Patent ID: 9519007
Filing Date: 2016-12-13
CPC Classification: G01R

Claim Text:
1. A handling system for testing electronic components, comprising: a rotary turret; pick heads mounted on the rotary turret, each pick head being configured to hold a respective electronic component provided by a supply source; a carrier system which is positionable adjacent to the rotary turret and which is configured to carry electronic components, wherein the carrier system comprises a first buffer carrier for carrying a first array of a first plurality of electronic components and a second buffer carrier for carrying a second array of a second plurality of electronic components; and a testing station which is configured for receiving the carrier system; and is configured to simultaneously test the first array of the first plurality of electronic components which have been arranged on the first buffer carrier of the carrier system while the second buffer carrier stands by at the testing station, the second buffer carrier proceeding for testing of the second array of the second plurality of electronic components at the testing station after the testing station completes testing of the first array of the first plurality of electronic components on the first buffer carrier; wherein the pick heads are operative to transfer the electronic components onto the first buffer carrier and the second buffer carrier prior to testing the same at the testing station and to remove electronic components from the first buffer carrier and the second buffer carrier after testing the same at the testing station; wherein the first array of the first plurality of electronic components are held by a first plurality of pick heads and the second array of the second plurality of electronic components are held by a second plurality of pick heads; wherein each of the first buffer carrier and the second buffer carrier is movable from a position of the rotary turret to a position of the testing station; and wherein each of the first buffer carrier and the second buffer carrier is movable at the same time from the position of the rotary turret to the position of the testing station.