Test clip for PLCC

Claim 2

An electrical clip connector for a leaded electrical device, characterized by: a plurality of electrical contacts (82, 156) for electrically connecting with respective leads of the device and support/latching means (24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34) for supporting said contacts and for retaining said clip connector in operative position with respect to the electrical device, said support/latching means including a main support body (24), plural pairs of oppositely disposed latching elements (28, 30, 32, 34) supported by said body for inward and outward movement, means (58, 60) for urging said latching elements inwardly for engaging respective different sides of the electrical device thereby to hold the clip connector in such operative position, and means (212, 224) coacting with the latching elements (28, 30) of one of said pairs thereof for moving the latching elements (32, 34) of another of said pairs outwardly upon outward movement of the latching elements of said one of said pairs.

Claim 3

A clip connector as set forth in claim 1, wherein the latching elements of said one of said pairs include lower end portions of respective levers (28, 30) pivotally secured to said main support body at respective opposite sides thereof, and said means for urging includes resilient means (58, 60) for yieldingly biasing the upper end portions of said levers apart.

Claim 4

A clip connector as set forth in claim 2, wherein said latching elements of said another of said pairs include respective legs (32, 34) depending from said main body portion in cantilever-like fashion, said legs being resiliently outwardly deflectable to receive therebetween the electrical device and then springable back to engage respective opposite sides of the device.

Claim 5

A clip connector as set forth in claim 3, wherein said means for moving includes at least one cam surface (212) on each leg and means (224) on said levers for engaging the cam surface on each leg when pivoted to force the leg outwardly in a direction generally parallel to the pivot axes of the lever arms.

Claim 6

A clip connector as set forth in claim 4, wherein the cam surface on each leg is aligned with the cam surface on the other leg in a direction parallel to the pivot axes of said levers, and at least one lever includes a wedge-like portion (224) thereof movable between said cam surfaces upon pivoting of said one lever to urge said legs outwardly.

Claim 7

An electrical clip connector for connecting conductive elements of an external device to conductive elements of a chip carrier or other electrical component including a body having plural pairs of opposed sides and plural conductive elements at each such side of the body, characterized by: a multi-sided arrangement of electrical contact means having plural pairs of opposed sides and including a plurality of said contact means (82, 156) at each side of said multi-sided arrangement of contact means for effecting electrical connection between conductive elements of the external device and conductive elements of the electrical component at a corresponding side of the electrical component, each of a plurality of said contact means having a contacting portion (92, 172) for electrically connecting with a respective conductive element of the electrical component, a coupling portion (88, 168) for electrically connecting with a conductive element of the external device, and a mounting portion (90, 170); support/latching means (24, 28, 28, 30, 32, 34) for supporting said contacts at their mounting portions In said multi-sided arrangement and for holding said clip connector to the electrical component in operative position, said support/latching means including at least two latching elements (32, 34) mounted with respect to one another at respective opposite sides of said rectangular arrangement of contact means for inward and outward movement towards and away from one another, means (148) for urging said latching elements into gripping engagement with respective opposed sides of the electrical component, and hand operable means (28, 30) for urging said latching elements out of gripping engagement with opposed sides of the electrical component, each latching element including means coacting with at least one of the contact means (156) at the corresponding side of said multi-sided arrangement of contact means to cause the contacting portion of said at least one of said contact means to move outwardly therewith.

Claim 8

An electrical clip connector for connecting conductive elements of an external device to conductive elements of a chip carrier or other electrical component including a body having plural pairs of opposed sides and plural conductive elements at each such side of the body, characterized by: a multi-sided arrangement of electrical contact means having plural pairs of opposed sides and including a plurality of said contact means (82, 156) at each side of said multi-sided arrangement of contact means for effecting electrical connection between conductive elements of the external device and conductive elements of the electrical component at a corresponding side of the electrical component, each of a plurality of said contact means having a contacting portion (92, 172) for electrically connecting with a respective conductive element of the electrical component, a coupling portion (88, 168) for electrically connecting with a conductive element of the external device, and a mounting portion (90, 170); support/latching means (24, 28, 28, 30, 32, 34) for supporting said contacts at their mounting portions In said multi-sided arrangement and for holding said clip connector to the electrical component in operative position, said support/latching means including at least two latching elements (32, 34) mounted with respect to one another at respective opposite sides of said rectangular arrangement of contact means for inward and outward movement towards and away from one another, means (148) for urging said latching elements into gripping engagement with respective opposed sides of the electrical component, and hand operable means (28, 30) for urging said latching elements out of gripping engagement with opposed sides of the electrical component, each latching element including means coacting with at least one of the contact means (156) at the corresponding side of said multi-sided arrangement of contact means to cause the contacting portion of said at least one of said contact means to move outwardly therewith.

Claim 9

A clip connector as set forth in claim 6, wherein said means for urging includes resilient means (148) for yieldingly biasing said latching elements into gripping engagement with respective opposed sides of the electrical component.

Claim 10

A clip connector as set forth in claim 6 or claim 7, wherein said support/latching means Includes plural pairs of latching elements (28, 30, 32, 34) each mounted with respect to one another at respective different sides of said multi-sided arrangement of contact means for movement Into and out of gripping engagement with respective sides of the electrical component, the latching elements of one said pair include lower end portions of respective levers (28, 30) mounted with respect to one another for relative pivoting-like movement at respective opposite sides of said multi-sided arrangement, and said levers each include an electrically non-conductive body (44) In which are secured the mounting portions of the contact means at the corresponding side of said multi-sided arrangement of contact means.

Claim 11

An electrical allp connector for an electrical device having leads laterally spaced along at least two opposite sides of such device, characterized by an electrically non-conductive body (24) having a main body portion and a pair of latching leg portions (32, 34) depending from said main body portion in cantllever like fashion, said leg portions being resiliently outwardly flexible to receive therebetween the device and then springable back to engage respective opposite sides of the device to hold the clip connector in operative position with respect to the device, a plurality of electrical contacts (156) supported by said body with contacting portions (172) thereof laterally spaced for electrically connecting with respective leads of the device when the clip connector is held by said leg portions in operative position with respect to the device, and means (28, 30) mounted to said body for effecting resilient outward flexing of said leg portions to permit receipt of the device therebetween.

Claim 12

An electrical allp connector for an electrical device having leads laterally spaced along at least two opposite sides of such device, characterized by an electrically non-conductive body (24) having a main body portion and a pair of latching leg portions (32, 34) depending from said main body portion in cantllever like fashion, said leg portions being resiliently outwardly flexible to receive therebetween the device and then springable back to engage respective opposite sides of the device to hold the clip connector in operative position with respect to the device, a plurality of electrical contacts (156) supported by said body with contacting portions (172) thereof laterally spaced for electrically connecting with respective leads of the device when the clip connector is held by said leg portions in operative position with respect to the device, and means (28, 30) mounted to said body for effecting resilient outward flexing of said leg portions to permit receipt of the device therebetween.

Claim 13

A clip connector as set forth in claim 9, wherein said contacting portions depend from said main body portion in cantilever-like fashion, said contacting portions are generally coextensive with said leg portions and are free to resiliently deflect outwardly in relation to said leg portions, and said leg portions each has surface means (208) for inwardly engaging said contacting portions of respective contacts for flexing the same outwardly upon outward flexing of said leg portions.