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US5317257A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Burn-in apparatus and burn-in board removing method using movable cooling enclosure
Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
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Filing: 1992-12-29
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Granted: 1994-05-31
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Expires: 2012-12-29
Abstract
Abstract A burn-in apparatus includes a robot for supplying and removing burn-in boards. The robot includes a movable enclosure capable of temperature control. In a burn-in board removing method, a burn-in board which is to be removed from the chamber of a burn-in apparatus body is enclosed by the movable enclosure of the robot. The interior of the movable enclosure is then cooled to normal temperatures by means of a cooling mechanism. Subsequently, power supply to semiconductor IC's on the burn-in board is suspended, and the burn-in board is removed. In this way, disappearance of failures generated by the charging-up during the burn-in can be prevented, and a burn-in test can be accurately conducted.
Inventors
- 👤 Iwao Sakai
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 19:40
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R31/00; G01R31/28; G01R31/2851; G01R31/2855; G01R31/286; G01R31/2862
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
100 words
A burn-in apparatus comprising: a burn-in apparatus body having a burn-in chamber in which burn-in boards are heated and subjected to a burn-in test; and a robot for supplying a burn-in boards into and removing the burn-in boards from the burn-in chamber, the robot comprising: a movable enclosure movable between a position outside of the burn-in chamber and a position inside the burn-in chamber in which the movable enclosure surrounds a burn-in board disposed inside the burn-in chamber; and a cooling means for cooling the inside of the movable enclosure while the movable enclosure is disposed inside the burn-in chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
100 words
A burn-in apparatus comprising: a burn-in apparatus body having a burn-in chamber in which burn-in boards are heated and subjected to a burn-in test; and a robot for supplying a burn-in boards into and removing the burn-in boards from the burn-in chamber, the robot comprising: a movable enclosure movable between a position outside of the burn-in chamber and a position inside the burn-in chamber in which the movable enclosure surrounds a burn-in board disposed inside the burn-in chamber; and a cooling means for cooling the inside of the movable enclosure while the movable enclosure is disposed inside the burn-in chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
A burn-in apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the robot comprises: an outer chamber disposed outside the burn-in apparatus body and including a space for receiving the movable enclosure, wherein the cooling means comprises a cooling fan disposed for cooling the space within the outer chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A burn-in apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the movable enclosure has an outer end with an opening formed therein communicating with the space inside the outer chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A burn-in apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the movable enclosure has an inner end with an opening formed therein through which a burn-in board can pass.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A burn-in apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the outer chamber includes an opening through which a burn-in board can be removed from the movable enclosure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
A burn-in apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the movable enclosure comprises an inner portion and an outer portion surrounding the inner portion and movable into an out of the burn-in chamber independently of the inner portion.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of removing a burn-in board from a burn-in apparatus comprising the steps of: enclosing a burn-in board accommodated in a burn-in chamber of a burn-in board apparatus with a movable enclosure after a semiconductor IC on the burn-in board has been subjected to burn-in and while the burn-in board is at a first temperature above normal temperature and electric power is being supplied to the IC; cooling the inside of the movable enclosure to a second temperature below the first temperature; suspending the supply of power to the semiconductor IC on the burn-in board after the inside of the movable enclosure reaches the second temperature; and removing the burn-in board from within the burn-in chamber.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of removing a burn-in board from a burn-in apparatus comprising the steps of: enclosing a burn-in board accommodated in a burn-in chamber of a burn-in board apparatus with a movable enclosure after a semiconductor IC on the burn-in board has been subjected to burn-in and while the burn-in board is at a first temperature above normal temperature and electric power is being supplied to the IC; cooling the inside of the movable enclosure to a second temperature below the first temperature; suspending the supply of power to the semiconductor IC on the burn-in board after the inside of the movable enclosure reaches the second temperature; and removing the burn-in board from within the burn-in chamber.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the second temperature is below a temperature at which the IC can anneal when the supply of power is suspended.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
103 words
A burn-in apparatus comprising: a burn-in apparatus body having a burn-in chamber for accommodating a plurality of burn-in boards; and a robot for supplying burn-in boards into and removing burn-in boards from the burn-in chamber, the robot comprising: a movable enclosure movable between a position outside of the burn-in chamber and a position inside the burn-in chamber in which the movable enclosure surrounds a plurality of burn-in boards disposed inside the burn-in chamber such that the temperature of burn-in boards surrounded by the enclosure within the burn-in chamber can be different from the temperature of portions of the burn-in chamber outside the enclosure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
103 words
A burn-in apparatus comprising: a burn-in apparatus body having a burn-in chamber for accommodating a plurality of burn-in boards; and a robot for supplying burn-in boards into and removing burn-in boards from the burn-in chamber, the robot comprising: a movable enclosure movable between a position outside of the burn-in chamber and a position inside the burn-in chamber in which the movable enclosure surrounds a plurality of burn-in boards disposed inside the burn-in chamber such that the temperature of burn-in boards surrounded by the enclosure within the burn-in chamber can be different from the temperature of portions of the burn-in chamber outside the enclosure.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
62 words
A method of removing a burn-in board from a burn-in apparatus comprising: enclosing a burn-in board accommodated in a burn-in chamber of a burn-in apparatus with a movable enclosure; cooling the burn-in board enclosed by the movable enclosure to a temperature lower than the inside of the burn-in chamber surrounding the movable enclosure; and removing the burn-in board from the burn-in chamber.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
62 words
A method of removing a burn-in board from a burn-in apparatus comprising: enclosing a burn-in board accommodated in a burn-in chamber of a burn-in apparatus with a movable enclosure; cooling the burn-in board enclosed by the movable enclosure to a temperature lower than the inside of the burn-in chamber surrounding the movable enclosure; and removing the burn-in board from the burn-in chamber.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
122 words
A method of removing a burn-in board from a burn-in apparatus comprising: enclosing a burn-in board accommodated in a burn-in chamber of a burn-in apparatus with a movable enclosure comprising an inner portion surrounding the burn-in board and an outer portion surrounding the inner portion; cooling the inside of the movable enclosure to a temperature lower than the temperature inside the burn-in chamber surrounding the movable enclosure; removing the burn-in board and the inner portion of the movable enclosure from the burn-in chamber; raising the temperature of the inside of the outer portion of the movable enclosure to substantially the same temperature as the inside of the burn-in chamber; and removing the outer portion of the movable enclosure from the burn-in chamber.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
122 words
A method of removing a burn-in board from a burn-in apparatus comprising: enclosing a burn-in board accommodated in a burn-in chamber of a burn-in apparatus with a movable enclosure comprising an inner portion surrounding the burn-in board and an outer portion surrounding the inner portion; cooling the inside of the movable enclosure to a temperature lower than the temperature inside the burn-in chamber surrounding the movable enclosure; removing the burn-in board and the inner portion of the movable enclosure from the burn-in chamber; raising the temperature of the inside of the outer portion of the movable enclosure to substantially the same temperature as the inside of the burn-in chamber; and removing the outer portion of the movable enclosure from the burn-in chamber.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-05-30 | 1997-11-29 | 1998-05-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-05-30 | 2001-11-29 | 2002-05-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-05-30 | 2005-11-29 | 2006-05-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |