# US 11,112,429 B2 · Pressure relief valve

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- Number: US 11,112,429 B2
- Document ID: US11112429B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/511,816
- Filed: 2019-07-15
- Published: 2019-11-07
- Granted: 2021-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2009-03-25
- Assignees: Aehr Test Systems
- Applicants: Aehr Test Systems
- Inventors: Scott E. Lindsey; Junjye Yeh; Jovan Jovanovic; Seang P. Malathong
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11112429B2

## CPC

- G01R 1/0441: {Details}
- G01R 1/0416: {Connectors, terminals (G01R1/0425 and G01R1/0433 take precedence; with measurement function for battery poles G01R31/364)}
- G01R 1/0491: {for testing integrated circuits on wafers, e.g. wafer-level test cartridge}
- G01R 1/06705: {Apparatus for holding or moving single probes (for moving multiple probe heads or ICs under test G01R31/2886)}
- G01R 1/07307: {with individual probe elements, e.g. needles, cantilever beams or bump contacts, fixed in relation to each other, e.g. bed of nails fixture or probe card}
- G01R 31/2601: {Apparatus or methods therefor (G01R31/2607, G01R31/2642 take precedence)}
- G01R 31/2855: {Environmental, reliability or burn-in testing}
- G01R 31/2863: {Contacting devices, e.g. sockets, burn-in boards or mounting fixtures (in general G01R1/04)}
- G01R 31/2886: {Features relating to contacting the IC under test, e.g. probe heads; chucks (G01R31/2865 takes precedence, test connections, e.g. test sockets, or probes per se, G01R1/04 or G01R1/06)}
- G01R 31/2887: {involving moving the probe head or the IC under test; docking stations (moving single probes G01R1/06705; moving individual probes in multiple probes G01R1/07392)}
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)

## Abstract

A method of testing an integrated circuit of a device is described. Air is allowed through a fluid line to modify a size of a volume defined between the first and second components of an actuator to move a contactor support structure relative to the apparatus and urge terminals on the contactor support structure against contacts on the device. Air is automatically released from the fluid line through a pressure relief valve when a pressure of the air in the fluid line reaches a predetermined value. The holder is moved relative to the apparatus frame to disengage the terminals from the contacts while maintaining the first and second components of the actuator in a substantially stationary relationship with one another. A connecting arrangement is provided including first and second connecting pieces with complementary interengaging formations that restricts movement of the contactor substrate relative to the distribution board substrate in a tangential direction.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of testing an integrated circuit of a device, comprising:
holding the device against a surface of a holder;
moving a contactor board assembly relative to the holder to bring terminals of the contactor board assembly into contact with contacts on the device;
allowing air through a fluid line to modify a size of a volume defined between the first and second components of the actuator, thereby actuating first and second components of an actuator to move a contactor support structure relative to an apparatus frame and urge terminals on the contactor support structure against contacts on the device;
providing signals through the terminals and contacts to the integrated circuit; and
automatically releasing air from the fluid line though a pressure relief valve when a pressure of the air in the fluid line reaches a predetermined value.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein an increase in the pressure in the fluid line increases the size of the volume.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second portions of the actuator are a cylinder and a piston, respectively, the piston being located in the cylinder so that the cylinder and the piston jointly define the volume, further comprising:
modifying a pressure of the volume and move the piston relative to the cylinder.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, further comprising:
adjusting the force of at least one spring that connects the piston to the cylinder to level the piston relative to the cylinder.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the actuator includes inflatable and deflatable bladder, the first and second portions of the actuator being opposing sides of the bladder.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
removably mounting a cartridge frame of a cartridge to the apparatus frame, the contactor board assembly forming part of the cartridge; and
connecting a surface of a connector interface to a surface of a contactor interface.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the cartridge includes a common subassembly and a first unique contactor subassembly, further comprising:
replacing the first unique contactor subassembly with a second unique contactor subassembly.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising:
reducing a pressure in an area between the common subassembly and the second unique contactor subassembly.