Motorola Corporation

Milo W Frisbie

Mavin C Swapp

Larry A Nickerson

Milton R McKinley

Throughput and accuracy of testing of a semiconductor device is improved by forming the contacts to allow the leads of a packaged semiconductor device to pass through the contacts. Both AC and DC testing may be done because the contact length is substantially shortened.

Wiping contacts

A test fixture operates under the control of a computer to make automatic correction in test contact spacing between the test fixture contact pins and the circuit under test. The computer detects continuity test failures and raises the test fixture to bring the test contact pins into proximity with the leads of the circuit under test. The computer controls rotation of a motor that drives a screw and moves a shaft and wedge assembly in the horizontal direction. A push rod is attached to the test fixture by way of a base plate and angle brackets. The push rod resting on the wedge slide up and down to raise and lower the test fixture.

Apparatus and method of correcting loss of test contact continuity

The present invention includes a method for transporting articles (24), and a pick and place apparatus (10) for implementing the method. The apparatus includes a suction tube (12) coupled to a pickup cam (11) and a pin (22) coupled to a hold-down cam (18). The pickup cam (11) and the hold-down cam (18) share a common cam shaft (15). In addition, the suction tube (12) is coupled to a pressure reduction apparatus (16) which is enabled throughout the transport process. The cam shaft (15) is rotated in a first direction to couple the article (24) to a suction cup (14). The article (24) is transported to a desired location and released by reversing the direction of rotation of the cam shaft (15). The article (24) is released by the pin (22) pushing the article (24) away from the suction cup (14).

Method and apparatus for picking and placing an article

A handler (11) which transports a number of packaged semiconductor devices (12) in a boat (23) to a test head (14) and tests the devices (12) is provided. The handler (11) has an input staging section (29), a testing section (31) which is adjacent to the test head (14), and an output staging section (36). A boat transport (27a, 27b) moves the boat (23) from the input staging section (29) to the testing section (31) and from the testing section (31) to the output staging section (36). The boat transport (27a, 27b) operates during the device testing to provide substantially parallel operation of the testing and handling steps. A boat lift (39) moves the boat (23) to the test head (14) to allow the packaged semiconductor devices (12) to remain in the boat (23) during testing.

Packaged semiconductor device handler

A testing apparatus utilizes a part guide rather than locating pins to align a molded carrier ring product to contacts of the testing apparatus. The part guide is fabricated so that the inside edges are just slightly larger than the maximum width across the molded carrier ring leads. A contact spacer is used to keep the contacts from touching each other. The contacts are easily replaced by replacing the contact assembly, because they do not need to be soldered to the testing apparatus. The part guide may be fabricated of metal, thus making it very durable.

Testing apparatus having a part guide

Precision centering device useful for positioning items in a predetermined position has first and second halves which are held within a frame. The first and second halves are maintained against retaining walls within the frame by resilient material. The bottom portion of the halves extends from the bottom of the frame and each has a tapered edge which face each other in order to hold the item to be positioned. The top of the halves are maintained within the frame by a resilient structure which allows the halves to move in a vertical position. The halves which accomplish the positioning do not have to be made from precision parts. As the parts wear the centering precision is maintained since the parts are mirror images of each other made from a common piece of stock material.

Precision centering device

An integrated circuit sleeve handler and method includes a hopper for receiving a plurality of integrated circuit sleeves. A conveyor sequentially loads individual ones of the plurality of integrated circuit sleeves for transportation to a pair of opposed orientation wheels. The orientation wheels orient the integrated circuit sleeves in accordance with their specific cross-sectional aspect, such as a longitudinal slot. An interface mechanism in conjunction with the conveyor receives the uniformly oriented integrated circuit sleeves for presentation to a subsequent handling station such as marking or testing equipment.

Integrated circuit sleeve handler and method

A mechanical clutch is described having a spring loaded clutch ring with a drive pin extending through a hole in a hub of a wheel and into a notch of a drive shaft. When pressure is exerted on the outer portion of the drive wheel, the spring is compressed and the drive pin is removed from the notch of the drive shaft. This allows the drive shaft to turn freely within the wheel and hub.

Mechanical clutch

An integrated circuit handler provides very high throughput rates and very low manual labor requirements. A sleeve handler portion provides nearly all of the sleeve handling needs of the handler, receiving periodic inputs of a plurality of sleeves, orienting and unloading the sleeves, reloading the sleeves and binning the sleeves according to output category. Once out of the sleeves, the integrated circuits are handled, in turn, by an input buffer, a transport mechanism which presents the integrated circuits to a workstation, a sort mechanism and an output buffer/sleeve loader mechanism. The particular embodiment disclosed in detail comprises a handler optimized for handling SOIC devices. No gravity-driven mechanisms are used in the handler. Throughput rates up to 60,000 parts per hour and more are possible.

High speed integrated circuit handler

An output buffer apparatus for an integrated circuit handler comprises a plurality of buffer tracks adapted to slidably contain integrated circuits. The tracks are designed to engage only the body portions of the integrated circuits so as to avoid lead damage. A belt running parallel to each track carries paddles which interrupt the path of the integrated circuits thereon. Movement of the belt moves the paddles so that the functions of stopping further movement down the track and forcing the integrated circuits off the output end of the track are performed. Thus, the buffer tracks also serve a sleeve loading function of the handler.

Buffer apparatus for an integrated circuit handler

A buffer and injector apparatus for use in an automated article handling system is adapted to operate between one process which periodically outputs a plurality of articles and another which requires a steady input of individual articles. A particular embodiment is adapted for use in an automated integrated circuit handler between a sleeve unloader and a transport apparatus. Integrated circuits are slideably contained by a buffer track and moved thereon by a belt. Neither the track nor the belt contact the leads of the integrated circuits. A sensor mid-way down the track triggers the sleeve unloader to input more integrated circuits. An injector apparatus at the output end of the track comprises a wheel which engages each integrated circuit until the transport apparatus is ready, then rotates rapidly to inject the integrated circuit into the transport and simultaneously engage another integrated circuit.

Input buffer and article injector mechanism for an automated article

A semiconductor device ejector/sorter for use in an automated handler for randomly sorting a sequential input of semiconductor devices to one of a series of output tracks depending on a predetermined condition. As each semiconductor device is moved into alignment with the appropriate output track, a controller operates an ejector which uses a flexible push rod to eject the semiconductor device onto the track.

Article ejector/sorter for an automated article handling system

A transport mechanism for an automated integrated circuit handler comprises a belt having a plurality of pockets thereon. Each pocket is adapted to carry a single integrated circuit therein and is also adapted for the automatic injection or integrated circuits thereinto and ejection of integrated circuits therefrom. None of the transport functions is gravity-driven. In addition, each pocket has slots therein which allow a test apparatus access to the leads of each part for electrical testing. The belt carries the pockets sequentially past a loading station at which parts are injected, a test station at which testing takes place and at least one output location at which parts are ejected. A high throughput integrated circuit handler capable of handling 60,000 parts per hour or more can be achieved with the disclosed transport mechanism.

Transport mechanism for an automated integrated circuit handler

An integrated circuit sleeve handler comprises an input hopper, a first conveyor for sequentially removing individual sleeves from the hopper, an orientor for uniformly orienting the sleeves, a second conveyor for cooperating with the first conveyor to align each sleeve at a sleeve unloading station, a buffer for temporarily holding empty sleeves, a third conveyor for receiving empty sleeves from the buffer and moving them to and past a sleeve loading station and to an output bin and a fourth conveyor for cooperating with the third conveyor to align each sleeve with the sleeve loading station. Thus, all of the sleeve handling needs for an automated integrated circuit handler can be met with a single apparatus which needs very little manual intervention.

Integrated circuit sleeve handler

An end cap for an integrated circuit sleeve comprises a body portion which fits inside the sleeve and prevents unwanted removal of integrated circuits therefrom and a passage through the body portion which is adapted to permit passage of a pusher mechanism therethrough. The pusher is inserted into the sleeve through the end cap to push integrated circuits out of the opposite end of the sleeve. This end cap reduces the amount of pre- and post-handling manual labor involved in insertion and removal of end caps by one-half.

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Mesa, AZ, United States of America

Milo W Frisbie