  21  by means of a wiring device  22  with a wire guide  23  which is subjected to the action of ultrasound. 
     The wiring device  22  represented in FIG. 1 is designed to be capable of being displaced along three axes and is subjected to the action of ultrasound which stimulates the wire guide  23  to execute oscillating transverse movements (arrow  24 ), which in the example represented in FIG. 1 are aligned perpendicular to a wiring plane  28  spanned by lateral edges  25 ,  26  of a substrate surface  27 . 
     For the purpose of wiring, the wire conductor  20  is moved out of a wire-guide nozzle  30  while executing a continuous advancing movement in the direction of the arrow  29 , whereby at the same time the wire guide  23  executes a wiring movement  29  which extends parallel to the wiring plane  28  and which in FIG. 1 can be retraced from the course of the wire-conductor section already wired on the substrate  21 . On this wiring movement, which extends in the region of the front lateral edge  25  in the direction of the arrow  29 , the oscillating transverse movement  24  is superimposed. This results in an impinging or impacting of the wire-guide nozzle  30  on the wire conductor  20  which is repeated in rapid succession corresponding to the ultrasonic frequency, leading to a compression and/or displacement of the substrate material in the region of a contact point  32 . 
     FIG. 2 shows in a sectional representation, which corresponds roughly to the course of the line of intersection II—II indicated in FIG. 1, the embedded arrangement of the wire conductor  20  in the substrate  21 . The substrate represented here is a PVC sheet, whereby for the purpose of embedding the wire conductor  20  the wire conductor is subjected via the wiring device  22  to, for example, an ultrasonic power output of 50 W and an ultrasonic frequency of 40 kHz. The contact force with which the wire-guide nozzle  30  is caused to abut the substrate surface  27  may, in the case of the aforementioned substrate material, lie in the range between 100 and 500 N. As is evident from the representation according to FIG. 2, in a test which was carried out by adjusting the aforementioned parameters an embedding of the wire conductor  20  into the substrate  21  was obtained substantially by virtue of a compression of the substrate material in a compression region  33  of the substrate material which here is crescent-shaped. 
     The wiring principle represented in FIG. 1 can be universally employed. For instance, departing from the use elucidated in detail below in connection with the manufacture of a card module (FIGS. 4 to  7 ), the principle may also find application in connection with the wiring of wire coils in plastic casings, for instance in order to form an aerial for a cordless telephone (mobile phone) or in order to form a measuring coil of a sensor. 
     FIG. 3 shows the wiring device  22  in an individual representation with an ultrasonic generator  34  which is arranged coaxially with respect to the wire guide  23  and is rigidly connected to the latter in a connecting region  35 . Overall the wiring device  22  represented in FIG. 3 is of rotationally symmetrical construction. The wire guide  23  comprises a central longitudinal bore  36  which in the region of the wire-guide nozzle  30  merges with a wire capillary  37  which in comparison with the longitudinal bore  36  has a narrowed diameter that is matched to the diameter of the wire conductor  20 . The wire-guidance capillary  37  serves primarily to be able to align the wire conductor exactly in the wiring plane  28  (FIG.  1 ). 
     In the embodiment example represented in FIG. 3 there are arranged to the side of the wire guide  23 , above the wire-guide nozzle and leading into the longitudinal bore  36 , two wire-feed channels  38 ,  39  which extend obliquely downwards in the direction of the wire-guide nozzle  30 . The wire-feed channels  38 ,  39  serve for lateral introduction of the wire conductor  20  into the wire guide  23 , so that the wire conductor  20 , as represented in FIG. 3, extends laterally on a slant into the wire-feed channel  38 , through the longitudinal bore  36  and, guided out of the wire-guidance capillary  37 , through the wire guide  23 . In this case the multiple arrangement of the wire-feed channels  38 ,  39  permits selection of the wire-supply side of the wire guide  23  that is most favourable in the given case. 
     As is further evident from FIG. 3, the wire-guide nozzle  30  is of convex construction in the region of a wire outlet  40  in order to enable a deflection of the wire conductor  20  that is as non-damaging as possible in the region of the contact point  32  (FIG. 1) or in the region of the wire outlet  40  in the course of the wiring operation represented in FIG.  1 . 
     Although not represented in any detail in FIG. 3, the wire guide  23  may be equipped with a wire-severing instrument and a wire-advancing instrument. In this case the wire-severing device may be directly integrated into the wire-guide nozzle  30 . FIG. 4 shows a wire conductor  20  which, for the purpose of forming a coil  41  which in this case takes the form of a high-frequency coil, is wired on a substrate  42 . The coil  41  here has a substantially rectangular configuration with an initial coil region  43  and a final coil region  44  which are guided away via a window-shaped substrate recess  45 . In this case the initial coil region  43  and the final coil region  44  are in parallel alignment with a main coil strand  46  which they accept between them in the region of the substrate recess  45 . In the course of the ultrasonic wiring of the wire conductor  20  already elucidated in principle with reference to FIG. 1 the ultrasonic loading of the wire conductor  20  is interrupted while the latter is being guided away via the substrate recess in the course of the wiring operation, in order on the one hand to ensure no impairment of the alignment of the wire conductor  20  in an unrestrained region  47  between the recess edges  48 ,  49  located opposite one another and on the other hand in order to rule out stressing of the connection between the wire conductor  20  and the substrate  42  in the region of the recess edges  48 ,  49  by tensile stresses on the wire conductor  20  as a consequence of ultrasonic loading. 
     FIG. 5 shows, in a configuration that is modified in comparison with FIG. 4, a coil  50  with an initial coil region  51  and a final coil region  52  which are guided, angled in relation to a main coil strand  53 , into an interior region of the coil  50 . The coil  50  is arranged on a substrate  55  which comprises a substrate recess  56  in the interior region  53  of the coil  50 . In order to be able to guide away both the initial coil region  51  and the final coil region  52  via the substrate recess  56 , in the case of the configuration represented in FIG. 5 the final coil region  52  has to be guided away beforehand in a crossing region  57  via the main coil strand  44 . In order in this case to prevent damage to or a partial stripping of the wire conductor  20 , similarly as in the region of the substrate recess  56  the ultrasonic loading of the wire conductor  20  is interrupted in the crossing region  57 . Furthermore, the wire guide  23  is slightly raised in the crossing region  57 . 
     FIG. 6 shows, in a view of the substrate  55  corresponding to the course of the line of intersection VI—VI in FIG. 5, the placement of a chip unit  58  in the substrate recess  56 , wherein terminal areas  59  of the chip unit  58  are caused to abut the initial coil region  51  and the final coil region  52 . 
     FIG. 7 shows the subsequent connection of the terminal areas  59  of the chip unit  58  to the initial coil region  51  and to the final coil region  52  by means of a thermode  60  which under the influence of pressure and temperature creates a connection by material closure between the wire conductor  20  and the terminal areas  59 , as an overall result of which a card module  64  is formed. 
     In the case of the chip unit  58  represented in FIGS. 6 and 7 it may also be a question, as in all other remaining cases where mention is made of a chip unit, either of an individual chip or of a chip module which, for instance, comprises a chip which is contacted on a chip substrate or even a plurality of chips. Furthermore, the connection represented in FIGS. 6 and 7 between the coil  50  and the terminal areas  59  is not restricted to the connection to one chip but applies generally to the connection of electronic components comprising terminal areas  59  to the coil  50 . In this case it may be also a question, for example, of capacitors. 
     Furthermore, it becomes clear from FIGS. 6 and 7 that the substrate recess  56  is so dimensioned that it substantially accepts the chip unit  58 . With a view to simplifying the alignment of the terminal areas  59  of the chip unit  58  in the course of the placement of the chip unit  58  preceding the actual contacting, the chip unit  58  may be equipped on its contact side  61  comprising the terminal areas  59  with an alignment aid  62  which here is constructed in the manner of a bridge. The alignment aid  62  is dimensioned so as to correspond to the spacing a which the initial coil region  51  and the final coil region  52  have from one another in the region of the substrate recess  56  (FIG.  5 ). 
     FIG. 8 shows a production device  63  that serves for the manufacture of card modules  64  that are used as semi-finished products in the manufacture of chip cards. The card modules  64  manufactured by means of the production device  63  here have, by way of example, the structure represented in FIGS. 5,  6  and  7  with, in each instance, a coil  50  and a chip unit  58  arranged on a common substrate  55 . 
     The production device  63  represented in FIG. 8 comprises five stations, namely a feed station  65 , a wiring station  66 , an assembly station  67  and a connection station  68  as well as an extraction station  69 . 
     In the feed station there is supplied to the production device  63  a so-called yield  70  which exhibits in a common composite a plurality of substrates  55 —here for representational reasons only twenty—which are connected to one another via points of separation which are not represented here in any detail. The yield  70  is supplied by means of a transport instrument  71  to the wiring station  66  which comprises at a portal  73 , which extends transversely in relation to the production direction  72  and is capable of being displaced in the production direction  72 , four identical wiring devices  22  arranged in a row. The wiring devices  22  are supplied with the wire conductor  20  via four wire-conductor coils  74 . For the purpose of forming the coil configurations represented by way of example in FIG. 5, the wiring devices  22 ,, which are capable of being displaced along the portal  73 , are displaced appropriately in the wiring plane  28  (FIG.  1 ). 
     After wiring of the wire conductors  20  corresponding to the coil configuration represented in FIG. 5, the yield  70  with the coils  50  formed thereon is moved on further to the assembly station  67 . In the present case the connection station  68  is combined with the assembly station  67  in such a way that, on a portal  75  which is capable of being displaced in the production direction  72 , both an assembly device  76  and a connecting device  77  are arranged so as to be capable in each instance of being displaced in the longitudinal direction of the portal  75 . In this case the assembly device  76  serves for extraction of chip units  58  from a chip-unit reservoir  78  and for subsequent placement of the chip units  58  in the manner represented in FIG.  6 . The connecting device  77  serves to bring the terminal areas  59  of the chip units  58  into contact with the coil  50 , as represented in FIG.  7 . 
     After assembly and contacting, the yield  70  is moved on further into the extraction station  69 . Here an extraction of the yield  70  takes place with subsequent separation of the substrates  55 , or firstly a separation of the substrates  55 —that is to say, a dispersion of the composite yield—and subsequently the extraction of the individual substrates  55  which now take the form of card modules  64 . 
     FIG. 9 shows a particular application of the process elucidated by way of example on the basis of FIG. 1 for the manufacture of a cylindrical formed coil  79  wherein the substrate takes the form of a cylindrical winding support  80  and the wiring or embedding of the wire conductor  20  on the winding support  80  is effected in the course of rotation  81  of the winding support  80  with simultaneous superimposed translation  82  of the wiring device  22 . 
     As FIG. 10 shows, the winding support  80  may also take the form of a cylindrical extension of a plastic vibrating diaphragm  83  of a loudspeaker unit  84 , so that in the manner represented in FIG. 9 a moving coil  85  is capable of being manufactured such as serves, in combination with a permanent magnet indicated in FIG. 10, to form a loudspeaker unit  84 . 
     FIG. 11 shows, by way of another possible application of the process that has been described, a ribbon-cable section  85  with a substrate  86  taking the form of a ribbon cable which, adjoined on both sides by points of separation  87 , is provided with substrate recesses  88  arranged in a row transverse to the longitudinal direction of the substrate  86 . On the substrate  86  there are located, arranged parallel to one another and extending in the longitudinal direction of the substrate  86 , a plurality of wire conductors  20  which are wired on the substrate  86  in the manner represented by way of example in FIG.  1 . In this case the wire conductors  20  are guided away in the region of the points of separation  87  via the substrate recesses  88 . The points of separation serve for the definition of predetermined ribbon-cable pieces  89 , whereby the substrate recesses  88  are then arranged in each instance at one end of a piece of ribbon cable. In particularly favourable manner this results in contacting possibilities for connector plugs or connector sockets with the wire conductors  20  without the wire conductors having firstly to be exposed for this purpose. The substrate recesses  88  are introduced into the substrate  86  in a stamping process with an appropriately formed punch tool, whereby as a result of the spacing of the stampings the spacing of the points of separation  87  is preset. Subsequently the appropriately prepared continuous substrate is covered with the wire conductors  20 , whereby in this case a number of wiring devices corresponding to the number of wire conductors  20  are arranged above the substrate which is moved longitudinally. 
     FIG. 12 shows, in a modification of the wiring device  22  represented in FIG. 3, a wiring device  91  which, like the wiring device  22 , comprises an ultrasonic generator  34 . As distinct from the wiring device  22 , there is no wire guide fastened to the connection region  35  of the ultrasonic generator  34  but rather a vibrating punch  92  which, as represented in FIG. 12, serves to subject the wire conductor  20  which is guided between a profiled end  93  and the surface of the substrate  21  to the action of mechanical vibrations extending in the longitudinal direction of the vibrating punch  92  and induced by ultrasound. In order in this case to enable reliable guidance of the wire conductor  20 , the profiled end  93  is provided with a concave recess which is not represented in FIG. 12 in any detail and which enables partial encompassing of the wire conductor  20 . 
     As distinct from the wiring device  22  represented in FIG. 3, on the wiring device  91  a wire guide  94  is provided which, in the case of the embodiment example represented here, is formed from a guidance tube  95  arranged laterally on the ultrasonic generator  34  with an elbow nozzle  96  which is formed in the direction of the profiled end  93  and which enables lateral supply, here directed obliquely downwards, of the wire conductor  20  in the direction of the profiled end  93 . Hence, as represented in FIG. 12, the wire conductor  20  can be guided between the profiled end  93  of the vibrating punch  92  and the surface of the substrate  21  in order to enable the previously described connection to, or alternatively wiring on, or in, the surface of the substrate  21 . 
     Departing from the representation in FIG. 12, it is also possible to provide the wire guide on the wiring device  91 , decoupled from the ultrasonic generator  34 , in order where necessary to enable vibration-free supply of the wire conductor. 
     In the case of the embodiment example represented in FIG. 12 the wiring device comprises a wire coil  99  which is capable of rotating about a winding axis  98  arranged transverse to the punch axis  97  and which serves to supply the wire conductor  20  into the wire guide  95 . 
     In order to enable arbitrary wiring of the wire conductor  20  on the surface of the substrate  21 , the wiring device  91  comprises, coaxially with respect to the punch axis  97 , a pivotal axis  100 . 
     In the language of the present patent application the terms “wire-shaped conductor” and “wire conductor” generally designate conductors for the transmission of signals that have a defined longitudinal extent and therefore with respect to their external shape are of wire-shaped construction. However, the term “wire conductor” is not restricted to metallic conductors but also designates conductors made of other materials, for example light guides made of glass fibre, or even conductors that serve for the guidance of flowing media. Particularly in the case where the conductors used are provided with an adhesive surface it is also possible for the conductors to be disposed in multiple layers located on top of one another, the lowest layer being connected to the surface of the substrate and other layers being connected in each instance to conductor layers arranged below them. The adhesion may, for example, be obtained via a coating of the conductor with baking lacquer which with regard to its adhesive effect is capable of being activated by means of the action of heat, or via an appropriate plastic coating. 
     FIG. 13 a card inlet pertaining to a chip card with a transponder unit formed from a wire coil and a chip unit; 
     FIG. 14 a sectional representation of the card inlet represented in FIG. 13 according to the course of the line of intersection II—II, for the purpose of elucidating the manufacturing process; 
     FIG. 15 another sectional representation of the card inlet represented in FIG. 13 according to the course of the line of intersection III—III; 
     FIG. 16 a representation corresponding in its view to FIG. 14 for the purpose of elucidating an alternative procedure with subsequent application of a chip unit; 
     FIG. 17 the contacting of the chip unit applied subsequently according to FIG. 17; 
     FIG. 18 a possible contact metallisation of a terminal area of a chip with contacting according to the process represented in FIG. 17; 
     FIG. 19 another possible contact metallisation of a terminal area of a chip; 
     FIG. 20 a representation corresponding in its view to FIG. 14 of a transponder unit arranged on a coil substrate. 
     FIG. 13 shows a chip-card inlet  110  which, with a view to the manufacture of a chip card by way of end product which is not represented in any detail here, is provided with bilateral surface layers which as a rule are applied onto the chip-card inlet in the form of laminated layers covering the surface. 
     The chip-card inlet  110  consists here of a coil substrate  111  formed from plastic material, onto which a wire coil  112  is applied with the aid of wire-laying technology. To this end a wire conductor  113  is wired on the surface of the coil substrate  111  by means of a wiring instrument which is not represented in any detail in FIG.  13  and is partially embedded into the coil substrate  111  by ultrasonic loading, as can be gathered from FIG.  14 . 
     As is evident furthermore from the representation according to FIG. 13, in the coil substrate  111  a recess  114  is provided which serves to accept a chip unit constituted here by an individual chip  115 . The chip unit may, as in the present case, be constituted merely by the chip  115 . However, it is further possible for the chip unit to be formed from a so-called “chip module” which accepts one or even several cased chips. 
     As is further evident from FIG. 13, the wire conductor  113  which is wired for the purpose of forming the wire coil  112  on the coil substrate  111  is contacted with wire ends  116 ,  117  on an assigned terminal area  118  and  119 , respectively, of the chip  115 . 
     A process for implementing the contacting of the wire ends  116 ,  117  with the terminal areas  118 ,  119  of the chip  115  will be elucidated in more detail below with reference to FIG.  14 . The process represented in detail in FIG. 14 is effected in two successive phases, which here for the purpose of differentiation are denoted by I and II. In the phase designated by I the wire end  116  illustrated here is fixed on the coil substrate  111 , whereby simultaneously as a consequence of the aforementioned wiring process for applying the wire conductor  113  onto the surface of the coil substrate  111  the wire conductor  113  is guided away via the chip  115  that is received in the recess  114 . With a view to implementing the process represented in FIG. 14, the coil substrate  111  is arranged on a table  120  together with the chip  115  received in the recess  114 . 
     By way of wiring instrument, in the case of the process example represented in FIG. 14 use is made of an ultrasonic instrument  121  which with a vibrating punch  122  embeds the wire conductor  113  which is continuously guided out of a wire guide  123  into the surface of the coil substrate  111  and thereby simultaneously executes a horizontal movement  124  on the surface of the coil substrate  111 . This application of the wire conductor  113  on the surface of the coil substrate  111 , which is described by the term wirings, is firstly effected in the region designated by Ia to the left of the recess  114 , subsequently the wire conductor  113  is guided away with the wire guide  123  via the chip  115  which is arranged in the recess  114 , in order finally to continue with the fixation of the wire conductor  113  on the right-hand side of the recess  114  in the region headed by Ib by means of ultrasonic loading of the wire conductor via the vibrating punch  122 . Although when use is made of the ultrasonic instrument  121  described above for wiring the wire conductor  113  on the coil substrate  111  a fixation of said wire conductor arises extending substantially over the entire length of the wire conductor  113  on the coil substrate  111 , in order to realise the principle of the process it is sufficient if a fixation of the wire conductor  113  on the coil substrate  111  is effected merely at two points to the left and right of the recess  114 , in order to achieve the linear alignment of the wire conductor  113  represented in FIG. 14 via the terminal areas  118 ,  119  of the chip  115 . 
     After the wire conductor  113  is located in the position spanning the assigned terminal area  118  of the chip  115 , in the phase denoted by II the connection of the wire conductor  113  to the terminal area  118  is effected. To this end use is made, in the process example represented in FIG. 14, of another ultrasonic instrument  125  which, as is evident in particular from FIG. 15, comprises a profiled end  126  pertaining to a vibrating punch  127  and provided with a concave recess. 
     The process described above with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15 also offers the possibility, by appropriate choice of the points of fixation of the wire conductor on the substrate, of guiding the wire conductor away diagonally via the terminal areas, in order to increase the overlap between the wire conductor and the terminal areas. Also, several chips or other elements arranged in series on, or in, a substrate can be connected by means of the wire conductor in the manner represented in FIG.  14 . 
     Furthermore, FIG. 15 shows clearly that, in contrast with the vibrational loading  128  induced by ultrasound which is effected in the longitudinal direction of the vibrating punch  122  of the ultrasonic instrument  121 , the vibrational loading  129  of the vibrating punch  127  induced by ultrasound is effected transverse to the longitudinal direction of the wire conductor  113  and parallel to the surface of the coil substrate  111 . On this vibrational loading  128  a slight contact pressure  130  is superimposed, so that the wire conductor  113  which is received in guided manner in the profiled end  126  of the vibrating punch  127  is moved back and forth in oscillating manner under pressure in the region of the terminal area  118  above the latter. On the one hand this results in any oxide skins that may be present on the terminal area  118  being ripped open and eroded, on the other hand a welding subsequently results, given appropriately high or increased contact pressure  130 , of the wire conductor  113 , which here is formed from copper, to the aluminium terminal area  118 . In case the wire conductor  113  is provided with an external insulation the latter can also be removed by the oscillating movement back and forth in the region of the terminal area  118 , so that subsequently the metallic connection previously described between the wire conductor, which immediately beforehand is still protected against oxidation by the insulation, and the terminal area becomes possible. 
     In the coil substrate  111  represented in FIGS. 14 and 15 the recess  114  is arranged so as to be larger than the corresponding dimensions of the chip  15 , so that a circumferential gap  130  results between the chip  115  and the edges of the recess  114 . By this means a virtually “floating acceptance” of the chip  115  in the recess  114  is possible, whereby, although said chip is substantially defined in its location relative to the coil substrate  111 , it is able to execute minor relative movements. This results in the advantage that, by virtue of the laminating operation described in the introduction for application of the bilateral surface layers onto the coil substrate  111 , the chip can at least partially avoid the pressure loads associated with the laminating operation and consequently the risk of damage to the chip in the course of the laminating operation is significantly reduced. 
     In order also in the case of the “floating acceptance” of the chip in the recess  114  described above to be able to carry out an exact positioning of the wire conductor  113  on the terminal area  118 , the wire conductor  113  can be tracked via a corresponding transverse-movement axis  131  of the ultrasonic instrument  125 . 
     Although with reference to the process example represented in FIGS. 14 and 15 two different ultrasonic instruments  121  and  125  were mentioned in the foregoing description, there is also the possibility, given appropriate design of the ultrasonic instrument  121 , of making use of the latter both for the wiring and/or fixation of the wire conductor on the surface of the coil substrate  111  and for the connection of the wire conductor  113  to the respectively assigned terminal area  118  or  119 . 
     A way of proceeding that is slightly varied in comparison with FIGS. 14 and 15 is represented in FIGS. 16 and 17, wherein only after fixation of the wire conductor  113  on the surface of the coil substrate  111  on both sides of the recess  114  is a chip  132  introduced into said recess. In order simultaneously with the introduction of the chip  132  into the recess  114  to enable a positioning that is suitable for the subsequent contacting of the wire conductor  113  with an assigned terminal area  133  of the chip  132 , the latter is equipped on its contact side  134  with bridge-type alignment aids  135 , in each instance arranged adjacent to a terminal area  133 , which provide for correct relative positioning via guide bevels  136 . 
     FIG. 17 shows, in addition, a thermode instrument  137  which can be employed as an alternative to the ultrasonic instrument  125  by way of a connecting instrument which enables a connection of the wire conductor under pressure and temperature loading to the assigned terminal area  133 . With both of the connection processes represented in FIGS. 14,  15  and  17  there is, in principle, the possibility of establishing the connection between the wire conductor and the terminal areas by a superimposition of ultrasonic loading and temperature loading, for example by means of a heatable ultrasonic instrument. 
     In order to enable a connection of the copper wire conductor  113  to the aluminium terminal areas  133  of the chip  132 , the terminal areas  133  are provided with a contact metallisation  138  (FIG. 18) or  139  (FIG.  19 ). The contact metallisations  138 ,  139  comprise, in corresponding manner, a zincate layer serving as intermediate layer  140  which serves as foundation for a nickel layer  141  applied to it in the case of the contact metallisation  138 , or a palladium layer  142  in the case of the contact metallisation  139 . With a view to improving the connecting capacity or with a view to increasing the oxidation resistance, the nickel layer  141  is also provided with a gold coating  145 . For the purpose of clarifying the size dimensions, layer thicknesses of the layers that are applied to the aluminium coating, about 1 to 2 .mu.m in thickness, of the terminal area  133  are given below by way of examples: 
     
       
         
           
               
               
               
             
               
                   
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
                 zincate layer: 
                 d = 150 nm; 
               
               
                   
                 nickel layer: 
                 d = 1-5 .mu.m; 
               
               
                   
                 palladium layer: 
                 d = 1-5 .mu.m; 
               
               
                   
                 gold coating: 
                 d = 100-150 nm. 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     FIG. 20 finally shows, in a variant of the representation according to FIG. 13, the possibility of applying the process described above also for the direct contacting of the wire conductor  113  with assigned terminal areas  118  and  119  of the chip  115  if the chip  115  is not arranged in a recess but rather on the surface of a substrate  143 . In the case of the substrate  143  represented in FIG. 20 it may be a question, for example, of a paper substrate or of any other substrate. Conforming with the process elucidated with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15, here too on both sides of an acceptance region or arrangement region  144  for the chip  115  a fixation is provided of the wire conductor  113  into the surface regions of the substrate  143 , here designated in simplified manner by Ia and Ib. 
     In particular on account of the particularly thinly formed substrate the embodiment represented in FIG. 20 appears to be particularly suitable for use as a transponder arrangement in connection with the identification of luggage. Although in the foregoing embodiment examples reference is made, with a view to elucidating the process, to transponder units consisting of a coreless wire coil and a chip unit, use may of course also be made of ferrite-core coils such as are employed, for example, for the manufacture of animal transponders. 
     In any case, the chip or the chip unit can be made thinner prior to or after the application on, or in, the substrate, in order to-increase the flexibility of the chip and, where appropriate, to adapt the chip to the substrate as regards its bending behavior. 
     While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.