Connector assembly for testing memory modules from the solder-side of a PC motherboard with forced hot air

• US 6,357,023 B1
• Filed: 10/30/2000
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kingston Technology Company (Kingston Technology Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kingston Technology Company (Kingston Technology Corporation)
• Inventors: Co, Ramon S., Nguyen, Thang, Kong, Fred Yen, Chen, Steve Si-Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Dieu-Minh
• Application Number:
  US09/702,017
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 714/42, 714/29, 714/54, 714/718, 714/767, 711/115, 711/170, 711/173, 710/102, 710/103, 324/158.1, 324/158, 439/79
• US Class Current: 714/42
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/01 Subjecting similar articles in turn to test, e.g. "go/no-go" tests in mass production; Testing objects at points as they pass through a testing station testing of cables continuously passing the testing apparatus G01R31/59; testing dielectric strength or breakdown voltage G01R31/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31713 Input or output interfaces for test, e.g. test pins, buffers for scan test G01R31/318572
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/31905 Interface with the device under test [DUT], e.g. arrangements between the test head and the DUT, mechanical aspects, fixture
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2029/5004 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/028 with adaption or trimming of parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/56 External testing equipment for static stores, e.g. automatic test equipment [ATE]; Interfaces therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/56016 Apparatus features
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 5/04 Supports for storage elements , e.g. memory modules; Mounting or fixing of storage elements on such supports
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/141 One or more single auxiliary printed circuits mounted on a main printed circuit, e.g. modules, adapters H05K1/142 and H05K1/147 take precedence

Abstract

Memory modules are tested using a test assembly with a personal computer (PC) motherboard. The motherboard is mounted upside-down with its solder-side up to a metal plate using standoffs. A memory-module socket on the motherboard is removed. An opening is made in the metal plate above the removed socket. A well is attached to the metal plate at the opening. The well supports a test adaptor board below the metal plate so that the test adaptor board has a closer spacing to the motherboard than does the metal plate. The test adaptor board has a test socket that receives a module being tested. Pins from the test adaptor board are plugged into the holes of the removed socket on the motherboard, but mounted on the reverse, solder side of the motherboard rather than the component side. The cables, components, and expansion boards of the motherboards are hidden below the metal plate and motherboard, and can be cooled without cooling the memory module in the test socket. A top plate or air guide can be added above the metal plate to blow hot air on the memory module being tested in the test socket, while the cooling air is blown on the motherboard.

Claims

1. A test system for testing memory modules comprising:

a motherboard, the motherboard being a main board for a computer using memory modules as a memory, the motherboard having a component side and a solder side, the component side having integrated circuits mounted thereon and expansion sockets for expansion boards;

a supporting plate, mounted to the motherboard above the solder side of the motherboard, the supporting plate having an opening above a memory portion of the motherboard;

a well, attached to the supporting plate at the opening, the well having a smaller spacing to the solder side of the motherboard than a spacing of the supporting plate to the solder side of the motherboard; and

a test adaptor board, mounted to the well, the test adaptor board having a test socket for receiving memory modules for testing by the motherboard, the test adaptor board for electrically connecting a memory module inserted into the test socket to the motherboard attached to the test adaptor board, the motherboard using the memory module inserted into the test socket as a portion of the memory of the motherboard,

whereby the well reduces a spacing of the test adaptor board to the motherboard.

2. The test system of claim 1 further comprising:

pins, connected between the test adaptor board and the motherboard, for electrically connecting the test adaptor board to the motherboard.

3. The test system of claim 2 wherein the pins are soldered to or pressure-gripped to the test adaptor board and are soldered to holes in the motherboard or are inserted into pin receptacles that have been inserted into the holes, the holes for connecting to a missing socket;

wherein the opening in the supporting plate is above a location of the missing socket on the motherboard, the missing socket being a type for holding a memory module, the missing socket being within the memory portion of the motherboard;

wherein the memory portion of the motherboard contains other sockets for holding memory modules,

whereby the test adaptor board is mounted above the memory portion of the motherboard.

4. The test system of claim 2 wherein the test adaptor board has both a top and a bottom surface that are between the supporting plate and the solder side of the motherboard,

whereby the test adaptor board is completely below the supporting plate.

5. The test system of claim 2 further comprising:

a standoff, between the motherboard and the supporting plate, the standoff determining a spacing of the supporting plate to the motherboard;

whereby the well provides a reduced spacing to the motherboard for the test adaptor board than a spacing of the supporting plate to the motherboard which is determined by the standoff.

6. The test system of claim 2 wherein the supporting plate has an area greater than an area of the motherboard.

7. The test system of claim 6 further comprising:

a chassis, having a top opening with a open area larger than the area of the motherboard, the supporting plate being mounted to the chassis at the top opening;

wherein the motherboard is located within the chassis below the supporting plate, the motherboard not being directly mounted to the chassis;

wherein the test socket is freely accessible from the opening in the supporting plate, whereby the motherboard is mounted to the supporting plate which is mounted to the chassis.

8. The test system of claim 7 wherein the chassis at least partially encloses the motherboard.

9. The test system of claim 8 wherein cooling air is blown onto the motherboard enclosed by the chassis, wherein the cooling air is blocked from blowing onto a memory module inserted into the test socket for testing by the supporting plate, well, and test adaptor board,

whereby the cooling air cools the motherboard but does not directly cool the memory module being tested in the test socket.

10. The test system of claim 9 further comprising:

an air guide, situated above the supporting plate, for directing hot air onto the memory module being tested in the test socket,

whereby the memory module being tested is heated by the hot air while the motherboard is cooled by the cooling air in the chassis.

11. The test system of claim 10 wherein the air guide is a top plate situated above the supporting plate, wherein the hot air is blown between the top plate and the supporting plate.

12. The test system of claim 11 wherein the top plate contains an opening above the test socket to provide access to insert and remove a memory module in the test socket.

13. The test system of claim 7 wherein the supporting plate is made from a metal plate, and wherein the test adaptor board is a multi-layer printed-circuit board (PCB).

14. The test system of claim 13 wherein the test adaptor board has an area substantially the same as an area under the test socket.

15. The test system of claim 13 wherein the test socket is surface-mounted to the test adaptor board using surface pads.

16. The test system of claim 15 wherein the test socket contains bolts that apply pressure to the surface pads.

17. A motherboard-based memory-module tester comprising:

a motherboard having components including a processor for executing a test program and a local memory and expansion sockets for expansion cards, the components being mounted on a component side of the motherboard opposite a solder side of the motherboard;

a plate spaced above the solder side of the motherboard;

a standoff between the plate and the motherboard, for determining a first spacing;

a well within an opening in the plate, the well having a second spacing to the motherboard, the second spacing being smaller than the first spacing;

a test adaptor board, mounted to the well and electrically coupled to the local memory on the motherboard by pins;

a test socket, mounted to the test adaptor board, for receiving a memory module for testing by the motherboard, the test socket being mounted to the test adaptor board by bolts that apply pressure between surface pads on the test socket and surface pads on the test adaptor board to make electrical contact; and

a chassis for enclosing the motherboard and expansion cards for the motherboard, the chassis providing cooling air for cooling the motherboard;

wherein the plate is mounted to the chassis while the motherboard is not directly mounted to the chassis except through the plate,

whereby spacing for the test adaptor board to the motherboard is reduced.

18. The motherboard-based memory-module tester of claim 17 further comprising:

a hot air channel for blowing hot air onto the memory module inserted into the test socket,

whereby the memory module is heated while the motherboard is cooled.

19. The motherboard-based memory-module tester of claim 17 wherein the motherboard is a personal computer PC main board.

20. A motherboard-based memory tester comprising:

motherboard means, having a component side with components and a solder side being relatively free of components, for executing a test program on a memory module being tested;

test socket means for receiving the memory module for testing;

test adaptor board means, having the test socket means mounted thereon, for electrically connecting the test socket means to a memory bus means on the motherboard means;

wherein the solder side of the motherboard means faces the test adaptor board means while the component side faces away from the test adaptor board means;

supporting means, for supporting the test adaptor board means and the motherboard means, the supporting means having an opening to allow insertion of the memory module into the test socket means;

spacing means, coupled between the supporting means and the motherboard means, to provide a spacing between the motherboard means and the supporting means; and

spacing-reducing means, attached to the supporting means and to the test adaptor board means, for reducing a spacing from the test adaptor board means to the motherboard means, wherein the test adaptor board means has a closer spacing to the motherboard than the supporting means at the opening,

whereby spacing from the test adaptor board means to the motherboard means is reduced.

21. The motherboard-based memory tester of claim 20 further comprising:

chassis means for enclosing the motherboard means and any expansion cards plugged into expansion slots on the motherboard means, wherein the supporting means is mounted to the chassis means while the motherboard means and the test adaptor board means are not directly mounted to the chassis means except through the supporting means;

cooling means, coupled to the chassis means, for cooling the motherboard means; and

heating means, coupled to blow hot air onto the memory module inserted into the test socket means during testing, for elevating a temperature of the memory module being tested while the motherboard means is cooled,

whereby separate heating of the memory module and cooling of the motherboard means is performed.