Patents by Inventor Martin Maelzer

Martin Maelzer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5357671
    Abstract: A method and a device for loading an adapter for a printed circuit board testing device with adapter pins having head ends and contact ends. The adapter pins to be loaded into the adapter are transferred by gravity from at least one main magazine, with their head ends first, into an intermediate magazine. Also, the adapter pins that have been transferred into the intermediate magazine are then transferred by gravity with the contact ends first into the adapter. For simpler and more rapid loading of the adapter with minimal constructional outlay, the adapter pins are transferred from the main magazine head first into the intermediate magazine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1994
    Assignee: Luther & Maelzer GmbH
    Inventors: Heimo Gladik, Hans-Hermann Higgen, Ruediger Dehmel, Martin Maelzer
  • Patent number: 5285149
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method for loading an adapter for a printed circuit board testing device with adapter pins having head ends and contact ends. The adapter pins to be loaded into the adapter are transferred by gravity from at least one main magazine, with their head ends first, into an intermediate magazine. Also, the adapter pins that have been transferred into the intermediate magazine are then transferred by gravity with the contact ends first into the adapter. For simpler and more rapid loading of the adapter with minimal constructional outlay, the adapter pins are transferred from the main magazine head first into the intermediate magazine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1994
    Assignees: Martin Maelzer, Erich Luther
    Inventors: Heimo Galdik, Hans-Hermann Higgen, Ruediger Dehmel, Martin Maelzer
  • Patent number: 4899104
    Abstract: An adapter for a printed circuit board testing device, by means of which the test contacts located on the grid can be connected to test points of a printed circuit board to be tested that are located on and/or off grid means of test pins that are received in guide holes in the adapter and each have a pointed contacting section that is directed towards the respective contact point of the printed circuit board and projects from the adapter and an adjacent guidance section that is guided in the associated guide hole of the adapter, is to be designed so that even test pieces in which the test points are relatively close together and/or with large displacements from the grid can be tested. This is done by reducing the cross-section of the guidance section conically or in steps towards the contacting section, and that the cross-section of the guide bores is correspondingly reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1990
    Assignees: Erich Luther, Martin Maelzer
    Inventors: Martin Maelzer, Rudiger Dehmel, Hans-Hermann Higgen, Andreas Gulzow
  • Patent number: 4896107
    Abstract: A test pin for an adapter for connecting test contacts of a printed circuit board testing device that are located on a grid with test points of a test-piece such as a printed circuit board located on and/or off the grid, wherein in order to connect associated test contacts and test points the test pin can be inserted into guide holes at different inclinations in the adapter and has a pointed contact section that is directed towards the respective contact point of the circuit board and projects from the adapter and an adjacent guidance section that is guided in the associated guide hole of the adapter, is designed so that test-pieces with their test points only a relatively short distance apart can be tested. This is achieved by reducing the cross-section of the guidance section conically or stepwise towards the contact section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1990
    Assignees: Erich Luther, Martin Maelzer
    Inventors: Martin Maelzer, Rudiger Dehmel, Hans-Hermann Higgen, Andreas Gulzow
  • Patent number: 4829241
    Abstract: An apparatus for testing printed circuit boards.In an apparatus for testing test points of a printed circuit board arranged on and/or off grid by means of an adapter which, during the testing, is arranged between contact elements of an electronic testing apparatus and a printed circuit board at a testing position, having a table shaped receiving device for the printed circuit boards with a frame arranged above it for holding the adapter and the testing apparatus, and having a centering device for the printed circuit boards, the delivery of the printed circuit boards is improved while ensuring convenience of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1989
    Inventor: Martin Maelzer
  • Patent number: 4788496
    Abstract: An adapter (13) for a printed circuit board testing device (6), by means of which test contacts, (7) which are located in a grid, may be connected with test points (3), which are located in and/or beyond the grid, on a printed circuit board (2), which is to be tested, the connection being effected by means of adapter pins (14) which extend through first, second and third guide plates (10, 15 and 16), the third guide plate (16) being arranged between the first and second guide plates (10 and 15). The third guide plate (16) is arranged to be shifted square to the first and second guide plates (10 and 15) and guide holes (20) in the third guide plate (16) are provided at all points of the grid. The holes (20) have a diameter which tolerates a limited amount of clearance for steering of the adapter pins (14) in these guide holes (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1988
    Assignees: Martin Maelzer, Erich Luther
    Inventors: Martin Maelzer, Erich Luther, Ruediger Dehmel, Hans H. Higgen
  • Patent number: 4774459
    Abstract: An adapter (175) for a printed circuit board testing apparatus. The adapter serves to connect testing contacts located in the grid to testing points, located in and/or out of grid, of a printed circuit board to be tested, through adapter pins (181). The adapter pins (181) are conically tapered at their ends facing the testing points. The adapter (175) has a first guide plate (176), a second guide plate (177) and a third guide plate (178) lying in between. The first guide plate (176) only has holes (180) only located in the grid. The second guide plate (177) has holes (179) located in the grid, as well as holes (179a) located out of grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1988
    Assignees: Martin Maelzer, Erich Luther
    Inventors: Martin Maelzer, Erich Luther, Rudiger Dehmel
  • Patent number: 4724377
    Abstract: In a universal testing apparatus for electrical printed circuit boards in each case a quotient of test pins (26) covering a partial grid field is to be provided on one of several separable modules (27) which contains that part of the switch matrix which corresponds to this test pin quotient. Each module (27) is to be connectable electrically with other modules (27) and/or the control circuit part (32) of the apparatus. The apparatus also has a perforated grid plate (24) provided with guide holes (36) for the test pins (26), on which the modules (27) may be suspended so that the test pins (26) engage through the guide holes (36). Futhermore, the modules (27) are to be shaped so that they can be assembled in the form of building blocks in order to cover a partial area, corresponding to the printed circuit board (22) to be tested, of the total grid field defined by the perforated grid plate (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1988
    Inventors: Martin Maelzer, Erich Luther, Rudiger Dehmel, Hans H. Higgen
  • Patent number: 4417204
    Abstract: A self-programming printed circuit board tester which receives and stores information corresponding to the conductive and insulative relationships between test points or master printed circuit boards and then compares that information to information received from boards to be tested and an adapter for connecting each master printed circuit board to the tester, the adapter having a memory which stores and supplies to the tester information corresponding to information supplied through the adapter to the tester from a perfect master printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1983
    Assignee: Luther & Maelzer GmbH
    Inventors: Rudiger Dehmel, Martin Maelzer, Christian Seyb
  • Patent number: 4359162
    Abstract: Board-shaped articles are to be stacked in a frame in such a way that they can be introduced into the frame from the same elevation, means being provided to ensure the maintenance of the desired spacing between the individual articles. To that end the spacing elements are supported in the frame in such a manner as to be deflectable and the articles during insertion deflect the spacing elements in the loading direction. The spacing element which is closest to an article already inserted comes into contact with such article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1982
    Assignees: Erich Luther, Martin Maelzer
    Inventors: Karl Mayer, Erich Luther, Martin Maelzer
  • Patent number: 4273321
    Abstract: Conductor plates are fed to a conductor plate tester from a stack by a reciprocating feeder which removes the lowermost plate only of the stack and propels it forwardly to a transport path. The transport path is inclined downwardly toward said tester, the feeder is also inclined at the same angle, with the stack perpendicular thereto. As a result, the conductor plates are moved along the transport path by the force of gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1981
    Assignees: Luther & Maelzer GmbH, Limited-Liability Company
    Inventors: Erich Luther, Martin Maelzer
  • Patent number: 4245940
    Abstract: Sorting and stacking tested conductor plates by forming from the bottom up a stack of conductor plates which have passed the tests, raising from the bottom the entire stack each time a tested conductor plate approaches the bottom of the stack, feeding each tested conductor plate beneath the raised stack to temporary support means, actuating the temporary support means to eject a failed said plate, lowering the stack after an ejection opportunity has passed, whether used or not, and lowering the lifting means below the latest tested plate that has passed the test, so that such a plate is incorporated into the stack before the lifting means is next activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1981
    Assignee: Luther & Maelzer GmbH
    Inventors: Erich Luther, Martin Maelzer
  • Patent number: 4208783
    Abstract: A conductor plate and a method for determining the offset between conductor paths and contact holes in the conductor plate. Conductor paths with contact eyes and at least one control mark are simultaneously applied, and, in a later step, contact holes and a control hole for each control mark are simultaneously punched through the conductor plate. Then the position of the control hole is determined relative to its associated control mark. The control mark has at least one curved control path which encloses, on at least one side, a control area of the conductor plate; the control hole is centrally located within the control area when the contact holes are centrally located within their associated contact eyes. Preferably, there are two control marks disposed diagonally opposite each other and pointing in different directions. Each control mark may comprise a group of control paths disposed within one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1980
    Assignee: Luther & Maelzer GmbH
    Inventors: Erich Luther, Martin Maelzer