# US 7,609,052 B2 · Contact pusher, contact arm, and electronic device handling apparatus

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- Number: US 7,609,052 B2
- Document ID: US7609052B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/610,043
- Filed: 2006-12-13
- Published: 2007-08-30
- Granted: 2009-10-27
- Earliest claimed: 2006-02-13
- Assignees: Advantest Corporation
- Inventors: Ayumu Mizushima; Jun Ogura
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7609052B2

## CPC

- 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 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 contact pusher attached to the front end of a contact arm bringing an IC device into contact with a contact part of a test head and pushing the IC device is provided with a suction pad for picking up and holding an IC device, a first press part for pushing against a package of an IC device, a second press part for pushing against terminals of the IC device, and a base part for conducting heat to the first press part, the first press part and the base part contacting each other and the first press part provided to be able to finely move relative to the base part.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A contact pusher configured to be attached to a front end of a contact arm, the contact pusher being configured to bring an electronic device under test into contact with a contact part of a test head by pushing against the electronic device under test, the contact pusher comprising:
a holder configured to hold the electronic device under test;
an elastic member;
a first contactor configured to contact a body of the electronic device under test; and
a thermal conductor configured to conduct heat to the first contactor, wherein
the first contactor and the thermal conductor contact each other so as to conduct heat, the first contactor is configured to move in a direction to push against the electronic device under test,
the first contactor is segmented to provide a plurality of contact portions, each of the contact portions contacting a surface of the body of the electronic device under test simultaneously, and
the elastic member is configured to bias the contact portions in a direction substantially parallel to the surface of the electronic device under test.

### Claim 2

A contact pusher configured to be attached to a front end of a contact arm, the contact pusher being configured to bring an electronic device under test into contact with a contact part of a test head by pushing against the electronic device under test, the contact pusher comprising:
a holder configured to hold the electronic device under test;
an attracting member;
a first contactor configured to contact a body of the electronic device under test; and
a thermal conductor configured to conduct heat to the first contactor, wherein:
the first contactor and the thermal conductor contact each other so as to conduct heat, the first contactor is configured to move in a direction to push against the electronic device under test,
the first contactor is segmented to provide a plurality of contact portions, each of the contact portions contacting a surface of the body of the electronic device under test simultaneously, and
the attracting member is configured to attract the contact portions in a direction generally parallel to the surface of the electronic device under test.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The contact pusher as set forth in claim 1,wherein
a first contactor has a recessed shape,
the thermal conductor has a projecting shape corresponding to the recessed shape of the first contactor, and
an inner circumferential surface of the recessed shape of the first contactor and the projecting outer circumferential surface of the projecting shape of the thermal conductor contact each other so as to conduct heat.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The contact pusher as set forth in claim 3, further comprising a second elastic member configured to bias the contacts portions in a direction substantially perpendicular to a main surface of the electronic device under test.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The contact pusher as set forth in claim 3, wherein
the inner circumferential surface of the recessed shape of the first contactor is inclined, and
the projecting outer circumferential surface of the thermal conductor is inclined corresponding to the inner circumferential surface of the recessed shape of the first contactor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The contact pusher as set forth in claim 1, wherein
the first contactor has a projecting shape,
the thermal conductor has a recessed shape corresponding to the projecting shape of the first contactor, and
a projecting outer circumferential surfaces of the projecting shape of the first contactor and an inner circumferential surface of the recessed shape of the thermal conductor contact each other so as to conduct heat.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The contact pusher as set forth in claim 6, further comprising a second elastic member configured to bias the contact portions in a direction substantially perpendicular to a main surface of the electronic device under test.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The contact pusher as set forth in claim 6, wherein
the projecting outer circumferential surface of the first contactor is inclined, and
the inner circumferential surface of the thermal conductor is inclined so as to correspond to the projecting outer circumferential surface of the first contactor.