Automated burn-in system

Abstract

An improved burn-in board cartridge for use in burn-in and testing of IC packages in an automated burn-in and test system is disclosed. The cartridge includes printed circuit cards mounted on a single or both side faces of the cartridge, thereby permitting IC packages to be mounted on either or both sides of the cartridge. The cartridge includes a sturdy frame holding in place the printed circuit cards and providing strength to reduce damage to the circuit cards. Attached to the frame are rails which are used to position the cartridge in various apparatus such as burn-in chambers. Cooling tubes and electrical components can be placed inside the two-sided cartridge, between the printed circuit cards. The burn-in chamber is divided into zones with each zone having a number of slots into which a burn-in board is placed. The chamber includes rotating air diverters positioned at each end of a zone which are capable of channeling the heated air within the chamber around any one zone. Each zone has an access door to permit loading and unloading of burn-in boards from any zone. An automated handler is provided to automatically insert and remove the burn-in board and cartridge from various units in the system. The handler includes a generally T-shaped member inserted into apertures on the burn-in board by rotating the handler with a cam lever and a first cam follower. A plurality of handlers may be used to grasp and insert a number of burn-in boards sequentially, using a second cam lever and cam follower.