Abstract:
A test handler is disclosed. The test handler includes first to third transfers for transferring a user tray, and first to third horizontal movement units suitable for respectively moving the first to third transfers in a horizontal direction. The first to third horizontal movement units are independently operated such that each of the first to third transfers can perform independently horizontal movements. Each of the first to third transfers performs based on its previously allocated function, thereby enhancing test process speed for devices.

Description:
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 11/997,974, which is the National Stage of International Application PCT/KR2006/003178 filed on Aug. 14, 2006, which claims the benefit of a Korean patent application, filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Aug. 18, 2005, and assigned Serial No. 10-2005-0075534, the entire disclosure of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a test handler, and more particularly to a tray transfer apparatus which is capable of transferring a user tray. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Recently, semiconductor devices (which are hereinafter called ‘devices’) have been used in various environments. It is critical for the device to be able to perform even under adverse conditions. Therefore, before the devices can be put on the market, it must undergo tests to determine how they perform under adverse conditions. A test handler according to the present invention serves to determine whether the produced devices perform successfully or unsuccessfully when subject to particular conditions, before they are put on the market. The procedure referred to above is a method for testing these devices. 
     The technologies related to the test handler are disclosed in: Korean Utility Model Publication No. 20-1998-062568 entitled TRAY CATCHER OF HANDLER SYSTEM FOR TESTING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE; Korean Utility Model Publication No. 20-1998-062567 entitled TRANSFER APPARATUS OF HANDLER SYSTEM; Korean Patent No. 10-2003-0062702 entitled TRAY TRANSFER APPARATUS OF TEST HANDER FOR SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE; Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2004-0043925 entitled TRAY TRANSFER APPARATUS; Korean Patent No. 10-2002-25 0031461 entitled TRAY TRANSFER APPARATUS FOR HANDLER; and Korean Patent No. 10-2003-0029266 entitled TEST HANDLER. These publication materials disclose structures of test handler in detail. As disclosed in the publication materials, the test handler includes a tray transfer apparatus for transferring a user tray under a transfer standby state to a transfer position as 5 the tray transfer apparatus grips one of a plurality of user trays loaded in stackers which are installed under the loading plates and unloading plates. It then performs a movement to transfer the gripped user tray to the loading plate and the unloading plate or the tray transfer apparatus grips a user tray, which is located at the loading plate and unloading plate, to perform a movement to stack the gripped user tray on the stacker. The present invention relates to technical characteristics of the tray transfer apparatus. Here, the phrase “transfer standby state” means states where a user tray must be transferred, such as, a state where a corresponding user tray is loaded on the stacker when the user tray includes a target device to be tested, or a state where a corresponding user tray is located at the loading or unloading plate immediately after finishing a Loading or unloading operation. Also, the phrase “transfer positions” means positions to which a user tray under the transfer standby state must be transferred, such as, a position of a loading plate for a user tray in which a target device to be tested is included, where the user tray is loaded on the stacker, or a position of an unloading plate for an empty user tray which finishes a loading operation in the loading plate. Such concepts will be identically applied to the following description. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a tray transfer apparatus  100  of a conventional test handler. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the conventional tray transfer apparatus  100  includes a transfer  101  having a pair of grippers  11   a  and  11   b  which selectively grip or un-grip a user tray and a pair of vertical movement units  12   a  and  12   b  which vertically move the pair of grippers  11   a  and  11   b,  respectively, a horizontal movement unit  102  which horizontally moves the transfer  101 , and a controller  103  which controls the pair of vertical movement units  12   a  and  12   b  and the vertical movement unit  102 . The conventional tray transfer apparatus  100  was disclosed, in detail, in  FIG. 2  and the description related thereto in Korean Utility Model Publication No. 20-1998-062567 (which is hereinafter referred to as the “cited reference”). In the cited reference, the tray transfer apparatus was expressed as a transfer apparatus and a pair of grippers was expressed as a transfer head. 
     However, since the pair of grippers  11   a  and  11   b  are independently moved in a vertical direction and are always moved together in a horizontal direction, when events (a state where a user tray is in a transfer standby state as the user tray on a loading plate or an unloading plate completely performs a loading or unloading, whose meaning will be identically applied to the following descriptions) simultaneously occur on the loading plate and the unloading plate, a user tray under a transfer standby state on one of them must keep its state. Therefore, the conventional tray transfer apparatus  100  is disadvantageous in that its process speed decreases. 
     Also, since the conventional tray transfer apparatus  100  is implemented in a single transfer  101  together with other elements, a pair of grippers  11   a  and  11   b  perform all of transferring operations while moving together in a horizontal direction. In addition, because it is difficult to know whether an event occurs at a loading plate or an unloading plate, the conventional tray transfer apparatus cannot perform gripping, moving and waiting operations without preceding procedures. Namely, the apparatus cannot perform moving and waiting operations without preceding procedures while it grips a user tray under a transfer standby state. Therefore, the conventional tray transfer apparatus is disadvantageous in that the process speed decreases. 
     In addition, since all of the pairs of grippers  11   a  and  11   b  must be moved horizontally from the loading plate section to the unloading plate section, the horizontal movement distance is relatively elongated. Therefore, the conventional tray transfer apparatus is disadvantageous in that the process speed decreases. 
     The above-mentioned problems are more obvious in this field because future technologies for test handlers will be developed so that the test handlers can process devices with larger capacities. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, the present invention provides a test handler including three transfers each of which has a gripper and a vertical movement unit suitable for moving the gripper in a vertical direction, where the three transfers can move independently in a horizontal direction. 
     The present invention provides a test handler including three transfers which can independently move in the horizontal direction. The respective three transfers are assigned by respective functions, so that previously-allocated procedures can be performed by them respectively before an event, thereby reducing movement distances of the respective transfers. 
     In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a test handler includes first to third transfers and first to third horizontal movement devices. Each transfer includes a gripper suitable for selectively gripping and un-gripping a user tray and a vertical movement unit suitable for moving the gripper in the vertical direction, wherein the first to third transfers are aligned in a horizontal direction in that order. The first to third horizontal movement units are suitable for respectively moving the first to third transfers in a horizontal direction, wherein the first to third horizontal movement units can be independently operated. 
     Preferably, the first transfer performs a horizontal movement within a first section, and the third transfer performs a horizontal movement within a third section, which is separated from the first section. Therefore, the horizontal movement distance of each transfer can be reduced, and thus the transfer speed of the user tray is rapid. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a test handler includes first to third transfers. Here, the first transfer is suitable for gripping a first user tray that has therein a plurality of target devices to be tested, and then putting the first user tray onto one of loading plates. The second transfer is suitable for gripping a second tray from one of the loading plates after the second user tray is made empty by transferring a plurality of target devices therein to a test tray, and then putting the second user tray onto one of unloading plates. The third transfer is suitable for gripping a third user tray from one of the unloading plates after a plurality of tested devices are loaded therein, and then stacking the third user tray in one of stackers, wherein the first to third transfers can be independently moved in a horizontal direction. 
     Preferably, the first transfer waits near the loading plates after gripping the first user tray having therein a plurality of target devices to be tested, while the second transfer is gripping the second user tray, having been made empty, from one of the loading plates; and then the first transfer puts the first user tray onto the one of the loading plates after the second transfer finishes gripping the second user tray. 
     Preferably, the second transfer waits near the unloading plate after gripping the second user tray having been made empty, while the third transfer is gripping the third user tray, having a plurality of tested devices loaded therein, from one of the unloading plates; and then the second transfer puts the second user tray onto the one of the unloading plates after the third transfer is finished gripping the third user tray. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a test handler includes first to third transfers. Here, the first transfer is suitable for: gripping a first user tray from a stacker, the first user tray having therein a plurality of target devices to be tested; waiting near loading plates while still gripping the first user tray; putting the first user tray onto one of the loading plates after an empty user tray is removed from the one of loading plates; moving towards the stacker again to grip another first user tray having therein a plurality of target devices to be tested; waiting near the loading plates while still gripping another first user tray. The second transfer is suitable for: waiting near unloading plates while gripping a second user tray from one of the loading plates, the second user tray having been made empty by transferring a plurality of target devices therein to a test tray; putting the second user tray onto one of the unloading plates after a loaded user tray having a plurality of tested devices loaded therein is removed from one of the unloading plate; waiting again near the loading plates to grip another second user tray from one of the loading plates. The third transfer is suitable for: waiting near the unloading plates; gripping a third user tray from one of the unloading plates, the third user tray having a plurality of tested devices loaded thereto; waiting again near the unloading plates to grip another third user tray from one of the unloading plates, Here, the first to third transfers can be independently moved in a horizontal direction. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a test handler includes: at least two transfers for respectively transferring a user tray under a transfer standby state to a target position; at least two horizontal movement units; and a controller. Here, each transfer includes: a gripper suitable for selectively gripping and un-gripping a user tray; and a vertical movement unit suitable for moving the gripper in a vertical direction. At least two horizontal movement units are prepared to correspond to the at least two transfers for horizontally moving the at least two transfers, respectively. The controller independently controls operations of at the least two vertical movement units respectively provided for the at least two transfers and makes the at least two horizontal movement units can be independently operated from each other, thereby enabling the at least two transfers to independently perform horizontal movements. 
     Preferably, the at least two transfers include a first transfer suitable for transferring a first user tray from a stacker to one of the loading plates; a second transfer suitable for transferring a second user tray from one of the loading plates to one of unloading plates after the second user tray on the one of the loading plates has been made empty by transferring a plurality of target devices therein to a test tray; and a third transfer suitable for transferring a third user tray from one of the unloading plates to one of stackers after a plurality of tested devices have been loaded into the third user tray on the unloading plate. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a test handler includes at least two transfers, at least two horizontal movement units, and a controller. Here, the at least two transfers are configured so that they can be moved within different horizontal movement sections, respectively, to transfer a user tray under a transfer standby state to a transfer position. The at least two horizontal movement units are installed to correspond to the at least two transfers, so that they can horizontally move the at least two transfers within horizontal movement sections in which the transfers are located, respectively. The controller controls the horizontal movement units. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a tray transfer apparatus of a conventional test handler; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating the primary parts of a test handler according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating primary parts of the test handler according to the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  to  FIG. 6  are views illustrating operational states of the test handler according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention will be now described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating primary parts of a test handler according to the present invention, and  FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating primary parts of the test handler according to the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the test handler according to the present invention includes three transfers  200 ′,  200 ″, and  200 ′″, three horizontal movement units  300 ′,  300 ′″, and  300 ′″, and a controller. The three transfers  200 ′,  200 ″, and  200 ′″ transfer user trays under a transfer standby state to a transfer position, and the three horizontal movement units  300 ′,  300 ″,  300 ′″ independently move the three transfers  200 ′,  200 ″ and  200 ′″ in a horizontal direction. On the other hand, the symbol ‘T,’ which is not described in detail, indicates an installation plate on which all of the elements are installed. 
     The following will describe the configuration of the test handler in detail. 
     The three transfers  200 ′,  200 ″, and  200 ′″ will be renamed as follows: 
     reference numeral  200 ′ is 5 referred to as a first transfer suitable for performing a movement operation within a first section A; reference numeral  200 ″ is referred to as a second transfer suitable for performing a movement operation within a second section B; and  200 ″ is referred to as a third transfer suitable for performing a movement operation within a third section C. The first to third transfers  200 ′,  200 ″ and  200 ′″ each include a gripper  21  suitable for selectively gripping and un-gripping a user tray, and a vertical movement unit  22  suitable for moving the gripper  21  in a vertical direction. The gripper  21  will not be fully described in this application because the configuration thereof was described in detail in the cited reference. 
     The vertical movement unit  22  includes a vertical guide rail  22   a  enabling the gripper  21  to move up and down in a vertical direction therealong, a motor  22   b  supplying mechanical power thereto so that the gripper  21  can perform a vertical direction movement. Also, in order to transfer the mechanical power of the motor  22   b  to the gripper  21 , the vertical movement unit  22  includes a transfer shaft  22   c,  a pulley  22   d  installed at one end of the transfer shaft  22   c,  a motor pulley  22   e  installed at the rotation  20  shaft of the motor  22   b,  and a belt  22   f  connecting the pulley  22   d  to the motor pulley  22   e.  In addition, the vertical movement unit  22  further includes a holding plate  22   g  holding the vertical guide rail  22   a.  Therefore, the vertical movement unit  22  enables the gripper  21  to move up and down as the mechanical power of the motor  22   b  is transferred to the gripper  21  through the motor pulley  22   e,  pulley  22   d  and transfer shaft  22   c,  according to 25 forward and backward rotations of the motor  22   b.    
     Although the gripper  21  and the vertical movement unit  22  are installed at each of the first to third transfers  200 ′,  200 ″ and  200 ′″, the other grippers and vertical movement units of the first to third transfers  200 ′,  200 ″ and  200 ′″ are numbered by the same numerals as  21  and  22  in  FIG. 2 , for a brief description. 
     On the other hand, the three horizontal movement units  300 ′,  300 ″, and  300 ′″ will be renamed as follows: reference numeral  300 ′ is referred to as a first horizontal movement unit which can move the first transfer  200 ′ in a horizontal direction within the first section A; reference number  300 ″ is referred to as a second horizontal movement unit which can move the second transfer  200 ″ in a horizontal direction within the second section B, and reference numeral  300 ′″ is referred to as a third horizontal movement unit which can move the third transfer  200 ′″ in a horizontal direction within the third section C. 
     More specifically, the first horizontal movement unit  300 ′ horizontally moves the first transfer  200 ′ within the first section A such that the first transfer  200 ′ can transfer a user tray (not shown) under a transfer standby state onto the loading plate. The user tray includes one of a plurality of target devices to be tested (not shown), which are stacked on a stacker (not shown). The stacker is located under the loading plate. To this end, the first horizontal movement unit  300 ′ includes: horizontal guide rails  31   a  and  31   b  which guide a holding plate  22   g  of the first transfer  200 ′ such that the holding plate  22   g  can perform a horizontal movement; a first motor  32 ′ supplying mechanical power for the horizontal movement of the first transfer  200 ′ thereto; a first a pulley  33 ′ a  installed to the rotation shaft of the first motor  32 ′; a first b pulley  33 ′ b  installed to a corresponding place which is apart from the first a pulley  33 ′ a  in a horizontal direction; and a first belt  34 ′ connecting the first a pulley  33 ′ a,  the first b pulley  33 ′ b  and the holding plate  22   g  of the first transfer  200 ′ to each other. Here, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the first a pulley  33 ′ a  is located at one end of the first section A and the first b pulley  33 ′ b  is located at the other end. 
     The second horizontal movement unit  300 ″ horizontally moves the second transfer  200 ″ within the second section B in a horizontal direction, such that the second transfer  200 ″ can transfer an empty user tray under a transfer standby state on the loading plate from a gripping position to a transfer position where the empty user tray on an unloading plate is located. Here, the second section B is from the gripping position to the transfer position. To this end, the second horizontal movement unit  300 ″ includes: horizontal guide rails  31   a  and  31   b  which guide a holding plate  22   g  of the second transfer  200 ″ such that the holding plate  22   g  can perform a horizontal movement; a second motor  32 ″ supplying mechanical power for the horizontal movement of the second transfer  200 ″ thereto; a second a pulley  33 ″ a  installed to the rotation shaft of the second motor  32 ″; a second b pulley  33 ″ b  installed to a corresponding place which is apart from the second a pulley  33 ″ a  in the horizontal direction; and a second belt  34 ″ connecting the second a pulley  33 ″ a,  the second b pulley  33 ″ b  and the holding plate  22   g  of the second transfer  200 ″ to each other. Here, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the second a pulley  33 ″ a  is located at one end of the second section B and the second b pulley  33 ″ b  is located at the other end. Although the present embodiment is implemented such that first to third horizontal movement units can share the horizontal guide rails  31   a  and  31   b,  20 person skilled in the art will easily appreciate that the embodiment can be modified such that each of the horizontal movement units can employ the respective horizontal guide rails. 
     The third horizontal movement unit  300 ′″ horizontally moves the third transfer  200 ′ within the third section C, such that the third transfer  200 ′″ can transfer a user tray (on which test-finished devices are included) from a position on an unloading plate to a transfer position, while the tray is under a transfer standby state, such that the test finished devices can be loaded to a stacker installed under the unloading plate. To this end, the third horizontal movement unit  300 ′″ includes: horizontal guide rails  31   a  and  31   b  which guide a holding plate  22   g  of the third transfer  200 ′″ such that the holding plate  22   g  can perform a horizontal movement; a third motor  32 ″ supplying mechanical power for the horizontal movement of the third transfer  200 ′″ thereto; a third a pulley  33 ′″ a  installed to the rotation shaft of the third motor  32 ′″; a third b pulley  33 ′″ b  installed to a corresponding place which is apart from the third a pulley  33 ′″ a  in a horizontal direction; and a third belt  34 ′″ connecting the third a pulley  33 ′″ a,  the third b pulley  33 ′″ b  and the holding plate  22   g  of the third transfer  200 ′″ to each other. Here, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the third a pulley  33 ′″ a  is located at one end of the third section C and the third b pulley  33 ′″ b  is located at the other end. 
     The first to third horizontal movement units  300 ′,  300 ″ and  300 ′″ are operated such that: when the respective first to third motors  32 ′,  32 ″ and  32 ′″ are operated according to control of the controller  400 , corresponding pulleys ( 33 ′ a,    33 ′ b ;  33 ″ a,    33 ″ b ;  33 ′″ a,    33 ′″ b ) and belts ( 34 ′;  34 ″;  34 ′″) are also operated together, and accordingly the holding plate  22   g  of each of the first to third transfers  200 ′,  200 ″ and  200 ′″ is guided by the horizontal guide rails  31   a  and  31   b,  thereby smoothly moving the first to third transfers  200 ′,  200 ″ and  200 ′″ in a horizontal direction. 
     On the other hand, the controller  400  controls operations of the motor  22   b  of the vertical movement unit  22  and the first to third motors  32 ′,  32 ″ and  32 ′″ of the first to third horizontal movement units  300 ′,  300 ″ and  300 ′″ to control operations of the first to third transfers  200 ′,  200 ″ and  200 ′″. 
     The following is a description for the operation of the first to the first transfers  25   200 ′,  200 ″ and  200 ′″ which are controlled by the controller  400  as the test handler starts. For convenient description, each of the first to the first transfers  200 ′,  200 ″ and  200 ′″ will be described, referring to  FIG. 4  to  FIG. 6  in which only a horizontal movement distance is illustrated. 
     Operation of First Transfer— FIG. 4   
     The first transfer  200 ′ grips a user tray  81  that has therein a plurality of target devices to be tested, which is under a transfer standby state, from a stacker  71  located under a loading plate  61 , and then waits near the loading plates  61 , in step S 41  (a gripper is illustrated as it is located beside the left of the loading plate  61  as shown in  FIG. 4 ) while the second transfer  200 ″, whose description will be described in detail later, is gripping an empty user tray from one of the loading plates  61 . Afterwards, the first transfer  200 ′ puts the gripped user tray  81  onto the one of the loading plates  61 , in step S 42 , after the second transfer  200 ″ finishes gripping the empty user tray. After that, the first transfer  200 ′ repeats its operation within the first section. 
     Operation of Second Transfer— FIG. 5   
     The second transfer  200 ″ grips an empty user tray under a transfer standby state from one of the loading plates  61 , where the empty user tray is prepared as the plurality of the target devices to the test tray are transferred to the test tray, and then waits near the unloading plates  62 , in step S 51  (a gripper  21  is illustrated as it is located beside the left of one of the unloading plates  62  as shown in  FIG. 5 ), while the third transfer  200 ′″ (described in detail later) is gripping a user tray, having a plurality of tested devices loaded therein, from one of the unloading plates  62 . Afterwards, the second transfer  200 ″ puts the gripped empty user tray onto the one of the unloading plates  62 , in step S 52 , after the third transfer  20 ′″ finishes gripping the user tray. After that, the second transfer  200 ″ moves near one of the loading plates  61 , again, and waits for the next operation, in step S 53  (the gripper  21  is illustrated, in  FIG. 5 , as it is located beside the right of one of the loading plates). Then, the second transfer  200 ″ repeats its operations within the second section. 
     On the other hand, wh 5 en an event occurs in a state where all of the devices, which are included in the user tray on the loading plate  61 , are not loaded onto the test tray, the second transfer  200 ″ loads a corresponding user tray onto a stacker numbered by  74 . Namely, such an operation is performed to prevent the corresponding user tray moving onto the unloading plate while a device remains on the corresponding user tray on the loading plate  61 . Here, the embodiment may be modified such that an additional space can receive the corresponding user tray. 
     Also, when an event occurs on one of the unloading plates  62  while any event is not occurring on one of the loading plates  61 , the second transfer  200 ′ grips an empty user tray from a stacker numbered by  73 , in which empty user trays are stacked, and then transfers the empty user tray onto one of the unloading plates  62  in which the event occurred. Therefore, the unloading operation is smoothly performed without delay. 
     Operation of Third Transfer— FIG. 6   
     While the third transfer  200 ′″ waits near one of the unloading plates  62  (the gripper  21  waits beside the right side of one of the unloading plates  62  in  FIG. 6 ), when a user tray is shown, where the user tray is under a transfer standby state as the target devices are unloaded to the test tray, the unloaded user tray is gripped, in step S 62 , and then loaded on a stacker  72  located under one of the unloading plates  62 , in step S 62 . After that, the third transfer  200 ′″ repeats its operation within the third section. 
     As apparent from the above description, the present invention provides a test handler including three transfers each of which has a gripper and a vertical movement unit which moves the gripper in a vertical direction, where the three transfers independently move in a horizontal direction, each transfer has a function such that a previous procedure can be performed before an event occurs, and horizontal movement distance is divided on the basis of 5 functions of the respective transfers such that the respective transfers can move quickly, thereby enhancing the processing speed thereof due to the movement of user trays. 
     Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.