Patent ID: 8186562

Claim:
An apparatus for delivering shielding gas during wire bonding of an electronic device, the apparatus comprising: a main body; a through-hole in the main body which is sized for allowing a capillary tip of a bonding tool to be insertable through the main body when performing wire bonding; at least one gas inlet for receiving an inert gas into the main body, and at least one gas outlet for discharging the inert gas from the main body, the at least one gas inlet and the at least one gas outlet defining a plurality of gas paths along which the inert gas flows, the plurality of gas paths comprising an inner gas path within the main body extending along the through-hole and an outer gas path external to the main body extending towards the electronic device on which the capillary tip performs wire bonding; and a secondary gas conduit formed separately in the main body from the gas inlet and formed on top of the gas inlet for increasing a supply of inert gas towards the top of the through-hole.