Electrical connectors – Including handle or distinct manipulating means – Randomly manipulated implement
Patent
1995-03-20
1997-06-10
Abrams, Neil
Electrical connectors
Including handle or distinct manipulating means
Randomly manipulated implement
H01R 1118
Patent
active
056370121
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to an adapter for testing printed circuit boards on a given test system and for similar applications. In particular, the invention concerns measures for an advantageous fixation of contact elements present in such adapters.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
Details of state-of-the-art adapters and test systems are disclosed in patents, DE-A-4010297, DE-A-4107767 and DE-P-4212837.
In the art of printed circuit board testing, it is common to use adapters which mainly consist of a support plate and contact elements set into this support plate. Spring-loaded contact elements, also known as spring-loaded probe assemblies, provide for electrical contact to a printed circuit board with predetermined contact locations.
Rigid contact elements, located in the same support plate, are sufficient to contact the spring-loaded contact points of the test system. There is usually a lateral offset between a contact point of the circuit board with reference to the related contact point of the test system, to which it is to be electrically connected. This connection is usually accomplished using a pair of contact elements. These contact elements are interconnected by means of a wire in "Short-Wire" technology. Adapters of so-called "Long-Wire" technology usually only have spring-loaded contact elements to provide contact with the contact points of the circuit board, and a longer wire or lead for connection. The ends of these leads merge into a contact block, which can be equipped with contact elements that are of similar design to contact elements used in a "Short-Wire" adapter. This invention, which will be described in more detail later, is also suitable for contacts at this side of the adapter, as well as for similar applications.
A particular adapter is specifically designed for a given circuit board and can in general only be used for that particular kind of circuit board. If the circuitry of the board is modified, then usually, at least the adapter has to be modified, unless it is economically advantageous to employ a new adapter. Costly parts of such adapters are the contact elements, in particular the spring-loaded contact elements. Also for ecological reasons, the ability to re-use such contact elements is desirable. There are state-of-the-art proposals for contact elements in a support plate, which are exchangeable, however they can be securely locked into place for practical application.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One prior art proposal is based on the idea that the contact elements in the support plate contain notches and these contact elements are locked by means of a locking plate that interlocks with these notches. Compared to exchanging contact elements that are driven or glued into the support plate, this already represents a substantial improvement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The purpose of this invention is to present a solution for a locking mechanism for contact elements in a support plate which is easier to manufacture and simpler to use than present art proposals, whereby precise locking of the contact elements in the support plate has to be ensured; and preferrably also vacuum tightness, at the locations of contact elements in the support plate, be achieved.
The invention is based upon several according considerations. On the one hand, this is the re-use of as many components as possible of an already present adapter that will not be required later on. Due to the variety of circuit boards, a support plate of the corresponding test adapter with a plurality of bores can generally not be re-used. Therefore, a new raw material plate necessarily has to be used for a new support plate. This is particularly true if the circuit board is fixed on a chuck by applying vacuum. Therefore, the costly means for locking contact elements should not be placed on the support plate but be a characteristic of the individual, recycleable, contact elements. The corresponding solution of the invention consists of providing means on the support plate for locking the contact e
REFERENCES:
patent: 4941847 (1990-07-01), Welsh
Abrams Neil
L. Standig Barry Matthew
Test Plus Electronic GmbH
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