Gravitational IC package transfer mechanism

摘要

An IC package transfer mechanism for transferring molded IC packages to and from a flat tray with a large number of IC holder nests in an array and an IC magazine adapted to accommodate a large number of IC packages in a row within a tubular housing to be turned into a tilted position in loading and unloading operations to let IC packages slide into or out of the cylindrical housing automatically by gravity. The IC package transfer mechanism comprises: an IC transfer block movably supported for displacement between a horizontal position and a tilted position, and internally provided with a slide channel with stopper devices for holding a plural number of IC packages in predetermined IC stop positions, the slide channel having an open entrance at an end to be turned into the tilted position and connected to an outlet end of a tubular IC magazine set in a similarly tilted position for transferring IC packages to the slide channel automatically by gravitational sliding movements of individual IC packages, along with top openings bored over in a top wall over the IC stop positions to permit access to IC packages in the slide channel by a handling device.