Printed circuit board electronic tester
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorDonald J. Geisel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automated testing apparatus which performs shorts and continuity testing on a printed circuit board or ceramic substrate submerged in an ionic conducting solution is disclosed comprising a central controlling device which interfaces with an electrical measuring instrument, a numerical control table to position a moveable probe over the unit under test so as to measure its electrical characteristics, and a strip printer to display results.
Claims6
An automated testing apparatus for performing shorts and continuity tests on a printed circuit board or ceramic substrate submerged in an ionic conducting solution comprising:
- (a) a bath composed of an ionic conducting solution;
- (b) an electrically insulated movable probe positioned within said bath and having its tip in electrical contact with one point on said printed circuit board;
- (c) at least one reference electrode positioned within said bath;
- (d) an electrical measuring instrument capable of measuring electrical characteristics, said instrument having a first lead connected to said movable probe and a second lead connected to one of said reference electrodes;
- (e) a controlled table;
- (f) a support means connected between said controlled table and said movable probe;
- (g) a central controlling device receiving values of electrical characteristics measured by said electrical measuring instrument and outputting control information to said controlled table;
- and
- (h) means responsive to record data generated by said central controlling device.
An automated testing apparatus for performing shorts and continuity tests on a printed circuit board (or ceramic substrate) submerged in an ionic conducting solution comprising;
- (a) a bath composed of an ionic conducting solution;
- (b) an insulated movable probe positioned within said bath and having its tip in electrical contact with one point on said printed circuit board or ceramic substrate;
- (c) at least one reference electrode positioned within said bath;
- (d) an A.C. meter capable of measuring the impedance between said movable probe and at least one reference electrode;
- (e) a numerical control table;
- (f) a support means controlled by said numerical control table so as to position said movable probe over a desired point on said printed circuit board (or ceramic substrate);
- (g) a central controlling device receiving impedance values from said ohmmeter and outputting control information to said numerical control table;
- and
- (h) a strip printer to record data generated by said central controlling device.
An automated testing apparatus for performing shorts and continuity tests on a printed circuit board (or ceramic substrate) submerged in an ionic conducting solution comprising;
- (a) a bath composed of an ionic conducting solution;
- (b) an insulated movable probe positioned within said bath and having its tip in electrical contact with one point on said printed circuit board;
- (c) a source electrode positioned on one side of said printed circuit board, and a sink electrode positioned on a second side of said printed circuit board, said source and sink electrodes each having a different voltage so as to impose an electric field between them;
- (d) a voltmeter capable of measuring the voltage between said movable probe and a reference potential;
- (e) a numerical control table;
- (f) a support means controlled by said numerical control table so as to position said movable probe over a desired point on said printed circuit board;
- (g) a central controlling device receiving characteristic voltage values from said voltmeter and outputting control information to said numerical control table;
- and
- (h) a strip printer to record data generated by said controlling device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.