Micro connector to facilitate testing of micro electronic component and subassemblies

Abstract

The subject invention is a testing apparatus which includes a contact connector comprised of a housing with contact blades extending from the housing. The contact blades are pivotally mounted to the housing by pivot rods. A biasing element is coupled to the contact blades, providing resistance against rotary movement of the contact blade in one direction.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A connector comprising a housing, a contact blade pivotally disposed within the housing, and a biasing element coupled to the contact blade and opposing pivotal movement of the contact blade in one direction.  
     
     
         2 . The connector of  claim 1  and further comprising a rod coupled to the contact blade, the rod rotatably coupled to the housing.  
     
     
         3 . The connector of  claim 2  wherein the rod extends through the contact blade  
     
     
         4 . The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the biasing element is a flexible pin.  
     
     
         5 . The connector of  claim 4 , and further comprising an output pin conductively coupled to the contact blade flexible pin.  
     
     
         6 . The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the biasing element is a spring.  
     
     
         7 . The connector of  claim 1 , wherein the contact blade is comprised of a contact portion, a central portion, and a base portion, and wherein the contact portion includes an angled contact surface and the control portion has an aperture extending therethrough.  
     
     
         8 . The connector of  claim 7 , and further comprising a non-conductive spacer, and wherein the rod extends through the spacer.  
     
     
         9 . A method of manufacturing a connector comprising coupling a contact blade to a rod, rotatably mounting the rod to a housing, and coupling a biasing element to the contact blade.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of coupling the contact blades to a rod includes extending the rod through the blade.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the blade is comprised of a contact section, a middle section and a base section, and wherein a flexible pin is coupled to the base section of the blade.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , and further comprising extending a first rod through a first set of blades and extending a second rod through a second set of blades, and aligning the first and second set of blades generally parallel to each other.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the biasing means are coupled to the contact blades so that the first set of blades are biased to in one direction and the second set of blades are biased in an opposite direction.  
     
     
         14 . A testing apparatus comprising a base, a housing mounted to the base, a first set and a second set of contact blades, each blade pivotally connected to the housing, and biasing elements coupled to the first and second set of contact blades, the biasing elements biasing the first set of blades in one direction and the second set of blades in an opposite direction.  
     
     
         15 . The testing apparatus of  claim 14 , and further comprising a pair of rods rotatively disposed within the housing, the rods being positioned parallel to each other with each coupled to a set of contact blades.  
     
     
         16 . The testing apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein each contact blade has an aperture therethrough sized to allow the disposal of the rod therein, and wherein each rod extends through a set of blades.  
     
     
         17 . The testing apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein a flexible pin is coupled to each contact blade.  
     
     
         18 . The testing apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the biasing means is a pogo pin.  
     
     
         19 . The testing apparatus of  claim 17 , and further comprising an output pin, and wherein the pogo pin conductively couples the output pin to the contact blade.  
     
     
         20 . The testing apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the contact blade has an angled contact surface.