JP2002048842A - Integrated circuit handler - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To straighten a warped or twisted tray having mounted integrated circuits. SOLUTION: An elevator 23 has a tray base 26 contacting the downside of a tray 2 and a base support 28 for supporting the tray base 26 through springs 27a-27d. Positioning means comprise position sensors 31, 32 for detecting the position of the tray 2 pushed up to a specified position, reference plates 33, 34 for positioning the tray 2 in a direction A, reference plate 35 for positioning the tray 2 in a direction B, rotatable retainers 36, 37 for retaining the topside periphery of the tray 2, cylinders 40, 41 having pushing plates 38, 39 for pushing the tray 2 in the direction A, cylinder 43 having pushing plate 42 for pushing the tray in the direction B, and cylinders 44, 45 for rotating the retainers 36, 37. The retainers 36, 37 retain the tray 2 topside, and the tray base support 26 is pressed to the downside of the tray 2 owing to the elastic force of the springs 27a-27d.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an integrated circuit handler for transporting a tray on which a plurality of integrated circuits are mounted to a predetermined position, positioning the integrated circuit on the tray to a test section or the like, and testing the integrated circuit. It is.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional integrated circuit handler of this type includes lifting means for pushing a tray on which a plurality of integrated circuits are placed to a predetermined position, positioning means for positioning the tray pushed to a predetermined position, And a transport means for attracting and holding the integrated circuit and transporting the integrated circuit to a test section or the like. The positioning means includes a first reference surface for determining the position of one side surface in the longitudinal direction of the tray, a second reference surface for determining the position of one side surface in the short direction of the tray, and the other side surface of the tray in the first direction. It comprises a first pressing means for pressing against the reference surface, a second pressing means for pressing the other lateral side of the tray against the second reference surface, and the like.

[0003]

However, in the conventional integrated circuit handler, one side in the longitudinal direction and one side in the short direction of the tray are positioned by pressing them against the first reference surface and the second reference surface, respectively. Only, the tray may be warped or twisted. In this case,
In some cases, the positioning accuracy of the integrated circuits placed on the tray is reduced, and the integrated circuits cannot be transported accurately.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems,
An object of the present invention is to provide an integrated circuit handler capable of correcting a warp or a twist of a tray on which an integrated circuit is placed.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, an integrated circuit handler according to the present invention comprises a lifting means for vertically transporting a tray on which an integrated circuit is mounted, and a tray for transporting the tray by the lifting means. Positioning means for positioning at a predetermined position, and control means for controlling the elevating means and the positioning means, the elevating means being a tray base on which the tray is mounted, and a base supporting the tray base via an elastic member And driving means for driving the base in the vertical direction.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail based on the illustrated embodiment. FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment, wherein trays 2 to 6 and a test head unit 7 are arranged at predetermined positions on the upper surface of an apparatus main body 1 of an integrated circuit handler according to the present invention. A plurality of integrated circuits (ICs) before writing and before measurement are positioned and placed on the tray 2,
The tray 2 is carried into a predetermined position by carrying-in means described later, and is positioned by a later-described positioning means.

The integrated circuits on the tray 2 are sequentially transferred to the tray 3, the test head unit 7, and the tray 4 by the transfer means described later. Rejected integrated circuits are transported. Tray 3 to 6 and test head 7
The integrated circuits conveyed to these are positioned and mounted on them. The trays 5 and 6 on which the tested integrated circuits are placed are carried out by carrying-out means (not shown).

[0008] As a transfer means, a first transfer unit 11 as a loader that holds the integrated circuit on the tray 2 and moves to the tray 3, and holds the integrated circuit on the tray 3 and moves to the test head unit 7. With test head 7 to tray 4
, A third transfer unit 13 as an unloader that holds the integrated circuit on the tray 4 and moves to the tray 5 or the tray 6 according to the measurement result, and an empty tray. And a fourth transport unit 14 that holds the tray 2 and moves to a position corresponding to the tray 5 or the tray 6,
18 are provided so as to be freely movable. These transport units 11 to 14 are connected to a driving unit, a decompression unit, a decompression release unit, and the like disposed in the apparatus main body 1 so as to adsorb and align a plurality of integrated circuits and hold them. .

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the tray 2 and its vicinity, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of FIG. 2, and a tray insertion hole 22 for vertically inserting the tray 2 in a horizontal state is formed in a top plate 21 of the apparatus main body 1. A loading means is provided below the tray insertion hole 22, and a positioning means is provided around the tray insertion hole 22.

The loading means is an elevator 23, on which a tray cassette 24 in which a plurality of trays 2 are stacked and housed is mounted. Tray cassette 2
4 is provided with guide rails 25a to 25d located at the four corners of the tray 2 to guide them vertically. The elevator 23 includes a tray base 26 that contacts the lower surface of the lowermost tray 2, a base 28 that supports the tray base 26 via, for example, four springs 27a to 27d,
A screw shaft 29 screwed into a central boss 28a of the base 28
And a drive motor (not shown) for driving the screw shaft.

As a positioning means, a pair of position sensors 31 and 32 for detecting the position of the tray 2 raised to a predetermined position.
And a reference plate 3 serving as a reference for positioning the tray 2 in the A direction.
3, 34, a reference plate 35 serving as a reference for positioning the tray 2 in the B direction, a rotatable pressing member 36, 37 for pressing a peripheral portion of the upper surface of the tray 2 in the longitudinal direction, and A
Cylinders 40 and 41 having push plates 38 and 39 for pressing the tray 2 in the direction B, a cylinder 43 having a push plate 42 for pressing the tray 2 in the B direction, and holding members 36 and 3 respectively.
7 are provided.

The holding members 36 and 37 are rotatable about an axis along the longitudinal direction of the tray 2, and the holding members 36 and 37 are attached to the reference plate portion 3 which is in contact with the upper surface of the tray 2.
6a and 37a are provided respectively. The cylinders 44 and 45 are attached to the holding members 36 and 37 by the shafts 46 and 47, respectively.
And the cylinder 4
The vicinity of the bottom of 4 and 45 is rotatably supported by the apparatus main body 1.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the control procedure of the control means. The tray 2 is carried into a predetermined position, the tray 2 is positioned and its curvature and twist are corrected.
The procedure of unloading the upper integrated circuit and unloading the empty tray 2 to the unloading position is shown.

In step 1, a plurality of trays 2 on which integrated circuits are mounted are stacked and mounted on a tray base 26 of an elevator 23. Then, the elevator 23 is operated to push up the tray 2 in the C direction.

In step 2, the uppermost tray 2 is pushed up to a precisely defined predetermined position. At this time, the position of the tray 2 is detected by the position sensors 31 and 32, the operation of the elevator 23 is stopped, and the tray 2 is held at a predetermined position.

In step 3, the elevator 23 is restarted, and the tray 2 is pushed up slightly from a predetermined position as shown in FIG. At this time, the springs 27a to 27d of the elevator 23 support the plurality of trays 2 in an extended state, and the reference surfaces 36a of the pressing members 36 and 37,
37a is spaced from the upper surface of the tray 2.

In step 4, the cylinders 40, 41, 4
The tray 2 is pressed in the directions A and B by the push plates 38, 39, and 42, and the reference plates 33, 3
4. Press on 35.

In step 5, the cylinders 44 and 45 are operated, and the pressing members 36 and 37 are driven to rotate so that their reference plate portions 36a and 37a are pressed against the upper surface of the tray 2. At this time, since the tray 2 is located slightly above the predetermined position, the pressing members 36 and 37 forcibly press the upper surface of the tray 2 in the D direction. As a result, the tray 2 descends to a predetermined position below and the elevator 23
Compression of the springs 27a to 27d
The pressing forces 6, 37 and the resiliency of the springs 27a to 27d correct the tray 2 for warping and twisting.

In step 6, all the integrated circuits on the tray 2 are sucked and held by the first transport section 11, and the transport sections 11
Is moved along the arm 15. After all the integrated circuits are carried out of the tray 2, the holding members 36, 3
7 is released to release the pressing of the upper surface of the tray 2.

In step 7, the cylinders 40, 41, 4
3 is actuated to separate the push plates 38, 39, 42 from the tray 2 to release the pressing of the side surface of the tray 2.

In step 8, the empty tray 2 is sucked and held by the fourth transport unit 14, and the transport unit 14 is moved along the arm 18 to be transported to a position corresponding to the tray 5 or the tray 6. .

In step 9, the process returns to step 1 or goes to the end.

As described above, in the embodiment, the tray 2 on which the integrated circuit is placed is pushed up slightly above a predetermined position, and then the peripheral portions of the upper surface of the tray 2 are pressed by the holding members 36 and 37.
Of the pressing members 36, 37 and the spring 27a.
With the resilience of ~ 27d, the tray 2 can be accurately positioned at a predetermined position, and the warp and twist of the tray 2 can be corrected.

In the above-described embodiment, the upper surface of the tray 2 is pressed by the pressing members 36 and 37 after the tray 2 is pushed up slightly above the predetermined position. A similar effect can be achieved by closing the tray 2 in advance at a position where it can come into contact with the upper surface, and then pressing the tray 2 against the pressing members 36 and 37 by the elevator 23.

Although the carrying means for carrying the tray 2 to the predetermined position has been described, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to the carrying means for carrying out the trays 5 and 6.

[0026]

As described above, in the integrated circuit handler according to the present invention, the upper surface of the tray on which the integrated circuit is placed is pressed to a predetermined position by the positioning means, and the lower surface of the tray is pushed up by the elastic force of the elastic member. Therefore, it is possible to correct the warpage and twist of the tray. Therefore, the positioning accuracy of the integrated circuit can be improved, and the integrated circuit can be transported accurately and reliably.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of a positioning means and its vicinity.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a control procedure of a control unit.

FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory view.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Apparatus main body 2-6 Tray 7 Test head part 11-14 Transport part 15-18 Arm 23 Elevator 26 Tray stand 27a-27d Spring 28 Base 31, 32 Position sensor 33-35 Reference plate 36, 37 Pressing member 36a, 37a Reference plate 38, 39, 42 Push plate 40, 41, 43, 44, 45 Cylinder

Claims (9)

[Claims] An elevating means for vertically conveying a tray on which an integrated circuit is mounted, a positioning means for positioning the tray conveyed by the elevating means at a predetermined position, and a control means for controlling the elevating means and the positioning means Wherein the elevating means comprises a tray base on which the tray is mounted, a base supporting the tray base via an elastic member, and driving means for driving the base in the vertical direction. And an integrated circuit handler. 2. The tray according to claim 1, wherein the positioning unit includes a first reference surface that contacts one side surface of the tray in a longitudinal direction, a second reference surface that contacts one side surface of the tray in a lateral direction, The integrated circuit handler according to claim 1, further comprising a third reference surface abutting on a peripheral portion of the upper surface. 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said positioning means includes first pressing means for pressing said tray against said first reference surface, and second pressing means for pressing said tray against said second reference surface. 3. The integrated circuit handler according to claim 2, wherein: 4. The positioning means comprises two rotating members provided near the opposing side surfaces of the tray, and driving means for driving these rotating members, wherein the third reference plane is 3. The integrated circuit handler according to claim 2, wherein the handler is provided on a rotating member. 5. The control means according to claim 3, wherein said tray is a third one.
3. The integrated circuit handler according to claim 2, wherein said lifting means is controlled so as to press against said reference surface. 6. The control means controls the elevating means so as to position the tray slightly above the predetermined position, and thereafter, the driving means so as to press the third reference surface against the tray. 5. The integrated circuit handler according to claim 4, wherein: 7. The control unit controls the driving unit so that the third reference surface can contact the upper surface of the tray, and then controls the driving unit so that the tray is pressed against the third reference surface. 5. The integrated circuit handler according to claim 4, wherein the integrated circuit handler controls a lifting means. 8. The integrated circuit handler according to claim 1, further comprising a position sensor for detecting the predetermined position of the tray. 9. The integrated circuit handler according to claim 1, wherein said elastic member is a compression coil spring.