AUTOMATIC MODULE APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING SOLID STATE DRIVES (SSD)

• US 20150077153A1
• Filed: 08/21/2014
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Shin, Dong-woo, Kim, Min-woo, Koo, IL-hyoung, Jung, Do-young
• Granted Patent: US 9,711,389 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/757.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2893 Handling, conveying or loading, e.g. belts, boats, vacuum fingers G01R31/2867 takes precedence; handling semiconductor devices or wafers during manufacture or treatment H01L21/67
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/00 Erasable programmable read-only memories G11C14/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/56016 Apparatus features
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67271 Sorting devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67294 using identification means, e.g. labels on substrates or labels on containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68707 the wafers being placed on a robot blade, or gripped by a gripper for conveyance

Abstract

An automatic module apparatus for manufacturing a solid state drive (SSD) includes a labeling apparatus, one or more test handler apparatuses and a sorting apparatus. The labeling apparatus is for printing a label on a SSD mounted on a carrier tray. The one or more test handler apparatuses are for transporting the carrier tray on which the labeled SSD is mounted and for testing the labeled SSDs to determine whether the labeled SSDs have any defects. The SSD sorting apparatus is for transporting the carrier tray on which the tested SSDs are mounted and sorting non-defective defective SSDs tested by the test handler apparatuses. The SSD labeling apparatus, the test handler apparatuses, and the SSD sorting apparatus are in-line and automated.

Claims

1. An automatic module apparatus for manufacturing a solid state drive (SSD), the apparatus comprising:

a SSD labeling apparatus configured to print a label on each of a plurality of SSDs mounted on a carrier tray;

one or more test handler apparatuses, each test handler apparatus configured to receive the carrier tray on which the labeled SSDs are mounted from the SSD labeling apparatus and to test the labeled SSDs to determine whether the labeled SSDs are defective or non-defective; and

a first SSD sorting apparatus configured to receive the carrier tray on which the tested SSDs are mounted and to sort non-defective defective SSDs as tested by the test handler apparatuses,

wherein the SSD labeling apparatus, the test handler apparatuses, and the first SSD sorting apparatus are in-line with the SSD labeling apparatus in front of the of the test handler apparatuses and the test handler apparatuses in front of the first SSD sorting apparatus, and wherein the SSD labeling apparatus, the test handler apparatuses, and the first SSD sorting apparatus are automated such that the carrier tray is transported from the SSD labeling apparatus to the test handler apparatuses and from the test handler apparatuses to the first SSD sorting apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the carrier tray is transported by a tray transportation apparatus installed in the SSD labeling apparatus, the test handler apparatuses, and the first SSD sorting apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein at least one tray rotation member configured to rotate the carrier tray is installed in the tray transportation apparatus.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a SSD casing apparatus configured to assemble cases on each of the SSDs mounted on the carrier tray, the SSD casing apparatus installed in front of the SSD labeling apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a router apparatus and a second SSD sorting apparatus, the second SSD sorting apparatus configured to sort defective bare SSDs from non-defective bare SSDs manufactured by the router apparatus, wherein the second SSD sorting apparatus is installed in front of the SSD casing apparatus.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a visual inspection apparatus configured to inspect an exterior of each of the SSDs mounted on the carrier tray, wherein the first SSD sorting apparatus is installed in front of the visual inspection apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a visual inspection apparatus disposed between the one or more test handler apparatuses and the first SSD sorting apparatus, the visual inspection apparatus configured to inspect an exterior of each of the SSDs mounted on the carrier tray.

8. An automatic module apparatus for manufacturing a SSD, the apparatus comprising:

a tray loading apparatus configured to provide a carrier tray on which a plurality of SSDs are mounted;

a tray transportation apparatus configured to receive and to transport the carrier tray on which the SSDs are mounted; and

one or more test handler apparatuses configured to test electrical characteristics of the SSDs mounted on the carrier tray, wherein the tray transportation apparatus extends through each of the test handler apparatuses;

wherein each test handler apparatus comprises;

a test kit stack part configured to receive the SSDs from the carrier tray such that each SSD is mounted on a test kit on the test kit stack part; and

a test site unit configured to receive the test kits from the test kit stack part and to test electrical characteristics of the SSDs mounted on test kits.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the test kit stack part comprises a plurality of test kit stack units, and wherein a plurality of the test kits mounted on each of the test kit stack units in a stacked relationship to one another.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a transportation robot configured to transport the test kits from the test kit stack units to the test site unit.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each test handler apparatus comprises a transportation robot configured to transport the SSDs from the carrier tray to the test kit stack part, the transportation robot further configured to transport the test kits to the test site unit.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the transportation robot comprises:

a picker configured to mount the SSDs on respective test kits; and

a gripper configured to transport the test kits to the test site unit.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the test site unit comprises:

a test kit fixing support on which the test kits are fixedly mounted; and

a test board configured to electrically connect to the SSDs mounted on the test kits.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each test kit includes one or more protrusions at a bottom portion thereof, wherein the test kit fixing support includes one or more grooves sized and configured to receive the one or more protrusions such that the test kit is fixedly mounted to the test kit fixing support.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a plurality of unit socket groups for electrical connection with the SSDs mounted on the test kits are installed on the test board, and wherein each unit socket group includes a plurality of differently configured sockets for electrical connection with differently configured SSDs.

16. An automatic module apparatus for manufacturing a SSD, the apparatus comprising:

a tray transportation apparatus configured to transport a carrier tray on which a plurality of SSDs are mounted; and

a test handler apparatus through which the tray transportation apparatus extends, the test handler apparatus comprising;

a test kit stack part having a plurality of test kits thereon;

a test site unit having a plurality of sockets, each socket configured to electrically connect with an SSD; and

at least one transportation robot configured to;

remove each SSD from the carrier tray and mount the SSD on one of the test kits on the test kit stack part; and

transport each test kit with the SSD mounted thereon to the test site unit.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the test site unit includes a test kit fixing support, and wherein the at least one transportation robot is configured to mount the test kits to the test kit fixing support.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein each test kit comprises a protrusion at a bottom portion thereof, wherein the test kit fixing support comprises a groove having a wide portion and a narrow portion, and wherein the at least one transportation robot is configured to mount the test kit to the test kit fixing support such that the protrusion is first received in the wide portion of the groove and then received in the narrow portion of the groove to fixedly mount the test kit to the test kit fixing support.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the test kit fixing support is configured to move toward the sockets such that a connector of one of the SSDs is received in one of the sockets to electrically connect the SSD and the socket.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

the test handler apparatus is configured to determine whether each SSD is defective or non-defective based on an electrical test;

the at least one transportation robot is configured to transport the SSDs that are determined to be non-defective to the carrier tray; and

the tray transportation apparatus is configured to transport the carrier tray having the non-defective SSDs away from the test handler apparatus.