Malcolm V Hawkes

US Patent:

6870177, Mar 22, 2005

Filed:

Nov 14, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/294335

Inventors:

Malcolm V. Hawkes - Escondido CA, US
Jon Stuart Wright - San Marcos CA, US
Robert S. Burgoyne - Oceanside CA, US
Jeffrey L. Fish - San Diego CA, US

Assignee:

Electro Scientific Industries, Inc. - Portland OR

International Classification:

G01N021/86

US Classification:

25055936

Abstract:

An apparatus for accurately locating a micro-electronic chip in a chip-holding cavity for visual testing, the chip having at least a front wall and a pair of opposed, spaced-apart side walls, wherein the front wall meets with each of the side walls to form opposed, spaced-apart first and second front edges, comprising a cavity side wall formed to juxtapositionally abut at least one of the side walls of the chip, the cavity side wall having formed therein a depression creating a shadow projecting forward from the depression, wherein the first front edge of the chip forms a border of the shadow to form an objectively measurable contrast in grayness between the shadow and the chip.

US Patent:

58425799, Dec 1, 1998

Filed:

Nov 16, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/559546

Inventors:

Douglas J. Garcia - Valley Center CA
Steven D. Swendrowski - San Diego CA
Mitsuaki Tani - Escondido CA
Hsang Wang - San Diego CA
Martin J. Twite - San Diego CA
Malcolm V. Hawkes - Escondido CA
Evart David Shealey - Jamul CA
Martin S. Voshell - Lakeside CA
Jeffrey L. Fish - San Diego CA
Vernon P. Cooke - Escondido CA

Assignee:

Electro Scientific Industries, Inc. - Portland OR

International Classification:

B07C 5344

US Classification:

209573

Abstract:

One or more concentric rings of component seats are rotatable about the rings' center. The seats are uniformly angularly spaced and the rings are incrementally rotated, the increment of rotation being the angular space between adjacent seats. The rings are inclined at an angle and a stream of components is poured onto the rings as they are rotating. Stationary fences adjacent to outboard sides of the seats, confine unseated components to tumble randomly, due to gravity, over empty seats passing through arcs of the rings' rotation paths. The random tumbling results in seated components. In the paths of the rotating rings are electrical contactors for coupling the components to a tester. Preferably there are five contactor stations to permit five different kinds of tests to be performed simultaneously. Tested components pass beneath an ejection manifold which defines a plurality of ejection holes which register with a set of seats each time the ring is rotated an increment.

US Patent:

51840685, Feb 2, 1993

Filed:

Mar 2, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/845744

Inventors:

Ray G. Twigg - San Diego CA
Mark W. Klug - San Diego CA
Santino Marrone - Poway CA
Malcolm V. Hawkes - San Diego CA

Assignee:

Symtek Systems, Inc. - San Diego CA

International Classification:

G01R 3128

US Classification:

324158F

Abstract:

A device for automatically presenting electronic devices to a tester for testing. A plurality of carriers, each for carrying a set of electronic devices are cyclically conveyed in a close loop from a loading stage where electronic devices are loaded onto the carriers, through a pre-test chamber, such as a "soak" chamber, from the pre-test chamber to a test stage where the devices are preferably lifted from the carrier to come into contact with a test head contactor for testing, from the test stage to a post-test chamber, such as "un-soak" chamber, through the post-test chamber to an unloading stage where the carriers are unloaded of the tested electronic devices, and then from the unloading stage back to the loading stage to receive a new set of untested electronic devices. Optionally, each carrier comprises a set of secondary carriers which ride in a like number of seats defined by a primary carrier and sets of electronic devices are loaded onto and unloaded from the secondary carriers. Among other uses, the secondary carriers serve as adapters between the various forms of electronic devices and a standard form of primary carrier.

US Patent:

62947478, Sep 25, 2001

Filed:

May 23, 2000

Appl. No.:

9/578787

Inventors:

Donald Liu - San Diego CA
Denver Braden - San Marcos CA
Romulo V. de Vera - San Diego CA
Malcolm Vincent Hawkes - Escondido CA

Assignee:

Electro Scientific Industries, Inc. - Portland OR

International Classification:

B07C 5344

US Classification:

209574

Abstract:

This invention is a visual inspection machine for a surface mount passive component (chip) made up of a rotating circular loader wheel inclined to the horizontal and including an upper exposed wheel surface against which an inventory of chips is placed for loading and a rim in which a plurality of cavities, of a size and shape to accept a single chip therein in an upright position, are formed, each cavity defined by a pair of spaced-apart cavity side walls, a rear cavity wall, and having a corner chamfer leading down thereinto from the wheel surface located on the side wail of the cavity in the direction of rotation of the loader wheel, a first vacuum station connected to the loader wheel for providing vacuum power in each cavity for retaining each chip in a cavity for a first inspection, a first inspection station, external the loader wheel, for viewing a first side surface of the chip during its location in the cavity on the loader wheel, a transfer wheel defined by an outer marginal edge, the wheel arranged planar to the loader wheel and in coordinated juxtaposed movement therewith for receiving the chips from the cavities in the loader wheel to the outer marginal edge of the transfer wheel for subsequent movement therewith, a second inspection station, external the transfer wheel, for viewing other external surfaces of the chips during their movement on the transfer wheel, computer/processor for tracking the positions of the chips that have passed and failed inspection by the first and the second inspection station, first removal means for ejecting chips that have failed inspection from the outer marginal edge of the transfer wheel for capture at a location, and a second removal station for removing chips that have passed inspection from the outer marginal edge of the transfer wheel for capture at another location.