Adaptor in apparatus for electronically testing printed circuit boards

Claim 1

An adaptor for adapting a uniform contact element array in an apparatus for electronically testing printed circuit boards to a non-uniform pattern of connection points on a circuit board to be tested, said adaptor comprising: a base platen having therethrough passages arranged in accordance with a pattern of contact elements in the testing apparatus and to engage or overlie the contact element array in the testing apparatus in a planar parallel relationship; at least one adaptor plate having therethrough bores aligned with the opposite pattern of connection points on the circuit board to be tested and to be engaged thereby; spacer element means, to be disposed outside the connection point area and vertical relative to said base platen and to said at least one adaptor plate, for positioning said at least one adaptor plate on the side of said base platen facing away from the contact element array of the testing apparatus in a plane parallel to and in spaced relationship to said base platen; longitudinally rigid needle-like test pins each having a first end for engaging a respective contact element in the contact element array of the testing apparatus and a second end for contacting a respective connection point on the circuit board to be tested, said test pins extending through respective said passages in said base platen and through respective said bores in said adaptor plate; and said spacer element means being resilient in the direction determining said spacing between said adaptor plate and said base platen and thus rendering the adaptor suitable for the one- or simultaneous two-sided testing of the circuit boards.