Importance

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Abstract

A device (10) for testing miniature electronic components (104) includes a pair of contacts (88, 90), each of which is adapted to engage a common side (121) of a lead (110) of the electronic component (104) to be tested at longitudinally spaced locations. In particular, each contact (88, 90) includes an end portion (95, 99) that is arranged at an angle to both the lead (110) and the other contact (88, 90), while extending in a common vertical plane with the other contact (88, 90). In a preferred form of the invention, the device (10) includes a base (46) to which the first and second contacts (88, 90) are mounted. Each of the contacts (88, 90) include first and second end portions (94, 95 and 98, 99), with the first end portion (94, 98) of each contact (88, 90) being fixed relative to the base (46) and the second end portion (95, 99) extending at an angle to a plane of the base (46). In the most preferred form, the first end portion (94) of the first contact (88) is mounted atop the base (46) and the second end portion (95) thereof slopes downward from the base (46). On the other hand, the second end portion (99) of the second contact (90) is mounted below the first contact (88), such as on the bottom of the base (46), and the second end portion (99) thereof projects upwardly, at an acute angle to the vertical, to a point located above the second end portion (95) of the first contact (88). To accommodate the testing of electronic components (104) having varying lead spans, the base (46) can be formed from multiple, relatively shiftable sections (46a, 46b), each of which carries a respective pair of contact (88, 90).

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First Claim