Abstract:
An aligning apparatus for a semiconductor device test handler is provided which reduces semiconductor device loading and unloading time. An exchange unit of the handler includes a pair of aligners which operate independently to continuously transfer devices to a test site of the handler for test, and then away from the handler upon completion of the test. Both horizontal and vertical movement of each of the aligners facilitates the loading and unloading of semiconductor devices. This aligning apparatus provides for simplified design and operation of the aligners, and improves loading and unloading speed, thereby enhancing test efficiency.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of the Korean Application No. P2001-80152 filed on Dec. 17, 2001, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to an aligning apparatus for receiving to align semiconductor devices with a predetermined interval from each other in a semiconductor device test handler, and more particularly, to an aligning apparatus in a semiconductor device test handler aligning semiconductor devices to leave a predetermined interval from each other before the semiconductors to be tested in the handler are reloaded on a test tray or when the tested semiconductors are unloaded from the test tray. 
   2. Discussion of the Related Art 
   Generally, devices such as memory semiconductor devices, n-memory semiconductor devices, and the like and modules having such devices arranged on a single substrate to construct circuits are inspected by various tests for shipment. A handler is an apparatus used for testing the devices, the module RAMs, and the like automatically. 
   Most of the handlers carry out not only general performance tests at room temperature but also high and low temperature tests to check whether the devices, the module RAMs, or the like operate normally by building up environments at extremely high or low temperature through an electric heater or a liquefied nitrogen jetting system in an airtight chamber. 
     FIG. 1  illustrates a diagram of a handler for testing semiconductor devices. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , a loading stacker  10 , on which user trays receiving a plurality of semiconductor devices to be tested are loaded, is installed in a front part of the handler. And, an unloading stacker  20  is installed at one side of the loading stacker  10  so that the tested semiconductor devices are classified by test results to be received in the user trays. 
   Buffer units  40 , on which the semiconductor devices transferred from the loading stacker  10  are temporarily loaded, are installed to move back and forth at both sides of a middle part of the handler. And, an exchange unit  50  is installed between the buffer units  40 . In the exchange unit  50 , carried out are a process of transferring to reload the test-expecting semiconductor devices of the buffer unit  40  on test trays T and another process of loading the tested semiconductor devices of the test trays on the buffer units  40 . 
   Between the handler front part, on which the loading and unloading stackers  10  and  20  are arranged, and the handler middle part, on which the exchange and buffer units  50  and  40  are arranged, first and second pickers  31  and  32  moving linearly along an X-Y axis to pick up to transport the semiconductor devices are installed. The first picker  31  moves between the loading/unloading stackers  10 / 20  and the buffer units  40  to pick up to transport the semiconductor devices, and the second picker  32  moves between the buffer units  40  and the exchange unit  50  to pick up to transport the semiconductor devices. 
   In a rear part of the handler, installed is a test site  70  for testing a semiconductor device performance at a predetermined temperature by conveying the test trays T having the semiconductor devices loaded thereon sequentially after high or low temperature test environments have been built in a plurality of separate airtight chambers divided into a preheating chamber  71 , a test chamber  72 , and a defrosting chamber  73 . 
   Meanwhile, in the exchange unit  50 , although not shown in the drawing, installed are a pair of aligners each of which has device landing recesses having the same pitch of a device loading carrier of the test tray T, a lower pushing unit loading the semiconductor devices on the test tray in horizontal level by the operations of absorbing the semiconductor devices by suction through passing holes of the device landing recesses of each of the aligners and lifting each of the aligners through several steps, and an upper pushing unit separating the semiconductor devices from the test tray by pushing the semiconductor devices from an upper side of the test tray to load the semiconductor devices on the aligners. 
   However, since each of the aligners in the handler according to the related art is coupled with the lower pushing unit in one body to move back and forth to carry out its function, it takes quite a long time to move to load the aligned semiconductor toward the test tray. Hence, an overall test time increases. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an aligning apparatus in a semiconductor device test handler that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. 
   An object of the present invention is to provide an aligning apparatus in a semiconductor device test handler enabling to reduce a time taken for loading semiconductor devices on a test tray by means of an aligner and a lower pushing unit which are driven to operate independently to align the semiconductor devices. 
   Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings. 
   To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, an aligning apparatus in a semiconductor device handler according to the present invention includes first and second guide members installed in parallel at a handler body to confront each other, third and fourth guide members installed in parallel with and under the first and second guide members, respectively, a first aligner having both ends coupled with the first and second guide members respectively to move along the first and second guide members wherein a plurality of device landing recesses are arranged on the first aligner to leave a predetermined interval from each other, a second aligner having both ends coupled with the third and fourth guide members respectively to be installed in a level lower than that of the first aligner wherein a plurality of device landing recesses are arranged on the second aligner to leave a predetermined interval from each other, a first driving means for driving the first aligner along the first and second guide members, and a second driving means for driving the second aligner along the third and fourth guide members separately from the first aligner. 
   It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings: 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a schematic layout of a general handler; 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a bird&#39;s-eye view of a handler exchange unit having an aligning apparatus installed thereof according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a bird&#39;s-eye view of an aligning apparatus according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a layout of the aligning apparatus in  FIG. 3  according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a front view of the aligning apparatus in  FIG. 3  according to the present invention; and 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a front view of a partial structure for lifting a second aligner of the aligning apparatus in FIG.  3 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. 
     FIG. 2  illustrates a bird&#39;s-eye view of a handler exchange unit (cf.  FIG. 1 ) having an aligning apparatus installed therein according to the present invention. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , an exchange unit  50  includes first and second aligners  510  and  520  on which semiconductor devices transferred from buffer units  40  at both sides by a second picker  32  are mounted and aligned, a lower pushing unit  530  installed under the first and second aligners  510  and  520  to move back and forth to load the semiconductor devices on each device loading carrier(riot shown in the drawing) of a test tray T in horizontal level by lifting the first and second aligners  510  and  520  in a rear location for loading the semiconductor devices on the test tray T, an upper pushing unit  540  installed over the test tray T to move upward/downward and back/forth to provide a state enabling to load or unload the semiconductor devices on/from the test tray T by pushing a device fixing latch (not shown in the drawing) of each of the device loading carriers (not shown in the drawing) of the test array T, and a rotator  550  installed in a last rear side of the exchange unit  50  to turn at 90° to make the test tray T, which is held in horizontal level, stand upright and transfer the test tray T between the exchange unit  50  and a test site  70 . 
     FIGS. 3  to  6  illustrate the constitution of the aligning apparatus in  FIG. 2  according to the present invention 
   Referring to  FIGS. 3  to  6 , a pair of first and second guide members  511   a  and  511   b  such as LM guides are installed at a body of a handler in parallel to confront each other in front/rear directions. And, third and fourth guide members  521   a  and  521   b  are installed under the first and second guide members  511   a  and  511   b  to be in parallel with the first and second guide members  511   a  and  511   b , respectively. 
   The first and second guide members  511   a  and  511   b  are coupled with both ends of the first aligner  510  on which the semiconductors are mounted and aligned, respectively, and the first aligner  510  moves along the firs and second guide members  511   a  and  511   b  in the front/rear directions of the handler. 
   Moreover, movable blocks  527   a  are coupled with the third and fourth guide members  521   a  and  521   b  to move along the third and fourth guide members  521   a  and  521   b , respectively. A support block  527   b  is fixed horizontally to an inner side of the movable block  527   a . An elevating block  528  is coupled with the support block  527   b  to move upward and downward to a predetermined distance through a guide shaft  528   a . And, one end of the second aligner  520  is coupled with an upper end of the elevating block  528 . The elevating block  528  moves upward and downward by the operation of a cylinder  529  fixed to the movable block  527   a . A reference numeral ‘ 528   b ’ indicates a compression spring supporting the guide shaft  528   a  elastically against the support block  527   b.    
   Hence, as the movable blocks  527   a  move along the third and fourth guide members  521   a  and  521   b , the second aligner  520  moves horizontally in the front/rear directions of the handler as well as moves upward and downward by the operation of the cylinders  529  to a predetermined height at a predetermined location. 
   Meanwhile, in order to prevent the first and second aligners  510  and  520  from being interfered with each other when first and second aligners  510  and  520  are moving to operate independently, the first aligner  510  is installed at a position higher than that of the second aligner  520 . The second aligner  520  is made to move upward at the front or rear end part of the exchange unit  50  for exchanging the semiconductor devices by the operation of the cylinders  529  to be at the same level of the first aligner  510 . 
   A plurality of landing grooves  510   a  and  520   a  at which the semiconductor devices land are formed on the first and second aligners  520 , respectively to have the same pitch of the device loading carrier(not shown in the drawing) of the test tray T. And, passing holes  510   b  and  520   b  are formed in the landing recesses  510   a  and  520   a  respectively so that the lower pushing unit  530  enables to hold the semiconductor devices. 
   A first servomotor  512  is installed at the front part of the handler body having the second guide member  511   b . The first servomotor  512  is coupled with a pulley  513  through a belt  513   a  to turn the pulley  513 . And, the pulley  513  is coupled with a first driving shaft  514  installed to turn across front ends of the first and second guide members  511   a  and  511   b  so as to revolve the first driving shaft  514 . Namely, once the first servomotor  512  operates, a driving force is transferred to the pulley  513  through the belt  513   a  to turn the first driving shaft  514 . 
   A pair of driving pulleys  514   a  and  514   b  are built in one body with the first driving shaft  514 . And, a pair of driven pulleys  515   a  and  515   b  are installed at one sides of rear ends of the first and second guide members  511   a  and  511   b , respectively. The driven pulleys  515   a  and  515   b  are coupled with the driving pulleys  514   a  and  514   b  through belts  516   a  and  516   b , respectively to revolve. And, the belts  516   a  and  516   b  are coupled with both ends of the first aligner  510 , respectively. 
   Hence, once the driving pulleys  514   a  and  514   b  starts to turn by the revolution of the first driving shaft  514 , the belts  516   a  and  516   b  are driven to move the first aligner  510  back and forth. 
   Meanwhile, a means for driving the second aligner back and forth has the same constitution of the above-explained means. 
   A second servomotor  522  is installed at one side of the third guide member  521   a . The second servomotor  522  is coupled with a pulley  523  through a belt  523   a  to turn the pulley  523 . And, the pulley  523  is coupled with a second driving shaft  524  installed to turn across front ends of the third and fourth guide members  521   a  and  521   b  so as to revolve the second driving shaft  524 . Namely, once the second servomotor  522  operates, a driving force is transferred to the pulley  523  through the belt  523   a  to turn the second driving shaft  524 . 
   A pair of driving pulleys  524   a  and  524   b  are built in one body with the second driving shaft  524 . And, a pair of driven pulleys  525   a  and  525   b  are installed at one sides of rear ends of the third and fourth guide members  521   a  and  521   b , respectively. The driven pulleys  525   a  and  525   b  are coupled with the driving pulleys  524   a  and  524   b  through belts  526   a  and  526   b , respectively to revolve. And, the belts  526   a  and  526   b  are coupled with both ends of the second aligner  520 , respectively. 
   Operation of the above-constituted apparatus for aligning the semiconductor devices is explained as follows. 
   Once the first picker (cf.  FIG. 1 ) of the handler picks up to transfer the test-expecting semiconductor devices to the buffer unit  40  from the loading stacker  10 , the second picker  32  picks up to mount the semiconductor devices on the buffer unit  40  on the respective landing recesses  510   a  of the first aligner  510 . In this case, the first aligner  510  is disposed at the maximum front side of the first and second guide members  511   a  and  51   b.    
   Once the semiconductor devices land at the entire landing recesses  510   a  on the first aligner  510 , the first servomotor  512  operates to turn the first driving shaft  514  so that the first aligner  510  moves backward along the first and second guide members  511   a  and  511   b  to be positioned right below the test tray T supported in horizontal level by the rotator  550 . In this case, the lower pushing unit  530  is disposed right below the first aligner  510 . 
   Subsequently, the lower pushing unit  530  operates to be lifted. And, sucking nozzles  531  of the lower pushing unit  530  hold the semiconductor devices through the passing holes  510   b  of each of the landing recesses  510   a  of the first aligner  510  to load them on each of the device loading carriers (not shown in the drawing) of the test tray T. The lower pushing unit  530  then moves downward. 
   Meanwhile, when the first aligner  510  having the semiconductor devices loaded thereon moves backward, the second aligner  520  is disposed at the maximum front end of the third and fourth guide members  521   a  and  521   b  by the movement of the movable blocks  528   a . And, the second aligner  520  is lifted up to the same level of the first aligner  510  by the operation of the cylinders  529 . The second aligner  520  then loads the test-expecting semiconductor devices on the landing recesses  520   a  of the second aligner  520  respectively by the operation of the second picker  32  like the semiconductor device loading work of the first aligner  510 . 
   After the semiconductor devices have landed at the entire landing recesses  520   a  on the second aligner  520 , the second aligner  520  moves downward by the operation of the cylinders  529  to return to its original position. Subsequently, the second aligner  520  moves to the rear side where the test tray T is disposed, and then is lifted up by the operation of the cylinders  529 . After the semiconductor devices in the second aligner  520  have been loaded on the test tray T by the operation of the lower pushing unit  530 , the second aligner  520  descends to return to its original location. 
   After all of the semiconductor devices have been loaded on the test tray T through the above-explained operations, the rotator  550  turns to make the test tray T stand upward to transfer the test tray to the test site  70  in the rear side. And, an additional tray conveyer  75  provided in the test site  70  transfers the test tray T to each chamber of the test site  70 , whereby a predetermined test is carried out. 
   Meanwhile, when the test-expecting test tray T on the rotator  550  is removed from the test site  70 , a tested test tray T is immediately transferred from a defrosting chamber  73  so that the rotator  550  holds the tested test tray T. The rotator  550  then turns reversely to be disposed in horizontal level with the exchange unit  50 . 
   Subsequently, the upper pushing unit  540  is moved downward to separate to unload the tested semiconductor devices from the device loading carrier (not shown in the drawing) of the test tray T to the second and first aligners  520  and  510  in order. The second and first aligners  520  and  510  move to the front side in order by the operations of the second and first servomotors  522  and  512 , respectively. 
   Finally, the second picker  32  picks up to transfer the tested semiconductor devices of the second and first aligners  520  and  510  so that the semiconductor devices are loaded on the buffer unit  40 . 
   In such test procedures, the first and second aligners  510  and  520  repeat the above-explained operations to align to transfer the semiconductor devices to the front and rear parts of the exchange unit  50 . 
   Accordingly, the aligners according to the present invention, on which the semiconductor devices are loaded for alignment, are driven independently to load/unload the semiconductor devices on/from the test tray, thereby reducing the test time as well as simplifying the constitution and operation of the aligners. Therefore, the present invention enables to improve the test efficiency. 
   It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.