JP2003329739A - Clamping device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a clamping device which enables smooth detachment of a work on a supporting member without damaging the work by the supporting member, when clamping is released and the work is detached. <P>SOLUTION: The clamping device is provided with a plurality of pins (test pins) 23 which support a tabular work (printed board) 9 from its underside, pressing members (pressing plate 28 and pressing bars 30) which press the work 9 from upside to the pins 23, an operating means (clamping lever 26 and clamping rod 27) which operates the pressing members 28, 30 between a clamping position and a clamp releasing position vertically. The clamping device is provided with a lifting means (lifting plate) 32 which separates the work 9 from the pins 23 when clamping is released, interlocked with the rising action of the pressing members 28, 30. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a clamp device used in a printed circuit board testing device or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A printed circuit board which constitutes a controller for an automobile engine and other various control devices is subjected to a circuit continuity test and a function test after the circuit is formed. This test equipment
A board is placed on the upper end of a test pin such as a needle-shaped probe or a pin having a minute ring-shaped contactor on the head, and the board is pressed against the test pin side from above by a clamp device to perform a test.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are structural explanatory views of a clamp device used in a conventional printed circuit board testing apparatus, in which FIG. 7A shows a clamped state and FIG. 7B shows a clamp released state.

Clamping device 1 constituting a substrate testing device
Has a plurality of (two in the figure) test pins 3 protruding from the upper surface of the test pin board 2 serving as a support base. The test pin 3 has a spring (not shown) in its cylinder and elastically moves up and down. The work (printed circuit board 9) to be tested is mounted on the upper end of these test pins 3 and
Elastically supported on. Each test pin 3 is provided at a position of a terminal or circuit pattern on the lower surface side of the printed circuit board 9 to be inspected, which is known in advance. Reference numeral 11 denotes electronic components mounted on the upper and lower surfaces of the printed board 9.

A top plate 5 is provided on the upper side of the test pin board 2 via columns 4. The top plate 5 is provided with a clamp lever 6 and a clamp rod 7 having a toggle structure that moves up and down by rotating the clamp lever 6. The pressing plate 8 is fixed to the lower end of the clamp rod 7. A plurality of presser bars 10 are provided so as to project on the lower surface side of the presser plate 8. Each presser bar 10 is provided on the presser plate 8 so as to come into contact with a position on the upper surface of the printed circuit board 9 which is known in advance, avoiding a mounting position of a circuit pattern or a component.

When performing a test, as shown in (B),
The printed circuit board 9 is placed on the test pins 3 with the positioning pins (not shown) guided in a state where the clamps are released. Thereafter, as shown in (A), the clamp lever 6 is rotated to push down the clamp rod 7, the presser bar 10 is lowered together with the presser plate 8, and the printed board 9 is pressed to clamp the test pin 3 on the test pin 3. Test with clamped. When the test is completed, as shown in (B),
Release the clamp again and fix the printed board 9 to the test pin 3
Remove from.

[0007]

However, in the above-described conventional clamp device, when the clamp is released and the printed circuit board 9 is removed after the test is completed, the tip of the test pin 3 touches the lower surface of the printed circuit board 9 to form a pattern. There is a case where it is scratched or caught on the electronic component 11 and damages the component connecting portion and the pin itself.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned prior art, and provides a clamp device which can be smoothly removed without damaging the work when the work is released from the support member by releasing the clamp. With the goal.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a plurality of pins for supporting a plate-shaped work from below, a pressing member for pressing the work against the pins from above, and A clamping device having an operating means for vertically moving a holding member between a clamp position and a unclamping position is provided with a pulling means for separating the work from the pin at the time of unclamping in association with a lifting operation of the holding member. A clamp device is provided.

According to this construction, when a plate-like work such as a printed circuit board is supported on a plurality of pins and is clamped by the pressing member from above, the pressing member is moved upward when the clamp is released. Along with this, the pulling means rises to lift the work on the pin. As a result, the work is separated from the tip of the pin, so that the work can be removed without being caught on the tip of the pin.

In a preferred configuration example, the work is a printed circuit board, the pins are test pins for testing a plurality of substrates which project on the upper surface of a test pin board to elastically support the substrate, and the pressing member is It is characterized in that it comprises a pressing plate and a plurality of pressing rods protruding from the lower surface of the pressing plate and contacting the upper surface of the substrate, and the pulling-up means comprises a lift plate engaging with the lower surface side of the printed circuit board.

According to this structure, when the present invention is applied to the clamp structure in the printed circuit board testing apparatus,
After the printed circuit board on the test pin is pressed by the presser bar of the presser plate to clamp it, when the presser plate is lifted and released from the clamp, the lift plate that engages with the presser plate and the lower surface of the printed circuit board rises and prints. Lift the board. As a result, the printed circuit board is pulled away from the tips of the test pins, and the printed circuit board can be taken out without being damaged by the test pins.

In a further preferred configuration example, the lift plate has a rectangular frame shape corresponding to the printed circuit board, a plurality of suspension supporting members are provided on a lower surface of the pressing plate, and a lower end portion of the suspension supporting member is provided. The lift plate is supported.

According to this structure, a rectangular frame-shaped lift plate that engages with the lower surface side of the peripheral edge of the printed circuit board is used, and this lift plate is fixed to the lower end portion of the hanging support member projecting to the lower surface of the pressing plate. As a result, when the pressing plate rises when the clamp is released, the lift plate rises in conjunction with this, and the printed circuit board is lifted from the tip of the test pin and separated.

In another preferable configuration example, the suspension supporting member has a supporting end portion for supporting the lift plate by mounting it on a lower end portion thereof, and the lift plate is above the supporting end portion. Can be moved up and down along
The suspension support member is characterized by being movable up and down through the test pin board.

According to this structure, when the stroke of the clamp operation of the pressing plate is long, when the pressing plate is lowered during clamping, the suspension support member protruding to the lower surface side descends through the test pin board. Therefore, the printed circuit board on the upper surface side of the test pin board can be surely pressed and clamped by the pressing rod shorter than the hanging support member which also projects to the lower surface of the pressing plate.
At this time, the lift plate at the lower end of the suspension support member is
Since it is movable along the suspension support member, only the suspension support member penetrates the test pin board and descends in a state of being mounted on the test pin board.

In a further preferred configuration example, the lift plate is composed of a plurality of plate pieces engaging with the lower surface of the outer edge portion of the printed circuit board, and the test pin board has an opening having a shape corresponding to the plate pieces. I am trying.

According to this structure, the lift plate for lifting the printed circuit board is composed of two plate pieces corresponding to, for example, the side edges on both sides corresponding to the shape of the rectangular printed circuit board. When the presser plate descends during clamping when the stroke of is long, the lift plate (two plate pieces) descends through the opening of the test pin board together with the hanging support member protruding to the lower surface side of the presser plate. The presser bar can reliably press and clamp the printed circuit board on the upper surface of the test pin board.

[0019]

1 is a structural explanatory view of a clamp device applied to a printed circuit board testing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, (A) showing a clamped state, and (B) showing a unclamped state. Show. FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of the shape of the lift plate.

Clamping device 21 constituting a substrate testing device
Has a plurality (two in the figure) of test pins 23 protruding from the upper surface of the test pin board 22 serving as a support base. The test pin 23 has a spring (not shown) in its cylinder and elastically moves up and down. A work to be tested (printed circuit board 9) is mounted on the upper ends of these test pins 23, and is elastically supported on the test pins 23. Each test pin 23
Are provided at positions of terminals and circuit patterns on the lower surface side of the printed circuit board 9 to be inspected, which are known in advance. Electronic components 11 are mounted on the upper surface and the lower surface of the printed circuit board 9.

A top plate 25 is provided on the upper side of the test pin board 22 via columns 24. The top plate 25 is provided with a clamp lever 26 and a clamp rod 27 having a toggle structure that moves up and down by rotating the clamp lever 26. The pressing plate 28 is fixed to the lower end of the clamp rod 27. A plurality of pressing bars 30 are provided so as to project from the lower surface side of the pressing plate 28. Each holding bar 30 holds the holding plate 28 so as to come into contact with a position on the upper surface of the printed circuit board 9 which is known in advance, avoiding a mounting position of a circuit pattern or a component.
It is provided in.

In this embodiment, round bar-shaped hanging support members 31 projecting longer than the presser bar 30 are provided at the four corners of the lower surface of the presser plate 28. A lift plate 32 is fixed to and supported by a lower end of the suspension support member 31 by a support screw 33. As shown in FIG. 2, the lift plate 32 is in the shape of a rectangular frame having a central opening corresponding to the entire outer circumference of the printed circuit board 9. 4 of the lift plate 32
Mounting holes 34 are provided at the corners for the support screws 33 to pass through.

When the test is performed, the printed circuit board 9 is placed on the test pin 23 while being unclamped by being guided by the positioning pin (not shown). Thereafter, as shown in (A), the clamp lever 26 is rotated (to the right in the drawing in this example) to push down the clamp rod 27, and the presser bar 30 is lowered together with the presser plate 28 to press the printed circuit board 9. Clamp it on the test pin 23. At this time, the lift plate 32 also descends, but as shown in FIG. 2, since the central portion of the lift plate 32 is open, the lift plate 32 descends beyond the tip of the test pin 23,
The test pin 23 contacts a predetermined inspection position on the lower surface of the printed board 9. Test with this clamped condition.

After the test is completed, the clamp lever 26
The clamp rod 2 by rotating the
7 is lifted to pull up the presser bar 30 together with the presser plate 28 to release the clamp. At this time, the lift plate 32 rises together with the pressing plate 28, and the printed circuit board 9 is lifted and separated from the tip of the test pin 23 as shown in FIG. In this state, the printed board 9 can be removed from the device without touching the test pins 23.

FIG. 3 is a configuration explanatory view of another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of the shape of the lift plate.

In this embodiment, the screw shaft portion 33a of the support screw 33 for supporting the lift plate 32 at the lower end portion of the suspension support member 31 is lengthened and extended from the lower end portion of the suspension support member 31 and fixed. is there. The lift plate 32 is placed and supported on the screw head 33 b of the support screw 33. As shown in FIG. 4A, the lift plate 32 is provided with insertion holes 35 at the four corners through which the screw shaft portions 33a of the support screws 33 are inserted. The diameter of the insertion hole 35 is larger than that of the screw shaft portion 33a and smaller than that of the screw head portion 33b. As a result, the lift plate 32 can move vertically along the screw shaft portion 33b of the support screw 33 and is supported on the screw head portion 33b at the lower end portion.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the test pin board 22 is provided with through holes 36 through which the support screws 33 are inserted, corresponding to respective positions of the support screws 33. This through hole 3
The diameter of 6 is larger than the diameter of the head 33b of the support screw 33, and the support screw 33 penetrates with the head 33b.

At the time of clamping, the clamp rod 26 is operated by operating the clamp lever 26 in the same manner as in the above-mentioned example of FIG.
7 is pushed down, and the printed board 9 is clamped on the test pin 23 by the presser bar 30. At this time, as shown in FIG. 3 (A), the support screw 33 is pulled out through the through hole 35 of the test pin board 22, and the lift plate 32 is held on the test pin board 22. As a result, when the stroke of the clamp operation is long, the projecting length of the test pin 23 or the presser bar 30 and the hanging member 31.
The printed circuit board 9 can be reliably clamped on the test pin 23 regardless of the difference in the length of the printed circuit board 9.

When the clamp is released, the clamp rod 27 is raised by operating the clamp lever 26.
As a result, as shown in FIG. 3B, the support screw 33 rises and its screw head 33b rises through the through hole 35 of the test pin board 22 to lift the lift plate 32. As a result, the lift plate 32 pulls up the printed circuit board 9 from the tips of the test pins 23, as in the case of FIG. 1 described above.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of the structure of another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of the shape of the lift plate. This embodiment deals with the case where the stroke of the clamp operation is long, as in the example of FIG. 3 described above.

In this embodiment, the lift plate 37 for lifting the printed board is composed of a pair of left and right plate pieces 37a, 37b corresponding to two sides on both sides of the printed board 9, as shown in FIG. 6 (A). . As shown in FIG. 5, these plate pieces 37a and 37b are fixed to the lower end portions of the suspension support members 31 on both sides by support screws 33, respectively. The support screw 33 includes a plate piece 37a,
Mounting holes 38 formed in each of 37b (see FIG. 6).
Each plate piece 37a, 37b is fixed to the lower end of the suspension support member 31 through (A). Test pin board 2
2 includes plate pieces 37a, as shown in FIG.
Openings 39a and 39b through which 37b is inserted are formed.

As a result, at the time of clamping, as shown in FIG.
As shown in, the plate pieces 37 a and 37 b penetrate the test pin board 22 and descend together with the suspension support member 31, and the presser bar 30 securely clamps the printed circuit board 9 onto the test pin 23. When releasing the clamp,
As shown in FIG. 5B, the printed circuit board 9 is separated from the test pin 23 by the plate pieces 37a and 37b.

[0033]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a plate-like work such as a printed circuit board is supported on a plurality of pins and is pressed by a pressing member from above to clamp, the clamp is released. As the lifting member moves up, the pulling means rises to lift the work on the pin. This allows
Since the work is pulled away from the tip of the pin, the work can be removed without being caught on the tip of the pin, and damage to the work and damage to the pin are prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration explanatory view of a clamp device applied to a printed circuit board test apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of the shape of the lift plate shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a configuration explanatory view of a clamp device applied to a printed circuit board test device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of the shape of the lift plate of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a configuration explanatory view of a clamp device applied to a printed circuit board testing device according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

6 is an explanatory view of the shape of the lift plate of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a structural explanatory view of a conventional clamp device.

[Explanation of reference symbols] 1: Clamping device, 2: Test pin board, 3: Test pin, 4: Post, 5: Top plate, 6: Clamp lever, 7:
Clamp rod, 8: retainer plate, 9: printed circuit board, 10: retainer bar, 11: electronic component, 21: clamp device, 22: test pin board, 23: test pin, 2
4: Support, 25: Top plate, 26: Clamp lever, 27:
Clamp rod, 28: Presser plate, 30: Presser rod,
31: hanging support member, 32: lift plate, 33:
Support screw, 33a: screw shaft portion, 33b: head portion, 34: mounting hole, 35: insertion hole, 36: through hole, 37: lift plate, 37a, 37b: plate piece, 38: mounting hole, 39a, 39b: Opening.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of pins for supporting a plate-shaped work from below, a pressing member for pressing the work against the pins from above, and an operation for vertically moving the pressing member between a clamp position and a clamp release position. And a pulling means that separates the work from the pin when the clamp is released in association with the lifting operation of the pressing member. 2. The work is a printed circuit board, the pins are test pins for testing a plurality of substrates that project on the upper surface of a test pin board to elastically support the substrate, and the pressing member is a pressing plate and a pressing plate. 2. The pressing plate, which comprises a plurality of pressing rods protruding from the lower surface of the pressing plate to come into contact with the upper surface of the substrate, and the pulling-up means is composed of a lift plate which engages with the lower surface side of the printed circuit board. Clamp device. 3. The lift plate has a rectangular frame shape corresponding to the printed circuit board, a plurality of suspension support members are provided on a lower surface of the pressing plate, and the lift plate is provided at a lower end portion of the suspension support member. The clamp device according to claim 2, which is supported. 4. The suspension support member includes a support member for supporting the lift plate by mounting the lift plate on a lower end portion thereof, and the lift plate moves up and down along the suspension support member above the support end portion. The clamp device according to claim 3, wherein the suspension support member is movable up and down through the test pin board. 5. The lift plate comprises a plurality of plate pieces that engage with a lower surface of an outer edge portion of the printed circuit board, and the test pin board has an opening having a shape corresponding to the plate pieces. Clamping device according to 3.