Electrical contact cleaning device

Claim 2

In combination: at least one test station for testing an electrical device or the like; said station including at least one electrical contact for engaging an electrical connection on the device to be tested; abrasive means to clean the contact; means to transport the electrical device to and from The test station; said transporting means carrying said abrasive means so as to produce relative movement between said abrasive means and the contact whereby the contact is abrasively cleaned; means for picking up and releasably holding the electrical device on said transporting means; means for releasing the electrical device from said transporting means after testing of the device has been completed; means to automatically remove any debris after said abrasive means has cleaned the contact; and said transporting means carrying said removal means so as to produce relative movement between said removal means and the contact to dispose said removal means for cooperation with the contact after said abrasive means has cleaned the contact and said abrasive means has been moved away from the contact by said transporting means.

Claim 3

The combination according to claim 1 in which: said transporting means includes means supporting said abrasive means and said removal means in spaced relation to each other; and said transporting means moves said supporting means relative to the contact to move said abrasive means away from the contact before said removal means is disposed to remove any debris from the contact.

Claim 4

The combination according to claim 2 in which said transporting means moves said supporting means in a continuous path in the same direction.

Claim 5

The combination according to claim 2 in which said transporting means rotates said supporting means in a continuous rotary path in one rotary direction.

Claim 6

The combination according to claim 1 in which said means comprises an air jet directing air onto the contact after said abrasive means has cleaned the contact and said abrasive means has been moved relative to the contact by said transporting means.

Claim 7

The combination according to claim 5 in which: said transporting means includes means supporting said abrasive means and said air jet in spaced relation to each other; and said transporting means moves said supporting means relative to the contact to move said abrasive means away from the contact before said removal means is disposed to remove any debris from the contact.

Claim 8

The combination according to claim 1 in which said abrasive means comprises an abrasive stone, said stone being a segment of a cylinder of relatively large radius whereby the surface of the cleaned contact is maintained flat and sharp edged.

Claim 9

In combination: at least one station for testing an electrical device or the like; said station including at least one electrical contact for engaging an electrical connection on the device to be tested, said contact having an active tip at its end to engage the electrical connection on the device to be tested; means to transport the electrical device to and from the test station; means to pick up and releasably hold the electrical device on said transporting means; means to release the electrical device after testing is completed; means to clean the active tip of said contact, said cleaning means being carried by said transporting means for movement therewith past said contact in one direction; and said contact being fixed against movement in the one direction in which said cleaning means moves with said transporting means.

Claim 10

In combination: at least one station for testing an electrical device or the like; said station including at least one electrical contact for engaging an electrical connection on the device to be tested, said contact having an active tip at its end to engage the electrical connection on the device to be tested; means to transport the electrical device to and from the test station; means to pick up and releasably hold the electrical device on said transporting means; means to release the electrical device after testing is completed; means to clean the active tip of said contact, said cleaning means being carried by said transporting means for movement therewith past said contact in one direction; and said contact being fixed against movement in the one direction in which said cleaning means moves with said transporting means.

Claim 11

The combination according to claim 8 including means to remove any debris from said contact after said cleaning means has been cleaned the active tip of said contact and been moved away from said contact, said removal means being carried by said transporting means and being separate from said cleaning means.

Claim 12

The combination according to claim 9 including: a plurality of test stations with each including at least one contact, said tips of said contacts of said test stations being disposed in the same plane; and said transporting means moving each of the electrical devices to be tested from one of said stations to the next in sequence; said contact of each oF said stations being fixed against movement in the direction in which said cleaning means moves with said transporting means.

Claim 13

The combination according to claim 9 in which said cleaning means is an abrasive means.

Claim 14

The combination according to claim 11 in which said abrasive means comprises an abrasive stone, said stone being a segment of a cylinder of relatively large radius so as to maintain the surface of said tip of said contact flat and sharp edged.

Claim 15

The combination according to claim 12 in which said removal means comprises an air jet directing air onto said contact after said cleaning means has cleaned said contact and been moved away from said contact by said transporting means.

Claim 16

The combination according to claim 10 in which said removal means comprises an air jet directing air onto said contact after said cleaning means has cleaned said contact and been moved away from said contact by said transporting means.

Claim 17

In combination: a plurality of test stations for testing an electrical device or the like; each of said test stations including at least one electrical contact for engaging an electrical connection on the device to be tested, said contact having an active tip at its end to engage the electrical connection on the device to be tested; said tips of said contacts of said test station being disposed in the same plane; at least one work station in addition to said test stations; said work station having structure disposed in the same plane as said tips of said contacts of said test stations; means to transport each of the electrical devices to be tested from one of said stations to the next in sequence; means to clean the active tip of each of said contacts, said cleaning means being carried by said transporting means; means to remove any debris from said contact after said cleaning means has cleaned the active tip of said contact, said removal means being carried by said transporting means; and cam means cooperating with said cleaning means to move said cleaning means out of the plane in which said cleaning means cleans said contacts when said cleaning means passes said work station whereby said cleaning means cannot engage the structure of said work station in the same plane as said tips of said contacts of said test stations.

Claim 18

In combination: a plurality of test stations for testing an electrical device or the like; each of said test stations including at least one electrical contact for engaging an electrical connection on the device to be tested, said contact having an active tip at its end to engage the electrical connection on the device to be tested; said tips of said contacts of said test station being disposed in the same plane; at least one work station in addition to said test stations; said work station having structure disposed in the same plane as said tips of said contacts of said test stations; means to transport each of the electrical devices to be tested from one of said stations to the next in sequence; means to clean the active tip of each of said contacts, said cleaning means being carried by said transporting means; means to remove any debris from said contact after said cleaning means has cleaned the active tip of said contact, said removal means being carried by said transporting means; and cam means cooperating with said cleaning means to move said cleaning means out of the plane in which said cleaning means cleans said contacts when said cleaning means passes said work station whereby said cleaning means cannot engage the structure of said work station in the same plane as said tips of said contacts of said test stations.

Claim 19

The combination according to claim 15 in which said transporting means moves in a continuous path.

Claim 20

The combination according to claim 15 in which said transporting means rotates in a continuous rotary path.