Production printed circuit board (PCB) edge connector test connector

摘要

A zero insertion force card edge connector for a printed circuit board assembly tester. The test connector includes a plurality of electrical contacts located within a slot of a housing. The contacts are connected to a test motherboard by a flexible circuit board. Also located within the slot is a plate which can be moved between an open position and a closed position by an actuator. When the plate is in the open position a printed circuit board assembly can be inserted into the test connector without having to overcome any spring forces of the connector. The circuit board assembly is inserted into the slot so that the contacts are aligned with surface pads located along an edge of the circuit board. The actuator is then actuated to move the plate into the closed position and push the contacts into the surface pads. The surface pads of the board are electrically connected to the test motherboard through the contacts and flexible circuit board. After the circuit board assembly is tested the actuator is again actuated to move the plate back to the open position to disengage the contacts from the surface pads. The circuit board assembly can then be removed from the slot so that another assembly can be tested.