The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 07, 2004
Filed:
Mar. 21, 2002
Jonathan Ernest Buczkowski, Aurora, CO (US);
David Lawrence Dummer, Fort Collins, CO (US);
Julie L Stahmer, Fort Collins, CO (US);
Brent W Thordarson, Ft Collins, CO (US);
Agilent Technologies, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
A fixture assembly is presented. The fixture assembly includes a device assembly for mating with a device under test and a tester interface assembly for mating with the device assembly on one side and a tester on a second side. In the method and apparatus of the present invention, the device assembly includes a probe field specific to a device under test and may be changed to accommodate a different device, without changing the tester interface assembly. The tester interface assembly includes a frame used for alignment and structural support. The frame interfaces with a probe plate on one side and a load plate on the other side. The probe plate holds a plurality of probes in place while the load plate provides a plurality of holes for the probes to extend downward through the load plate. A printed circuit board (PCB) is positioned below the load plate and makes contact with the ends of the probes. The entire tester interface assembly is positioned on top of an electronic tester and maps points of contact in the tester with the probe field of the device assembly.