Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
  • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
  • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
  • H01L21/677—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations
  • H01L21/67763—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations the wafers being stored in a carrier, involving loading and unloading
  • H01L21/67778—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere for conveying, e.g. between different workstations the wafers being stored in a carrier, involving loading and unloading involving loading and unloading of wafers

Definitions

• the invention relates to a device for separate removal from a holder filled with electronic components, in particular so-called lead frames, mounted on carriers or for introduction of the carriers into an at least partly empty holder.
• the holder also designated as cassette, from which the carriers have to be removed is of the type wherein guide elements, for instance channels in the side wall, are incorporated on the inside.
• the carriers are slidable into and out of the cassette via an opened short side.
• cassettes are often used when the electronic compo ⁇ nents have not yet been encapsulated in an encapsulating device. Since the electronic components on the carriers are still very vulnerable before the encapsulating pro- cess, it is consequently of importance to hold the carri ⁇ ers at a mutual distance so that the electronic compo ⁇ nents situated on the carriers cannot be damaged.
• the existing devices for removing carriers from such a holder often make use of an indexed lift system wherein the cassette is carried past a so-called "pusher" and the carriers are thus pushed one by one at least partly out of the cassette where they are engaged for further trans ⁇ port.
• a drawback to the existing devices is that change ⁇ over of the device for processing cassettes with varying dimensions is relatively time-consuming and that a number of product-dependent components also have to be placed in the machine.
• the object of the present invention is to provide a device of the type stated in the preamble which is inex- pensive to manufacture and with which short change-over times can be realized during change-over of the device from a first type of holder to another type of holder with different dimensions. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a device which can operate accurately and quickly.
• the invention provides for this purpose a device for separate removal of carriers from a holder as described in claim 1.
• the suction nozzle preferably comprises a substantially vertical contact surface for engaging on a flat side wall of the holder.
• the suction nozzle func ⁇ tions inter alia as stop for a holder both during opera ⁇ tion, i.e. when a holder is situated on the lift, and during adjustment of the device, which will be further elucidated with reference to the figure description.
• Another advantage of the use of a suction nozzle as stop is that a force can be exerted by the suction nozzle on the holder in order to fix the holder on the lift . This is advantageous during adjustment of the device as well as during use of the device.
• the position of the suction nozzle in the lift is preferably adjustable in a direction parallel to the contact surface of the suction nozzle.
• the suction nozzle is also preferably coupled to the lift with some freedom of movement.
• the adjustability of the position of the suction nozzle has the advantage that it can be adapted to the dimensions of a holder for processing. By for instance making use of a rapid-action coupling with which the suction nozzle is coupled to the lift the position of the suction nozzle can be adapted in relatively simple manner to the dimensions of a holder.
• the limited freedom of movement with which a suction nozzle is preferably coupled to the lift has the advantage that the suction nozzle can already engage a holder when it is still being carried by supply means and the holder can remain in contact with the suction nozzle when support of the holder is taken over by the support elements associated with the lift.
• the holder will move downward relative to the lift through a limited distance. Due to the coupling of the suction nozzle with limited freedom of movement this limited downward movement of the holder can be continued by the suction nozzle without the contact between the holder and the suction nozzle being broken.
• the suction nozzle can also direct itself slightly toward each sepa ⁇ rate holder for displacing. This means that there will be a good connection of the suction nozzle on the contact surface of a holder.
• Another advantage is that the preci ⁇ sion with which the machine has to be constructed can be relatively limited.
• the bearing surface of the lift is formed by at least two fingers, of which the sides facing toward the feed position are provided with sides chamfered over at least a part of the length.
• these chamfered sides can ensure that when the lift progresses further, i.e. when it is carried further upward, the sides of the fingers of the bearing surface of the lift slide back a holder located on a feed position, whereby there is no longer any contact between the holder placed on the lift at that moment and the following holder to be displaced by the lift.
• the position of the fingers on the lift is prefera ⁇ bly adjustable.
• the bearing surface of the lift can be adapted in simple manner to the length of a holder for processing without separate bearing surfaces being required for different types of holders.
• the drive means for the lift comprise at least one electric motor and are provided with at least one electromagnet with which the position of the lift in the frame is fixed in the case of electrical power failure.
• the transporting means for displacing an empty holder from the lift to a discharge position comprise at least two arms which each comprise a stop close to a free end for engaging a holder, and the position of the arms relative to the frame is adjustable. These arms pull an emptied holder from the lift in the direction of the discharge position. It is here also the case that due to the adjustability of the position of the arms relative to the frame it becomes unnecessary to arrange product- dependent transporting means in the device. It is in any case possible to displace the arms such that they engage the holder in the desired manner without separate compo ⁇ nents being required.
• the placing of the arms is further simplified in the preferred embodiment wherein the arms can be fixed at a number of pre-selected positions.
• the position of the suction nozzle on the lift is preferably also adjustable perpendicularly of the contact surface of the suction nozzle, in order to adjust the device subject to the holder dimensions.
• the bearing surface of the lift preferably comprises at least one carrier element such as for instance a finger which is provided with a removable stop and the suction nozzle is coupled to the carrier element with removable stop such that by displacing the suction nozzle in the direction perpendicularly of the suction nozzle the carrier element is displaced in opposing direction.
• This stop can for instance be mounted on the carrier element for pivoting or sliding aside.
• Such an assembly of carri ⁇ er element and suction nozzle is preferably provided with adjusting means for fixedly adjusting the mutual posi ⁇ tion, these adjusting means engaging for instance on the frame.
• These steps make it possible to displace the suction nozzle on the lift and the bearing surface of the lift such that irrespective of the width of a holder for displacing the central line thereof is always located at the same position.
• This is very advantageous in respect of the discharge means with which the carriers removed from the holder are further discharged.
• These discharge means can be situated at a stationary position.
• Another advantage is that no additional elements are required other than a holder for adjusting the machine to the width of this holder.
• the holder itself forms the refer ⁇ ence object for the adjustment of a machine.
• a very important advantage hereof is that no product-dependent adjusting elements are therefore required and nor do any product-dependent components have to be arranged in the lift. Adjustment of the machine to the dimensions of a holder can be performed very rapidly and precisely with these steps.
• the present device is everywhere described, with the exception of claim 1, as a device for removing the carri ⁇ ers from the holder. It is however equally possible to apply the device for loading the holder, i.e. for sepa ⁇ rate introduction of the carriers into the holder. The device is then loaded with empty holders instead of with full holders and full holders are removed from the device instead of empty holders.
• the device for removing the carriers from a holder, although the scope of protection also extends very emphatically to the same device wherein carriers are introduced into a holder.
• the device is provided with at least one wall part which is displaceable rela ⁇ tive to the other device elements.
• a cassette to which a device has to be adjusted is arranged between a fixed wall part and the displaceable wall part.
• the displaceable wall part is now moved toward the fixed wall part such that the holder is clamped between the two wall parts.
• the displaceable wall part is locked to the device from this position so that the displaceable wall part is fixed.
• the lock must herein be manufactured such that when the displaceable wall part is fastened it is carried away from the fixed wall part over a very limited distance. This is to provide a holder situated between the two wall parts with sufficient space to enable it to be moved freely through between the wall parts.
• a lock with which such a limited displacement can be realized is for instance provided with an eccentric shaft. The rotation of the eccentric shaft to fixedly clamp the displaceable wall part herein then also ensures a limited displacement of the wall part in the desired direction.
• FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a schematically illustrated device according to the invention
• Fig. 2 shows a partly cut away perspective view of a lift construction forming part of the device shown in fig. 1.
• Fig. 1 shows a device 1 according to the invention in which holders filled with carriers can be placed in a frame 2 on a lower platform 3.
• the filled holders placed on lower platform 3 can subsequently be moved upward in indexed manner using a lift installation 4, wherein one carrier at a time is separately removed from the holder.
• the emptied holders are moved to an upper plat ⁇ form 5 from which the emptied holders can be removed.
• the device can also be applied in reverse manner to fill empty holders with carriers, which will for instance not be stated again but corresponds to a large degree with emptying of the holders .
• endless conveyor belts 6 are which are driven using a drive 7.
• the convey ⁇ or belts enable transport of a holder placed on lower platform 3 to the lift installation 4.
• the lift installa ⁇ tion 4 comprises fingers 8 which are not clearly visible in this figure but which will be elucidated with refer ⁇ ence to fig. 2, which fingers 8 form a bearing surface on which the holders for moving upward will rest.
• Conveyor belts 7 run through between the fingers 8 so that when fingers 8 are carried to a level situated below the top side of conveyor belts 6 a holder lying on conveyor belts 6 can be moved to a position above the fingers.
• the holder will subsequently run up against a stop, is fixed and the lift installation can begin the upward displace ⁇ ment of the holder whereby the holder will also be re- leased from conveyor belts 6.
• a subsequent holder which may be lying against the holder to be transported upward will be urged back slightly by a chamfering of fingers 8 which will be elucidated with reference to fig. 2, so that the holders are released from each other and the holder placed on lift installation 4 can be moved upward without friction with the following holder.
• fig. 2 For the further operation of the lift installation reference is made to fig. 2.
• the upper platform 5 is slightly chamfered on the right-hand side so that an empty holder which is pulled onto upper platform 5 by arms 9 will be released from arms 9 as it slides over upper platform 5.
• a following holder which is supplied by lift installation 4 and pulled onto upper platform 5 by arms 9 will push a previously emptied holder further along to the left.
• Fig. 2 shows lift installation 4 in which can be seen that fingers 8, which form the bearing surface of lift installation 4, are provided with a chamfering 14 whereby a holder for transporting upward by lift instal- lation 4 is released from a following holder located on lower platform 3.
• fingers 8 Placed above fingers 8 are suction nozzles 15, only one of which is fully shown. These suction nozzles 15 function inter alia as stop for the holder which is placed on fingers 8.
• An important advan- tage of the use of suction nozzles 15 is that they hold the holder in place after it has been placed against suction nozzles 15. This is advantageous during transport of the holder when it is being lifted upward in indexed manner and there is also the option of adjusting lift installation 4 to a different size of holder.
• Conduits 16 for drawing off air are connected to suction nozzles 15.
• the suction nozzles 15 are connectable by means of rapid- action couplings 17 to shafts 18.
• Suction nozzles 15 can be placed as required on shafts 18 depending on the width of a holder for displacing. It is thus desirable in the case of very short holders to place suction nozzles 15 closely together, while in the case of comparatively long holders the suction nozzles 15 will be placed at a great ⁇ er mutual distance.
• the position of fingers 18 is also adjustable.
• Lift installation 4 is provided for this purpose with clamping blocks 20 which can be fixed and released by means of a screw knob 19.
• Arranged in lift installation 4 is a plurality of channels 21 in which fingers 8 can be locked as desired using clamping blocks
• Displacement of both suction nozzles 15 and fingers 8 thus depends on the length of a holder for displacing.
• the fingers 8 are provided with extending stops 22. These extending stops 22 are only shifted upward during width adjustment of lift installation 4.
• a bolt 23 which engages on one side on frame 2 and is connected on the other side to a support frame 24 for shafts 18, the support frame 24 and therefore also the suction nozzles 15 fixed thereon can be moved forward or rearward.
• the support frame 24 is mounted guidably on two horizontal support frame guide shafts 25.
• displacing of support frame 24, and therefore also of suction nozzles 15 also has the result that a shaft 26 connected to support frame 24 will rotate as according to arrows PI .
• Shaft 26 is connected by means of cranks 27 to support frame 24.
• Shaft 26 also comprises cranks 28 which are connected to a finger support frame 29.
• the finger support frame 29 will be displaced along horizontal finger support frame guide shafts 30.
• the displacement of finger support frame 29, and thus also of fingers 8, will herein be opposed to the displacement direction of suction nozzles 15.
• the extending stops are situated in extended position, i.e. they pro ⁇ trude above the support surface formed by fingers 8, it is possible to turn adjustment bolt 23 such that stops 22 and suction nozzles 15 correctly clamp a holder for displacing.
• the width of lift installation 4 is thereby adjusted.
• the extending stops 22 can now be placed back into the starting position, i.e. in the position as shown in fig. 2. Adjustment of the width of a holder can thus be realized very simply by extending stops 22, turning the adjustment bolt 23 and then sliding back the stops 22. This is a very simple operation and moreover requires no product-dependent components.
• the lift installation is provided with an electric motor 31 which drives a toothed belt 32 whereby a lift frame 33 is displaceable in verti- cal direction along guides 34.
• an electromagnet can be incorporated in order to fix the position of reversing roller 35 as soon as there is power failure.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
• Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
• Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
• Power Engineering (AREA)
• Supplying Of Containers To The Packaging Station (AREA)
• Manipulator (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=19763092

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Citations (3)

• 1996
  • 1996-06-27 NL NL1003446A patent/NL1003446C2/nl not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1997
  • 1997-06-06 AU AU29819/97A patent/AU2981997A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1997-06-06 WO PCT/NL1997/000320 patent/WO1997050110A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (3)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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