# US 12,181,516 B2 · Lead guides having a recessed face

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- Number: US 12,181,516 B2
- Document ID: US12181516B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/878,490
- Filed: 2018-01-24
- Published: 2019-07-04
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2017-12-29
- Assignees: Texas Instruments Incorporated
- Applicants: Texas Instruments Incorporated
- Inventors: Chi-Tsung Lee; Ching-Han Chang; Chun-Hsien Lu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181516B2

## CPC

- G01R 31/2889: {Interfaces, e.g. between probe and tester (G01R31/31905 and G01R1/07364 take precedence)}
- G01R 1/07314: {the body of the probe being perpendicular to test object, e.g. bed of nails or probe with bump contacts on a rigid support (on an elastic support, e.g. a film, G01R1/0735)}
- G01R 27/14: Measuring resistance by measuring current or voltage obtained from a reference source (G01R27/16, G01R27/20, G01R27/22 take precedence)
- G01R 31/2834: {Automated test systems [ATE]; using microprocessors or computers (G01R31/317 takes precedence; ATE for detection of defective computer hardware G06F11/2736)}
- G01R 31/2893: {Handling, conveying or loading, e.g. belts, boats, vacuum fingers (G01R31/2867 takes precedence; handling semiconductor devices or wafers during manufacture or treatment H10P72/00)}
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)

## Abstract

An embodiment includes a first lead guide, a second lead guide, and a handler. The first lead guide includes a first insulating housing and a first conductive contact having a face and a recessed face. The second lead guide includes a second insulating housing and a second conductive contact. The first and second lead guides are fastened to the handler.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system comprising:
a first lead guide, wherein the first lead guide comprises:
a first insulating housing having a face and a recessed face, the first insulating housing including a first conductive contact having a face and a recessed face, wherein the face of the first conductive contact is parallel to the face of the first insulating housing, and the recessed face of the first conductive contact is parallel to the recessed face of the first insulating housing;
a second lead guide, wherein the second lead guide comprises:
a second insulating housing having a face and a recessed face, the second insulating housing including a second conductive contact having a face and a recessed face, wherein the face of the second conductive contact is parallel to the face of the second insulating housing, and the recessed face of the second conductive contact is parallel to the recessed face of the second insulating housing; and
a handler, wherein the first and second lead guides are fastened to the handler; and
a contactor, wherein the contactor comprises:
a first set of force pins to contact the face of the first conductive contact, and
a second set of force pins to contact the face of the second conductive contact.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein
the first set of force pins comprises three force pins, and
the second set of force pins comprises three force pins.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, the contactor further comprising:
a first set of sense pins; and
a second set of sense pins.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein
the first set of sense pins comprises two sense pins, and
the second set of sense pins comprises two sense pins.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, further comprising:
a device-under-test (DUT) having a first lead and a second lead,
wherein the handler holds the DUT so that the first lead is in contact with the recessed face of the first conductive contact, and the second lead is in contact with the recessed face of the second conductive contact.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein
the first set of sense pins is in contact with the first lead, and
the second set of sense pins is in contact with the second lead.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein
the first set of sense pins comprises two sense pins, and
the second set of sense pins comprises two sense pins.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein
the first set of force pins comprises three force pins, and
the second set of force pins comprises three force pins.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein
the first lead is a first gull wing lead, and
the second lead is a second gull wing lead.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the DUT comprises:
a small outline package; and
an integrated circuit in the small outline package.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, further comprising:
an automatic test equipment (ATE) electrically coupled to the first and second sets of sense pins and to the first and second sets of force pins, the ATE to source and sink current to the first and second sets of force pins and to sense current in the first and second sets of sense pins.

### Claim 12

A method comprising:
placing, with a handler, a device-under-test (DUT) in contact with a first lead guide and a second lead guide, the first lead guide including a first conductive contact having a face and a recessed face, the second lead guide including a second conductive contact having a face and a recessed face, and the DUT having a first lead and a second lead, wherein placing the DUT in contact with the first and second lead guides comprises placing the first lead in contact with the recessed face of the first conductive contact and placing the second lead in contact with the recessed face of the second conductive contact;
contacting a first set of force pins with the face of the first conductive contact;
contacting a first set of sense pins with the first lead;
contacting a second set of force pins with the face of the second conductive contact; and
contacting a second set of sense pins with the second lead.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising:
testing the DUT with an automatic-test-equipment (ATE), the testing including operating the first set of force pins and the first set of sense pins as a first Kelvin contact, and operating the second set of force pins and the second set of sense pins as a second Kelvin contact.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein
the first set of sense pins comprises two sense pins,
the second set of sense pins comprises two sense pins,
the first set of force pins comprises three force pins, and
the second set of force pins comprises three force pins.

### Claim 15

A system comprising:
a device-under-test (DUT) comprising a first lead and a second lead;
a first lead guide comprising a first conductive contact having a face and a recessed face, wherein the first lead is in contact with the recessed face of the first conductive contact;
a second lead guide comprising a second conductive contact having a face and a recessed face, wherein the second lead is in contact with the recessed face of the second conductive contact;
a load-board;
a first set of force pins in contact with the face of the first conductive contact to electrically couple the load-board to the first lead of the DUT;
a first set of sense pins in contact with the first lead and electrically coupled to the load-board;
a second set of force pins in contact with the face of the second conductive contact to electrically couple the load-board to the second lead of the DUT; and
a second set of sense pins in contact with the second lead and electrically coupled to the load-board.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, further comprising:
an automatic test equipment (ATE) electrically coupled to the first and second sets of sense pins and to the first and second sets of force pins, the ATE to drive current through the first and second sets of force pins and to sense current in the first and second sets of sense pins in response to driving the current through the first and second sets of force pins.

### Claim 17

A system comprising:
a first lead guide comprising a first insulating housing, the first insulating housing comprising a first conductive contact;
a second lead guide comprising a second insulating housing, the second insulating housing comprising a second conductive contact; and
a contactor comprising a first set of force pins to contact the first conductive contact, and a second set of force pins to contact the second conductive contact, wherein the first set of force pins comprises at least three force pins, and the second set of force pins comprises at least three force pins.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, the contactor further comprising:
a first set of sense pins; and
a second set of sense pins.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein
the first set of sense pins comprises two sense pins, and
the second set of sense pins comprises two sense pins.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, further comprising a handler, wherein the first and second lead guides are fastened to the handler.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The system of claim 20, further comprising:
a device-under-test (DUT) having a first lead and a second lead,
wherein the handler holds the DUT so that the first lead is in contact with the first conductive contact, and the second lead is in contact with the second conductive contact.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The system of claim 21, wherein
the first set of sense pins is in contact with the first lead, and
the second set of sense pins is in contact with the second lead.

### Claim 23

A method comprising:
placing, with a handler, a device-under-test (DUT) in contact with a first lead guide and a second lead guide, the first lead guide comprising a first conductive contact, the second lead guide comprising a second conductive contact, and the DUT comprising a first lead and a second lead, wherein placing the DUT in contact with the first and second lead guides comprises placing the first lead in contact with the first conductive contact and placing the second lead in contact with the second conductive contact;
contacting a first set of force pins with the first conductive contact, the first set of force pins comprising two force pins;
contacting a first set of sense pins with the first lead;
contacting a second set of force pins with the second conductive contact, the second set of force pins comprising two force pins; and
contacting a second set of sense pins with the second lead.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23, further comprising:
testing the DUT with an automatic-test-equipment (ATE), the testing including operating the first set of force pins and the first set of sense pins as a first Kelvin contact, and operating the second set of force pins and the second set of sense pins as a second Kelvin contact.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23, wherein
the first set of sense pins comprises two sense pins, and
the second set of sense pins comprises two sense pins.

### Claim 26 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23, wherein
the first set of force pins comprises three force pins, and
the second set of force pins comprises two force pins.