JPH0546273Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] This invention relates to a constant temperature chamber for an IC (semiconductor integrated circuit) handler. The present invention is characterized in that by using a supply table, the atmosphere in a temperature controlled room equipped with a characteristic testing machine is always kept constant.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, there are various types of constant temperature chambers for IC handlers, but IC transfer means can be broadly divided into the shutter type and the flat transfer type, and the means of insulation between the constant temperature chamber and the outside is the shutter type. There are other methods such as air curtains, and there is also the idea of blowing out hot dry air to prevent frost formation near the entrance and exit of the thermostatic chamber.

In addition, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-320483 discloses an IC handler that is a planar transfer type using a rotary table and passes through a plurality of thermostats.

[The problem that the idea aims to solve]

In order to insulate the temperature chamber from the outside using the shutter mentioned above, it is necessary to fully open the opening, allow the IC to pass through, and then close it again, even if only for a short time, which results in index time loss due to opening and closing of the shutter. There was also a large temperature shift. Furthermore, the air curtain method was difficult to control temperature because the ejected air was diffused when it passed through the IC.

Furthermore, in the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-320483, a circular rotary disk is rotated so as to pass through each of the boxes of a high temperature bath, a room temperature bath, and a low temperature bath, and each box has a set temperature. The purpose of this test is to carry out temperature tests in sequence under different temperature conditions within the process of one rotation of the rotary disk.

This method seems reasonable at first glance, but when testing the IC, it is necessary to warm the IC itself to approximately the same temperature as each temperature layer, so the above method is necessary.
In IC handlers, it is necessary to stop the rotation of the rotary disk or to make it extremely slow. Furthermore, although there is no mention of sealing means at the entrances and exits of each temperature layer, if the generally used shutter type or air caten type is used, there is a problem of disturbing the constant temperature conditions as described above.

[Means to solve the problem]

This invention solves the conventional problems mentioned above, and can be used as a turntable for transferring ICs in a constant temperature room.
The IC supply turntables are placed side by side, one end of the IC supply turntable faces the IC supply chamber, and the other end faces the constant temperature room, and intermediate chambers are insulated between the supply chamber and the constant temperature room. By partitioning the supply chamber with a partition wall, it is possible to prevent outside air from the supply chamber from entering the constant temperature chamber when transferring ICs from the supply chamber to the constant temperature chamber.

That is, the present invention provides an intermediate chamber adjacent to one side of a thermostatic chamber equipped with a turntable for IC transfer and an IC socket for IC characteristic testing on the side thereof, and a supply chamber adjacent to the intermediate chamber. a chamber is provided, and an IC supply turntable that rotates across the three chambers of the thermostatic chamber, the intermediate chamber, and the supply chamber is arranged adjacent to the turntable,
A constant temperature chamber for an IC handler, characterized in that a boundary between the thermostatic chamber and the intermediate chamber and a boundary between the intermediate chamber and the supply chamber are partitioned by an insulating partition wall and a rotation space for an IC supply turntable. In addition to pumping dry hot air into the chamber, a dry hot air suction means is provided in the intermediate chamber to prevent condensation, and the vertical position of the heat insulating partition facing at least the top and bottom of the IC supply turntable can be adjusted dynamically. By minimizing the gap between the IC supply turntable and the heat insulating partition wall, temperature changes in the thermostatic chamber are minimized.

[Effect]

In this invention, a constant temperature room equipped with a turntable for IC transfer and an IC socket, and an untested IC
Since there is an intermediate chamber separated by an insulating partition wall between the supply chamber and the supply chamber, this intermediate chamber serves as a large insulation layer, and the insulation between the supply chamber and the constant temperature room is almost completely achieved. It is maintained.

In addition, by pumping dry hot air into the supply chamber and sucking it in the intermediate chamber,
Even if there is some gap between the heat insulating bulkhead and the IC supply turntable, the dry hot air entering the supply chamber will not enter the thermostatic chamber, and even if the thermostatic chamber is at a low temperature, the low-temperature air will not reach the supply chamber. Since no leakage occurs to the outside, condensation can be prevented.

Furthermore, by providing heat insulating partition walls close to the top and bottom surfaces of the IC supply turntable that can be adjusted vertically, the gap between them can be adjusted, minimizing air leakage between each chamber. This has the effect of minimizing temperature changes in the room.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, an example of a constant temperature chamber for an IC handler according to the present invention will be explained based on the drawings.

The figure shows a thermostatic chamber made up of heat-insulating walls, with the upper part able to be opened and closed.In the center is a highly thermally conductive metal turntable for transferring ICs, which can be rotated by a drive shaft. A large number of IC pockets are provided on the upper surface of the outer periphery of this turntable. is an IC socket for testing IC characteristics that is placed adjacent to the turntable, and ICs can be transferred between the turntable and the IC socket at two points using a normal suction type transfer device (not shown). This is done in a short period of time as indicated by the chain line arrow.

is an intermediate chamber disposed adjacent to one side of the thermostatic chamber, and a supply chamber having an opening at the top is disposed outside the intermediate chamber.

is an IC supply turntable made of synthetic resin with low thermal conductivity, with one end facing the thermostatic chamber and the other end facing the supply chamber.
It is placed adjacent to the IC transfer turntable, and is rotated by a drive shaft across three chambers: a thermostatic chamber, an intermediate chamber, and a supply chamber.
A large number of IC pockets similar to those described above are also provided on the upper surface of the outer periphery of this supply turntable, and the upper surface thereof is set to be the same as the upper surface of the IC transfer turntable.

and is a heat insulating partition wall provided around the outer periphery of the supply turntable at the boundary between the constant temperature room and the intermediate chamber, and between the middle room and the supply, and at least the tips of the upper and lower partition walls of this heat insulating partition wall are connected to the supply turntable. It is installed close to the top and bottom of the turntable so that it can be moved up and down, and it improves the insulation effect between each room by minimizing the gap between the thermostatic chamber and the intermediate chamber, as well as the gap between the intermediate chamber and the supply chamber. It has a function. However, the left and right partition walls among the above-mentioned heat insulating partition walls may also be adjustable in horizontal movement.

is an air suction port provided at the top of the intermediate chamber, and is an air pressure feeding port provided at the bottom of the supply chamber. Dry hot air is fed under constant pressure from this pressure feeding port, and It is designed to perform weak suction from

Note that is an inlet for introducing air at a predetermined temperature, which is provided in the thermostatic oven.

[Operation]

Uninspected ICs (P) sent by a shooter or conveyor are suctioned by a normal suction-type transfer device (not shown) that can be moved up and down and rotated, and then passed through the supply turn from the upper opening of the supply chamber. It can be transferred to the IC pocket on the table.
This IC (A) is transported to the constant temperature room through the intermediate chamber by the rotation of the supply turntable, and then transferred from the supply turntable to the IC pocket of the IC transfer turntable using the same transfer device as above. Can be transferred. At this time, high-pressure dry hot air from below is sent into the supply chamber and is constantly released from the opening at the top, so that the supply chamber becomes a constantly purified dry hot air chamber. A part of the dry hot air enters the intermediate chamber through the gap between the outer periphery of the supply turntable and the insulating partition wall, but in this intermediate chamber, weak suction is always performed from the suction port at the top, so the dry hot air It will not enter the thermostatic chamber. In addition, since air at the required temperature is constantly injected into the constant temperature room from the injection port, some of this air (often low-temperature air) leaks through the gap between the insulation partition wall and the intermediate room. is also sucked together with dry hot air from the suction port in the intermediate chamber. Therefore, the air in the constant temperature room does not flow into the supply room, and the dry hot air in the supply room does not enter the constant temperature room, so the temperature in the constant temperature room is not disturbed and stable temperature control can be performed. .

The IC (P) that has been placed in the thermostatic chamber adjusts to the room temperature during the rotational transfer of the transfer turntable, and after approximately one rotation (approximately 300° to 330° rotation), it is transferred to the IC socket for characteristic testing. After being replaced and tested, it is returned to the turntable and replaced with the untested IC on the supply turntable at the position where it was originally received.
It is transported to the supply chamber by reversing or rotating the supply turntable.

In the present invention, the above-mentioned operation is repeated intermittently, and inspection can be performed at high speed under stable temperature conditions.

[Effect of idea]

As mentioned above, in this invention, a thermostatic chamber and a supply chamber are provided via an intermediate chamber, and the supply turntable is rotatable with one end facing the supply chamber and the other end facing the thermostatic chamber. Because of this, the insulation effect of the constant temperature room is not impaired even when transferring from the supply room to the constant temperature room.

In addition, since the air is sucked in the intermediate chamber, there is no exchange of air between the supply chamber and the thermostatic chamber, which maintains strict temperature conditions in the thermostatic chamber, and at the same time prevents low-temperature air from leaking from the thermostatic chamber to the outside. This also prevents condensation.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional side view of an example of a constant temperature chamber for an IC handler according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1... Constant temperature room, 2... Turntable for IC transfer, 3, 10... Drive shaft, 4, 11... IC pocket, 5... IC socket, 6... Intermediate chamber, 7...
... Opening, 8 ... Supply chamber, 9 ... Turntable for IC supply, 12, 13 ... Heat insulation partition, 14 ... Suction port, 15 ... Pressure feeding port, 16 ... Injection port.

Claims (1)

[Scope of claim for utility model registration] 1) IC transfer turntable and its side
An intermediate chamber is provided adjacent to one side of the thermostatic chamber in which IC sockets for testing IC characteristics are installed, and a supply chamber is provided adjacent to the intermediate chamber. An IC supply turntable that rotates astride is placed adjacent to the turntable, and the boundaries between the thermostatic chamber and the intermediate chamber and the boundaries between the intermediate chamber and the supply chamber are insulated, leaving a rotation space for the IC supply turntable. A constant temperature chamber for IC handlers characterized by partitioning with partition walls. 2) The IC according to claim 1, wherein the supply chamber is provided with dry hot air pressure feeding means, and the intermediate chamber is provided with dry hot air suction means.
Constant temperature bath for handler. 3) The constant temperature bath for an IC handler according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the heat insulating partition walls provided close to at least the upper and lower surfaces of the IC supply turntable are vertically adjustable.