Adherable holder and locater tool

• US 8,421,488 B1
• Filed: 11/08/2011
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teledyne LeCroy, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Teledyne LeCroy, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Campbell, Julie A., Tollbom, Bruce Clinton
• Primary Examiner(s): Vazquez, Arleen M
• Application Number:
  US13/292,080
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 324/72.5, 32475016-75022, 324/757.02, 324/762.01, 324/756.01, 324/763.01, 738/665
• US Class Current: 324/750.22
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/0408 Test fixtures or contact fields; Connectors or connecting adaptors; Test clips; Test sockets G01R1/067 takes precedence; mass production testing systems G01R31/59; testing of connections G01R31/66; for testing printed circuit boards G01R31/2808
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06705 Apparatus for holding or moving single probes for moving multiple probe heads or ICs under test G01R31/2886

Abstract

A locater tool for positioning a support device for supporting a test probe head or a test probe tip, the locater tool including a template, means for indicating a support device position associated with the template, and means for indicating an achievable probing zone on a surface having connection points when the support device is in the support device position. The locater tool may be a device-attachable locater tool or a pre-positioning locater tool.

Claims

1. A locater tool for positioning a support device, said support device for supporting a test probe head or a test probe tip in relation to a surface of a device under test, said locater tool comprising:

(a) a template;

(b) said template providing a visual indication of a support device position of said support device in relation to the surface of the device under test; and

(c) said template providing a visual indication of at least the outer boundaries of an achievable probing zone when said support device is in said support device position, said probing zone being less than the entire surface of the device under test, said support device position being distinct from said achievable probing zone when said support device is in said support device position.

2. The locater tool of claim 1, wherein said support device for supporting a test probe tip is an assistive fine positioning tip support device for positioning and/or holding said test probe tip, said test probe tip distanced from a probing head, the tip support device comprising:

(a) at least one positionable support member having a first support end and a second support end;

(b) a tip adapter at said first support end for connecting said test probe tip to said at least one positionable support member; and

(c) said second support end having means for holding and securing to a circuit board surface.

3. The locater tool of claim 1, wherein said support device for supporting a test probe head is an assistive fine positioning device for positioning and/or holding said test probe head, the head support device comprising:

(a) at least one positionable support member having a first support end and a second support end;

(b) a head adapter at said first support end for connecting said at least one support member to said test probe head; and

(c) an attachment system interconnectable with said second support end having, said attachment system for holding and securing to a surface.

4. The locater tool of claim 3, said attachment system further comprising:

(a) a surface attachment sub-system;

(b) a locking sub-system; and

(c) said surface attachment sub-system and said locking sub-system together securing at least part of said positionable support member therebetween;

wherein said attachment system can selectively permit movement or inhibit movement of said at least part of said positionable support member secured by said surface attachment sub-system and said locking sub-system.

5. The locater tool of claim 4, wherein at least part of said surface attachment sub-system is adhereable to said surface.

6. The locater tool of claim 1, wherein said locater tool is a pre-positioning locater tool.

7. The locater tool of claim 1, wherein said locater tool is a pre-positioning locater tool comprising:

(a) means for said template to indicate said support device position selected from the group consisting of;

(i) a cut-out section;

(ii) an aperture; and

(iii) a void; and

(b) means for said template to indicate said achievable probing zone when said support device is in said support device position selected from the group consisting of;

(i) a window;

(ii) an opening;

(iii) an opaque cover;

(iv) guidelines; and

(v) tinting.

8. The locater tool of claim 1, wherein said locater tool is a pre-positioning locater tool further comprising:

(a) means for temporarily attaching said pre-positioning locater tool to a surface in what the user believes is a viable position on said surface; and

(b) means for verifying that said achievable probing zone is a desired achievable probing zone.

9. The locator tool of claim 1, wherein at least part of said template further provides protection for components thereunder.

10. The locater tool of claim 1, wherein said locater tool is a pre-positioning locater tool further comprising:

(a) means for temporarily attaching said pre-positioning locater tool directly to a surface in what the user believes is a viable position on said surface; and

(b) means for verifying that said achievable probing zone is a desired achievable probing zone.

11. The locator tool of claim 1, wherein said template includes at least one perforated section, said at least one perforated section being separable and removable from said template.

12. A locater tool for positioning a support device, said support device for supporting a test probe head or a test probe tip in relation to a surface of a device under test, said locater tool comprising:

(a) a template;

(b) said template including means for providing a visual indication of a support device position on the surface of the device under test; and

(c) said template including means for providing a visual indication of at least the outer boundaries of an achievable probing zone on a surface having connection points when said support device is in said support device position, said probing zone being less than the entire surface of the device under test.

13. The locater tool of claim 12, wherein said means for providing a visual indication of at least the outer boundaries of an achievable probing zone is an opening or window providing a visual indication of at least the outer boundaries of an achievable probing zone when said support device is in said support device position.

14. The locater tool of claim 12, wherein said locater tool is a pre-positioning locater tool and said means for indicating a support device position is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a cut-out section;

(b) an aperture; and

(c) a void.

15. The locater tool of claim 12, wherein said locater tool is a pre-positioning locater tool and said means for indicating an achievable probing zone is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a window;

(b) an opening;

(c) an opaque cover;

(d) guidelines; and

(e) tinting.

16. The locater tool of claim 12, said support device position being distinct from said achievable probing zone when said support device is in said support device position.

17. The locator tool of claim 12, wherein at least a part of said template further provides protection for components thereunder.

18. The locater tool of claim 12, wherein said locater tool is a pre-positioning locater tool further comprising:

(a) means for temporarily attaching said pre-positioning locater tool directly to a surface in what the user believes is a viable position on said surface; and

(b) means for verifying that said achievable probing zone is a desired achievable probing zone.

19. The locator tool of claim 12, wherein said template includes at least one perforated section, said at least one perforated section being separable and removable from said template.

20. A locater tool for positioning a support device, said support device for supporting a test probe head or a test probe tip in relation to a surface of a device under test, said locater tool comprising:

(a) a template, said template further comprising a pair of arms and an opening or window;

(b) said template providing a visual indication of a support device position of said support device in relation to the surface of the device under test; and

(c) said template providing a visual indication of at least the outer boundaries of an achievable probing zone when said support device is in said support device position, said probing zone being less than the entire surface of the device under test, wherein said locater tool is a device-attachable locater tool further comprising;

(d) said support device further comprising a base component, said pair of arms being attachable to and detachable from said base component of said support device; and

(e) said locater tool indicating, using said opening or window, said achievable probing zone when said pair of arms is attached to said base component of said support device.