IP Library Granted Patent US 8,689,436
Granted Patent B2
US 8,689,436 · App. 12/858,400 · Granted Apr 8, 2014

Two abutting sections of an align fixture together floatingly engaging an electronic component

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,689,436
App. No.
12/858,400
Granted
Apr 8, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

An align fixture for aligning an electronic component having a receptacle adapted to receive the electronic component and having a first abutting section and a second abutting section, the align fixture further having a first elastic unit and a second elastic unit, the first abutting section is flexibly mounted via the first elastic unit, and the second abutting section is flexibly mounted via the second elastic unit, and the first abutting section and the second abutting section are together adapted to floatingly engage the electronic component.

Claims (28)

1. An align fixture adapted to align an electronic component, the align fixture comprising:

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

a first elastic unit;

a second elastic unit;

wherein the first abutting section is flexibly mounted via the first elastic unit, and the second abutting section is flexibly mounted via the second elastic unit; and

wherein the first abutting section and the second abutting section are together adapted to floatingly engage the electronic component such that the electronic component comes into contact with the first abutting section and with the second abutting section and is held by the first abutting section and the second abutting section while allowing for a slight self-adaptation of a position of the electronic component.

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 a first force is exerted parallel to a main plane of the receptacle and a 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 , wherein a base support section is adapted to exert a support force perpendicularly to a first force and perpendicularly to a second force.

6. The align fixture according to claim 1 , wherein the flexibly mounted first abutting section and second abutting section are adapted to perform a movement parallel to a main plane of the receptacle.

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

a base support plate arranged below the first elastic unit and below the second elastic unit, wherein the first elastic unit and the second elastic unit are adapted to perform a movement parallel to a main plane of the receptacle at least partially supported by the base support plate.

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

a base support plate and a receiving plate between which the first elastic unit and the second elastic unit are arranged, and wherein the first elastic unit and the second elastic unit are adapted to perform a movement parallel to a main plane of the receptacle at least partially guided by the base support plate and the receiving plate.

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

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

10. The align fixture according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first elastic unit and the second elastic unit comprises a spring element.

11. The align fixture according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first elastic unit and the second elastic unit comprises a first spring element and a second spring element, and wherein the corresponding one of the flexibly mounted first abutting section and the flexibly mounted second abutting section is connected with the first spring element and with the second spring element.

12. The align fixture according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one elastic unit receiving section which is adapted to fix at least one of the first elastic unit and the second elastic unit being a separate elastic member at a suspension of the corresponding elastic unit so that this elastic unit is fixed to prevent rotation.

13. The align fixture according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one elastic unit receiving section and at least one of the first elastic unit and the second elastic unit is fixedly mounted at the at least one elastic unit receiving section in a form locking manner.

14. A carrier for aligning multiple electronic components comprising:

multiple align fixtures, each align fixture comprising:

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

a first elastic unit;

a second elastic unit;

wherein the first abutting section is flexibly mounted via the first elastic unit, and the second abutting section is flexibly mounted via the second elastic unit; and

wherein the first abutting section and the second abutting section are together adapted to floatingly engage the electronic component such that the electronic component comes into contact with the first abutting section and with the second abutting section and is held by the first abutting section and the second abutting section while allowing for a slight self-adaptation of a position of the electronic component.

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 12, 2010
From: HOFMANN, THOMAS; SCHEIBENZUBER, HELMUT
To: MULTITEST ELEKTRONISCHE SYSTEME GMBH
Reel/Frame 025127/0505 →