Mounting fixture for a pin grid array device

Details Mounting fixture for a pin grid array device Mounting fixture for a pin grid array device

1999-09-22

2001-07-24

Metjahic, Safet (Department: 2858)

Electricity: measuring and testing

Fault detecting in electric circuits and of electric components

Of individual circuit component or element

C324S1540PB, C324S756010, C206S728000, C053S390000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06265887

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an apparatus for supporting a pin grid array (PGA) device during procedures such as testing and burn-in. Electrical devices and components are often tested for performance and subjected to a burn-in process prior to release. Typically, the electrical device is mounted in a test fixture which may be used to apply signals to the device and monitor test points on the device. The test fixture may also be placed in an environmentally controlled area to perform the burn-in process during which power is applied to the device under test.
Existing fixtures for PGA devices for automatic test and burn-in use a spring probe contact to establish electrical connection with the pins of the PGA device. Typically, the device under test is driven against a bank or matrix of spring probes to make the electrical connection between the PGA device and the test circuitry. Given the large number of pins on a PGA device, the drive forces required to mate the device under test to the fixture has become excessive for conventional drive mechanisms, very expensive and cumbersome to implement. Certain applications require the generation of 500-2000 pounds of force to mate the PGA device under test to the fixture. Thus, there is a perceived need in the art for a fixture for mounting PGA devices for test and/or burn-in which does not require large forces to establish electrical connection with the PGA device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An exemplary embodiment of the invention is a fixture for mounting a pin grid array device. The fixture includes a base plate and a first support plate movably mounted to the base plate. The first support plate has a hole therein for receiving a pin on the pin grid array device. The hole has a longitudinal axis in a first direction. A contact is positioned in the hole and a drive mechanism moves the first support plate in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction to move the contact. The contact engages the pin of the pin grid array device to establish electrical contact.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4620632 (1986-11-01), Alemanni
patent: 4803828 (1989-02-01), Tan et al.
patent: 5080228 (1992-01-01), Maston et al.
patent: 5181853 (1993-01-01), Van Brunt, Jr. et al.
patent: 5228862 (1993-07-01), Baumberger et al.
patent: 5640303 (1997-06-01), Hooley
patent: 5762504 (1998-06-01), Itoh
patent: 5808474 (1998-09-01), Hively et al.

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