INSPECTION HANDLER APPARATUS AND METHOD

An apparatus for processing electronic circuit devices includes an infeed station, a first inspection station, an inverter station, a second inspection station, a sorting station, and an outfeed station. A linear transport mechanism having side edges transports a first work piece containing a plurality of electronic circuit devices through the stations along a linear path. The inverter station holds an empty second work piece above the transport mechanism in an inverted orientation. The inverter station also includes an elevator for lifting the first work piece vertically into an abutting relationship with the second work piece, and an inverting mechanism for inverting the first and second work pieces while maintaining them in the abutting relationship to position the electronic devices in the second work piece in the inverted orientation. The inverter station executes the work piece inverting action while maintaining the work pieces above the linear transport mechanism and between the side edges of the linear transport mechanism. Thus, the electronic circuit devices are inspected at the first inspection station in a first orientation in the first work piece, and are inspected at the second inspection station in an inverted orientation in the second work piece.