Patent · US Expired

Probe apparatus having probe card exchanging mechanism

US5640100A · kind A · utility

17Cited by
7References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignees

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 20, 1995
Grant dateJun 17, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 20, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R1/06705
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A probe apparatus for examining an electrical characteristic of IC chips formed on a semiconductor wafer has a work table provided in a casing and a probe card provided above the work table. The probe card is detachably attached to an insert ring supported by the casing. A card exchanging mechanism for automatically attaching and detaching the probe card to and from the insert ring is provided. The card exchanging mechanism has a tray for mounting the probe card and transferring the-probe card. The tray is changeable at an initial position outside the casing between a usable state where the tray is horizontally expanded and an unusable state where the tray is vertically folded. An opening/closing cover is provided to cover the tray in the unusable state.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.