Means and method for testing and sorting miniature electronic units

The method of testing values of and sorting according to values miniature electronic units having electrically conductive means on opposite surfaces, such as capacitors and resistors to be tested for capacitance values, dissipation factor values, resistance values and the like, comprising:

• (a) arranging said units in a planar bank in rows and files with said electrically conductive surfaces at opposite faces of said bank,
• (b) simultaneously electrically testing a file of said units at a time and continuing progressively from one side to the other side of said bank,
• (c) classifying tested values into a series of ranges and providing a receptacle for each range and providing a size of receptacle extending from end to end of said files,
• (d) providing relative motion between said receptacles and said bank so that each receptacle is successively aligned with each file starting at one side of said bank and ending at the other side of said bank, and
• (e) when each unit is aligned with a receptacle having a range of values including the value of that unit then depositing that unit in that receptacle.

Means to test values and to sort according to values miniature electronic units that are electrically conductive on opposite surfaces, such as capacitors and resistors to be tested for capacitance values, dissipation factor values, resistance values, and the like, comprising:

• (a) a conveyor and a planar carrier mounted on said conveyor and supported in an oblique plane thereby defining an upper carrier face and a lower carrier face and said conveyor being operative to convey said carrier in a generally horizontal path,
• (b) said carrier having a series of rows and files of openings to receive said units, first ends of said openings at said upper face of said carrier being of a size to pass said units for depositing of units into said openings and for removal of units from said openings, said carrier having a metal ply at the second ends of said openings having ports connected to said openings which are too small to pass said units whereby the units are retained from passing out of said openings from the lower face of said carrier,
• (c) electrical testing means including a file of electrical probes, matching each file of said openings, located at a first testing station in the travel of said carrier on said conveyor, said conveyor moving in a stepped manner pausing each time one of said files of openings reaches said testing station and means to press said probes into said openings at said testing station and said electrical testing means also being connected to said metal ply whereby each unit is in condition to be tested at said testing station because of being contacted by one of said probes at one end and by being contacted by said metal ply at its other end, and
• (d) a series of receptacles disposed along the path of travel of said carrier at sorting stations located after said testing station and proximate to said upper face of said carrier and each receptacle having an entry opening coextensive successively with the files of said openings as said carrier passes said sorting stations so as to be in a position to catch units discharged from said first ends of said openings and an air nozzle associated with each row of openings at each sorting station aligned with one of said receptacles whereby said units can be discharged from said openings into said receptacles by air pressure applied to said air nozzles.

A method of testing a multiplicity of electronic units comprising,

• grouping said units in a carrier,
• simultaneously connecting said units of a group individually to a voltage source,
• simultaneously measuring the electronic value of said units of the group and simultaneously comparing said measured electronic values of all units of the group sequentially with each of a plurality of different predetermined electronic values to determine the deviation of each unit from the predetermined values, and
• utilizing said deviations to selectively segregate said units according to their deviation from said predetermined values.

A system for testing a multiplicity of electronic units comprising,

• means for mounting said units in preselected groups,
• means for simultaneously connecting each unit of a preselected group to a voltage source to obtain an electronic value with respect to each unit,
• means for simultaneously comparing the electronic values of all units of the preselected group sequentially with each of a plurality of different predetermined electronic values to determine the deviation of each unit from the predetermined values, and
• means responsive to said deviations for segregating each of said units of the preselected group according to its deviation from said predetermined values.