Method and apparatus of testing printed circuit boards and assembly employable therewith

Claim 2

In a method of testing a circuit board, having thereon a plurality of conductors including connection points in a testing apparatus wherein each said connection point is provided with a respective first electric switch connected to a first potential and a respective second electric switch connected to a second potential through a current measuring means, said first and second electric switches comprising semiconductor switches, and wherein an adaptor assembly includes a plurality of test pins for forming electrical connections between said connection points and respective said first and second electric switches, said testing comprising performing a first set of tests to determine conductivity of said conductors by measuring conductivity between said connection points thereof, wherein during each said first test a first said connection point along a respective said conductor is connected to said first potential through the respective said first electric switch and a second said connection point along said respective conductor is connected to said second potential through the respective said second electric switch and said current measuring means which thereby measures current flow between said first and second connection points, and said testing further comprising performing a second set of tests to determine the insulation resistance between said conductors by measuring current flowing between one said conductor and other said conductors, wherein during each said second test one selected said connection point along a specific said conductor is connected to said second potential through the respective said second electric switch and said current measuring means, essentially all the remaining said connection points along said specific conductor are isolated from said first and second potentials by respective said first and second electric switches, all connection points of each of the other said conductors are connected to said first potential through respective said first electric switches, and all said connection points of said other conductors are isolated from said second potential by respective said second electric switches, the improvement comprising preventing leakage current flow through said electric switches of said connection points along said specific conductor during said second set of tests, said preventing comprising: prior to performing said second set of tests, mechanically interrupting electrical connection between all of said connection points of all of said conductors and the respective said electric switches thereof other than said selected connection point of each said conductor.

Claim 3

The improvement claimed in claim 1, wherein said interrupting comprises providing a mask having therethrough openings at positions corresponding to said selected connection points of said conductors, and, prior to conducting said second set of tests, positioning said mask between said connection points of said conductors and respective said test pins of said adaptor assembly, such that only those test pins corresponding to said selected connection points extend through said openings in said mask to make electrical contact with said selected connection points and all other said test points are blocked by said mask from making electrical contact with respective said connection points.

Claim 4

The improvement claimed in claim 1, comprising forming said test pins of a resiliently compressible and extensible construction with said test pins corresponding to said selected connection points of said conductors being extensible to a length greater than the remainder of said test pins, wherein during said performing of said first set of tests the circuit board being tested is moved toward said adaptor assembly until all of said test pins make electrical contact with respective said connection points, and wherein said interrupting comprises, prior to conducting said second set of tests, moving said circuit board away from said adaptor assembly, while maintaining alignment of said connection points with said test pins, until said remainder of said test pins are spaced from and out of electrical contact with respective said connection points but said test pins of greater extensible length remain in electrical contact with respective said selected connection points.

Claim 5

The improvement claimed in claim 1, comprising providing a contact array including a plurality of contact elements contacting respective said test pins and electrically connecting said test pins to respective said electrical switches, with at least those of said contact elements corresponding to said selected connection points of said conductors being resiliently compressible, providing those of said test pins corresponding to said selected connection points of said conductors of a length greater than the remainder of said test pins, the difference in length being less than the extent of compressibility of said those contact elements, wherein during said performing of said first set of tests the circuit board being tested is moved toward said adaptor assembly, whereby said those test pins compress said those contact elements, until all of said test pins make electrical contact with respective said connection points, and wherein said interrupting comprises, prior to conducting said second set of tests, moving said circuit board away from said adaptor assembly, while maintaining alignment of said connection points with said test pins, until said remainder of said test pins are spaced from and out of electrical contact with respective said connection points but said those test pins of greater length are maintained in electrical contact with respective said selected connection points by the resilience of the respective said those contact elements.

Claim 6

The improvement claimed in claim 1, comprising providing a contact array including a plurality of contact elements contacting respective said test pins and electrically connecting said test pins to respective said electrical switches, with said contact elements being resiliently compressible and with those of said contact elements corresponding to said selected connection points of said conductors being resiliently compressible to a greater extent than the remainder of said contact elements, providing all of said test pins of the same length, wherein during said performing of said first set of tests the circuit board being tested is moved toward said adaptor assembly, until all of said test pins make electrical contact with respective said connection points, and wherein said interrupting comprises, prior to conducting said second set of tests, moving said circuit board away from said adaptor assembly, while maintaining alignment of said connection points with said test pins, until said test pins corresponding to said remainder of said contact elements are spaced from and out of electrical contact with respective said connection points but said test pins corresponding to said those contact elements are maintained in electrical contact with respective said selected connection points by the greater resilience of the respective said those contact elements.

Claim 7

The improvement claimed in claim 1, comprising providing a contact array including a plurality of contact elements for contacting respective said test pins and electrically connecting said test pins to respective said electrical switches, wherein during said performing of said first set of tests all of said test pins make electrical contact with respective said contact elements, and wherein said interrupting comprises, prior to conducting said second set of tests, introducing between said test pins and said contact elements an intermediate array member interrupting electrical contact between said test pins and said contact elements, and providing said array member with contact members at positions corresponding to said selected connection points of said conductors to thereby form electrical connections between said test pins and respective said contact elements corresponding to said selected connection points.

Claim 8

In an assembly for use in testing a circuit board, having thereon a plurality of conductors including connection points in a testing apparatus including for each connection point respective first electric switch connected to a first potential and a respective second electric switch connected to a second potential through a current measuring means, said assembly including an adaptor comprising a plurality of test pins for forming electrical connections between the connection points of the conductors of the circuit board being tested and the respective first and second switches of the testing apparatus, wherein selective operation of the electric switches of the testing apparatus enables testing of the circuit board, the improvement wherein said assembly further comprises: a contact array including a plurality of contact elements contacting respective said test pins for electrically connecting said test pins to respective electric switches of the testing apparatus; and means for selectively mechanically interrupting electrical connection between all of the connection points of all of the conductors of the circuit board being tested and the respective electric switches of the testing apparatus, except for predetermined selected such connection points and the respective electric switches, said interrupting means comprising said contact elements being of a resiliently compressible construction with those of said contact elements corresponding to the selected connection points being resiliently compressible to a greater extent that the remainder of said contact elements, and all of said test pins being of the same length.

Claim 9

In an assembly for use in testing a circuit board, having thereon a plurality of conductors including connection points in a testing apparatus including for each connection point respective first electric switch connected to a first potential and a respective second electric switch connected to a second potential through a current measuring means, said assembly including an adaptor comprising a plurality of test pins for forming electrical connections between the connection points of the conductors of the circuit board being tested and the respective first and second switches of the testing apparatus, wherein selective operation of the electric switches of the testing apparatus enables testing of the circuit board, the improvement wherein said assembly further comprises: a contact array including a plurality of contact elements contacting respective said test pins for electrically connecting said test pins to respective electric switches of the testing apparatus; and means for selectively mechanically interrupting electrical connection between all of the connection points of all of the conductors of the circuit board being tested and the respective electric switches of the testing apparatus, except for predetermined selected such connection points and the respective electric switches, said interrupting means comprising said contact elements being of a resiliently compressible construction with those of said contact elements corresponding to the selected connection points being resiliently compressible to a greater extent that the remainder of said contact elements, and all of said test pins being of the same length.

Claim 10

The improvement claimed in claim 7, wherein said interrupting means further comprises shifting means for selectively moving the circuit board being tested in a direction away from said test pins, while maintaining alignment of the connection points of the circuit board with said test pins, until said test pins corresponding to said remainder of said contact elements are spaced from and out of electrical contact with respective connection points but said test pins corresponding to said those contact elements remain in electrical contact with respective selected connection points.

Claim 11

In an apparatus for testing a circuit board, having thereon a plurality of conductors including connection points, said testing apparatus comprising for each connection point of a circuit board being tested a respective first electric switch to be connected to a first potential and a respective second electric switch to be connected to a second potential through a current measuring means, said first and second electric switches comprising semiconductor switches, an adaptor assembly including a plurality of test pins for forming electrical connection between the connection points of the circuit board being tested and respective said first and second electric switches, and control means for selectively operating said electric witches to perform a first set of tests to determine conductivity of the conductors of the circuit board being tested by measuring conductivity between the connection points of the conductors, wherein during each said first test a first connection point along a respective conductor is connected to the first potential through the respective said first electric switch and a second connection point along the respective conductor is connected to the second potential through the respective said second electric switch and the current measuring means which thereby measures current flow between the first and second connection points, and for selectively operating said electric switches to perform a second set of tests to determine the insulation resistance between the conductors of the circuit board being tested by measuring current flowing between one conductor and the other conductors, wherein during each said second test one selected connection point along a specific conductor is connected to the second potential through the respective said second electric switch and the current measuring means, essentially all the remaining connection points along the specific conductor are isolated from the first and second potentials by respective said first and second electric switches, all connection points of each of the other conductors are connected to the first potential through respective said first electric switches, and all the connection points of the other conductors are isolated from the second potential by respective said second electric switches, the improvement comprising means for preventing leakage current flow through said electric switches of the connection points along the specific conductor during said second set of tests, said preventing means comprising: means for, prior to performing said second set of tests, mechanically interrupting electrical connection between all of the connection points of all of the conductors and the respective said electric switches thereof, other than the selected connection point of each conductor.

Claim 12

In an apparatus for testing a circuit board, having thereon a plurality of conductors including connection points, said testing apparatus comprising for each connection point of a circuit board being tested a respective first electric switch to be connected to a first potential and a respective second electric switch to be connected to a second potential through a current measuring means, said first and second electric switches comprising semiconductor switches, an adaptor assembly including a plurality of test pins for forming electrical connection between the connection points of the circuit board being tested and respective said first and second electric switches, and control means for selectively operating said electric witches to perform a first set of tests to determine conductivity of the conductors of the circuit board being tested by measuring conductivity between the connection points of the conductors, wherein during each said first test a first connection point along a respective conductor is connected to the first potential through the respective said first electric switch and a second connection point along the respective conductor is connected to the second potential through the respective said second electric switch and the current measuring means which thereby measures current flow between the first and second connection points, and for selectively operating said electric switches to perform a second set of tests to determine the insulation resistance between the conductors of the circuit board being tested by measuring current flowing between one conductor and the other conductors, wherein during each said second test one selected connection point along a specific conductor is connected to the second potential through the respective said second electric switch and the current measuring means, essentially all the remaining connection points along the specific conductor are isolated from the first and second potentials by respective said first and second electric switches, all connection points of each of the other conductors are connected to the first potential through respective said first electric switches, and all the connection points of the other conductors are isolated from the second potential by respective said second electric switches, the improvement comprising means for preventing leakage current flow through said electric switches of the connection points along the specific conductor during said second set of tests, said preventing means comprising: means for, prior to performing said second set of tests, mechanically interrupting electrical connection between all of the connection points of all of the conductors and the respective said electric switches thereof, other than the selected connection point of each conductor.

Claim 13

The improvement claimed in claim 9, wherein said interrupting means comprises a mask having therethrough openings at positions aligned with those said test pins corresponding to the selected connection points of the conductors of the circuit board being tested, said mask being positionable selectively between said test pins and the connection points such that only said those test pins extend through respective said openings to make electric contact with the selected connection points and all other said test pins are blocked by said mask from making electrical contact with respective connection points.

Claim 14

The improvement claimed in claim 10, wherein said mask comprises a thin sheet of electrically insulative material.

Claim 15

The improvement claimed in claim 11, further comprising a contact array including a plurality of contact elements contacting respective said test pins for electrically connecting said test pins to respective said electrical switches, said contact elements being resiliently compressible by respective said test pins by a maximum stroke of from 2 to 6 mm, and said sheet has a thickness of approximately 0.2 mm.

Claim 16

The improvement claimed in claim 10, further comprising adjustable means for aligning said mask with respect to said test pins such that said those test pins are aligned with said openings in said mask.

Claim 17

The improvement claimed in claim 9, wherein said test pins are of a resiliently compressible and extensible construction, and said interrupting means comprises those of said test pins corresponding to the selected connection points being of a construction to be extensible to a length greater than the remainder of said test pins.

Claim 18

The improvement claimed in claim 14, wherein said interrupting means further comprises shifting means for selectively moving the circuit board being tested in a direction away from said test pins, while maintaining alignment of the connection points of the circuit board with said test pins, until said remainder of said test pins are spaced from and out of electrical contact with respective connection points but said those test pins of greater extensible length remain in electrical contact with respective selected connection points.

Claim 19

The improvement claimed in claim 9, further comprising a contact array including a plurality of contact elements contacting respective said test pins for electrically connecting said test pins to respective said electric switches, and said interrupting means comprises at least those of said contact elements corresponding to the selected connection points being of a resiliently compressible construction, and those of said test pins corresponding to the selected connection points being of a length greater than the remainder of said test pins, the different in length being less than the extent of compressibility of said those contact elements.

Claim 20

The improvement claimed in claim 16, wherein said different in length is approximately 2 to 3 mm, and said extent of compressibility is approximately 4 to 8 mm.

Claim 21

The improvement claimed in claim 16, wherein said interrupting means further comprises shifting means for selectively moving the circuit board being tested in a direction away from said test pins, while maintaining alignment of the connection points of the circuit board with said test pins, until said remainder of said test pins are spaced from and out of electrical contact with respective connection points but said those test pins of greater length remain in electrical contact with respective selected connection points.

Claim 22

The improvement claimed in claim 9, further comprising a contact array including a plurality of contact elements contacting respective said test pins for electrically connecting said test pins to respective said electric switches, and said interrupting means comprises said contact elements being of a resiliently compressible construction with those of said contact elements corresponding to the selected connection points being resiliently compressible to a greater extent that the remainder of said contact elements, and all of said test pins being of the same length.

Claim 23

The improvement claimed in claim 19, wherein said interrupting means further comprises shifting means for selectively moving the circuit board being tested in a direction away from said test pins, while maintaining alignment of the connection points of the circuit board with said test pins, until said test pins corresponding to said remainder of said contact elements are spaced from and out of electrical contact with respective connection points but said test pins corresponding to said those contact elements remain in electrical contact with respective selected connection points.

Claim 24

The improvement claimed in claim 9, further comprising a contact array including a plurality of contact elements for contacting respective said test pins for electrically connecting said test pins to respective said electric switches, and wherein said interrupting means comprises an intermediate array member having therethrough bores at positions corresponding to said test pins and respective said contact elements, said array member being positioned between said contact elements and said test pins with said test pins moved out of contact with said contact elements and with said test pins aligned with respective said bores, and contact members positioned in those said bores of said array member corresponding to the selected connection points and contacting and forming electrical connection between those said test pins and the respective said contact elements corresponding to the selected connection points.

Claim 25

The improvement claimed in claim 21, wherein said array member comprises a sheet of electrically insulative material.

Claim 26

The improvement claimed in claim 22, wherein said contact members comprise pin-like members each having a first body portion extending through a respective said bore in said sheet and a second head portion of enlarged size abutting a surface of said sheet for preventing said pin-like member from passing completely through said bore.