Adv Antest Corporation

Sym-Tek Systems, Inc.

Kazuyuki Tsurishima

Teruaki Sakurada

Thomas E Toth

Mitsuaki Tani

Minoru Baba

Mark W Klug

Theodore C Guenther

Steven David Swendrowski

Martin Twite

Stephen R Lamb

An integrated circuit (IC) device test handler which is adaptable to receive various customer tray configurations and automatically test the ICs within. The test handler comprises a customer tray magazine input area, a load section, a soak chamber, a test section, an unsoak chamber and an unload area. Two magazines containing customer trays with IC devices are input to the handler. An elevator mechanism raises the customer trays within one magazine at a time to a position which can be accessed by the loader of the test handler. A catcher device moves the trays to a buffer platform where the trays can be accessed by a transfer arm. The transfer arms moves the customer trays to one of two load stages. A pick and place apparatus removes the IC devices from each customer tray on the load stages and transfers them to a precisor for alignment and then to a test tray. The test trays are conveyed through a soak chamber to simulate certain environmental conditions and then through a double test head chamber where the IC devices are tested. The test trays are returned to ambient conditions through an unsoak chamber. A pair of unload pick and place apparatus move tested IC devices from the test trays to customer trays waiting on unload stages. The transfer arm moves the customer trays to various tray magazines based on the test results. Elevators under the magazines step down as each full customer tray is placed thereon.

Apparatus for automatic handling

A contact assembly for use in testing electronic devices such as integrated circuits (IC's) and the like. The contact assembly has a test fixture having a test contactor, a corresponding carrier module aligned on a test tray for positioning the electronic devices to be tested in alignment with the test fixture, and a vertical drive for driving the carrier module to meet with the test contactor. The vertical drive is provided with an individual drive for giving an additional contact force to said carrier module and said test contactor. The vertical drive further includes a lead pusher for ensuring ideal contact pressure for the leads of the electric devices with the test contactor. The carrier module is provided with a plurality of slits for separating the leads of the electric devices and inviting the test contactor.

Contact assembly for automatic test handler

A contact assembly for use in testing electric devices such as integrated circuits (IC's) and the like is comprised of a test socket and a corresponding carrier module for positioning the electric devices to be tested in alignment with the test socket. The carrier module is provided with a holding mechanism for retaining electronic devices to be tested in their proper position in the seat of the module, the holding mechanism being retractable so as to not interfere with the electrical contact between the socket and the electric device. In another aspect of the present invention, the contact assembly is provided with a slide positioning mechanism for slidably positioning the electronic device in its proper location on the seat of the carrier module.

Electric device contact assembly

A separation and transfer apparatus for use in an electronic test system for testing electronic devices such as IC's, and the like. The apparatus has a housing for holding in a horizontal position, a magazine containing such electronic devices, an air blower for blowing compressed air at the electronic devices at an angle through a slit of the magazine so that the electronic devices are separated from one another and urged in a desired direction, a piston pin for insertion into a space developed between the last electronic device in the magazine and one end of the magazine, an advancing apparatus for changing the horizontal position of the air blower and the piston pin and for expelling the electronic devices from the magazine, and a controller for controlling the timing of the air blowing, the movement of the advancing apparatus, and the operation of the piston pin. The invention also includes a transfer apparatus having mounted thereon a second air blower and piston pin for transferring the electronic devices thus expelled from the magazine to the next stage of the test system, such as a temperature chamber. Another aspect of the present invention is a universal electronic device magazine for use in such separation and transfer apparatus, which magazine need not be changed or varied despite differences in the shape and kinds of the electronic devices to be tested.

Separation and transfer apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Saitama, Japan

Kazuyuki Tsurishima