Robotic Vision Systems, Inc.

Steven J Bilodeau

William E Yonescu

Merlin E Behnke

Donald P McGee

Todd K Pichler

Robert G Bertz

Jon P Ubert

Frank L Jacovino

William Fusco, Jr

Michael L Schneider

An apparatus for processing electronic circuit devices includes an infeed station, a first inspection station, an inverter station, a second inspection station, a sorting station, and an outfeed station. A linear transport mechanism having side edges transports a first work piece containing a plurality of electronic circuit devices through the stations along a linear path. The inverter station holds an empty second work piece above the transport mechanism in an inverted orientation. The inverter station also includes an elevator for lifting the first work piece vertically into an abutting relationship with the second work piece, and an inverting mechanism for inverting the first and second work pieces while maintaining them in the abutting relationship to position the electronic devices in the second work piece in the inverted orientation. The inverter station executes the work piece inverting action while maintaining the work pieces above the linear transport mechanism and between the side edges of the linear transport mechanism. Thus, the electronic circuit devices are inspected at the first inspection station in a first orientation in the first work piece, and are inspected at the second inspection station in an inverted orientation in the second work piece.

Inspection handler apparatus and method

A scanning system inspects elements, such as ICs, continuously by positioning a second tray containing elements to be inspected adjacent a scan bed in which the elements in a first tray are being scanned. Immediately upon completion of scanning of elements in the first tray, scanning begins on elements in the second tray. During scanning of the second tray, the first tray is off loaded, and a third tray replaces the first tray. The cycle is repeated continuously. Since transport and scanning operations take place simultaneously, transport delay is reduced substantially, as compared to the serial system of the prior art. When the transport, positioning, and off loading operations consume substantially less time than the scanning operation, a fresh tray of elements always awaits scanning upon completion of scanning of elements in a tray. In one embodiment, first and second scan beds are elevated above a conveyor, thereby permitting incoming and outgoing trays to pass on the conveyor below the scan beds without interference with the trays elevated in the scan beds. A replace operation, either on-line or off-line, replaces defective elements detected in the scanned trays with known-good elements, whereby the output of the apparatus is 100 percent known-good elements. An embodiment in which transport and positioning takes longer than the scanning operation, thereby requiring a delay in scanning, is disclosed. This latter embodiment, although it does not provide continuous scanning, nevertheless reduces cycle time by virtue of parallel operation of scanning and transport functions.

Dual-bed scanner with reduced transport time

A scanning system inspects elements, such as ICs, continuously by positioning a second tray containing elements to be inspected adjacent a scan bed in which the elements in a first tray are being scanned. Immediately upon completion of scanning of elements in the first tray, scanning begins on elements in the second tray. During scanning of the second tray, the first tray is off loaded, and a third tray replaces the first tray. The cycle is repealed continuously. Since transport and scanning operations take place simultaneously, transport delay is reduced substantially, as compared to the serial system of the prior art. When the transport, positioning, and off loading operations consume substantially less time than the scanning operation, a fresh tray of elements always awaits scanning upon completion of scanning of elements in a tray. In one embodiment, first and second scan beds are elevated above a conveyor, thereby permitting incoming and outgoing trays to pass on the conveyor below the scan beds without interference with the trays elevated in the scan beds. A replace operation, either on-line or off-line, replaces defective elements detected in the scanned trays with known-good elements, whereby the output of the apparatus is 100 percent known-good elements. An embodiment in which transport and positioning takes longer than the scanning operation, thereby requiring a delay in scanning, is disclosed. This latter embodiment, although it does not provide continuous scanning, nevertheless reduces cycle time by virtue of parallel operation of scanning and transport functions.

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Setauket, NY, United States of America

Steven J Bilodeau