KR20230159152A - Relay apparatus and operation method of handler for testing electronic component - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a relay device for a handler for testing electronic components.
The relay device of the handler for testing electronic components according to the present invention is for relaying electronic components going from a customer tray to a tester or from a tester to a customer tray, and includes an installation table on which electronic components are placed on the upper surface; A gripper that grips both left and right ends of the rear end of the adapter placed on the upper surface of the installation table; A supporter that supports or releases the rear end portion of the adapter placed on the upper surface of the mounting table, or an adsorber that secures the front end portion of the adapter placed on the upper surface of the mounting table by vacuum suction; and an opener that opens the adapter fixed by the gripper; Includes.
According to the present invention, electronic components that have processing tolerances or bending during the manufacturing process can be properly seated on the adapter, and defective operation is prevented during the relay process, ultimately allowing the electronic components to be accurately electrically connected to the tester, thereby increasing reliability of the handler. This improves.

Description

Relay device and operating method of handler for testing electronic components {RELAY APPARATUS AND OPERATION METHOD OF HANDLER FOR TESTING ELECTRONIC COMPONENT}

The present invention relates to a relay device that can be used in a handler for testing electronic components.

Produced electronic components (e.g. semiconductor devices, boards, SSDs, etc.) are tested by testers and then divided into good and defective products, and only good products are shipped.

Electronic components can only be tested when they are electrically connected to a tester. At this time, the equipment that supports the testing of electronic components by electrically connecting them to the tester is an electronic component test handler (hereinafter abbreviated as 'handler'). am.

Handlers are being proposed and manufactured along with the development of new electronic components, and various future developments are being made to stabilize them.

Recently, the distribution of SSD (Solid State Drive), a large electronic component equipped with various electronic devices, is increasing.

In the beginning, when demand for SD was low and only small quantities were produced, the SD was manually connected electrically to the tester and disconnected, but as demand increased rapidly, support for manual testing became difficult.

However, since the thickness, structure, and weight of the SSD are different from those of conventional electronic components, the conventional handler could not be applied as is. Therefore, a handler suitable for testing support of large electronic components such as the SD was developed, and was published in Korean Patent No. 10-2019. It has been proposed as No. -0050483 and No. 10-2019-0061291.

In general, SD can have various standards depending on the type of electronic device mounted or its exclusive use, and a handler is required to support testing of electronic components of such various standards. However, because the handler is expensive and large in size, there are many limitations in unit cost and securing installation space. Therefore, there is a need for technology that can reduce costs and space requirements by performing testing of electronic components of various specifications in a single handler.

In addition, in order to test electronic components with different specifications, replacement of components that meet the specifications of the electronic component is required, and even if replacement of components is not necessary, down time is required to supply new electronic components. As a result, the operation rate of handlers and testers decreases, and miscellaneous manpower is lost, so a handler that can minimize downtime even during one cycle operation or continuous operation of the handler is needed.

Meanwhile, in the case of semiconductor devices, which are conventional small-type mass-produced products, a test tray capable of loading hundreds of semiconductor devices is provided, and the semiconductor devices are directly grasped with a number of pickers and inserted into the insert of the test tray. . In this system, the position of the semiconductor device is maintained in the insert and also during the connection process with the tester, so even if the precision was somewhat poor during the process of placing the electronic component on the test tray, it was not a problem.

However, electronic components such as SD, which have various electronic devices including semiconductor devices, tend to be produced in small quantities in various types in response to the diversity of applied devices, and there are cases where various types of tests must be performed. However, since the test sockets of all testers are not located in the same location, if you want to equip a test tray with a small variety of mass-produced product, it is necessary to manufacture expensive test trays for each type of electronic component or tester and to make a suitable test tray. I had to have a handler. Therefore, we considered connecting the electronic components to the test socket while holding the electronic components directly with a gripper without applying a separate test tray, but it has been confirmed through previous research that this has significant problems.

For example, electronic components have different lengths and widths, and due to the nature of manufacturing, it is difficult to produce 100% identical sizes even for electronic components of the same type due to processing errors. However, if you try to grip the electronic component with a gripper without considering this situation, the electronic component may not be properly gripped and may be lost or damaged due to too strong a pressing force. Of course, even if the gripper is adjusted to grip the electronic component well, situations such as the electronic component being twisted or rotated along with the grip may occur depending on which part of the electronic component is gripped and the strength of the grip. In order to improve this, precise control of the driving part must be possible, and since it must correspond to all electronic components, the driving shaft must also be very long. In addition, to prevent damage, distortion, and unnecessary rotation, the application of an expensive motor capable of situation-specific torque control was required. However, this reduces productivity because it requires high production costs along with the enlargement of equipment. In addition, auto-teaching must be performed to set the exact gripping position of the electronic component by the gripper to ensure precise contact, which is a part that requires a truly enormous amount of cost and technology.

Accordingly, the applicant of the present invention has previously proposed an invention (hereinafter referred to as 'pre-filed technology') to provide an adapter to a handler to implement a versatile handler through patent application No. 10-2020-0073725. The adapter is designed to function as a carrier used to supply electronic components to the tester, and adds to the versatility of the handler by allowing it to be adapted to many types of electronic components of different sizes.

However, for large electronic components such as SD, the substrate may be bent during the production process or the width of the substrate may vary slightly due to tolerances, so in some cases, there is a possibility that the electronic component may be held incorrectly by the adapter or incorrectly seated on the adapter. there is. And in this case, a defect may occur in the electrical connection between the electronic components and the tester, which will be an important cause of lowering the reliability of the handler.

In addition, even if the adapter is out of position or twisted due to various causes (impact, etc.), it affects the position of the electronic components seated in the adapter, and errors occur during the movement of the adapter, ultimately resulting in electrical problems between the electronic components and the tester. It causes a defect in the connection.

The present invention was conceived from concerns about a technology that would enable electronic components with various tolerances to be properly seated on adapters so that future electronic components could be accurately electrically connected to a tester.

In addition, the present invention was created from concerns about technology that would enable electronic components with bends to be properly seated on the adapter.

In addition, the present invention was created from concerns about technology that can properly align and hold the adapter.

The relay device of the handler for testing electronic components according to the first aspect of the present invention includes an installation table on which electronic components are placed on the upper surface; A gripper that grips both left and right ends of the rear end of the adapter placed on the upper surface of the installation table; A supporter that supports or releases the support state of the rear end of the electronic component mounted on the adapter placed on the upper surface of the installation table; and an opener that opens the adapter fixed by the gripper; It includes, and the gripper, the support, and the opener are installed on the installation table.

The gripper includes a pair of fixing levers for gripping both left and right ends of the rear end of the adapter; and a driving source that causes the pair of fixing levers to grip or release the adapter by narrowing or widening the gap between the pair of fixing levers. It includes, and the pair of fixing levers have a position fixing pin that can be inserted into a position fixing groove in the adapter on surfaces facing each other.

The relay device of the electronic component test handler rotates the installation stand at an angle of 90 degrees, so that the adapter placed on the installation stand and the electronic components seated on the adapter change their posture from standing to lying or from lying to standing. rotator; It may further include.

The relay device of the handler for testing electronic components includes an absorber that vacuum-adsorbs and fixes the front end of the adapter placed on the upper surface of the installation table; It may further include.

The support includes a support member for supporting electronic components; Includes.

The support member has at least one support protrusion that is disposed to correspond to at least one through groove in the adapter and can support the electronic component.

The support member is an elevator that lifts the support member so that when the support member rises, the support member is in a position to support the electronic component, and when the support member goes down, the support state of the electronic component is released; It may further include.

The relay device of the handler for testing electronic components according to the second aspect of the present invention includes an installation table on which electronic components are placed on the upper surface; A gripper that grips both left and right ends of the rear end of the adapter placed on the upper surface of the installation table; An adsorber that secures the front end of the adapter placed on the upper surface of the installation table by vacuum suction; and an opener that opens the adapter fixed by the gripper and the absorber; It includes, and the gripper, the adsorber, and the opener are installed on the installation table.

The gripper includes a pair of fixing levers for gripping both left and right ends of the rear end of the adapter; and a driving source that causes the pair of fixing levers to grip or release the adapter by narrowing or widening the gap between the pair of fixing levers. It includes, and the pair of fixing levers have a position fixing pin that can be inserted into a position fixing groove in the adapter on surfaces facing each other.

The relay device of the electronic component test handler includes a rotator that changes the posture of the adapter placed on the installation stand and the electronic components seated on the adapter by rotating the installation stand forward and backward at an angle of 90 degrees; It may further include.

A method of operating a handler for testing electronic components according to the present invention includes an opening step of opening an adapter; A seating step of seating the electronic component on the adapter using a moving hand; A gripping step in which the adapter grips an electronic component; and a release step in which the moving hand releases the adsorption of the electronic component; Including, in the seating step, a plurality of points at the rear end of the electronic component are supported by a support member, and then the electronic component is lowered and pressed by a moving hand so that the bent electronic component is flattened. Afterwards the grasping step is performed.

According to the present invention, electronic components that have had processing tolerances or bending during the manufacturing process can be properly seated on the adapter, and the adapter can be accurately aligned, preventing defective operation during the relaying process of the electronic component, and ultimately, the electronic component can be tested through the tester. Since it can be accurately connected electrically, the reliability of the handler is improved.

1 is a reference diagram for explaining the electrical connection structure between electronic components and a tester.
Figure 2 is a conceptual structural diagram of an electronic component test handler to which the relay device of the electronic component test handler according to the present invention can be applied.
Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of the handler of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a conceptual plan view of the connection part applied to the handler of Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a relay device of a handler for testing electronic components according to the present invention coupled to a paired adapter.
Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the adapter of Figure 5.
Figure 7 is an excerpt of a grip lever applied to the adapter of Figure 7.
Figure 8 is a virtual excerpt of the guide groove in the grip lever of Figure 8.
FIG. 9 is an exaggerated reference diagram for explaining the operation of the guide groove of FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is a reference diagram for explaining the relationship between the adapter of FIG. 5 and the test hand.
FIG. 11 is a reference diagram for explaining the positioning protrusion on the adapter of FIG. 5.
Figure 12 is a perspective view of a combined relay device of a handler for testing electronic components according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 13 is an exploded perspective view of the relay device of Figure 12.
Figure 14 is an excerpt of a support applied to the relay device of Figure 12.
This is a reference diagram for explaining the rotation state of the electronic component in FIG. 15.

Preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, but for brevity of explanation, descriptions of overlapping or substantially identical configurations will be omitted or compressed as much as possible.

<Explanation of electrical connection between electronic components and tester>

The handler to which the relay device (hereinafter abbreviated as 'relay device') of the handler for testing electronic components according to the present invention is applied is a method in which the contact terminal side of the electronic component is inserted into the test slot of the tester, such as SD. applied more appropriately.

For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the tester (TESTER) is provided with a test slot (S), and the contact terminal (T) side of the electronic component (ED) is inserted into the test slot (S), thereby making the electronic component (ED) ) and the tester are electrically connected.

<A brief description of the handler structure>

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a handler (HR) in which the relay device according to the present invention can be used, and FIG. 3 is a schematic three-dimensional view of the handler (HR) of FIG. 2.

The handler (HR) according to this embodiment includes a connection part (CP), a stacker part (SP), and a transfer device (TA).

The connection part (CP) withdraws the electronic component (ED) to be tested from the customer tray and supplies it to the tester (TESTER), or retrieves the electronic component (ED) for which testing has been completed from the tester (TESTER) and places it on the customer tray. The relay device according to the present invention is provided in this connection part (CP).

The stacker part (SP) stores the customer trays brought into the handler (HR) to supply the customer trays loaded with electronic components (ED) to be tested to the connection part (CP), or stores the electronic components (ED) for which testing has been completed. ) is retrieved from the connection part (CP) and stored before being taken out from the handler (HR). In addition, the stacker part (SP) supplies customer trays containing stored electronic components (ED) to be tested to the transfer device (TA), or transfers customer trays loaded with electronic components (ED) for which testing has been completed to the transfer device. Retrieved from (TA).

The transfer device (TA) transfers the customer tray between the connection part (CP) and the stacker part (SP). In other words, the customer tray containing the electronic components (ED) to be tested is transferred from the stacker part (SP) to the connection part (CP) by the transfer device (TA), and the customer tray containing the electronic components (ED) for which testing has been completed is carried. The tray is transferred from the connection part (CP) to the stacker part (SP) by the transfer device (TA).

<Brief description of connection parts>

The connection part (CP) includes a relay device 100, a mobile hand 200, a reciprocating mobile device 300, and a test hand 400, as shown in the conceptual plan view of FIG. 4.

The relay device 100 relays electronic components (ED) moving from the customer tray to the tester (TESTER) and vice versa. An adapter 500 corresponding to an electronic component to be tested may be mounted on the relay device 100, and this will be described in detail in a separate table of contents. Here, the adapter 500 is a carrier for transporting electronic components (ED), and an example of this will be described in detail later.

The moving hand 200 moves the electronic component (ED) to be tested from the customer tray (CT) from the stacker part (SP) by the transfer part (TP) to the adapter 500 in the relay device 100. The electronic component (ED) for which testing has been completed is seated or moved from the adapter 500 in the relay device 200 to the customer tray (CT). This moving hand 200 grips the eddy-shaped electronic component (ED) by vacuum adsorption. It is equipped with multiple adsorption elements, and one or more adsorption elements are implemented to selectively adsorb electronic components (ED) of various sizes. All are designed to be adsorbed and held (see application number 10-2020-0019380).

The reciprocating mover 300 moves the relay device 100 between the first work area (W1), where the moving hand 200 works, and the second work area (W2), where the test hand 400 works. Since the relay device 100 travels between the first work area (W1) and the second work area (W2) by this reciprocating mover 300, the first work area (W1) and the second work area (W2) By being separated, interference between the moving hand 200 and the test hand 400 can be excluded.

The test hand 400 grasps and moves the adapter 500 in the relay device 100 in the second work area (W2) to connect the contact terminal (T) of the electronic component (ED) seated in the adapter 500. ) side is inserted into the test slot (S), and when the test for the electronic component (ED) is completed, the electronic component (ED) is withdrawn from the test slot (S) and placed on the adapter 500, and then the adapter (500) is inserted into the test slot (S). ) is placed back on the relay device 100.

That is, the electronic component (ED) to be tested is moved from the customer tray (CT) to the relay device 100 by the mobile hand 200, and then transferred from the relay device 100 to the tester (TESTER) by the test hand 400. ), and the tested electronic component (ED) goes through the opposite process and returns to the customer tray (CT).

<Description of adapter>

FIG. 5 is a combined perspective view of an adapter 500 that can be paired with the relay device 100 according to the present invention, and FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the adapter 500 of FIG. 5.

The adapter 500 includes a pair of grip levers 511 and 512, an installation frame 520, a gap manipulation mechanism 530, elastic members 541 to 544, and pressure members 561 and 562.

A pair of grip levers (511, 512) are provided to face each other, and are guided by guide rods (525, 526) on the installation frame (520) and can move straight in the left and right directions where the gap between them narrows or widens. there is. Therefore, when the gap between the pair of grip levers 511 and 512 is narrowed, the pair of grip levers 511 and 512 come into a state in which the rear end portion of the electronic component ED is gripped at both ends. And when the gap between the pair of grip levers 511 and 512 is widened, the pair of grip levers 511 and 512 enter an open state to release the grip of the electronic component ED. Therefore, in order for the electronic component (ED) to be seated on the adapter 500 or withdrawn from the adapter 500 by the mobile hand 200, a pair of grip levers 511 and 512 are opened to release the grip of the electronic component (ED). It must be in a state.

As can be clearly seen in the excerpt of FIG. 7, two operating grooves OG are formed on opposing surfaces of the pair of grip levers 511 and 512, respectively.

The operating groove (OG) is formed at the area where the grip levers 511 and 512 and the gap manipulation mechanism 530 contact. The two operating grooves OG on the same grip levers 511 and 512 are formed side by side in the front-back direction. And the operating groove (OG) is formed to have an inclined surface where the depth of the depression becomes shallower toward the rear.

In addition, the pair of grip levers 511 and 512 has guiding grooves GG formed on the surfaces facing each other and extending in the front-back direction above the operating grooves OG. This guide groove (GG) is used in the process of moving the electronic component (ED) forward and backward (for example, the process in which the electronic component to be tested moves to be electrically connected to the tester, or the electronic component that has completed testing is pulled out from the tester). It guides the movement of electronic components (ED) in the process of moving to the adapter. Furthermore, when the pair of grip levers 511 and 512 grip both ends of the rear end of the electronic component (ED), both ends of the electronic component (ED) are inserted into the guide groove (GG) and are held in the vertical direction. Since it is caught, the guide groove (GG) also has the function of holding the electronic component (ED).

As shown in the virtual excerpt of FIG. 8, the guide groove (GG) sequentially passes the horizontal maintenance section (HM), width increase section (WG), penetration section (TS), and opening section (OS) in the direction from rear to front. have it as

The horizontal maintenance section (HM) is so narrow that its upper and lower width is almost the same as the upper and lower thickness of the electronic component (ED), so that it properly holds both ends of the electronic component (ED) and connects the contact terminal (at the rear end of the electronic component (ED)). It is formed so that the flatness of the area where the T) is located is maintained.

The width increase section (WG) is formed to become wider from the front end of the horizontal maintenance section (HM) toward the front. Accordingly, even if sagging due to gravity or bending of the substrate itself occurs in areas other than the area adsorbed and gripped by the moving hand 200 during the process of seating the electronic component (ED), both grip levers 511 and 512 This allows both ends of the electronic component (ED) to be properly held.

The through section (TS) is formed to have a constant width in the front and rear direction at the front end of the width increasing section (WG), and is a space through which the rear support protrusion (SM) of the support member 131 in the relay device 100 can pass. It corresponds to the width of the through groove (TG) in the front-to-back direction. For reference, the support member 131 is capable of being lifted up and down, so when it rises, the upper end of the support protrusion (SM) passes through the through groove (TG) and is in a state where it can support the electronic component (ED) in the seating process. When this happens, the support state of the electronic component (ED) is released. Of course, the supporting protrusions (SM) are formed with supporting protrusions (J) to support the electronic component (ED), and it is preferable that four or more of them are provided in a symmetrical form on the front, rear, left and right. When the support member 131 is provided in the relay device 100 in this way, even if the adapter 500 is slightly twisted, a defect occurs in the seating of the electronic component (ED) due to the support protrusions (SM) whose positions are fixed. is prevented to that extent.

The open section (OS) is formed to have a width that is at least the same as or wider than the front end of the width increasing section (WG). This open section (OS) can be further subdivided into a horizontal section at the rear (OS1) and a downward section at the front (OS2). In the downward section (OS2), the width expands further downward, resulting in a correspondingly larger bending. It is designed to properly accommodate even electronic components (ED).

And the guide groove (GG) is open in the front and back directions.

As described above, the guide groove GG having the same shape as in FIG. 8 solves the problem of the adapter 100 holding the electronic component ED even when the electronic component ED is bent downward as shown in the exaggerated view of FIG. 9. While eliminating any scratches, the flatness of the contact terminal (T) side of the rear end is maintained, thereby contributing to the accurate insertion of the contact terminal (T) side into the test slot (S).

The installation frame 520 is provided to install and support the grip levers 511 and 512, the gap control mechanism 530, the elastic members 541 to 546, and the pressure members 561 and 562.

The installation frame 520 has two positioning protrusions 521 protruding to the left and right, respectively, on both left and right sides of the front end portion.

The positioning protrusions 521 are related to the positioning groove (SG) formed on the gripping surface of the test hand 400, as shown in the reference diagram of FIG. 10. That is, when the test hand 400 ultimately grasps the adapter 500 by grasping the installation frame 520, the positioning protrusion 521 is inserted into the positioning groove (SG). Therefore, in a state in which the test hand 400 holds the adapter 500, the position of the installation frame 520 is fixed and maintained even if an external force is applied to the adapter 500 in the front and rear directions, ultimately changing the position of the adapter 500. can be fixed and maintained. Of course, depending on the implementation, a positioning groove may be formed in the installation frame 520 and a positioning protrusion may be formed in the test hand 400.

As in the present embodiment, if a plurality of positioning protrusions 521 are provided on both left and right sides at regular intervals in the front and rear directions, the front end portion of the adapter 500 held by the test hand 400 is moved by gravity. By descending while rotating, poor grip on the electronic component (ED) is prevented. Here, referring to FIG. 11, it can be seen that one of the two positioning protrusions 521 is cylindrical with a relatively short protrusion, and the other has a relatively long protrusion and is roughly conical. According to this example, in the process of the test hand 400 gripping the adapter 500, the conical positioning protrusion 521 can contribute to correcting the position and posture of the adapter 500, and the cylindrical positioning protrusion 521 ) can contribute to accurately maintaining the set position, thereby eliminating defects resulting from manufacturing tolerances of the positioning protrusions 521.

In addition, the installation frame 520 has long guide rods 525 and 526 in the left and right directions to guide the straight left and right movement of the pair of grip levers 511 and 512. Of course, the grip levers 511 and 512 are formed with passing holes TH through which the guide rods 525 and 526 are inserted.

Additionally, a receiving groove (AG) is formed at the front end of the installation frame 520 to accommodate the front end of the electronic component (ED). Here, the left and right widths of the receiving groove (AG) are wider than the left and right widths of the front end of the electronic component (ED), so that both sides of the front end of the electronic component (ED) are mechanically pressed or caught by the adapter 500. It is not gripped and remains in a suspended form. This receiving groove (AG), like the guiding groove (GG), is also open in the front-back direction. This means that the seating space of the adapter 500, where the electronic component (ED) is seated, is open in the forward and backward directions. That is, the seating space including the guide groove (GG) and the receiving groove (AG) is open in the front and rear direction. Therefore, electronic components (ED) of various lengths can be seated across the guide groove (GG) and receiving groove (AG) without restrictions on their length.

In addition, the installation frame 520 has two position fixing grooves (FG) on the left and right sides into which the position fixing pins of the relay device 100 can be inserted at the rear end thereof. Two or more of these position fixing grooves (FG) may be formed on both left and right sides. And the position fixing grooves (FG) and position fixing pins serve to correct and fix the position of the adapter 500 held in the relay device 100. Therefore, when the relay device 100 moves or rotates, the adapter 500 is prevented from being separated. In addition, the position fixing groove (FG) and the position fixing pins function to maintain the installation frame 520 in its position even if an external force is applied to the adapter 500 coupled to the relay device 100 in the forward and backward directions.

In addition, the installation frame 530 further has a separate padding member 528 in addition to a pair of installation levers 523 and 524 on which a pair of grip levers 511 and 512 are installed at the rear portion.

The padding member 528 connects the rear ends of a pair of installation levers 523 and 524, which may be caused by use due to the pressing force of the elastic members 541 to 544 continuously applied. Prevent the gap between them from widening. This padding member 528 has an exposure window (W) through which the contact terminal (T) of the electronic component (ED) can be exposed.

The gap control mechanism 530 is installed on the installation frame 520 and applies a manipulation force to the pair of grip levers 511 and 512 to move them in the direction of widening the gap between them. For this purpose, the gap control mechanism 530 is installed on the installation frame 520 so that it can move in the front and rear directions, and includes an operation part 531, a pushing plate 532, and a transmission rod 533.

The operating portion 531 has two rolling rollers (R) on each of the left and right sides corresponding to the operating groove (OG), and the rolling rollers (R) form protruding portions that protrude outward from both left and right sides. And the rolling rollers (R) are in contact with the surface forming the operating groove (OG) with some of them inserted into the operating groove (OG). That is, both ends of the manipulation part 531 of the gap manipulation mechanism 530 are in contact with the grip levers 511 and 512 through the rolling roller R. Therefore, when the gap control mechanism 530 moves backward, the rolling rollers (R) come into contact with the inclined surface where the depth of the depression in the control groove (OG) becomes shallower as it moves, so naturally the gap control mechanism 530 moves both grip levers ( Manipulating force is applied to both grip levers 511 and 512 in a direction that widens the gap between them. Of course, when the gap control mechanism 530 moves forward, the rolling rollers (R) come into contact with the inclined surface where the depth of the depression in the control groove (OG) becomes deeper as it moves, so it is naturally applied to both grip levers 511 and 512. The operating power that was lost is being released.

The push plate 532 receives an external force applied in the positive direction to the gap manipulation mechanism 530 by the opener 160 (see FIG. 12 or 13) of the relay device 100. That is, the opener 160 applies a force backward through the push plate 532 to supply a driving force that allows the gap control mechanism 530 to move backward, and the gap control mechanism 530 is driven by the driving force of the opener 160. (530) moves to the rear.

The front end of the transmission rod 533 is fixedly coupled to the pushing plate 532, and the rear end is fixedly coupled to the operating part 531, so that the external force of the opener 160 that pushes the pushing plate 532 backward is applied to the operating part 531. ) is transmitted.

The elastic members 541 to 544 are installed so that one side is in contact with the installation frame 520 and the other side is in contact with the grip levers 511 and 512. Accordingly, the elastic members 541 to 544 apply elastic force to the pair of grip levers 511 and 512 in a direction that narrows the gap between the pair of grip levers 511 and 512. Accordingly, when the operating force applied to the pair of grip levers 511 and 512 by the gap manipulation mechanism 530 is removed, the pair of grip levers 511 and 512 are moved by the elastic force of the elastic members 541 to 544. The electronic component (ED) is gripped as it moves in a direction where the gap between them narrows. From this perspective, the elastic members 541 to 544 function as operating members that generate and maintain a pressing force that allows the pair of grip levers 511 and 512 to grip the electronic component (ED), and furthermore, It functions to close the adapter 500. Of course, motors, cylinders, etc. can be considered as operating members, but in order to respond to all widths of electronic components (ED) within the processing error range without separate settings, it is most desirable to construct the operating members with elastic members such as springs. You can.

The elastic members 541 to 544 determine the distance between a pair of grip levers 511 and 112 according to the degree of compression. And this fact shows that the elastic members 541 to 544 are also variable elements that change the gripping width between the pair of gripping levers 511 and 512 (the width that the pair of gripping levers must be spaced apart from to grip the electronic component). It means functioning. In other words, depending on the degree of compression of the elastic members 541 to 544, the grip levers 511 and 512 can grip electronic components ED having various widths within manufacturing tolerances.

When the external force caused by the opener 160 is removed, the pressing members 561 and 562 apply elastic force forward to the gap control mechanism 530 in order to smoothly restore the gap control mechanism 530 to its forward position. Since these pressing members 561 and 562 press the gap control mechanism 530 forward, the gripping force of the elastic members 541 to 544 that apply elastic force to the pair of gripping levers 511 and 512 in a mutually narrowing direction It also contributes to strengthening.

For reference, two through grooves (TG) are formed on both left and right sides of the installation frame 520 in addition to the grip levers 511 and 512. That is, the two through grooves (TG) at the rear, which are part of the through grooves (TG), are formed and located on the grip levers 511 and 512, and the two through grooves (TG) at the front, which are the remaining part, are located at the installation frame (520). ) is formed and located in.

<Description of relay device>

FIG. 12 is a combined perspective view of the relay device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the relay device 100 of FIG. 12.

The relay device 100 includes an installation stand 110, a gripper 120, a supporter 130, a rotator 140, an absorber 150, an opener 160, and various recognition sensors.

The installation stand 110 is provided to install the gripper 120, the supporter 130, the absorber 150, the opener 160, and various recognition sensors. The adapter 500 is placed on the upper surface of the installation stand 110.

The gripper 120 grips both left and right ends of the rear end of the adapter 500 placed on the upper surface of the installation stand 110. For this purpose, the gripper 120 includes a pair of fixing levers 121 and a driving source 122.

A pair of fixing levers 121 grip both left and right ends of the rear end of the adapter 500. This pair of fixing levers 121 each has a position fixing pin (FP) that can be inserted into a position fixing groove (FG) on surfaces facing each other.

The driving source 122 narrows or widens the gap between the pair of fixing levers 121, thereby causing the pair of fixing levers 121 to grip or release the grip of the adapter 500.

The support 130 is provided to support the rear end of the electronic component (ED) mounted on the adapter 500, and includes the support member 131 and the elevator 132 of FIG. 14.

The support member 131 has four support protrusions (SM) that are divided into front, rear, left and right and protrude upward, and support protrusions (J) for supporting the adapter 500 are formed on each of the support protrusions (SM). And, when the support member 131 is raised by the elevator 132, the supports J are in a position to support the electronic component (ED), and when the support member 131 is lowered, the support for the electronic component (ED) is released. . At this time, the rear supporting projection (SM) rises while passing through the through groove (TG). In this way, the support member 131 is provided in the relay device 100, so that even if the adapter 500 is slightly twisted, the electronic component (ED) is seated on the adapter 500 by the support protrusions (SM) whose positions are fixed. Seating failure can be prevented. Of course, it will be sufficient if at least one support projection (SM) and through groove (TG) are appropriately arranged in the required number.

For reference, the upper portions of the supporting protrusions (SM) have a slope where the surfaces facing each other in the left and right directions become wider as they go upward, thereby guiding both left and right ends of the electronic component (ED) coming down from the top. The electronic component (ED) is designed to be properly seated on the adapter 500.

The rotator 140 changes the posture of the adapter 500 placed on the installation stand 110 and the electronic component (ED) seated on the adapter 500 from a tilted state to a vertical state by rotating the mounting stand 110 forward and backward at an angle of 90 degrees. Or convert it to the opposite. Here, when the adapter 500 is converted to an inverted position, work is performed by the moving hand 200, and when the adapter 500 is converted to a vertical position, work is performed by the test hand 200.

Referring to FIG. 1, it can be seen that the contact terminal (T) at the rear end is inserted into the test slot (S) when the electronic component (ED) is in a standing state (upright state). On the other hand, referring to FIG. 15 for reference, it can be seen that the electronic component (ED) loaded on the adapter 500 mounted on the relay device 100 is in a reclining state (lying state). Therefore, when it is desired to electrically connect the electronic component (ED) to the tester (TESTER), the electronic component (ED), which is in a curved shape as shown in (a) of FIG. 15, must be positioned in a standing position as shown in (b) of FIG. 15. It must be converted, and for electronic components (ED) that have completed testing, the standing shape must be converted to a curled shape in order for recovery of the customer tray (CT) to be possible. The rotator 140 is responsible for this attitude change. Accordingly, the rotator 140 is implemented to rotate the electronic component (ED) counterclockwise using a straight line passing through the contact terminal (T) portion and the front end portion of the electronic component (ED) in the front-back direction as the rotation axis (R).

Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the contact terminal (T) of the electronic component (ED) mounted on the relay device 100 is oriented upward, but due to the manufacturer's circumstances, the contact terminal (T) of the electronic component (ED) As shown in (c) of FIG. 15, the rotator 140 rotates the electronic component (ED) in the opposite direction due to the arrangement of the electric terminals on the test slot (S) side, etc., thereby changing the state from the eddy state to the standing state. It may be possible. That is, in one form of the present invention, the rotator 140 is implemented to rotate the adapter 500 at an angle of 90 degrees counterclockwise or clockwise in order to change the electronic component ED from a vortex shape to a standing shape.

If the test slot S is formed long in the left and right directions, the electronic component ED does not need to be erected vertically, so the rotator 140 is an optional component.

The adsorber 150 is provided to fix the front end portion of the adapter 500 by vacuum suction, and is composed of four adsorptive elements 151 arranged in the front, rear, left, and right directions. Since the front end portion of the adapter 500 can be fixed by the absorber 150, the position of the adapter 500 can be appropriately set during the posture change process of the adapter 500, so that the mobile hand 200 or the test No defects occur in the work of the hand 300.

For example, if only the rear end of the adapter 500 is fixed by the gripper 120, when an operating shock is applied to the adapter 500 due to various manufacturing tolerances, the front end of the adapter 500 is moved to the left or right. The direction may be wrong, and in this case, defects may occur during the seating process due to gripping or releasing the electronic component (ED) by the moving hand 200.

In addition, for example, if only the rear end of the adapter 500 is fixed by the gripper 120, when the adapter 500 is erected vertically due to various manufacturing tolerances, the rear end is moved by the gravity applied to the rear end. A case may occur where it is sagging downward, which may cause a defect in the subsequent gripping operation of the adapter 500 by the test hand 400. In addition, in the opposite process, even when the posture of the adapter 500, which has been twisted by gravity, is changed to a supine position, the distorted posture is maintained, which may cause defects in the grip of the electronic component (ED) by the moving hand 200 in the future. . Therefore, the adsorber 150 plays a role in setting and maintaining the position of the electronic component (adapter) together with the gripper 120.

Since the absorber 150 adsorbs the lower surface of the adapter 500, it does not interfere with the subsequent gripping of the adapter 500 by the test hand 400 or vice versa.

Additionally, the adsorber 150 also functions as an alignment element when gripping the adapter 500. In other words, before the gripper 120 grips the rear portion of the adapter 500, the adapter 500 is first aligned by first adsorbing the front portion of the adapter 500 by the absorber 150, and then the gripper 500 The adapter 500 is gripped by the relay device 100 by secondarily gripping and fixing the rear end portion of the adapter 500 (120). Accordingly, the adapter 500 can be held by the relay device 100 while maintaining precise alignment.

Additionally, when the test hand 400 holds and takes the adapter 500 from the relay device 100, the adsorber 150 plays a certain role.

For example, the test hand 400 must hold the adapter 500 in the relay device 100 at an accurate position, but various errors may cause imprecision. In this case, there is a risk of damage to any one of the gripper 120, the relay device 100, and the adapter 500, and incorrect gripping may cause defects in the overall operation. However, the adsorption elements 151 that make up the adsorber 150 have adsorption sites made of a soft material such as rubber, and because they are vacuum adsorption methods, they provide a certain degree of fluidity to the adsorbed adapter 500. Therefore, even if the grip by the gripper 120 is released, the adapter 500 can remain in place, and the fluidity of the adapter 500 in the adsorbed state by the adsorption element 151 is maintained in the test hand 400. The operating error resulting from the grip of the adapter 500 can be partially offset.

It is sufficient for the above-described adsorber 150 to be provided with only one adsorber element 151, but it may be preferable to provide a plurality of 2 to 4 devices.

The opener 160 is provided to open the adapter 500 fixed by the gripper 120 and the adsorber 150, and includes a pressure lever 161 and a pressure source 162.

The pressing lever 161 is provided to contact the push plate 532 and apply a pressing force backward.

The pressure source 162 is provided to move the pressure lever 161 a predetermined distance in the front-back direction. When the pressure lever 161 moves rearward, a backward pressure force is applied to the push plate to open the adapter 500, When the pressing lever 161 moves forward, the pressing force acting on the push plate is released, and the adapter 500 enters a state in which the electronic component (ED) is held.

Various recognition sensors are provided to recognize the adapter 500 or various types of electronic components (ED).

For example, one recognition sensor may be used to detect poor seating of the adapter 500.

For example, one recognition sensor may be used to detect whether the adapter 500 is opened.

For example, one recognition sensor may be used to detect whether the adapter 500 changes posture.

For example, one recognition sensor may be used to detect whether an electronic component (ED) named U.2 is seated in the adapter 500.

For example, one recognition sensor may be for detecting whether an electronic component (ED) named M.2 is seated.

Next, the operation of the handler (HR) regarding the related configurations to which the above relay device 100 is applied will be described.

As the initial or to-be-tested electronic component (ED) is replaced, the operator seats the adapter 500 that meets the specifications of the electronic component (ED) to be tested on the relay device 100 in the first work area (W1). . Afterwards, when the moving hand 200 wants to seat the electronic component (ED) drawn from the customer tray (CT) on the adapter 100, the opener 160 moves the gap control mechanism 530 backward. push it At this time, since the installation frame 520 is fixed to the relay device 100 by the position fixing groove (FG), only the gap control mechanism 530 moves rearward due to the pressing force of the opener 160. In this process, the rollers (R) of the manipulation part 531 move backward while in contact with the inclined surfaces of the manipulation grooves (OG) of the grip levers 511 and 512, and exert force in the left and right directions on the grip levers 511 and 512. By applying, the gap between the two grip levers 511 and 512 widens and the adapter 500 is opened. Then, the support member 131 of the relay device 100 rises so that the support protrusion SM can support the electronic component ED. Therefore, the rear end of the electronic component (ED) can be supported by being placed on the support jaws (J) at four locations of the support member (131).

When the opening of the adapter 500 is completed, the mobile hand 200, which was holding the upper surface of the electronic component (ED), is lowered to a height where the rear end of the electronic component (ED) is placed on the supports (J). . This lowering process is also the process by which the bent rear end of the electronic component (ED) is converted to a flat state. In other words, the lowering of the electronic component (ED) by the moving hand 200 is a position where both left and right ends of the rear end of the electronic component (ED) are flattened so that they are properly inserted into the guide grooves GG of the holding members 511 and 512. It will be accomplished until then. That is, the moving hand 200 applies a pressing force to the bent electronic component (ED) to flatten the rear end of the electronic component (ED). Therefore, even if the electronic component (ED) is curved upward to a certain degree, the electronic component (ED) can be properly held by the grip levers 511 and 512 through the guide groove (GG). Here, since the rear end of the electronic component (ED) is supported by the supports (J) at a total of four places on both sides, front, rear, left, and right, the rear end of the electronic component (ED) is moved by the downward pressure applied by the moving hand 200. The area is spread out flat, and for this purpose, the point that is adsorbed and held by the moving hand 200 is between four support points (preferably at the point where two diagonal lines connecting two support points diagonally intersect). needs to be located. Therefore, it is preferable that at least four support projections (SM) are provided on the support member 131.

Next, the external force applied to the gap manipulation mechanism 130 is removed while the rear end portion of the electronic component ED is supported by the support jaw J. Then, the gap between the two grip levers 511 and 512 is narrowed by the elastic force of the elastic members 541 to 544, and the gap manipulation mechanism 530 is also pushed forward. In this process, both left and right ends of the electronic component (ED) are inserted into the guide grooves (GG) of the grip levers 511 and 512, thereby completing the gripping of the electronic component (ED) by the adapter 500. At this time, due to the shape of the guide groove GG, the rear portion of the electronic component ED (more specifically, the portion where the contact terminal is located) can be maintained flat. In addition, even if there is a wider tolerance in the left and right widths of the electronic component (ED), because the width of the receiving groove (AG) is sufficiently wide, a situation occurs where the rear end of the electronic component (ED) gets caught in the wall forming the receiving groove (AG). It doesn't work.

When the gripping of the electronic component (ED) by the grip levers 511 and 512 is completed, the moving hand 200 releases the gripping of the electronic component (ED) and then moves to another location.

Afterwards, the adapter 500 mounted on the relay device 100 is erected vertically. At this time, the lower end of the vertically standing electronic component (ED) is supported by the wall forming the guide groove (GG) and the support ledge (J), and further, the pressing force of both grip levers 511 and 512 and, depending on the case, Due to the bending restoring force that may occur, the seated state is properly maintained by being stuck in the guide groove GG. And after the mobile hand 200 releases the grip of the electronic component (ED) and moves to another location, the relay device 100 moves from the first work area W1 to the second work area by the reciprocating mover 300. It moves to (W2). The adapter 500, which was seated on the relay device 100 moved to the second work area W2, is held by the test hand 400 in a vertical state, and in this process, the positioning protrusion 521 is positioned. It is inserted into the groove (SG). Accordingly, the adapter 500 is held by the test hand 400 so that it is positioned at the correct setting position. In addition, since the position of the installation frame 520 can be fixed and maintained even in the event of external force applied to the adapter 500 in the future, ultimately the adapter 500 can also be fixed and maintained in its position.

When the test hand 400 moves the adapter 500 toward the tester (TESTER) and the position between the adapter 500 and the test slot (S) is accurately set, the opening element in the test hand 400 is connected to the gap control mechanism. (530) is slightly pushed to slightly widen the gap between the two grip levers (511, 512), and in that state, the connection element in the test hand (400) pushes the electronic component (ED) toward the test slot (S) to Insert the rear end of (ED) with the contact terminal (T) into the test slot (S).

And when the test is completed, the electronic component (ED) is operated to be held by the adapter 500, and then the electronic component (ED) is pulled out from the test slot (S) by the test hand 400. The withdrawn electronic components (ED) go through the reverse process and are ultimately placed on the customer tray (CT).

As described above, the specific description of the present invention has been made by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, since the above-described embodiments are only explained by referring to preferred examples of the present invention, the present invention is limited to the above-described embodiments. It should not be understood as limited, and the scope of rights of the present invention should be understood as the scope of the claims described later and their equivalents.

100: Relay device of handler for testing electronic components
110: installation stand
120: Holder
121: fixing lever
FP: Position fixing protrusion
122: drive source
130: supporter
131: Support member
SM: Support projection
132: elevator
140: rotator
150: adsorber
160: opener

Claims (9)

An installation table on which electronic components are placed on the upper surface;
A gripper that grips both left and right ends of the rear end of the adapter placed on the upper surface of the installation table;
A supporter that supports or releases the support state of the rear end of the electronic component mounted on the adapter placed on the upper surface of the installation table; and
an opener that opens the adapter fixed by the gripper; Includes,
The gripper, the support, and the opener are installed on the installation table.
Relay device for handler for testing electronic components. An installation table on which electronic components are placed on the upper surface;
A gripper that grips both left and right ends of the rear end of the adapter placed on the upper surface of the installation table;
An adsorber that secures the front end of the adapter placed on the upper surface of the installation table by vacuum suction; and
an opener that opens the adapter fixed by the gripper and the absorber; Includes,
The gripper, the absorber, and the opener are installed on the installation table.
Relay device for handler for testing electronic components. According to claim 1 or 2,
The holder is
A pair of fixing levers for holding both left and right ends of the rear end of the adapter; and
a driving source that causes the pair of fixing levers to grip or release the adapter by narrowing or widening the gap between the pair of fixing levers; Includes,
The pair of fixing levers has a position fixing pin that can be inserted into a position fixing groove in the adapter on the surface facing each other.
Relay device for handler for testing electronic components. According to claim 1 or 2,
A rotator that rotates the installation stand 9 degrees in reverse so that the adapter placed on the installation stand and the electronic components mounted on the adapter change their posture from standing to lying or from lying to standing; containing more
Relay device for handler for testing electronic components. According to claim 1,
An adsorber that secures the front end of the adapter placed on the upper surface of the installation table by vacuum suction; containing more
Relay device for handler for testing electronic components. According to claim 1,
The pedestal is
A support member to support electronic components; containing
Relay device for handler for testing electronic components. According to clause 6,
The support member is arranged to correspond to at least one through groove in the adapter and has at least one support protrusion capable of supporting the electronic component.
Relay device for handler for testing electronic components. According to clause 6,
The pedestal is
An elevator that lifts the support member so that when the support member rises, the support member is in a position to support the electronic component, and when the support member goes down, the support state of the electronic component is released; containing more
Relay device for handler for testing electronic components. an opening step of opening the adapter;
A seating step of seating the electronic component on the adapter using a moving hand;
A gripping step in which the adapter grips an electronic component; and
A release step in which the moving hand releases the adsorption of the electronic component; Including,
In the seating step, a plurality of points at the rear end of the electronic component are supported by a supporting member, and then the electronic component is lowered and pressed by a moving hand so that the bent electronic component is straightened, and then the gripping step is performed. is performed
How to operate a handler for testing electronic components.

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