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US5754057A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Contact mechanism for test head of semiconductor test system

Assignee: Advantest Corp
•
Filing: 1996-01-24
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Granted: 1998-05-19
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Expires: 2016-01-24
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Abstract

Abstract A contact mechanism is for a test head of a semiconductor test system for connecting the test head to a wafer prober or a test handler having a semiconductor device to be tested. The contact mechanism includes, a performance board mounted between the test head the wafer prober wherein the performance board has a guide hole, an insert ring mounted on a frame of the wafer prober, a probe card mounted on a central portion of the insert ring for contacting the semiconductor device to be tested, a contactor having a plurality of contact pins to achieve electric contact between the performance board and the probe card when pressed in downward by the performance board, a performance board shaft extending from a bottom of the test head and penetrating the guide hole of the performance board, a shaft clamp provided on the insert ring having a shaft guide hole to receive the performance board shaft therethrough wherein a bottom of the shaft guide hole is lower than a surface of the insert ring. In another aspect, the contact mechanism further includes a test head elevator to assist the vertical movement of the test head by reducing the weight of the test head.

Inventors

  • 👤 Hiroyuki Hama
  • 👤 Kazunari Suga

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 17:30
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R31/00; G01R31/28; G01R31/2851; G01R31/2886; G01R31/2887; H; H10; H10P; H10P74/00

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 191 words
A contact mechanism for a test head (100) of a semiconductor test system for connecting the test head (100) to a wafer prober (400) having a semiconductor device (300) to be tested, comprising: a performance board (130) mounted between said test head (100) and said wafer prober (400) and having a guide hole (131); an insert ring (190) mounted on a frame (180) of said wafer prober (400); a probe card (210) mounted on a central portion of said insert ring (190) for contacting said semiconductor device (300) to be tested; a contactor (171) having a plurality of contact pins (161) to achieve electric contact between said performance board (130) and said probe card (210) when pressed downward by said performance board (130); a performance board shaft (151) extending from a bottom surface of said test head (100) and penetrating through said guide hole (131) of said performance board (130); and a shaft clamp (152) provided on said insert ring (190) having a shaft guide hole to receive said performance board shaft (151) therethrough, a bottom of said shaft guide hole is lower than a surface of said insert ring (190).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 191 words
A contact mechanism for a test head (100) of a semiconductor test system for connecting the test head (100) to a wafer prober (400) having a semiconductor device (300) to be tested, comprising: a performance board (130) mounted between said test head (100) and said wafer prober (400) and having a guide hole (131); an insert ring (190) mounted on a frame (180) of said wafer prober (400); a probe card (210) mounted on a central portion of said insert ring (190) for contacting said semiconductor device (300) to be tested; a contactor (171) having a plurality of contact pins (161) to achieve electric contact between said performance board (130) and said probe card (210) when pressed downward by said performance board (130); a performance board shaft (151) extending from a bottom surface of said test head (100) and penetrating through said guide hole (131) of said performance board (130); and a shaft clamp (152) provided on said insert ring (190) having a shaft guide hole to receive said performance board shaft (151) therethrough, a bottom of said shaft guide hole is lower than a surface of said insert ring (190).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 32 words
A contact mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein said contactor (171) for achieving the electric contact between said performance board (130) and said probe card (210) is a frog ring (171).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 51 words
A contact mechanism as defined in claim 1, further comprising: a performance board loading mechanism (185) for lifting said performance board (130) in a vertical direction by means of a spring force, said performance board loading mechanism (185) allowing said performance board (130) to be slidably moveable in a horizontal direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 35 words
A contact mechanism as defined in claim 1, further comprising: at least one test head elevator (103) for moving said test head in a vertical direction to reduce a weight of said test head (100).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 18 words
A contact mechanism as defined in claim 4, wherein said test head elevator (103) has a cylindrical structure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 29 words
A contact mechanism as defined in claim 4, wherein said test head elevator (103) is an arm (104) provided on a main frame (500) of said semiconductor test system.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4488111A Cited
US5172053A Cited
US5321453A Cited
US5521522A Cited
US5489853A Cited
US5656943A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2001-05-18 2001-11-17 2002-05-19 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2005-05-18 2005-11-17 2006-05-19 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2009-05-18 2009-11-17 2010-05-19 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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