Metal working – Means to assemble or disassemble – Means to assemble electrical device
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-03
2001-04-03
Young, Lee (Department: 3729)
Metal working
Means to assemble or disassemble
Means to assemble electrical device
C029S740000, C029S836000, C198S448000, C198S438000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209194
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for loading and unloading semiconductor device packages. More particularly, it relates to an apparatus for loading and unloading semiconductor device packages using servo motors, which apparatus loads the packages into a burn-in board where burn-in tests of the packages are performed, and unloads the tested packages from the burn-in board.
2. Description of the Related Arts
In general, a semiconductor device package is subjected to various reliability tests. The tests include an electrical characteristics test and a burn-in test; the former is performed to check the normal operations and possible failures by connecting all the input/output terminals of the package to a test signal generating circuit, and the latter is performed to check the lifetime and possible defects of the chip in the package by connecting power source terminals and some input/output terminals of the package to a test signal generating circuit and applying an elevated temperature, current and voltage to stress the package.
After completing the assembly process the semiconductor device package is usually loaded into a burn-in socket of a burn-in board and then fed into a burn-in apparatus where the burn-in test is carried out. After the test is performed, the tested package is unloaded from the burn-in socket and sorted depending on the test results. For loading and unloading the package, a loading and unloading apparatus having a plurality of driving tools is usually employed.
The conventional loading and unloading apparatus has a loading tool, a DC test contact tool, an insertion tool, a removal tool, and an extension tool. Each tool is linked to a cam to render its movements in a vertical or horizontal direction.
FIG. 1
is a schematic view of a conventional apparatus for loading and unloading a semiconductor device package from a tube-type container.
FIG. 2
is a flow chart showing the steps of loading and unloading the semiconductor device package using the apparatus shown in FIG.
1
.
With reference to
FIG. 1
, the conventional loading and unloading apparatus
100
, which is employed for loading and unloading a semiconductor device package into and from a tube-type container (‘tube’), consists of three stations: a transferring station, a loading and unloading station, and a sorting station. In the transferring station, a first semiconductor device package
40
a
(which has not yet been tested in the DC (Direct Current) test and is hereinafter referred to as simply ‘first semiconductor device package’ or ‘first package’) is transferred to DC test position
45
where the DC test is performed. In the loading and unloading station, the package
40
a
that completed the DC test is loaded into a burn-in board
47
on an XY table
42
, and at the same time a second semiconductor device package
40
b
, (which has completed its burn-in test and is hereinafter referred to as simply ‘second semiconductor device package’ or ‘second package’), is unloaded from burn-in board
47
and transferred to receiving position
49
. In the sorting station, the second package
40
b
in receiving position
49
is sorted depending on the test results; those second packages deemed to be good are numbered
40
d
and those deemed to be defective are numbered
40
c.
In more detail, the transferring station comprises a ready position
41
which receives a first semiconductor device package
40
a
before the DC test. The package free falls from a feed tube
10
a
onto a transfer rail
32
along which the package moves. The transferring station further comprises a loading tool
21
for transferring the package
40
a
from the ready position
41
to the centering position
43
, and a DC test contact tool
23
for transferring the package
40
a
from the centering position
43
to a DC test position
45
. The loading tool
21
also serves to align the first package
40
a
with the DC test socket provided at DC test position
45
before transferring the package
40
a
to centering position
43
.
The loading and unloading station, which is located between DC test position
45
and receiving position
49
, comprises XY table
42
provided with burn-in board
47
having a burn-in socket, said socket being loaded with a second semiconductor device package
40
b
to be tested. After the burn-in test, removal tool
27
transfers the second package
40
b
from the burn-in socket to receiving position
49
. Insertion tool
25
loads the first package
40
a
, which has completed its DC test, from DC test position
45
into the burn-in socket. The insertion tool
25
and removal tool
27
move in the same direction. Thus, when insertion tool
25
picks up first package
40
a
from DC test position
45
, removal tool
27
also picks up second package
40
b
from burn-in board
47
at the same time. Moreover, insertion tool
25
carrying first package
40
a
moves toward burn-in board
47
, while removal tool
27
carrying second package
40
b
moves toward receiving position
49
in the same direction. Insertion tool
25
loads first package
40
a
into the burn-in socket in burn-in board
47
, while at the same time removal tool
27
loads second package
40
b
into receiving position
49
. In FIG.
1
and
FIG. 3
, all the packages
40
a
,
40
b
,
40
c
and
40
d
are presumed to be moved from the left to the right.
The sorting station has a pusher (not shown) for pushing second package
40
b
along transfer rail
34
into receiving tube
10
b
if the package is classified as a good one depending on the burn-in test results. The sorting station also has sorting position
50
which comprises extension tool
29
for transferring second package
40
b
from receiving position
49
to turntable
51
, if the transferred package
40
c
is considered to be defective. Sorting robot
53
classifies the package
40
c
depending on the kind and degree of defect.
DC test contact tool
23
, insertion tool
25
and removal tool
27
operate together, while loading tool
21
and extension tool
29
work independently depending on the positions of ready position
41
and of turntable
51
. Nevertheless, the vertical movements of loading tool
21
and of extension tool
29
are uniformly driven by a cam (not shown).
The steps of loading a first semiconductor device package to a burn-in board using the apparatus
100
described in above, and the steps of sorting a second semiconductor device package after a burn-in test will be described with reference to
FIGS. 1 and 2
. In preparation step
1
a tube-type container
10
a
having first semiconductor device packages
40
a
(before DC test) is provided, and burn-in board
47
having a burn-in socket loaded with second semiconductor device package
40
b
(after burn-in test) is provided on XY table
42
. In transfer step
2
, first package
40
a
is transferred to ready position
41
by freely falling, due to gravity, on a transfer rail
32
. In centering step
3
, first package
40
a
is centered, and in DC test step
4
, the electrical properties of first package
40
a
are tested.
If the first package fails the DC test, it is then fed to collection step
5
. On the other hand, in loading and unloading step
6
, if the first package passes the DC test, it is loaded into the burn-in socket, while at the same time the second package
40
b
that has already been burn-in tested is unloaded from the burn-in socket. The first package
40
a
which failed its DC test is immediately returned to preparation step
1
for retesting.
The second package
40
b
which is unloaded from the burn-in socket in loading and unloading step
6
is transferred to receiving position
49
. The second package
40
b
is moved to receiving step
9
if it is considered good based on the test results, while it is moved to sorting step
8
if considered defective.
The time for one cycle from the loading of a first package into the burn-in socket to the unloading of a second package from the burn-in socket is about 1.5 seconds. However
Kang Ju Il
Kim Byung Ro
Kim Hyun Ho
Lee Sung Yeol
Park Young Ki
Jones Volentine, LLC
Samsung Electronics Co,. Ltd.
Smith Sean
Young Lee
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