ARTICLE HOLDER.

Technical Field

The subject matter, in general, relates to an article holder and, in particular, to an article holder to hold a miniature article.

Background

Complex electronic systems, such as integrated circuits (ICs) or micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), are used in various applications including information processing, sensing, imaging, audio amplification, etc. These electronic systems are typically fabricated on substrates of silicon, ceramic, polymer, or metal. Components of an electronic system are fabricated on these substrates, which are then diced into many pieces called dies. Any additional component may be connected to a die at a later stage. The electronic components, fabricated on or connected to the die, are generally of sizes smaller than one micron and are very delicate. Therefore, the dies need to be held carefully during and after manufacturing.

Generally, die holders, such as lab containers, are used to handle the dies carefully during manufacturing and transport. However, holding these dies in containers is not a very effective solution and often results in damaged dies. For example, when a die is shifted from one place to another, in case the die is held loosely in its container, the die may be dislodged and break.

The dies may be kept fixed within the die holders using suction technique. However, a negative pressure induced due to vacuum may cause damage to delicate components of a die. In addition, this technique of holding dies cannot be used for dies that have holes, for example, as in most micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) dies.

- Another technique used to fix a die onto a die holder involves use of a double-sided adhesive tape. However, there is a risk of damage to edges of the die when the tape is removed. Furthermore, conventional die holders are susceptible to seepage of moisture and dust particles due to which the dies can get contaminated.

Summary

The present subject matter relates to an article holder for holding an article. The article holder has a frame having at least a pair of symmetrical frame components positioned substantially opposite to each other and spaced from each other. The frame components are connected to a network of beams. The network of beams is fiirther cormected to at least one pair of actuating members disposed opposite to each other between the frame components. The network of beams are further connected to at least one pair of responsive members disposed substantially perpendicular to said actuating members.

The article holder further includes at least one holding element disposed within said network of beams. In one implementation, the article holder may have a monolithic structure with an integrated holding element. In another implementation, the holding element may be detachable. In yet another implementation, the article holder may have multiple holding elements.

The article holder, as described in the present subject matter, can securely hold articles such as integrated circuit (IC) dies and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) dies. Furthermore, the article holder is a hand-operated device and is independent of any other system or device for its functioning, thereby proving to be cost-effective.

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present subject matter will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Brief description of the drawings

The detailed description is provided with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference like features and components. The features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter will be better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective top view of an article holder, according to one embodiment of the present subject matter.

Figure 2 illustrates an isometric view of the article holder of Figure 1 depicting a detailed view of a holding element for receiving articles, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter.

Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of the article holder of Figure 1 depicting actuation forces, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter.

Figure 4 illustrates an article holder with an article disposed inside a holding element, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter.

Figure 5a and 5b illustrate an article holder with a plurality of holding elements in a monolithic structural body, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter.

Figure 6a illustrates an isometric view of an article holder with a top and a bottom cover, according to another embodiment of the present subject matter.

Figure 6b illustrates a perspective view of the top cover for use with the article holder of Figure 6a.

Figure 6c illustrates a perspective view of the bottom cover for use with the article holder of Figure 6a.

Figure 7 illustrates an isometric view of an article holder with detachable holding elements, in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present subject matter.

Detailed description of embodiments

The present subject matter described herein relates to an article holder, particularly for holding an integrated circuit (IC) die or a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) die. An IC die is a small block of semiconducting material on which a specified functional circuit has been fabricated. On the other hand, a MEMS die is small block of semiconducting material on which micro-machined actuating and/or sensing elements with signal processing circuit(s) have been fabricated. The article holder has also been referred to as a die holder hereinafter.

According to one embodiment, the article holder has a monolithic structure. The article holder includes a frame and a network of beams connected to the frame. The network of beams includes a holding element having an expandable space provided within the holding element. For placing or removing an article from the article holder, the space within the holding element can be expanded by applying force, either by hand or by using an actuator, on actuating members.

The holding element configuration is such that upon releasing the force, the holding element regains its original position and shape, and thus securely holds the article. If desired, other forces, such as suction force created through vacuum, may also be applied for holding of the article.

To release the article, the force is applied again, thus causing the holding element to expand and letting the article gently loosen itself in the article holder. The article can then be taken out easily. As the article holder is a hand-operated device, the overall cost of implementation is also low.

In another embodiment, the article holder is configured to have a plurality of holding elements in a single monolithic structural body. The holding elements can have the same or different shapes and configurations to hold articles of same or different shapes, thereby making the article holder an efficient device capable of holding or releasing a plurality of articles at a time. In this embodiment, the holding elements can also be actuated individually, thereby making the article holder a selectively actuated device.

In yet another embodiment, the article holder is provided with a non-monolithic structural body. The non-monolithic article holder includes a frame, a network of beams, and one or more detachable holding elements. The detachable holding elements can be replaced with other detachable holding element having a different shape or configuration based on the configuration of the die to be held in the article holder.

It will be understood that two or more of the embodiments described above can be combined in any manner to come up with other embodiments, as will be apparent to a person skilled in the art.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an article holder 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. In this embodiment, the article holder 100 has a monolithic structure, which may be derived from a block of material or formed by injection moulding or direct moulding. The materials for article holder 100 preferably exhibit elastic properties and at the same time have sufficient strength to undergo repeated deformation without affecting the elasticity. The materials for article holder 100 may also be chosen based on anti-corrosive properties and structural integrity. The appropriate materials include polymer-based materials, such as acrylic and polypropylene, or any other suitable materials.

The article holder 100, as shown in this embodiment, is rectangular in shape. Alternatively, other suitable shape, such as oval, triangle, hexagon, or any other planar shape, can be suitably adapted for the formation of the monolithic article holder 100.
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The article holder 100 includes frame components 102a and 102b, collectively referred to as a frame 102, and a network of beams 104 connected to the frame components 102a and 102b. The network of beams 104, also referred to as network 104, includes a plurality of beams disposed in a desired symmetrical maimer within the frame 102. The beams forming the network 104 are flexible and respond to an application or release of a force, also referred to as actuation force hereinafter, during the course of usage of the article holder 100.

In one embodiment, the arrangement of the network 104 and dimensions of the beams, including width and thickness of each beam, define stiffness and strength of the article holder 100. Said arrangement of the network 104 also yields enhanced mechanical advantage and displacement amplification for the article holder 100.

Furthermore, actuating members 106 and 108 are located contiguously between the frame components 102a and 102b and are connected to the network 104. The network 104 connects the actuating members 106 and 108 to responsive members 110 and 112, which are disposed in proximity to the frame 102. The responsive members 110 and 112 are disposed at a right angle to the actuating members 106 and 108.

As a result of such an arrangement, the actuation force applied from a horizontal direction resuhs in deformation of the article holder 100 in a vertical direction, through the network 104. Thus, the network 104 allows the responsive members 110 and 112 to deform towards the frame 102 in response to the application of the actuation force on the actuating members 106 and 108.

In an implementation, intervening gaps 116 and 118 are provided between the responsive members 110 and 112 and the frame 102. The intervening gaps 116 and 118 are arranged to provide a free play region to the responsive members 110 and 112. The free play region is a free space available to the responsive members 110 and 112 for deformation towards the frame 102, in response to the actuation force. Any excess or undesirable deformation of the responsive members 110 and 112 is arrested by the frame 102, vyhich acts a mechanical stop for the responsive members 110 and 112.

In another implementation, the article holder 100 is provided with the at least one holding element 114 to hold an article within the network of beams 104. The holding element 114 is integrally connected to the network of beams 104 through its four comer portions 114a, 114b, 114c, and 114d. In one implementation, the comer portions 114a, 114b, 114c, and 114d connect the actuating members 106 and 108 with the responsive members 110 and 112, through the network 104. In the present implementation, the holding element 114 has a variable spatial arrangement in its inner region. The spatial arrangement of the holding element 114 may vary in response to the application and release of the actuation force.

Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of the article holder 100 of Figure 1 depicting a detailed view of the holding element 114, according to an embodiment. The holding element 114, as shown in Figure 2, has two halves and is a rectangular-shaped holding element. Further, a recess 204, along with a passage 206, lies between the two halves of the holding element 114. The holding element 114 facilitates, from its bottom side, an access to the article, through the passage 206. Furthermore, a plurality of holes 208a, 208b, 208c, and 208d are provided on the four comers portions 114a, 114b, 114c, and 114d of the holding element 114 to form comer clearance for the article.

Furthermore, the holding element 114 is provided with a pedestal 202 for facilitating the mounting of a selected article required to be held by the article holder 100. Due to the pedestal 202, a bottom surface of the article is not allowed to touch a bottom surface of the holding element 114. Thus, the pedestal 202 provides spacing between a bottom surface of the article and the bottom surface of the holding element 114.

Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of the article holder 100 of Figure 1 depicting actuation forces Fl and F2 for deformation of the holding element 114, according to an implementation. The article holder 100 with the frame 102 forms a monolithic structural body. The article holder 100 has a central portion CP and a peripheral portion PP. The article holder
100 includes the network of beams 104 in the peripheral portion PP and the holding element 114 in the central portion CP. The actuation forces Fl and F2 are applied to each of the actuating members 106 and 108 disposed contiguously between the frame components 102a and 102b of the article holder 100.

The forces Fl and F2 can be applied in different ways and by using various means, for example, a user can apply these forces through fingers or may use an actuator. The actuation forces Fl and F2 result in flexing of the network 104 and, in other words, displacement of the network of beams 104 towards the central portion CP. This, in turn, results in deformation of the responsive members 110 and 112 in directions shown by arrows Dl and D2. The deformation of the responsive members 110 and 112 results in the expansion of a spatial arrangement of the holding element 114.

The article is then placed in the spatial arrangement of the holding element 114, which is in its expanded state. Once the article is positioned as desired, the actuation forces Fl and F2 are removed from the actuating members 106 and 108. The removal of the actuation forces Fl and F2 results in the contraction of the holding element 114, thereby resulting in the holding of the article inside the spatial arrangement of the holding element 114. Any excess or undesirable deformation of the responsive members 110 and 112 is arrested by the frame components 102a and 102b, which, as mentioned earlier, act a mechanical stop to the further deformation of the responsive members 110 and 112.

Figure 4 shows the article holder 100 of Figure 1 with an article 400 positioned inside the holding element 114, in accordance with an implementation of the present subject matter. The article 400 to be held by the article holder 100 can be a die such as an IC or a MEMS die. The article 400 is securely held in the holding element 114 by applying force(s) on the actuating members 106 and 108. The article 400 can be released from the holding element 114 by releasing the force(s) applied on the actuating members 106 and 108.

In the foregoing description, the article holder 100 has been discussed as a monolithic structural body with a single rectangular holding element 114 connected to the network of beams 104. In another implementation, the article holder 100 may have a plurality of holding elements 502a, 502b, 502c, and 502d in a monolithic structural body, as shown in Figure 5a and 5b. The different holding elements 502a, 502b, 502c, and 502d can have the same or different shapes and configurations to hold articles of various shapes and sizes, simultaneously. The holding element 502a, 502b, 502 c, and 502d can have any suitable shape, such as circular, eclipse, square or a polygon.

According to an implementation shown in Figure 5a, the holding elements 502a and 502b in a monolithic structural body are actuated simultaneously by a single actuation force, through a single pair of actuating members 504a and 504b. In other words, in said implementation, the actuation of one holding element 502a depends upon the actuation of the other holding element 502b. Alternatively, the actuation of one holding element, for example, 502c, can be independent of the actuation of another holding element, for example, 502d, in accordance with another implementation shown in Figure 5b. In said implementation, a pair of actuating members, for example, 506a and 506b, actuating the holding element 502c may be different fi-om a pair of actuating members, for example, 506c and 506d, actuating the holding element 502d. Thus, the usage of one holding element may not be affected by the usage of the other holding element.

Figure 6a illustrates the article holder 100 of Figure 1 with a top cover 602a and a bottom cover 602b and holding the article 400. The top and bottom covers 602a, 602b are mounted on beams that are in proximity to the holding element 114. The top cover 602a can be used to prevent the deformation of the beams while covering the article 400, whereas the bottom cover 602b may be mounted in such a manner that the flexibility of the beams is not affected. Therefore, whenever the top cover 602a and the bottom cover 602b are in position, the article 400 is not only fixed in a position even under the application of any kind of force(s), but the article 400 is also protected from particle contamination, for example, as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 6b and 6c show perspective views of the top cover 602a and the bottom cover 602b. The top cover 602a may be fixed to the bottom cover 602b by any method known in the art. For example, the top cover 602a may be fixed by an adhesive, an anodic bonding, a glass frit process or by any other means. Furthermore, the covers 602a and 602b form a chamber, in which the article 400 is protected fi-om external light, particles, moisture, and mechanical damage. The covers 602a and 602b are not electrically conductive. Furthermore, the covers 602a and 602b are made of opaque copper clad, laminate, ceramic, or plastic. In an alternative implementation, the covers 602a and 602b can be made of transparent materials.

Figure 7 shows an article holder 700 in accordance with another embodiment of the present subject matter. In this embodiment, the article holder 700 is provided with a non-monolithic structural body having frame components 702a and 702b, also referred to as frame 702. In addition, the article holder 700 includes actuating members 704 and 706, which are disposed contiguously between the frame components 702a and 702b. The actuating members 704 and 706 are operably connected with responsive members 708 and 710, through a network of beams 712. The network of beams 712 is provided with a plurality of sockets 714a, 714b, 714c, and 714d for mounting one or more of detachable holding element(s), for example, 716a, 716b, 716c, and 716d.

The article holder 700 is further provided with the detachable holding elements 716a, 716b, 716c, and 716d for holding articles of different shapes, sizes, and configuration. Each of the one or more detachable holding element(s), 716a, 716b, 716c, and 716d, is provided with a plurality of protrusions, for example, 718a, 718b, 718c, and 718d, disposed on comers of the one or more holding element(s) 716a, 716b, 716c, and 716d. The plurality of protrusions 718a, 718b, 718c, and 718d are coupled to a plurality of sockets, for example, 714a, 714b, 714c, and 714d, disposed on the network of beams 712 for mounting the detachable holding element 204.

The shape of the protrusions 718a, 718b, 718c, and 718d correspond to the shape of the sockets 714a, 714b, 714c, and 714d, so as to form a coupling arrangement. The coupling arrangement can be a snap fit or a thread-based arrangement. The detachable holding element 716a, 716b, 716c, and 716d can have different shapes and configurations to hold different articles. The coupling arrangement facilitates connection of the detachable holding element(s) 716a, 716b, 716c, 716d with the actuating members 704 and 706 such that the holding element(s) 716a, 716b, 716c, and 716d expand(s) during the actuation of the actuating members 704 and 706. In their expanded state, each of the holding elements 716a, 716b, 716c, and 716d can receive and get hold of an article therein.

The present subject matter aims at providing an article holder to easily hold and release articles such as microelectronics or micro-electromechanical systems dies, as and when required. The article holder helps in making an article immobile while being transported from one place to another or during testing. The article holder is a versatile device having a flexible design to accommodate articles of different shapes and sizes. The article holder of the present subject matter also aims at providing a simple, hand-operated, and cost effective device, which is not dependent on any other machine or device for its operation.

Although the subject matter has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. As such, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred embodiment contained therein.

We claim:

1 .An article holder (100, 700) for holding an article (400) comprising:

a frame having at least one pair of symmetrical frame components (102a, 102b) positioned substantially opposite to each other and spaced from each other;

a network of beams (104, 712) connected to said frame components (102a, 102b);

at least one pair of actuating members (106, 108) disposed opposite to each other between said frame components (102a, 102b), wherein said actuating members (106, 108) are connected to said network of beams (104, 712);

at least one pair of responsive members (110, 112) disposed substantially perpendicular to said actuating members (106, 108) and connected to said network of beams (104,712); and

at least one holding element (114) configured to be disposed within said network of beams (104,712) for holding said article (400).

2. The article holder (100, 700) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one holding element (114) is connected to said actuating members (106, 108) such that a spatial arrangement of said at least one holding element (114) varies in response to application of actuation force on the actuating members (106,108).

3. The article holder (100, 700) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said responsive members (110,112) are disposed between said frame components (102a, 102b) and in proximity to said frame components (102a, 102b).

4. The article holder (100, 700) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one holding element (114) is of a shape selected from a group of a circular shape, an eclipse shape, a square shape, and a polygon shape.

5. The article holder (100, 700) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the article holder (100, 700) is a hand-operated device.

6. The article holder (100, 700) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said article (400) is a die selected from a group of an integrated circuit (IC) die and a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) die.

7. The article holder (100, 700) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one holding element (114) has a pedestal (202) to provide a space between a bottom surface of said article (400) and a bottom surface of said at least one holding element (114).
8. The article holder (100, 700) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one holding element (114) is provided with a top cover (602a) and a bottom cover (602b).

9. The article holder (100, 700) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one holding element (114) comprises a comer clearance on each comer (114a, 114b, 114c, 114d) of said at least one holding element (114).

10. The article holder (100, 700) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one holding element (114) comprises a passage (206) to facilitate an access to said article (400).

11. The article holder (100, 700) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said holding element (114) is integrated within said network of beams (104,712).

12. The article holder (100, 700) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said holding element (114) is a detachable structure (716a, 716b, 716c, 716d).

13. The article holder (100, 700) as claimed in claim 12, wherein said detachable structure (716a, 716b, 716c, 716d) comprises a plurality of protrusions (718a, 718b, 718c, 718d)
disposed on comers of said detachable structure (716a, 716b, 716c, 716d).

14. The article holder (100, 700) as claimed in one of the claim 13, wherein said plurality of protrusions (718a, 718b, 718c, and 718d) are coupled to a plurality of sockets (714a,
714b, 714c, 714d) disposed on said network of beams (104, 712) for mounting said detachable structure (716a, 716b, 716c, 716d).