Semiconductor automatic test equipment

Abstract

A semiconductor automatic testing equipment includes a housing, a main board, a plurality of extension boards, a plurality of intermediate seats and a plurality of function boards. The main board is arranged in the housing and is divided into an extension board area and a function board area. The main board is provided with a plurality of docking interfaces. Each extension board is arranged in the extension board area, and each function board is arranged in the function board area and has a connecting seat corresponding to the docking interface. Each extension board and the function board matched therewith are in the docking interface, are accurately aligned and are electrically connected through one of the plurality of intermediate seats, thereby improving the assembly efficiency and the docking stability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to an automatic semiconductor testing equipment, and more particularly to a connector provided on the motherboard of the automatic semiconductor testing equipment, through which the connector provides guidance, positioning and connection between expansion boards and function boards. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor automated test equipment (ATE), a modular design is typically employed to accommodate diverse Device Under Test (DUT) systems. This involves connecting extension boards and function boards to flexibly configure various test resources. However, the current connection method between extension boards and function boards primarily relies on direct insertion using multi-pin electrical connectors (such as high-density PIN connectors), which presents several areas for improvement.

[0003] First, because electrical connectors typically lack guiding or positioning structures, the alignment of expansion boards and functional boards relies entirely on manual methods. During the insertion and removal process, even a slight deviation in angle or direction can cause the connector pins to bend, detach, or not be fully inserted, leading to poor contact, short circuits, or even damage, resulting in increased repair costs and test failure rates.

[0004] Secondly, as the number of test channels and signal complexity increase, the number of connector pins also rises sharply. In this situation, users need to apply greater force when plugging and unplugging the board. However, without guiding and buffering mechanisms, electrical connectors are prone to misalignment and damage.

[0005] Based on the above problems, how to improve the traditional board (expansion board) to board (functional board) docking mechanism, improve the reliability of insertion and removal and reduce damage is an urgent problem that the industry needs to solve. Utility Model Content

[0006] In view of the problems that easily occur when expansion boards and function boards are mated in the prior art, such as connector misalignment, difficulty in insertion and removal, and poor contact, one of the purposes of this application is to set up a mating structure with guiding function in the semiconductor automatic test equipment. This mating structure can stably and accurately mate the connectors of expansion boards and function boards, thereby improving the convenience and stability of the two during insertion and removal operations, and effectively reducing the risk of loss and failure caused by misalignment.

[0007] According to the purpose of this application, an automatic semiconductor testing device is provided, including a housing, a main board, multiple expansion boards, multiple interposers, and multiple functional boards. The main board is disposed in the housing, and the internal accommodating space of the housing is divided into an expansion board area and a functional board area. The main board has multiple interfaces. Each expansion board is disposed in the expansion board area. Each interposer corresponds to one of the multiple interfaces. Each interposer has multiple first guide parts on the side facing the interface, and each interposer has a first snap-fit ​​unit on its outer peripheral surface. Each functional board is disposed in the functional board area, and each functional board has a connector. Each connector faces one of the multiple interfaces, and each connector has multiple second guide parts on the side facing the interface. Each interposer and its corresponding connector are guided by their respective first and second guide parts, so that the multiple functional boards and the multiple expansion boards also connect to their respective interposers, thereby connecting one of the multiple functional boards to one of the multiple expansion boards.

[0008] Each intermediate seat is provided with multiple first connectors, and each connecting seat is provided with multiple second connectors. The multiple first connectors of each intermediate seat are interconnected with the multiple second connectors of their respective connecting seats.

[0009] The plurality of first guide parts are two guide pins, which are located symmetrically around the plurality of first connectors of their respective intermediate seats. The plurality of second guide parts are two guide holes, which are located at the positions of the two guide pins of their respective intermediate seats.

[0010] The guide hole includes a first part and a second part. The first part is on the side facing the guide pin and is a flared hole. The diameter of the flared hole at the end facing the guide pin is larger than the diameter at the other end. The diameter at the other end of the flared hole is close to the outer diameter of the guide pin. The second part is a cylindrical hole that extends from the other end of the first part toward the functional board. The diameter of the cylindrical hole is the same as the diameter at the other end of the flared hole.

[0011] As described above, this application addresses common problems in existing semiconductor automated testing equipment, such as alignment difficulties, poor insertion, and pin damage, when connecting expansion boards and function boards. It proposes a connector structure mounted on the motherboard. This connector has guiding and positioning functions as well as electrical connection functions, which can effectively assist expansion boards and function boards in accurately aligning and firmly engaging during insertion and removal. This improves the overall assembly convenience and reliability, thereby reducing maintenance frequency and test error rate, and achieving the goal of efficient and stable operation of the modular testing system. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the appearance of the semiconductor automated testing equipment of this application, omitting one of the side plates.

[0013] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the semiconductor automated testing equipment of this application from another perspective, omitting one of the side plates.

[0014] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the separation of the expansion board, interposer, and functional board of the semiconductor automatic test equipment of this application.

[0015] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the intermediary seat in this application.

[0016] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the mediator seat from another perspective in this application.

[0017] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the appearance of the expansion board of this application.

[0018] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the separation of the intermediary base and the expansion plate in this application.

[0019] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the intermediary socket and the expansion board in this application.

[0020] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the intermediary seat and the expansion plate from another perspective in this application.

[0021] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the appearance of the functional board of this application.

[0022] Figure 11 This is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the function board of this application.

[0023] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the intermediary connector of this application connected to the function board in preparation for connecting the expansion board.

[0024] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the expansion board, the intermediary seat, and the functional board in this application.

[0025] Figure 14 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing the separation of the intermediary seat and the connecting seat in this application.

[0026] Figure 15 This is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the semiconductor automatic testing equipment of this application.

[0027] Figure 16 This is another enlarged schematic diagram of the semiconductor automatic testing equipment of this application.

[0028] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0029] 1-Outer shell; 10-Expansion board area; 11-First opening; 12-Function board area; 13-Second opening; 14-Separator plate; 16-First slot; 18-Second slot; 2-Main board; 20-Interface; 3-Expansion board; 30-Second snap-fit ​​unit; 300-First block; 302-Second block; 32-First end plate; 4-Intermediate seat; 40-First connector; 42-First guide part; 420-First part; 422-Second part; 44-First snap-fit ​​unit; 440-First recess; 442-Second recess; 5-Function board; 50-Connector; 500-Second connector; 52-Second guide part; 54-Second end plate. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The embodiments of this application will be further explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals in the drawings and description represent the same or similar components. In the drawings, shapes and thicknesses may be exaggerated for simplicity and convenience. It is understood that components not specifically shown in the drawings or described in the description are forms known to those skilled in the art. Those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications based on the content of this application.

[0031] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, this application relates to an automated semiconductor testing device, comprising a housing 1, a main board 2, multiple expansion boards 3, multiple interposers 4, and multiple function boards 5. The main board 2 is disposed inside the housing 1, dividing the internal space of the housing 1 into an expansion board area 10 and a function board area 12. The main board 2 has multiple interfaces 20. When the expansion boards 3 and function boards 5 are installed inside the housing 1, each expansion board 3 is disposed within the expansion board area 10, and each function board 5 is disposed within the function board area 12. Each expansion board 3 and its corresponding function board 5 are connected to one of the multiple interposers 4 via the interface 20. The main board 2 functionally divides the internal space, improving the orderliness and standardization of module assembly, and facilitating system expansion and maintenance. Furthermore, the main board 2 provides a precise alignment reference surface, enabling the expansion boards 3 and function boards 5 to have a common alignment reference during assembly, improving the accuracy and stability of module integration.

[0032] like Figure 1 , Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, in some embodiments of this application, each intermediary socket 4 corresponds to one of the interfaces 20 on the motherboard 2. Each intermediary socket 4 has multiple first connectors 40 on its two corresponding sides facing the interface 20. The connector of each first connector 40 faces the interface 20, and the terminal of each first connector 40 faces the expansion board 3. Each intermediary socket 4 has multiple first guide portions 42 on one side facing the interface 20, and each intermediary socket 4 has a first snap-fit ​​unit 44 on one side facing the expansion board 3. For example, each first snap-fit ​​unit 44 has a first recess 440 at one end and a second recess 442 at the other end on the side of its respective intermediary socket 4 facing the expansion board 3. The first recess 440 and the second recess 442 are symmetrical or asymmetrical in shape to achieve the purpose of preventing mistaken identity.

[0033] like Figures 6 to 9 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, each expansion board 3 has a second latching unit 30 on one side facing the motherboard 2, corresponding to the first latching unit 44. The second latching unit 30 has a first block 300 and a second block 302. The first block 300 is located at a position relative to the first recess 440 and its shape corresponds to the first recess 440. The second block 302 is located at a position corresponding to the second recess 442 and its shape corresponds to the second recess 442. Furthermore, the first block 300 and the second block 302 are L-shaped blocks with opposite directions.

[0034] like Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, each function board 5 is provided with a connector 50, each connector 50 corresponds to one of the interfaces 20 of the motherboard 2, and each function board 5 is provided with a plurality of second guide parts 52 on the side facing the interface 20.

[0035] like Figure 3 , Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown, when each functional board 5 is installed in the functional board area, during the process of installing each intermediate seat 4 into its corresponding connecting seat 50, the first guide part 42 and the second guide part 52 guide each other, so that each functional board 5 and its corresponding intermediate seat 4 can accurately align and complete the electrical connection. Then, each expansion board 3 is installed into the expansion board area 10, and when each expansion board 3 is connected to its corresponding intermediate seat 4, the short side bottom surface of the first block 300 simultaneously abuts against the bottom surface and side surface of the first recess, thereby restricting the expansion board 3 along the first direction (x-axis direction, such as...). Figure 8 The displacement of the expansion plate (as shown) is such that the free end of the long side of the second block 302 abuts against the bottom surface of the second recess 442, thereby restricting the expansion plate along the second direction (y-axis direction, as shown) by the second block 302. Figure 8The displacement is shown in the figure. The aforementioned design effectively improves the alignment accuracy when the expansion board 3 and the function board 5 are inserted and removed, reduces operational errors, and increases assembly efficiency, making it particularly suitable for high-density test platforms. Furthermore, this application can be applied to function boards 5 that support multiple channels, multiple specifications, or high-speed signals, and is suitable for the connection needs of different semiconductor automated test equipment models.

[0036] like Figure 14 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the first connector 40 and the second connector 500 can be mating male or female coaxial connectors. The expansion plate 3 is provided between the first block 300 and the second block 302 with spring pins (Pogo Pins, not shown in the figure) or edge connectors (Edge Connectors, not shown in the figure) corresponding to the terminals of the coaxial connectors, allowing the spring pins or edge connectors to connect with the terminals of the coaxial connectors to complete the electrical connection. Through the aforementioned structural design, it can provide a system suitable for high-frequency insertion and removal testing and with high durability.

[0037] In these embodiments, the plurality of first guide portions 42 are two guide holes, symmetrically positioned around the plurality of first connectors 40 of their respective intermediate seats 4. The plurality of second guide portions 52 are two guide pins, disposed on the connector 50, and positioned corresponding to the guide holes. The symmetrical positioning of the guide pins and guide holes helps to ensure stable alignment and uniform force application during operation, reducing the occurrence of misalignment, skewing, or damage.

[0038] In these embodiments, each guide hole includes a first portion 420 and a second portion 422. The first portion 420 is a flared hole, located on the side of the guide hole facing the guide pin, with the diameter of the flared hole at one end near the guide pin being larger than the diameter at the other end. The second portion 422 is a cylindrical hole, extending from the smaller end of the flared hole toward the expansion plate 3, with the diameter of the cylindrical hole being the same as the diameter of the smaller end of the flared hole. The combination of the flared hole and the cylindrical hole constitutes a self-guiding and stable positioning mechanism. The flared hole facilitates quick insertion, while the cylindrical hole provides precise alignment. The two-stage design effectively reduces the difficulty of insertion and removal and protects the guide pin from wear. The guide pin and guide hole may further include a foolproof bonding structure to limit the insertion direction and prevent assembly errors or misalignment. In addition, the machining tolerance of the inner diameter of the cylindrical hole can be designed to be between 0.01 mm and 0.2 mm larger than the minimum outer diameter of the guide pin, to ensure smooth insertion and removal during hot insertion operations, while avoiding metal scratches and positioning errors.

[0039] like Figure 1 , Figure 15 and Figure 16As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the housing 1 has a partition plate 14 within the expansion board area 10. The partition plate 14 and the housing 1 each have a first slot 16 on one side of their respective adjacent interfaces 20 opposite to each expansion board 3. The edge of each expansion board 3 is inserted along the first slot 16 into the position of its corresponding interface 20. The housing 1 has a second slot 18 on both sides of each adjacent interface 20 opposite to each functional board 5. The edge of each functional board 5 is inserted along the second slot 18 into the position of its corresponding interface 20. The first slot 16 and the second slot 18 provide a mechanical guiding structure, enabling automatic alignment and stable insertion of the expansion board 3 and functional board 5 during installation, effectively preventing board deformation or pin damage caused by improper manual insertion. They also provide lateral support after insertion, increasing overall structural rigidity and reducing the impact of vibration on connector engagement reliability.

[0040] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments of this application, the housing 1 has a first opening 11 on one side and a second opening 13 on the other side. The expansion plate 3 has a first end plate 32 at the end furthest from the interface 20, and the functional plate 5 has a second end plate 54 at the end furthest from the interface 20. When each expansion plate 3 is installed into the housing 1 along the first slot 16 at its position opposite the interface 20, each first end plate 32 rests against the outside of one side of the housing 1. When each functional plate 5 is installed into the housing 1 along the second slot 18 at its position opposite the interface 20, each second end plate 54 rests against the outside of the other side of the housing 1. The first opening 11 and the second opening 13 are designed to facilitate sliding-in assembly of the expansion plate 3 and functional plate 5 from both sides, improving assembly efficiency and ease of operation. The first end plate 32 and the second end plate 54 rest against both sides of the housing 1, providing positioning and stopping functions to prevent the expansion plate 3 and functional plate 5 from slipping off or being inserted too deeply, ensuring precise docking with the interface 20. This mechanism also helps to create a plug-in structure, allowing for quick sliding of the plate for operation when maintenance, replacement, or hot insertion is required, reducing equipment downtime.

[0041] In summary, this invention provides a modular docking structure for use in semiconductor automated testing equipment. By incorporating a guiding intermediary 4, a first slot 16, a second slot 18, a first end plate 32, a second end plate 54, and a speaker hole, it effectively improves the alignment accuracy and stability of the expansion board 3 and the function board 5 during insertion and removal, avoids connector damage and insertion errors, and supports multi-channel electrical connections and rapid module replacement. This solves problems such as difficult docking, inconvenient maintenance, and module installation errors in existing technologies, significantly improving the reliability and operational efficiency of the overall testing system.

[0042] The above description is merely illustrative of preferred embodiments of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of implementation. Any simple substitutions and equivalent changes made in accordance with the claims and description of this application shall fall within the scope of this patent application.

Claims

1. An automated semiconductor testing device, characterized in that, include: shell; The motherboard is located inside the housing and divides the internal accommodating space of the housing into an expansion board area and a function board area, and the motherboard is provided with multiple interfaces; Multiple intermediary sockets, each intermediary socket corresponding to one of the interfaces on the motherboard, each intermediary socket having multiple first guide portions on one side facing its respective interface, and each intermediary socket having a first snap-fit ​​unit on its outer peripheral surface; Multiple expansion boards, each expansion board disposed within the expansion board area, and each expansion board having a second latching unit corresponding to the first latching unit at its end facing the motherboard, the second latching unit latching with the first latching unit; and Multiple function boards are provided, each function board is disposed in the function board area, and each function board is provided with a connector, each connector corresponding to one of the interfaces of the motherboard, and multiple second guides are provided on the side facing the interface. The first guide portion guides the second guide portion to each other, so that the plurality of functional boards are connected to their respective intermediate seats, and the plurality of expansion boards are also connected to their respective intermediate seats, so that one of the plurality of functional boards is connected to one of the plurality of expansion boards.

2. The semiconductor automatic testing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the intermediate seats is provided with a plurality of first connectors, and each of the connecting seats is provided with a plurality of second connectors, wherein the first connectors are correspondingly connected to the second connectors of the connecting seats on the opposite side.

3. The semiconductor automatic testing equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The plurality of first guide portions are two guide holes, which are disposed symmetrically on the periphery of the plurality of first connectors of each of the intermediate seats. The plurality of second guide portions are two guide pins, which are disposed on each of the connector seats and whose positions correspond to the two guide holes.

4. The semiconductor automatic testing equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, Each of the guide holes includes a first part and a second part. The first part is a flared hole, located on the side of the guide hole facing the guide pin. The diameter of the flared hole at one end near the guide pin is larger than the diameter at the other end. The second part is a cylindrical hole, extending from the smaller end of the flared hole toward the expansion plate. The diameter of the cylindrical hole is the same as the diameter at the smaller end of the flared hole.

5. The semiconductor automatic testing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the first snap-fit ​​units includes: A first recess is provided at one end of the side of each of the intermediate seats facing the expansion plate; and The second recess is provided at the other end of the side of each of the intermediate seats facing the expansion plate; Each of the second card-connecting units includes: A first block is positioned relative to the first recess, and the shape of the first block corresponds to the first recess; and The second block is positioned relative to the second recess, and the shape of the second block corresponds to the second recess.

6. The semiconductor automatic testing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing has a partition plate in the expansion plate area. The partition plate and the housing each have a first slot on one side of their respective adjacent interfaces to each of the expansion plates. The edge of each expansion plate is inserted into the position opposite to the interface along the first slot.

7. The semiconductor automatic testing equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that, The outer casing has a first opening on one side, and the expansion plate has a first end plate at the end away from the interface. Each expansion plate is installed inside the outer casing relative to the interface along the first slot, and each first end plate abuts against the outside of one side of the outer casing.

8. The semiconductor automatic testing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing has a second slot on each side of the adjacent interface of each of the functional boards, and the edge of each functional board is inserted into the position of the interface along the second slot.

9. The semiconductor automatic testing equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that, The housing has a second opening on the other side, and each of the functional boards has a second end plate at the end away from the interface. Each of the functional boards is installed in the housing relative to the interface along the second slot, and each of the second end plates abuts against the other side of the housing.

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