Method and apparatus for contacting the lead of an article
AssigneeWestern Electric Company, Inc.
InventorsGeorge A. Chayka, Joel J. Koehler, Livio R. Melatti
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Leads of electronic components, such as dual-inline packages, are contacted for test purposes by opposed pairs of cantilever-spring contacts. The tips of each pair of contacts are offset with respect to each other when in position for testing so that they do not touch each other when a lead is absent. The opposed contacts provide equal forces on opposite sides of the leads, so that no lead support is required for testing, and also provide open circuits instead of shorted circuits when a lead is absent.
Claims10
Apparatus for contacting a lead of an article, which comprises:
- at least one pair of contact elements, each element being insulated from the other and having a contact tip;
- means for supporting the elements;
- means for connecting the elements resiliently to circuit conductors;
- and
- means for moving the elements to engage the tips on opposite sides of the leads with oppositely directed balanced forces, one tip being offset with respect to the other at engagement.
A contactor for electrically testing an article having at least one lead, which comprises:
- a support housing;
- at least one pair of replaceable contact members mounted in the housing for movement relative thereto for contacting opposite sides of the lead, each member being electrically insulated from the other and having a contact tip which is offset with respect to the other when contacting the lead;
- and
- means for moving the contact members in opposite directions to engage and disengage the tips with the opposite sides of the lead.
A contactor for electrical testing of semiconductor packages having plural rows of leads which comprises:
- a body;
- contact arms arranged in pairs, one pair for each row of leads;
- pivots adjacent a first extremity of each contact arm for engaging the body;
- a cam follower fixed to each arm and spaced from the pivots;
- a cam plate supported by the body and having pairs of elongated, oppositely-sloped apertures to engage the cam followers, there being one pair of apertures for each pair of arms;
- a connector card adjacent a second extremity of each arm;
- resilient connectors, one fixed in the card for each lead in a row;
- a contact comb mounted on the second extremity of the contact arm;
- resilient contacts fixed in the comb, one for each lead in a row, each contact having a tip at one end for contacting a lead and a stub at the other end for engaging a connector, each contact of a pair having about the same resilience in order to exert balanced contact forces on a lead, the comb being aligned with the card so that the stub of each contact engages a respective connector;
- and
- means for moving the cam plate to rotate the arms of each pair in opposite directions to move the contact tips into and out of engagement with the leads.
A method of contacting an article for electrical test wherein the article includes at least one lead which comprises:
- moving electrically insulated contacting elements, disposed on opposite sides of the lead, in opposite directions to contact the lead;
- contacting opposite sides of the lead in offset relationship to provide balanced contact forces and prevent contact shorting when the lead is absent;
- and
- engaging the contact elements resiliently to establish electrical contact for testing and permit element replacement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.