JPH0843487A - Conveyance apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a conveyance apparatus by which an object to be conveyed is sucked and released stably without being affected by its attitude by installing a suction part which is fitted into a suction-and-holding-part body so as to be tiltable with reference to its axial center. CONSTITUTION:A suction-and-holding-part body 40 is lowered, a suction pad 8 is brought into close contact with the surface of a device (an object to be conveyed) 10, and the surface of the device 10 is vacuum-sucked to the pad 8 by a vacuum-suction operation through a suction hole 83. At this time, also the pad 8 is sucked against the elastic force of a compression spring 82, and it is fitted so as to be tiltable with reference to the axial center of the body 40. When the device 10 is tilted, the pad 8 is tilted along the surface of the device 10. Then, the device 10 is pressed to a socket part 2 by a piston part 30. As a result, a lead terminal R is pressed to an electrode 21 for the socket part 2 so as to be brought into electric contact. In this state, the device 10 is mounted on the socket part 2, its electric measurement is performed, and the quality of the device 10 is inspected.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a carrying device for carrying a packaged device for inspection or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A packaged device is tested for electrical characteristics. An inspection apparatus of this type is a system that combines a tester for testing the electrical characteristics of the device and an apparatus for handling the device. It is used. As a method for inspecting a device, there is known a method in which a lead terminal (pin) of the device is attached to the socket and the test head below the socket is electrically connected to the device via an electrode on the side of the socket. Has been. In the socket-type inspection device, the device is conveyed from the loading tray to the preheating unit for preheating, then transferred to the supply alignment unit and then transferred to the socket unit.
Here, after a predetermined electrical characteristic is tested, it is temporarily transferred to the storage alignment section, and then classified and conveyed to the discharge tray according to the inspection result.

Here, the carrying device for sucking and carrying the device from the supply aligning part to the socket part is provided with a moving mechanism movable in the X, Y, and Z directions on the upper part of the inspection device, and below the moving mechanism. It is configured by attaching a suction holding unit to the. The suction holding unit is provided with a rubber suction pad, a metal bellows, or the like having a suction hole formed on the lower surface, and is configured to be in close contact with the upper surface of the device to suck and hold the device by suction by the suction hole. The test is performed by mounting the device in the socket while holding it by suction.

[0004]

However, in the conventional conveying device, when the rubber suction pad is used as the suction holding portion, the device package is a resin molded body, and therefore, the contact between the suction pad and the package may occur. Static electricity may be generated and the device may be destroyed electrostatically.Since the suction pad is soft, the posture of the device is greatly collapsed when it is landed in the storage alignment part, and the device is released in that state. However, there is a problem in that the posture exceeds the allowable range in which the sheets can be aligned and the subsequent conveyance is hindered.

On the other hand, when the metal bellows is used, the adsorption surface is not flexible, and if the device is tilted, it may not be adsorbed and may be missed. Since the suction surface does not adhere to the upper surface of the device even if the device is slightly inclined, there is a large risk of device suction failure. Further, when the device is heated, the metal bellows is provided with a heating unit and the device is heated through the metal bellows. Therefore, when the outer shape of the device becomes large, the outer diameter of the metal bellows must be increased.

The present invention has been made under such circumstances, and its object is to provide a large durability and a high durability without the fear of the destruction of the object or the object to be inspected by static electricity. An object of the present invention is to provide a transfer device that can perform suction and release operations stably without being affected by the posture of the inspection object.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transport device for suction-holding and transporting an object to be transported, the suction-holding portion main body having a lower surface serving as a guide surface for guiding an upper surface of the object to be transported, A lower limit position is regulated in the suction holding unit main body, and when the lower limit position is set, the lower limit position is slightly projected below the guide surface, and the lower end position is vertically movable and tiltable with respect to the axis of the suction holding unit main body. In addition, a metal suction pad having a suction function and a conductive elastic body provided in a gap between the suction holding unit body and the suction pad are provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, an object to be inspected having a terminal portion is adsorbed and held, conveyed to a position where the terminal portion comes into contact with an electrode at an inspection position, and the object to be inspected is adsorbed and held at the inspection position. In a transport device that inspects the inspected object as it is,
A suction holding part main body whose lower surface forms a guide surface for guiding the upper surface of the object to be inspected, and a lower limit position is regulated in the suction holding part main body, and when at the lower limit position, slightly protrudes downward from the guide surface, A metal suction pad that is vertically movable and tiltable with respect to the axis of the suction holding unit main body and has a suction function, and is provided in a gap between the suction holding unit main body and the suction pad. A conductive elastic body, and when the suction pad sucks an object to be inspected, the suction pad retracts to a position where the guide surface contacts the upper surface of the object to be inspected. It is characterized by the following.

According to a third aspect of the invention, in the second aspect of the invention, the terminal portion of the inspection object is a lead terminal, and the suction holding portion main body guides the lead terminal of the suctioned and held inspection object. It is characterized by having. According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in the invention of the second or third aspect, a heating unit is provided in the suction holding unit body, and heat from the heating unit is transferred to the object to be inspected through the suction holding unit body. It is characterized by having a structure.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, in the invention of the first, second, third or fourth aspect, the suction holding portion main body has a first portion on the upper side and a guide whose lower surface guides the upper surface of the object to be inspected. It is a surface and is divided into a second portion located on the lower side of the first portion, and the second portion is fitted to the first portion with a slight play in the axial direction and a direction orthogonal to the axial center. And the elastic member between the first portion and the second portion in order to return the relative position of the first portion to the predetermined position when the first portion does not press the second portion relatively. It is characterized by interposing.

The invention of claim 6 is the invention of claims 1, 2, 3, 4
Alternatively, in the invention described in 5, a step portion for guiding the upper edge portion of the inspection object is formed at the peripheral edge portion of the guide surface. The invention of claim 7 relates to claim 1, 2, 3,
In the invention described in 4, 5, or 6, the suction pad is provided with a suction hole that opens to the suction surface.

[0012]

According to the present invention, when the suction pad contacts the upper surface of the object to be conveyed and the object to be conveyed is inclined with respect to the suction surface of the suction pad, the suction pad resists the elastic force of the elastic body. Then, the object to be conveyed is inclined along the upper surface and comes into close contact with the upper surface. In the invention of claim 2, the suction pad sucks and holds the object to be inspected and conveys it to the inspection position, for example, the socket portion, and the main body of the suction holding portion presses the object to be inspected to the inspection position. This ensures that, for example, the lead terminals of the object to be inspected come into contact with the electrodes, and electrical measurement is performed.

By using such a suction pad, it is possible to surely suck the article regardless of the posture of the object to be conveyed or the object to be inspected, and the destruction due to static electricity does not occur. Also, when the suction is released, the suction pad is hard, so that it is always released in a fixed posture. When the first portion and the second portion are moved by a relatively small amount as in the fifth aspect of the invention, the positional accuracy of the moving mechanism can be relaxed. Further, when heating the inspection object, the heating is performed via the guide surface, so that stable heating can be performed regardless of the outer shape of the inspection object.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An example in which the present invention is applied to a device inspection device in which a semiconductor integrated circuit chip is packaged will be described below. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a device inspection apparatus. To briefly describe an outline of the inspection apparatus before explaining a carrying apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, a front side (back side in FIG. 1) of the apparatus. There are 4 tray loading units 1
A to 1D are arranged along the X direction. However, actually, a plurality of trays are mounted on each of the tray mounting portions 1A to 1D.

Preliminary heating plates 11 are provided on the rear sides of the tray mounting portions 1A and 1B so as to face them, and beside the preheating plates 11, a supply alignment portion 12 and a storage alignment portion 13 are provided.
Is integrally guided by the X rail 14 and is moved to a drive mechanism (not shown). The tray T and the preheating plate 11 are provided with recesses Ta and 11a for accommodating the devices 10, respectively.
Has a concave portion 15, and when the device 10 is put into the concave portion 15, the device is automatically placed in a state of being aligned (aligned) in a predetermined orientation in a horizontal posture.

The device 10 in the tray T on the tray mounting portion 1A is a loader 16 having four suction holding portions 16a.
Thus, four of them are simultaneously transferred to the preheating plate 11 to be preheated and then conveyed to the supply arranging section 12. The socket portion 2 held by the ring-shaped holding body 20 and provided with the electrode 21 is located at the inspection position on the side opposite to the tray mounting portions 1A to 1D in the Y direction from the moving area of the alignment portions 12 and 13. Is provided (see FIGS. 1 and 2), and a carrier device 3 that is an embodiment of the present invention that holds the device 10 from the upper surface and carries between the socket portion 2 and the alignment portions 12 and 13 is provided. ing. The socket portion 2 has a role of contacting the lead terminal R of the device 10 and electrically connecting the lead terminal R to a test head (not shown) therebelow. After being inspected, the device 10 is conveyed to the storage aligning unit 13, and then the unloader 17 including the four suction holding units 17a is provided on the tray placing units 1C and 1D according to the inspection result, like the loader 16. The trays T are sorted and conveyed.

Next, the transporting device 3 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail. This transporting device has transporting units 3A and 3B which are independently movable in the X and Y directions by an XY moving mechanism (not shown). Each of the transport units 3A and 3B is configured so that two of the transport units 3A and 3B can simultaneously suck and hold the device 10 and can move up and down. That is, FIG. 2 shows the transport section 3A (3B).
FIG. 31 is a view showing an overview of No. 3, and 31 is a cylinder mounting plate provided in an XY moving mechanism (not shown). Two air cylinders 32, 32 through which the piston portion 30 penetrates are fixed to the cylinder mounting plate 31, and the lower end of the piston portion 30 is fixed to the lower end portion as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Adsorption holding part body 4 with flange 41 formed
A cylindrical first portion 4 which is an upper portion of 0 is provided.

The cylinder mounting plate 31 has a tension spring (not shown) which expands and contracts in the vertical direction, and is connected to the conveying section 3A.
(3B) is connected to a fixed plate 31a fixed to a part 31b so that when the head of the piston 30 is pressed by a pressing means (not shown), the fixed plate 31a is pressed down against the tension spring. Is configured.

The first portion 4 is fitted with a slight play in the axial direction and the direction orthogonal to the axial center,
The second part 5, which is the lower part of the suction holding part main body 40, is connected. That is, the second portion 5 has a receiving portion 52 in which a concave portion 51 into which the flange 41 is fitted is formed, and a lid portion 53 for closing the opening edge of the concave portion 51 and preventing the flange 41 from coming off. are doing.

The diameter of the recess 51 is set to be, for example, 0.15 mm larger than the outer diameter of the flange 41, and the depth thereof is set to be, for example, 0.2 mm larger than the height of the flange 41. Further, on the side wall portion of the recess 51, grooves 54 having an upper V-shape are formed at positions (two locations) facing each other in the diametrical direction, as shown in FIG. A columnar pin 42 is provided which projects into the groove 54 and has a diameter slightly smaller than the groove width. The diameter of the pin 42 is set so that the first portion 4 can rotate with respect to the second portion 5 by, for example, ± 1 degree.

An elastic body, such as a compression spring 61, is interposed between the receiving portion 52 and the flange 41 at four circumferentially equally spaced positions on the bottom surface of the flange 41. The first portion 4 and the second portion When the portion 5 is not pressed relatively, the pin 4 is pressed by the restoring force of the compression spring 61 as shown in FIG.
2 is engaged in the V-shaped upper portion of the groove 54, and the second portion 5 is placed at the prescribed position with respect to the first portion 4, while the receiving portion 52 floats when they are pressed relative to each other. Thus, the first portion 4 can swing with respect to the second portion 5 within the range of the above-described gap, as shown in FIG.

A small diameter portion 62 having a threaded portion on the outer peripheral surface is formed on the lower side of the receiving portion 52, and a heating portion 63 made of, for example, a resistance heating element is provided in the small diameter portion 62. The small diameter portion 62 has a rectangular protrusion 64 formed at the lower end, and an intermediate ring 65 is tightly fitted on the protrusion 64. A mounting ring 66 is screwed onto the peripheral surface of the small diameter portion 62, and the upper flange of the intermediate ring 65 is pressed against the small diameter portion 62 by the lower projecting edge portion of the mounting ring 66.

A rectangular guide block 72 having a through hole 71 formed in the center thereof is fixed to the lower side of the intermediate ring 65. The lower surface of the guide block 72 surrounding the through hole 71 is a device. A guide surface 73 that guides the upper surface of the device 10 is formed, and a step portion 74 that guides the upper edge of the device 10 is formed at the peripheral edge of the guide surface 73. The intermediate ring 6 is provided in the through hole 71.
The small-diameter portion 67 of No. 5 is inserted, and a cylindrical adsorption pad 8 made of metal, for example, stainless steel is provided below the small-diameter portion 67 with a gap of about 0.3 mm between the small-diameter portion 67 and the small-diameter portion 67. It is fitted in the through hole 71 so as to be vertically movable.

A flange 81 is formed on the upper end of the suction pad 8, and the flange 81 engages with a step on the inner wall of the through hole 71, whereby the lower limit position of the suction pad 8 is regulated and the suction pad 8 is sucked. A slight gap is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the pad 8 and the inner wall of the through hole 71, so that the suction pad 8 can be tilted with respect to the axis (the longitudinal axis of the suction holding unit body 40). There is. When the suction pad 8 is at the lower limit position, the suction pad 8 is slightly less than, for example, 0.2 from the guide surface 72.
mm downward. A compression spring 82, which is an elastic body, is interposed between the suction pad 8 and the small-diameter portion 67, for example, at four equally divided positions in the circumferential direction. O in Figure 3
1, O2 are O-rings.

On the lower surface side of the guide block, there is formed a ridge portion which forms the guide portion 75 of the lead terminal R of the device 10 so as to surround the step portion 74.
Has a role of contacting the tip of the lead terminal R and preventing the lead terminal R from being displaced when the lead terminal R contacts the socket 2. A suction hole 83 is formed from the suction pad 8 to the receiving portion 52 at the axial center position of the suction holding unit body 40, the lower end of which opens to the lower surface of the suction pad 8 and the upper end communicates with the suction pipe 84. are doing. Suction tube 84
Is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown), and the suction pad 8 sucks the device 10 under vacuum.

Next, the operation of the above-mentioned transfer device will be described. First, as described above with reference to FIG. 1, the transfer unit 3A (3B) sucks and holds the device 10 in the supply alignment unit 12 by the moving mechanism (not shown) on the ceiling of the inspection apparatus. In this operation, the suction holding unit body 40 descends, the suction pad 8 comes into close contact with the upper surface of the device 10, and the upper surface of the device 10 is vacuum-sucked to the suction pad 8 by vacuuming through the suction hole 83. At this time, the suction pad 8 is also sucked against the elastic force of the compression spring 82 and retracts to a position where the upper surface of the device 10 is flush with the guide surface 73. In this case, the heat of the heating unit 63 is transferred to the device 10 via the intermediate ring 65 and the guide body 72, and the device 10 is heated. After that, the transport section 3A
(3B) moves to the top of the socket 2, and the air cylinder 32 (see FIG. 2) lowers the suction-holding unit body 40 so that the device 10 is placed on the pedestal 22 of the socket 2 as shown by the chain line in FIG. Can be posted.

Then, for example, the upper end of the piston part 30 is pressed by a pressing means (not shown), and the suction holding part main body 40 presses the device 10 to the socket 2 side via the suction pad 8. As a result, the tip of the lead terminal R is pressed against the electrode 21 of the socket 2 to make electrical contact. As a result, the device 10 is electrically connected to the test head (not shown) through the socket portion 2, and in this state, that is, the transport portion 3A (3B) performs the electrical measurement while the device 10 is mounted in the socket portion 2. The quality of the device 10 is inspected.

Subsequently, the suction holding unit main body 40 is lifted after the pressing is released, and the conveying unit 3A (3B) is moved to the storage aligning unit 13.
, The suction holding unit main body 40 descends to release the vacuum suction, and the device 10 is delivered into the storage alignment unit 13. However, since the transport unit 3A (3B) actually holds two devices 10, they are sequentially tested in the socket unit 2 and then transported to the storage alignment unit 13.

According to the above-described embodiment, even if the device 10 is slightly tilted, the suction pad 8 tilts along the upper surface of the device 10 and comes into close contact therewith, so that stable suction can be performed, and the suction pad 8 itself is deformed. Therefore, the posture of the device 10 is stable even when the suction is released, so that the next conveyance process, that is, the suction holding process by the unloader 17 is also stably performed. When the device 10 is mounted in the socket portion 2, the upper surface and the upper edge portion of the device are guided by the guide surface 73 and the step portion 74, respectively, and the lead terminal R is also guided by the ridge portion forming the guide portion 75. Therefore, the device 10 is placed on the pedestal 22 in a horizontal posture and in a predetermined direction, and each lead terminal R surely contacts the corresponding electrode 21.

Further, since the suction pad 8 is made of metal, there is no danger of the device 10 being destroyed by static electricity, and the durability is high. Further, since the device 10 is heated by the heat transferred from the heating unit 63 via the intermediate ring 65 and the guide body 72, stable heating is achieved without changing the diameter of the suction pad 8 even if the outer shape of the device 10 changes. It can be performed. Note that when the external shape of the device 10 changes, the portion below the receiving portion 52 is replaced, so the heating portion 63 is not replaced and is common to devices of each size,
Therefore, if the temperature measurement data of the device 10 is first obtained, it is not necessary to capture the data every time the outer shape of the device 10 is changed.

High accuracy is required for the receiving position and the releasing position of the device 10 in the supply aligning unit 12, the socket unit 2, and the storing aligning unit 13, and therefore the transport unit 3 is required.
A (3B) must be precisely controlled to move in the X and Y directions, but the suction holding unit main body 40 is divided into the first portion 4 and the second portion 5, and these can swing relatively slightly and Since they are rotatably connected, even if a displacement occurs between the moving mechanism side and the access position of the device, the displacement is absorbed in the gap between the first portion 4 and the second portion 5. Therefore, the processing accuracy of the X and Y guide portions of the moving mechanism and the accuracy of the stop position can be relaxed.

In the above, the pressing means for pressing the suction-holding part main body 40 to surely bring the device 10 into contact with the socket part 2 may be separate from the transfer part 3A (3B) or may be a transfer part. It may be incorporated in 3A (3B). In addition, from the suction holding unit main body 40 to the device 10
May be released by suction to retract the suction-holding part main body 40 from the socket part 2, and the device 10 may be pressed by a separate pressing means. The object to be inspected is not limited to the device in which the semiconductor integrated circuit is packaged, and may be a liquid crystal substrate, and the transfer device is not limited to the inspection of the object to be inspected, but may be any other object to be transferred. Applicable.

[0033]

According to the present invention, there is no fear of damage to the transported object or the inspected object due to static electricity, the durability is high, and the stable operation is not affected by the posture of the transported object or the inspected object. Then, the suction and release operations can be performed. Further, when the heat from the heating unit is transferred to the object to be inspected through the main body of the suction holding unit as in claim 4,
The object to be inspected can be heated stably regardless of the outer shape of the object to be inspected. Further, if the suction-holding part main body is divided into the first part and the second part and can swing and rotate with respect to each other as in claim 5, the accuracy of movement control of the transfer device can be eased, and the manufacturing This is advantageous.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an entire device inspection apparatus to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an outer appearance of a carrying section of the carrying apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a suction holding portion main body and a socket portion.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a suction holding unit main body.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a part of a fitting portion of a first portion and a second portion of the suction holding unit main body.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing the position of the pin 42 when the first part of the suction holding part main body is at the specified position with respect to the second part and the position of the pin 42 when it is in a swingable state.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 device 2 socket part 21 electrode 100 carrier device 3A, 3B carrier part 40 suction holding part body 4 first part 5 second part 41 flange 42 pin 61 compression spring 65 intermediate ring 72 guide body 73 guide surface 74 step portion 8 suction pad 82 Compression spring 83 Suction hole

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A transport device for suction-holding and transporting an object to be transported, the suction-holding part main body having a lower surface serving as a guide surface for guiding the upper surface of the target object, and a lower limit position in the suction-holding part main body. When it is regulated and is at the lower limit position, it slightly protrudes downward from the guide surface, is fitted vertically movable and tiltably with respect to the axis of the suction holding unit body, and is made of metal having a suction function. A transport device comprising: a suction pad; and a conductive elastic body provided in a gap between the suction holding unit main body and the suction pad. 2. An object to be inspected having a terminal portion is adsorbed and held, conveyed to a position where the terminal portion contacts an electrode at an inspection position, and the object to be inspected is adsorbed and held at the inspection position. In the transport apparatus for performing the inspection of 1., the suction holding part main body whose lower surface serves as a guide surface for guiding the upper surface of the object to be inspected, and the lower limit position is regulated in the suction holding part main body. And a metal suction pad that has a suction function and that fits so as to be able to move up and down and tilt with respect to the axis of the suction holding unit body. A conductive elastic body provided in the gap between the suction pads, and when the suction pad sucks the inspection object, the suction pad retracts to a position where the guide surface contacts the upper surface of the inspection object. Transport equipment characterized by Place. 3. The terminal portion of the inspection object is a lead terminal,
The transport device according to claim 2, wherein the suction holding unit main body includes a guide unit that guides the lead terminal of the suction-held object to be inspected. 4. A structure in which a heating unit is provided in the suction holding unit main body, and the heat from the heating unit is transferred to the object to be inspected through the suction holding unit main body. 3. The transport device according to item 3. 5. The suction holding unit main body includes a first portion on the upper side and a second portion whose lower surface forms a guide surface for guiding the upper surface of the object to be inspected and which is located on the lower side of the first portion. The second portion is divided and connected to the first portion with a slight play in the axial direction and a direction orthogonal to the axial center, and the first portion is opposed to the second portion. 5. An elastic body is interposed between the first portion and the second portion so as to return these relative positions to a predetermined position when not being pressed forcibly. 5. Transport device. 6. The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein a step portion for guiding an upper edge portion of the inspection object is formed at a peripheral edge portion of the guide surface. 7. The suction pad is provided with suction holes opening to the suction surface.
Or the transport device according to item 6.