KR100465373B1 - Index Unit for semiconductor test handler - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an index device for a semiconductor device test handler, and to reduce the index time by moving the index head in a rotational manner.

To this end, the present invention includes a horizontal base plate provided with a shuttle on which the semiconductor device is mounted; A vertical plate installed perpendicular to one end of the base plate and provided with a test socket through which a semiconductor device is electrically connected and a test is performed; A rotating shaft member rotatably installed in a diagonal direction at the intersection of the base plate and the vertical plate; A pulley installed on the rotating shaft member to rotate about the rotating shaft member; A pair of index heads installed in the pulley to be movable in a predetermined amount, the pair of index heads being disposed at 180 ° intervals in the pulley to hold and release the semiconductor elements at the shuttle and test socket positions; Pulley driving means for rotating the pulley by 180 °; A loading / unloading unit which moves the index head toward the shuttle when one of the index heads is located above the shuttle; The present invention provides an indexing device for a semiconductor device test handler including a connection unit for moving an index head toward a test socket when one of the index heads is positioned in front of the test socket.

Description

Index Unit for Semiconductor Test Handler

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the field of handlers for testing semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to electrically connect the semiconductor devices to be tested at the test site of the handler to the test sockets and to remove and unload the tested semiconductor devices from the test sockets. The present invention relates to an indexing device for a semiconductor device test handler which can reduce index time by performing the method quickly.

In general, the semiconductor devices produced in the production line undergo a test step to determine whether they are good or defective before shipping. The handler is a device used to test the semiconductor devices. The test is performed by electrically connecting the test sockets at the test site while automatically transferring the devices between the processes, and then classifying the tested semiconductor devices according to the test results and classifying and mounting them on the shipping tray. .

In such a handler, the picker robot and the indexing devices are used to continuously test the semiconductor devices to be tested from one location to another, and the indexing device is, for example, a semiconductor device to be tested in a test socket, Refers to a device that automatically transfers and mounts the tested semiconductor devices of a test socket to an unloading tray automatically and continuously.

The index device that performs such a task is one of the major factors that determine the time required for the device test of the handler. The recent index device transfers and mounts the device to be tested by the index device to the test socket, that is, the index time. The development is mainly aimed at minimizing the

As developed for this purpose, there is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei 10-82830 (March 31, 1998). The index device shown here sequentially performs loading and unloading of members while two contact hands reciprocate in both directions. By doing so, the index time can be drastically reduced compared to the existing index apparatus without increasing the number of driving elements of the index apparatus itself.

However, all of these conventional indexing devices move along the linear movement path of the XZ-axis or XYZ-axis and perform the transfer operation of the semiconductor device. As a result, the moving distance of the device is relatively long, and thus the semiconductor device is transferred to the test socket. Not only is there a limit in reducing the time to perform, that is, the index time, but also the configuration of the device has a problem that is complicated.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, by reducing the movement path of the index device by allowing the index device to pick up the semiconductor device and to connect to the test socket to rotate and move the device, thereby It is an object of the present invention to provide an index device for a semiconductor device test handler which can greatly shorten an index time.

1 is a side view showing the configuration of an index apparatus according to the present invention;

2 is a front view of a pulley portion of the index device of FIG.

3 is a sectional view showing the principal parts of a part of the indexing apparatus of FIG.

Explanation of references to the main parts of the drawings

1: Base plate 2: Vertical plate

3: shuttle 4: test socket

6: rotating shaft member 7: pulley

8: index head 11, 12: first and second pneumatic cylinder

14 ball screw 15 ball housing

81: fixing member 82: shaft

83: compression coil spring 85: holder assembly

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a horizontal base plate provided with a shuttle on which the semiconductor device is mounted; A vertical plate installed perpendicular to one end of the base plate and provided with a test socket through which a semiconductor device is electrically connected and a test is performed; A rotating shaft member rotatably installed in a diagonal direction at the intersection of the base plate and the vertical plate; A pulley installed on the rotating shaft member to rotate about the rotating shaft member; A pair of index heads installed in the pulley to be movable in a predetermined amount, the pair of index heads being disposed at 180 ° intervals in the pulley to hold and release the semiconductor elements at the shuttle and test socket positions; Pulley driving means for rotating the pulley by 180 °; A loading / unloading unit which moves the index head toward the shuttle when one of the index heads is located above the shuttle; The present invention provides an indexing device for a semiconductor device test handler including a connection unit for moving an index head toward a test socket when one of the index heads is positioned in front of the test socket.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail a preferred embodiment of the index apparatus according to the present invention.

1 to 3 illustrate a configuration of an index apparatus according to the present invention installed at a test site of a handler, wherein the shuttle 3 in which the semiconductor devices 100 are mounted on the base plate 1 installed horizontally on the handler main body. The vertical plate 2 is installed vertically on the rear end of the base plate 1, in which the semiconductor devices 100 are electrically connected and a test socket 4 on which a test is performed is installed.

In addition, a fixed block 5 having a hollow portion 51 in which an axis thereof is inclined at an angle of about 45 ° with respect to the base plate 1 is formed at a portion where the base plate 1 and the vertical plate 2 intersect. The rotating shaft member 6 is rotatably installed in the hollow portion 51 of the fixed block 5, and the rotating shaft member 6 installed in the fixed block 5 also has the shaft of the base plate. Keep inclined at 45 ° with respect to (1). Reference numeral 52 is a bearing for rotatably supporting the rotating shaft member 6 with respect to the inner peripheral surface of the hollow portion of the fixed block (5).

The upper end of the rotating shaft member 6 is fixed to the disk-shaped pulley (7), a pair of index heads (8) for holding the semiconductor element is disposed on the pulley (7) at intervals of 180 degrees, Each of the index heads 8 is installed at an angle to the pulley 7 so that when one of the index heads 8 rotates, one index head 8 is located above the shuttle 3 and the other index head 8 is a test socket. (4) located in the front, and when the index head (8) is located directly above the shuttle (3) and immediately before the test socket (4), its axis is the base plate (1) and vertical plate (2) and It is configured to be orthogonal.

The index head (8) is a hollow cylindrical fixing member 81 is fixed to the pulley (7), a circular bar-shaped shaft (82) movably installed in the hollow portion of the fixing member 81, A compression coil spring 83 interposed between one end of the shaft 82 and an outside of one end of the fixing member 81 to elastically support the shaft with respect to the fixing member 81, and the shaft 82 A stopper 84 fixed to the other end of the < RTI ID = 0.0 >) < / RTI > and a holder assembly 85 fixed to the stopper 84 to fix the semiconductor element 100 by vacuum pressure.

On the other hand, although not shown in the drawing, the pulley 7 is connected to the driving pulley (not shown) and the power transmission belt (not shown) coupled to the drive shaft of the servo motor (not shown) installed on one side to rotate the rotational force. The servo motor (not shown) rotates the pulley 7 clockwise and counterclockwise by 180 ° alternately, and moves the index heads 8 to the shuttle 3 and test socket 4 positions. Will be moved repeatedly.

In addition, a frame 9 is fixedly installed on the vertical plate 2, and the index head 8 located on the shuttle 3 is mounted on the frame 9 at an upper outer side of the pulley 7. A pair of first and second pneumatic cylinders 11 and 12 are installed to move to 3) to perform loading and unloading operations.

Here, the first pneumatic cylinder 11 is used during the loading operation in which the index head 8 picks up the semiconductor element 100 on the shuttle 3, and the second pneumatic cylinder 12 is used for the first pneumatic cylinder ( It has a stroke amount slightly smaller than that of 11) and is used when performing the unloading operation in which the tested semiconductor element 100 on the index head 8 is placed in the shuttle 3.

The reason for the difference in stroke amount between the first pneumatic cylinder 11 and the second pneumatic cylinder 12 as described above is that the index heads 8 are fixed to the semiconductor element 100 by vacuum pressure. At the time, the holder assembly 85 of the index head 8 must contact the semiconductor element 100 on the shuttle 3 to fix the semiconductor element, but at the time of unloading, the semiconductor element fixed to the index head 8 This is because the vacuum pressure is released at a distance (about 2 to 3 mm) slightly away from the upper surface of the shuttle 3 and the semiconductor device 100 is separated and placed in the shuttle 3.

On the other hand, the frame (9) is fixed to the servo motor 13, the servo motor 13 is provided with a ball screw 14 horizontally toward the test socket (4), the ball screw 14 The end of the ball housing 15 is installed to move along the ball screw 14, the ball housing 15 is moved in accordance with the operation of the ball screw 14, the index head located in front of the test socket (4) It is intended to push (8) into the test socket (4).

The index apparatus of the present invention configured as described above operates as follows.

When the handler is operated, the first pneumatic cylinder 11 moves downward to push the shaft 82 end of the index head 8 located above the shuttle 3 downward so that the shaft 82 descends to hold the holder assembly 85. ) Secures the semiconductor device 100 to be tested on the shuttle 3. Subsequently, when the first pneumatic cylinder 11 is lifted up, the shaft 82 is raised in a state where the semiconductor element 100 is fixed by the action of the compression coil spring 83, thereby completing the loading operation.

When the loading operation is completed as described above, by the operation of the pulley driving servo motor (not shown), the pulley 7 is rotated by 180 ° so that the index head 8 fixing the semiconductor device 100 is connected to the test socket 4. It is located in front of the other index head 8 is located above the shuttle (3).

As described above, when the index head 8 fixing the semiconductor device 100 is positioned in front of the test socket 4, the servomotor 13 is operated to rotate the ball screw 14 and thus the ball housing 15. While moving forward, the shaft 82 of the index head 8 is pushed toward the test socket 4 to connect the semiconductor element 100 of the holder assembly 85 to the test socket 4.

Meanwhile, when the operation of connecting the semiconductor device 100 to the test socket 4 is performed as described above, the index head 8 located above the shuttle 3 performs the loading operation in the same manner as described above, so that the shuttle 3 The semiconductor device 100 to be tested is loaded on ().

When the test work is completed in the test socket 4 after a predetermined time has elapsed, the servomotor 13 is operated in reverse to cause the ball housing 15 to retreat, and the shaft 82 of the index head 8 is compressed in the coil. The spring 83 retracts to its original position by the elastic force.

Subsequently, the pulley driving servomotor (not shown) is operated in reverse, so that the pulley 7 rotates 180 ° in the opposite direction, whereby the index head 8 holding the tested semiconductor device 100 is shuttled. (3) On the upper side, the other index head 8 holding the semiconductor element 100 to be tested is moved forward of the test socket 4.

In this state, the servo motor 13 is operated again, and the test socket 4 side is connected to the semiconductor device to the test socket 4 in the same manner as described above to perform a test for a predetermined time. At the shuttle 3 side, the second pneumatic cylinder 12 is operated to unload the tested semiconductor element 100 of the index head 8 onto the shuttle 3.

When the tested semiconductor device 100 is unloaded on the shuttle 3 as described above, the shuttle 3 is transferred to the outside of the test site by a separate transfer means, and a new semiconductor device 100 to be tested immediately is The first pneumatic cylinder 11 is operated while another seated shuttle 3 is supplied so that the index head 8 loads a new semiconductor element 100 and waits until the test is completed in the test socket 4. .

When the test is completed in the test socket (4), the pulley (7) is rotated again by 180 ° to move the index head (8), the connection is made in the test socket (4) as described above, shuttle (3) On the) side, unloading and loading are done. At the handler's test site, this process is repeated repeatedly and the test is performed.

Meanwhile, in the above-described embodiment, the index head 8 is operated by using the ball screw 14 and the ball housing 15 to connect the semiconductor device to the test socket 4, but in addition to the pneumatic cylinder, etc. It is also possible to operate the index head 8 by means of a drive.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the pulley 7 is rotated alternately clockwise and counterclockwise by 180 °. Alternatively, the pulley 7 may be configured to rotate only in one direction clockwise or counterclockwise. .

As described above, according to the present invention, since the index head fixing the semiconductor element is moved to the shuttle and test socket positions by the rotation method, the movement path of the index head can be shortened and the moving speed can be increased. The time taken to mount the test socket, that is, index time, can be reduced, thereby improving test productivity.

Claims (9)

A horizontal base plate provided with a shuttle on which the semiconductor device is mounted; A vertical plate installed perpendicular to one end of the base plate and provided with a test socket through which a semiconductor device is electrically connected and a test is performed; A rotating shaft member rotatably installed at an angle inclined in a diagonal direction at an intersection point of the base plate and the vertical plate; A pulley installed on the rotating shaft member to rotate about the rotating shaft member; A pair of index heads installed in the pulley to be movable in a predetermined amount, the pair of index heads being disposed at 180 ° intervals in the pulley to hold and release the semiconductor elements at the shuttle and test socket positions; Pulley driving means for rotating the pulley by 180 °; A loading / unloading unit which moves the index head toward the shuttle when one of the index heads is located above the shuttle; And a connecting unit for connecting the semiconductor element to the test socket by moving the index head toward the test socket when one of the index heads is located in front of the test socket. The index device of claim 1, wherein the loading / unloading unit is formed on an outer upper portion of the pulley to move the index head up and down. The pneumatic cylinder according to claim 2, wherein the loading / unloading unit is composed of two pneumatic cylinders having different stroke amounts, so that when the index head loads the semiconductor device to be tested on the shuttle, the pneumatic cylinder having a large stroke amount is operated. An pneumatic cylinder having a small stroke amount is operated when an unloaded semiconductor device of an index head is unloaded onto a shuttle. The ball screw according to claim 1, wherein the connection unit is provided with a ball screw horizontally disposed on an outer side of the pulley, a ball housing movably installed at an end of the ball screw, and in contact with an end of the index head. Indexing device of a semiconductor device test handler, characterized in that consisting of a motor for rotating. The index device according to claim 1, wherein the connection unit is configured to be pneumatic cylinder which is installed horizontally outside the pulley to move the index head horizontally. The method of claim 1, wherein the index head is a hollow cylindrical fixing member fixed to the pulley, a shaft movably installed in the hollow portion of the fixing member, and an elastic for elastically supporting the shaft relative to the fixing member A member, a stopper fixed to an end of the shaft, and a holder assembly fixed to the stopper to fix the semiconductor element by vacuum pressure. The index device of claim 6, wherein the elastic member is a compression spring interposed between one end of the shaft and one outside of the fixing member. According to claim 1, wherein the pulley driving means is coupled across the servo motor provided on the outside of the pulley, the drive pulley provided on the drive shaft of the servo motor, the drive pulley and the pulley to transfer the driving force of the servo motor to the pulley. The indexing device of the semiconductor device test handler, characterized in that composed of a power transmission belt. 9. The index device according to claim 1 or 8, wherein the pulley driving means rotates the pulley alternately clockwise and counterclockwise by 180 degrees.