Automated Power Supply Probe Positioning for Circuit Board Voltage Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronic component detection apparatuses for circuit boards are time-consuming as they require manual operation to measure voltage values, making it inefficient for detecting the electric power status of multiple components.
Innovation Solution
A power supply detection apparatus with longitudinal, lateral, and vertical motion mechanisms, driven by motors and controlled by a device, allows probes to move automatically and precisely to detect voltage on circuit boards, eliminating the need for manual operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual operation with probes is used to detect voltage values, then measurement precision can be maintained, but detection time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-positioning through the motion mechanisms that automatically move probes to predetermined locations on the circuit board without requiring manual intervention. The controlling device coordinates the longitudinal, lateral, and vertical motion mechanisms to enable the probes to autonomously navigate to each electronic component's pin locations, thereby eliminating manual operation time while maintaining measurement precision through controlled probe contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operation with an automated mechanical system consisting of three orthogonal motion mechanisms. Instead of manually holding and moving probes, the system uses motorized longitudinal motion mechanisms, lateral motion mechanisms, and vertical motion mechanisms to position and contact probes with electronic component pins, significantly reducing detection time while maintaining measurement accuracy through precise mechanical control.
2Productivity
If automated motion mechanisms are introduced to reduce detection time, then productivity increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automated probe positioning system is segmented into three independent orthogonal motion mechanisms: longitudinal motion mechanisms for forward/backward movement, lateral motion mechanisms for side-to-side movement, and vertical motion mechanisms for probe elevation. Each mechanism operates independently along its own axis, allowing the system to achieve complex three-dimensional probe positioning through coordinated operation of simpler individual mechanisms, thereby managing device complexity while enabling high-speed automated detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The motion mechanisms are designed with universal applicability to detect various types of electronic components on different circuit board layouts. The same longitudinal, lateral, and vertical motion mechanisms can position probes to detect different pins of different electronic components by receiving updated predetermined location coordinates from the controlling device, eliminating the need for component-specific mechanisms and reducing overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A power supply detection apparatus including a base, a couple of longitudinal motion mechanisms, a couple of lateral motion mechanisms, a couple of pin bases and a couple of vertical motion mechanisms is provided. Each lateral motion mechanism is movably arranged on the corresponding longitudinal motion mechanism and thereby driven to move horizontally. Each pin base is driven to move horizontally by the corresponding lateral motion mechanism and a probe is arranged on each pin base. The probe and the perpendicular lateral motion mechanism are moved along respective directions perpendicular with each other. Each vertical motion mechanism is arranged on the corresponding pin base for driving the probe to move vertically. The probes can be thereby moved to automatically detect an electric power status of an electronic component on a circuit board of a power supply.