IC carrier for use with an IC handler

Abstract

An IC carrier for loading thereon and transporting a device under test is used in an IC handler. The IC carrier is capable of easily and reliably loading thereon and positioning in place a device under test even the device under test having a reduced pitch between lead pins thereof. A box-like housing open in the top is formed and the bottom wall thereof has two generally parallel contact holes in the form of elongated slots, these two contact holes being spaced from each other by a spacing corresponding to that between two arrays of lead pins of the device under test. Each of the contact holes has a length corresponding to that of the associated lead pin array and a width sufficient to receive the associated lead pin array. Carrier guides are formed one adjacent each of opposite longitudinal ends of each of the contact holes and extend upwardly to a predetermined height from the bottom floor of the housing. The distance between the side walls of the carrier guides opposing each other transversely of the length of the contact holes is selected such that the device under test is accommodated between the opposed side walls of the carrier guides. The socket for applying electric signals to the device under test has two rows of socket terminals spaced apart by substantially the same distance as the spacing between the two contact holes, each row containing socket terminals of the same number and same pitch as the pins of the corresponding lead pin array of the device under test. Insulating thin plate members are interposed between adjacent socket terminals of each of said socket terminal rows. The socket terminals are adapted to be inserted into the contact holes and be electrically connected with the lead pins of the device under test during the electric testing.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.