Ergonomic, rotatable electronic component testing apparatus

• US 20050269308A1
• Filed: 06/02/2004
• Published: 12/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Allgeyer, Joseph Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,233,159 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/390
• CPC Class Codes: F27B 17/0016 Chamber type furnaces
• CPC Class Codes: F27B 17/02 specially designed for laboratory use
• CPC Class Codes: F27B 5/00 Muffle furnaces; Retort furnaces; Other furnaces in which the charge is held completely isolated F27B9/00 takes precedence

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods for testing electronic components, such as printed circuit boards, in an ergonomic manner are disclosed. An electronic component testing apparatus comprises a base, a test chamber rotatably mounted to the base, and a heating and cooling unit coupled to the test chamber. The test chamber further includes a chassis defining an enclosure having an opening and at least one test slot accessible through the opening for facilitating operative coupling of an electronic component to the test chamber for testing of the electronic component.

Claims

1. An electronic component testing apparatus comprising:

(a) a base;

(b) a test chamber including;

(i) a chassis defining an enclosure having at least one opening; and

(ii) at least one test slot accessible through the opening for facilitating operative coupling of an electronic component to the test chamber for testing of the electronic component;

(c) a rotational coupling for coupling the base to the test chamber so that the test chamber is rotatable with respect to the base; and

(d) a heating and cooling unit coupled to the test chamber for controlling temperature within the enclosure.

2. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base includes an upper horizontal frame and a lower horizontal frame, the upper and lower horizontal frames being connected by at least one vertical strut.

3. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 2 wherein the base includes wheels attached to the lower horizontal frame so that the base is mobile over a surface.

4. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the test chamber includes a door that covers the opening of the enclosure.

5. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 4 wherein the door comprises at least one pane of glass.

6. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 4 wherein the door is removably connected to the test chamber.

7. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 6 comprising at least one door retainer attached to the base and adapted to receive the door when the door is removed from the test chamber.

8. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the test chamber further includes a directable dry air purge apparatus.

9. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 8 wherein the directable dry air purge apparatus is rotatable about a first axis and pivotable about a second axis transverse to the first axis.

10. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 8 wherein the directable dry air purge apparatus includes a regulator for regulating air flow through the dry air purge apparatus.

11. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the test chamber further includes a light source located in the enclosure.

12. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the test chamber further includes a power strip for providing a plurality of power connections to the chamber via a single power cable.

13. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the chassis of the test chamber further includes a chassis heater.

14. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 13 wherein at least a portion of the chassis heater is imbedded in the chassis.

15. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 13 wherein at least a portion of the chassis heater is mounted on a surface of the chassis.

16. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 13 wherein the chassis heater comprises self-regulating heat tape.

17. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the chassis of the test chamber comprises a metal material.

18. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 17 wherein the metal comprises extruded aluminum.

19. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the heating and cooling unit is coupled to the test chamber without the use of intermediate duct work.

20. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 1 comprising a thermostat coupled to the heating and cooling unit for controlling output of the heating and cooling unit.

21. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rotational coupling includes a hub and an axle, wherein the test chamber is fixedly attached to the hub, the base is fixedly attached to the axle, and the axle is rotationally coupled to the hub.

22. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 21 wherein the hub includes roller bearings for facilitating rotational movement of the hub and attached test chamber around the axle and attached base.

23. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rotational coupling includes a hub and an axle, wherein the test chamber is fixedly attached to the axle, the base is fixedly attached to the hub, and the axle is rotationally coupled to the hub.

24. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 23 wherein the hub includes roller bearings for facilitating rotational movement of the hub and attached base around the axle and attached test chamber.

25. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electronic component comprises a printed circuit board.

26. An electronic component testing apparatus comprising:

(a) a base including an upper horizontal frame and a lower horizontal frame, the upper and lower horizontal frames being connected by at least one vertical strut;

(b) a test chamber including;

(i) a chassis defining an enclosure and including a top wall, a bottom wall, and two pairs of opposing side walls, wherein at least one of the side walls defines an opening; and

(ii) at least one test slot within the enclosure for facilitating operative coupling of an electronic component to the test chamber for testing of the electronic component;

(c) a rotational coupling for coupling the base to the chamber so that the test chamber is rotatable with respect to the base; and

(d) a heating and cooling unit coupled to the chassis of the test chamber for controlling temperature within the enclosure.

27. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 26 wherein the base includes wheels attached to the lower horizontal frame so that the base is mobile over a surface.

28. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 26 wherein the test chamber includes at least one door that covers the at least one opening defined by the side walls.

29. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 28 wherein the at least on door includes at least one pane of glass.

30. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 28 wherein the at least one door is removably attached to the chassis.

31. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 30 including at least one door retainer attached to the at least one vertical strut of the base, the door retainer being adapted to receive the door when the door is removed from the chassis.

32. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 26 wherein the test chamber comprises a directable dry air purge apparatus.

33. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 32 wherein the directable dry air purge apparatus is rotatable about a first axis and pivotable about a second axis transverse to the first axis.

34. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 32 wherein the directable dry air purge apparatus includes a regulator for regulating air flow through the dry air purge apparatus.

35. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 32 wherein the directable dry air purge apparatus is affixed to the bottom wall of the test chamber.

36. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 26 wherein the test chamber includes a light source located in an internal region of the test chamber.

37. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 26 wherein the test chamber includes a power strip for providing a plurality of power connections to the chamber via a single power cable.

38. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 26 wherein the chassis of the test chamber includes a chassis heater.

39. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 38 wherein at least a portion of the chassis heater is imbedded in the chassis.

40. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 38 wherein at least a portion of the chassis heater is mounted on a surface of the chassis.

41. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 38 wherein the chassis heater comprises self-regulating heat tape.

42. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 26 wherein the chassis of the testing enclosure comprises a metal material.

43. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 42 wherein the metal comprises extruded aluminum.

44. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 26 wherein the heating and cooling unit is coupled to the test chamber without the use of intermediate duct work.

45. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 26 comprising a thermostat coupled to the heating and cooling unit for controlling output of the heating and cooling unit.

46. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 26 wherein the rotational coupling includes a hub and an axle, wherein the test chamber is fixedly attached to the hub, the base is fixedly attached to the axle, and the axle is rotationally coupled to the hub.

47. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 46 wherein the hub includes roller bearings for facilitating rotational movement of the hub and attached test chamber around the axle and attached base.

48. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 26 wherein the rotational coupling includes a hub and an axle, wherein the test chamber is fixedly attached to the axle, the base is fixedly attached to the hub, and the axle is rotationally coupled to the hub.

49. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 48 wherein the hub includes roller bearings for facilitating rotational movement of the hub and attached base around the axle and attached test chamber.

50. The electronic component testing apparatus of claim 26 wherein the electronic component comprises a printed circuit board.

51. A method for testing electronic components comprising:

(a) providing an electronic component testing apparatus including;

(i) a base;

(ii) a test chamber including;

a) a chassis defining an enclosure having an opening; and

b) at least one test slot accessible through the opening for facilitating operative coupling of an electronic component to the test chamber for testing of the electronic component;

(iii) a rotational coupling for coupling the test chamber to the base so that the test chamber rotates with respect to the base; and

(iv) a heating and cooling unit coupled to the test chamber;

(b) inserting an electronic component to be tested into the enclosure;

(c) performing at least one of environmental and electrical testing of the electronic component; and

(d) rotating the test chamber with respect to the base to facilitate access to the electronic component.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein inserting an electronic component to be tested into the enclosure includes inserting a printed circuit board into the enclosure.

53. The method of claim of 52 wherein performing at least one of environmental and electrical testing of the electronic component includes simultaneously performing electrical and environmental testing of the electronic component.

54. The method of claim 53 wherein performing electrical testing of the electronic component includes writing data to and reading data from the electronic component.