Component test apparatus and component transport method

#1. Technical Field

#The present invention relates to a component test apparatus that tests electronic components such as semiconductor chips and to a component transport method by which components are transported using the component test apparatus.

#2. Related Art

#The features of the present invention that are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description of the presently preferred embodiments together with the accompanying drawing in which:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a component test apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a component test portion of the component test apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1;

#One embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10B. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a component test apparatus according to the embodiment.

#As shown in FIG. 1, the component test apparatus of the present embodiment has a substantially rectangular base 1. A component test portion 10, which is also formed substantially in a rectangular shape, is arranged on the top surface of the base 1 at a position at the longitudinal center of the base 1 and in a rear position with respect to a direction (a width direction) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. A component loading device 20 serving as component loading means is formed on the top surface of the base 1 at one side (the left side as viewed in FIG. 1) along the longitudinal direction of the component test portion 10. A component unloading device 30 serving as component unloading means is provided on the top surface of the base 1 at the other side (the right side as viewed in FIG. 1) along the longitudinal direction of the component test portion 10.

#As shown in FIG. 2, the component test portion 10 has an upper support body 11 having a substantially rectangular shape and a lower support body (not shown) also having a substantially rectangular shape, which is arranged below the upper support body 11. The lower support body is sized slightly smaller than the upper support body 11. The upper support body 11 has six through holes 12. Specifically, in the upper support body 11, each pair of through holes 12 are aligned in the direction of the width of the upper support body 11. That is, three of the through holes 12, one from each pair, are aligned along the longitudinal direction of the upper support body 11. The centers of the through holes 12 are spaced apart at intervals Lp in the longitudinal direction of the upper support body 11 and at intervals Ls in the width direction of the upper support body 11. In the lower support body, first test sockets Sc1 each serving as a functional station are provided at the positions corresponding to the pair of through holes 12 that are located leftmost in the longitudinal direction. Second test sockets Sc2 each serving as a functional station are arranged at the positions corresponding to the pair of through holes 12 that are formed rightward from the aforementioned pair of through holes 12. Third test sockets Sc3 each serving as a functional station are provided at the positions corresponding to the two through holes 12 that are located rightmost in the longitudinal direction. In the first embodiment, each of the first test sockets Sc1 are also referred to as a first station, each of the second test sockets Sc2 are also referred to as a second station, and each of the third test sockets Sc3 are also referred to as a third station.