JP4210105B2 - IC test handler - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an IC test handler having an IC transfer means for transferring an IC to be tested to a socket of an IC tester, and more particularly to keep pressing an IC transferred to a socket instead of an IC transfer means for returning operation. The present invention relates to an IC clamping device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The contact transfer (IC transfer means) in the conventional general IC test handler holds the IC to be tested and moves it down to the socket of the IC tester until the multiple terminals of the IC are aligned and contacted with the socket until the test result is revealed. The state is maintained, and after the test result is determined, the IC that has been tested is held and recovered. However, in highly integrated stacked ICs that require several minutes of testing, in order to increase the throughput of the test process, the contact transfer immediately rises and returns after discarding the IC's multiple terminals in a matching contact with the socket. It is desirable to handle another IC to be tested. In such a case, an IC clamping device is required to keep pressing the IC transferred to the socket, instead of the contact transfer that returns.
[0003]
As this IC clamping device, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, a saddle member 2 having an IC connecting / disconnecting portion 2a supported so as to be pivotable beside the socket 1 and contacting / disconnecting to the IC upper surface T, and an IC connecting / disconnecting portion 2a are provided. It can be set as the structure which has an elastic means (not shown) for always elastically energizing in the turning direction of the direction tilted to the socket surface S side. The flange member 2 and the elastic means can be used as a leaf spring. When the contact transfer (not shown) descends and approaches the socket 1, the eaves member 2 turns and retracts against the biasing force of the elastic means, so that the upper part of the socket 1 is opened and the multiple terminals 3 a of the IC 3 by the contact transfer are opened. Alignment contact with the socket 1 is allowed. On the contrary, when the contact transfer is lifted and separated from the socket 1, the flange member 2 is tilted by the urging force of the elastic means and the IC separation / contact portion 2a contacts the IC upper surface T. Therefore, instead of the contact transfer, the IC 3 on the socket 2 is contacted. Keep pressing.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the above IC clamping device has the following problems.
[0005]
That is, since a highly integrated stacked IC or the like as shown in FIG. 4 has a large number of solder ball terminals 3a on the back surface of the IC package, the IC connecting / disconnecting portion 2a can directly press the terminals 3a. However, it is necessary to make contact with one place on the IC package upper surface T, and there is a certain arm length between the fulcrum O of the flange member 2 and the IC attachment / detachment portion 2a. In the process where the IC connecting / disconnecting portion 2a contacts the IC package upper surface T and the socket surface S is pressed down by the amount of depression, the inner end of the IC connecting / disconnecting portion 2a first makes point contact, and the IC package upper surface T is pushed obliquely downward. As a result, the lateral displacement force is inevitably applied to the aligned and fixed IC3. For example, the terminal spacing is 0.2 mm or less in an IC having a terminal pitch of 0.5 mm or less, and therefore, contact failure or the like occurs in the IC3 having a narrow terminal pitch. easy.
[0006]
As shown in FIG. 4, when the length of the arm is r, the amount of sinking is d, and the angle of movement of the arm during the sinking process is θ, the following relationship is established.
d = r · sin θ≈rθ (1)
The trajectory length t with which the IC connecting / disconnecting part slides on the IC upper surface is:
t = d · tan θ≈dθ = rθ ² (2)
Here, since the locus length t is proportional to the square of θ, in order to shorten the locus length t in order to suppress the lateral shift amount (≦ t), the arm length r is increased and the angle θ is reduced. Setting to a small value is effective. However, a marginal space that can increase the length r of the arm is not usually left on the side of the tester having the adjacent socket or the like, and the IC connecting / disconnecting portion 2a is retracted out of the socket when the IC transfer means is lowered. It becomes an obstacle when moving. Furthermore, if the length r of the arm is increased, the length of the reverse arm portion is shortened, so that the acting force f for releasing the pressing to be applied from the IC transfer means side must be increased according to the principle of scissors. There is no inconvenience.
[0007]
In the clamping device shown in FIG. 4, since it has been found that the lateral displacement amount of the IC 3 is inevitably generated in the order of 0.1 mm, a pair of left and right clamping devices are provided on both sides of the socket 2 to cancel the lateral displacement force. The method was adopted. However, in such a canceling method, even if the operation of the left and right clamping devices is tuned, it is not possible to completely cancel if the tuning accuracy, component accuracy, assembly accuracy, etc. are considered. It is difficult to put it to practical use in the handling of the IC 3 having the back terminal of the pitch.
[0008]
Therefore, the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and the problem is that the amount of lateral displacement of the IC during the IC clamping process can be suppressed, and the occurrence of a terminal contact failure or the like even in an IC having a back terminal with a narrow terminal pitch. An object of the present invention is to provide an IC test handler having an IC clamping device that can be prevented.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The IC test handler according to the present invention has IC transfer means that descends while holding the IC, brings the multiple terminals of the IC into alignment contact with the socket of the IC tester, and then returns to the socket. Withdrawing from the upper part of the socket as it descends and allowing the multiple terminals to align and contact with the IC transfer means, and conversely for holding the IC on the socket instead of the IC transfer means as the IC transfer means rises and separates from the socket. An IC clamping device is provided.
[0010]
This IC clamp device has a parallel motion mechanism, elastic means, an operation part, and an IC pressing part. In other words, the parallel motion mechanism includes a pair of crank nodes that are connected from the fixed node by the first and second turning pairs, and a connecting node that is interconnected by the third and fourth turning pairs. . The elastic means always urges elastically in a turning direction in which the crank node is tilted toward the socket surface. The operating portion receives a force that drives the crank node in the anti-turning direction in accordance with the up-and-down displacement of the IC transfer means against the urging force of the elastic means. The IC presser part has an IC connecting / disconnecting surface parallel to the socket surface that is in contact with the IC on the socket and hangs down integrally from the connecting node.
[0011]
In such a configuration, the articulation node of the parallel motion mechanism always moves in parallel with respect to the fixed contact, so that the IC presser always draws an arc trajectory with the same posture, and the IC connecting / disconnecting surface is always in an arc parallel to the socket surface. Draw a trajectory. For this reason, in the IC clamping process, the IC contact / contact surface is always in surface contact with the IC on the socket, so that the downward pressing force does not act on the IC, and the amount of lateral displacement of the IC can be suppressed.
[0012]
Here, the turning center of the IC contact / contact surface is substantially positioned on the extended surface of the socket surface, and when the IC contact / contact surface is in contact with the IC, the angle of the IC contact / contact surface with respect to the turn center is set to approximately zero degrees. It is desirable to set. In the process in which the IC contact surface pushes the IC on the socket and the IC sinks by a predetermined length, the locus of the IC contact surface is approximately within the normal of the IC upper surface, so the locus length in the creeping direction of the IC upper surface is substantially zero. The amount of IC lateral displacement can be almost eliminated.
[0013]
The operation part is preferably a rotating body that is rotatably supported by an arm part that protrudes from one of the crank nodes toward the fixed node, and that contacts one surface of the IC transfer means. In the process in which one surface of the IC transfer means rises while abutting against the operation part, the crank node turns and the operation part moves also in the lateral direction. However, since the rotating body rotates, the operation part has a vertical force. Is applied to the parallel motion mechanism itself, and deformation such as bending is unlikely to occur, and the IC retainer is not deformed in posture. Therefore, a minute lateral displacement accompanying the mechanism motion itself can be suppressed.
[0014]
As the IC clamping device may be provided respectively on the right side and the left side of the socket.
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is an enlarged front view showing an example of an IC clamping device in an IC test handler of the present invention, FIGS. 2A to 2C are explanatory views showing an operation sequence of the IC clamping device, and FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the locus | trajectory of the IC separation / contact surface of an apparatus.
[0016]
The IC test handler of the present example also descends while holding the IC 3, contacts the IC tester socket 1 with the IC multiple terminals 3 a in alignment contact, and then returns to the contact transfer (not shown) and the contact transfer socket 1. The IC clamp for retracting from the upper part of the socket with the lowering of the socket and allowing alignment contact of the multiple terminals 3a by the contact transfer, and conversely pressing the IC3 on the socket instead of the contact transfer when the contact transfer is lifted away from the socket. Device 10.
[0017]
The IC clamping device 10 is provided on each of the right side and the left side of the socket 1 on the base block 20. Each IC clamp device 10 includes a pair of crank nodes 12 and 13 connected from a fixed node 11 inclined at an angle α (see FIG. 3) to the socket surface S by first and second counter-couple portions P1 and P2. And a parallel link mechanism provided with connecting nodes (connecting rods) 14 interconnected by the third and fourth turning pair parts P3 and P4, and a constant elastic bias in the turning direction in which the crank node 13 is tilted toward the socket surface S. A coil spring (elastic means) 15 and an operation unit 16 for receiving a force for driving the crank nodes 12 and 13 in the anti-turning direction in accordance with the up-and-down displacement of the contact transfer against the urging force of the coil spring 15. And a vertical figure which is refracted from the connecting node 14 at an angle β (= 90 ° −α) and hangs down integrally with the IC 3 on the socket 1 which is in contact with the IC 3 and parallel to the socket surface S. And a IC holding portion 14a of the. Reference numeral 30 denotes a tester substrate.
[0018]
The coil spring 15 is spanned between a spring hook 13 a in the vicinity of the counter-pair portion P 4 of the lower crank node 13 and a spring hook 20 a of the base block 20.
[0019]
The operation portion 16 is a roller (not shown) that is rotatably supported by an arm portion that protrudes from the upper crank node 12 toward the fixed node 11 and that contacts one surface of the contact transfer.
[0020]
Then, as shown in FIG. 3, IC disjunction surface F turning center (e.g., turning center _{O 1} of the point _{P 1} contained in the IC disjunction surface F, such as turning center _{O 2} of the point _{P 2)} is a socket surface The angle (solid angle) stretched with respect to the turning center of the IC contact surface F is set to substantially zero when the IC contact surface F is in contact with the IC 3. .
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 2 (a), the pressure marks the acting force f ₁ that Ichisho surface U is in the operating portion 16 contacts the transfer holding the IC (not shown) gradually drops to, parallel motion mechanism is a coil As shown in FIG. 2 (b), it turns clockwise as shown in FIG. 2 (b) against the urging force of the spring 15, and as shown in FIG. 2 (c), the stopper portion 16a hits the fixed node 11, so that the parallel link mechanism turns. Is stopped and the IC is placed on the socket. Next, when the contact transfer rises, the parallel link mechanism turns counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 2B, the IC contact / contact surface F approaches the IC upper surface T, and further, when the contact transfer rises, FIG. As shown in a), the IC contact surface F contacts the IC upper surface T and presses it down. The acting force has a relationship of f ₁ <f ₂ <f ₃ .
[0022]
In such an IC crank device 10, the connecting link 14 of the parallel link mechanism always moves in parallel with the fixed contact 11, so that the IC pressing portion 14 a keeps an arc locus while maintaining a vertical posture as shown in FIG. 3. The arc locus is drawn in a state where the IC contact surface F is always parallel to the socket surface S. For this reason, in the IC clamping process, the IC contact / contact surface F always makes surface contact with the IC on the socket, so that the downward pressing force does not act on the IC, and the amount of lateral displacement of the IC can be suppressed.
[0023]
In particular, as shown in FIG. 3, IC disjunction surface F turning center (e.g., turning center O ₁ of the point P _1, such as the turning center O ₂ of the point P ₂₎ is substantially located on the extension surface of the socket surface S In addition, when the IC contact / contact surface F is in contact with the IC 3, the angle (solid angle) of the IC contact / contact surface F with respect to the center of rotation is set to approximately zero degrees. In the process of the amount d in which the IC is depressed and the amount of sinking of the IC, the locus of the IC contact surface F is substantially within the normal line of the IC upper surface T. Therefore, the locus length in the creeping direction of the IC upper surface T can be made substantially zero. Can be almost eliminated.
[0024]
Further, since the operation unit 16 is configured as a roller, the acting forces f _{1 to} f ₃ are always applied as vertical forces, and the parallel link mechanism itself is not easily deformed such as bending, and the IC pressing unit 14a. Does not invite any posture deformation. For this reason, it is possible to suppress a minute lateral shift amount accompanying the mechanism motion itself.
[0025]
In the above embodiment, the handling of an IC having a back terminal with a narrow terminal pitch has been described. However, an IC with a terminal protruding from the package can also be handled, and the IC connecting / disconnecting portion does not need to be connected to the upper surface of the IC. , And can be configured so as to be separated from the protruding terminal.
[0026]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the lateral shift amount of the IC during the IC clamping process, and it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a terminal contact failure or the like even in an IC having a back terminal with a narrow terminal pitch.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an enlarged front view showing an example of a clamping device in an IC test handler of the present invention.
FIGS. 2A to 2C are explanatory views showing operation sequence modes of the clamping device. FIGS.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a locus of an IC separation surface of the clamp device.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged front view showing a conventional clamping device in an IC test handler.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 ... Socket 3 ... IC
3a ... terminal 10 ... IC clamp device 11 ... fixed joints 12, 13 ... crank joints 13a, 20a ... spring hook 14 ... articulating joint 14a ... IC presser part 15 ... coil spring 16 ... operating part 16a ... stopper part 20 ... base block 30 ... Tester board S ... Socket surface P1 ... First turn pair P2 ... Second turn pair P3 ... Third turn pair P4 ... Four turn pair F ... IC contact surface O ₁ , O ₂ the amount ... turning center _{P 1, P} 2 ... IC points U ... contact transfer on disjunctive surface Ichisho face _f 1 ~f 3 _... acting force d ... sinking

Claims (4)

The IC transfer means that descends while holding the IC, aligns and contacts the multiple terminals of the IC with the socket of the IC tester, and then retreats upward from the socket as the IC transfer means descends toward the socket. IC clamping device for permitting the contact of the multiple terminals by the IC transfer means and conversely pressing the IC on the socket instead of the IC transfer means as the IC transfer means rises and separates from the socket An IC test handler comprising
The IC clamp device includes a pair of crank joints connected to a socket surface from a fixed joint inclined with a first and second turning pair and a third and fourth turning pair. A parallel motion mechanism having interconnected articulation nodes; elastic means for constantly elastically energizing the crank joint in a turning direction in which the crank joint is tilted to the socket surface; and the IC transfer against the urging force of the elastic means An operating portion for receiving a force for driving the crank node in the anti-turning direction in accordance with the up-and-down displacement of the means; and the connecting node having an IC connecting / disconnecting surface that is in contact with the IC on the socket and parallel to the socket surface. An IC test handler characterized by having an IC presser part that hangs down from the IC.   2. The IC clamping device according to claim 1, wherein the center of rotation of the IC contact surface is substantially located on an extension surface of the socket surface, and the IC contact surface is in contact with the IC of the IC contact surface. The IC test handler is characterized in that the angle stretched with respect to the turning center is set to approximately zero degrees.   3. The operation portion according to claim 1, wherein the operation portion is rotatably supported by an arm portion that protrudes from the one of the crank nodes toward the fixed node, and a surface of the IC transfer unit contacts with the arm portion. An IC test handler characterized by being a rotating body. In any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the IC clamping device, IC test handler, characterized in that formed by provided respectively on the right side and the left side of the socket.

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