Magazine for use with an integrated circuit test apparatus

Claim 2

A magazine for receiving, storing and discharging electrical circuit packages each containing an electrical circuit having a physically asymmetrical circuit configuration, comprising: a boxlike body having a length greater than its width and with first and second open ends for passage of electrical circuit packages therethrough; first and second retaining means at the first and second open ends respectively of said boxlike body to enable unidirectional passage of electrical circuit packages therethrough and normally adapted to retain the electrical circuit packages within said boxlike body; and differential lateral guide means formed in said boxlike body to align therein a series of physically asymmetrical electrical circuit packages each containing an electrical circuit having a physically asymmetrical circuit configuration spatially fixed with respect to the physically asymmetrical package to ensure the same and common alignment of the physically asymmetrical circuit configurations; said boxlike body being beveled inwardly toward said first opening to enable said first opening of said boxlike body to be closely and tangentially positioned at an arcuate portion of an endless conveyor and effectively forming a cam to facilitate the transfer of electrical circuit packages from the endless conveyor and their passage into said boxlike body without a change in direction; at least a single notch formed in said boxlike body at said first open end and adapted to permit protruding portions of an endless conveyor to pass therethrough to enable said first opening of said boxlike body to be positioned closely adjacent to the endless conveyor; a slot formed in said boxlike body at said second open end and adapted to receive a sensor to detect the presence of electrical circuit packages in said boxlike body whereby upon receipt of electrical circuit packages through said first opening into said boxlike body the sensor will detect a fully loaded condition and upon the discharge of electrical circuit packages through said second opening from said boxlike body the sensor will detect an empty condition; means attached to said boxlike body and adapted to enable it to be fastened to apparatus in a position to facilitate the passage of electrical circuit packages through said first opening into said boxlike body; and means attached to said boxlike body and adapted to enable it to be fastened to an apparatus in a position to facilitate the discharge of electrical circuit packages from said boxlike body through said second opening.

Claim 3

A magazine for receiving, storing and discharging electrical circuit packages each containing an electrical circuit having a physically asymmetrical circuit configuration, comprising: a boxlike body having a length greater than its width and with first and second open ends for passage of electrical circuit packages therethrough; first and second retaining means at the first and second open ends respectively of said boxlike body to enable unidirectional passage of electrical circuit packages therethrough and normally adapted to retain the electrical circuit packages within said boxlike body; differential lateral guide means formed in said boxlike body to align therein a series of physically asymmetrical electrical circuit packages each containing an electrical circuit having a physically asymmetrical circuit configuration spatially fixed with respect to the physically asymmetrical package to insure the same and common alignment of the physically asymmetrical circuit configurations; said boxlike body being beveled inwardly toward said first opening to enable said first opening of said boxlike body to be closely and tangentially positioned at aN arcuate portion of an endless conveyor and serve as a cam to facilitate the transfer of electrical circuit packages from the endless conveyor and their passage into said boxlike body without a change in direction; at least a single notch formed in said boxlike body at said first open end and adapted to permit protruding portions of an endless conveyor to pass therethrough to enable said first opening of said boxlike body to be positioned closely adjacent to the endless conveyor; a slot formed in said boxlike body at said second open end and adapted to receive a sensor to detect the presence of electrical circuit packages in said boxlike body whereby upon receipt of electrical circuit packages through said first opening into said boxlike body the sensor will detect a fully loaded condition and upon the discharge of electrical circuit packages through said second opening from said boxlike body the sensor will detect an empty condition; means attached to said boxlike body and adapted to enable it to be fastened to apparatus in a position to facilitate the passage of electrical circuit packages through said first opening into said boxlike body; means attached to said boxlike body and adapted to enable it to be fastened to an apparatus in a position to facilitate the discharge of electrical circuit packages from said boxlike body through said second opening; said first retaining means including at least a single spring in a position normally blocking the passage of electrical circuit packages through said first opening in said boxlike body with a camming surface adapted to be engaged by an electrical circuit package entering said boxlike body to effect the lateral movement of a portion of the retaining spring to enable the electrical circuit package to pass through said first opening into said boxlike body and having a portion adapted to engage a camming surface of an electrical circuit package and effect a lateral movement to exert a force against the electrical circuit package that assists the unidirectional passage of the package into said boxlike body; said boxlike body having an aperture formed therein closely adjacent to said second opening of said boxlike body; said second retaining means including at least a single spring having a portion thereof normally protruding through said aperture formed in said boxlike body to prevent electrical circuit packages from passing through said second opening of said boxlike body and having a camming surface adapted to engage a portion of an electrical circuit package receiving object to effect the lateral movement of the spring from the blocking position to enable electrical circuit packages to be discharged from said boxlike body into the receiving object; said differential lateral guide means comprising: first differential guideways formed on two opposite sides in said boxlike body having two different relative physical configurations at two different relative positions and extending the full length of said boxlike body with each being adapted to engage a particular side of an electrical circuit package having a protruding portion of substantially the same relative configuration at the same relative asymmetrical positions on each of two opposite sides to effect alignment within said boxlike body of a series of physically asymmetrical electrical circuit packages each containing an electrical circuit having a physically asymmetrical circuit configuration spatially fixed with respect to the physical asymmetrical package to insure the same and common alignment of the physically asymmetrical circuit configurations; and second differential guideways formed on two opposite sides of said boxlike body normal to said first differential guideways and extending the full length of said boxlike body with one guideway being adapted to engage the flat bottom surface of a physically asymmetrical electrical circuit package and with the other guideway being adapted to enable the protruding portions on The opposite top surface of a physically asymmetrical electrical circuit package to pass through said boxlike body to effect alignment of a series of such physically asymmetrical packages within said boxlike body.

Claim 4

A magazine for receiving, storing and discharging electrical circuit packages each containing an electrical circuit having a physically asymmetrical circuit configuration, comprising: a boxlike body having a length greater than its width and with first and second open ends for passage of electrical circuit packages therethrough; first and second retaining means at the first and second open ends respectively of said boxlike body to enable unidirectional passage of electrical circuit packages therethrough and normally adapted to retain the electrical circuit packages within said boxlike body; differential lateral guide means formed in said boxlike body to align therein a series of physically asymmetrical electrical circuit packages each containing an electrical circuit having a physically asymmetrical circuit configuration spatially fixed with respect to the physically asymmetrical package to insure the same and common alignment of the physically asymmetrical circuit configurations; said boxlike body being beveled inwardly toward said first opening to enable said first opening of said boxlike body to be closely and tangentially positioned at aN arcuate portion of an endless conveyor and serve as a cam to facilitate the transfer of electrical circuit packages from the endless conveyor and their passage into said boxlike body without a change in direction; at least a single notch formed in said boxlike body at said first open end and adapted to permit protruding portions of an endless conveyor to pass therethrough to enable said first opening of said boxlike body to be positioned closely adjacent to the endless conveyor; a slot formed in said boxlike body at said second open end and adapted to receive a sensor to detect the presence of electrical circuit packages in said boxlike body whereby upon receipt of electrical circuit packages through said first opening into said boxlike body the sensor will detect a fully loaded condition and upon the discharge of electrical circuit packages through said second opening from said boxlike body the sensor will detect an empty condition; means attached to said boxlike body and adapted to enable it to be fastened to apparatus in a position to facilitate the passage of electrical circuit packages through said first opening into said boxlike body; means attached to said boxlike body and adapted to enable it to be fastened to an apparatus in a position to facilitate the discharge of electrical circuit packages from said boxlike body through said second opening; said first retaining means including at least a single spring in a position normally blocking the passage of electrical circuit packages through said first opening in said boxlike body with a camming surface adapted to be engaged by an electrical circuit package entering said boxlike body to effect the lateral movement of a portion of the retaining spring to enable the electrical circuit package to pass through said first opening into said boxlike body and having a portion adapted to engage a camming surface of an electrical circuit package and effect a lateral movement to exert a force against the electrical circuit package that assists the unidirectional passage of the package into said boxlike body; said boxlike body having an aperture formed therein closely adjacent to said second opening of said boxlike body; said second retaining means including at least a single spring having a portion thereof normally protruding through said aperture formed in said boxlike body to prevent electrical circuit packages from passing through said second opening of said boxlike body and having a camming surface adapted to engage a portion of an electrical circuit package receiving object to effect the lateral movement of the spring from the blocking position to enable electrical circuit packages to be discharged from said boxlike body into the receiving object; said differential lateral guide means comprising: first differential guideways formed on two opposite sides in said boxlike body having two different relative physical configurations at two different relative positions and extending the full length of said boxlike body with each being adapted to engage a particular side of an electrical circuit package having a protruding portion of substantially the same relative configuration at the same relative asymmetrical positions on each of two opposite sides to effect alignment within said boxlike body of a series of physically asymmetrical electrical circuit packages each containing an electrical circuit having a physically asymmetrical circuit configuration spatially fixed with respect to the physical asymmetrical package to insure the same and common alignment of the physically asymmetrical circuit configurations; and second differential guideways formed on two opposite sides of said boxlike body normal to said first differential guideways and extending the full length of said boxlike body with one guideway being adapted to engage the flat bottom surface of a physically asymmetrical electrical circuit package and with the other guideway being adapted to enable the protruding portions on The opposite top surface of a physically asymmetrical electrical circuit package to pass through said boxlike body to effect alignment of a series of such physically asymmetrical packages within said boxlike body.