Apparatus for inspecting the coplanarity of leaded surface mounted electronic components
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for inspecting the coplanarity of the legs of leaded surface mounted IC components, comprising:
- means forming a plurality of electrical contact elements disposed in a geometrical array with each contact element being disposed in a position so as to contact a corresponding leg of an IC package to be inspected, each said contact element being resiliently supported and depressable a predeterminned distance in a direction normal to a reference plane defined by the contact surfaces of said contact elements when in either their rest position or their fully depressed position;
wiper means for engaging each leg of an IC package being inspected at a point intermediate the board contact point of the leg and its point of attachment to the IC package body;
andmeans for applying an electrical voltage across each contact element and a corresponding wiper means, and including an indicator for indicating current flow between a particular contact element and its corresponding wiper means through a contacting leg of the IC package under inspection, whereby when the IC package is disposed with its legs aligned with each of said contact elements and a vertical force is applied thereto tending to urge each said contacting element against its resilient support, an indication will be provided identifying each leg which fails to make contact with one of said contacting elements.
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Abstract
Apparatus for inspecting the coplanarity of surface mounted integrated circuit components including a housing for containing necessary electrical circuitry and indicators, a socket assembly for receiving one electronic circuit package at a time and for contacting each lead of the package that is within acceptable coplanarity limits, and means for indicating those leads that are out of predetermined limits. The device also includes a spring loaded plunger assembly for facilitating insertion of a packaged IC device into the inspection socket and for applying appropriate loading force to the top surface thereof.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. Apparatus for inspecting the coplanarity of the legs of leaded surface mounted IC components, comprising:
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means forming a plurality of electrical contact elements disposed in a geometrical array with each contact element being disposed in a position so as to contact a corresponding leg of an IC package to be inspected, each said contact element being resiliently supported and depressable a predeterminned distance in a direction normal to a reference plane defined by the contact surfaces of said contact elements when in either their rest position or their fully depressed position; wiper means for engaging each leg of an IC package being inspected at a point intermediate the board contact point of the leg and its point of attachment to the IC package body;
andmeans for applying an electrical voltage across each contact element and a corresponding wiper means, and including an indicator for indicating current flow between a particular contact element and its corresponding wiper means through a contacting leg of the IC package under inspection, whereby when the IC package is disposed with its legs aligned with each of said contact elements and a vertical force is applied thereto tending to urge each said contacting element against its resilient support, an indication will be provided identifying each leg which fails to make contact with one of said contacting elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. Apparatus for inspecting the coplanarity of the legs of leaded surface mounted IC components, comprising:
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means forming a nest having a plurality of electrical contact elements disposed in the bottom thereof in a geometrical array with each contact element being positioned so as to lie beneath a corresponding leg of an IC package positioned in said nest for inspection, each said contact element being resiliently supported and depressable a predetermined distance in a direction normal to a reference plane defined by the contact surfaces of said contact elements when in either their rest position or their fully depressed position; means forming resilient electrically conductive fingers disposed around the perimeter of said nest and extending into said nest with the distal end of each finger lying directly above the upper end of one of said contact elements, said fingers being engageable by the legs of the IC package and deformable into engagement with the said upper ends of said contact elements to transmit depressing forces thereto;
andmeans for applying an electrical voltage across each contact element and a corresponding finger, and including an indicator for indicating current flow therebetween whereby when the IC package is disposed with its legs aligned with eachof said fingers and contact elements and a vertical force is applied thereto tending to urge each said finger into engagement with the top of a contacting element and to depress it against its resilient support, an indication will be provided identifying each leg which fails to cause contact between one of said fingers and its corresponding contacting element. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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- 11. Apparatus for inspecting the coplanarity of the legs of leaded surface mounted IC components as recited in claim 11 and further comprising load force applying means disposed immediately above said nest and including a spring loaded point contact member for engaging a center point of the top surface of an IC package to be inspected, and for applying a force thereto urging said package into said nest such that the legs thereof engage corresponding fingers and tend to depress them downwardly from their upper rest position and into engagement with a corresponding contact element.
Specification