US 5,497,104 AGranted

Flexible interface IC test clip

AssigneeITT Corporation

InventorMarik Balyasny

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A test clip is provided, of the type that has multiple contacts that engage the leads of an IC (integrated circuit) device with closely spaced leads, which can be constructed reliably and at low cost. The test clip includes a flat flexible cable (52, FIG. 5) mounted on the clip housing (30), the cable having parallel conductors mounted on an insulative layer. The lower ends (58) of the conductors serve as lead-engaging contacts, and have exposed inner surfaces that directly engage largely vertical parts (60) of the IC device leads. A stiffener (70) formed by a sheet of stiff but flexible material, is attached to the lower portion of the cable on its outer surface, the stiffener having a lower portion that biases the lower ends of the conductors towards the leads. A circuit board (40) is mounted on the clip housing to lie in a horizontal plane, and has contact pads (80) on its lower surface. The flexible cable is bent so its upper end extends horizontally and has exposed upper conductor ends (92) that connect to the pads on the lower surface of the circuit board, the pads being connected to contact elements (36) of connectors on the upper surface of the circuit board.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A test clip for testing an integrated circuit device (12) that has a body (18) and leads (16) extending from the body, comprising:

a clip housing (30) with locating walls (32) for closely engaging a circuit device body to locate said housing with respect to said circuit device body, said clip housing having a substantially vertical cable-supporting wall (146) that has a lower end (147);
a first device (38) mounted on said clip housing and having a plurality of contact elements (36):
a flat flexible cable (52) mounted on said clip housing, said cable having a flexible insulative material (53) and a plurality of conductors (50) embedded in said insulative material, said conductors having upper ends (92) electrically connected to said contact elements, said conductors having parallel lower ends (58) that are devoid of insulation to form exposed lead-engaging lower contact portions (34) to enable them to directly engage said leads, with the upper end and lead-engaging lower end portion of each conductor being integral;
said cable has an elongated located portion (L) with a first face (73) lying facewise against said substantially vertical cable-supporting wall with said conductors extending vertically therealong, and including a second device (100, 70) that presses against an opposite second face (72) of said cable elongated located portion to press said first face thereof against said cable-supporting wall, with said exposed lead-engaging lower end portions of said cable extending vertically down from said elongated located portion of said cable to a location below the lower end (147) of said cable-supporting wall.

1 more element

A test clip for testing an integrated circuit device (12), of the type that has a body (18) with an upper portion of predetermined size and with opposite sides and with leads (16) extending from at least a first of said sides, with the leads having largely vertical lead parts (60), comprising:

a rigid clip housing (30) with a lower portion formed to engage and align itself with an integrated circuit body upper portion of predetermined size;
a cable (52) and an electrical connecting device (38) that are each mounted on said clip housing, said cable including a sheet-like insulator (53) and a row of conductors (50) embedded in said insulator to form a cable of predetermined thickness, said conductors having upper ends (92) electrically coupled to said electrical connecting device and having parallel primarily vertically-extending lower ends (58) spaced apart by the same spacing as said leads, with said conductor lower ends being integral with said conductor upper ends;
said lower ends of said conductors being free to be deflected and having exposed surfaces for directly engaging said leads;
said cable is fixed to said housing with said conductor lower ends being positioned to engage largely vertical lead parts of an integrated circuit as said clip is moved down onto said body;
said housing having a rigid flat substantially vertical locating wall (146), and including a device (100, 70) that presses a length (L) of said cable which is a plurality of times said thickness of said cable against said vertical locating wall, to fix the position and orientation of said cable relative to said locating wall, with said conductor lower ends extending vertically below said locating wall.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/305,531Filed 13 Sep 1994 · continuation in part
Priority: 3 Jun 1992
Granted: 5 Mar 1996
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

G01R 31/2886
Testing of integrated circuits [IC]: features relating to contacting the IC under test, e.g. probe heads; chucks
G01R 1/0425
Test fixtures or contact fields; Connectors or connecting adaptors; Test clips; Test sockets: test clips, e.g. for IC's
Y10S 439/912
Electrical connectors: with testing means
G01R
Measuring electric variables