KR101007933B1 - Apparatus for tray loading/unloading and test handler having the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The tray loading / unloading apparatus used in the test handler includes a box-shaped frame in which a test tray in which semiconductor elements are housed are transferred in a sliding manner, a guide member for guiding the test tray being disposed inside the frame, and a side wall of the frame. And a shock absorbing unit for reducing the impact applied when the test tray stops against the positioning stopper provided inside the frame. In particular, the shock absorbing unit includes an air cylinder, pressurized by the test tray just before reaching the stopper with the rod of the air cylinder extended, and acting as an air shobar, and when the test tray reaches the stopper, the rod is moved to the rear of the stopper. Retract to remove pressure from the test tray. Thus, it is possible to stop at the correct position while reducing the impact on the test tray.

Description

Apparatus for tray loading / unloading and test handler having the same}

The present invention relates to a tray loading / unloading device and a tester handler including the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tray loading / unloading device and a test handler including the same. It is about.

In general, semiconductor devices and integrated circuits including the semiconductor devices are shipped after various tests under various environmental conditions before shipment.

The test handler is a device for testing the semiconductor device and the integrated circuit. The test handler accommodates the semiconductor devices of the customer trays loaded on the loading stacker as a test tray, and then transfers the test tray containing the semiconductor devices to the test chamber to test the semiconductor devices. To perform. In the test chamber, a lead or ball portion of semiconductor devices mounted on a test tray is electrically connected to a socket of a test head to perform a predetermined electrical test. The test handler separates the semiconductor elements of the test tray from which the test is completed, classifies and stores the semiconductor elements in the customer tray according to the test result, and then loads the customer tray in the unloading stacker.

The test handler also includes a loading / unloading portion for loading / unloading the test tray into the test chamber. The test tray is slid and transferred to the normal loading part / unloading part, and the stop position of the conveyed test tray is obtained by hitting a physical reference plane (for example, a stopper).

However, as the tray hits the reference plane and stops, there is a problem that the tray or the device is moved and the semiconductor element is damaged. Thus, a method of providing a spring device or a shobar device on the reference plane has been proposed, but in this case, the test tray is pushed out of the reference plane after shock absorption and thus does not stop at the correct position.

Therefore, one problem to be solved through an embodiment of the present invention is to buffer the shock applied when the tray transported into the tray loading / unloading device hits the physical reference surface for positioning, while stopping the tray at the correct position It is to provide a tray loading / unloading device that can be operated so that.

In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a test handler including the tray loading / unloading device as a member.

In order to achieve the above object of the present invention, the tray loading / unloading device according to the present invention includes a frame, a guide member, and a buffer unit. The frame has a box shape in which a test tray in which semiconductor elements are accommodated is transferred in a sliding manner. The guide member is disposed inside the frame and guides the test tray to be transferred. The shock absorbing unit is provided on the side wall of the frame, and serves to reduce the impact applied when the test tray is stopped by hitting the positioning stopper provided in the inside of the frame. In particular, the shock absorbing unit includes an air cylinder, pressurized by the test tray just before reaching the stopper while the rod of the air cylinder is extended, and operated as an air shobar, and the test tray has reached the stopper. When the rod is retracted to the rear of the stopper to remove the pressure applied to the test tray.

Here, according to one embodiment, the shock absorbing unit comprises a first sensing member for detecting that the rod of the air cylinder pressed by the test tray has been retracted to a reference position in order to detect that the test tray has reached the stopper. It may include.

Further, in another embodiment, the shock absorbing unit detects that the rod of the air cylinder and the second sensing member for detecting the extension of the rod of the air cylinder together with the first sensing member are retracted to the rear of the stopper. It may further include a third sensing member for.

According to another embodiment, the rod may be provided at the tip of the air cylinder, and may further include an elastic member for reducing the impact between the rod and the tray.

According to another embodiment, the air cylinder is installed outside the side wall of the frame, the rod of the air cylinder is to be extended and retracted through the shaft hole formed in the side wall of the frame.

In order to achieve the above object of the present invention, the test handler according to the present invention includes a test chamber, a loading part, and an unloading part. The test chamber is loaded with a test tray loaded with the semiconductor devices to be tested, tests the semiconductor devices with the test tray mounted thereon, and unloads the test tray loaded with the tested semiconductor devices. The loading unit provides a test tray on which the semiconductor devices to be tested are mounted. The unloading unit is provided with a test tray on which the tested semiconductor devices are mounted. In particular, at least one of the loading unit and the unloading unit may include a frame in the form of a box in which a test tray in which semiconductor elements are accommodated are transferred in a sliding manner, a guide member disposed in the frame and guiding the test tray in the frame; A shock absorbing unit provided on a side wall of the frame, the shock absorbing unit reducing a shock applied when the test tray is stopped by hitting a positioning stopper provided inside the frame, the shock absorbing unit including an air cylinder, When the rod of the air cylinder is extended, the test tray is pressed by the test tray immediately before reaching the stopper and acts as an air shoWa, and when the test tray reaches the stopper, the rod is retracted to the rear of the stopper so that Remove the pressure on the test tray.

Here, the buffer unit may include a sensing member for detecting that the rod of the air cylinder pressed by the test tray has been retracted to a reference position in order to detect that the test tray has reached the stopper. Can be.

In addition, according to another embodiment, the shock absorbing unit is configured to sense that the rod of the air cylinder and the second sensing member for detecting the extension of the rod of the air cylinder together with the sensing member are retracted behind the stopper. It may further include a third sensing member.

According to yet another embodiment, the test handler may further include a chamber and a chamber. The inner chamber is disposed between the loading unit and the test chamber, receives a test tray on which the semiconductor devices to be tested are mounted, heats and cools the semiconductor devices to be tested, and provides the test tray to the test chamber. do. The desorption chamber is disposed between the unloading unit and the test chamber, receives a test tray on which the tested semiconductor elements are mounted, restores the tested semiconductor elements to room temperature, and provides the test tray to the unloading unit. do.

The tray loading / unloading device and the test handler including the same according to the present invention configured as described above are provided with a buffer unit at a position corresponding to the physical reference plane for determining the stop position of the tray. It is possible to reduce the impact generated and to allow the tray to stop at the correct position without being pushed out by the buffering action of the buffer unit.

Therefore, the tray can be transferred to the loading / unloading device at high speed for productivity improvement or fast logistic processing. Even when the tray is formed large to accommodate more semiconductor devices, damage due to impact, noise, Damage can be prevented. This makes it possible to improve the production yield.

Hereinafter, a tray loading / unloading apparatus and a test handler having the same according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As the inventive concept allows for various changes and numerous embodiments, particular embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the text. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to the specific disclosed form, it should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the present invention. Like reference numerals are used for like elements in describing each drawing. In the accompanying drawings, the dimensions of the structures are shown in an enlarged scale than actual for clarity of the invention.

The terms first, second, etc. may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by the terms. The terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, the first component may be referred to as the second component, and similarly, the second component may also be referred to as the first component.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, the terms "comprise" or "have" are intended to indicate that there is a feature, number, step, action, component, part, or combination thereof described on the specification, and one or more other features. It is to be understood that the present invention does not exclude the possibility of the presence or the addition of numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof. Unless defined otherwise, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Terms such as those defined in the commonly used dictionaries should be construed as having meanings consistent with the meanings in the context of the related art and shall not be construed in ideal or excessively formal meanings unless expressly defined in this application. Do not.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a tray loading / unloading apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the tray loading / unloading device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a frame 12, a guide member 14, and a shock absorbing unit 16. Here, the tray loading / unloading device 10 processes a test tray for performing a test in a state in which semiconductor devices are mounted. The tray loading / unloading device 10 may be used when the test tray TT is transferred in a sliding manner in the test handler.

The frame 12 carries a test tray TT in which semiconductor elements are accommodated. In particular, the test tray TT is transferred in a sliding manner. The frame 12 includes a support 12a arranged horizontally and a side wall 12b disposed perpendicular to the side of the support 12a. One or more openings may be formed in the support part 12a and the side wall 12b as necessary.

The stopper 13 is provided inside the frame 12 to determine a stop position of the test tray TT to be transferred. That is, the test tray TT transferred into the frame 12 is stopped by hitting the stopper 13. For example, the stopper 13 may be attached to the side wall 12b. Alternatively, the stopper 13 may be one or more pins installed on the support part 12a.

The guide member 14 is disposed inside the frame 12. Specifically, the guide member 14 may be disposed horizontally by being disposed above the support part 12a. The guide member 14 guides the test tray TT so that the guide member 14 can be conveyed in one direction without difficulty. That is, the test tray TT may be supported and transported by the guide member 14. For example, the guide member 14 may be a conveyor or a roller.

The buffer unit 16 may be disposed on the side wall 12b. The buffer unit 15 may be installed on an outer surface of the side wall 12b, and a bracket 18 may be used for fixing. The shock absorbing unit 16 serves to reduce an impact applied to the test tray TT, the stopper 13, and the like when the transported test tray TT hits the stopper 13 and stops.

The shock absorbing unit 16 may be made of an air cylinder. The shock absorbing unit 16 is provided so that the tip end of the rod 16a is located in front of the stopper 13 when the rod 16a is fully extended, and located behind the stopper 13 when fully retracted. . Therefore, the test tray TT hits the tip of the rod 16a before reaching the stopper 13. As the test tray TT continues to be transferred even after hitting the rod 16a, the rod 16a is retracted while being pressurized, and the air cylinder operates as an air shobar. As a result, the buffering effect and pressure are applied to the test tray TT to reduce the feed rate of the test tray TT. The shock absorbing unit 16 operates to artificially retract the rod 16a when the test tray TT reaches the stopper 13 so that the tip of the rod 16a is located behind the stopper 13. By doing so, the pressure applied to the test tray TT from the rod 16a is removed.

Here, the elastic member 17 may be provided at the front end of the rod 16a. The elastic member 17 serves to reduce the impact applied when the rod 16a and the test tray TT collide with each other.

In addition, the air cylinder further includes first to third sensing members S1, S2, and S3 for detecting a position of the rod 16a. The first to third sensing members S1, S2, and S3 determine the position of the rod 16a to operate according to the position of the test tray TT. That is, the first sensing member S1 serves to detect that the test tray TT reaches the stopper 13 by transferring the rod 16a while pressing the rod 16a. Therefore, when the test tray TT reaches the stopper 13, the first sensing member S1 is disposed at the retraction point of the rod 16a as a reference position, and the pod 16a is retracted to the reference position. By detecting that the test tray TT has reached the stopper 13. In addition, the second sensing member S2 is provided to detect the maximum extension of the rod 16a, and the third sensing member S3 is provided to detect the maximum retraction of the rod 16a. .

On the other hand, as the air cylinder is installed on the outer surface of the side wall 12b, the rod 16a has a first shaft hole H1 formed in the side wall 12b and a second shaft hole H2 formed in the stopper 13. ) And then move backward and backward.

2A to 2C are diagrams for describing an operation of the tray loading / unloading apparatus of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 2A, the shock absorbing unit 16 extends the rod 16a to the maximum through detection of the second sensing member S2, and waits while the tip thereof is positioned in front of the stopper 13. . The test tray TT is conveyed toward the stopper 13 by the guide of the guide member 14, and hits the tip of the rod 16a before reaching the stopper 13.

Referring to FIG. 2B, as the test tray TT is continuously conveyed toward the stopper 13, the rod 16a retreats by the test tray TT pressurization. At this time, the air cylinder is gradually compressed by the retraction of the rod (16a) to operate as an air shobar. Therefore, the test tray TT is buffered by the air cylinder acting as an air cushion, and at the same time, as the test tray TT gradually presses the rod 16a, the repulsive force is increased to reduce the feed rate of the test tray TT. do.

Thereafter, the test tray TT, which is transported while decelerating in the air shock absorbing operation of the shock absorbing member 16, reaches the stopper 13. The arrival of the test tray TT on the stopper 13 is confirmed by sensing of the first sensing member S1.

Referring to FIG. 2C, when it is detected that the test tray TT has reached the stopper 13, the shock absorbing unit 16 artificially retracts the rod 16a. At this time, the shock absorbing unit 16 is maximally retracted so that the tip of the rod 16a is located behind the stopper 13. As a result, the force applied by the shock absorbing unit 16 to the test tray TT is completely removed, and thus the test tray TT is stopped in the state of reaching the stopper 13.

As such, the shock absorbing unit 16 absorbs the kinetic energy of the test tray TT through cushioning and deceleration while operating as an air shovel immediately before the test tray TT reaches the stop position stopper 13. After that, when the test tray TT reaches the position to be stopped, that is, the stopper 13, the test tray TT detects this by the first sensing member S1 and artificially moves the rod 16a to the rear of the stopper 13. By retreating, the pressure applied to the test tray TT is removed to operate the test tray TT to stop at a predetermined position.

Hereinafter, a test handler including the tray loading / unloading device 10 as a member will be described.

3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a test handler according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the test handler 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a loading stacker 110, an unloading stacker 120, a loading unit 130, an unloading unit 140, and an inner chamber. 150, a test chamber 160, a desock chamber 170, and a sorting buffer unit 180.

The loading stacker 110 loads a plurality of first customer trays CT1. The first customer trays CT1 are stacked in the vertical direction in the loading stacker 110. The first customer tray CT1 refers to a customer tray in which semiconductor devices to be tested are accommodated. In this case, the semiconductor devices to be tested are accommodated in the first customer trays CT1 at first intervals.

The unloading stacker 120 loads a plurality of second customer trays CT2. The second customer trays CT2 are stacked in the vertical direction in the unloading stacker 120. The second customer tray CT2 refers to a customer tray in which the tested semiconductor devices are accommodated. That is, the first customer tray CT1 and the second customer tray CT2 are substantially the same customer trays, except that semiconductor devices before and after the test are accommodated, respectively. Therefore, the tested semiconductor devices are also accommodated in the second customer trays CT2 at first intervals.

The loading unit 130 has a test tray TT disposed in a horizontal state. The semiconductor devices to be tested, which are carried out from the first customer trays CT1, are transferred to the test tray TT and are stored at second intervals.

Thus, the test handler 100 is disposed between the loading stacker 110 and the loading unit 130, and simultaneously transfers the semiconductor devices to be tested from the first customer tray CT1 to the test tray TT. A loading picker unit 114 may be provided to change the distance between the elements from the first interval to the second interval.

The test tray TT, which is unloaded from the di-speed chamber 170, is transferred to the unloading unit 140. Tested semiconductor devices are stored in the test tray TT transferred to the unloading unit 140, and the test tray TT is transferred in a horizontal state when transferred to the unloading unit 140. In the unloading unit 140, the semiconductor devices tested from the test tray TT are carried out.

Meanwhile, the empty test tray TT is transferred to the loading unit 130 from the unloading unit 140 in a sliding manner, and the semiconductor devices tested from the dichroic chamber 170 are transferred to the unloading unit 140. The received test tray TT is transferred in a sliding manner. At this time, the loading unit 130 and the unloading unit 140 uses a physical reference plane, for example, a stopper for positioning in order to seat the transported test tray TT at a predetermined position. That is, the test tray TT hits the stopper and stops at a predetermined position. In this case, the test tray TT may be damaged by an impact. Thus, the loading unit 130 and the unloading unit 140 are applied to the configuration of the tray loading / unloading apparatus 10 described above with reference to FIG.

The inner chamber 150 is associated with the loading unit 130. The test chamber TT in which the semiconductor devices to be tested are stored is transferred and loaded into the inner chamber 50. At this time, the test chamber TT is loaded in a vertical state in the inner chamber 150. On the other hand, in the loading unit 130, the test tray TT is processed in a horizontal state. Accordingly, the test handler 100 may be provided between the loading unit 130 and the inner chamber 150 to include an inversion unit (not shown) for switching the test tray TT from a horizontal state to a vertical state. . The inner chamber 150 serves to heat or cool the semiconductor devices to be tested contained in the test tray TT to a predetermined temperature to form a predetermined test environmental condition.

The test chamber 160 is connected to the inner chamber 150, and a test tray TT in which the semiconductor elements to be tested are stored is transferred from the inner chamber 150. The test chamber 160 is connected to a test device 162 for testing semiconductor devices, and the test devices 162 are connected to the test device 162. ) May be provided with a pushing unit 164 for pushing and connecting.

The desorption chamber 170 is connected to the test chamber 160, and a test tray TT containing the tested semiconductor devices is transferred from the test chamber 160. The desorption chamber 170 serves to restore the tested semiconductor devices to room temperature in a heated or cooled state in the inner chamber 150.

On the other hand, as described above, the test tray TT unloaded from the dichroic chamber 170 is transferred to the unloading unit 140, and the dichroic chamber 170 processes the test tray TT in a vertical state. On the other hand, the unloading unit 140 receives the test tray TT in a horizontal state. Accordingly, the test handler 100 is disposed between the desorption chamber 170 and the unloading unit 140 and includes a switching unit (not shown) for switching the test tray TT from a vertical state to a horizontal state. Can be.

The sorting buffer unit 180 is associated with the unloading unit 140. The sorting buffer unit 180 is provided with a plurality of sorting tables 182 for classifying and placing the classes according to test results. At this time, the tested semiconductor devices are mounted on the sorting table 182 at the second interval.

The semiconductor devices classified according to grades in the sorting buffer unit 180 are loaded into the second customer tray CT2 of the unloading stacker 120 according to the grades. In this case, since the semiconductor elements are arranged in the sorting table 182 at a second interval in the second customer tray CT2, the sorting buffer unit 180 and the unloading stacker 120 may be disposed in the sorting table 182. The unloading picker unit 184 may be disposed at the same time to transfer the semiconductor elements and to change the second interval from the second interval to the first interval.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical and exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

As described above, in order to stop the tray loading / unloading device and the test tray transported into the device including the same in a predetermined position, the buffering device corresponds to the stopper for determining the stop position of the test tray. The shock absorber unit is operated as an air shock bar just before the test tray reaches the stopper, detects when the test tray reaches the stopper, and removes the pressure applied to the test tray by an artificial retraction operation.

Thus, the test tray can be stopped at the correct position without being pushed out of the predetermined stop position while reducing the impact that may occur when the test tray hits the stopper and stops. As a result, it is possible to transfer the test tray at high speed to improve the liveness of the ship or to perform the logistics quickly, and even when the test tray is enlarged to accommodate more semiconductor devices, damage caused by static shock, noise, Damage can be prevented. This improves the production yield.

While the foregoing has been described with reference to preferred embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art will be able to variously modify and change the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims below. It will be appreciated.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a tray loading / unloading apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2A to 2C are diagrams for describing an operation of the tray loading / unloading apparatus of FIG. 1.

3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a test handler according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

10: tray loading / unloading device 12: frame

12a: support portion 12b: side wall

13: stopper 14: guide member

16: shock absorber unit 16a: rod

17: elastic member 18: bracket

H1: first shaft hole H2: second shaft hole

S1: first sensing member S2: second sensing member

S3: third sensing member 100: test handler

110: loading stacker 114: loading picker unit

120: unloading stacker 130: loading unit

140: unloading unit 150: the inner chamber

160: test chamber 162: test apparatus

164: pushing unit 170: Dichoxy chamber

180: sorting buffer unit 182: sorting table

184: unloading picker unit

Claims (9)

A box-shaped frame in which a test tray in which semiconductor elements are accommodated is transferred in a sliding manner; A guide member disposed inside the frame and guiding the test tray being transferred; And It is provided on the side wall of the frame, and includes a buffer unit for reducing the impact applied when the test tray is stopped by hitting the positioning stopper provided in the interior of the frame, The shock absorbing unit includes an air cylinder, pressurized by the test tray just before reaching the stopper in the extended state of the air cylinder, and acting as an air shobar, when the test tray reaches the stopper; Tray loading / unloading device, characterized in that to retract the rod to the rear of the stopper to remove the pressure applied to the test tray. The method of claim 1, wherein the shock absorbing unit includes a sensing member for detecting that the rod of the air cylinder pressed by the test tray has been retracted to a reference position in order to detect that the test tray has reached the stopper. Tray loading / unloading device. The method of claim 2, wherein the buffer unit A second sensing member for sensing that the rod of the air cylinder is extended; And And a third sensing member for detecting that the rod of the air cylinder has been retracted to the rear of the stopper. The tray loading / unloading device of claim 1, further comprising an elastic member provided at a rod end of the air cylinder to reduce an impact between the rod and the tray. The tray loading / unloading apparatus of claim 1, wherein the air cylinder is installed outside the side wall of the frame, and the rod of the air cylinder extends and retracts through a shaft hole formed in the side wall of the frame. A test chamber loaded with a test tray on which semiconductor devices to be tested are loaded, testing the semiconductor devices while being mounted on the test tray, and unloading a test tray on which the tested semiconductor devices are mounted; A loading unit providing a test tray on which the semiconductor devices to be tested are mounted; And And an unloading unit provided with a test tray on which the tested semiconductor devices are mounted. At least one of the loading unit and the unloading unit The test tray in which the semiconductor devices are accommodated is provided in a box-shaped frame in which the sliding tray is transferred, the guide member disposed in the frame and guides the test tray to be transported, and the sidewalls of the frame. And a shock absorbing unit for reducing the impact applied when the colliding stopper is stopped inside the frame, the shock absorbing unit including an air cylinder, and the stopper in the extended state of the rod of the air cylinder. Pressurized by the test tray immediately before reaching and acting as an air shock bar, and when the test tray reaches the stopper, the rod is retracted to the rear of the stopper to remove pressure applied to the test tray. Test handler. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the buffer unit includes a sensing member for detecting that the rod of the air cylinder pressed by the test tray has been retracted to a reference position in order to detect that the test tray has reached the stopper. Characterized by a test handler. The method of claim 7, wherein the buffer unit A second sensing member for sensing that the rod of the air cylinder is extended; And And a third sensing member for detecting that the rod of the air cylinder has been retracted to the rear of the stopper. The semiconductor device of claim 6, further comprising a test tray disposed between the loading unit and the test chamber, the test tray having the semiconductor devices to be tested mounted thereon, to heat and cool the semiconductor devices to be tested, and to transfer the test tray to the test chamber. Providing a chamber; And A desorption chamber disposed between the unloading unit and the test chamber, receiving a test tray on which the tested semiconductor elements are mounted, restoring the tested semiconductor elements to room temperature, and providing a test tray to the unloading unit; Test handler, characterized in that it further comprises.

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