EP0237698A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronic test head positioner for test systems
Assignee: InTest Corp
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Filing: 1983-08-16
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-08-16
Abstract
Abstract A system for positioning an electronic test head of a test system with respect to an electronic device handler. A positioner assembly moves vertically and provides substantial movement in the horizontal plane with six degrees of freedom. The positioner assembly includes a section for attaching the test head. A counterbalancing assembly is coupled to the positioner assembly to provide a substantially weightless condition to the positioner assembly with the test head attached.
Inventors
- 👤 Nathan R. Smith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 16:36
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23Q; B23Q11/00; B23Q11/001; B23Q11/0017; B23Q1/00; B23Q1/25; B23Q1/44; B23Q1/48; B23Q1/50; B23Q1/54; B23Q1/5468; B23Q1/5475; B25; B25J; B25J18/00; B25J18/02; B25J18/025; B25J19/00; B25J19/0008; B25J19/0012; B25J19/002; F; F16; F16M; F16M11/00; F16M11/02; F16M11/04; F16M11/06; F16M11/10; F16M11/20; F16M11/2007; F16M11/2035; F16M11/2071; F16M11/24; G; G01; G01B; G01B5/00; G01B5/0011; G01B7/00; G01B7/004; G01B7/008; G01R; G01R1/00; G01R1/02; G01R1/04; G01R1/06; G01R1/067; G01R1/073; G12; G12B; G12B5/00; F16M2200/00; F16M2200/04; F16M2200/048; G01R31/00; G01R31/28; G01R31/2851; G01R31/2886; G01R31/2887
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
205 words
A system for maintaining an object in a substantially weightless condition without the effect of gravity comprising: support means (403) having a first continuously vertical axis; positioner means coupled to the support means and having vertical movement with respect to the support means and movement in the horizontal plane, the positioner means including cradle means (38a) for attaching the object; counterbalancing means (220a) coupled to the positioner means to provide a substantially weightless condition to the positioner means with the object attached; and the positioner means including continuously horizontal linear motion guide (432,434) means for providing horizontal movement of the cradle means (38a) with respect to the support means (403), the positioner means including a second continuously vertical axis, at least one of said continuously vertical axes being free to rotate as the positioner means is manually extended, the positioner means having an additional continuously horizontal axis for providing rotation of the object about said continuously horizontal axis whereby as the object is extended in the horizontal plane and rotated, the two vertical axes, the horizontal linear motion guide means, and the additional horizontal axis themselves support the weight of the positioner means with the cradle means and the object without the effect of gravity.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
205 words
A system for maintaining an object in a substantially weightless condition without the effect of gravity comprising: support means (403) having a first continuously vertical axis; positioner means coupled to the support means and having vertical movement with respect to the support means and movement in the horizontal plane, the positioner means including cradle means (38a) for attaching the object; counterbalancing means (220a) coupled to the positioner means to provide a substantially weightless condition to the positioner means with the object attached; and the positioner means including continuously horizontal linear motion guide (432,434) means for providing horizontal movement of the cradle means (38a) with respect to the support means (403), the positioner means including a second continuously vertical axis, at least one of said continuously vertical axes being free to rotate as the positioner means is manually extended, the positioner means having an additional continuously horizontal axis for providing rotation of the object about said continuously horizontal axis whereby as the object is extended in the horizontal plane and rotated, the two vertical axes, the horizontal linear motion guide means, and the additional horizontal axis themselves support the weight of the positioner means with the cradle means and the object without the effect of gravity.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
The system of claim 1 in which the positioner means includes first means for pivotally mounting the cradle means about the second continuously vertical axis, second means (403), and means for rigidly connecting said first and second mounting means to prevent relative vertical movement between said cradle means(38a) and the second mounting means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 1 in which both the continuously horizontal guide means and the additional continuously horizontal axis are free of vertical movement with respect to each other.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 1 in which at least the second continuously vertical axis, the horizontal guide means and the additional horizontal axis are all free of vertical movement among themselves.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system of claim 1 in which the positioner means includes means for mounting the positioner means on the support means and in which the second continuously vertical axis, the horizontal guide means and the additional horizontal axis are all free of vertical movement with respect to the mounting means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 1 in which the guide means (432,434) includes means for providing only horizontal movement of the cradle means with respect to the support means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 2 in which said second mounting means mounts said positioner means for sliding movement of the positioner means along said first axis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 2 in which the horizontal linear motion guide means includes two continuously horizontal members (432,434) for providing the horizontal movement.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 9 in which the second vertical axis, the horizontal linear motion guide means and the additional horizontal rotational axes are free of vertical movement with respect to the cradle means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 1 in which said positioner means is free to manually move vertically from a lowermost to an uppermost position free of mechanical restraints between the two positions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 1 in which said counterbalancing means includes counterweight means of weight substantially equal to the positioner means and the object and connected by cables to the positioner means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
66 words
The system of claim 1 in which said counterbalancing means includes a fluid cylinder (403) and piston rod (402), one of which is rigidly fixed to the support means and the other supports the positioner assembly, means for setting the fluid pressure (404) in the fluid cylinder to a predetermined value and for maintaining that value substantially constant for all vertical positions of the positioner means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 12 in which the support means includes velocity sensitive means 220a for providing viscous damping for the positioner means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 1 in which said cradle means includes object attachment means having pivoting means secured to the cradle means (38a) for providing rotation of the attachment means about an additional axis.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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