Abstract: A connecting device is described for use in a test clip whose multiple contacts engage multiple leads of an IC (integrated circuit) device, which can be constructed reliably and at low cost. The test clip includes a flat flexible cable (54, FIG. 7) mounted on a clip housing, the cable having parallel conductors (50) mounted on insulation 53. Lower end portions of the conductors serve as lead-engaging contacts. Each conductor lower end portion extends in a substantially 180.degree. loop (62), with one side (70) of each loop being positioned to engage a corresponding lead of the IC device.

Abstract: A test clip is described with contacts (50) for engaging leads (26) of an IC (integrated circuit) device, wherein the contacts have lower lead-contacting parts (56) arranged in a single row (62) at a predetermined lead spacing S, and have header pins (60) lying in a header arrangement that allows connection to a standard instrument connector (40). Each contact has an intermediate portion (70) where the contact has a first offset part (72) extending in a longitudinal direction (L) by a distance S/2, and has a second lower offset part that extends partially in a lateral direction (M) by a lateral distance S. The upper first offset part extends horizontally, with 90.degree. angles (76, 78) at it opposite ends, so the contact can be installed by pressing on a shoulder (90) of the first offset part. The first offset part with 90.degree. angles is formed by initially stamping the contact from sheet metal to form a stamped part with such angles and such first offset part.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided as part of a test clip for locking the clip to the body of an integrated circuit device, at the corner regions of the IC body. The mechanism includes locking fingers (62, FIG. 4 ) that are formed of metal spring wire, with each finger having an upper part (84) fixed to a base (22) that closely engages an upper portion of the IC body, a middle part (84) that extends at a downward-axially outward incline, and a lower finger end (66) that engages a lower portion of the IC body. When a shaft (72) is pushed down against the biasing of a spring (74), the shaft moves down an actuator (64) that has prongs (80) which press against the middle parts of the locking fingers to deflect them radially inwardly, so the finger lower ends slide radially inwardly along grooves (112) formed in the base, to engage the lower portion of the IC body.

Abstract: A test clip is provided, of the type that has multiple contacts that engage the leads of an IC (integrated circuit) device with closely spaced leads, which can be constructed reliably and at low cost. The test clip includes a flat flexible cable (52, FIG. 5) mounted on the clip housing (30), the cable having parallel conductors mounted on an insulative layer. The lower ends (58) of the conductors serve as lead-engaging contacts, and have exposed inner surfaces that directly engage largely vertical parts (60) of the IC device leads. A stiffener (70) formed by a sheet of stiff but flexible material, is attached to the lower portion of the cable on its outer surface, the stiffener having a lower portion that biases the lower ends of the conductors towards the leads. A circuit board (40) is mounted on the clip housing to lie in a horizontal plane, and has contact pads (80) on its lower surface.

Abstract: A connecting device is described for use in a test clip whose multiple contacts engage multiple leads of an IC (integrated circuit) device, which can be constructed reliably and at low cost. The test clip includes a flat flexible cable (54, FIG. 7 ) mounted on a clip housing, the cable having parallel conductors (50) mounted on insulation 53. Lower end portions of the conductors serve as lead-engaging contacts. Each conductor lower end portion extends in a substantially 180.degree. loop (62), with one side (70) of each loop being positioned to engage a corresponding lead of the IC device.

Abstract: A clip is described for making connections to the leads of an IC device whose leads are very closely spaced, which can be constructed reliably and at low cost. The clip includes a flat cable (112, FIG. 8) mounted on a clip frame (44), the cable having parallel conductors (114) mounted on a continuous insulative film (116), with lower portions of the conductors exposed to serve as lead-engaging contacts (50). The film is thin in a lateral direction (154) to easily bend and allow differential deflection of the contacts, while the conductors are thick in a lateral direction to minimize the influence of the film on conductor deflection. The frame of the clip has a cavity (46) with side and end walls that closely align with the body (14) of the IC device without an interference fit thereto. A pair of pivoting arms (34, 36, FIG. 2) press against the opposite ends of an IC device to lock the clip but not to align it. A contact arrangement that includes the flat cable, includes a header ( 122, FIG.

Abstract: A test clip is provided for IC (integrated circuit) devices of the SOP (small outline package) type which effectively positions the clip on the IC device, which facilitates manufacture of test clips for IC devices of different lengths, and which simplifies connection to the contacts of the test clip. The test clip includes a base (44, FIG. 1) with a cavity at its bottom which closely receives the body of the IC device (18), and a pair of arms (46, 48) pivotally mounted on the base and carrying rows of contacts (42). The cavity has opposite side cavity walls (82, 84) that lie adjacent to the sides of the body of the IC device, and end cavity walls (100, FIG. 5) that lie in interference fit with the ends (30) of the body. A group of test clips for IC devices having different numbers of leads at their opposite sides, have identical arms but have bases (44, 44A, FIG. 7) with different size cavities (80, 80A). A pair of flexible flat cables each has a lower end (60b, FIG.

Abstract: A fine pitch test clip is provided, which assures accurate alignment of the test lead contacts with the IC (integrated circuit) device leads. The test clip includes a center for lying over the IC body and four arms (e.g. 41 in FIG. 4 ) pivotally mounted on the center, with each arm including a row of contacts (52) mounted in the arm housing. Lower portions of the contacts, which engage the IC device leads (30), are separated by barriers of the housing with endmost barriers (106, 108) being positioned so they can engage the endmost leads (30E) of the IC device to assure alignment of the lower contact portions with the IC device leads. A rigid board (204, FIG. 11) with connectors (211-214) thereon is mounted on the center of the test clip frame, above the arms, and flexible resilient circuit boards (231-234) each extend in a horizontal loop between the top of the contacts that lie at the top of an arm, to the rigid board where they are coupled to terminals of one of the connectors on the rigid board.

Abstract: Lead terminations are provided for terminating the opposite ends of a multimeter test lead to contact devices, including a right angle banana plug contact device and an in-line test probe contact device. The test lead includes a wire having a conductor surrounded by soft easily displaced wire insulation such as silicone. Each termination includes a conductive element with a penetrating portion (such as pin portion 38 in FIG. 3, or prong 110 in FIG. 8) which is advanced into one side of the wire and which moves the wire conductor until the wire conductor moves through the opposite side of the insulation. In a right angle banana plug termination (14, FIG. 3), the contact device (20) has a pin portion (38) which penetrates through a first side of the wire insulation (32) and presses the wire conductor (30) out of an opposite second side of the insulation and against a wall of a bore in an insulative body (40). In an in-line termination (16, FIG.

Abstract: A test clip is provided which has multiple contacts that can engage the leads of a surface mount integrated circuit device whose leads are very closely spaced, while being reliably held down to the circuit device during a test procedure. The test clip has a housing with a recess (72, FIG. 10) that very closely recieves the top of the body of the circuit device (12) to align the clip with the circuit device, the clip being devoid of engagement with the lower part of the device. Instead, the test clip relies solely on frictional engagement of its contacts (24) with the circuit device leads (64) to hold down the test clip. Each contact has a first part (80) that initially lies against a contact-locating outer surface (82) of the housing. Each contact also has a second part (84) that extends below the contact-locating outer surface and that is positioned to be outwardly deflected slightly as it wipes across a circuit device lead, as the test clip is moved directly downwardly against the circuit device.

Abstract: A contact for an optical fiber has a ferrule onto one end of which a tip is releasably fitted. The end wall of the tip includes an opening of predetermined diameter within which a bare fiber of only very slightly less diameter is to located. The optical fiber with bare fiber end portion is received through the opposite end of the ferrule and the bare fiber end is located within the tip opening spaced inwardly from the tip end wall. The contact is received within a hollow tubular terminus body and extends out one end thereof, the remainder being retained within the terminus body by a flange on the ferrule. Additional parts terminate the fiber strength member externally of the contact and a spring provides axial resiliency to the contact. The tip outer end surface may have a concavity for receiving a spherical lens and a lens holder secures the lens against the tip end.

Abstract: The backshell construction is identical for use with either a plug or receptacle fiber optics connector part and includes a short mounting sleeve threaded onto the rear of the connector part with a central bore facing outwardly of the connector and a central axis aligned with the logitudinal axis of the connector part. A second mounting sleeve fits into the end of a clamp which is received on the optical fiber cable. One or more fiber optics from the cable extend between the first and second mounting sleeve means and through a cylindrical extension tube. A sufficient length of the optical fibers are coiled or loosely curved within the extension tube to provide the desired strain relief, as well as storage of a sufficient length for retermination, if needed.

Abstract: This invention relates to optical fiber cleaving tools where the optical fiber is held in a first clamping device, a portion of said fiber is passed through and elongated open which is coaxial with the long axis of said fiber, and through a second coaxial clamping device, which places said fiber in tension. A sharp pointed means is positioned between the exit of said elongated opening and said second clamping device, adjusted to score the circumferential periphery of said fiber. The tension on said fiber causes it to cleave in a mirror-surface plane which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said fiber. Herein, the cleaving tool of this invention produces mirror-surface ends, at least about 1.degree. of the desired 90.degree., and even essentially 90.degree.. In this invention the second clamping device is distinguished in that one clamping face is an arc of a defined circular circumference.

Abstract: A bare optical fiber is located within the interstice of three cylindrical pins with the fiber end extending outwardly of the contact assembly. The contact is located within an axial opening of a rotatable drum member with the bare optical fiber end extending outwardly. The drum member is interconnected via bearings to an outer rotatable portion of the drum member. A pretensioning clamp is arranged to receive the bare end of the fiber to secure it between clamp heads which applies an axial tension to the bare fiber with respect to the contact. A cutter blade mounted on the rotatable portion of the drum is adjustable to move a knife edge angularly toward the bear fiber to contact the bare fiber at a point closely adjacent the contact pin ends. Rotation of the outer portion of the drum member scores the fiber, as desired.

Abstract: An optical fiber with a bare end portion is faced-off precisely at 90 degrees. With an unsecured ferrule loosely located on the fiber, the fiber is passed through oversize openings in a fiber holder and a crimping station. The bare fiber portion is located in the interstice of three rods having identical diameters and the assembly is releasably held by jaws in a holding station. The faced-off fiber end is positioned slightly inwardly from the end faces of the rods by a limit pin. The fiber holder is tightened onto the fiber to maintain it in straightened condition and the ferrule is then slid into place over the three rods and included fiber. The crimping station is moved along a track toward the holding station until crimping jaws are positioned about the ferrule, three rods and fiber. Crimping jaws deform the ferrule at several different places firmly securing it in place on the rods.

Abstract: A hand-held optical fiber cleaving tool has a shaft for receiving a fiber which has had the end portion of the protective cover removed. A reduced diameter section in the shaft acts as an abutment, and the exposed end of the fiber is held in a V-block clamp. The clamp is spring-biased to place the fiber in tension during a circumferential scoring by a pointed scoring tool which is journaled about the shaft. The applied tension causes the fiber to break upon completion of the scoring. In an alternate embodiment which is not hand-held, support is provided for the fiber opposite the scoring tool.