Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7268534?dq=5,884,272
Timestamp: 2017-04-28 22:56:30
Document Index: 479327270

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 8', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 8', 'art 8', 'art 3', 'art 8', 'art 8', 'art 4', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 8', 'art 8', 'art 3', 'art 8', 'art 8', 'art 8', 'art 8', 'art 8', 'art 4', 'art 5', 'art 8', 'art 8', 'art 110', 'art 115', 'art 110', 'art 110', 'art 115', 'art 120', 'art 125', 'art 110', 'art 115', 'art 131', 'art 132', 'art 131', 'art 132', 'arts 131', 'art 110', 'art 115', 'art 131', 'art 120', 'art 125', 'art 132', 'art 150', 'arts 131', 'art 110', 'art 120', 'art 131', 'art 131', 'art 131', 'art 132', 'art 131', 'art 131', 'art 131', 'art 132', 'arts 115', 'arts 110', 'arts 110', 'arts 110', 'arts 131', 'art 132', 'art 131', 'arts 131', 'arts 131', 'arts 131', 'arts 115']

Patent US7268534 - Sorting handler for burn-in tester - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsSorting handler for a burn-in tester including two DC testing parts and two unloading buffers on opposite sides of a burn-in board at a working post in a line with a main working line respectively, one pair of a loader part for supplying new devices and an unloader part for receiving tested good devices...http://www.google.com/patents/US7268534?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7268534 - Sorting handler for burn-in testerAdvanced Patent SearchTry the new Google Patents, with machine-classified Google Scholar results, and Japanese and South Korean patents.Publication numberUS7268534 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/098,536Publication dateSep 11, 2007Filing dateApr 5, 2005Priority dateSep 18, 2003Fee statusLapsedAlso published asCN1306581C, CN1599049A, DE102004002708A1, DE102004002708B4, US6882141, US20050062463, US20050168214Publication number098536, 11098536, US 7268534 B2, US 7268534B2, US-B2-7268534, US7268534 B2, US7268534B2InventorsSeong Bong KimOriginal AssigneeMirae CorporationExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (7), Referenced by (5), Classifications (9), Legal Events (3) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetSorting handler for burn-in tester
US 7268534 B2Abstract
1. A sorting handler for handling electronic devices, comprising:
at least one loader configured to interface with a stacker that holds trays bearing electronic devices;
at least one unloader configured to interface with a stacker that holds trays bearing electronic devices;
a table configured to carry and position a rack for receiving the electronic devices at a central area of the sorter handler;
a holder configured to receive, temporarily hold and release electronic devices that are traveling in a first direction from the at least one loader to the rack, and that is also configured to receive, temporarily hold and release electronic components that are traveling in a second opposite direction from the rack to the at least one unloader; and
at least one loading/unloading picker configured to transport the electronic devices between the loader, the holder and the rack.
4. A sorting handler for handling electronic devices, comprising:
a holder configured to receive, temporarily hold and release electronic devices that are traveling in a first direction from the at least one loader to the rack, and that is also configured to receive, temporarily hold and release electronic components that are traveling in a second opposite direction from the rack to the at least one unloader, wherein the holder comprises:
at least one testing part that receives, temporarily holds, and releases the electronic devices that are being transported in one of the first and second travel directions;
at least one buffer part that receives, temporarily holds, and releases electronic devices that are traveling in the other of the first and second travel directions; and
a shifter that is configured to alternately align the at least one testing part and the at least one buffer part with a main line, along which at least one loading/unloading picker moves, wherein the at least one loading/unloading picker is configured to transport the electronic devices between the loader, the holder and the rack.
8. The sorting handler of claim 1, wherein the at least one loading/unloading picker is also configured to transport electronic devices to the unloader.
9. The sorting handler of claim 8, wherein the at least one loader comprises first and second loaders, wherein the at least one unloader comprises first and second unloaders, and wherein the at least one loading/unloading picker comprises first and second loading/unloading pickers.
10. A sorting handler for handling electronic devices, comprising:
first and second loaders each configured to interface with a stacker that holds trays bearing electronic devices;
first and second unloaders each configured to interface with a stacker that holds trays bearing electronic devices;
first and second loading/unloading pickers each configured to transport the electronic devices between the loader, the holder and the rack, and to transport electronic devices to the unloader, wherein the first loader and the first unloader are located on a first side of the central area where the rack is positioned, and wherein the second loader and the second unloader are located on a second opposite side of the central area.
11. The sorting handler of claim 10, wherein the holder comprises first and second holders.
12. The sorting handler of claim 11, wherein the first holder is located on the first side of the central area, and wherein the second holder is located on the second side of the central loading area.
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/753,432, which was filed on Jan. 9, 2004, and which now has issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,882,141.
This application claims the benefit of the Korean Application No. P2003-0064836 filed on Sep. 18, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
There are a rack 2 on one side of the body 1 for supplying burn-in boards ‘B’ having burn-in tested devices loaded thereon, and an X-Y-θ table under the body 1 for drawing the burn-in board ‘B’ from the rack 2, introducing the burn-in board ‘B’ to an inner side of the body 1, returning the burn-in board ‘B’ to an original position of the rack 2, and moving the burn-in board in an X or a Y direction by one step at a working position.
There are a DC testing part 8 at a side of the loader part 3, an unloading buffer 10 at one side of the unloader part 4, and a working space between the DC testing part 8 and the unloading buffer 10 where the burn-in board ‘B’ is positioned.
There is an X-axis main shaft 6 crossing the body 1 over the DC testing part 8, the burn-in board ‘B’, and the unloading buffer 20, having a loading picker 11 for transferring the devices from the loader part 3 to the DC testing part 8, an insert picker 12 and a remove picker 13 for transferring the devices from the DC testing part 8 to the burn-in board ‘B’, and from the burn-in board ‘B’ to the unloading buffer 10, and an unloading picker 14 for transferring the devices from the unloading buffer 10 to the unloader part 4. The insert picker 12 and the remove picker 13 are coupled to a slider (not shown) moving along the X-axis main shaft 6, to moving along the X-axis main shaft 6 together.
When a worker loads burn-in tested burn-in boards on the rack, and puts the handler into operation, the X-Y-θ table 20 moves toward the rack 2, draws one of the burn-in boards ‘B’ from the rack 2, moves to the central working space of the body 1, and turns the burn-in board at 90°.
Then, the tray ‘T’ at the loader part 3 moves backward to a position under the X-axis main shaft 6, and the loading picker 11 holds the device at the loader part 3, and moves to the DC testing part 8. A simple DC test is carried out at the DC testing part 8, when the loading picker 11 moves to the loader part 3 again, and holds the next device for transferring to the DC testing part 8.
When the DC test is finished at the DC testing part 8, both the insert picker 12 and the remove picker 13 respectively move to positions over the DC testing part 8 and the burn-in boards ‘B’ at the same time. Then, the insert picker 12 holds the device at the DC test part 8, and the remove picker 13 holds the burn-in tested device on the burn-in board ‘B’ of the remove picker 13.
Both the insert picker 12 and the remove picker 13 move to left when the drawing is seen from above, load the devices on the burn-in board ‘B’ and the unloading buffer 10, and move to the DC testing part 8 and the burn-in board ‘B’, again, respectively.
Then, the unloading picker 14 transfers the burn-in tested good devices on the unloading buffer 10 to the tray ‘T’ on the unloader part 4. If there is any defective device on the unloading buffer 10, the sorting picker 15 moves to the unloading buffer 10 along the sorting X-, and Y-axis shafts 7, holds the defective device, and loads on the tray ‘T’ on the sorting part 5.
If all the burn-in tested devices are removed from the burn-in board ‘B’, and new devices are stuffed thereon, the X-Y-θ table 20 transfers the burn-in board ‘B’ to an original position of the rack 2.
In the meantime, the related art sorting handler for a burn-in tester has a drawback in that, after the insert picker 12 and the remove picker 13 transfer the devices from the DC testing part 8 and the burn-in board ‘B’ to the burn-in board and the unloading buffer 10, the insert picker 12 and the remove picker 13 return to the positions of the DC testing part 8 and the burn-in board ‘B’ again, with empty handed, i.e., without any real work, that makes both working efficiency, and test productivity per unit time period (UPH=units per hour) poor.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the sorting handler for a burn-in tester includes a rack 200 on one side of a body 101 for loading a plurality of burn-in boards ‘B’, a first loader part 110 in one side part of the body 101 for transferring trays ‘T’ on a first loading stacker 111, having devices to be tested newly loaded thereon to backward in succession, and a first unloader part 115 arranged on a right a side of, and parallel to the first loader part 110 for transferring the tray from a tray stacker 117 in a rear part to a front part, and receiving, and loading good burn-in tested devices on a first unloading stacker 116 in the front part.
Opposite to the first loader part 110 and the first unloader part 115, there are a second loader part 120 for transferring the trays ‘T’ from a second loading stacker 121 to a rear part in succession, and a second unloader part 125 for transferring the trays from a tray stacker 127 in the rear part in succession, both of which have the same system with the first loader part 110 and the first unloader part 115, respectively.
There is an X-Y-θ table 105 under the body 101 for transferring the burn-in board ‘B’ from the rack 200 to a working position inside of the body 101, and transferring the burn-in board having a work thereon finished to an original position at the rack 200. In addition to the transferring of the burn-in boards, the X-Y-θ table 105 inverts a phase of the burn-in board to 0° and ±90° depending on a direction of the device at a working post in a central part of the body, and moves the burn-in board ‘B’ in an X-axis, or Y-axis direction by one step according to a sequence in device insertion or removal.
In the meantime, there are the working post WP in the central part of the body 101 for placing the burn-in board ‘B’ transferred from the rack 200 by the X-Y-θ table 105, and carrying out device inserting and removal, a first DC testing part 131 and a second DC testing part 132 on opposite sides of the working post WP for carrying out DC test of a device to be burn-in tested newly, and a first unloading buffer 141 and a second unloading buffer 142 in the vicinity of the first DC testing part 131 and the second DC testing part 132, respectively.
The first, and second DC testing parts 131, and 132, and the first, and second unloading buffers 141, and 142 are mounted on holders 130, and are shifted by main pneumatic cylinder 135 in a line with, and between a position of the working post WP, i.e., a position in a main working line, and a position in a sorting line SL where defective device sorting is carried out.
There are a first loading/unloading picker 161 in one end part of the X-axis main shaft 160 for moving, and transferring devices between the first loader part 110 and the first unloader part 115, and the first DC testing part 131 linearly, and a second loading/unloading picker 164 in the other end part of the X-axis main shaft 160 for moving, and transferring devices between the second loader part 120 and the second unloader part 125, and the second DC testing part 132, linearly.
There is a sorting picker 165 arranged over the sorting part 150 to move along sorting X-, and Y-axis shafts 170 for transferring defective devices from the first, and second DC testing parts 131, and 132, and the first, and second unloading buffers 141, and 142.
When a worker loads trays having devices to be burn-in tested newly thereon on the first loading stacker 111 of the first loader part 110, and the second loading stacker 121 of the second loader part 120, and loads cassette (not shown) having burn-in tested burn-in boards ‘B’ thereon on the rack 200, and putting the sorting handler into operation, the X-Y-θ table 105 moves toward the rack 200, draws one of the burn-in boards stacked on the rack 200, moves to the working post WP in the body 101, turns at 90° to change length/height directions of the burn-in board ‘B’, and stands by at a working post.
In this instance, right before the burn-in board ‘B’ is transferred to the working post in the body 101, a connection terminal C at one end of the burn-in board ‘B’ is connected to a connector (not shown) at the body 101, so that information on the burn-in board is given to a controlling unit (not shown) of the sorting handler, and test results of the devices on the burn-in board ‘B’ are shared through a network.
Then, the tray ‘T’ at the lowest position is separated from the first loading stacker 111, and transferred to the main working line ML, and the tray ‘T’ at the lowest position is separated from the second loading stacker 121, and transferred to the main working line ML, too.
The slider 166 moves to right one the drawing when the drawing is seen from above if the DC test of the devices are finished at the first DC testing part 131, so that the second insert/remove picker 163 is positioned over the burn-in board ‘B’ at the working post WP, and the first insert/remove picker 162 is positioned over the first DC testing part 131.
Then, both the first, and second insert/remove pickers 162, and 163 move down at the same time, the first insert/remove picker 162 holds devices at the first DC testing part 131, to be tested newly, and the second insert/remove picker 163 holds the burn-in tested devices on the burn-in board ‘B’.
In the meantime, of the first, and second insert/remove pickers 162, and 163 moved to the left side of the drawing, the first insert/remove picker 162 is positioned over the burn-in board at the working post WP, and the second insert/remove picker 163 is positioned over the second unloading buffer 142.
Then, both the first, and second insert/remove pickers 162, and 163 move down at the same time, to load new devices on the burn-in board ‘B’, and tested devices on the second unloading buffer 142.
Once this operation is finished, the first, and second insert/remove pickers 162 and 163 move down at the same time, so that the second insert/remove picker 163 holds a new device on the second DC testing part 132, and the first insert/remove picker 162 holds the device on the burn-in board ‘B’ at the working post WP.
In the meantime, as described before, the first, and second insert/remove pickers 162, and 163 load the devices on the first unloading buffer 141, and the burn-in board ‘B’, and, the same as the process described before, the DC testing part 131 moves to the main working line ML, and the burn-in board ‘B’ moves by one step, under which state the first, and second insert/remove pickers 162, and 163 move down again, and hold new devices at the first DC testing part 131, and the tested devices on the burn-in board ‘B’ respectively, and move to the left side of the drawing, and load the devices on the burn-in board ‘B’, and the second unloading buffer 142, respectively.
The first insert/remove picker 162, and the second insert/remove picker 163 place devices on the first unloading buffer 141 and the burn-in board ‘B’ respectively, move up, and move down right away, holds devices at the first DC testing part 131 and the burn-in board ‘B’ respectively, move to the left side of the drawing, place the devices on the second unloading buffer 142 and the burn-in board ‘B’, move up, move down right away, hold the device at the second DC testing part 132 and the burn-in board ‘B’, move to the right side of the drawing which is an opposite side, and to carry out the foregoing processes repeatedly, and continuously.
If defective devices are transferred from the burn-in board ‘B’ to the first, or second unloading buffer 141 or 142, the buffer having the defective device placed thereon is moved to the sorting line SL by the individual pneumatic cylinder 145.
Then, the sorting picker 165 moves to the sorting line SL along the sorting X-, and Y-axis shafts 170, holds the devices on the first, or second unloading buffer 141, or 142, moves along the sorting X-, and Y-axis shafts 170, and places the defective devices on a relevant tray ‘T’.
The foregoing description on operation of the sorting handler is on a process for carrying out so called simultaneous INSERT & REMOVE in which the burn-in tested devices are removed from the burn-in board ‘B’ for sorting, and, at the same time with this, new devices are inserted to the burn-in board ‘B’.
Other than the simultaneous insert & remove, when it is intended only to load new devices on the burn-in board ‘B’ ‘INSERT ONLY’, or only to unload burn-in tested devices from the burn-in board ‘REMOVE ONLY’, the device insert and remove can be carried out with a process simpler than the simultaneous INSERT & REMOVE.
For an example, if it is intended to carry out the ‘INSERT ONLY’, no trays are loaded on the first, and second unloader parts 115, and 125, but trays having new devices placed thereon are loaded only on the first, and second loader parts 110, and 120.
Then, upon putting the sorting handler into operation after loading empty burn-in boards without the devices on the rack 200, the X-Y-θ table 105 draws the burn-in board ‘B’ from the rack 200, transfers to the working post WP, turns the burn-in board ‘B’ at 90°, and stands by.
If the trays are transferred from the first, and second loader parts 110 and 120 to the main working line ML starting from the tray ‘T’ at the lowest position in succession, the first, and second unloading pickers 161, and 164 pick up, and hold new devices from the first, and second loader parts 110, and 120 at opposite ends of the main working line ML, transfer to, and load on the first, and second DC testing parts 131, and 132, to carry out DC test of the devices.
Then, the first, and second insert/remove pickers 162, and 163 move to the left side of the drawing again, and loads the devices on the burn-in board ‘B’, and, at the same time with this, the second insert/remove picker 163 holds the devices on the second DC testing part 132.
Then, the first, and second insert/remove pickers 162, and 163 move to the right side of the drawing, the second insert/remove picker 163 loads the devices on the burn-in board ‘B’, and, at the same time with this, the first insert/remove picker 162 holds the devices on the first DC test part 131.
Thus, when the INSERT ONLY is carried out, the first, and second insert/remove pickers 162, and 163 supply devices to the first, and second DC parts 131, and 132 continuously, and the first, and second insert/remove pickers 162, and 163 only carry out a work repeatedly, and continuously, in which the devices supplied to the first, and second DC testing parts 131, and 132 are loaded on the burn-in board ‘B’ while moving in both directions.
In the meantime, also when the REMOVE ONLY is carried out, in which only tested devices are removed from the burn-in board ‘B’, the REMOVE ONLY can be carried out in a process similar to above.
In this case, the first, and second DC testing parts 131 and 132 are not positioned not at the main working line, but the first, and second unloading buffers 141, and 142 are fixed to and use at the main working line ML, the first, and second insert/remove pickers 162, and 163 move in both directions, and transfer tested devices from the burn-in board ‘B’ to the first, and second unloading buffers 141, and 142 on both sides of the burn-in board ‘B’, and the first, and second loading/unloading pickers 161, and 164 transfer the devices on the first, and second unloading buffers 141, and 142 to the trays on the first, and second unloader parts 115, and 125, and load thereon.
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