IP Library Granted Patent US 8,281,483
Granted Patent B2
US 8,281,483 · App. 12/858,394 · Granted Oct 9, 2012

Fixture for aligning an electronic component

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,281,483
App. No.
12/858,394
Granted
Oct 9, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

An align fixture for aligning an electronic component having a receptacle adapted to receive the electronic component, the receptacle having a first abutting section and a second abutting section, the align fixture further having an elastic unit, one of the first abutting section and the second abutting section is flexibly mounted via the elastic unit, and the other one of the first abutting section and the second abutting section is fixedly mounted; the first abutting section and the second abutting section each form a stiff member and are adapted to engage the electronic component, the elastic unit is adapted to exert two force components on one of the first abutting section and the second abutting section, the force components being angled relatively to one another.

Claims (31)

1. An align fixture for aligning an electronic component, the align fixture comprising:

a receptacle adapted to receive the electronic component, the receptacle haying a first abutting section and a second abutting section;

an elastic unit;

wherein one of the first abutting section and the second abutting section is flexibly mounted via the elastic unit, and the other one of the first abutting section and the second abutting section is fixedly mounted;

wherein the first abutting section and the second abutting section each form a stiff member and are adapted to engage the electronic component;

wherein the elastic unit is adapted to exert two force components on one of the first abutting section and the second abutting section, the force components being angled relatively to one another;

wherein at east one of the first abutting section and the second abutting section is adapted to engage two angled side sections of the electronic component in a form locking manner;

wherein the align fixture further comprises a base support plate arranged below the elastic unit; and

wherein the elastic unit is adapted to perform a movement parallel to a main plane of the receptacle at least partially supported by the base support plate.

2. The align fixture according to claim 1 , wherein the first abutting section is adapted to exert a first force and the second abutting section is adapted to exert a second force on the electronic component, and wherein the first force and the second force are at least partially opposed to one another.

3. The align fixture according to claim 1 , wherein the first abutting section and the second abutting section are adapted so that the first force is exerted parallel to a main plane of the receptacle and the second force is exerted parallel to the main plane of the receptacle.

4. The align fixture according to claim 1 , wherein the receptacle further comprises a base support section which forms a support surface parallel to a main plane of the receptacle.

5. The align fixture according to claim 1 , further comprising:

at least one thickness adjusting plate adapted for adjusting a thickness of the align fixture.

6. The align fixture according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic unit is a separate elastic member adapted to be mounted at an elastic unit receiving section of the align fixture.

7. The align fixture according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic unit receiving section is adapted to fix the elastic unit at a suspension of the elastic unit so that the elastic unit is fixed to prevent rotation.

8. The align fixture according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic unit is fixedly mounted at the elastic unit receiving section in a form locking manner.

9. The align fixture according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a slidably mounted frame, wherein the first abutting section and the elastic unit are mounted on the slidably mounted frame.

10. The align fixture according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the group consisting of the first abutting section, the second abutting section, the elastic unit, the base support section, and the slidably mounted frame is at least partially integrally formed from a plate.

11. The align fixture according to claim 1 , wherein at least two of the group consisting of the first abutting section, the second abutting section, the elastic unit, the base support section, and the slidably mounted frame are at least partially integrally formed from one plate.

12. The align fixture according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic unit is adapted to exert the two force components on one of the first abutting section and the second abutting section by being flexibly mounted so that this abutting section exerts two angled force components on the electronic component.

13. A carrier for aligning multiple electronic components comprising:

multiple align fixtures, each align fixture comprising:

a receptacle adapted to receive the electronic component, the receptacle having a first abutting section and a second abutting section;

an elastic unit;

wherein one of the first abutting section and the second abutting section is flexibly mounted via the elastic unit, and the other one of the first abutting section and the second abutting section is fixedly mounted;

wherein the first abutting section and the second abutting section each form a stiff member and are adapted to engage the electronic component; and

wherein the elastic unit is adapted to exert two force components on one of the first abutting section and the second abutting section, the force components being angled relatively to one another.

14. The carrier according to claim 13 , wherein each of the receptacles has at least one assigned elastic unit.

15. The carrier according to claim 13 , wherein at least one elastic unit is assigned to multiple of the receptacles.

Assignments (6)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE INCORRECT PATENT NUMBER 7261561 AND REPLACE WITH PATENT NUMBER 7231561 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 034660 FRAME 0188. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY AGREEMENT. Recorded Feb 11, 2016
From: XCERRA CORPORATION; EVERETT CHARLES TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 037824/0372 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 18, 2014
From: XCERRA CORPORATION; EVERETT CHARLES TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 034660/0188 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN UNITED STATES PATENTS Recorded Dec 18, 2014
From: SILICON VALLEY BANK, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: XCERRA CORPORATION; EVERETT CHARLES TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 034660/0394 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 27, 2014
From: LTX-CREDENCE CORPORATION
To: XCERRA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 033032/0768 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 17, 2014
From: LTX-CREDENCE CORPORATION; EVERETT CHARLES TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 032086/0476 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 21, 2010
From: HOFMANN, THOMAS; POETZINGER, JOHANN; VAROL, NECATI EFE
To: MULTITEST ELEKTRONISCHE SYSTEME GMBH
Reel/Frame 025175/0981 →