Source: http://www.allindianpatents.com/patents/202610-pick-and-place-apparatus-of-a-handler-system-for-testing-semiconductor-devices
Timestamp: 2017-12-18 16:35:44
Document Index: 583939886

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 121', 'art 121', 'art 121', 'art 121', 'art 121', 'art 121', 'art 121', 'art 121', 'art 121', 'art 121', 'art 12', 'art 121', 'art 121', 'art 121', 'art 121', 'art 121', 'art.\n3']

Indian Patents. 202610:"PICK-AND-PLACE APPARATUS OF A HANDLER SYSTEM FOR TESTING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES"
"PICK-AND-PLACE APPARATUS OF A HANDLER SYSTEM FOR TESTING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES"
a frame (104); and an operation plate (114) installed in it; an elevation/de-eievation cylinder (107) for elevating and de-elevating the operation plate ; a plurality of cylinders (112) connected to the operation plate to be elevated and de-elevated according to the elevation and de-elevation of said operation plate ; and a plurality of vacuum suction devices (111) connected to the cylinders to be elevated and de-eievated thereby, for picking up semiconductor devices from a customer tray (110); arranging means (121, 122) for providing the vacuum suction devices at uniform intervals for the pre-orientation of the semiconductor devices picked up by the vacuum suction devices ; and orienting means (133, 136, 138) provided for receiving and adjusting an arrangement of the semiconductor devices detached from the vacuum suction devices provided at the uniform intervals, to orient the semiconductor devices.
lifckl of the Invention The present invention relates to a pick-and-place apparatus of a handler system lor testing semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to a pick-and-place apparatus which transfers a number of semiconductor devices picked up from a customer tray toward a test tray.
/, Description of JheJEdorJkt
In the electronics industry, there is a constant demand for electronic devices, such as integrated circuits or semiconductor chips, to be produced less expensively and in smaller dimensions. One way to increase productivity of such electronic devices, and thereby reduce their unit cost, is to increase the test speed of the devices by testing a plurality of them simultaneously.
In order to test such semiconductor devices, a handier system is used. When the semiconductor devices are tested in a handler for testing the semiconductor devices, a tray accommodating a plurality of semiconductor devices is transferred as a unit. Here, the tray that a user uses for inputting and outputting the semiconductor devices is called a customer tray, and a standard tray that is used in the handler is called a test tray. In order to supply and discharge the semiconductor devices to be tested, the semiconductor devices are transferred to/from the customer tray from/to the test (ray.
FIG. 1 shows a testing process performed by the handler system disclosed in Tani U.S. Patent No, 5,307,011.
The customer tray containing the semiconductor devices to be tested is loaded on a magazine, and (he magazine is elevated by an elevator. A load catcher catches the customer tray from the elevated magazine, and loads it onto a
buffer. The customer tray is transferred from the buffer to a load stage, and a load pick-and-place apparatus picks up the semiconductor devices contained in the customer tray.
The load pick-and-p!ace apparatus supplies a precisor with the semiconductor devices, and then the precisor performs an orienting operation needed for testing the semiconductor devices. The semiconductor devices which have undergone the orienting operation by the precisor are picked up by the load pick-and-p!ace apparatus again, and then they are placed on the test tray. The test tray is transferred into a soak chamber, and the semiconductor devices are tested by test heads while going through the soak chamber.
The- test tray containing the tesled semiconductor devices undergoes environmental conditioning while going through an unsoak chamber, and then the semiconductor devices on the test tray are picked up by an unload pick-and-place apparatus. The unload pick-and-place apparatus puts the semiconductor devices located in the customer tray loaded on an unload stage, and the customer tray is classified and then piled on a sort magazine on the basis of the test results. According to such a process, the semiconductor devices are tested and classified according to the test results.
However, such a conventional handler system has the problem that much time is consumed in testing the semiconductor devices since there is an orienting operation performed by the separate precisor before the load pick-and-place apparatus transfers the semiconductor to the test tray.
In more detail, the load pick-and-place apparatus performs a number of operations, such as picking up the semiconductor devices, positioning the semiconductor devices on the precisor so as to precisely position the semiconductor devices with respect to the test tray, and positioning the semiconductor devices on the test tray exactly. Therefore, a lot of time is consumed.
The present invention proposes to overcome the above problems described in the prior art, and accordingly the object of the present invention is to provide a pick-and-place apparatus of a handler system for testing semiconductor devices, which can reduce the time by performing an orienting operation while a number of semiconductor devices are transferred from a customer tray to the test tray.
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a pick-and-place apparatus of a handler system for testing semiconductor devices, said picK-and-place apparatus comprising :
an operation plate installed in said frame ;
an elevation/de-elevation cylinder for elevating and de-elevating said operation plate ;
a plurality of cylinders connected to said operation plate to be elevated and de-elevated according to the elevation and de-elevation of said operation plate ;
a plurality of vacuum suction devices connected to said cylinders to be elevated and de-elevated thereby, said vacuum suction devices being adapted for picking up semiconductor devices from a customer tray ;
arranging means for providing said vacuum suction devices at uniform intervals for the pre-orientation of said semiconductor devices picked up by said vacuum suction devices ; and
orienting means provided for receiving and adjusting an arrangement of said semiconductor devices detached from said vacuum suction devices provided at the uniform intervals, to orient said semiconductor devices.
The arranging means preferably comprises a spread part to which the vacuum suction devices are connected, the spread part being extended and retracted along a longitudinal direction for changing the distance between the vacuum suction devices ; and an extension/retraction cylinder for extending and retracting the spread part.
The spread part preferably comprises a plurality of links pivotably connected with each other in a pantograph or zigzag fashion to be capable of pivoting relatively to each other.
It is preferable that the orienting means comprises a pair of operation members slidably installed in the frame. Each of the operation members carries a cam follower. A spring biases the operation members toward each other. A cam member ia disposed between the operation members, the cam member having a cam surface with which the cam followers are contacted. An orienting cylinder is arranged for moving the operation members by driving the cam member. A pair of rod members is connected to the operation members. The rod members become closer to and distanced from each other according to the movement of the operation members. The rod members are formed with orienting recesses for orienting the semiconductor devices by accommodating the semiconductor devices detached from the vacuum suction devices when the rod members approach each other.
The present invention will be better understood and its various objects and advantages will be more fully appreciated from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which :
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a process for testing semiconductors performed by a conventional handler system ;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a pick-and-place apparatus of a handler system according to the present invention ;
FIG. 3 is a frontal view of FIG. 2 ;
FIGS. 4 and 5 are plan views of a spreadpart of the pick-and-place apparatus, which show extended and retracted states of the spread part respectively; and
FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a precisor in the pick-and-place apparatus shown in FIG. 2, which shows a semiconductor device disposed on the precisor.
petailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail witli reference to the drawings.
FIG. 2 is i\ perspective view of a pick-amf-ptace apparatus of a handler system according to the present invention* and FIG. 3 is a frontal view of FIO. 2.
The pick aiul-plncc apparatus KM) of a handler sysiem for looting semiconductor devices according to the present invention can be moved along an X-coordinate (horizontal) and Y-coordinaie (vertical). The X-coordinate driving system (Y-coordinate driving system is not shown in the figures) for the movement along the X-coordinate includes a guide rail 102 installed'at a X-coordinate support bar 101, and a guide block 103 being moved along the guide rail 102. The guide block 103 is driven by an X-coordinate driving motor which is connected thereto by a connection member 106 and a timing belt which is not shown. The X-coordinate support bar 101 is connected to the Y-coordinate driving system, so ii can be moved along the Y-coordinate, whereby the piek-and-place apparatus 100 can be moved along the X-coordinate and Y-coordinate.
A frame member 104 is fixed at the lower side of the connection member 106, and an elevation/de-elevation cylinder 107 (hereinbelow, will be referred to as 'the first cylinder1) is installed at the frontal side of the connection member 106. A pair of side wall members 105 are disposed at both side end parts of the frame member 104. A slot 115 is formed in an area of the frame member 104, through which a piston rod 107a of the first cylinder 107 passes.
A bracket I 16 is connected to the lower end of the piston rod 107a of the first cylinder 107. The bracket 116 is slidable along the piston rod 107a. A buffer spring 113 for clastically biasing (he bracket 116 toward lower end of the piston rod 107a is installed on the piston rod 107a. The buffer spring 113 absorbs the
shock generated by the elevating and de-elevating (lowering) operation of the first cylinder 107.
A pair of connection rods 117 are extended downward from the bottom of (he bracket 116. The bracket 116 is connected with an operation plate 114 by the connection rods 117. Thus, the operation plate 114 is elevated and de-elevated (lowered) by (he first cylinder 107. The side wall members I0.S j"iiU|c (he elevation and de-elevation of the operation plate 114.
A guide bar 127 having a guide rail 127a is disposed under the operation plate 114 and is placed at a predetermined fixed distance therefrom. The operation plate 114 and the guide bar 127 are fixed with each other. Thus, when the operation plate 114 is de-elevated by the first cylinder 107, the guide bar 127 is de-elevated together with the operation plate 114.
A lower plate 108 is installed at the lower part of the pick-and-place apparatus 100, and a plurality of position determination pins 130 are installed on the lower plate I OS. The position determination pins 130 come in contact with the body of the handler system when the lower plate 108 is de-elevated. As the position determination pins 103 contacts the body of the handler system, the de-elevating operation of the operation plate 114 is stopped. Then, the pick-and-place apparatus 100 stops at the required position for picking up the semiconductor devices from the customer tray 110 disposed thereunder.
On the guide rail 127a formed on the guide bar 127, a plurality of support members I 18 are installed to be capable of moving longitudinally along the guide rail 127a. A plurality of vacuum suction device elevation/de-elevation cylinders 112 (hereinbelow, referred to as the second cylinders) are installed on the support members 118. Thus, when the guide bar 127 is elevated and de-elevated according to the elevation and de-elevation of the operation plate 114, the second cylinders 112 installed on the support members 118 are elevated and de-elevated.
A bracket 118a is connected to the piston rod 112a of each second cylinder ! 12, and a vacuum suction device 111 is fixed on the bracket 118a, The bracket 118a is slidahle along the piston rod 112a, A buffer spring 112b for dnstically biasing the bracket 118a toward lower end of (he pision rod 112a is iiiRiulkxi on the pision rod 112a. The buffer spring 112b absorbs the shock which affects the vacuum suction device* during (he eleviilinfc ami dc clcviilinj: (lowcrhu'.) operation of the second cylinder 112. The second cylinder 112 elevates and de-elevates the vacuum suction device 111 by elevating and de-elevating the bracket 118a. The vacuum suction devices 111 pick up the semiconductor devices on the customer tray 110 when they are de-elevated by the second cylinders 112.
The support members 118 are disposed in an alternate fashion at the front and rear part of the pick-ami-place apparatus 100 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The upper part of each support member I 18 is, as shown in TIG. 3, connected to a spread part 121. The spread part 121 is disposed between the operation plate 114 and the guide bar 127.
The spread part 121 is comprised of a plurality of links 119. The links 119 are connected with each other in a zigzag fashion by link pins 120 to be capable of pivoting relatively to each other, and central parts of respective links 119 are assembled with each other to be capable of pivoting. Having such a construction, the spread part 121 can be extended and retracted along the longitudinal direction thereof. The spread part 121 is extended in its length or retracted, by an extension/retraction cylinder 122 (heretnbelow, referred to as the third cylinder).
The extending and retracting mechanism of such a spread part 121 will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. A connection piece 124 is installed at the end of the piston rod 122a of the third cylinder 122, and the connection piece 124 is connected to a pin 123 provided at the central part of the spread part 121 through a long hole 125 formed in the operation plate 114.
The support members ! 18 are connected (o the intersection points of the links I 19 respectively. The support members 118 are connected with each Other by tension springs 126, whereby uncontrolled movement of the spread part 121 is prevented.
The- spread part 121 is connected to a pair of rollers 129 accommodated in a guide recess 128 formed in the lower central part of the operation ptnic 114, When the spread part 121 extends and retracts, the rollers 129 cither come closer together or are spread apart, from each other by the pivoting of the links 119, and the movement of the rollers 129 is guided by the guide recess 128. Therefore, the extension and retraction of the spread part 12 is guided effectively.
When the piston rod 122a of the third cylinder 122 advances, the spread part 121 is extended as shown in FIG. 4. Then the support members 118 and the second cylinders 112 fixed on the support members 118 are spread along the guide bar 127 so that the distance between them increases, and as the second cylinders 112 are spread, the distance between the vacuum suction devices 111 increase.
When the piston rod 122a of the third cylinder 122 is retracted from the spread state of the support members 118, the spread part 121 is retracted as shown in FIG. 5. Then the support members 118 are moved along the guide bar 127 so that the distance between them decreases, and thereby the distance between the vacuum suction devices becomes narrower.
The pick-and-place apparatus of a handler system for testing semiconductor devices according to the present invention is equipped with a means for orienting the semiconductor devices picked-up thereby while they are transferred from the customer tray to the test tray.
Such an orienting means comprises, as shown in the figures, a pair of operation mcmliLMs 133, orienting cylinder 136, cam member 134, and a precisor 138.
The operation members 133 are mounted on the support plate 131 to bo slidable along a guide rail 140 formed on the support plate 131. Hath of the operation members 133 lias a earn follower 132. The operation members 133 receive elastic force from a spring 141 so that they are biased toward each other.
The orienting cylinder 136 is fixed on the support plate 131. The piston rod 136a of the orienting cylinder 136 is connected to the cam member 134 with a connecting member 150, Hence, when the orienting cylinder 136 operates, the cam member 134 is moved up and down.
The cam member 134 has a cam surface 135 in contact with the cam followers 132 installed on the operation members 133. When the cam member 134 moves up and down, the operation members 133 are moved horizontally.
The precisor 138 is connected to the lower part of the operation members 133. A recess 139 is formed between the support member 131 and the lower plate 108, and the precisor 138 moves horizontally in the recess 139 when the operation members 133 move horizontally.
As shown in FIG. 6, the precisor 138 is comprised of a pair of rod members 138a and 138b which are formed with a plurality of orienting recesses 137, wherein the orienting recesses 137 are formed at the positions corresponding to the positions of the vacuum suction devices 111 spread by the spread part 121. The orienting recess 137 has tilted surfaces 142 which are tilted at a predetermined degree. The semiconductor device 109 is smoothly accommodated in the orienting recess 137 by the tilted surfaces 142.
The cam surface 135 of the cam member 134 has a narrow part at the upper part thereof and a wide part at the lower part thereof, wherein the upper part has the width that the semiconductor device 109 is fittingly accommodated in the orienting recess 137 when the rod members 138a and 138b approach each other.
When the cam member 134 is moved up and down by the operation of the orienting cylinder 136, the operation members 133 reciprocate so as to approach
one another or become distanced from each oilier by the earn followers 132 and the spring 14!. The rot! members 138a ami HXh connected UHhe-operniwn members 133 approach each other to an extent which is proper lor orienting llu: semiconductor device 109, or become distanced from each mher to such an extent that the semiconductor device 109 can pass therethrough.
llereinbefow, the operation of the pick-ami place apparatus of the handler system for testing the semiconductor devices according to the present invention having such a construction will be described.
First, in order to pick up the semiconductor devices 109, the pick-and-place apparatus 100 operates the first cylinder'107 to de™elevate (lower) the operation plate i 14. Then (he guide bar 127 and the lower plate 108 are de-elevated together therewith. Also, the support member 118 and the second cylinder 112 fixed at the support member 118 are de-elevated together therewith. When the de-elevation of the operation plate 114 is impeded by the position determination pins 130, the first cylinder 107 stops operating.
In that situation, the spread part 121 is in a retracted state so that the distance between the vacuum suction devices 111 is coincident with the distance between the semiconductor devices 109 on the customer tray 110. In such a state, the second cylinders 112 operate to de-elevate the vacuum suction devices 111 onto the semiconductor devices 109.
When the vacuum suction devices 111 are de-elevated directly onto the semiconductor devices 109, the vacuum suction devices 111 pick up the semiconductor devices 109 on the customer tray 110, and then the second cylinders 112 elevate the vacuum suction devices 111 which have picked up the semiconductor devices 111. Then, the first cylinder 107 elevates the operation plate 114 to elevate the second cylinders 112.
According to such a process, when the semiconductor devices 109 have been picked up by the vacuum suction devices 11! and elevated to a predetermined
position, the pick-aud-place apparatus 100 is moved to the test tray along the Y-coordinate. While it is moved toward the test tray, the third cylinder 122 extends the spread part 121 to spread the support members 118 connected to the spread par! 121. Thus, the vacuum suction devices 111 are moved so (hat the distance between one other increases, and the semiconductor devices 109 picked up by the vacuum suction devices 111 arc disposed so lhat Ihe piwiliom (hereof arc coincident with the positions of the orienting recesses 137 formed on the precisor 138.
Then, the orienting cylinder 136 operates to move down the cam member 134. When the cam member 134 is moved clown, the operation members 133 approach each other clue to the spring 141, and thereby the rod members 138a and 138b of the precisor 138 approach each other.
When the rod members 138a and 138b approach each other, the vacuum suction devices 111 stop the suction operation and at the same time discharge air, whereby the semiconductor devices 109 are dropped into the orienting recesses 137 along the tilted surfaces 142. According to such a process, the orienting operation of the semiconductor devices 109 to be tested in the test tray is performed.
When the orienting operation of the pick-and-place apparatus 100 is completed, the vacuum suction devices 111 are de-elevated again by operation of the second cylinder 112. The vacuum suction devices 111 pick up the semiconductor devices 109 in the precisor 138 again by using the suction force thereof. When the vacuum suction devices 111 have been picked up the semiconductor devices 109, the vacuum suction devices 111 are re-elevated by the second cylinder 112. When the pick and place apparatus 100 is conveyed to a predetermined position which is above the test try, the vacuum suction devices 111 are de-elevated onto the test tray by the second cylinders 112, and they place the semiconductor devices 109 on the test tray.
According to the present invention, since the orienting operation of semiconductor devices is completed while the pick nml place (ippni'rifiis Irmislur,1) the semiconductor devices from the customer tray to the test tray, about 20% of tack time is reduced.
Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in detail, il is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, wherein the spirit and scope of the present invention is limited only by the terms of the appended claims.
1.	A pick-and-piace apparatus of a ftandler system for testing semiconductor
devices, said pfck-and-place apparatus comprising :
an elevation/de-elevation cylinder for elevating and dG-elQv/atfng said operation plate ;
a plurality of cylinders connected to said operation plate to &e elevated and de-elevated according to the elevation and de-elevation of said operation plate ;
2.	The pick-and-place apparatus of a handler system as claimed in claim 1f
wherein said arranging means comprises :
a spread part to which said vacuum suction devices are connected, said spread part being extendable and retractable along a longitudinal direction for changing a distance between said vacuum suction devices ; and
an extension/retraction cylinder for extending and retracting said spread part.
3.	The pick-and-place apparatus of a handler system as claimed in claim 2,
wherein said spread part comprises a plurality of links pivotably connected with each other in a pantograph fashion.
4.	The pick-and-place apparatus of a handler system as claimed in claim 3,
wherein said spread part carries a roller accommodated in a recess formed in said operation plate, said recess guiding a movement of said roller and said links when spread part extends and retracts.
5.	The pick-and-place apparatus of a handler system as claimed in claim 1,
wherein said orienting means comprises :
a pair of operation members slidably mounted on said frame, each of said operation members carrying a cam follower;
a spring for biasing said operation members towards each other;
a cam member disposed between said operation members, said cam member having a cam surface with which said cam followers are contacted ;
an orienting cylinder connected to said cam member for moving said operation members by driving said cam member; and
a pair of rod members connected to said operation members, respectively, said rod members being movable closer to and away from each other according to the movement of said operation members, said rod members being provided with orienting recesses for orienting said semiconductor devices detached from said vacuum suction devices when said rod members approach each other.
6.	The pick-and-place apparatus of a handler system as claimed in claim 5,
wherein an upper part of each of said recesses has a tilted surface for guiding said semiconductor device into said orienting recess.
7.	A pick-and-piace apparatus of a handier system for testing semiconductor
devices, substantially as herein described, particularly with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
8.	A handler system for testing semiconductor devices, incorporating a
pick-and-piace apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6.
a frame (104); and an operation plate (114) installed in it;
an elevation/de-eievation cylinder (107) for elevating and de-elevating the operation plate ;
a plurality of cylinders (112) connected to the operation plate to be elevated and de-elevated according to the elevation and de-elevation of said operation plate ; and a plurality of vacuum suction devices (111) connected to the cylinders to be elevated and de-eievated thereby, for picking up semiconductor devices from a customer tray (110);
arranging means (121, 122) for providing the vacuum suction devices at uniform intervals for the pre-orientation of the semiconductor devices picked up by the vacuum suction devices ; and orienting means (133, 136, 138) provided for receiving and adjusting an arrangement of the semiconductor devices detached from the vacuum suction devices provided at the uniform intervals, to orient the semiconductor devices.
542/CAL/1998
416,MAETAN-DONG, PALDAL-DO, SUWON-CITY KYUNGKI-DO
1 TAE-HEUNG GU 416,MAETAN-3-DONG, PALDAL-GU, SUWON-CITY KYUNGKI-DO
H 01 L 21/68
1 97-12445 1997-04-04 Republic of Korea