EP0268881A1 - Device for testing and sorting electronic compounds such as IC's - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for testing and sorting electronic components (33), in particular ICs, is mounted directly on the holding device (2a, 2b to 10a, 10b) which is preferably associated with a manipulator for a testing computer. To transport the components (33) between an input magazine (16), a test head (20) and an output magazine (17), a suction head (20) is provided which can be transported on a carriage guide (15) and which is mounted so as to be capable of being lowered. The holding device associated with the manipulator makes it possible to arrange the test computer (1) and the entire device at an angle in such a way that the components (33) move forward so as to slide under the force of gravity in the magazine sticks (26) of the input magazine (16) and of the output magazine (17). …<IMAGE>…

Description

The invention relates to a device for testing and sorting electronic components, in particular ICs, with at least one input magazine having a magazine channel for the components to be tested, with a test head having a socket with connecting contacts for the components to be tested one after the other, with a box-shaped one Test computer located in the housing, which supplies the test head with test signals for the components, with an output magazine which has at least one magazine channel for the components which are found to be good and at least one magazine channel for the components which are found to be defective or poor, and with at least one adjustable holder for which box-shaped housing of the test computer. Such a device is described in DE-OS 33 40 183. A holder for the test computer in the form of a manipulator is described in the older German patent applications P 36 15 941.7 and P 36 15 942.5 and in EP-OS 0 102 217.

The previously known test device is characterized by a high working speed. Its inclined input magazine has a large number of magazine channels and can be moved across the magazine channels in order to be able to bring a selected magazine channel into the unloading position. This feeds the components it contains to a fixed separating device, which consists of a belt conveyor with a light barrier. The isolated components then fall into a test channel up to a test head. This has finger-like spring elements which are connected to the test computer. After the test process, every component tested falls in a so-called sorting shuttle, which can be moved across the magazine channels of the fixed output magazine and unloads the component into one of the magazine channels according to the test result. The magazine channels are again arranged at an angle. The filling of the magazine channels of the input magazine and the emptying of the filled magazine channels of the output magazine takes place by inserting magazine rods for the time of filling or unloading onto the inputs of the magazine channels of the input magazine or onto the outputs of the magazine channels of the output magazine. The test device is located in a separate housing and is an independent device. The test computer is also located in a separate box-shaped housing. Since it is very heavy on the one hand and the box-shaped housing is unwieldy and on the other hand the connection between the test computer and the test head of the test device must be established by means of appropriate plugs or plug contacts located on both devices, which are sensitive to mechanical damage, the housing of the test computer is placed in a manipulator clamped. The manipulator is equipped with a weight compensation system and allows the housing of the test computer to be moved in several degrees of freedom, so that the plug contacts of the two devices can be brought into engagement safely and without damage.

Since the known test device was developed in the sense of a high working speed and with the aim of classifying the components found to be defective as finely as possible, it is obvious that this device requires a correspondingly large technical outlay and is accordingly expensive.

The invention has for its object a device for testing and sorting electronic components, in particular ICs, which requires considerably less technical effort and can therefore be manufactured more cheaply, with the fact that the operating speed is lower and the sorting is less finely classified.

The object is achieved in that the input magazine, the test head and the output magazine are attached to the housing of the test computer or the holder, and that a movable transmission element is provided, by means of which the components can be transported from the input magazine to the test head and from the test head to the output magazine are.

There is therefore no need to accommodate the test device in a separate housing. Rather, the device parts are, if necessary, detachably attached to the housing of the test computer or to the holder for the housing.

Since, as explained above, the manipulator allows the test computer housing to be positioned in any position, according to a further development of the invention it can also be positioned such that the input magazine and the output magazine are inclined or vertical, in such a way that the components sliding forward in the magazine channels by gravity. The manipulator that is already available for handling the heavy test computer can also be used here to give the test device according to the invention a position that saves additional transport or displacement elements for the components, which would be necessary if the magazine channels were horizontal Direction would be aligned. The manipulator even allows the bevel to be selected precisely, so that the components slide on the one hand, but on the other hand only meet at a moderate speed and damage is avoided in this way.

One way of realizing the basic concept of the invention can be that a crossbar, which spans the output of the input magazine, the test head and the input of the output magazine, is attached to the housing of the test computer or the holder for the housing with a slide guide, that a slide is attached to the slide guide is movably arranged that the carriage carries a suction head that can be displaced against the magazines and the test head or away from them for the components to be transported and that a traversing drive for the carriage, a displacement drive for the suction head and a pneumatic control for the suction head are provided.

At the output of the output magazine, a separate storage opening for the tested components can be provided for each magazine channel, the traversing drive, the displacement drive and the pneumatic control being controlled by the computer or depending on the test result.

In order to ensure that a component gripped by the suction head is precisely inserted into the socket of the test head or the intended placement opening of the output magazine, the suction head can have a laterally deflectable downward-pointing suction nipple, which permits lateral tolerance movements of the component. In addition, the socket of the test head and the placement openings for the components on the output magazine can be conical be trained.

In order to ensure that a component gripped by the suction head is inserted safely but carefully into the socket of the test head or the intended placement opening of the output magazine, according to another development of the invention the suction head can be provided with at least one stop element which is to be placed on a corresponding one Counter-stop next to the removal opening of the input magazine, the version of the test head and the or the storage openings of the output magazine is determined, and that the teat is adjustable against the resistance of a restoring force on the suction head and against the forward displacement movement of the suction head.

The input magazine can have at least two magazine channels and can be displaceably arranged in such a way that the removal opening of each magazine channel is in a fixed removal position. In this way, one magazine channel can be filled and the other emptied. Another development of the invention can consist in the fact that the magazine channels in the magazines are formed by magazine rods that can be inserted into the magazines. This is particularly advantageous because the components are normally transported in magazine bars anyway.

To hold magazine bars of different widths and heights, adjustable or resilient mounting or clamping elements can be provided.

The removal opening at the end of each magazine channel of the input magazine can be adjusted from the side or height Limiting elements are formed, which are set so that the removal opening is adapted to the length and width of the components to be removed.

As already mentioned, the adjustable holder for the box-shaped housing of the test computer can be a manipulator. However, this is not mandatory. It is also possible that the holder is only designed so that it allows the manipulator to be placed, preferably in an oblique orientation, on a table or the like.

Finally, a last development of the invention can consist in that the box-shaped housing of the test computer is surrounded by carrier cheeks and fastened in it, that the carrier cheeks sit in the adjustable holder or belong to it, that on opposite sides of the carrier cheeks protrude beyond the box-shaped housing Carrier elements are fastened, that the box-shaped housing-overlapping carrier rails for holding the magazines are fastened to the carrier elements, and that the cross member of the slide guide is also fastened to the carrier elements.

• Fig. 1 eine perspektivische Ansicht des Testcomputer-Ge­häuses, das von einem nur zum Teil sichtbaren Manipulator gehalten ist und der darauf befindlichen Testvorrichtung;
• Fig. 2 eine Ansicht II aus Fig. 1;
• Fig. 3 eine Ansicht III aus Fig. 1;
• Fig. 4 eine Seitenansicht IV des Eingangsmagazins in Fig. 1;
• Fig. 5 eine Ansicht von oben auf das Eingangsmagazin;
• Fig. 6 eine Seitenansicht VI des Ausgangsmagazins in Fig. 1;
• Fig. 7 eine Ansicht von oben auf das Ausgangsmagazin;
• Fig. 8 einen Schnitt durch einen auswechselbaren Einsatz für den Saugkopf.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described below with reference to the drawings. Show it:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of the test computer housing, which is held by a partially visible manipulator and the test device located thereon.
• FIG. 2 shows a view II from FIG. 1;
• Fig. 3 is a view III of Fig. 1;
• Fig. 4 is a side view IV of the input magazine in Fig. 1;
• Fig. 5 is a top view of the input magazine;
• Fig. 6 is a side view VI of the output magazine in Fig. 1;
• Fig. 7 is a top view of the exit magazine;
• Fig. 8 shows a section through an interchangeable insert for the suction head.

In Fig. 1, the housing 1 containing the test computer is clamped in carrier cheeks 2a, 2b, which in turn are firmly connected to two plates, of which only plate 3a is visible. The plate 3a lies against a further plate 4a and is connected to it by a pivot axis 5a. The further plate 4 is provided with a semicircular slot 6a through which a screw 7a protrudes, which engages in the former plate 3a. The plate 4a also carries two bearing bushes 8a and 9a, with which it sits on a rod 10a. The test computer housing can be pivoted about the axis 5a and can be fixed in a certain inclined position with the screw 7a. The parts 3a to 10a are present symmetrically on the other side (see FIG. 2), and are identified there with the same number but with "b". The parts mentioned together with the carrier cheeks belong to a manipulator.

Carrier elements 11a, 11b, which protrude beyond the box-shaped housing 1 of the test computer, are fastened to the carrier cheeks 2a, 2b. Carrier rails 12, 13 and extend between the carrier elements 11a, 11b a cross member 14 with a slide guide 15.

An input magazine 16 and an output magazine 17 are attached to the carrier rails. Furthermore, holders 18, 19 for a test head 20 are fastened to the carrier rails 12, 13.

On the slide guide 15, a slide 21 is arranged to be horizontally displaceable. The drive takes place with a stepper motor 22 via a toothed belt drive which cannot be seen here. The drive motor 22 sits on the crossmember 14.

The carriage 21 carries a suction head 23 which can be raised or lowered on guide rails 25 by means of a pneumatic lifting cylinder 24. The pneumatic supply lines for the lifting cylinder 24 and the suction head 23 as well as the vacuum source and the corresponding control are not shown, since these are common parts.

The input magazine 16 has two conventional magazine bars 26, only one of which is shown in FIG. 1. The components contained in the magazine bars 26 slide due to the oblique arrangement to the right to a removal opening 27. As will be described in more detail later, the input magazine 16 is displaceable transversely to the magazine bars, in such a way that one of the two magazine bars can always be brought into the unloading position while the other is exchanged for a full magazine bar.

At least two magazine bars 26 are inserted into the output magazine 17, only one of which is shown in FIG. 1. A storage opening 28 is provided for each of the exchangeable magazine bars 26. By the oblique arrangement causes the components deposited in the deposit opening 28 to slide into the magazine rod 26 in question.

Testing and sorting with the device shown in FIG. 1 proceeds as follows: The slide 21 travels with the suction head 23 raised over the single removal opening 27 of the input magazine 16. Once there, the suction head 23 is lowered and grasps the component which is ready in the removal opening 27 . The suction head with the sucked component is then raised. The carriage is then moved into a position in which the suction head is located above the holder 29 of the test head 20. The suction head 23 is now lowered with the component attached to it, such that the connection contacts of the component are brought into contact with the contacts of the socket 29. The test computer now feeds test signals to the component and evaluates the reaction. While evaluating the test result, the suction head with the component located thereon is raised again and the slide is moved toward the exit magazine 17. It stops over one of the storage openings 28 of the output magazine. There the suction head 23 is lowered with the component attached to it. If the component is in the storage opening 28, the system switches from suction to bubbles, so that the component reliably detaches from the suction head 23. This is then raised again and the carriage is moved back to the starting position. The deposited component slides into the corresponding magazine rod 26.

The side view shown in Fig. 2 shows parts that are hidden in Fig. 1. As far as these parts are provided in pairs with parts on the other side , they have been marked with "b" next to the same reference number. In addition, the gearwheel 30 of the drive motor 22 for the slide 21 can be seen. It is also easy to see how the entire device is inclined.

3 shows, in addition to the gear 30 of the drive motor 22, the toothed belt 31 which meshes with the gear and which is connected to the carriage 21. It can also be seen that the suction head 23 has a replaceable part, which is shown in more detail in FIG. 8. This interchangeable part comprises two stop elements 34, 35 which correspond to corresponding counter stops 36, 37 in addition to the socket 29 of the test head 20. Similar counter-stops are also provided in addition to the removal opening of the input magazine 16 and the storage openings of the output magazine 17. A component 33 inserted into the socket 29 of the test head 20 can also be seen.

4 and 5, the input magazine is shown larger. The side view in FIG. 4 shows the input magazine with magazine bars 26 inserted. In FIG. 5, no magazine bars are inserted.

The input magazine consists of a base frame 134 with a U-profile placed on the rails 12, 13. The base frame 134 is penetrated by a rod 135, which extends between side walls 136, 137. Carrier plates 38, 39 are placed on the side walls 136, 137. Adjustable limiting elements 40 for the magazine rods 26 to be inserted sit on the latter. The rod 135 is provided at one end with a knob 41 which is used for gripping by hand. By pressing against the knob 41, the parts 46 to 49 formed attachment are laterally displaced relative to the base frame 134 (Fig. 5 upwards). A magnetic body 42 is connected to the base frame and interacts with magnetic counterparts 43, 44 on the two side walls 136, 137. In the case shown in FIG. 5, the magnetic body 42 adheres to the counterpart 43, thereby preventing the magazine attachment formed by the parts 46 to 49 from being inadvertently displaced. The same applies if the attachment is in the other position.

On the base frame 134 there is also a removal base plate 45. Two adjustable limiting elements 46, 47 are arranged on this and are set to the prescribed distance by interposing a component 33. Above the inlet channel formed by the two lateral limiting elements 46, 47 is an upper limiting element 48 which is adjustable in a holder 49 parallel to the inlet channel and also in height above the inlet channel, as indicated by the double arrows in FIG. 4. Furthermore, there is a stop 50 in the inlet channel. The length of the removal opening can be adapted to the components to be removed by appropriately setting the distance of the upper limiting element 48 from the stop 50. By adjusting the height of the limiting element 48, the height of the components can be adjusted. A component 33 is also shown in the removal opening. The components therefore run obliquely downwards from the magazine bar aligned with the inlet channel due to their gravity into the inlet channel to the removal opening. An upper limiting part 51 for the front end of the magazine rod 26 to be unloaded is also fastened to the holder 49, which, as indicated by the double arrow is adjustable in height.

The output magazine shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 has three support rails 52, 53, 54 which are fastened on the cross rails 12, 13. Extension rails 55, 56, 57 are fastened to the carrier rails 52, 53, 54. A continuous plate 58 is placed on the carrier rails 52, 53, 54. On the extensions 55, 56, 57, two partial plates 59a, 59b and two partial plates 60a and 60b are placed.

Four lateral limiting elements 61 are arranged on the continuous plate 58, which limit two storage channels. The side delimiting elements 61 are, as indicated by the double arrows, laterally displaceable and thus adaptable to the width of the components 33. Further limiting elements 62, which are displaceable in the longitudinal direction, project into the storage channels. They are supported on plates 63 which are arranged on the cross plate 58. Limiting elements 64 are arranged above the storage channel and are fastened to a holder 65 so as to be height-adjustable. This is indicated by the double arrow in Fig. 6. The holder 65 sits on the plate 58.

Lateral limiting elements 66 for the magazine bars 26 are in turn seated on the two partial plates 59a, 59b. These limiting elements 66 are laterally displaceable and can thus be adapted to the width of the magazine bars 26. Furthermore, each of the two sub-plates 59a, 59b has a clamping body 67 which is seated on a crosspiece 68 which is fastened in a vertically displaceable manner with screws 69 on the plates 59a, 59b, as is indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 6. On the underside of the clamping body 67 there is one Leaf spring 70, which presses on the inlet end of the magazine rod 26 and thus holds it in place. A sensor 71 of a microswitch bears against the leaf spring 70. The microswitch responds when the leaf spring 70 is not pushed up by a magazine rod. In this case, the test operation is interrupted in order to avoid that components inserted into the placement openings do not hit a magazine bar when they slide downwards. On the partial plates 60a, 60b there are in turn laterally displaceable limiting elements 72, between which the magazine rods 26 can be inserted.

The insert shown in FIG. 8 for the suction head consists of an insert body 73 to which a recessed hollow cylindrical receiving part 74 is attached. In the hollow cylindrical receiving part 74 there is a plunger 75 with the suction nipple 36 which can be connected to a vacuum / pressure source via a pneumatic connecting line 77. The stamp 75 has an upwardly projecting pin 78 on which the compression coil spring 79 is seated, which is supported on the insert body 73.

At the lower end of the recessed hollow cylindrical receptacle 74 is a guide member 80 with a bore 81 through which the teat 36 extends with play. This game allows the teat 36 to be moved laterally and thus to compensate for tolerances when inserting the component 33 into the socket of the test head or into the deposit opening.

The stop elements 34, 35 already described in connection with FIG. 3 are located on the hollow cylindrical receiving body 74.

It should be added that those in the drawings are not visible insertion opening in the socket 29 of the test head 20 and the placement openings 28 (see FIG. 1) of the output magazine are tapered downwards, so that here too the component 33 held by the teat 36 can be guided with tolerance compensation.

Claims (12)

1.Device for testing and sorting electronic components, in particular ICs, with an input magazine having at least one magazine channel for the components to be tested, with a test head having a socket with connecting contacts for the components to be tested one after the other, with a box-shaped housing located test computer, which feeds test signals for the components to the test head, with an output magazine which has at least one magazine channel for the components which are found to be good and at least one magazine channel for the components which are found to be defective or poor, and with an adjustable holder for the box-shaped housing of the Test computers,
characterized,
that the input magazine (16), the test head (20) and the output magazine (17) on the housing (1) of the test computer or the holder (2a, 2b) to 10a, 10b) are fixed, and that a movable Transmission element (23) is provided, by means of which the components (33) can be transported from the input magazine (16) to the test head (20) and from the test head (20) to the output magazine (17). 2. Device according to claim 1,
characterized,
that the housing (1) of the test computer is positioned in the adjustable holder (2a, 2b to 10a, 10b) in such a way that the input magazine (16) and the output magazine (17) are inclined or vertical, in such a way that the components (33) slide forward in the magazine channels (26) by gravity. 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized,
that on the housing (1) of the test computer or the holder (2a, 2b to 10a, 10b) for the housing (1) has an output (27) of the input magazine (16), the test head (20) and the input (28) the crossbeam (14) of the output magazine (17) is fastened with a slide guide (15) such that a slide (21) is movably arranged on the slide guide (15) so that the slide (21) bears against the magazine (16, 17) and the test head (20) or the suction head (23) displaceable therefrom for the components (33) to be transported, and that a traversing drive (22) for the carriage (21), a displacement drive (24) for the suction head (23 ) and a pneumatic control for the suction head (23) are provided. 4. The device according to claim 3,
characterized,
that on the output magazine (17) for each magazine channel (26) a separate storage opening (28) for the tested Components (33) is provided, and that the traversing drive (22), the displacement drive (24) and the pneumatic control are controlled by the computer or as a function of the test result. 5. The device according to claim 3,
characterized,
that the suction head (23) has a laterally deflectable downward-pointing suction nipple (36), and that the socket (29) of the test head (20) and one or more storage openings (28) provided on the output magazine (17) for the components (33) are conical. 6. The device according to claim 5,
characterized,
that the suction head (23) is provided with at least one stop element (34, 35) which is to be placed on a corresponding counter stop (36, 37) next to the removal opening (27) of the input magazine (16), the holder (29) of the test head ( 20) and the or the storage openings (28) of the output magazine (17) is determined, and that the teat (36) against the resistance of a restoring force (79) on the suction head (23) and against the downward displacement movement of the suction head ( 23) is adjustable. 7. Device according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the input magazine (16) has at least two magazine channels (26) and is displaceably arranged such that the removal opening (27) of each magazine channel is in a fixed removal position. 8. Device according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the magazine channels in the magazines (16, 17) are formed by magazine bars (26) which can be inserted into the magazines. 9. The device according to claim 8,
characterized,
that for holding magazine bars (26) of different widths and heights adjustable and lockable or resilient mounting or clamping elements (40, 66, 72, 51, 70) are provided. 10. The device according to claim 8 or 9,
characterized,
that the removal opening (27) at the end of each magazine channel (26) of the input magazine (16) is formed by side or height-adjustable limiting elements (46, 47, 48) which are adjusted so that the removal opening (27) has the length and Width of the components (33) to be removed is adapted. 11. Device according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the adjustable bracket (2a, 2b to 10a, 10b) for the box-shaped housing of the test computer (1) is a manipulator. 12. Device according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized,
that the box-shaped housing (1) of the test computer is enclosed by carrier cheeks (2a, 2b) and fastened in this, that the carrier cheeks (2a, 2b) sit in the adjustable holder (2a, 2b to 10a, 10b) or belong to it that at the carrier cheeks (2a, 2b) over the box-shaped housing (1) projecting support elements (11a, 11b) are attached, that on the support elements (11a, 11b) the box-shaped housing (1) overlapping support rails (12, 13) for holding the magazines (16, 17) are fastened, and that on the carrier elements (11a, 11b) furthermore the cross member (14) of the slide guide (15) is fastened.

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