KR20100074247A

KR20100074247A - Carrier device and electronic component handling device

Info

Publication number: KR20100074247A
Application number: KR1020107009747A
Authority: KR
Inventors: 다이스케 다카노; 켄이치 다카하시
Original assignee: 가부시키가이샤 아드반테스트
Priority date: 2007-11-06
Filing date: 2007-11-06
Publication date: 2010-07-01
Also published as: KR101187306B1; JP5137965B2; JPWO2009060515A1; WO2009060515A1

Abstract

A tray carrier arm (205) for carrying a customer tray comprises an arm substrate (21), proximity sensors (24) provided near four corners of the lower surface of the arm substrate (21), and a sensing plate (27) located below the proximity sensors (24). Supporting plates (26) are provided on both sides below the arm substrate (21) with block members (25) therebetween, and both sides of the sensing plate (27) are supported by the supporting plates (26). When the tray carrier arm (205) holds the customer tray with an IC device (2) projecting from its housing portion (20), the sensing plate (27) moves upward in the z-axis direction by touching the IC device (2), and the proximity sensor (24) senses this movement. Thus, the projection of the IC device (2) from the housing portion (20) of the customer tray can be detected, and the projecting IC device (2) can be prevented from being broken.

Description

Carrier and Electronic Component Handling Device {CARRIER DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC COMPONENT HANDLING DEVICE}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic component handling apparatus capable of processing an electronic component under test in order to test an electronic component such as an IC device and a conveying apparatus used therein.

In the manufacturing process of electronic components such as IC devices, a test apparatus for testing the finally manufactured electronic components is required. In such a test apparatus, a plurality of IC devices are processed by an electronic component handling apparatus called a handler, and in the process, each IC device is electrically contacted with a test head to perform a test on a test main apparatus (tester).

The IC device before the test in the handler is generally stored in the stocker in the state of being stored in the customer tray, transferred from the customer tray to the test tray in the loader section, loaded into the test tray, and returned to the test head in the test tray and provided to the test. do. After the test is completed, the IC device is taken out from the test head, and then unloaded and transferred from the test tray to a predetermined customer tray according to the test result. The customer tray containing the tested IC device is moved into the device storage of the handler by the tray set elevator. The customer tray is conveyed to and stored in each stocker classified into a good or bad category by a tray transfer arm provided in the device storage unit.

Here, when the test-ended IC device is transferred from the test tray to the customer tray and loaded, the IC device may be inclined to be placed in the storage portion of the customer tray, and the IC device may protrude from the storage portion of the customer tray. The conventional tray conveyance arm holds a customer tray by covering the customer tray as a conveyance object in a dummy customer tray (dummy tray) when conveying the customer tray which accommodated the test completion IC device. Therefore, when the IC device protrudes from the housing portion of the customer tray, the IC device from which the bottom surface of the dummy tray protrudes is evened, so that the IC device is stored in the normal position of the storage portion of the customer tray.

However, in the above method, depending on the direction in which the IC device protrudes, the dummy tray may break the IC device when the tray transport arm holds the customer tray. In some cases, two IC devices may be piled up in one accommodating portion of the customer tray, but in this case, the dummy tray may destroy the IC device. In such a case, a problem arises in that the product is shipped as a good product even though the IC device judged as good quality is damaged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and an electronic component handling apparatus capable of detecting a case where an electronic component protrudes from a predetermined position on a tray, and a case where the electronic component protrudes from a predetermined position on a tray, Another object of the present invention is to provide a conveying apparatus and an electronic component handling apparatus capable of preventing breakage of protruding electronic components.

In order to achieve the above object, firstly, the present invention provides an electronic component handling apparatus having an electronic component protrusion detecting means capable of detecting that an electronic component mounted on a tray protrudes from a predetermined position during a tray conveyance. (Invention 1).

Secondly, the present invention provides an electronic component handling apparatus having an electronic component protrusion detecting means having a tray holding portion and capable of detecting that the electronic component mounted on the tray protrudes from a predetermined position. (Invention 2). Although the conveying apparatus mentioned later is mentioned as a tray hold part, for example, it is not limited to this.

Thirdly, the present invention provides a conveying apparatus capable of holding and moving a tray containing an electronic component in an electronic component handling apparatus, comprising a main body portion capable of holding a tray and a tray held by the main body portion, A conveyance comprising a member provided in the main body so as to be in contact with an electronic component protruding from a predetermined position on a tray and movable in the Z-axis direction, and a sensor for detecting the movement in the Z-axis direction of the member. A device is provided (invention 3). In addition, in this specification, a "sensor" shall also include the concept of a switch.

According to the invention (Invention 3), when an electronic component protrudes from a predetermined position in a tray (when it is inclined and stored or when a plurality of sheets are stacked), the member protrudes when the tray is held by a conveying device. It contacts the electronic component which exists, moves in the Z-axis direction, and a sensor detects the movement of the member in the Z-axis direction. Thereby, it can be detected that an electronic component protrudes from the predetermined position of a tray. In addition, since the member covering the tray moves in the Z-axis direction in contact with the protruding electronic component, the member can be prevented from damaging the electronic component by damaging the electronic component.

Furthermore, according to the above structure, the projection of the electronic parts in all the storage portions of the tray can be detected with a small number of sensors even if the same number of sensors as the number of the storage portions of the tray are not provided, and the position and size of the storage portions can be detected. The protrusion of the electronic component can be detected also for different trays. Thus, the conveying apparatus is very economical.

In the said invention (invention 3), it is preferable that the said member is provided in the state which has the degree of freedom in the Z-axis direction with respect to the said main-body part (invention 4). According to this invention, since the member places almost no load on the electronic component when it comes in contact with the protruding electronic component, the member can be reliably prevented from damaging the electronic component and damaging the electronic component.

In the said invention (invention 3), the said main-body part may be equipped with the support part which supports the said member, and the guide part which guides the movement of the said member in the Z-axis direction (invention 5).

In the said invention (invention 3), it is preferable that the said conveying apparatus is provided with the holding apparatus which can hold and release a tray (invention 6).

In the invention (invention 6), the holding device is provided with a claw member that can be coupled to the tray, and the claw member is rotatable about the Z axis, and by rotating the claw member around the Z axis, It is desirable to be able to hold or release the tray (invention 7).

Fourthly, the present invention provides an electronic component handling apparatus capable of processing an electronic component under test in order to carry out a test of the electronic component, wherein the conveying apparatus (invention 3 to 7) is provided. (Invention 8).

In the invention (Invention 8), the conveying apparatus may be provided in a storage unit for stacking and storing a plurality of trays (Invention 9)

In the above invention (Invention 8), when the sensor detects movement of the member in the Z-axis direction, the tray may be moved to a predetermined position (invention 10), or a warning may be issued ( Invention 11). As a predetermined position, the position (for example, the mounting position of the tray which accommodated the electronic component before test), the position which an operator can handle the tray, etc. are mentioned, for example.

According to the conveying apparatus or the electronic component handling apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to detect that the electronic component protrudes to a predetermined position of the tray, and in some cases, it is possible to prevent damage to the protruding electronic component.

1 is an overall side view of an IC device testing apparatus including a handler according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the handler shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
3 is a flowchart of a tray showing a method of processing an IC device under test.
4 is a schematic view of the device storage of the handler shown in FIG.
5 is a perspective view of a customer tray used in the handler shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the tray conveyance arm in the handler shown in FIG. 1; FIG.
Fig. 7 is a front view of the tray transport arm in the handler shown in Fig. 1, in which (a) is a normal state, and (b) is a state where the IC device protrudes.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiment of this invention is described in detail based on drawing.

First, the whole structure of the IC device test apparatus provided with the electronic component handling apparatus (henceforth a "handler") which concerns on this embodiment is demonstrated. As shown in FIG. 1, the IC device test apparatus 10 includes a handler 1, a test head 5, and a test main device 6. The handler 1 sequentially returns IC devices (an example of electronic components) to be tested to sockets provided in the test head 5, and classifies the IC devices that have been tested according to the test results and stores them in predetermined trays. Execute the action.

The socket provided in the test head 5 is electrically connected to the test main device 6 through the cable 7, and the test main device 6 is connected to the test device via the cable 7 with an IC device detachably mounted to the socket. Is connected to and the IC device is tested with the test electrical signal from the test main device 6.

The lower part of the handler 1 is mainly equipped with a control device for controlling the handler 1, but the space part 8 is provided in part. In this space portion 8, the test head 5 is freely disposed, and the IC device can be mounted in the socket on the test head 5 through the through hole formed in the handler 1.

This handler 1 is a device for testing an IC device as an electronic component to be tested at room temperature, a temperature higher than normal temperature (high temperature) or a temperature lower than normal temperature (low temperature), and the handler 1 is shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 3, the chamber 100 includes a thermostatic chamber 101, a test chamber 102, and a heat removing tank 103. The upper part of the test head 5 shown in FIG. 1 is inserted into the test chamber 102, whereby the test of the IC device 2 is performed.

On the other hand, FIG. 3 is a figure for understanding the processing method of the test IC device in the handler of this embodiment, and there exists a part which shows the planar part which is actually arrange | positioned side by side in the up-down direction actually. Therefore, the mechanical (three-dimensional) structure can be understood mainly with reference to FIG.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the handler 1 of the present embodiment includes a device storage unit 200 which stores an IC device which performs a test from now on, and classifies and stores an IC device that has been tested. In addition, the loader unit 300 which transfers the IC device under test from the device storage unit 200 to the chamber unit 100, the chamber unit 100 including the test head, and the chamber unit 100 are tested. It consists of an unloader unit 400 for taking out and sorting the completed IC device. Inside the handler 1, the IC device is stored in the test tray TST and conveyed.

Many IC devices before being set in the handler 1 are housed in the customer tray KST shown in FIG. 5, and in this state, the device storage unit 200 of the handler 1 shown in FIGS. The IC device is transferred to and loaded into the test tray TST which is supplied to and transferred from the customer tray KST into the handler 1. As shown in FIG. 3, inside the handler 1, the IC device moves in a state loaded on the test tray TST, and it is tested whether or not it operates properly at normal temperature or under high temperature or low temperature stress. Inspection) and classified according to the test results.

Here, parts related to the device storage unit 200, the loader unit 300, and the unloader unit 400 of the handler 1 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 2, the device storage unit 200 includes a pre-test device stocker 201 storing an IC device before a test, and a test-ended device stocker 202 storing IC devices classified according to the test results. Is installed.

As shown in Fig. 4, the pre-test device stocker 201 is loaded with a customer tray (KST) containing the pre-test IC device on which the test is to be performed from now on, and the test end device stocker 202 ends the test. A customer tray (KST) containing the sorted test termination IC device is loaded. On the other hand, the customer tray KST in the present embodiment has an accommodating portion 20 of 10 rows x 6 columns as shown in Fig. 5, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

2 to 4, in the present embodiment, two stockers STK-B are provided as the stocker 201 before the test. In the neighborhood of the stocker STK-B, two empty stockers STK-E to be sent to the unloader 400 are provided as test termination device stockers 202. In addition, as the test termination device stocker 202, eight stockers STK-1, STK-2, ..., STK-8 are installed in the neighborhood, and are configured to be stored in a maximum of eight according to the test results. As a result, in addition to the distinction between good and defective products, it is also possible to classify the products into high-speed, medium-speed, low-speed, or defective products that require retesting.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, three pairs of window portions 306 are arranged on the apparatus substrate 105 of the loader 300 so that the customer tray KST faces the upper surface of the apparatus substrate 105. It is established. As shown in FIG. 4, the tray set elevator 307 for raising and lowering the customer tray KST is provided below each window part 306. As shown in FIG. 2 and 4, a tray conveyance arm 205 is provided in the upper portion of the device storage unit 200. As shown in FIG.

The tray conveyance arm 205 is movable in the Z-axis direction and the X-axis direction, moves from the origin to the Z-axis direction, and holds the customer tray KST loaded on the device stocker 201 before the test. After moving upward in the Z-axis and returning to the origin, it moves in the X-axis and guides the customer tray KST to the predetermined tray set elevator 307. The tray set elevator 307 raises the received customer tray KST and draws it out to the window part 306 of the loader part 300.

In this loader section 300, the IC device under test which has been loaded into the customer tray KST is transferred to the preciser 305 by the XY transfer device 304, and is tested here. After correcting the mutual positions of the IC devices, the test tray (TST) is stopped in the loader section 300 again by using the XY transfer device 304 again for the IC device under test transferred to the presizer 305. To load.

As shown in FIG. 2, the XY conveying apparatus 304 which transfers and loads the IC device under test from the customer tray KST to the test tray TST is provided with two rails 301 arranged on the upper portion of the device substrate 105. ), The movable arm 302 which can reciprocate (this direction is called a Y-axis direction) between the test tray TST and the customer tray KST by these two rails 301, and this movable arm A movable head 303 supported by 302 and movable in the X-axis direction along the movable arm 302 is provided.

An adsorption pad is attached to the movable head 303 of the XY conveying apparatus 304 in a downward direction, and the adsorption pad moves while sucking air, thereby adsorbing the IC device under test from the customer tray KST. Transfer the IC device under test to a test tray (TST) and load it. About eight such suction pads are attached to the movable head 303, and eight IC devices under test can be transferred to the test tray TST at once and loaded.

In the unloader unit 400 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, XY transport apparatuses 404 and 404 having the same structure as the XY transport apparatus 304 provided in the loader unit 300 are provided. The test-ended IC devices are transferred to the customer tray KST from the test tray TST carried by the unloader unit 400 by 404 and 404.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the device substrate 105 of the unloader unit 400, a customer tray KST transported to the unloader unit 400 is disposed to face an upper surface of the device substrate 105. Two pairs of window portions 406 are formed. As shown in FIG. 4, the tray set elevator 407 for raising and lowering the customer tray KST is provided below each window part 406. As shown in FIG.

The tray set elevator 407 loads and lowers the customer tray KST (full tray) filled with the IC device under test. After the tray conveyance arm 205 shown in Figs. 2 and 4 receives the full tray from the lowered tray set elevator 407 and moves it in the X-axis direction up to the predetermined test termination device stocker 202, Z Move down the axis to place the full tray on the test device stocker 202 and move up the Z axis to return to the origin. In this way, the full tray is stored in the end device stocker 202.

As shown in FIG.2 and FIG.4, in this embodiment, two tray conveyance arms 205 are provided in the X-axis direction. Each tray transfer arm 205 is independently movable in the Z-axis direction, but the two tray transfer arms 205 move in parallel in the X-axis direction.

As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the tray conveyance arm 205 has an arm substrate 21 (corresponding to a main body portion of the present invention) formed slightly larger than the customer tray KST, and the lower surface of the arm substrate 21. As shown in Figs. It includes a proximity sensor 24 provided at approximately four corners of and a detection plate 27 located below the proximity sensor 24. The type of the proximity sensor 24 is not particularly limited, and may be any one of, for example, a high frequency oscillation type using electromagnetic induction, a magnetic type using a magnet, and a capacitance type using a change in capacitance.

In addition, although the number of the proximity sensors 24 in this embodiment is four, it is not limited to this. In consideration of the manufacturing cost and the like of the tray transfer arm 205, it is preferable to set the necessary number sufficient to detect the protrusion of the IC device 2 in all the storage portions 20 of the customer tray KST.

As shown in FIG. 7, support plates 26 are provided on both lower sides of the arm substrate 21 via the block member 25. The support plate 26 extends forward in the center direction of the arm substrate 21, and the detection plate 27 is supported by the support plate 26 at both sides thereof. As a result, the detection plate 27 is provided with the degree of freedom in the Z-axis direction with respect to the arm substrate 21. That is, the detection plate 27 can move freely in the Z-axis direction with the support plate 26 as the lower limit. When the detection plate 27 moves in the Z-axis direction with respect to the arm substrate 21, the proximity sensor 24 detects that the detection plate 27 is in close proximity.

In addition, a claw member 22 rotatable around the Z axis is provided at approximately four corners below the arm substrate 21, and a guide pin 23 is provided near each claw member 22. The detection plate 27 is formed with a cutout 271 at a position corresponding to the guide pin 23. In this embodiment, the guide pin 23 is a circumference, and the notch 271 of the detection plate 27 is a semicircle. By this structure, the detection plate 27 is guided to the guide pin 23 at the notch 271 when moving in the Z-axis direction with respect to the arm substrate 21. In addition, the movement of the detection plate 27 with respect to the arm substrate 21 in the X-Y axis direction is regulated by the guide pin 23.

The claw member 22 has a claw 221 in a part of the circumferential direction thereof, and rotates in the closed direction around the Z-axis so that the claw 221 engages with an edge of the customer tray KST and makes a customer. By holding the tray KST and rotating in the open direction around the Z axis, the claw 221 coupled to the edge of the customer tray KST is disengaged from the edge of the customer tray KST. The customer tray KST can be released.

The detection plate 27 covers the customer tray KST while the tray conveyance arm 205 holds the customer tray KST by the member 22. As a result, it is possible to prevent the IC device from protruding from the customer tray KST during conveyance of the customer tray KST equipped with the IC device.

As shown in FIG. 7B, the tray transfer arm 205 having the above-described configuration is inclined and accommodated in the accommodating portion 20 of the customer tray KST. When the customer tray KST in the state where the IC device 2 protrudes is held, the detection plate 27 comes in contact with the protruding IC device 2 and moves upward in the Z-axis direction. The proximity sensor 24 detects that the detection plate 27 is close, and thereby can detect that the IC device 2 protrudes from the housing portion 20 of the customer tray KST. At this time, since the detection plate 27 moves upward in the Z-axis direction with little load applied to the contacted IC device 2, the detection device 27 breaks the IC device 2. (2) can be prevented from being damaged.

On the other hand, two IC devices 2 are overlapped and accommodated in one accommodating portion 20 of the customer tray KST, and the IC device 2 protrudes from the accommodating portion 20 of the customer tray KST. Even when the corresponding customer tray KST is held, it is possible to detect that the IC device 2 protrudes from the housing portion 20 of the customer tray KST in the same manner as described above. In addition, the detection plate 27 can prevent the IC device 2 from being damaged by breaking the IC device 2.

When detecting that the IC device 2 protrudes from the accommodating portion 20 of the customer tray KST as described above, the handler 1 uses the tray transfer arm 205 to detect the corresponding customer tray KST. May be returned to the device stocker 201 before the test and provided to the retest, or a warning such as sound or light may be issued to the operator.

According to the structure of the tray conveyance arm 205 provided with the detection plate 27, a small number of the number of accommodating portions 20 of the customer tray KST and the same number of proximity sensors 24 are not provided. Proximity sensor 24 can detect the protrusion of IC device 2 in all housing portions 20 of customer tray KST. In addition, the protrusion of the IC device 2 can be detected also with respect to the IC device 2 having different types, that is, with respect to the customer tray KST having a different position and size of the housing portion 20. This tray conveyance arm 205 is very economical.

The embodiments described above are described to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and are not described to limit the present invention. Therefore, each element disclosed in the said embodiment is intended to include all the design changes and equivalents which belong to the technical scope of this invention.

For example, the proximity sensor 24 may be another kind of sensor, for example, a contact sensor (switch), as long as it can detect the movement in the Z-axis direction of the detection plate 27. In addition, although the number of the proximity sensors 24 in this embodiment is four, you may be one-several, or more.

The present invention is useful for grasping the storage state of electronic components mounted on a tray.

One… Handler (Electronic Component Handling Device)
2… IC Devices (Electronic Components)
10... IC Device (Electronic Component) Tester
20... Storage part (of customer tray)
200... (Device) storage
205... Tray transport arm (transporter, tray hold section)
21 ... Arm board (body part)
22... Claw member
23 ... Guide Pin (Guide Part)
24 ... Proximity Sensor
26... Support plate (support)
27 ... Detection plate (member)

Claims

An electronic component handling device comprising electronic component protrusion detection means for detecting that an electronic component mounted on a tray protrudes from a predetermined position during a tray conveyance.

And a tray holding portion, wherein the tray holding portion has electronic component protrusion detecting means for detecting that the electronic component mounted on the tray protrudes from a predetermined position.

A conveying apparatus capable of holding and moving a tray containing an electronic component in an electronic component handling apparatus,
Body part which can hold tray,
A member provided to the main body to cover the tray held by the main body and be movable in the Z-axis direction in contact with an electronic component protruding from a predetermined position in the tray;
And a sensor for detecting the movement of the member in the Z-axis direction.

The method according to claim 3,
And the member is provided with a degree of freedom in the Z-axis direction with respect to the main body.

The method according to claim 3,
The said main body part is equipped with the support part which supports the said member, and the guide part which guides the movement of the said member in the Z-axis direction, The conveying apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned.

The method according to claim 3,
The conveying apparatus is provided with a holding apparatus which can hold and release a tray.

The method of claim 6,
The holding device is provided with a claw member that can be coupled to the tray, and the claw member is rotatable around the Z axis, and the holder can be held or released by rotating the claw member around the Z axis. Carrying apparatus characterized in that.

An electronic component handling apparatus capable of processing an electronic component under test in order to perform an electronic component test, comprising the conveying apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 7.

The method according to claim 8,
And the conveying apparatus is provided in a storage unit for stacking and storing a plurality of trays.

The method according to claim 8,
And when the sensor detects movement of the member in the Z-axis direction, the tray can be moved to a predetermined position.

The method according to claim 8,
And a warning device when the sensor detects movement of the plate member in the Z-axis direction.