초록 ▼

A device for handling and testing individual sliders in a row-like format utilizes an elongated, row-like holder having a series of small pockets, each of which receives a single slider. After the sliders enter the holder, a clamp is moved to a closed position to retain the sliders in the holder. Th

A device for handling and testing individual sliders in a row-like format utilizes an elongated, row-like holder having a series of small pockets, each of which receives a single slider. After the sliders enter the holder, a clamp is moved to a closed position to retain the sliders in the holder. The holder is placed in a test fixture such that permanently mounted probes precisely engage the small pads on the sliders for multiple testing purposes. Enlarged probe pads on the test fixture are electrically interconnected with the probes to provide an operator with easy access to the slider pads. The sliders are tested in a row-like format, side by side, to reduce handling-induced electrostatic discharge and mechanical damage.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A system for handling and testing sliders to reduce handling-induced electrostatic discharge and mechanical stress and damage thereto, each of the sliders having a plurality of contact pads formed thereon, the system comprising: a slider holder having a plurality of pockets f

What is claimed is: 1. A system for handling and testing sliders to reduce handling-induced electrostatic discharge and mechanical stress and damage thereto, each of the sliders having a plurality of contact pads formed thereon, the system comprising: a slider holder having a plurality of pockets formed therein, each of the pockets receiving one of the sliders, and each of the pockets having probes that are complementary to and align with the slider contact pads for engagement therewith, the probes being electrically interconnected with a plurality of probe pads formed on the slider holder, and the slider holder further comprising a mechanism for locking and retaining the sliders in the slider holder, and for unlocking and releasing the sliders from the slider holder; and a slider loader having a receptacle for receiving the slider holder and an actuator for manipulating the mechanism to load and unload sliders with respect to the slider holder. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the mechanism comprises a clamp in each of the pockets for selectively engaging a respective one of the sliders in response to actuation of the actuator on the slider loader. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the probe pads are significantly larger than the slider contact pads to provide an operator with quick and easy electrical access to the slider contact pads. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the slider holder arrays the sliders side-by-side in a row-like configuration, and multiple ones of the slider holders are joined together for simultaneous measurements of the sliders contained therein. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein, after testing, any defective sliders located in the slider holder are individually removed from the slider holder by selective actuation of the mechanism in the slider holder such that subsequent testing only measures the sliders remaining in the slider holder. 6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a retention device for retaining the slider holder during operations; wherein the retention device further comprises a magnet having a magnetic field that retains the slider holder on the retention device; and wherein the slider holder is inverted when mounted to the slider loader to expose the pockets therein, and the slider holder is reoriented when mounted to the retention device to expose the probe pads thereon. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the probes are located in interiors of the pockets, and the probe pads are located on an exterior surface of the slider holder. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the mechanism simultaneously interacts with all of the sliders in the slider holder. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the mechanism comprises a plurality of mechanisms that individually interact with a respective one of the sliders in the slider holder, such that each mechanism must be actuated to retain or release a respective one of the sliders. 10. A method of handling and testing sliders to reduce handling-induced electrostatic discharge and mechanical stress and damage thereto, the method comprising: (a) providing a plurality of sliders, each having a plurality of contact pads formed thereon; (b) loading a slider holder in a slider loader; (c) actuating the slider holder with the slider loader to receive the sliders; (d) loading the sliders in a plurality of pockets formed in the slider, each of pockets receiving one of the sliders; (e) actuating the slider holder with the slider loader to lock the sliders in the pockets; (f) engaging the slider contact pads with complementary probes in each of the pockets; (g) electrically accessing the sliders via probe pads formed on an exterior of the slider holder, the probe pads being electrically interconnected with respective ones of the probes and, thus, respective ones of the slider contact pads. 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising mounting the slider holder to a retention device during operations, and retaining the slider holder on the retention device with a magnet having a magnetic field. 12. The method of claim 10, wherein steps (c) through (e) comprise actuating a clamp in each of the pockets for selectively engaging a respective one of the sliders in response to actuation of the slider loader. 13. The method of claim 10, further comprising configuring the probe pads significantly larger than the slider contact pads to provide an operator with quick and easy electrical access to the slider contact pads. 14. The method of claim 10, wherein step (d) comprises arraying the sliders side-by-side in a row-like configuration. 15. The method of claim 10, further comprising, after testing, individually removing any defective sliders located in the slider holder by selective actuation of the slider holder such that subsequent testing only measures the sliders remaining in the slider holder. 16. The method of claim 10, further comprising joining multiple ones of the slider holders together for simultaneous measurements of the sliders contained therein. 17. The method of claim 10, wherein step (b) comprises inverting the slider holder in the slider loader to expose the pockets therein, and step (g) comprises reorienting the slider holder to expose the probe pads thereon. 18. The method of claim 10, further comprising locating the probes in interiors of the pockets, and locating the probe pads on an exterior of the slider holder. 19. The method of claim 10, wherein step (e) comprises one of simultaneously interacting with all of the sliders in the slider holder, and individually interacting with respective ones of the sliders in the slider holder, such that each slider is individually retained or released. 20. A system for handling and testing sliders to reduce handling-induced electrostatic discharge and mechanical stress and damage thereto, each of the sliders having a plurality of contact pads formed thereon, the system comprising: a slider holder having a plurality of pockets formed therein, each of the pockets receiving one of the sliders, and each of the pockets having interior probes that are complementary to and align with the slider contact pads for engagement therewith, the interior probes being electrically interconnected with a plurality of probe pads formed on an exterior of the slider holder, the probe pads being significantly larger than the slider contact pads to provide an operator with quick and easy electrical access to the slider contact pads, and the slider holder further comprising a mechanism for locking and retaining the sliders in the slider holder, and for unlocking and releasing the sliders from the slider holder; a slider loader having a receptacle for receiving the slider holder and an actuator for manipulating the mechanism to load and unload sliders with respect to the slider holder; and wherein multiple ones of the slider holders are joined together for simultaneous measurements of the sliders contained therein, and the slider holder arrays the sliders side-by-side in a row-like configuration. 21. The system of claim 20, wherein the mechanism comprises a clamp in each of the pockets for selectively engaging a respective one of the sliders in response to actuation of the actuator on the slider loader. 22. The system of claim 20, wherein, after testing, any defective sliders located in the slider holder are individually removed from the slider holder by selective actuation of the mechanism in the slider holder such that subsequent testing only measures the sliders remaining in the slider holder. 23. The system of claim 20, wherein the mechanism simultaneously interacts with all of the sliders in the slider holder. 24. The system of claim 20, wherein the mechanism comprises a plurality of mechanisms that individually interact with a respective one of the sliders in the slider holder, such that each mechanism must be actuated to retain or release a respective one of the sliders.