DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] The following detailed description illustrates several embodiments of this invention. This description is meant to be illustrative only and not limiting, and thus other embodiments of this invention will be obvious in view of this description to those skilled in the art.

[0017] In accordance with this invention, the tray 100 of FIG. 1A has associated therewith a structure 105 on one edge of tray 100. As shown in FIG. 1A, structure 105 is located on right side 104-2 of the tray 100, as opposed to sides 104-1 and 104-3 or 104-4. A tab 200 (FIG. 2A) is capable of being removably inserted into structure 105 on side 104-2. Of course, tab 200 could be mounted on one of the two sides 104-1 and 104-3 or the other end 104-4 of tray 100, if desired, and if a structure such as structure 105 was fabricated on one of these sides. Alternatively, tabs can be mounted on two or more of the sides of tray 100, thereby to allow the types of devices contained within tray 100 to be determined by looking at any one of two or more sides of the tray 100.

[0018] FIGS. 1B and 1C show respectively cross-sections AA and BB of tray 100. As shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C, shelves 102-1, 102-2, 102-3 and 102-8 extend annularly around openings 101-1, 101-2, 101-3 and 101-8 respectively, to allow a packaged semiconductor device to rest within each of openings 101-1, 101-2, 101-3 and 101-8 on shelves 101-1, 102-2, 101-3 and 101-8. These semiconductor devices typically are held on the shelf by gravity. However, if desired, tape or other structure can be used to hold the packaged devices in the tray regardless of the orientation taken by the tray 100 during shipping or other handling of the tray. Such mechanisms for holding packaged devices in the tray 100 are well known.

[0019] FIG. 1D illustrates a portion of the cross-section of end 104-2 of tray 100 adapted to hold the tab 200 of this invention. As shown in FIG. 1D, structure 105 include two beveled edges, 106-1 and 106-2. FIG. 1E shows in more detail the nature of these beveled edges 106-1 and 106-2. As shown in FIG. 1E, beveled edge 106-1 extends from surface 107 at an angle of about 60° (other appropriate angles can be used if desired) with surface 107 such that point 108-1 of beveled edge 106-1 is closer to point 108-2 of corresponding beveled edge 106-2 than point 109-1 of edge 106-1 is to point 109-2 of edge 106-2.

[0020] In one embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 1E, flat surfaces 110-1 and 110-2 extend perpendicularly from surface 107 for a short distance prior to point 109-1 at the start of angled surface 106-1 and prior to point 109-2 at the start of angled surface 106-2. Thus, the angled surfaces 106-1 and 106-2 are designed to receive a tab such as tab 200 having tapered ends and to hold this tab tightly against surface 107.

[0021] FIGS. 2A through 2D illustrate one embodiment of tab 200. Shown in FIG. 2A through FIG. 2D is basically a rectangular piece of material including a plurality of buttons, shown as three buttons 201-1, 201-2, and 201-3. This tab has beveled ends 202-1 and 202-2. The bevels on these ends are angled at the same angle from the flat back 204-2 of tab 200 (FIG. 2B), as edges 106-1 and 106-2 are angled from surface 107. In one embodiment, the angle of surfaces 202-1 and 202-2 is about 60° from the plane of back surface 204-2.

[0022] Tab 200 has three buttons 201-1, 201-2, and 201-3 protruding from face 204-1. When tab 200 is placed in structure 105 on edge 104-2 of tray 100, face 204-1 faces outward from edge 104-2. Back surface 204-2 of tab 200 is then pressed directly against the outer surface of edge 104-2 of tray 100. Buttons 201-1 through 201-3 are shown as circular. Other shaped buttons can be used if appropriate and desired.

[0023] The back view of tab 200 is shown in FIG. 2C. Surface 204-2 of tab 200 has three openings 208-1, 208-2 and 208-3 formed therein, which extend partially into buttons 201-1 through 201-3. These openings are part of the fabrication process and reduce the weight of the tab, but can be omitted if desired.

[0024] An indentation 206 is formed in the top edge of tab 200. Indentation 206 allows tab 200 to be properly aligned between angled surfaces 106-1 and 106-2 attached to the edge 104-2 of tray 100. Typically, groove 206 will face upward to insure that the tab is properly placed in the groove of structure 105.

[0025] FIG. 2D shows the end view of tab 200 with button 201-3 clearly visible as well as the end 202-2.

[0026] Note that flat edges 207-1 and 207-2 are formed perpendicular to and directly adjacent to back surface 204-2 of tab 200, as shown in FIG. 2B. Flat surfaces 207-1 and 207-2, which are perpendicular to back surface 204-2, mate with the flats 109-1 and 109-2 (FIG. 1E) extending from surface 107, which along with angled surfaces 106-1 and 106-2, define the groove in structure 105 on the end 104-2 of tray 100.

[0027] A removable plug 300 is then capable of being attached to tab 200 by placing plug 300 over two of the circular plugs 201-1 through 201-3. Plug 300 has a button 301 formed in a hollow cavity 302. Section 302-1 of cavity 302 will receive, for example, button 201-2 on tab 200, while section 302-2 of cavity 302 will receive button 201-3 on tab 200. FIG. 3B shows an end view of button 300, while FIG. 3C shows a cross-sectional side view of plug 300 taken along line FF associated with plug 300.

[0028] Plug 300 can be any desired color, the particular color selected being associated with a particular device contained within tray 100. Alternatively, tab 200 can also have a color to indicate the type of devices contained in tray 100. In addition, indicia such as a series of numbers or letters or a combination of alphanumeric symbols can be placed on the outer surface of tab 200 or the outer surface 305 of plug 300 to indicate the type of device contained in tray 100. A user is then able to identify the devices contained in tray 100 by the color of or indicia on plug 300 and to easily replace plug 300 with a different color plug or with a plug containing different indicia to identify a different type of device in tray 100.

[0029] Of course, more than one tab 200 can be used with tray 100, if desired, to indicate not only the type of devices contained in tray 100 but the next operation to be carried out on the packaged devices in tray 100 or the last operation carried out on the packaged devices in tray 100. A plurality of structures 105 formed on one or more edges of tray 100 can be used to carry a plurality of pieces of information relating to the packaged devices in tray 100.

[0030] While several embodiments of this invention have been described, other embodiments of this invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art in view of the above description. This invention is intended to be limited only by the following claims.