Printed circuit board test apparatus

• US 6,268,719 B1
• Filed: 02/02/2000
• Issued: 07/31/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Delaware Capital Formation Incorporated (Dover Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Delaware Capital Formation Incorporated (Dover Corporation)
• Inventors: Swart, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Vinh P.
• Application Number:
  US09/496,878
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 324/750, 324/751, 324/752, 324/765, 324/530-538, 324/158.1, 324/501, 439/482, 438/14-18, 257/40, 257/48
• US Class Current: 324/750.19
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06705 Apparatus for holding or moving single probes for moving multiple probe heads or ICs under test G01R31/2886
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2806 Apparatus therefor, e.g. test stations, drivers, analysers, conveyors G01R31/2805, G01R31/281, G01R31/2818 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2808 Holding, conveying or contacting devices, e.g. test adapters, edge connectors, extender boards probe, multiprobe, probe manipulator or probe fixture G01R1/067
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2887 involving moving the probe head or the IC under test; docking stations moving single probes G01R1/06705; moving individual probes in multiple probes G01R1/07392

Abstract

A scan tester for printed circuit boards capable of testing densely spaced test locations on the circuit board including a desk top robot having a test head positioned over the circuit board and movable in a three-dimensional plane. The test head includes a non-contact energy source such as a source of plasma located at an end of the test head for energizing the test locations of the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board is mounted on a test fixture having a plurality of translator plates and translator pins for contacting a second surface of the printed circuit board to translate test signals to an electronic test analyzer.

Claims

1. A tester for a printed circuit board having a circuit containing test sites comprising:

a translator fixture for mounting the printed circuit board having a plurality of translator pins; and

a test head mounted above the fixture including a plasma non-contact energy source for energizing the circuit on the circuit board and transmitting test signals through the translator pins to test electronics,

wherein said energy source comprises;

plasma reservoir, a nozzle connected to the plasma reservoir for delivering a column of plasma gas and an ignitor for igniting the plasma gas.

2. The tester of claim 1 further comprising a robot connected to a test head to move the test head in a three-dimensional plane.

3. The tester of claim 1 wherein the translator fixture includes a plurality of essentially parallel and vertically spaced apart translator plates having selected patterns of holes aligned in the translator plates for containing and supporting the translator pins for contacting the test sites on the circuit board.

4. The tester of claim 2 wherein the test head is mounted on a spindle of the robot, and the plasma source is positioned on the spindle for directing an ignited column of plasma gas at the circuit board.