Connector contact terminal contamination probe

Apparatus for testing connectors, said apparatus having

• circuitry (100) for measuring electrical resistance, and
• testing apparatus (1) for coupling said measuring circuitry to contact terminals (701) of a connector (700)
• CHARACTERIZED IN THAT
• said testing apparatus comprises
• a probe assembly (2) having an electrode (221) corresponding to each connector contact terminal,
• electrode apparatus (230,231) for terminating a tail section of the connector contact terminals,
• support apparatus (3) for receiving a connector and holding the connector in a fixed relationship with respect to said probe assembly and said electrode apparatus,
• guide apparatus (4) having a head member (41) for slidably supporting said electrode and formed to fit into pin contact receiving apertures of the connector,
• positioning apparatus (5) for enabling said guide apparatus to insert said head member into a pin contact aperture and for enabling said probe assembly to extend said electrode through said head member to engage a connector contact terminal, and
• coupling apparatus (6) for selectively coupling said electrode apparatus and said electrode with said measuring apparatus to measure the resistance of contamination films and foreign material appearing on the engaged connector contact terminal.

Apparatus for testing connectors, said apparatus having

• a constant current source (102),
• a voltage measuring device (101), and
• testing apparatus (1) for coupling said constant current source and said voltage measuring device to contact terminals (701) of a connector (700)
• CHARACTERIZED IN THAT
• said testing apparatus comprises
• a plurality of first electrodes (221);
• a second electrode (230);
• insulator apparatus (231) for holding and supporting said second electrode;
• support apparatus (3) for receiving a connector and holding the connector in a fixed relationship with respect to said insulator apparatus to engage a tail section of the connector contact terminals with said second electrode;
• probe assembly apparatus (20, 21, 223) for resiliently mounting said first electrodes in a row and column configuration corresponding to a connector contact terminal row and column configuration;
• guide support apparatus (4) having a plurality of head members (41) for aligning said first electrodes with the connector contact terminals, each of said head members arranged to slidably support one of said first electrodes and each externally tapered to fit into a connector pin receiving aperture;
• carriage apparatus (53) for supporting said probe assembly apparatus;
• carriage plate apparatus (54) for supporting said guide support apparatus;
• spring biased coupling apparatus (531) for attaching said carriage plate apparatus to said carriage apparatus;
• support apparatus (51, 52) for slidably supporting both said carriage apparatus and said carriage plate apparatus;
• operating apparatus (55) for positioning said carriage plate apparatus and said carriage apparatus on said support apparatus to first engage said guide support apparatus head members with corresponding connector pin receiving apertures and then extend said first electrodes through said head members to engage the connector contact terminals;
• controller apparatus (60) for selecting said first and second electrodes;
• and
• switch apparatus (61, 103) connectable to said first and second electrodes and responsive to said controller apparatus for coupling a selected first and second electrode engaged with a connector contact terminal to said voltage measuring device and said constant current source to measure contamination and foreign material appearing on the engaged connector contact terminal.

Apparatus for testing contact terminals of a connector, said apparatus comprising

• a plurality of electrodes,
• means for mounting said electrodes,
• means having a plurality of head members for slidably supporting first ones of said electrodes,
• means for receiving and holding the connector in a fixed relationship with respect to said mounting means to engage a tail section of the connector contact terminals with a second one of said electrodes,
• means for positioning said slidably supporting means and said mounting means to first align said first electrodes with pin receiving apertures of the connector and then extend said first electrodes to engage the connector contact terminals,
• means for measuring electrical resistance,
• means for selectively connecting said electrical resistance measuring means to said first and second electrodes to measure the resistance of contamination films and foreign material appearing on an engaged connector contact terminal.