초록 ▼

Ground anomalies in electronic circuit component test equipment are identified by a circuit arrangement which continuously monitors the integrity of a ground potential connection to the travel path, and provides both a visual display and an audible alarm in the event of a prescribed degradation in g

Ground anomalies in electronic circuit component test equipment are identified by a circuit arrangement which continuously monitors the integrity of a ground potential connection to the travel path, and provides both a visual display and an audible alarm in the event of a prescribed degradation in ground potential at any of a plurality of monitored locations along the travel path. A resistance monitoring circuit contains a plurality of voltage dividers that are coupled to respective ones of plural locations along the part\s travel path through the handler. Each voltage divider monitors the effective resistance to ground at a respective location within the handler. A scanner unit sequentially couples the voltage divider outputs to a comparator. If the output of a respective voltage divider indicates an effective resistance in excess of the prescribed reference value, a ‘ground anomaly’signal is generated, which causes an audible alarm to be generated by an attendant audible alarm unit, thereby alerting processing personnel of the need to take the parts handler out of service for repair/corrective action. In order to locate where, along the travel path within in the handler, the defect has been detected, the resistance monitoring circuit further includes first and second sets of red and green indicator lights. The output of the comparator unit is used to control the illumination of each red and green light pair in dependence upon the output of their associated resistance measurement device.

대표청구항 ▼

For use with an electronic component handling apparatus through which an electronic component travels in the course of being processed, said handling apparatus having a travel path that is coupled to a prescribed potential to prevent the occurrence of an electrical discharge between said handler and

For use with an electronic component handling apparatus through which an electronic component travels in the course of being processed, said handling apparatus having a travel path that is coupled to a prescribed potential to prevent the occurrence of an electrical discharge between said handler and said electronic component and thereby prevent electrical discharge damage of said component, a method of monitoring the ability of said handling apparatus to maintain said travel path coupled to said prescribed potential and thereby protect said electronic component against a potentially damaging electrical discharge comprising the steps of: (a) monitoring a prescribed electrical characteristic of said handling apparatus at plurality of locations along said travel path; (b) determining whether or not the prescribed electrical characteristic of a respective location monitored in step (a) satisfies a prescribed criterion; and (c) in response to the prescribed electrical characteristic monitored in step (a) failing to satisfy said prescribed criterion, generating a first output signal, and wherein step (a) comprises measuring the effective resistance of an electrical path coupling said prescribed potential to respective ones of said plurality of locations along said travel path, step (b) comprises determining whether or not said effective resistance is no greater than a prescribed reference resistance value, and step (c) comprises, in response to said effective resistance exceeding said prescribed reference resistance value, generating said first output signal and, in response to said effective resistance being no greater than said prescribed reference resistance value, generating a second output signal.