US3761808A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Testing arrangement
Assignee: Textron Systems Corp
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Filing: 1970-07-08
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Granted: 1973-09-25
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Expires: 1990-07-08
Abstract
Abstract An environmental chamber and test transport apparatus is disclosed for automatically testing a plurality of packaged integrated circuits. A plurality of packaged integrated circuits are fed from a loaded magazine onto a transport tape which carries them into a nonconductive temperature controlled fluid bath to a test station submerged in the bath. As each packaged integrated circuit reaches the test station, its progressive movement is stopped and the circuit package is laterally engaged with a test head having dual rows of oppositely paired contacts each of which is electrically connected to a tester adapted to apply selected electrical signals to selected contacts and sense the result thereof to determine the electrical condition of the integrated circuit placed on the test head. The contacts are upwardly resiliently biased and protrude through the surface of the test head towards each other. Through engagement of the leads of the packaged integrated circuit with the upwardly protruding ends of the resiliently biased test contacts, the ends of the test contacts are displaced laterally in two directions relative to the direction of motion of the packaged integrated circuit, thereby producing a lateral wiping motion that scrapes away or materially reduces an oxide film which may be present on either the packaged integrated circuit leads or the ends of the test contacts, to effect a reliable electrical connection therebetween with minimum impedance which might otherwise be greater from the presence of an oxide film, thereby desirably achieve a more accurate testing operation. When the test operation is completed, the packaged integrated circuit is removed from the test head and again carried by the transport tape away from the test station to an output section where it is collected in an empty magazine.
Inventors
- 👤 R Ryan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 11:38
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R31/00; G01R31/28; G01R31/2851; G01R31/2855; G01R31/286; G01R31/2862; G01R31/2865; G01R31/2867
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
213 words
The method of testing an electrical circuit assembly comprising the steps of: submerging an electrical circuit assembly in a confined nonconductive liquid bath and transporting it along a conditioning and stabilizing path within said bath to a first selected position, stopping the movement of the electrical circuit assembly along the path at the first selected position and transversely moving the electrical circuit assembly from the conditioning and stabilizing path to a second selected position within said bath where it can be tested, engaging a plurality of movable electrical test contacts in a stationary mount therefor and which is stationarily submerged within said liquid bath and substantially rigidly secured to a containing wall for such liquid bath, and simultaneously laterally moving the ends of said contacts in two directions relative to the direction of motion of the integrated circuit assembly while holding said mount substantially stationary to effect an electrical connection therebetween, testing the electrical circuit assembly while at said second position and in engagement with said test contacts, and removing the electrical circuit assembly from said second selected position and laterally returning it to said conditioning and stabilizing path at said first selected position and resuming movement of the electrical circuit assembly along said path in a direction away from said selected position.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
213 words
The method of testing an electrical circuit assembly comprising the steps of: submerging an electrical circuit assembly in a confined nonconductive liquid bath and transporting it along a conditioning and stabilizing path within said bath to a first selected position, stopping the movement of the electrical circuit assembly along the path at the first selected position and transversely moving the electrical circuit assembly from the conditioning and stabilizing path to a second selected position within said bath where it can be tested, engaging a plurality of movable electrical test contacts in a stationary mount therefor and which is stationarily submerged within said liquid bath and substantially rigidly secured to a containing wall for such liquid bath, and simultaneously laterally moving the ends of said contacts in two directions relative to the direction of motion of the integrated circuit assembly while holding said mount substantially stationary to effect an electrical connection therebetween, testing the electrical circuit assembly while at said second position and in engagement with said test contacts, and removing the electrical circuit assembly from said second selected position and laterally returning it to said conditioning and stabilizing path at said first selected position and resuming movement of the electrical circuit assembly along said path in a direction away from said selected position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method of testing an electrical circuit assembly as defined in claim 1: said plurality of contacts being arranged in dual rows of opposite pairs in said stationary mount with the ends thereof being each displaced from a respective first position to a respective second position in opposite lateral directions to produce dual laterally opposite wiping motions upon engagement with the leads of a packaged electrical circuit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
288 words
Apparatus for testing packaged electrical circuits having a plurality of leads protruding laterally from the package: a conditioning container adapted to contain a liquid bath therein, a test head mounted substantially rigidly within said container and within the liquid bath volume area therein, said test head having a substantially stationary body and substantially rigidly secured to a containing wall for such liquid bath with a plurality of test contacts partially disposed in said body and adapted to engage the leads of a packaged electrical circuit, a tester electrically connected to the contacts of said test head and adapted to apply and sense the result of selected electrical signals at selected contacts of said test station to test a packaged electrical circuit engaging the contacts, conveyor means for conveying packaged electricaL circuits through said liquid bath and along a linear continuing path therethrough past a transfer zone adjacent to and laterally spaced from said test head, means to transversely move a packaged electrical circuit transversely of and from and to said linear path at said transfer zone toward said test head and to effect engagement of the leads of the packaged electrical circuit with the contacts of said test head to enable a test operation to be performed upon the packaged electrical circuit by said tester, and said test contacts being resiliently biased and protruding upwardly from said test head at an angle inclined to the normal thereof and with the ends of said test contacts adapted to be engaged and laterally displaced into said test head position from a quiescent position by the leads of a packaged electrical circuit pressed against said test head to effect a lateral wiping motion along the leads of the packaged electrical circuit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
288 words
Apparatus for testing packaged electrical circuits having a plurality of leads protruding laterally from the package: a conditioning container adapted to contain a liquid bath therein, a test head mounted substantially rigidly within said container and within the liquid bath volume area therein, said test head having a substantially stationary body and substantially rigidly secured to a containing wall for such liquid bath with a plurality of test contacts partially disposed in said body and adapted to engage the leads of a packaged electrical circuit, a tester electrically connected to the contacts of said test head and adapted to apply and sense the result of selected electrical signals at selected contacts of said test station to test a packaged electrical circuit engaging the contacts, conveyor means for conveying packaged electricaL circuits through said liquid bath and along a linear continuing path therethrough past a transfer zone adjacent to and laterally spaced from said test head, means to transversely move a packaged electrical circuit transversely of and from and to said linear path at said transfer zone toward said test head and to effect engagement of the leads of the packaged electrical circuit with the contacts of said test head to enable a test operation to be performed upon the packaged electrical circuit by said tester, and said test contacts being resiliently biased and protruding upwardly from said test head at an angle inclined to the normal thereof and with the ends of said test contacts adapted to be engaged and laterally displaced into said test head position from a quiescent position by the leads of a packaged electrical circuit pressed against said test head to effect a lateral wiping motion along the leads of the packaged electrical circuit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
Apparatus for testing packaged electrical circuits according to claim 3: said test contacts being arranged in dual rows of oppositely upwardly protruding spaced pairs and of contacts having ends adapted to be engaged by the leads of a packaged integrated circuit and displaced in laterally opposite directions away from each other.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus for testing a packaged electrical circuit according to claim 4: the ends of said contacts which are adapted to be engaged by the leads of a packaged integrated circuit having a rounded shape which has a camming surface for engaging the leads of a packaged electrical circuit, and said test head having a recess formed between said dual rows of contacts.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
111 words
According to claim 5, wherein said test contacts comprise: a housing adapted to be connected to an electrical conductor and having a bore formed therein with an open crimped end, a test contact pin partially disposed in the bore of the housing and having a flange formed thereon adapted to engage the inner portion of the crimped end of the housing, and a spring disposed in the bore of the housing around the test contact pin with opposite ends contacting respectively the flange portion of the test contact pin and the base of the bore to resiliently bias said contact pin from the bore of said housing through the open end.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-09-24 | 1977-03-26 | 1977-09-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-09-24 | 1981-03-26 | 1981-09-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-09-24 | 1985-03-26 | 1985-09-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |