Patents by Inventor Minoru Baba

Minoru Baba has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5313156
    Abstract: An integrated circuit (IC) device test handler which is adaptable to receive various customer tray configurations and automatically test the ICs within. The test handler comprises a customer tray magazine input area, a load section, a soak chamber, a test section, an unsoak chamber and an unload area. Two magazines containing customer trays with IC devices are input to the handler. An elevator mechanism raises the customer trays within one magazine at a time to a position which can be accessed by the loader of the test handler. A catcher device moves the trays to a buffer platform where the trays can be accessed by a transfer arm. The transfer arms moves the customer trays to one of two load stages. A pick and place apparatus removes the IC devices from each customer tray on the load stages and transfers them to a precisor for alignment and then to a test tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1994
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventors: Mark W. Klug, Thomas E. Toth, Theodore C. Guenther, Martin Twite, Kazuyuki Tsurishima, Mitsuaki Tani, Minoru Baba, Teruaki Sakurada
  • Patent number: 5290134
    Abstract: A pick and plate apparatus for use in an automatic test handler picks up electronic devices from one type of tray, transfer the electronic devices in a horizontal plane to another type of tray, and places the electronic devices in a predetermined position on the other tray for testing and sorting. The pick and place apparatus includes a plurality of suction inlets for picking up the electronic devices from the tray with suction power caused by a vacuum, a guide frame for slidably mounting the plurality of suction inlets in a horizontal direction, a mechanism for providing up-and-down movement to the suction inlets for picking up the electronic devices from the one tray and placing the device in the other tray, and a mechanism for adjusting the spacing of the suction inlets to compensate for the differences in spacing between one tray and another tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1994
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventor: Minoru Baba
  • Patent number: 5227717
    Abstract: A contact assembly for use in testing electronic devices such as integrated circuits (IC's) and the like. The contact assembly has a test fixture having a test contactor, a corresponding carrier module aligned on a test tray for positioning the electronic devices to be tested in alignment with the test fixture, and a vertical drive for driving the carrier module to meet with the test contactor. The vertical drive is provided with an individual drive for giving an additional contact force to said carrier module and said test contactor. The vertical drive further includes a lead pusher for ensuring ideal contact pressure for the leads of the electric devices with the test contactor. The carrier module is provided with a plurality of slits for separating the leads of the electric devices and inviting the test contactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1993
    Assignees: Sym-Tek Systems, Inc., Advantest Corp.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Tsurishima, Minoru Baba, Teruaki Sakurada, Theodore C. Guenther