Material or article handling – Device for emptying portable receptacle – With jarring means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-30
2001-03-27
Olszewski, Robert P. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Device for emptying portable receptacle
With jarring means
C414S811000, C193S027000, C198S493000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206626
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to IC (Integrated Circuit) package handling systems, and more particularly, to a mechanism for transferring IC packages from a source site to a destination site with minimized moving parts to reduce bent leads on the IC packages.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Referring to
FIG. 1A
, a typical IC (Integrated Circuit) package
102
includes a plurality of leads for coupling nodes of an IC die within the IC package
102
to a system external to the IC package
102
.
FIG. 1A
shows a bottom view of the IC package
102
. A first side
104
of the IC package
102
includes a first lead
106
, a second lead
108
, and a third lead
110
. A second side
112
of the IC package
102
includes a fourth lead
114
, a fifth lead
116
, and a sixth lead
118
. A third side
120
of the IC package
102
includes a seventh lead
122
, an eighth lead
124
, and a ninth lead
126
. A fourth side
128
of the IC package
102
includes a tenth lead
130
, an eleventh lead
132
, and a twelfth lead
134
. A typical IC package includes more numerous leads to a side of the IC package. However, three leads to a side of the IC package
102
are shown in
FIG. 1A
for clarity of illustration.
Referring to
FIG. 1B
, a side view of the first side
104
of the IC package
102
of
FIG. 1A
is shown. The side view of the first side
104
of the IC package
102
in
FIG. 1B
also shows a side view of the fourth lead
114
on the second side
112
of the IC package
102
and a side view of the twelfth lead
134
on the fourth side
128
of the IC package
102
.
During manufacture of an IC package, the IC package is handled to move from a source site to a destination site within an assembly line for manufacture of the IC package. For example, an IC package may be at a source site for inspection of the IC package. Then, the IC package may be moved to a destination site for functional testing of the IC package.
Referring to
FIG. 2
, a prior art IC package handling system
200
includes a first passage
202
, an intermediate passage
204
, and a second passage
206
for transferring IC packages from a source site
208
to a destination site
209
. An intermediate passage stopper
212
is disposed below the intermediate passage
204
. An intermediate passage closer
213
maintains the intermediate passage
204
to be initially aligned with the first passage
202
.
During operation of the prior art IC package handling system
200
, an IC package
210
from the source site
208
is input into the first passage
202
. The IC package
210
then travels through the first passage
202
. The first passage
202
may be placed at an inclination such that the IC package
210
slides along a surface of the first passage
202
as illustrated in FIG.
2
.
Referring to
FIG. 3
, the intermediate passage
204
is initially aligned with the first passage
202
such that the IC package moves into the intermediate passage
204
after traveling through the first passage
202
. Elements having the same reference number in
FIGS. 2 and 3
refer to elements having similar structure and function. The intermediate passage
204
includes a back stop wall
214
such that the IC package
210
stops to rest within the intermediate passage
204
.
When the IC package
210
stops to rest within the intermediate passage
204
, the intermediate passage closer
213
moves outward to control the intermediate passage
204
to swing downward towards the second passage
206
. Referring to
FIGS. 3 and 4
, the intermediate passage
204
swings downward towards the second passage
206
to rest on the intermediate passage stopper
212
. Elements having the same reference number in
FIGS. 2
,
3
, and
4
refer to elements having similar structure and function . When the intermediate passage
204
rests on the intermediate passage stopper
212
, the intermediate passage
204
is aligned with the second passage
206
.
Referring to
FIG. 5
, the intermediate passage
204
and the second passage
206
are disposed at an inclination such that the IC package
210
then travels out of the intermediate passage
204
and through the second passage
206
. Elements having the same reference number in
FIGS. 2
,
3
,
4
, and
5
refer to elements having similar structure and function. The IC package
210
eventually reaches the destination site
209
. The intermediate passage
204
then swings back upward to be aligned with the first passage
202
for receiving another IC package that travels through the first passage
202
as illustrated in FIG.
2
.
In the prior art IC package handling system
200
, the intermediate passage
204
is a moving part that swings back and forth between being aligned with the first passage
202
(as illustrated in
FIGS. 2 and 3
) and the second passage
206
(as illustrated in FIGS.
4
and
5
). Unfortunately, such constant movement of the intermediate passage
204
during production of a significantly large number of IC packages leads to rapid wear and tear of the parts of the intermediate passage
204
.
Such wear and tear of the parts of the intermediate passage
204
results in malfunction of the intermediate passage
204
with down time during production of IC packages as an operator fixes the malfunctioning intermediate passage
204
. In addition, with malfunction of the intermediate passage
204
, the intermediate passage
204
may not align properly with the first passage
202
or the second passage
204
. In that case, an IC package may acquire bent leads as the IC package travels through the intermediate passage
204
that is not aligned properly with the first passage
202
or the second passage
204
. In addition, the IC package may become stuck within the prior art IC package handling system
200
when the intermediate passage
204
is not aligned properly with the first passage
202
or the second passage
204
. When an operator fixes such an improperly aligned or malfunctioning intermediate passage
204
, the IC package that is stuck within the prior art IC package handling system
200
may acquire bent leads.
Thus, a mechanism with minimum moving parts is desired for transferring IC packages from a source site to a destination site within an IC handling system to reduce the down time during production of IC packages and to minimize bent leads on the IC packages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, a general aspect of the present invention includes an apparatus and method for transferring an integrated circuit package from a source site to a destination site with use of air to push the integrated circuit package to minimize use of moving parts.
In an aspect of the present invention, an input passage has an input passage opening at the source site. The integrated circuit package travels through the input passage when the integrated circuit package is placed into the input passage opening at the source site. In addition, an intermediate resting site is disposed at the end of the input passage. The integrated circuit package stops to rest at the intermediate resting site after traveling through the input passage. An output passage has an output passage opening at the intermediate resting site, and the integrated circuit package travels through the output passage to reach the destination site at the end of the output passage. In a main aspect of the present invention, an air nozzle is disposed at the intermediate resting site such that air from the air nozzle is blown onto the integrated circuit package when the integrated circuit package is at the intermediate resting site to push the integrated circuit package into the output passage opening.
The present invention may also include a detector for determining when the integrated circuit package is at the intermediate resting site such that the air nozzle automatically turns on to blow air onto the integrated circuit package when the detector determines that the integrated circuit passage is at the intermediate resting site.
In this manner, by using air to push the IC package from the intermediate resting site into
Boochakorn Sa-Nguan
Chanvivakul Kitinan
Vesaruch Supachai
Advanced Micro Devices , Inc.
Choi Monica H.
O'Connor Gerald J.
Olszewski Robert P.
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