JPH10284877A - Magazine collector using ic handler - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To completely automate an IC handler as found in a method wherein IC devices are driven away from a magazine at a loader section, and the empty magazine is automatically supplied to an unloader section and then is used as a magazine for housing IC devices at the unloader section. SOLUTION: In a magazine stocker 30 located in an unloader section 20, empty magazines M are housed. The empty magazine M located at the loader section side moves up and down along an elevation guide 42 and then is mounted on a magazine bearer face 41a of a magazine bearer member 41 connected to an elevation block 43 so as to rotate up and down. At that time, the magazine bearer face 41a is kept horizontal. The magazine stocker 30 is located below the magazine bearer member 41 and an operation member 46 is located at a specified height of a downward stroke of the magazine bearer member 41. With the magazine M with its both ends being restricted by recesses of a guide member, the operation member 46 pushes a cam face 41b formed in a lower face of the magazine bearer member 41 to rotate the magazine bearer member 41 upwards and then goes away from the magazine M.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for testing / measuring the electrical characteristics of an IC device. In the IC handler in which the IC devices are classified and stored in the respective magazines, the magazine in which the IC devices are paid out by the loader unit or the magazine in which the IC devices after the test are stored by the unloader unit are stored in a predetermined magazine housing member. The present invention relates to a magazine collecting device for automatically collecting a magazine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 7 shows a schematic configuration of a measuring apparatus for testing and measuring the electrical characteristics of an IC device. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a tester, and 2 denotes an IC handler. Tester 1
Are arranged such that the test head 1a provided with a contact that comes into contact with and separates from the lead of the IC device D is in a vertical state. The IC handler 2 includes a loader section 3, a loader-side transfer path 4, a connection mechanism 5 to the tester 1, and an unloader-side transfer path 6.
And an unloader unit 7 for classifying the IC device D after the test for each measurement result.

Here, the IC handler 2 is an IC device D
For this purpose, the loader-side transport path 4 is constituted by a chute inclined at a predetermined angle, and the connection mechanism 5 is provided with means for guiding the IC device D in the vertical direction. Road 6 also has an inclined chute. At the time of transition from the loader side transport path 4 to the connection mechanism section 5 and at the time of transition from the connection mechanism section 5 to the unloader side transport path 6, it is necessary to change the traveling direction of the IC device D. At each joint position, direction changing members 8 and 9 that can be displaced between a solid line position and a virtual line position in the figure are provided. Although not shown, the connection mechanism 5 has a means for positioning and clamping the IC device D supplied thereto at a predetermined position, and the IC device D thus clamped is attached to the test head 1a. Contacting and separating means. Further, in the unloader section 7, a sorting member 10 that is movable in a direction orthogonal to the feed direction of the IC device D is arranged in order to classify and accommodate the IC devices D.

[0004] The measuring device configured as described above is an IC
The device D is slid under its own weight, transferred from the loader unit 3 to the connection mechanism unit 5, connected to the test head 1a of the tester 1 by the connection mechanism unit 5, and sent to the unloader unit 7 after the test is completed. But IC device D
As shown in FIG. 8, a large number of leads L extend on both sides of a package portion P.
The devices D are housed in a row in the magazine M, taken out of the magazine M, measured for electrical characteristics, and then housed again in the magazine M after the test. Accordingly, the magazine M is a stick-shaped member that is closed at one end by attaching a stopper or the like and open at the other end.
When the magazine M is tilted so that the open end is downward, the IC devices D can be discharged one by one. When the magazine M is tilted such that the open end is upward, the IC device is internally provided. D can be accommodated.

[0005] Thus, the above-described measuring device is a magazine M
The IC device D is supplied by using the IC, and the IC device D after the test is accommodated in the magazine M. Accordingly, the loader unit 3 has the IC device D supply unit with the IC device D supply unit.
Is placed in the receiving section of the unloader section 7 for receiving the IC device. Then, the IC device D in the loader unit 3
In the supply position, that is, at the position facing the loader-side transport path 4, a mechanism for tilting the magazine M is arranged, and the magazine M is tilted as shown by a virtual line in FIG.
An IC device D is supplied from the inside, and is sequentially sent to the loader side transport path 4. The IC device D supplied in this way slides under its own weight, is connected to the test head 1a by the connection mechanism 5, and then travels along the unloader-side transport path 6 to the magazine M provided in the unloader 7. Will be accommodated. Here, since the unloader-side transport path 6 is inclined, the magazine M arranged at the receiving position of the unloader unit 7 is inclined at the same angle as the unloader-side transport path 6. According to the above configuration, the IC handler does not need to be provided with a special transport unit for transporting the IC device D, so that the configuration is significantly simplified.

As described above, the loader unit 3 supplies the internal IC device D by inclining the magazine M. When all the IC devices D are paid out, the empty magazine M is discharged, and the new actual magazine M is discharged. To the supply position of the IC device D in the loader unit 3. To this end, as shown in FIG. 9, the loader unit 3 is provided with one or more rows of magazine stockers 11 for stocking a large number of real magazines in a stacked state. Then, the magazines M are taken out one by one by the magazine transport means 12, and
The position is shifted to the supply position of the IC device D. Further, a magazine collection box 13 is provided to collect the empty magazines to which the IC device D has been paid out. Therefore, the empty magazines are collected by being sequentially dropped into the magazine collection box 13. On the other hand, the unloader unit 7 is also provided with a magazine stocker, and the magazine stocker on the unloader unit 7 side is an empty magazine stocker that stores empty magazines. In the unloader section 7, since the magazine is arranged in a state of being inclined at a predetermined angle, the magazine stocker is also arranged so as to be inclined at the same angle as the magazine at the receiving position where the unloader section 7 receives the IC device D. I have.

[0007]

By the way, in the configuration described above, the magazine stocker on the loader side stores the actual magazine, and the magazine stocker on the unloader side stores the empty magazine. In the loader unit, the magazines are taken out one by one from the magazine stocker, and the magazine is moved to the supply position of the IC device to supply the IC device. Then, when the magazine is paid out and becomes empty, if this empty magazine can be supplied to the unloader section as it is, it can be used as a magazine for the unloader. However, in the prior art, the empty magazine generated on the loader unit side is not used as it is on the unloader unit side, and when the empty magazine generated on the loader unit side is reused on the unloader unit side, This means that the magazines collected in the magazine collection box must be aligned and supplied to the magazine stocker on the unloader side. As described above, there has been a problem that the automation and unmanned operation of the apparatus cannot be performed because the work such as mounting the magazine on the magazine stocker must be performed manually. Above all,
The magazines collected in the magazine collection box are oriented in various directions, and the work of aligning them one by one is quite troublesome.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to enable a magazine to be automatically recovered to a predetermined member after using the magazine. An object of the present invention is to supply an empty magazine generated on the unit side to a magazine stocker on the unloader unit side so that manual work can be reduced.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a method of collecting stick-shaped magazines for accommodating IC devices in a row in a stacked state. A magazine receiving portion having a pair of guide members, both ends of which are engaged, a magazine receiving member having a magazine receiving surface which is connected to the elevation drive means so as to be able to move up and down and on which the magazine is placed, and Occasionally, the magazine receiving member includes an urging means for urging the magazine receiving surface to be in a horizontal state, and an operating means for rotating the magazine receiving surface upward against the urging means. Makes it possible to move in the vertical direction at the position of the magazine accommodating portion, and the actuating means moves both magazines placed on the magazine receiving surface by lowering the magazine receiving member. There after engageably inserted in the two guide members is for its characterized in that a structure in which disposed in a position to be rotated upward in contact with the magazine receiving member.

[0010] The magazine collection device having the above configuration is
In the IC handler, for example, the empty magazine from which the IC device has been dispensed by the loader unit can be collected and used to supply the magazine to the magazine stocker of the unloader unit.
For this purpose, the magazine storage section is a magazine stocker arranged in the unloader section of the IC handler. Then, the empty magazine discharged from the loader unit is placed on the magazine surface of the magazine receiving member, and is sent to the magazine stocker on the unloader unit side. For this purpose, it is preferable that the magazine stocker on the unloader section side accommodates the magazine in a horizontal state. Therefore, an unloader-side transport path connected to the unloader section is provided with an attitude control path for controlling the attitude of the IC device so that the IC device is changed from the inclined state to the horizontal state, and the IC device sent into the attitude control path is In this case, the pressing means may be configured to forcibly feed the magazine into the magazine.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an apparatus for measuring electric characteristics of an IC device D. As is clear from this figure, the configuration on the unloader section side is different from that of FIG. 7 shown as a conventional measuring device. Therefore, the components other than the configuration of the unloader section are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 7, and the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Reference numeral 21 denotes an unloader section of the IC handler 2. The unloader section 21 is connected to the test head 1a of the tester 1 by the operation of the connection mechanism section 5 and performs a test. The IC device D is sent in, the IC device D is divided into a plurality of qualities, and each is accommodated in a separate magazine M. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, as the receiving positions of the IC devices D of the unloader section 21, there are a number corresponding to the types to be classified, and the magazines M are arranged in parallel at each of these receiving positions. Are located. Here, unlike the prior art, the magazine M arranged at each receiving position is arranged in a horizontal state.

The unloader-side transfer path 22 is an inclined transfer path, and a sorting member 23 is connected to the unloader-side transfer path 22.
Depending on which of the plurality of magazines M arranged in the unloader unit 21 the device D accommodates,
The distributing member 23 is displaced so as to be sent out to a predetermined magazine. However, the sorting member 23
The attitude control passage 24 is provided so that the IC device D is not directly sent to the magazine M from the, but is connected to each of the magazines M arranged at the respective receiving positions of the unloader section 21. That is, although the IC device D sent from the sorting member 23 is inclined,
The posture of the C device D is changed to a horizontal state in the posture control passage 24. Therefore, this attitude control passage 24
Is a vertically curved passage.

As described above, the attitude of the IC device D is changed to the horizontal state by the attitude control path 24, so that the magazine M is arranged horizontally.
C device D is received. Here, when the IC device D is in the horizontal state, the operation is stopped, and the magazine M is stopped.
It cannot be sent inside. For this purpose, means for forcibly sending the IC device D to the magazine M is required. Therefore, the air cylinder 25 is provided toward the horizontal portion of the attitude control passage 24. A push rod 26 is connected to the air cylinder 25, and the push rod 26 is made to pass through the attitude control passage 24,
The IC device D can be inserted into the magazine M from a position where the IC device D stops.

Push rod 2 by air cylinder 25
The movement stroke of IC 6 in the posture control passage 24
It is assumed that the IC device D has a stroke from the near side of the position where the device D stops to the site where the end is located in a state where the IC device D is full in the magazine M. Therefore, the IC device D is accommodated in such a manner that the IC device D is sequentially pushed from the near side to the far side. And
The attitude control passage 24 is provided with a sensor 27 for detecting the presence or absence of the IC device D. When the sensor 27 detects that the IC device D has been supplied, the push rod 26 is operated to operate the IC device D. Can be sequentially pushed into the magazine M.

Further, in FIG. 2, reference numeral 30 denotes a magazine stocker. The magazine stocker 30 is accommodated in a state where empty magazines are stacked in multiple stages. As shown in FIG. 3, the magazine stocker 30 has a pair of front and rear guide members 31 and 31. Both of the guide members 31 and 31 are formed of rectangular rod-shaped members, and the opposite surfaces are vertically arranged. Penetrating concave grooves 31a, 31a are formed. The interval between the concave grooves 31a, 31a is slightly longer than the length of the magazine M, and the groove width is slightly wider than the width of the magazine M. And this magazine stocker 30
, The magazine M is stored in a horizontal state.

At the lower ends of the two guide members 31, 31 of the magazine stocker 30, there are provided individual separating means 32 for separating the magazines M one by one and dropping them downward. Although various configurations of the individual separating means 32 are known, for example, two cylinders 32a and 32b located at the upper and lower sides can be used. In this configuration, the lowermost magazine 32a is normally held by the lower cylinder 32a so as not to fall off, and from this state, the cylinder 32a is held by the upper cylinder 32b while the second magazine from the bottom is held. Is released, the single magazine is separated. When the cylinder 32a is displaced into the magazine holding state and the holding of the magazine by the cylinder 32b is released, all the magazines located between the guide members 31, 31 are lowered by one.

A magazine transport unit 33 is provided for transporting the magazine M between the position of the magazine stocker 30 and the position where the unloader unit 21 receives the IC device. Is taken out of the magazine and supplied to the IC device receiving position in the unloader section 21. This magazine transport means 33
Although schematically shown in FIG. 3, it is composed of a member for displacing in the vertical direction and a member for moving in the horizontal direction. it can. And the required IC
When the magazine M is supplied to the receiving position of the device, the magazine M is separated from the magazine transporting means 33 and held at the receiving position of the IC device.

Here, the magazine stocker 30 is for stocking empty magazines, and the loader unit 3 discharges the IC device D from the magazine M and discharges the empty magazine. By sending the empty magazines discharged from the loader unit 3 to the magazine stocker 30, the supply of the empty magazines to the unloader unit 21 and the work of collecting the empty magazines in the loader unit 3 become unnecessary.

To this end, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the loader unit 3 is provided with a magazine carrying-out means 40 for carrying an empty magazine from the IC device supply position. This magazine unloading means 40
The magazines can be placed and transported.
The magazine unloading means 40 is for transporting one magazine M to the supply position of the IC device D and transporting another magazine M to the position of the magazine receiving member 41. Here, the other IC device D is an empty magazine that has paid out the IC device D at the supply position. The drive mechanism of the magazine carrying-out means 40 can have the same configuration as that of the magazine carrying means 33.
The magazine receiving member 41 has a magazine receiving surface 41a held in a horizontal state.
Is connected to an elevating block 43 which is moved up and down by a ball screw feed means, a cylinder or the like along the elevating guide. Then, the magazine receiving member 41 transfers the magazine M from the magazine unloading means 40 to the magazine receiving surface 41 thereof.
a, the magazine has a predetermined width so that it can be held in a stable state on the magazine receiving surface 41a.

The magazine receiving member 41 includes the lifting block 4
3 is supported by a fulcrum pin 44 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction. In order to keep the magazine receiving surface 41a in a horizontal state at all times, the lifting block 4
A stopper 43a is provided on 3 and a spring 45 acting as a biasing means for biasing the magazine receiving member 41 in a direction in which the magazine receiving member 41 comes into contact with the stopper 43a acts. Therefore, the magazine receiving member 41 is rotatable upward against the spring 45.

The magazine stocker 30 is arranged below the magazine receiving member 41. Therefore, when the magazine M is set on the magazine receiving surface 41a of the magazine receiving member 41 and the elevating block 43 is lowered, the magazine M moves between a pair of guide members 31 constituting the magazine stocker 30, and both ends of the magazine M are inserted into the concave grooves 31a. In order to more securely insert the magazine M into the concave groove 31a, it is preferable to form a tapered opening at the upper end of the concave groove 31a.

Here, the magazine receiving member 41 descends to a position between the guide members 31 constituting the magazine stocker 30. Therefore, during the descending stroke, the magazine receiving member 41 interferes with the guide member 31. It is not. Then, both ends of the magazine M installed on the magazine receiving member 41 are formed by the concave grooves 31 of the guide members 31, 31.
After entering the magazines 31a and 31a, the magazine receiving member 41 is rotated upward to release the magazine M from the magazine receiving member 41. For this purpose, an operating member 46 is fixedly provided at a predetermined height position.

The operating member 46 is a rod-shaped member disposed in the horizontal direction. When the magazine receiving member 41 is lowered, an arc-shaped cam surface 41b provided on the lower surface thereof comes into contact with the operating member 46, and The receiving member 41 rotates upward around a fulcrum pin 44 against a spring 45. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6, the magazine M is once pushed upward by the magazine receiving member 41. However, both ends of the guide member 3
When the magazine receiving member 41 is rotated upward by a predetermined angle, the magazine receiving member 41 is separated from the magazine M because the magazine receiving member 41 is restricted by the concave grooves 31a. Therefore, the regulation of the magazine M by the magazine receiving member 41 is released, and the magazine M is dropped on the magazine already stored in the magazine stocker 30 by its own weight.

Here, the disposition position of the operating member 46 is such that the magazine installed thereon does not protrude from above the guide member 31 even if the magazine receiving member 41 is rotated upward, and is located as high as possible. To place. Thus, a portion of the magazine stocker 30 substantially below the position where the operating member 46 is disposed can be used as a magazine storage space.

With such a configuration, the magazine discharged from the loader unit 3 can be collected by the unloader unit 21 and supplied to the unloader unit 21 as an empty magazine for accommodating the IC device that has been tested. become. Here, since the unloader unit 21 accommodates the IC device D supplied from the loader unit 3, the number of magazines used in the loader unit 3 and the number of magazines required in the unloader unit 21 are compared. Although the unloader unit 21 is substantially arranged at the receiving position of the IC device D and requires more magazines by the number of magazines corresponding to the type of classifying the IC devices D, the unloader unit is at least as many as the number of magazines. If the magazine is supplied in advance to the side of the unloader unit 2 during the operation of the measuring device.
There is substantially no need to replenish the empty magazine on one side.
Therefore, the work that must be performed manually in the IC device measuring apparatus can be reduced, and automation can be achieved.

Note that, in the above-described embodiment, I
Although described as being configured as an IC handler used for a measuring device for testing and measuring the electrical characteristics of the C device, it may be configured as a device for performing other inspections and the like. In addition, the empty magazine discharged from the loader unit is collected in the unloader unit and used as a magazine for the unloader unit. For example, a magazine in which an IC device after the test is stored in the unloader unit can be carried, for example. It can also be used as a device for collecting in a simple magazine cassette.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the operation of accommodating the magazine in the magazine accommodating section having the pair of guide members can be automated, the IC device is discharged by the loader section of the IC handler. The magazine is automatically supplied to the unloader unit, and the unloader unit can be used as an empty magazine for accommodating IC devices. For example, the IC handler can be more fully automated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an IC device measurement device provided with a magazine collection device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an unloader section.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a magazine stocker in an unloader unit.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a magazine collection device.

FIG. 5 is a view as seen from the direction of the arrow in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an operation explanatory view of the magazine collection device.

FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional IC device measuring apparatus.

FIG. 8 is an external view of an IC device and a magazine that accommodates the IC device.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a loader unit in a conventional IC device measuring apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Tester 2 IC handler 3 Loader part 4 Loader side conveyance path 5 Connection mechanism part 21 Unloader part 22 Unloader side conveyance path 23 Distribution member 24 Attitude control passage 25 Air cylinder 26 Push rod 30 Magazine stocker 31 Guide member 31a Depression groove 41 Magazine receiver Member 41a Magazine receiving surface 41b Cam surface 43 Elevating block 44 Support pin 45 Spring 46 Operating member

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A magazine storage section having a pair of guide members into which both ends of these magazines are engaged, in order to collect stick-shaped magazines for storing IC devices in a row in a stacked state. A magazine receiving member which is connected to the driving means so as to be able to move up and down and has a magazine receiving surface on which a magazine is placed; and a biasing means for always urging the magazine receiving member so that the magazine receiving surface is in a horizontal state. Means and an actuating means for turning upwards against this biasing means, wherein the magazine receiving member comprises:
The drive means makes it possible to move vertically at the position of the magazine accommodating portion, and the actuating means makes both ends of the magazine placed on the magazine receiving surface by the lowering of the magazine receiving member engage with both the guide members. A magazine collecting device for an IC handler, wherein the magazine collecting device is configured to be disposed at a position where it is rotated after being inserted into the magazine receiving member. 2. The magazine accommodating portion is composed of a pair of guide members formed with a concave groove penetrating vertically.
An unloader magazine stocker for accommodating an empty magazine in an IC handler in which an IC device is slid by its own weight. 2. The magazine collection device for an IC handler according to claim 1, wherein the magazine collection device is configured to be placed and supplied to a guide member of a magazine stocker of the unloader unit. 3. A magazine is stored in the magazine stocker in a horizontal state, and the magazine is horizontally disposed at an IC device receiving position of the unloader unit to receive the IC device. 3. The magazine collection device for an IC handler according to claim 2, wherein the magazine collection device is configured as described above. 4. An unloader-side transfer path connected to the unloader unit is provided with a posture control passage for controlling the posture of the IC device so that the IC device changes from an inclined state to a horizontal state.
4. The magazine collection device for an IC handler according to claim 3, wherein the IC device sent into the attitude control passage is forcibly sent into the magazine by a pushing means.