International Business Machines Corporation

William A Yager

Robert H Cadwallader

Thomas Clarke Morrison

Klaus Probst

Brian J Wojszynski

A substrate tester and method of testing are disclosed in which the tester moves a substrate to be tested into a precise location within the tester prior to making contact with fragile tester pins. The substrate is then clamped in a precise X-Y location relative to the tester contact pins, also without making contact with the tester pins. Next the substrate top surface is moved quickly to a precise Z-axis location, whereupon the tester contact pins are finally applied to the substrate using Z-axis motion only. In addition, a mechanism is included that features a cam-pivot arm micro-switch combination to sense when a product is not properly positioned in or missing from the test station.

Substrate tester location clamping, sensing, and contacting method and

An apparatus for locating a workpiece on a processing surface includes a first locator arm assembly, a second locator arm assembly, and a pivotal member. The first locator arm assembly includes a first multiple position locator jaw disposed for lateral movement and mating engagement with a first portion of the workpiece. The second locator arm assembly includes a second multiple position locator jaw disposed for lateral movement parallel to the first multiple position locator jaw and further for mating engagement with a second, opposite side, portion of the workpiece. Lastly, the pivotal member is disposed for pivotal movement about a pivot point. The pivotal member is symmetrically coupled between the first locator arm assembly and the second locator arm assembly for inducing an equal but opposite lateral movement in the first and second locator jaws to accurately locate the workpiece on the processing surface between the first and second locator jaws as the locator jaws move towards one another.

Substrate tester method and apparatus having rotatable and infinitely

An electrical contacting apparatus for testing a substrate (54) and having a principal axis includes an electrical contact pad, a guide plate (106), a supporting bridge (132), and a mechanism for providing a contact actuation force. The guide plate includes side edges with guide pins (108) extending radially outward from a center of each side edge. The electrical contact pad (114) is mounted and centered upon a top surface of the guide plate (106). The support bridge supports the guide plate to enable a pivotal movement of the guide plate about a point on the principal axis. Lastly, the contact actuation force mechanism provides a contact actuation force to a center of the bottom surface of the guide plate to maintain an equal force across the electrical contact pad in a direction of the principal axis, whereby the electrical contact pad provides a desired contacting force equally balanced across an entire contact area defined by an area of contact between the electrical contact pad and a substrate being contacted. The substrate (54) is to be clamped between test probes (52) and the contact pad (114).

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Salt Point, NY, United States of America

William A Yager