Battery mounting and testing apparatuses, methods of forming battery mounting and testing apparatuses, battery-powered test configured electronic devices, and methods of forming battery-powered test configured electronic devices

• US 6,025,087 A
• Filed: 02/19/1998
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Trosper, Scott T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nuzzolillo, Maria
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOVE, TRACY MAE
• Application Number:
  US09/026,247
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 429/7.1, 429/90, 429/94, 429/93, 429/124, 429/123, 29/623.1, 29/623.5
• US Class Current: 429/92
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2818 using test structures on, or modifications of, the card under test, made for the purpose of testing, e.g. additional components or connectors G01R31/2805 takes precedence; printed circuits having, e.g. symbols, test patterns or visualisation means H05K1/0266
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2822 of microwave or radiofrequency circuits of attenuation, gain, e.g. using network analyzers G01R27/28
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/4285 Testing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/216 adapted for button or coin cells
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0268 for electrical inspection or testing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/181 associated with surface mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10037 Printed or non-printed battery
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49115 including coating or impregnating

Abstract

Battery mounting and testing apparatuses and methods of forming the same are described. In one implementation, a substrate includes a surface area over which a battery terminal housing member is to entirely cover. A conductive first test contact is disposed on the substrate surface and extends from within the surface area to outside of the surface area. A conductive second test contact is disposed on the substrate surface and extends from within the surface area to outside the surface area. The second test contact is spaced from the first test contact and is preferably electrically isolated therefrom on the substrate. In one aspect, an electronic device is provided by mounting a battery with the first and second test contacts. In circuit testing is performed after the battery is mounted utilizing the portions of the first and second test contacts which extend outside of the surface area for probe testing.

Claims

1. A battery mounting and testing apparatus comprising:

a substrate having a surface area sized and shaped to be covered by a battery having first and second polarity terminal housing members, the surface area comprising a first area and a second area configured for electrical connection with one of the first and second polarity terminal housing members, the first and second areas being spaced and electrically isolated from one another on the substrate;

a conductive first test contact on the substrate surface extending from within the surface area to outside of the surface area, the first test contact being in electrical connection with the first area and electrically isolated from the second area on the substrate; and

a conductive second test contact on the substrate surface extending from within the surface area to outside the surface area, the second test contact being in electrical connection with the second area and spaced from the first test contact and being electrically isolated from the first area and the first test contact on the substrate.

2. The battery mounting and testing apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second test contacts comprise a plurality of individual nodes which are in electrical communication with one another within the surface area.

3. The battery mounting and testing apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the first test contact comprises a plurality of individual nodes within the surface area which are in electrical communication with one another; and

the second test contact comprises a plurality of individual nodes within the surface area which are in electrical communication with one another.

4. If The battery mounting and testing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the pluralities of first and second test contact individual nodes each comprise a different number of individual nodes.

5. The battery mounting and testing apparatus of claim 1, wherein that portion of the first test contact which is within the surface area is different in shape from that portion of the second test contact which is within the surface area.

6. The battery mounting and testing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first and second test contacts have portions extending outwardly of the surface area which are oriented about 45-degrees from one another about an arc.

7. The battery mounting and testing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the surface area is generally circular in shape and the substrate has top and bottom sides, and, when the substrate is viewed from top side-to-bottom side, one of the first and second test contact portions which extend outwardly of the surface area is disposed approximately at the 0°

position, and the other of the first and second test contact portions is disposed approximately at the 315°

position, relative to a central point within the surface area.

8. The battery mounting and testing apparatus of claim 5, wherein that portion of the first test contact within the surface area approximates a crescent shape.

9. The battery mounting and testing apparatus of claim 5, wherein that portion of the second test contact within the surface area approximates a triangular shape.

10. The battery mounting and testing apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the first test contact approximates a crescent shape within the surface area; and

the second test contact approximates a triangular shape within the surface area.

11. A battery mounting and testing apparatus comprising:

a substrate having a surface area sized and shaped to be covered by a battery having first and second polarity terminal housing members, the surface area comprising a first area and a second area configured for electrical connection with one of the first and second polarity terminal housing members, the first and second areas being spaced and electrically isolated from one another on the substrate;

a conductive first test contact on the substrate, the first test contact being in electrical connection with the first area and electrically isolated from the second area on the substrate, the conductive first test contact having a portion which is within the surface area for conductively adhering with the one terminal housing member of the battery, and another portion which extends from within the surface area to outside of the surface area; and

a conductive second test contact on the substrate having a portion which is within the surface area for conductively adhering with the terminal housing member of the battery and in electrical connection with the second area, and another portion which extends from within the surface area to outside of the surface area, the second test contact being spaced from the first test contact and electrically isolated from the first area and the first test contact on the substrate.

12. The battery mounting and testing apparatus of claim 11, wherein one of the first and second test contacts comprise a plurality of individual nodes which are in electrical communication with one another.

13. The battery mounting and testing apparatus of claim 11, wherein both of the first and second test contacts comprise a plurality of individual nodes which are respectively in electrical communication with one another within the surface area.

14. The battery mounting and testing apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first and second test contacts comprise different numbers of individual nodes.

15. A battery mounting and testing apparatus comprising:

a substrate having a surface area sized and shaped to be covered by a battery terminal housing member;

a first array comprising individual conductive nodes over the substrate and within the surface area for conductively adhering with the terminal housing member, the individual nodes being disposed along a first continuous line; and

a second array comprising individual conductive nodes over the substrate and within the surface area for conductively adhering with the terminal housing member, the individual nodes of the second array being disposed along a second continuous line outwardly of the first continuous line,

one node of the first array being electrically isolated from other nodes of the first array and in electrical communication with some nodes of the second array and collectively comprising therewith a test contact having a conductive extension which extends from within the surface area to outside of the surface area,

other different nodes of the first array being in electrical communication with one another and with other different nodes of the second array which are not in electrical communication with said one node of the first array and collectively comprising therewith a different test contact having a different conductive extension which extends from within the surface area to outside of the surface area.

16. The battery mounting and testing apparatus of claim 15, wherein one of the first and second continuous lines approximates a circle.

17. The battery mounting and testing apparatus of claim 15, wherein both of the first and second continuous lines approximate a circle.

18. The battery mounting and testing apparatus of claim 15, wherein those respective portions of the test contacts which are disposed within the surface area are shaped differently from one another.

19. A battery mounting and testing apparatus forming method comprising:

providing a substrate having a surface area sized and shaped to be covered with a battery having first and second polarity terminal housing members, the surface area comprising a first area and a second area configured for electrical connection with one of the first and second polarity terminal housing members, the first and second areas being spaced and electrically isolated from one another on the substrate;

forming a conductive first test contact on the substrate surface extending from within the surface area to outside of the surface areas the first test contact being in electrical connection with the first area and electrically isolated from the second area on the substrate; and

forming a conductive second test contact on the substrate surface extending from within the surface area to outside the surface area, the second test contact being in electrical connection with the second area and spaced from the first test contact and being electrically isolated from the first area and the first test contact on the substrate.

20. The battery mounting and testing apparatus forming method of claim 19, wherein the forming of the first and second test contacts comprises forming those portions of the first and second test contacts which are within the surface area to have different shapes.

21. A battery mounting and testing apparatus comprising:

a substrate having a surface area sized and shaped to be covered by a battery terminal housing member;

a conductive first test contact on the substrate surface extending from within the surface area to outside of the surface area;

a conductive second test contact on the substrate surface extending from within the surface area to outside the surface area, the second test contact being spaced from the first test contact and being electrically isolated therefrom on the substrate; and

wherein at least one of the first and second test contacts comprise a plurality of individual nodes which are in electrical communication with one another within the surface area.

22. The battery mounting and testing apparatus of claim 21 wherein:

the first test contact comprises a plurality of individual nodes within the surface area which are in electrical communication with one another; and

the second test contact comprises a plurality of individual nodes within the surface area which are in electrical communication with one another.

23. The battery mounting and testing apparatus of claim 22, wherein the pluralities of first and second test contact individual nodes each comprise a different number of individual nodes.

24. A battery mounting and testing apparatus comprising:

a substrate having a surface area sized and shaped to be covered by a battery terminal housing member;

a conductive first test contact on the substrate having a portion which is within the surface area for conductively adhering with the terminal housing member of the battery, and another portion which extends from within the surface area to outside of the surface area;

a conductive second test contact on the substrate having a portion which is within the surface area for conductively adhering with the terminal housing member of the battery, and another portion which extends from within the surface area to outside of the surface area, the second test contact being spaced from the first test contact and electrically isolated therefrom on the substrate; and

wherein one of the first and second test contacts comprise a plurality of individual nodes which are in electrical communication with one another.

25. The battery mounting and testing apparatus of claim 24, wherein both of the first and second test contacts comprise a plurality of individual nodes which are respectively in electrical communication with one another within the surface area.

26. The battery mounting and testing apparatus of claim 25, wherein the first and second test contacts comprise different numbers of individual nodes.