Sensor test system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11460520-B2
Application number	US-201916575646-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2019
Priority date	Dec 14, 2018
Publication date	Oct 4, 2022
Grant date	Oct 4, 2022

Abstract

A sensor test system having excellent throughput is provided.The sensor test system 1 includes a test apparatus group 20 including a plurality of sensor test apparatuses 30A to 30D coupled to each other so that the sensor 90 can be transferred, and each of the sensor test apparatuses 30A to 30D includes an application unit 40 including an application device 42 including a socket 445 to which the sensor 90 is electrically connected, and a pressure chamber 43 which applies a pressure to the sensor 90, a test unit 35 which tests the sensor 90 via the socket 445, and a conveying robot 33 which conveys the sensor 90 into and out of the application unit 40.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sensor test system which tests a sensor which detects a first physical quantity, the sensor test system comprising a test apparatus group including a plurality of sensor test apparatuses coupled to each other so that the sensor can be transferred,
each of the sensor test apparatuses comprising:
an application unit comprising at least one application device including
a socket to which the sensor is electrically connected, and
a first application part which applies the first physical quantity to the sensor;

a test unit which tests the sensor via the socket; and
a first conveying device which conveys the sensor into and out of the application unit, wherein
each of the sensor test apparatuses comprises an apparatus main body which houses the application unit, the test unit and the first conveying device,
the apparatus main body has
a first opening through which the sensor is supplied to a first position in the sensor test apparatus, and
a second opening through which the sensor is discharged from a second position in the sensor test apparatus,

the sensor test apparatuses include first and second sensor test apparatuses adjacent to each other, and
the second opening of the first sensor test apparatus and the first opening of the second sensor test apparatus face each other.

2. The sensor test system according to claim 1 , wherein
the test apparatus group includes a second conveying device which moves from the second position of the first sensor test apparatus to the first position of the second sensor test apparatus, and
the second conveying device transfers the sensor from the first sensor test apparatus to the second sensor test apparatus through the second opening of the first sensor test apparatus and the first opening of the second sensor test apparatus.

3. The sensor test system of claim 1 , wherein
each of the sensor test apparatuses comprises a control unit which controls the application unit, the test unit and the first conveying device, and
the control unit of one of the sensor test apparatuses controls the control units of the remaining sensor test apparatuses.

4. The sensor test system according to claim 1 , wherein
the sensor test system comprises:
a supply device which supplies the untested sensor to the test apparatus group, and
a discharge device which discharges the tested sensor from the test apparatus group.

5. The sensor test system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first physical quantity is a pressure,
the first application part is a pressure application part which applies a pressure to the sensor, and
the sensor detects the pressure and outputs an electrical signal according to the detection result.

6. The sensor test system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first physical quantity is a pressure difference between two kinds of pressures,
the first application part is a differential pressure application part which applies two kinds of pressures to the sensor, and
the sensor detects a pressure difference between the two kinds of pressures and outputs an electric signal according to the detection result.

7. The sensor test system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first physical quantity is a magnitude of a magnetic field,
the first application part is a magnetic field application part which applies a magnetic field to the sensor, and
the sensor detects a magnitude of the magnetic field and outputs an electric signal according to the detection result.

8. The sensor test system according to claim 1 , wherein
the application device includes a second application part which applies a second physical quantity different from the first physical quantity to the sensor, and
the sensor test apparatuses include:
a sensor test apparatus which applies the second physical quantity of a first value to the sensor; and
a sensor test apparatus which applies the second physical quantity of a second value different from the first value to the sensor.

9. The sensor test system according to claim 8 , wherein the second application part is a temperature adjustment part which applies a thermal stress to the sensor to adjust the temperature of the sensor.

10. A sensor test system which tests a sensor which detects a first physical quantity, the sensor test system comprising a test apparatus group including a plurality of sensor test apparatuses coupled to each other so that the sensor can be transferred,
each of the sensor test apparatuses comprising:
an application unit comprising at least one application device including
a socket to which the sensor is electrically connected, and
a first application part which applies the first physical quantity to the sensor;

a test unit which tests the sensor via the socket; and
a first conveying device which conveys the sensor into and out of the application unit, wherein
the application device includes a second application part which applies a second physical quantity different from the first physical quantity to the sensor,
the second application part is a temperature adjustment part which applies a thermal stress to the sensor to adjust the temperature of the sensor,
the application device includes a pusher which contacts the sensor and presses the sensor against the socket, and
the temperature adjustment part is disposed in the pusher.

Assignees

• Advantest Corp
• Adv Antest Corp

Inventors

• Suga Kazunari
• Takano Daisuke
• Hanamura Satoshi
• Chiba Michiro
• Nishizaki Hisao
• Hayakawa Atsushi

Classifications

• G01D18/00

  Testing or calibrating apparatus or arrangements provided for in groups G01D1/00 - G01D15/00 · CPC title

• G01R33/077 Primary

  Vertical Hall-effect devices · CPC title

• G01R35/00 Primary

  Testing or calibrating of apparatus covered by the other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• G01R33/0017 Primary

  Means for compensating offset magnetic fields or the magnetic flux to be measured; Means for generating calibration magnetic fields · CPC title

• G01R33/007

  Environmental aspects, e.g. temperature variations, radiation, stray fields (G01R33/025 takes precedence) · CPC title