Patent ID: 7905471

Claim:
An electrical component handler, comprising: a vacuum plate having an upper surface in a plane, vacuum channels formed in the vacuum plate along spaced-apart lines, each vacuum channel having a width, and contact holes positioned between the spaced-apart lines and formed through the vacuum plate, the contact holes being adapted to receive respective electrical contacts and permit their top surfaces to be generally in the plane of the upper surface of the vacuum plate; a test plate having a bottom surface supported by the upper surface of the vacuum plate such that the bottom surface of the test plate is adapted to slide across the upper surface of the vacuum plate, the test plate having component seats for holding electrical components, and alignment of the component seats on the test plate with respect to the contact holes being adapted to bring electrical components in the components seats into contact with the electrical contacts; a recess in the upper surface of the vacuum plate in vicinity to a contact hole, the recess having an average width that is greater than the width of the vacuum channel; and pressure means for creating physical contact between the bottom surface of the test plate and the top surface of the electrical contact whenever a vacuum source is connected to the vacuum channel during sliding motion between the test plate and vacuum plate such that the physical contact and the sliding motion cooperate to clean the top surface of the electrical contact.