JPH0581752U - IC handler socket cleaning mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] IC left in the socket in the IC handler
Automatically clean the solder powder. [Structure] A brush 25 and an air outlet 26 are provided on one surface of an IC pick-up hand 23 that reciprocates on an inspection stage 20, an IC suction pad 24 is set on the other surface, and the hand 23 is rotated to suck the suction pad 24. The surface of the brush and the surface of the brush 25 can be switched.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a cleaning mechanism for a socket to which an IC is sent in an inspection stage of an IC handler.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 The IC handler is for inspecting mass-produced ICs in a high temperature or low temperature state. This device sends the ICs to the inspection stage, the loader section that supplies the ICs from the tray, the transport section that conveys the ICs to the measurement section by a walking beam. It consists of a measuring unit for measuring data, a transporting unit for returning the ICs after measurement by a walking beam, and an unloader unit for storing the ICs in a tray for each data.

Above the measurement unit, a test head (first hand) that sends the IC from the walking beam to the socket of the inspection stage, and the IC after the measurement is taken out of the socket and placed on the returning walking beam. A second hand is installed. The test head is composed of a heat block that adsorbs, heats, and presses the IC, and a guide block that suppresses heat dissipation of the IC, and the guide block has four corners screwed together. On the other hand, memory type ICs are easier to inspect than logic type ICs and so many ICs can be inspected at one time. In response to this, each hand of the handler has a heat block or suction pad. In addition to the provision of 16 sockets, the inspection stage is also equipped with 16 sockets.

[0004]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, since many terminals of the IC are plated with solder, when the IC is put in or taken out from the socket with a test head or a hand, solder powder accumulates in the socket, which causes a measurement error. .. For this reason, in the past, workers used to brush a large number of sockets with a brush or blow their breath to clean them. However, this is not only time-consuming, and sometimes the cleaning is forgotten and measurement errors occur.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a socket cleaning mechanism of an IC handler capable of automatically wiping solder powder and dust in the socket.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above object, in the invention of claim 1, a brush for cleaning each socket and an air outlet are provided above the inspection stage. Further, in the invention of claim 2, a plurality of the brushes and the air outlets are attached to one surface of the IC take-out hand, and an IC suction pad is attached to the other surface of the IC hand so that the hand can rotate about an axis. Has become.

[0007]

[Action]

 According to the structure of claim 1, the brush dispels the solder powder or the like in the socket, and the air from the outlet blows off the solder powder. According to the structure of claim 2, the hand is switched and rotated so that the suction pad surface is downward when the IC is sucked and transferred, and the brush is downward when the socket is cleaned.

[0008]

【Example】

 1 and 2 are a side view and an end view, respectively, in the vicinity of a measuring portion of an IC handler to which the socket cleaning mechanism of the present invention is applied. The test head 1 comprises eight rows of heads 1a attached to a support plate 2. The head 1a includes a heat block 3, a guide block 4, a support block 5, a pin 6 and a spring 7, as can be seen from FIG. It is configured. The heat block 3 is made of a metal through which heat can be easily transmitted, has a suction hole 8 for sucking the IC formed at the tip, and has a heater for heating the IC embedded therein. Two pins 6 are arranged on each side of the heat block 3, and one end of each pin 6 is fixed to the support plate 2. Further, the two support blocks 5 and the spring 7 are fitted into the pin 6, and the support block 5 is prevented from coming off by the pin step portion 6a. The guide block 4 is made of a resin that does not easily transmit heat, and has a square hole 9 through which the tip of the heat block 3 passes, a hole 10 into which the pin 6 is fitted at four corners, and a screw hole 11 at two locations. The screw 12 is screwed into the screw hole 13 of the support block 5 and fixed. Therefore, when the heat block 3 adsorbs the IC, the guide block 4 retracts along with the support block 5 along the pin 6, and after adsorbing, the guide block 4 projects again due to the action of the spring 7, and as shown in FIG. Since it is covered with the guide block 4, heat dissipation of the IC is prevented.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, a support shaft 14 is connected to both ends of the support plate 2, a gear 15 is fixed to one support shaft 14, and the other support shaft 14 is pivotally supported by the handler body. .. A worm 16 is engaged with the gear 15 at a right angle, and a handle 17 is connected to an end of the worm 16. In this embodiment, when the handle 17 is rotated to the right, the entire test head is rotated to the front and stopped at 90 °, that is, when it is facing straight ahead.

On the base 18 of the handler, two walking beams 19 for carrying the IC, an inspection stage 20 for measuring the data of the IC, and two walking beams 21 for returning the IC are installed. The walking beam 19 conveys ICs from a loader unit (not shown) to the measurement unit in pitch units, and the ICs are preheated by a preheating heater on the way. Sixteen sockets 22 are installed on the upper surface of the inspection stage 20, and a tester (not shown) is arranged on the lower surface of the base 18. The walking beam 21 conveys the measured ICs to the unloader unit, and thereafter the ICs are sorted and stored in a tray according to the data.

In this handler, an IC take-out hand 23 is provided alongside the test head 1, and this hand 23 has 16 suction pads 24 (8 in two rows) on the lower surface and 16 brushes 25 on the side surface. And an air outlet 26. The hand 23 can be rotated about a shaft 27 by a pulse motor (not shown), and the brush 25 faces downward when it is rotated 90 ° clockwise in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the brush 25 and the air outlet 26 are used to regularly dispose of the solder powder 28 of the IC terminal remaining in each socket 22. The brush 25 reciprocates several times and the air outlet 26 Air blows out. The upper part of the hand 23 is connected to the test head 1 by an arm 29 (FIG. 2), and both can be laterally moved integrally by a pulse motor (not shown). Therefore, the IC feed from the walking beam 19 to the socket 22 by the test head 1 and the IC transfer from the socket 22 to the walking beam 21 by the hand 23 are performed at the same time, and the IC transfer and measurement time is shortened.

Next, the operation of the IC handler will be described. The IC is placed on the two walking beams 19 from the supply tray of the loader section and is sent to the measurement section while being preheated by the preheating heater on the way. The IC reaching the beam end is sent to the socket 22 while being adsorbed and heated by the 16 heat blocks 3 of the test head 1, and is measured by the tester while being pressed from above. At this time, the measured ICs in the socket are simultaneously taken out by the suction pad 24 of the hand 23 and placed on the walking beam 21. In this way, when the IC inspection is repeated several times in units of 16 units, the hand 23 rotates 90 ° about the shaft 27 by a predetermined control, descends onto the inspection stage 20, and moves to the brush 25 and the air outlet 26. Cleans 16 sockets 22. The ICs on the walking beam 21 are sent to the unloader unit and then stored in a tray by data in the unloader hand.

When the type of IC to be inspected next changes, the heat block 3 and the guide block 4 of the test head 1 must be replaced. This procedure will be described. First, the test head 1 is moved to the walking beam 19 side, and the handle 17 is rotated to the right. With this, the rotation of the handle 17 is transmitted to the support shaft 14 through the worm 16 and the gear 15, and the test head 1 is rotated 90 ° forward as shown by the arrow in FIG. The point comes to the front. Then, by removing the two screws 12 (FIG. 3) of the guide block 4, the guide block 4 and the heat block 3 inside can be easily removed. Then, another size heat block 3 may be inserted between the support blocks 5, and another guide block 4 may be fitted into each pin 6 from above and screwed. Since the guide block 4 is of the pin fitting type, it is not necessary to align the holes 11 with the screw holes 13 of the support block 5 one by one, and the number of screws is 32, which is half the conventional one. When the 16 blocks have been exchanged, the handle 17 is rotated to the left, and the test head 1 is rotated downward again by 90 ° to return to the original state. During this time, the worker can work in a comfortable posture, and the replacement time is reduced to less than half.

[0014]

[Effect of the device]

 As described above in detail, in the socket cleaning mechanism of the present invention, since the brush and the air outlet regularly dispose of the solder powder and the like in the socket, it is possible to prevent defective IC measurement. Further, since the brush and the air outlet are provided on the IC take-out hand and are switched and rotated, there is an effect that no special mechanism or space is required.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a test head structure.

FIG. 2 is an end view of a test head and a hand.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a head.

FIG. 4 is an operation state diagram of a brush and an outlet provided on a hand.

[Explanation of symbols]

 20 inspection stage 22 socket 23 hand 24 suction pad 25 brush 26 air outlet 27 axis 28 solder powder

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. Each socket 22 above the inspection stage 20.
A socket cleaning mechanism for an IC handler, which is provided with a brush 25 and an air outlet 26 for cleaning the above. 2. The brush 25 and the air outlet 26 are ICs.
A plurality of pick-up hands 23 are attached to one surface, and IC suction pads 24 are attached to the other surface of the hand 23,
The socket cleaning mechanism for an IC handler according to claim 1, wherein the hand 23 is rotatable around a shaft 27.