Test system for checking electronic connections

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10884052-B2
Application number	US-201716321984-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2017
Priority date	Aug 1, 2016
Publication date	Jan 5, 2021
Grant date	Jan 5, 2021

Abstract

Disclosed is a test system for testing electric connections, in particular soldered connections, between electronic components and a printed circuit board to be tested, characterized in that the test system includes a subassembly, which is movably mounted in a housing of the test system, and a current and/or voltage source for energizing the circuit board to be tested, the current and/or voltage source being arranged in the housing of the test system in such a way as to be movable in at least two directions in space.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A test system for checking electrical connections between electronic components of a circuit board, comprising:
a temperature measurement device configured to measure a temperature of the electrical connections and the electronic components and to determine characteristic thermal values of the electrical connections and of the electronic components;
a housing and
a communication interface having at least three electrically-conductive contact tips, which, by contacting with a contacting arrangement on the circuit board having several contacting points, enable data exchange with a data memory of the circuit board, wherein the data exchange takes place according to a communication protocol.

2. The test system according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature measurement device is movably arranged in at least two spatial directions within the housing of the test system.

3. The test system according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature measurement device is configured to perform a non-contact temperature measurement.

4. The test system according to claim 3 , wherein the non-contact temperature measurement is carried out by a thermography system, including an infrared camera.

5. The test system according to claim 1 , wherein the communication interface and the temperature measurement device are rigidly connected to a test module which is movably arranged in at least two spatial directions arranged in the housing of the test system.

6. The test system according to claim 5 , wherein the test module includes a sensor device for detecting an identification feature of the circuit board, including a barcode, a serial number, or a QR code, wherein the test system is configured to use the identification feature to retrieve a record of a permissible temperature profile for that type of board.

7. The test system according to claim 5 , wherein the test module includes at least one tool component for repairing electrical connections on or at the circuit board, wherein the tool component is controlled on the basis of measured values determined by means of the temperature measurement device.

8. The test system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a data memory on which data sets with regard to at least one permissible temperature scale of the electronic components and/or subregions of a circuit board are stored for a comparison with a determined temperature and/or thermal values of the electronic components of the circuit board.

9. The test system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a current and/or voltage source embodied to supply energy to the temperature measurement device, wherein the current and/or voltage source is rigidly connected to the temperature measurement device and movably arranged in at least two spatial directions within the housing of the test system.

10. A test system for checking electrical connections between electronic components of a circuit board, comprising:
a temperature measurement device configured to measure a temperature of the electrical connections and the electronic components and to determine characteristic thermal values of the electrical connections and of the electronic components;
a housing; and
a test module which is movably arranged in at least two spatial directions arranged in the housing,
wherein the temperature measurement device is rigidly connected to the test module,
wherein the test module includes a sensor device for detecting an identification feature of the circuit board, including a barcode, a serial number, or a QR code, wherein the test system is configured to use the identification feature to retrieve a record of a permissible temperature profile for that type of board.

11. A test system for checking electrical connections between electronic components of a circuit board, comprising:
a temperature measurement device configured to measure a temperature of the electrical connections and the electronic components and to determine characteristic thermal values of the electrical connections and of the electronic components;
a housing; and
a test module which is movably arranged in at least two spatial directions arranged in the housing,
wherein the temperature measurement device is rigidly connected to the test module, and wherein the test module includes at least one tool component for repairing electrical connections on or at the circuit board, wherein the tool component is controlled on the basis of measured values determined by means of the temperature measurement device.

12. A test system for checking electrical connections between electronic components of a circuit board, comprising:
a temperature measurement device configured to measure a temperature of the electrical connections and the electronic components and to determine characteristic thermal values of the electrical connections and of the electronic components;
a housing;
a test module which is movably arranged in at least two spatial directions and toward an underside of the circuit board arranged in the housing;
a communication interface; and
at least one pin-shaped test tip, wherein the at least one test tip is configured to be freely movable above the circuit board to be tested, wherein the at least one test tip is arranged to be guided from above for testing an electrical integration of electronic components on the circuit board by determining resistance values of contact points on the circuit board,
wherein the communication interface and the temperature measurement device are rigidly connected to the test module.

Assignees

• Flowtec Ag

Inventors

• Böhler Thomas
• Brudermann Matthias
• Werle Christoph
• Wucher Markus
• Kollmer Daniel
• Adam Ludovic

Classifications

• G01R31/2808

  Holding, conveying or contacting devices, e.g. test adapters, edge connectors, extender boards (probe, multiprobe, probe manipulator or probe fixture G01R1/067) · CPC title

• G01R31/70

  Testing of connections between components and printed circuit boards (G01R31/68 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01R31/28

  Testing of electronic circuits, e.g. by signal tracer ({EMC, EMP or similar testing of electronic circuits G01R31/002;} testing for short-circuits, discontinuities, leakage or incorrect line connection G01R31/50; checking computers {or computer components} G06F11/00; checking static stores for correct operation G11C29/00 {; testing receivers or transmitters of transmission systems H04B17/00}) · CPC title

• H05K5/0069

  having connector relating features for connecting the connector pins with the PCB or for mounting the connector body with the housing · CPC title

• G01R31/281 Primary

  Specific types of tests or tests for a specific type of fault, e.g. thermal mapping, shorts testing (G01R31/2818 takes precedence) · CPC title