Using vibrations to position devices in a test system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11353375-B2
Application number	US-201916456700-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2019
Priority date	Jun 28, 2019
Publication date	Jun 7, 2022
Grant date	Jun 7, 2022

Abstract

An example test system includes a tray to hold devices, where the devices include devices to be tested or devices that have been tested; a motor that is controllable to cause vibrations; and a component that couples the motor to the tray to cause the tray to vibrate in response to the vibrations of the motor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A test system comprising:
a tray comprising receptacles to hold devices, the devices comprising devices to be tested or devices that have been tested;
a motor that is controllable to cause vibrations; and
a component that couples the motor to a side of the tray to cause the tray to vibrate in response to the vibrations of the motor, the side of the tray surrounding the receptacles.

2. The test system of claim 1 , wherein the component is configured to hold the motor against the tray to couple the motor directly to the tray.

3. The test system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a frame to hold the tray;
wherein the component is configured to hold the motor against the frame to couple the motor to the tray via the frame.

4. The test system of claim 1 , wherein the component is flexible and is configured to bend away from the tray in response to contact with the tray.

5. The test system of claim 1 , wherein the tray is a first tray, the motor is a first motor, and the component is a first component; and wherein the test system further comprises:
a second tray to hold devices;
a second motor that is controllable to cause vibrations; and
a second component that couples the second motor to the second tray to cause the second tray to vibrate in response to the vibrations of the second motor.

6. The test system of claim 5 , further comprising:
a third tray to hold devices;
a third motor that is controllable to cause vibrations; and
a third component that couples the third motor to the third tray to cause the third tray to vibrate in response to the vibrations of the third motor;
wherein the first tray, the second tray, and the third tray are arranged in parallel in the test system.

7. The test system of claim 1 ,
wherein the vibrations are calibrated to cause a misplaced device within a receptacle to settle within the receptacle.

8. The test system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a power supply to power the motor.

9. The test system of claim 1 , wherein the motor comprises an eccentric mass; and
wherein the test system comprise a control system to set a voltage input to the motor to control a speed of rotation of the eccentric mass to cause the vibrations at a specific frequency and amplitude and to set a duration of operation of the motor.

10. The test system of claim 9 , wherein the voltage is from 3 volts to 4 volts and wherein the duration is from 1 second to 3 seconds.

11. The test system of claim 1 , further comprising a feeder to move the tray containing untested devices into position proximate to the motor.

12. The test system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a control system to control operation of the motor to cause the vibrations after the feeder is moved into the position.

13. The test system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a frame to hold the tray;
wherein the feeder is configured to move the frame holding the tray so that the tray is in position relative to the motor; and
wherein the feeder comprises belts to move the tray and a pushing device to push the tray against a surface of the frame.

14. The test system of claim 1 , wherein the tray is part of a cassette of multiple trays, the tray being movable up and down within the cassette relative to a surface holding the test system.

15. The test system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a control system to cause operation of the motor based on a total mass of devices in the tray.

16. The test system of claim 1 , further comprising a feeder to move the tray containing tested devices away from the motor.

17. The test system of claim 16 , further comprising:
a control system to cause operation of the motor before the feeder is moved away from the motor.

18. The test system of claim 1 , further comprising a feeder to move the tray containing tested devices away from the motor and to move the tray containing tested devices towards to the motor.

19. The test system of claim 18 , further comprising:
a control system to cause operation of the motor before the feeder is moved away from the motor and after the tray is moved towards the motor.

20. The test system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a test carrier for holding at least some of the devices;
a device shuttle to transport the at least some of devices between the tray and the test carrier; and
a first robot to move the at least some of devices between the test carrier and the device shuttle;
wherein the device shuttle is configured to move, towards a stage of the test system containing the first robot, a first device among the devices that has not been tested, the device shuttle being configured to move in a first dimension; and
wherein the first robot is configured to move the first device from the device shuttle to the test carrier, the first robot being configured to move in a second dimension that is different from the first dimension.

21. The test system of claim 20 , further comprising:
a second robot to move the at least some of the devices between the tray and the device shuttle.

22. The test system of claim 20 , wherein the tray is a first tray; and
wherein the test system further comprises:
a second tray to hold devices; and
a second robot to move the first device from the first tray to the shuttle and to move a second device among the devices that has been tested from the shuttle to the second tray.

Assignees

• Teradyne Inc

Inventors

• Bruno Christopher J
• O'Brien Mark S
• Campbell Philip
• Smith Marc Lesueur
• Khalid Adnan

Classifications

• G01M7/022 Primary

  Vibration control arrangements, e.g. for generating random vibrations · CPC title

• G01R31/317

  Testing of digital circuits · CPC title

• G01M7/027

  Specimen mounting arrangements, e.g. table head adapters · CPC title

• G01M7/025 Primary

  Measuring arrangements · CPC title