Patent ID: 7034520

Claim:
An integrated circuit tester comprising a tool for selectively engaging a product change element with a tester interface and disengaging the product change element from the tester interface, said tool comprising: a base frame attached to the tester interface, a mobile frame mounted to the base frame and constrained to move relative to the base frame along an axis of linear movement, and a force mechanism for urging the mobile frame to move along said axis of linear movement relative to the base frame, the force mechanism comprising first and second links each having a proximal end and a distal end, the links being pivotally connected together at their proximal ends and the distal ends of the first and second links being secured to the mobile frame and the base frame respectively, the distal ends of the links being spaced apart along said axis and the proximal ends of the links being between the distal ends relative to said axis, and the force mechanism also comprising an actuator coupled to the proximal ends of the links for urging the proximal ends of the links in directions transverse to said axis, whereby the spacing of the distal ends of the links along said axis changes and the mobile frame moves relative to the base frame along said axis, and wherein the mobile frame interacts with the product change element in a manner such that movement of the mobile frame relative to the base frame in a first direction along said axis forces the product change element towards the base frame and movement of the mobile frame relative to the base frame in a second direction, opposite said first direction, forces the product change element away from the base frame.