Importance

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Abstract

Apparatus and methods are provided for handling packaged integrated circuits (IC's), particularly for inserting packaged IC's in and removing packaged IC's from low-insertion-force (LIF) sockets. The apparatus includes a precisor having a chip precisor feature for receiving an IC package and a socket precisor feature for receiving a socket in a predetermined alignment relative to the chip precisor feature. One or more releasable chip retainers are provided, such as a vacuum nozzle for pulling the packaged IC into a seated position within the chip precisor feature and a pair of gripper fingers for holding the packaged IC within the chip precisor feature during extraction from a LIF socket. A method of inserting a packaged IC into a socket comprises centering a precisor relative to an expected location of a packaged integrated circuit, moving the precisor to a predetermined height relative to the expected location, applying vacuum to a nozzle so that a packaged IC is pulled into a chip precising feature of the precisor, centering the precisor relative to a socket, and moving the precisor into a seated position on the socket in which the packaged IC is aligned with and inserted into the socket. A method of removing a packaged IC from a socket comprises positioning a precisor relative to a socket containing a packaged IC, moving the precisor into a seated position on the socket in which the packaged IC is seated in a chip precising feature of the precisor, closing a gripper to retain the packaged IC within the chip precising feature, and moving the precisor away from the seated position while retaining the packaged IC within the chip precising feature.

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First Claim