JPS5946348B2 - test clip - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a test clip that connects to terminals of a dual in-line package (hereinafter simply referred to as DIP) type circuit element.

When testing an electronic device to which a large number of circuit boards including DIP type integrated circuits (hereinafter simply referred to as ICs) are attached, it is desirable to use various terminals of the ICs as test terminals.

In most cases, it is best to test the electronic circuit while it is running. Typically, the circuit board is removed from normal operation, connected to a conventional extension plate, and conventional test probes or test clips connected to the terminals of the IC. Particularly when operating with high frequency signals, the use of an extension plate causes interference between signals within the circuit, thereby changing the electrical characteristics of the circuit under test.
The test clip of the present invention has a DI under normal operating conditions.
Can be connected to the terminal of a P-type circuit element.

In use, a test clip is connected to each terminal of an IC mounted on a circuit board removed from an electronic device. The height of the test clip is such that even if the circuit board is reinstalled into an electronic device with the test clip connected to the IC, it will not come into contact with other adjacent circuit boards. The length of the flat cable is such that an electrical connector connected to one end of the cable can be taken out of the electronic device and a conventional test probe can be connected thereto. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a test clip that connects to a DIP type circuit element, has a low height, and is easy to operate.

The above and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a typical connection configuration diagram for testing an electronic device using the test clip according to the present invention. It is shown. A flat cable 8 connects the test clip 6 to an electrical connector terminal block 10. A conventional test probe 12 is connected to the connector pins of the block 10 to provide a signal to a test instrument 14, such as an oscilloscope or logic analyzer. With such a configuration, the electrical characteristics of the circuit board 4 are determined while the circuit board is operating within the electronic device 2. Instead of operating and testing the circuit board 4 on a conventional extension board, the height of the thin test clip 6 is such that it makes contact with other adjacent circuit boards in order to operate and test it within an electronic device. The circuit board 4 can be mounted inside an electronic device without any problems.

As shown in FIG. 2, the test clip 6 includes several parts, such as a main body 20, a pair of arms 22 and a cap 24, which are a pair of clamping members. The body 20 is molded of a suitable plastic and supports a plurality of gold-plated beryllium copper cantilever resilient contacts 26 that provide electrical contact between the conductors of the flat cable 8 and the terminals of the IC under test. Although a total of sixteen resilient contacts 26 are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be appreciated that any desired number of contacts may be provided on the body 20 to accommodate various IC configurations. The top of each elastic contact 26 is in the shape of a fork, and when the flat cable 8 is fitted therein, a hole is made in the insulation around the conductor of the cable to remove the insulation in that part.

The elastic contacts 26 can thus be connected to the conductors of the flat cable 8. As shown in the figure, the tops of the contact portions in one row are arranged in two parallel rows and are offset from those in the other row to prevent different resilient contacts from being connected to the same conductor when connecting to a flat cable. The bottom of each elastic contact 26 makes elastic contact with a respective terminal of the IC under test and is electrically connected. The bottom of each elastic contact 26 has an arcuate projection 26a bent inward so that it can easily come into contact with the respective terminal C. The two arms 22 have the same configuration and have a C-shaped portion 2 that engages with the cylindrical projection 23 of the main body 20.
1, it is pivotally attached to the main body 20 as shown in FIG.

The bottom of each arm 22 has finger-shaped portions 25 spaced apart from each other and arranged between adjacent elastic contacts, and since they sandwich the IC body, good contact is made between the elastic contacts 26 and the terminals of C. The fingers 25 protect the resilient contacts 26 and prevent them from shorting together. The intermediate portion of each arm 22 covers and serves as an insulator for the resilient contact 26. By pinching the tops of both arms and rotating the bottoms away from the elastic contacts 26, the elastic contacts can be easily connected to the terminals of the IC. The arm 22 is pivotally attached to the main body 20 by the C-shaped portion 21 and the protrusion 23 so that the bottom of the arm can be moved toward and away from the elastic contact 26, so that the elastic contact 26 can be connected to the terminal of the IC. can be reliably connected to.

After the arm 22 is pivotally attached to the main body 20, the arm 2
Since the ring 30 is installed in the groove 2r of the main body 20, the arm 22 is held in a predetermined position on the main body 20 and is biased. Body 20 includes a latching arm 32 having a latching surface 34.

When the lid 24 is placed on the main body 20, the latch arm 3
2 is inserted into the opening 36 of the lid 24. Latch arm 3
The outward resilient action of 2 engages the latching surface 34 with a corresponding surface of the lid 24, latching the lid 24 in place, insulating the exposed portion of the resilient contact 26, and securing the resilient contact 26 and the flat cable. Maintain contact between 8 and 8. Flat cable 8
includes a plurality of insulated conductors, an example of which is shown in FIG. 2 containing 16 conductors, but can be adapted to ICs of various configurations using a flat cable containing a desired number of conductors. is clear.

A signal taken out from the terminal of the IC by the elastic contact 26 is transmitted to the outside of the electronic device 2 via the flat cable 8. A conventional terminal block 10 surrounded by a housing 35 containing a plurality of connector pins 33 is connected to a flat cable 8.
Connect to the other end.

Although FIG. 2 shows a 16-pin terminal block, it is clear that a terminal block containing any desired number of pins may be adapted to a flat cable having conductors corresponding to that number of pins. A conventional test probe 12 from test equipment 14 is connected to connector pin 33 to
Test the circuit in C. Alternatively, a conventional connector designed to plug directly into test equipment 14 may be connected to one end of flat cable 8 to remove the test probe. According to the test clip of the present invention, the contact portion of the elastic contact member protruding from one surface of the substantially flat insulating body exhibits elasticity as it is and locks onto the terminal of the DIP type circuit element, while this elastic contact An insulating clamping member pivotally attached to both sides of the main body from the outside of the member can press the contact part and increase the contact pressure of the contact part to the circuit element terminal, so that a good mechanical and electrical connection can be achieved. It is done. In order to apply a biasing force to the clamping member, an elastic ring is used and is stretched around the outer periphery of the clamping member closer to the finger than the pivot point, so it takes up almost no extra space and the test clip There is no problem in significantly lowering the height. Furthermore, since the above-mentioned elastic contact member has elasticity, even if the elastic force of the ring added thereto is relatively small, the test clip can be properly locked and electrically connected to the DIP type circuit element. Therefore, even if the height of the clamping member, and by extension the height of the test clip, is made sufficiently small, by reducing the elastic force of the ring, the clamping member can be easily opened and closed with a relatively small force. . The low-height test clip realized in this way can be attached to an IC or the like on a circuit board mounted in close proximity and parallel to each other, and can be tested under normal operating conditions. Furthermore, when the test clip is pivotally attached to the DIP type circuit element, the finger-shaped portion of the holding member acts as a means for guiding the contact portions of the plurality of elastic contact members to the terminals of the circuit element, thereby preventing contact between the contact portions and the terminals. ensure that it is maintained. Further, the test clip is easy to assemble, and when the elastic ring becomes insufficient in elasticity due to long-term use, it is extremely easy to replace, and various other remarkable effects can be obtained. Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, it is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. It is intended to include such modifications and alterations.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a typical configuration and connection diagram for testing an electronic device using a test clip according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded view of an example of the test clip according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an assembled view thereof. In the figure, 20 is a substantially flat insulating main body, 22 is an insulating holding member (arm), 25 is a finger-like portion, 26 is an elastic contact member, and 30 is a biasing means (ring).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A test clip connected to a dual in-line package type circuit element, which includes a substantially flat insulating body, penetrating near both sides of the body, arranged in two rows, and protruding from one side of the body. A plurality of elastic contact members each having a contact portion that contacts the circuit element and a connection portion that protrudes from the other surface of the main body and is respectively connected to a plurality of conductors of the flat cable, and between the contact portions of the adjacent elastic contact members. a pair of insulating holding members having a plurality of finger-like portions for holding the circuit element and pivotally attached to both sides of the main body; and a pivoting portion of the pair of holding members to the finger-like portions; a test clip, the test clip comprising an elastic ring stretched around a near outer periphery and biasing the opposing finger-like portions of the pair of clamping members toward each other;