Systems and methods for handling components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9636713-B2
Application number	US-201414147867-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2014
Priority date	Jan 7, 2013
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

A component handler ( 100 ) may include: a test plate ( 102 ) including multiple circular component-seating tracks ( 104 ) each including multiple component-seating sites ( 500 ) configured to retain an electrical component ( 510 ) such that its face ( 522 ) faces away from the test plate ( 102 ); a component receiving system ( 114, 106, 300, 302, 306, 308, 310, 400, 402, 502 , and/or 508 ) positioned along a rotation path of the seating tracks ( 104 ); a component test module assembly ( 1502 ) for electrically contacting each electrical component ( 510 ) seated in a component-seating site ( 500 ); one or more collection bins ( 124 ); and a collection assembly ( 120 ) for collecting some of the electrical components ( 510 ) from component-seating sites ( 500 ) and directing the electrical components ( 510 ) into the bins ( 124 ) based on one or more tests conducted at the component test module assembly ( 1502 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A component handler comprising: a test plate including: a body portion having a first surface and a second surface that is opposite the first surface; a plurality of protrusions extending from the first surface of the body portion; and a plurality of component-seating sites, wherein each of the plurality of component-seating sites is disposed between a pair of adjacent protrusions and is configured to retain a component, wherein adjacent protrusions have seating walls that face each other on opposite sides of each component-seating site, wherein each protrusion has a protrusion surface between adjacent seating walls of different component-seating sites, wherein the test plate is movable such that the plurality of component-seating sites are conveyable along a component seat travel path, and wherein the test plate is inclined at a non-horizontal angle; and a component-receiving system for receiving a stream of components and seating them in the component-seating sites, the component-receiving system including a fence extending along a component seat travel path in a component-loading region, the fence having a ceiling portion operable to cover the protrusion surfaces and component-seating sites as they move beneath the fence, and wherein a distance between the ceiling portion of the fence and the protrusion surface of at least one of the plurality of protrusions is less than a thickness of the component retainable at one of the plurality of component-seating sites.

2. The component handler of claim 1 , wherein the fence has an overhanging ridge that extends downward from the ceiling portion.

3. The component handler of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of protrusions are integrally formed with the body portion.

4. The component handler of claim 1 , wherein no protrusion of the plurality of protrusions overlaps with any component-seating site of the plurality of component-seating sites.

5. The component handler of claim 1 , the plurality of protrusions are part of the test plate.

6. The component handler of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of protrusions exist even when no components are retained at the plurality of component-seating sites.

7. The component handler of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of protrusions are separately formed from, but attached to, the body portion.

8. The component handler of claim 7 , further comprising an adhesive attaching the plurality of protrusions to the body portion.

9. A component handler comprising: a test plate including: a body portion having a first surface and a second surface that is opposite the first surface; and a plurality of component-seating sites, wherein each component-seating site has a seating surface region spaced apart from the second surface, wherein each seating surface region comprises a seating plane against which the component is retainable and a passageway intersecting the seating plane, wherein the test plate is movable such that the plurality of component-seating sites are conveyable along a component seat travel path, and wherein the test plate is inclined at a non-horizontal angle; a vacuum plate including: a vacuum plate support surface; a vacuum plate bottom surface; and a vacuum channel extending from the vacuum plate support surface toward the vacuum plate bottom surface and terminating at a recessed surface therebetween, the vacuum channel being aligned with the passageway of each seating surface region, wherein the vacuum channel is in communication with a vacuum source; and an ejection nozzle having an ejection outlet exposed to the vacuum channel, wherein the ejection nozzle is in communication with a pressurized-air source and wherein the ejection outlet is positioned between the vacuum plate support surface and the recessed surface of the vacuum channel.

10. The component handler of claim 9 , wherein the vacuum channel is configured to transmit a suction force from the vacuum source to the passageway of each seating surface region to thereby assist in the retention of a component against a seating surface region, and wherein the ejection nozzle is configured to transmit a fluid into a passageway of a seating surface region to thereby dislodge a retained component from a seating surface region.

11. The component handler of claim 10 , wherein the vacuum channel is configured to transmit a suction force to first and second passageways to thereby assist in the retention of first and second components against adjacent first and second seating surface regions, respectively, and wherein the ejection nozzle is configured to transmit the fluid into the first passageway to thereby dislodge the first component from the first seating surface region without dislodging the second component from the second seating surface region.

12. A test plate for supporting multiple components, the test plate comprising: a body portion having a first surface and a second surface that is opposite the first surface; and a plurality of projections extending from the first surface of the body portion, the plurality of projections defining a plurality of seating sidewalls, wherein of the plurality of seating sidewalls, a plurality of pairs of seating sidewalls oppose one another along a first direction and have no projections interposed therebetween, wherein a plurality of rows of the plurality of projections are spaced apart from each other on the first surface test plate along a second direction different from the first direction; and a plurality of component-seating sites, wherein no projection of the plurality of projections overlaps with any component-seating site of the plurality of component-seating sites, wherein each of the plurality of component-seating sites is disposed between one of the plurality of pairs of seating sidewalls and wherein each component-seating site includes a seating surface region arranged between one of the plurality of pairs of seating sidewalls, the seating surface region extending from one sidewall to the other sidewall in one of the plurality of pairs of seating sidewalls and, against which, a component is retainable; and a plurality of passages extending through the body portion, wherein each of the plurality of passages intersects the seating surface region of a component-seating site arranged between one of the plurality of pairs of seating sidewalls and the second surface, wherein a maximum width of a portion of the passage intersecting the seating surface region interposed between one of the plurality of pairs of seating sidewalls is less than a distance between sidewalls in the pair of seating sidewalls.

13. The test plate of claim 12 , wherein a thickness of the body portion between the first surface and the second surface is greater than or equal to the distance between sidewalls at least one of the plurality of pairs of seating sidewalls.

14. The test plate of claim 12 , wherein each projection of the plurality of projections has a projection surface between adjacent seating walls of different component-seating sites, wherein the projection surface and the adjoining seating walls have probe recesses positioned so as to be adjacent to lateral terminations of an electrical component.

15. The test plate of claim 12 , wherein each projection of the plurality of projections has a projection surface between adjacent seating walls of different component-seating sites, wherein the projection surface has a height with respect to the seating surface region such that the height is less than the width dimension of an electrical component seated on the seating surface region.

16. The test plate of claim 12 , wherein at least three

Assignees

• Electro Scient Ind Inc

Inventors

• Garcia Douglas J

Classifications

• B07C5/344 Primary

  according to electric or electromagnetic properties {(sorting according to size measured electrically or electronically B07C5/08; material testing by magnetic means G01N24/00, G01N27/00, by electrical means G01N27/00; electrical measuring devices in general G01R; coin testing G07D5/00)} · CPC title

• G01R31/28

  Testing of electronic circuits, e.g. by signal tracer ({EMC, EMP or similar testing of electronic circuits G01R31/002;} testing for short-circuits, discontinuities, leakage or incorrect line connection G01R31/50; checking computers {or computer components} G06F11/00; checking static stores for correct operation G11C29/00 {; testing receivers or transmitters of transmission systems H04B17/00}) · CPC title

• G01R31/01

  Subjecting similar articles in turn to test, e.g. "go/no-go" tests in mass production; Testing objects at points as they pass through a testing station (testing of cables continuously passing the testing apparatus G01R31/59; testing dielectric strength or breakdown voltage G01R31/12) · CPC title

• G01R31/2893

  Handling, conveying or loading, e.g. belts, boats, vacuum fingers (G01R31/2867 takes precedence; handling semiconductor devices or wafers during manufacture or treatment H10P72/00) · CPC title