The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 07, 2003
Filed:
Aug. 02, 2001
Steven L. Hamren, Boise, ID (US);
Micron Technology, Inc., Boise, ID (US);
Abstract
The present invention is directed toward conductive bump array contactors having an ejector and methods for testing bumped devices using such apparatus. In one aspect of the invention, an apparatus includes a base having a plurality of contact elements projecting therefrom, an ejector coupled to the base and moveable with respect to the base between a first position proximate the base and a second position spaced apart from the base, and an actuating device coupled to the base and to the ejector that asserts a force on the ejector. The biasing force is sufficient to overcome a sticking or attractive force that may develop between the conductive bumps and the contact elements. In one embodiment, the contact elements project into a single opening defined by the ejector. Alternately, the ejector includes a plurality of apertures, each contact element at least partially projecting into one of the apertures.