Abstract: An apparatus for bringing probe pins of a probe head into contact with electrode terminals of an IC chip to test electrical characteristics of the device is provided. This apparatus includes a test table supported on an X-Y stage. Four chucking positions are formed on a support surface of the test table. Guide plates for positioning two adjacent sides of the IC chip are arranged at each chucking position. A vacuum pad for chucking and fixing the lower surface of the IC chip is arranged at each chucking position. IC chips are respectively placed near the four chucking positions on the support surface. The test table is linearly moved, and the IC chips are slid on the support surface by the inertia force, so that the two sides of each IC chip respectively abut against the corresponding guide plates. The IC chips are simultaneously positioned at the chucking positions, respectively. The IC chips are fixed at the chucking positions by the vacuum pads, respectively.

Abstract: An apparatus for testing IC elements each having an upper mold and leads includes a holding section for holding the IC elements, a contact section having contact to be contacted with the leads of the IC elements and a supporting member for supporting the probes, a lift mechanism for causing the holding section and the contact section to approach each other and contact them each other, and a mold guide provided adjacent the supporting member and movable toward it. The mold guide includes an edge portion formed with grooves for receiving the probes, and a bottom face and inner faces for aligning the IC elements with the mold guide.

Abstract: An IC sorting and receiving apparatus has a transportation unit for transporting ICs sorted in accordance with tested results, and a reception unit for receiving the ICs transported by the transportation unit. The reception unit includes at least one vertically movable tray loader having a vertical drive unit, and a horizontally movable tray loader provided over the vertically movable tray loader. The horizontally movable tray loader has a horizontal drive unit for moving the horizontally movable tray loader horizontally away from the region over the vertically movable loader.