APPARATUS FOR TESTING CIRCUIT PACKAGES

• US 3,701,021 A
• Filed: 11/27/1970
• Issued: 10/24/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: George L. Isaac, John G. Surak, Richard F. Kingsbury
• Original Assignee: George L. Isaac, John G. Surak, Richard F. Kingsbury
• Inventors: Isaac, George L., Kingsbury, Richard F., Surak, John G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rolinec, Rudolph V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Karlsen, Ernest F.
• Application Number:
  US05/093,322
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 324/158F,158P,158R,73AT 209/75,73,74
• US Class Current: 324/756.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2851 Testing of integrated circuits [IC] G01R31/317 takes precedence; testing individual devices G01R31/26; testing printed circuits G01R31/2801
• 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

Abstract

Apparatus for testing circuit packages including a test sequence generator which is connected to a contactor for making contact to the leads of a circuit package. The contactor includes an inclined track for slidably receiving integrated circuit packages, and circuit package storage tubes connected to the ends of the inclined track. The contactor has a test region at which a circuit package is held by a rocker member. Contact means having a plurality of fingers is operated to make contact with the leads of an integrated circuit package in the test region. A test sequence may then be conducted. After the test sequence the rocker member is operated to release the integrated circuit package which has just been tested from the test region. Another circuit package then moves into the test region and the testing sequence is initiated again.

Claims

1. In contactor apparatus for testing integrated circuit packages of the type having a plurality of leads by use of an electrical tester which generates a test sequence, an inclined track structure mounted on the base, said base being formed to proVide a track which has an upper region, a lower region and an intermediate test region intermediate the upper and lower regions, said track being formed to slidably receive a plurality of integrated circuit packages arranged one after the other in an aligned row, said track being inclined so that said integrated circuit packages will travel sequentially one by one under the force of gravity through said upper, intermediate and lower regions, a rocker member carried by the track structure and movable between first and second positions with respect to said track for releasably engaging and holding each of the integrated circuit packages one by one in the test region, said rocker member including a stop which is adapted to engage and hold an integrated circuit package in the test region and prevent further travel in the track of all succeeding integrated circuit packages when said rocker member is in said first position, said rocker member including a protrusion which in the second position of said rocker member is adapted to engage the next succeeding integrated circuit package following the integrated circuit package in the test region to retain it and the following integrated circuit packages when the integrated circuit package in the test region is released;

contact means having a plurality of contact fingers, operative means for moving said contact means so that said contact fingers are moved between engaged and disengaged positions with respect to the leads of an integrated circuit package held in said test region, and further operative means for causing said rocker member to momentarily move from said first to said second position to release an integrated circuit package after it has been disengaged by the contact fingers and to permit it to travel down the track through the lower region and to engage and hold the next succeeding integrated circuit package.

2. Contactor apparatus as in claim 1 together with first and second storage tubes for carrying integrated circuit packages in rows with one integrated circuit package behind another, said track structure including means at each end of the track mating with one of said tubes whereby said first tube is mounted on the upper end of the track structure and said second tube is mounted on the lower end of the track structure with the tubes in axial alignment with the track so that integrated circuit packages are gravity fed directly from the first storage tube into said track through said test region and from said track directly into the second storage tube.

3. Contactor apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said track includes first and second apertures adjacent either side of said test region, respectively said rocker member including a stop adapted to extend through said first aperture in the first position of the rocker member and engage and hold an integrated circuit package in the test region and prevent further travel in the track of all succeeding integrated circuit packages said rocker member also including a protrusion adapted to extend through said second aperture in the second position of the rocker member and engage the next succeeding integrated circuit package following the integrated circuit packages when the integrated circuit package in the test region is released, spring means yieldably urging said rocker member to the first position of said rocker member, and actuating means for moving said rocker member to the second position.

4. In contactor apparatus for testing integrated circuit packages of the type having a plurality of leads by use of an electrical tester which generates a test sequence, a base, a track structure mounted on said base and forming a track having an axis which is inclined from the vertical and the horizontal at a substantial angle, said track being formed so that it is adapted to slidably receive a plurality of integrated circuit packages whereby the integrated circuit packages are aligned in a row one behind the other, said track having an upper region, a lower region and an intermediate test region intermediate said upper and lower regions, said track being inclined at an angle so that said integrated circuit packages are gravity fed one by one through said upper region through said test region and then through said lower region, a rocker member movable between first and second positions with respect to said track, said rocker member including a stop which in the first position of said rocker member is adapted to engage and hold an integrated circuit package in the test region and to prevent further travel in the track of all succeeding integrated circuit packages, said rocker member including a protrusion which in the second position of said rocker member is adapted to engage the next succeeding integrated circuit package following the integrated circuit package in the test region to retain it and the following integrated circuit packages when the integrated circuit package in the test region is released, contact means mounted on said base in spaced relationship to said track and having a plurality of contact fingers, operative means for moving said contact means so that said contact fingers are moved between engaged and disengaged positions with respect to the leads of an integrated circuit package held in said test region, means for momentarily actuating said rocker member to the second position whereby an integrated circuit package after it has been disengaged by the contact fingers is released to travel down the track through the lower region, but said protrusion engages the next succeeding integrated circuit package following the integrated circuit package in the test region to retain it and the following integrated circuit packages when the integrated circuit packages in the test region is released, spring means for yieldably urging said rocker member to the first position whereby the next succeeding integrated circuit package is then held in the test region.

5. Contactor apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said track comprises a grooved member and a guide member for retaining integrated circuit packages therebetween, said grooved member having a first aperture between the test region and the lower region of said track through which said stop portion of said rocker member is adapted to extend when said rocker member is in the first position, said grooved member having a second aperture in said rocker member is adapted to extend when said rocker member is in said second position.

6. Contactor apparatus as in claim 5 for contacting integrated circuit packages of the type having a plurality of straight leads wherein said contact includes two contact finger blocks, each contact finger block having a plurality of fingers extending along the axis of said track and adapted to move in a vertical plane to engage the plurality of leads of an integrated circuit package in said test region when said contact means is moved to an engaged position.

7. Contactor apparatus as in claim 5 for contacting integrated circuit packages of the type having a plurality of bent leads wherein said contact means includes two contact finger blocks, each contact finger block having a plurality of fingers extending in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said track and adapted to move in a horizontal plane to engage the plurality of leads of an integrated circuit package in said test region where said contact means is moved to an engaged position.