Patent ID: 8098077

Claim:
A contact-making apparatus configured to electrically connect a unit under test to an electrical test device, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of electrical test contacts, for making contact with the unit under test, and a plurality of holding elements for holding the test contacts, for positioning the test contacts, and having guide holes which all extend parallel to one another, the guide holes in each holding element being misaligned with respect to the guide holes in at least one other holding element, and an adapter device shaped and operable for increasing the distance between adjacent contact paths of the test contacts, the adapter device having contact elements each positioned for making temporary touching contact with a respective one of the test contacts, a restraint holding each of the contact elements axially such that they cannot move, wherein a connection of the unit under test with the contact elements is established via the test contacts, the contact elements being comprised of noble metal, or of a noble metal alloy, or of an alloy having at least one noble metal component, or of electrically conductive plastic, and the test contacts not being coated with a coating of a noble metal, a noble metal alloy, an alloy having at least one noble metal component, or electrically conductive plastic, the test contacts being comprised of a noble metal, or of a noble metal alloy, or of an alloy having at least one noble metal component, or of electrically conductive plastic, the test contacts being held by the holding elements so as to be axially moveable as a whole relative to the contact elements, the axial movement of the test contacts relative to the contact elements being such that each of the test contacts are brought into temporary touching contact with a respective one of the contact elements, the axial movement of the test contacts relative to the contact elements occurring when the contact-making apparatus and the unit under test are moved towards one another.