# US 9,434,555 B2 · Part inspection apparatus and handler > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,434,555 B2 - Document ID: US9434555B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/765,114 - Filed: 2013-02-12 - Published: 2013-08-15 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2012-02-14 - Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation - Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation - Inventors: Masami Maeda; Toshioki Shimojima - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9434555B2 ## CPC - B65G 49/00: Conveying systems characterised by their application for specified purposes not otherwise provided for - 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)} - H10P 72/0434: {mainly by convection} - H10P 72/78: using vacuum or suction, e.g. Bernoulli chucks - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A handler includes a supply shuttle plate on which a device is placed and cooled, and a transfer robot configured to transfer the device placed on the supply shuttle plate from the supply shuttle plate. The transfer robot includes an adsorbing portion configured to adsorb the device placed on the supply shuttle plate thereon, a vertical movement arm configured to move the adsorbing portion away from the supply shuttle plate, an arm box configured to accommodate the adsorbing portion together with the device in a state of being kept away from the supply shuttle plate, and a dry air supply unit configured to supply dry gas into the arm box. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A part inspection apparatus comprising: a placing portion on which an object to be transferred is placed and on which the object to be transferred is cooled; a transfer robot configured to transfer the object from the placing portion; and a tester configured to inspect the object to be transferred, wherein the transfer robot includes: a holding portion configured to hold the object to be transferred placed on the placing portion; an arm configured to move the holding portion away from the placing portion; a housing member configured to accommodate the holding portion together with the object to be transferred in a state of being kept away from the placing portion; and a dry gas supply unit configured to supply dry gas into the housing member, wherein the housing member is a first housing member, the dry gas supply unit is a first dry gas supply unit, a second housing member as a housing member is configured to accommodate the placing portion, and a second dry gas supply unit is configured to supply dry gas into the second housing member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The part inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first housing member and the second housing member are connected. ### Claim 3 A handler comprising: a placing portion on which an object to be transferred is placed and on which the object to be transferred is cooled; and a transfer robot configured to transfer the object from the placing portion, wherein the transfer robot includes: a holding portion configured to hold the object to be transferred placed on the placing portion; an arm configured to move the holding portion away from the placing portion; a housing member configured to accommodate the holding portion together with the object to be transferred in a state of being kept away from the placing portion; and a dry gas supply unit configured to supply dry gas into the housing member, wherein the housing member is a first housing member, the dry gas supply unit is a first dry gas supply unit, a second housing member as a housing member is configured to accommodate the placing portion, and a second dry gas supply unit is configured to supply dry gas into the second housing member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The handler according to claim 3, wherein the placing portion includes a flow channel where a cooling medium flows, and the second dry gas supply unit supplies the cooling medium discharged from the flow channel of the placing portion to the second housing member as the dry gas. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The handler according to claim 4, wherein the second dry gas supply unit includes a dry gas heating unit configured to heat the cooling medium discharged from the flow channel of the placing portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The handler according to claim 3, wherein the first housing member and the second housing member each include an opening configured to allow passage of the holding portion and the object to be transferred held by the holding portion. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The handler according to claim 6, wherein the opening of the first housing member is a first opening, the opening of the second housing member is a second opening, the first housing member has a first lid member configured to cover the first opening, the second housing member has a second lid member configured to cover the second opening, the first lid member is opened when the holding portion passes through the first opening, and the second lid member is opened when the holding portion passes through the second opening. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The handler according to claim 3, wherein a sensor configured to detect characteristics of gas in the first housing member is provided, and the flow amount of the dry gas supplied from the first dry gas supply unit to the first housing member is changed on the basis of the result of detection of the sensor.