Loaded board test fixture with integral translator fixture for testing closely spaced test sites

Claim 1

A loaded board test fixture for testing a plurality of closely spaced test points on a loaded printed circuit board comprising: a housing; a probe plate located in a base of the housing; an array of relatively widely spaced apart high spring force test probes extending through the probe plate and adapted for electrically connecting to an external electronic test analyzer; a translator fixture removably positioned over the probe plate within a cavity in the housing and adjacent the closely spaced test points on the circuit board; said translator fixture having a top plate with recessed portions for receipt of circuit board components so that an upper surface of the top plate is adjacent the test points on the loaded printed circuit board; and a plurality of translator pins supported in the translator fixture for alignment with the test probes at one end of the translator fixture and with the closely spaced test points at the opposite end of the translator fixture, the translator pins comprising solid pins having sufficient axial rigidity to effectively translate test forces applied by the test probes to the test points on the board, and wherein the test probes are in compliant contact with the translator pins for translating said test forces and electrical test signals between the closely spaced test points on the printed circuit board and the connections to the external electronic test analyzer.