US 6,655,965 B2 · Interconnect device for electrically coupling a test system to a circuit board adapted for use with a ball-grid array connector

Abstract

A presently-preferred interconnect device for electrically coupling a test instrument and a circuit board having a first portion of a ball grid array connector mounted thereon comprises a pin header and a second portion of the ball grid array. The second portion is mounted on the pin support member and comprises a plurality of electrically conductive contact members each being electrically coupled to a respective terminal pin of the pin header. The interconnect device further comprises a circuit substrate having a plurality of electrical connection points formed on a surface thereof and being adapted to be electrically coupled to the test instrument, and a socket receptacle mounted on the circuit substrate. The socket receptacle comprises a plurality of pin receptacles adapted to removably receive a respective one of the terminal pins and being electrically coupled to a respective electrical connection point.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A method for testing a plurality of assemblies each comprising a circuit board and a first portion of a ball-grid array connector mounted on the circuit board, using an interconnect device comprising a pin header, a socket receptacle mated with the pin header, a second portion of the ball-grid array connector mounted on one of the pin header and the socket receptacle, and a circuit substrate having the other of the pin header and the socket receptacle mounted thereon, the method comprising;

(a) mating one of the assemblies with the interconnect device;
(b) transmitting test signals to the one of the assemblies by way of the interconnect device;
(c) mating another of the assemblies with the interconnect device;
(d) transmitting the test signals to the another of the assemblies by way of the interconnect device;
and
(e) replacing the second portion of the ball-grid array connector and the one of the pin header and the socket receptacle after repeating steps (c) and (d).

3 more elements

A method for sequentially establishing electrical contact between a test instrument, and a plurality of circuit boards each having a first portion of a ball grid array connector mounted thereon, the method comprising:

(a) mating the first portion of the ball-grid array connector mounted on one of the circuit boards to a second portion of the ball grid array connector mounted on one of a pin header and a socket receptacle;
(b) transmitting signals from the test instrument to the one of the circuit boards by way of the first portion of the ball-grid array connector mounted on the one of the circuit boards, the second portion of the ball-grid array connector, the one of a pin header and a socket receptacle, the other of the pin header and the socket receptacle, and a circuit substrate having the other of the pin header and the socket receptacle mounted thereon;
(c) mating the first portion of the ball-grid array connector mounted on another of the circuit boards to the second portion;
(d) transmitting signals from the test instrument to the circuit board by way of the first portion of the ball-grid array connector mounted on the another of the circuit boards, the second portion of the ball-grid array connector, the one of a pin header and a socket receptacle, the other of the pin header and the socket receptacle, and the circuit substrate;
and
(e) replacing the second portion of the ball-grid array connector and the one of a pin header and a socket receptacle after repeating steps (c) and (d).

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Interconnect device for electrically coupling a test system to a circuit board adapted for use with a ball-grid array connector

Life of this patent

Interconnect device for electrically coupling a test system to a circuit board adapted for use with a ball-grid array connector

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23