Abstract:
Material handling apparatus for conveying loose material into an elongated container such as a railroad car. An endless belt conveyor is mounted above and extends the full length of the container. A plurality of equally-spaced, individually, selectively operable discharge stations are disposed along the conveyor for discharging material off the sides of the conveyor into the elongated container, thereby providing for uniform loading of the car. Mechanism is provided for raising the conveyor above the container to permit pivotal side dumping of the container without engagement between the container and the conveyor.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a device for securing an electrical component to a pin grid array (PGA) socket that has a substantially planar body portion and a plurality of conductor pins, which are electrically connectable to a circuit board and project outwardly in a direction substantially perpendicular to the planar body portion. The device comprises a base member that has a plurality of conductor pin apertures which extend through the base member. Each of the conductor pin apertures are registered to receive therethrough a corresponding one of the plurality of conductor pins, to thereby sandwich the base member between and anchor the base member to the circuit board and the PGA socket when the PGA socket is electrically connected to the circuit board. The device further comprises a retainer for releasably securing the electrical component to the PGA socket. The retainer is coupled to the base member and a surface of the electrical component and transmits a retaining force from the base member to the electrical component, thereby substantially preventing the electrical component from separating from the PGA socket.
Abstract:
There is disclosed a technique for constructing a printed circuit board assembly to provide solder joints with a uniform height. A solder mask is provided on the external surfaces of the printed circuit board to minimize the mount of conductive pad area that is exposed to solder. The solder mask includes a plurality of relatively small openings with a predetermined pattern to minimize the build up of solder, while insuring sufficient solder height to connect to the grounding component located on the chassis to insure adequate EMI protection. Preferably a polka dot pattern is used for certain conductive pads, while a single narrow strip or the solder mask opening configuration is used for rectangular pad configurations. Other configurations and patterns are also available to provide an adequate electrical connection while insuring uniform solder height.
Abstract:
An improved test probe for use with a bed of nails type test fixture is disclosed. The test probe comprises a probe body having a test head at one end for contacting test points on a DUT placed in a test fixture and an annular ring disposed around the circumference thereof proximate the center of the probe. A nonconductive tubular sheath is disposed over the test head and affixed at one end to the test probe by the annular ring. The other end of the sheath extends beyond the test head such that the test head is recessed within the sheath a distance defined by component lead length and PCB thickness fault tolerances and acceptable float. In this manner, the test probe enables the detection of PCB faults caused by missing or improperly or incorrectly inserted plated through-hole mounted components.
Abstract:
A rework configuration is provided for disconnecting defective lithography-formed conductors and/or overlying electrical components from the printed circuit wiring netlist and connecting rework elements at the substituted sites. In particular, defective regions can be severed at spaced first and second target areas upon the upper surface of the PCB and one or more interconnect structures can be coupled therebetween. The interconnect structures allow re-routing of PCB conductors, allow connectivity between the upper and lower surfaces, allow connectivity to power and ground planes, and allow pull-up, pull-down and decoupling connectivity.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a device for securing an electrical component to a pin grid array (PGA) socket that has a substantially planar body portion and a plurality of conductor pins, which are electrically connectable to a circuit board and project outwardly in a direction substantially perpendicular to the planar body portion. The device comprises a base member that has a plurality of conductor pin apertures which extend through the base member. Each of the conductor pin apertures are registered to receive therethrough a corresponding one of the plurality of conductor pins, to thereby sandwich the base member between and anchor the base member to the circuit board and the PGA socket when the PGA socket is electrically connected to the circuit board. The device further comprises a means for releasably securing the electrical component to the PGA socket. The means is coupled to the base member and a surface of the electrical component and transmits a retaining force from the base member to the electrical component, thereby substantially preventing the electrical component from separating from the PGA socket.
Abstract:
A railroad hopper ballast discharge door assembly includes pliant side panels along a discharge gate opening. The pliant side panels are strong enough to retain the ballast within the hopper when the door is closed, yet are flexible enough to yield when ballast flowing out of the hopper becomes wedged between the side panel and the door as the door closes. Strengthening ribs reinforce the pliant side panels and may be embedded within them. The discharge door assembly is readily adapted for automatic, motor-actuated operation.
Abstract:
A method for electronically encoding an article with work-in-progress information includes determining a work-in-progress condition of the article and setting an encoding device attached to the article to a set-point corresponding to the work-in-progress condition. Determining the work-in-progress condition includes identifying a present work-in-progress condition of the article and at least one historical work-in-progress condition of the article. Adjusting the encoding device includes adjusting the encoding device from a first set-point of a first set-point set to a first set-point of a second set-point set in response to passing a first work-in-progress evaluation, and adjusting the encoding device from the first set-point of the second set-point set to a second set-point of the first set-point set in response to failing a second work-in-progress evaluation after passing the first work-in-progress evaluation. The present work-in-progress information and historical work-in-progress information of the article are used to effectively estimate the reliability and improve the manufacturability of the article.
Abstract:
A printed circuit board assembly testing device includes a LISN device connected to a power source and to a test enclosure. The test enclosure includes a power supply and a communication port. A signal analyzer is interfaced to the LISN device. A circuit board assembly unit under test is positioned in the test enclosure. A controlling computer is interfaced to the communication port. The controlling computer includes a hard disk storage device having benchmark data stored therein. A communication bus interconnects the controlling computer to the signal analyzer. The unit under test is powered up and emissions data is observed which correlates to activity in the unit under test. The emissions data is compared to the benchmark data and a determination can be made as to whether the observed data meets the benchmark data within an acceptable tolerance.
Abstract:
A test apparatus and method for fully testing the functional aspects of a computer system at the system level through one or more of its I/O ports. A test system is connected to an externally available I/O port of the computer under test for accessing its system ROM and a jumper is installed on the computer under test to disable its system ROM. The jumper also bypasses the PCMCIA controller, if necessary, to provide the test system direct access to the I/O port and thus the system ROM. The computer under test is booted from diagnostic test code stored in memory of the test system, where the diagnostic test code has complete control and performs a series of tests on the computer under test. Other I/O ports of the computer under test, including its serial ports, parallel port, keyboard and mouse ports, video port and a docking port may also be connected to the test system, if desired. Certain portions of the diagnostic test code may be downloaded into video RAM of the computer under test and executed sequentially. Also, a communication protocol may be established between the host computer and the computer under test so that the host computer can control initiation and monitor status of each test routine.