JPH04230877A - Product carrier and testing-chamber structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To reduce exposure of a part for electrical connection necessary for testing a product to an environment inside a test chamber, i.e., to different temperature and/or humidity inside the chamber. CONSTITUTION: A product carrier and an environmental test chamber have such structures that the carrier is slid into the chamber to be positioned therein. An introducing wall for the carrier has a stretch port for electrical connection which stretches in the direction of slide of the carrier. The stretch port engages with a part for connection to an external test control circuit and this part is borne on a chamber wall within a route of movement of the carrier, while it is separated from the test chamber itself. The part for connection being present on that wall is not exposed to a test environment inside the chamber.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to environmental testing chambers and, more particularly, to product carriers used within such chambers.

0002

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A common application for environmental test chambers is to perform tests on various electronic devices, such as the "burn-in" of circuit boards. During such testing, the circuit board or electronic device (product) is placed in an environmental chamber;
It is cycled through its operating process while being simultaneously subjected to various conditions of temperature, temperature and shock and/or vibration. Testing and evaluation of these types of products is common and well known.

0003

One of the problems with these types of chambers is the transportation of the product to the chamber;
and preparing the product in the chamber for testing, and adjusting the test cycle to suit different products or different test cycles for the same product. Various mechanisms have been proposed for loading and unloading products into and out of the test chamber, and for electrically connecting and physically supporting the products in the test chamber during testing. An example of such a prior art proposal is described in commonly assigned US Pat. No. 4,683,424.

The present invention is also directed to these problems associated with transporting, connecting and preparing products for testing, and its overall purpose is to facilitate these operations within a test chamber. To provide an improved product carrier that facilitates

A more specific object of the invention is that the electrical connections necessary for testing the product are exposed to the environment within the test chamber, ie exposed to different temperatures and/or humidity within the chamber. The aim is to reduce this.

Another specific object of the invention is to facilitate access to electrical connections external to the product for repair, maintenance, or to enable switching if necessary to change the test cycle. It is to be.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above and other objects, the present invention has an extended external terminal port for connection with an external test circuit, and is capable of receiving the extended port. The present invention provides a product carrier that allows the combination of a shaped test chamber and a product carrier so that connections to external test circuitry are isolated from the test chamber environment. The product carrier includes a support structure that physically orients the product within the chamber;
and an electrical connection mechanism by which the product can be connected to a test circuit. The one or more electrical connections, when positioned within the test chamber, are connected to external test circuitry that controls the testing cycle according to a predetermined test procedure. An electrical circuit is incorporated within the product carrier to provide electrical connection with an external connector. More specifically, the product carrier is provided with a terminal port supported on one wall of the product carrier. The product carrier and test chamber are constructed and arranged such that the carrier can be inserted into the chamber by sliding the carrier into the chamber. The introduction wall of the carrier is provided with a protruding or elongated port, which engages a connection to an external circuit when the carrier is moved into its intended position within the chamber. Because the ports extend from the carrier wall, the external connection mechanism is not located within the chamber itself, but is physically isolated from the chamber. With this structure, circuit elements extending from the individual products are connected to and extend through the extension ports. This positions the wiring ends for the individual products in an area that is easily accessible from outside the test chamber. The wiring is accessible through the outer wall of the chamber carrying the external connections.

The novel features of the invention are set forth in the claims. The invention itself, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, may be better understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which disclose preferred embodiments of the invention.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring specifically to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, the illustrated test chamber 10 is shown with a plurality of product carriers 12 inserted therein. One such carrier is shown partially withdrawn from the test chamber;
The carrier is shown inserted into the test chamber by sliding it through the opening 14. The test chamber may be provided with an outer door 16 that closes off and secures the interior of the test chamber after the desired product carrier and product have been inserted into the chamber.

[0010] The test chamber is usually provided with a heating, cooling and/or humidifying mechanism, and in some cases may be provided with a vibration generating mechanism. These mechanisms can be housed in the lower part of the test chamber, ie, below the opening 14, or in some cases and in the case of certain mechanisms, provided outside the test chamber. These are conventional and not shown. Similarly, controls for these mechanisms are usually provided and located outside the chamber. These controls are also of conventional type and are therefore not shown.

FIG. 2 illustrates a typical product of the type that may be tested within the chamber. In this case, the product is an electrical circuit board 18 with conventional circuit elements 19 and electrical plugs 20. Such a product may be any product of a number of electrical components, such as a radio, telephone, electrical measuring device, etc., or an actual assembled device.

Referring to FIG. 3, such a product carrier 1
One of the two is shown. The product carrier includes a substrate 22 forming a wall extending along one side of the carrier. The board is provided with a plurality of electrical connections 24, each having a female plug 26 for receiving a circuit board plug 20. For convenience, only one circuit board is shown in FIG. 3 to provide a better view of the interior of the carrier. In practice, the circuit board 18 is associated with each of the connections 24.

To complete the physical structure of the carrier, the carrier includes a front plate 28 and a rear plate 30 and a top plate 32 and a bottom plate 34. The front and back plates are closed, while the top plate has a plurality of holes 36 and the bottom plate has a plurality of holes 38 for ventilation purposes.

The wires from the connection 24 are housed within the board;
It extends from the base plate to the rear plate 30. Line bundle 4 in Figure 3
See 0. Wire 40 extends through plate 42 to extension port 4
Extends within 4. The extension port is located on the top wall 46, side wall 48
, 50, an end wall 52 and a bottom wall 54 (see FIG. 4), the bottom wall 54 being connected to the rear plate 30 of the carrier.
Together, a regular hexahedral chamber 55 is formed. Conductor wire 40
extends into and through chamber 55 . The electrical conductor 40 extends laterally from the wall 52 of the elongate port to an electrical connection 56 .

A portion 58 of the outer wall of the test chamber 10 is shown in FIG.
Illustrated in. That portion of the outer wall carries an electrical plug assembly 60 shaped to accommodate connection 56 . The electrical plug consists of conventional electrical terminals 62 positioned within holes 64 in a rectangular block 66. As perhaps best understood from FIG. 4, the rectangular block 66 is connected to a plate 68 that is suitably releasably fastened to the outer wall 58 of the chamber. Electrical connections to terminals 64 are made via suitable wire connectors. See wire bundle 70 in FIG. 4, wire bundle 70 forms the input circuit to the test circuit.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the product carrier 12 includes upper slides 71, 72, one at each lower corner of the carrier, only one of which is shown in FIGS. It is shown. These slides engage an upper pair of horizontally spaced brackets 74 and a lower pair of horizontally spaced brackets 75 in the test chamber. Although FIG. 4 only shows one bracket on each side of each pair of product carriers, a similar bracket (
(not shown) is provided.

The above-described structure allows a quadrilateral box-like shape for the product carrier. The product carrier is positioned with slides 71, 72 engaged with brackets 74, 75. Once so engaged, the product carrier with the assembled circuit board therein slides along the bracket into the test chamber. The brackets 74, 75 and the slides 71, 72 are connected to the connecting portion 56.
is positioned relative to connection portion 56 to align with hole 64 and terminal 62 . The elongated port 44 is positioned at the carrier introduction wall 30, ie, at a position that provides an introduction wall for movement of the carrier into the chamber. With such construction and arrangement, the product carrier moves the connections 56 into electrical engagement with the terminals 64 as it is moved into position within the test chamber. This allows the appropriate test control circuit (wire bundle 7
0 (not shown) and through the substrate to circuit board 18. To facilitate entry and exit of the product carrier into and out of the chamber, the introduction wall 28 is provided with a suitable handle 76. Off-center latches 78, 80 are provided on the introduction wall. These latches cooperate with appropriate latch bails 90 on the walls of the test chamber to securely seat and lock the product carrier in place after an electrical connection is made between connection 56 and terminal 62.

Referring now to FIG. 4, extension port 44
is formed in the introduction wall 30 of the product carrier, so that the actual terminal connection to the external terminal 62 is positioned outside the test chamber and is therefore isolated from the conditions existing within the test chamber. As shown in FIG. 4, the test chamber outer wall 58 is spaced from the test chamber inner wall 82 to form a rectangular cross-section duct 84 extending between the outer wall 58 and the inner wall 82. The duct 84 has a hexahedral space 8 that receives and accommodates the extension port 44.
5. A gasket ring 83 is located between the inner wall 82 of the carrier and the rear plate 80. With the product carrier seated in place within the test chamber, gasket ring 83 is compressed between inner wall 82 and plate 30. This provides a positive seal and prevents the test chamber environment from entering the extension port. suitable insulator 86
are provided in the space between the outer wall 58 and the inner wall 82 and around the duct 84 in a conventional manner.

Plate 66 is removably attached to end wall 58 by fasteners 86. With this construction, the plate 66 can be removed from the outer wall 58 to connect the electrical connections 56 and the plug 6 without removing the product carrier from the test chamber or significantly disturbing the environment created within the test chamber.
4 can be accessed. Electrical connection 56
and plug 64, or the wiring can be changed if necessary to accommodate different test modes.

[0020] With this structure, the external connection part, the connection part 56
, and terminal 62 are removed from the interior of the test chamber;
It is therefore substantially insulated from environmental changes occurring within the test chamber. Therefore, the external electrical terminals are not affected by these environmental changes. Having shown and described one embodiment of the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous modifications and adaptations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a test chamber showing several product carriers inserted into the test chamber.

FIG. 2 is an overall schematic diagram showing a typical product, in this case a circuit board.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a product carrier with one circuit board assembled within the carrier and showing a portion of the outer wall of the chamber with an external electrical plug assembly.

FIG. 4 is a side view of a product carrier partially inserted into a test chamber in which both the carrier and test chamber are constructed in accordance with the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Test chamber
12 Product carrier 14 Opening
16 Outer door 18 Electric circuit board
19 Circuit element 20 Electrical plug
24 Electrical connection part 26 Female plug
28 Front plate 30 Rear plate
32
Top plate 34 Bottom plate
36 holes 38 holes

40 wire bundle 42 plate
44 Extension port 46 Top wall
48 Side wall 50 Side wall
52
End wall 54 Bottom wall
55 Chamber 56 Electrical connection
58 Part of outer wall 60 Electrical plug assembly
62 Electrical terminal 64 Hole
66 Block 68 Board
70 Line bundle 71 Upper slide 72
Upper slide 74 bracket
75 Bracket 76 Handle
78 Latch 80 Latch
82
Inner wall 83 gasket ring
84 Duct 86 Insulator
90
latch veil

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A product carrier and test chamber structure defining a product carrier having a plurality of wall skeletons and a plurality of connections for providing electrical connections to products positioned within the product carrier. a test chamber having an outer wall, means for defining a hole in the outer wall;
closure means for closing the hole in the outer wall, the closure means having electrical connection means arranged inside the outer wall; for receiving the product carrier and guiding the product carrier into the test chamber; means defining a support in the test chamber for guiding towards an outer wall of the test chamber, the connecting means on the outer wall being aligned with the support, and the product carrier a wall that is an introduction wall relative to movement into the chamber, further comprising means defining an extension extending from the introduction wall and having an electrical connection spaced from the introduction wall; When the product carrier is engaged with the support, the electrical connection on the introduction wall is aligned with the connection means of the outer wall, and the extension extends to the hole in the outer wall, so that the extension said electrical connection of said section engages said connection means and further includes an electrical conductor connected to said electrical connection on said one product carrier, passing through said introduction wall and said extension. the electrical conductor extending to the electrical connection of the extension, such that an external connection is made to the product carried by the product carrier through the connection means on the outer wall of the test chamber. A product carrier characterized by: 2. The product carrier according to claim 1, wherein the product carrier has a substantially trapezoidal shape formed by a plurality of walls, one of which is the introduction wall, and the extension portion includes:
One end wall thereof has a substantially trapezoidal shape formed by the plurality of side walls and the end wall serving as the introduction wall, and the introduction wall hole of the outer wall of the introduction wall substantially conforms to the shape of the extension part. said extension is received within a hole in said outer wall, and said one end wall extends from a portion of said product carrier opposite said end wall and from an interior of said test chamber to one side of said end wall. A product carrier characterized in that said extension part on said product carrier is insulated. 3. The product carrier of claim 2, wherein said outer wall comprises a plate, said connecting means on said outer wall is attached to said plate, and further comprising means for removably attaching said plate to said outer wall. A product carrier featuring: 4. The product carrier of claim 1, wherein the hole in the outer wall is generally elongated in the direction of movement of the product carrier into the test chamber, and the extension on the product carrier is generally elongated and the outer wall the outer wall of the test chamber comprises an outer wall portion and an inner wall portion spaced from the outer wall portion, the aperture in the outer wall extending between the outer wall and the inner wall portion, and the connecting means on said outer wall portion, further defining a sealed engagement between said product carrier and said inner wall portion; an electrical connection extending through the elongate extension on the carrier to the electrical connection means on the extension. 5. The product carrier according to claim 4, wherein the product carrier has a substantially trapezoidal hexahedral shape formed by a plurality of walls, one of which is the introduction wall, and the extension portion includes a plurality of side walls. and a generally trapezoidal hexahedral shape formed by an end wall, the hole in the outer wall generally conforming to the hexahedral shape of the elongated portion, such that the elongated portion is received within the hole in the outer wall. Features product carrier. 6. A product carrier and test chamber structure comprising a test chamber having an outer wall, the outer wall having an outer wall portion and an inner wall portion spaced from the outer wall portion;
an elongated rectangular cross-section hole extending between the inner wall and the outer wall, further means defining electrical connection means on the outer wall portion exposed within the elongated hole and accessible from the outside of the outer wall; a product carrier having a framework of a plurality of walls, one of the walls being provided within the test chamber, with means for defining a plurality of electrical connections to a product positioned within the product carrier; , comprising guiding means for engaging the product carrier and guiding the product carrier towards the outer wall portion, the electrical connection means of the outer wall portion being aligned with the guiding means, and the product carrier wherein the carrier comprises one wall that is an introduction wall relative to movement into the test chamber and in the direction of the electrical connection means on the outer wall portion, and further extends from the introduction wall and the elongated outer wall; means for defining an extension received within a hole of and having an electrical connection when said electrical connection is spaced from said introduction wall and said product carrier engages said guide means; , the extension defining means being aligned with the electrical connection means of the outer wall portion, wherein the introduction wall connects the extension on one side of the introduction wall to the extension defining means on the opposite side of the introduction wall. the electrical connection on the extension, insulated from parts of the product carrier and from the inside of the chamber, and further connected to the electrical connection of the product carrier and extending through the introduction wall and the extension; an external connection is made to the product carried by the product carrier through the connection means on the outer wall portion, the connection means being insulated from the internal environment of the test chamber. A structure characterized by: 7. The structure of claim 6, further comprising means for defining a sealed connection between said product carrier and an inner wall portion of said test chamber. 8. The structure of claim 1, wherein the product carrier has a substantially trapezoidal hexahedral shape formed by a plurality of walls, one of which is the introduction wall, and the extension portion includes a plurality of side walls. and a generally hexahedral shape formed by an end wall, and the hole in the outer wall substantially conforms to the hexahedral shape of the extension so that the extension is received within the hole in the outer wall. A structure characterized by.