Abstract: A test fixture for automatic testing equipment including short wire interface assembly which permits the interface assembly to be hard wired to a test head assembly with relative short interconnect wires. The interface SW assembly includes a base cover plate having a plurality of cavities formed therein, a plurality of individual interface strips having flexible vacuum seals affixed thereto and interface contacts disposed therethrough, and a plurality of floating captive contacts disposed in the base cover plate to provide mechanical and electrical interfacing between the interface contacts and spring-loaded probes electrically connected to the ATE. The individual interface strips are readily positionable adjacent the test head assembly and rotatable to facilitate hard wiring. The hard wired interface strips are suspended in respective cavities of the base cover plate with the flexible vacuum seals in contact with a surface of the base cover plate.

Abstract: The test fixture for automatic testing equipment of the present invention includes a cover pivotally mounted to an electronic test bed, and means mounted to the cover and operative as the cover is closed to provide full surface contact with an electrical circuit device to be tested. In preferred embodiment, the test fixture includes a spring-loaded lid that is snap-latchable to, and push-button releasable from, a test bed. A lid panel-inset is rotatably mounted to the lid at a preselected acute angle thereto. The angle is selected such that the panel-inset provides full surface contact with an electrical circuit to be tested when the lid engages the electrical device. The panel-inset rotates to maintain full surface contact while the lid is latched to the test bed.

Abstract: A test fixture for selectively electrically connecting an electronic circuit device for in-circuit and functional testing by automatic testing equipment. First and second pluralities of spring-loaded probes are fastened to the test fixture for respectively providing an in-circuit contact array on a first level and a functional contact array on a second level. An electronic cicuit device receiving face is mounted to the test fixture for movement to the first level for electrically connecting the electronic circuit device to the in-circuit contact array, and for movement to the second level for electrically connecting the electronic circuit device to the functional contact array. Means including a bi-level vacuum controller are disclosed for selectively moving the electronic circuit device receiving face to the first and second levels.

Abstract: An automated tester for a wired PC board is adapted to receive a wired PC board and secure it in a predetermined position by vacuum pressure. After the board is fully secured in position, the vacuum pressure applied to a fixture having an array of electrical contacts forces the contacts into position on the contact fingers of the PC board to provide electrical connection through the tester to connectors whereby the board can be tested. The contact array is controlled in position to make contact with the board fingers only after all board motion induced by the vacuum pressure pulldown has ceased, thereby minimizing scraping action between array contacts and PC board fingers. The fixture further includes a linkage arm arrangement which increases the contacting force of the array at the point of making connection to the PC board fingers to augment the reliability of contact.