Burn-in board loader and unloader
AssigneeReliability Incorporated
InventorsLarry J. Lape, Ramon A. Salazar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for inserting IC packages into sockets on a burn-in board and for extracting IC packages therefrom includes a plurality of loader/unloader mechanisms affixed to a rotatable platform, the platform being adapted to support one or more burn-in boards and to position sockets mounted on the burn-in boards beneath the loader/unloader mechanisms one row at a time. The loader/unloader mechanisms include a vacuum means for lifting IC packages and pneumatic cylinders for transporting the packages to and from the burn-in boards. IC packages are gravity fed along a delivery channel both to and from the loader/unloader mechanisms by rotation of the platform.
Claims21
An apparatus for loading IC packages into and unloading IC packages from sockets mounted on printed circuit boards, comprising:
- means for supporting the printed circuit boards in a substantially horizontal position and for rotating the printed circuit boards in both the clockwise and the counterclockwise direction from the substantially horizontal position to a plurality of inclined positions;
- means affixed to said supporting and rotating means for inserting IC packages into and extracting IC packages from sockets on printed circuit boards;
- and
- means affixed to said inserting and extracting means for delivering IC packages to and from said inserting and extracting means.
An apparatus for loading IC packages into and unloading IC packages from sockets mounted on one or more burn-in boards, comprising;
- a rotatable platform, said platform rotatable about its axis from a substantially horizontal position in both a first direction and a second direction opposite the first direction;
- a table movably affixed to aid platform for supporting the burn-in boards, said table movable in the forward, rearward, and lateral directions;
- a plurality of loader/unloader mechanisms affixed to said platform above said table for inserting IC packages into and extracting IC packages from sockets on the burn-in boards;
- means attached to said loader/unloader mechanisms for delivering IC packages to said loader/unloader mechanisms when said platform is rotated in a first direction and for delivering IC packages from said loader/unloader mechanisms when said platform is rotated in a second direction opposite the first direction.
An apparatus for receiving IC packages from storage tubes and loading the IC packages into sockets on one or more burn-in boards and for unloading IC packages from sockets on burn-in boards and delivering them to storage tubes, comprising:
- a frame;
- a platform supported on said frame and rotatable about its axis in both a first direction and a second direction opposite of the first direction;
- a table movably affixed to aid platform for supporting the burn-in boards, said table movable in the forward, rearward, and lateral directions;
- a plurality of loader/unloader mechanism affixed to said platform above said table for inserting IC packages into and removing IC packages from the IC package sockets;
- means affixed to said loader/unloader mechanisms for gravity feeding IC packages to said loader/unloader mechanisms from the storage tubes when said platform is rotated in the first direction and for gravity feeding IC packages to the storage tubes from said loader/unloader mechanism when said platform is rotated in the second direction opposite of the first direction;
- a plurality of gate mechanisms affixed to said gravity feeding means for limiting the passage of IC packages in said gravity feeding means to one IC package at a time;
- a control system for receiving input signals from and communicating output signals to said apparatus.
An apparatus for receiving IC packages from IC packages storage tubes and loading the IC packages into sockets on burn-in boards and for unloading IC packages from sockets on burn-in and delivering them to storage tubes, comprising:
- means for supporting the burn-in boards;
- means on said support means for receiving the IC package storage tubes;
- means on said support means for inserting IC packages into the sockets on burn-in boards and for extracting the IC packages from the sockets on the burn-in boards;
- means for rotating said support means;
- means on said support means for delivering IC packages between the IC package storage tubes and said inserting and extracting means when said support means is rotated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.