WO2021065702A1

WO2021065702A1 - Probe

Info

Publication number: WO2021065702A1
Application number: PCT/JP2020/036221
Authority: WO
Inventors: 光代村中; 聖人荒木; 真一剱崎; 幸裕北市
Original assignee: 株式会社村田製作所
Priority date: 2019-10-04
Filing date: 2020-09-25
Publication date: 2021-04-08
Also published as: CN114223098A; JPWO2021065702A1; CN114223098B; TWI747536B; JP7136362B2; TW202120933A

Abstract

This probe is for inspecting characteristics of a connector and is provided with: a flange for attaching the probe to equipment; a housing which has a base end section and a distal end section, is inserted through a through-hole of the flange such that the base end section can be fitted to the through-hole, and extends in an axial direction with coaxial cables accommodated therein; a plunger attached to the distal end section of the housing and having a bottom part with openings through which probe pins electrically connected to the coaxial cables are passed; an elastic body disposed between the flange and the plunger and capable of biasing the flange and the plunger in directions separating from each other along the axial direction; and a thrust bearing disposed around the housing between the flange and the plunger and interposed so as to receive the axial biasing force of the elastic body.

Description

probe

The present invention relates to a probe for inspecting the characteristics of a connector.

Conventionally, a probe for inspecting the characteristics of a connector to be inspected has been disclosed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

The probe of Patent Document 1 is a probe for inspecting the characteristics of a connector, and in particular, inspects the characteristics of a multi-pole connector provided with a plurality of terminals so as to pass a plurality of signals. The probe of Patent Document 1 includes a plurality of probe pins capable of simultaneously contacting a plurality of terminals of a multi-pole connector.

International Publication No. 2018/116568

In connector probes, it is required to improve the accuracy of terminal characteristic inspection. When the probe is pressed against the connector terminal using an elastic member as in the probe of Patent Document 1, the twist of the elastic member hinders further improvement of the characteristic inspection accuracy.

An object of the present invention is to provide a probe capable of more accurately inspecting the characteristics of connector terminals.

In order to achieve the above object, the probe of one aspect of the present invention is a probe for inspecting the characteristics of a connector, and includes a flange having a through hole and a base end portion which is an end portion on one side. A housing that has a tip portion that is an end portion on the other side, is inserted into the through hole of the flange, the base end portion can be fitted into the through hole, and includes a coaxial cable and extends in the axial direction. A plunger attached to the tip of the housing and having an opening for passing a probe pin electrically connected to the coaxial cable at the bottom, and a flange and the flange arranged between the flange and the flange. An elastic body capable of urging the plunger in the axial direction away from each other and an elastic body arranged around the housing between the flange and the plunger so as to receive the axial urging force by the elastic body. It is equipped with a thrust bearing.

Further, the probe of another aspect of the present invention is a probe for inspecting the characteristics of a connector, and includes a flange having a through hole, a base end portion which is one end portion, and an end portion on the other side. A housing that has a tip portion that is, is inserted into the through hole of the flange, the base end portion can be fitted into the through hole, and includes a coaxial cable and extends in the axial direction, and a housing of the housing. A plunger attached to the tip portion and having an opening through which a probe pin electrically connected to the coaxial cable is formed at the bottom is arranged between the flange and the plunger, and the flange and the plunger are separated from each other. An elastic body capable of urging in the axial direction in the direction, and a ring-shaped member arranged around the housing between the flange and the plunger and interposed so as to receive the axial urging force by the elastic body. The ring-shaped member has a first surface that directly contacts the elastic body and receives the urging force by the elastic body, and the friction coefficient between the first surface and the elastic body is the plunger. Is smaller than the friction coefficient between the and the elastic body.

According to the probe of the present invention, the characteristic inspection of the terminal of the connector can be performed more accurately.

Schematic perspective view of the probe according to the embodiment Schematic perspective view of the probe according to the embodiment Schematic longitudinal section of the probe according to the embodiment Schematic exploded perspective view of the probe according to the embodiment Schematic exploded perspective view of the probe according to the embodiment Schematic perspective view of the coaxial cable and probe pin in the embodiment Schematic perspective view of the plunger and probe pin in the embodiment Schematic exploded perspective view of the thrust bearing in the embodiment Schematic exploded perspective view of the thrust bearing in the embodiment Schematic notched perspective view for explaining the operation of the probe in the embodiment. Schematic notched perspective view for explaining the operation of the probe in the embodiment. Schematic perspective view of the thrust bearing of the first embodiment Schematic perspective view of the thrust bearing of the second embodiment

According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is a probe for inspecting the characteristics of a connector, which is a flange on which a through hole is formed, a base end portion which is an end portion on one side, and an end portion on the other side. A housing having a tip portion, which is inserted into the through hole of the flange, the base end portion of which can be fitted into the through hole, and which includes a coaxial cable and extends in the axial direction, and the tip of the housing. A plunger attached to the housing and having an opening through which a probe pin electrically connected to the coaxial cable is formed at the bottom, and the flange and the plunger are arranged in a direction in which the flange and the plunger are separated from each other. It includes an elastic body that can be urged in the axial direction and a thrust bearing that is arranged around the housing between the flange and the plunger and is interposed so as to receive the urging force in the axial direction by the elastic body. , Provide a probe.

According to such a configuration, it is possible to absorb the rotational force due to the twist of the elastic body while receiving the axial urging force by the elastic body by the thrust bearing. As a result, the rotational force of the elastic body can be suppressed from being transmitted to the plunger, the displacement of the probe pin arranged on the plunger can be suppressed, and the probe pin can be brought into contact with the terminal of the connector with high accuracy. Can be done. In this way, the accuracy of the characteristic inspection of the connector can be improved.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the thrust bearing provides the probe according to the first aspect, which is arranged between the elastic body and the plunger. According to such a configuration, by arranging the thrust bearing at a position closer to the plunger than the elastic body, it is possible to make it difficult for the rotational force of the elastic body to be transmitted by the plunger.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the thrust bearing has a first surface that directly contacts the elastic body and surrounds the through hole, and the friction coefficient between the first surface and the elastic body is the same. The probe according to the second aspect is provided, which is smaller than the coefficient of friction between the elastic body and the plunger. According to such a configuration, the spring can be made slippery with respect to the first surface of the ring-shaped member, and the force in the plane direction due to the compression of the spring, particularly the rotational force, can be absorbed by the ring-shaped member. ..

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the thrust bearing has a second surface along the outer periphery of the first surface, and the friction coefficient between the second surface and the elastic body is the same as that of the first surface. The probe according to the third aspect, which has a coefficient of friction with the elastic body, is provided. According to such a configuration, the stopper function for restricting the movement of the spring can be realized by the second surface provided on the outside of the first surface.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the thrust bearing has a protrusion protruding from the first surface around a portion of the first surface that comes into direct contact with the elastic body, the third aspect or the third aspect. The probe according to the four aspects is provided. According to such a configuration, the protrusion can realize a stopper function for restricting the movement of the spring.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the thrust bearing provides the probe according to any one of the second to fifth aspects, which is in direct contact with the plunger. According to such a configuration, the number of parts can be reduced by not providing a member between the thrust bearing and the plunger.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the thrust bearing provides the probe according to the first or second aspect, which is in direct contact with the elastic body. According to such a configuration, the number of parts can be reduced by not providing a member between the thrust bearing and the elastic body.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the elastic body provides the probe according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, which is a spring arranged around the housing. According to such a configuration, a general-purpose configuration can be used for the elastic body, and the manufacturing cost of the probe can be reduced.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the probe according to the eighth aspect, wherein the outer diameter of the spring is set larger than the diameter of the central hole of the thrust bearing. With such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the spring from accidentally entering the center hole of the thrust bearing.

According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, the thrust bearing includes a ring-shaped first thrust washer, a ring-shaped second thrust washer arranged on the tip end side of the housing with respect to the first thrust washer, and the above. The probe according to any one of the first to ninth aspects, which is arranged between the first thrust washer and the second thrust washer and has a ring-shaped cage for holding a plurality of balls. According to such a configuration, a general-purpose configuration can be used as the thrust bearing, and the manufacturing cost of the probe can be reduced.

According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided the probe according to the tenth aspect, wherein the surface of the first thrust washer and the second thrust washer on the side facing the cage is flat. According to such a configuration, by flattening the inner surface of the thrust washer, the ball of the cage can move freely in the plane direction as compared with the case where the raceway groove of the ball held by the cage is provided. Become. As a result, not only the rotational force due to the twist of the elastic body but also the displacement in the plane direction can be absorbed by the thrust bearing, the displacement of the probe pin can be further suppressed, and the accuracy of the connector characteristic inspection can be further improved. Can be done.

According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, a plurality of the coaxial cable and the probe pin are provided, respectively, and any one of the first to eleventh aspects for performing a characteristic inspection of a multi-pole connector having a plurality of terminals. One of the probes described is provided. According to such a configuration, when performing a characteristic inspection of a multi-pole connector, poor contact with the terminal is likely to occur due to misalignment of the probe pin, whereas misalignment of the probe pin due to twisting of the elastic body is caused. By suppressing it, the accuracy of the characteristic inspection of the multi-pole connector can be improved.

According to the thirteenth aspect of the present invention, it is a probe for inspecting the characteristics of a connector, that is, a flange on which a through hole is formed, a base end portion which is an end portion on one side, and an end portion on the other side. A housing having a tip portion, which is inserted into the through hole of the flange, the base end portion of which can be fitted into the through hole, and which includes a coaxial cable and extends in the axial direction, and the tip of the housing. A plunger attached to the housing and having an opening through which a probe pin electrically connected to the coaxial cable is formed at the bottom, and the flange and the plunger are arranged in a direction in which the flange and the plunger are separated from each other. An elastic body capable of urging in the axial direction and a ring-shaped member arranged around the housing between the flange and the plunger and interposed so as to receive the urging force in the axial direction by the elastic body. The ring-shaped member has a first surface that comes into direct contact with the elastic body and receives the urging force by the elastic body, and the friction coefficient between the first surface and the elastic body is the flanger and the said. Provided is a probe having a coefficient of friction with an elastic body.

According to such a configuration, it is possible to absorb the rotational force due to the twist of the elastic body while receiving the axial urging force by the elastic body by the ring-shaped member. As a result, the rotational force of the elastic body can be suppressed from being transmitted to the plunger, the displacement of the probe pin arranged on the plunger can be suppressed, and the probe pin can be brought into contact with the terminal of the connector with high accuracy. Can be done. In this way, the accuracy of the characteristic inspection of the connector can be improved.

According to the 14th aspect of the present invention, the ring-shaped member has a second surface along the outer circumference of the first surface, and the friction coefficient between the second surface and the elastic body is the first surface. The probe according to the thirteenth aspect, which is larger than the coefficient of friction between the elastic body and the elastic body. According to such a configuration, the stopper function for restricting the movement of the spring can be realized by the second surface provided on the outside of the first surface.

According to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention, the ring-shaped member has a protruding portion protruding from the first surface around a portion of the first surface that comes into direct contact with the elastic body, or the thirteenth aspect. The probe according to the fourteenth aspect is provided. According to such a configuration, the protrusion can realize a stopper function for restricting the movement of the spring.

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment)
1 to 5 are diagrams showing a schematic configuration of the probe 2 according to the embodiment. 1 and 2 are perspective views of the probe 2 as viewed from different angles. FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the probe 2 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. 4 and 5 are exploded perspective views of the probe 2 as viewed from different angles.

The probe 2 is an inspection instrument that inspects the characteristics of the connector 3. The connector 3 of the embodiment is a multi-pole connector having a plurality of terminals. 1 to 3 show the outer shape of the connector 3 in a simplified manner, and FIGS. 4 and 5 omit the illustration of the connector 3.

The probe 2 includes a flange 4, a housing 6, a coaxial cable 8, a plunger 10, a spring 12 (elastic body), and a thrust bearing 14.

The flange 4 is a member for attaching the probe 2 to a predetermined facility. The predetermined equipment is, for example, a sorting machine for sorting a printed circuit board on which the connector 3 is mounted based on the result of a characteristic inspection of the connector 3.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a through hole 20 for inserting the housing 6 is provided in the central portion of the flange 4. The flange 4 is arranged so as to extend in the horizontal direction, and the through hole 20 is provided so as to extend in the vertical direction. The through hole 20 of the embodiment has a cylindrical shape.

A recess 13 for receiving the base end portion 21 of the housing 6 is formed on the upper surface 11 of the flange 4. The recess 13 is provided on the upper surface 11 of the flange 4 as a portion in which the through hole 20 is expanded in the horizontal direction. The through hole 20 and the recess 13 are spatially continuously formed.

The housing 6 is a member that is inserted into and fitted into the through hole 20 of the flange 4 and holds a plunger 10 and the like, which will be described later. The housing 6 is formed in a tubular shape extending in the axial direction A while including the coaxial cable 8. The axial direction A may substantially coincide with the vertical direction.

The housing 6 includes a base end portion 21, a tip end portion 22, and an intermediate portion 23.

The base end portion 21 is the end portion on one side (upper side in the embodiment) of the housing 6, and the tip end portion 22 is the end portion on the other side (lower side in the embodiment) of the housing 6. Both the base end portion 21 and the tip end portion 22 have a shape with an enlarged diameter with respect to the intermediate portion 23.

The base end portion 21 is a portion housed in the recess 13 of the flange 4. The recess 13 is provided with an inclined surface that is inclined so as to guide the base end portion 21 inward. While housed in the recess 13, the proximal end 21 is slightly movable in the recess 13 in the lateral direction, that is, in the horizontal direction. On the other hand, the tip portion 22 is a portion that is press-fitted into the plunger 10. The plunger 10 is fixed to the housing 6 by press-fitting the tip portion 22 into the plunger 10. The intermediate portion 23 is a portion extending between the base end portion 21 and the tip end portion 22, and a spring 12 is arranged around the intermediate portion 23.

The plunger 10 is a member for fitting and positioning the connector 3. The plunger 10 includes a fitting portion 10A into which the connector 3 is fitted from below, and a mounting portion 10B to be attached to the housing 6. The fitting portion 10A is attached to the mounting portion 10B so as to project downward from the end portion of the mounting portion 10B. The fitting portion 10A is formed with a protrusion 24 (FIG. 7) for fitting the connector 3.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a plurality of coaxial cables 8 are inserted inside the housing 6. The coaxial cable 8 is a member for electrically conducting with the terminal of the connector 3.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing one coaxial cable 8. The coaxial cable 8 is formed in a rod shape, and a probe pin 16 is electrically connected to the tip of the coaxial cable 8. One probe pin 16 is connected to one coaxial cable 8. The other end of the coaxial cable 8 is connected to a measurement connector (not shown). The measurement connector is a connector for connecting the coaxial cable 8 to an external measuring instrument (not shown).

The probe pin 16 is a rod-shaped member that contacts and conducts each terminal of the connector 3. The probe pin 16 is formed of a conductive material on the inside and an insulating member on the outside. The probe pin 16 is inserted through the fitting portion 10A of the plunger 10. The tip of the probe pin 16 is a conductive portion and is exposed from the bottom of the fitting portion 10A.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the plunger 10. As shown in FIG. 7, the fitting portion 10A of the plunger 10 has an opening at the bottom thereof that exposes the tip of the probe pin 16. The tip of the probe pin 16 exposed from the opening of the fitting portion 10A projects so as to come into contact with the terminal of the connector 3 fitted in the fitting portion 10A.

In the probe 2 of the embodiment, a plurality of coaxial cables 8 and a plurality of probe pins 16 are provided. According to such a configuration, even if the connector 3 to be inspected is a multi-pole connector having a plurality of terminals, the characteristic inspection of each terminal of the connector 3 can be performed at the same time. In particular, in the embodiment, eight coaxial cables 8 and eight probe pins 16 are provided, and the characteristics of the multi-pole connector 3 having eight terminals can be inspected at the same time.

The fitting portion 10A has a pair of protrusions 24. The pair of protrusions 24 are protrusions that protrude downward from the bottom of the fitting portion 10A, and are arranged at intervals from each other. A guide groove 28 for guiding the terminal of the connector 3 toward the probe pin 16 is formed between the pair of protrusions 24. The surface shape of the guide groove 28 is designed to correspond to the connector 3.

The mounting portion 10B of the plunger 10 has a substantially disk-shaped portion that receives the thrust bearing 14 described above and a portion that is connected to the fitting portion 10A.

Returning to FIGS. 1 to 5, the spring 12 is an elastic body for pressing the probe pin 16 described above against the terminal of the connector 3 with an appropriate load. The spring 12 is arranged around the housing 6 between the flange 4 and the plunger 10. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, one end (upper side) of the spring 12 is press-fitted into a groove formed on the lower surface of the flange 4. On the other hand, the other end (lower side) of the spring 12 is in contact with the surface of the thrust bearing 14 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The spring 12 and the thrust bearing 14 are not fixed to each other.

In the state before fitting the connector 3 to the fitting portion 10A as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the spring 12 is in a state shorter than the natural length, that is, in a compressed state. The compressed spring 12 urges the upper flange 4 and the lower thrust bearing 14 and the plunger 10 in the axial direction A so as to separate from each other. The spring 12 in the compressed state has an urging force F in the axial direction A as an elastic force that tends to extend toward the natural length.

The spring 12 in the embodiment is a spiral coil spring, and its length and elastic force can be easily adjusted. The spring 12 has an elastic modulus k1 and a shrinkage amount x1, and the urging force F can be roughly estimated as a value obtained by multiplying the elastic modulus k1 and the shrinkage amount x1. The elastic modulus may be referred to as "elastic modulus" or "elastic constant", or may be substituted by "spring constant".

As shown in FIG. 3, the outer diameter D1 of the spring 12 is set to be larger than the diameter D2 of the center hole of the thrust bearing 14. By setting such a length, it is possible to prevent the spring 12 which is not fixed to the thrust bearing 14 from accidentally entering the center hole of the thrust bearing 14.

The thrust bearing 14 is a member that intervenes so as to receive the urging force F in the axial direction A by the spring 12 described above. Like the spring 12, the thrust bearing 14 is arranged around the housing 6 between the flange 4 and the plunger 10. The thrust bearing 14 is not fixed to either the spring 12 or the plunger 10, and is arranged around the housing 6 so as to be rotatable in the rotation direction R about the axial direction A.

In the embodiment, the spring 12 is arranged on the upper side and the thrust bearing 14 is arranged on the lower side. The spring 12 is arranged between the flange 4 and the thrust bearing 14, and the thrust bearing 14 is arranged between the spring 12 and the plunger 10. The spring 12 comes into direct contact with the flange 4 and the thrust bearing 14, and the thrust bearing 14 comes into direct contact with the spring 12 and the plunger 10. According to such a configuration, the number of parts can be reduced as compared with the case where other members are interposed between these members.

8A and 8B are exploded perspective views of the thrust bearing 14 viewed from different angles, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the thrust bearing 14 has a first thrust washer 30, a second thrust washer 32, and a cage 34.

The first thrust washer 30, the second thrust washer 32, and the cage 34 are ring-shaped members forming the

central holes

30A, 32A, and 34A, respectively. The diameters of the

central holes

30A, 32A, and 34A are all set to be substantially the same.

The first thrust washer 30 and the second thrust washer 32 are cylindrical members having the same dimensions. The first thrust washer 30 is arranged above the cage 34, and the second thrust washer 32 is arranged below the cage 34. The first thrust washer 30 has an upper surface 30B and a lower surface 30C, and the second thrust washer 32 has an upper surface 32B and a lower surface 32C. The first thrust washer 30 faces the cage 34 on the lower surface 30C, and the second thrust washer 32 faces the cage 34 on the upper surface 32B.

The cage 34 is a ring-shaped member arranged between the first thrust washer 30 and the second thrust washer 32. The cage 34 of the embodiment holds a plurality of balls 36. The plurality of balls 36 are provided so as to be movable relative to the

thrust washers

30 and 32 in the rotational direction R while being sandwiched between the lower surface 30C of the first thrust washer 30 and the upper surface 32B of the second thrust washer 32. ing.

As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the upper surface 30B and the lower surface 30C of the first thrust washer 30 and the upper surface 32B and the lower surface 32C of the second thrust washer 32 are all formed flat. In particular, by flattening the lower surface 30C of the first thrust washer 30 and the upper surface 32B of the second thrust washer 32, which are the surfaces of the cage 34 in contact with the ball 36, the ball 36 of the cage 34 moves in the horizontal direction. It will be possible. Depending on the type of thrust bearing, a circumferential recess is formed as a ball trajectory on the surface of the thrust washer on the side in contact with the ball to restrict the movement of the ball, but the lower surface 30C and the upper surface 32B are flat. By forming the ball 36 in the cage 34, the movement of the ball 36 of the cage 34 is not restricted. Therefore, the ball 36 of the cage 34 can not only rotate in the rotation direction R relative to the

thrust washers

30 and 32, but also can move laterally in the horizontal direction.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the probe 2 further includes a plate 26.

The plate 26 is a member for preventing the coaxial cable 8 from coming off upward. The plate 26 is arranged at the mounting portion 10B of the plunger 10 and is arranged between the tip portion 22 of the housing 6 and the plunger 10.

In a state where the tip portion 22 of the housing 6 is attached to the plunger 10 via the plate 26, the housing 6 and the plunger 10 can be integrally rotated in the rotation direction R which is the circumferential direction. The spring 12 and the thrust bearing 14, which are not attached to either the housing 6 or the plunger 10, do not rotate integrally.

The operation of the probe 2 having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 9A and 9B. 9A is a notched perspective view showing the housing 6 before the connector 3 is fitted, and FIG. 9B is a notched perspective view showing the housing 6 after the connector 3 is fitted. In FIGS. 9A and 9B, the connector 3, the plunger 10, the spring 12, the thrust bearing 14, and the like are not shown, and only the flange 4 and the housing 6 are shown.

In the state shown in FIG. 9A, the base end portion 21 of the housing 6 is housed in the recess 13, and the spring 12 (not shown) in the compressed state has an urging force F1. From the state shown in FIG. 9A, the connector 3 is fitted into the fitting portion 10A (not shown) of the plunger 10, and an upward pressing force is applied from the connector 3 to the housing 6 via the plunger 10. As a result, as shown in FIG. 9B, the housing 6 floats upward with respect to the flange 4, and the engagement between the base end portion 21 of the housing 6 and the flange 4 is released.

In the state shown in FIG. 9B, the housing 6 can move in the horizontal direction within the range in the through hole 20 and can rotate in the rotation direction R (not shown). The housing 6 moves laterally in the horizontal direction and rotates in the rotation direction R according to the position of the terminal of the connector 3 fitted to the plunger 10. As a result, the postures of the housing 6 and the plunger 10 are adjusted according to the positions of the terminals of the connector 3, and the probe pins 16 attached to the plunger 10 and the terminals of the connector 3 can be aligned.

The spring 12 shown in FIG. 9B is further contracted from the state shown in FIG. 9A and has an urging force F2 larger than the urging force F1. Since the spring 12 has the urging force F2, the probe pin 16 arranged on the plunger 10 can be pressed against the connector 3 with an appropriate load.

After that, when the characteristic inspection of the connector 3 is completed, the mating between the connector 3 and the plunger 10 is released, and the state returns to the state shown in FIG. 9A.

When the characteristic inspection of the connector 3 is repeatedly executed, the horizontal lateral movement of the housing 6 and the rotation in the rotation direction R as shown in FIG. 9B are repeated. The upper end of the spring 12 arranged around the housing 6 is fixed to the lower surface of the flange 4, and when the plunger 10 fits into the connector 3, the spring 12 is compressed, but the compressed spring 12 Is twisted in the rotation direction R according to the winding direction and the pitch. This twist acts as a rotational force W of the spring 12 on other members. When the rotational force W is generated in the spring 12, the rotational force W is transmitted to the plunger 10 connected to the spring 12, and the probe pin 16 arranged in the plunger 10 may be displaced.

On the other hand, in the probe 2 of the embodiment, the spring 12 is not fixed to either the housing 6 or the plunger 10, but is arranged around the housing 6 in a state of being fixed to the lower surface of the flange 4. As a result, even if the postures of the housing 6 and the plunger 10 are changed, it is possible to prevent the spring 12 from being twisted and the rotational force W is generated. Further, in the probe 2 of the embodiment, the thrust bearing 14 is interposed between the spring 12 and the plunger 10. The thrust bearing 14 has a function of receiving an urging force F in the axial direction A of the spring 12 and absorbing a rotational force W due to the twist of the spring 12. As a result, even when the rotational force W due to the twist of the spring 12 is generated, it can be prevented from being transmitted to the plunger 10, so that the displacement of the probe pin 16 arranged in the plunger 10 can be suppressed. .. In this way, the accuracy of the characteristic inspection of the connector 3 can be improved.

As described above, the probe 2 of the embodiment includes a flange 4, a housing 6, a plunger 10, a spring 12, and a thrust bearing 14. The flange 4 is a member in which a through hole 20 is formed. The housing 6 has a base end portion 21 which is an end portion on one side and a tip end portion 22 which is an end portion on the other side, and is inserted into a through hole 20 of a flange 4, and the base end portion 21 is inserted into the through hole 20. It can be fitted and includes the coaxial cable 8 and extends in the axial direction A. The plunger 10 is attached to the tip end 22 of the housing 6 and has an opening at the bottom through which the probe pin 16 electrically connected to the coaxial cable 8 passes. The spring 12 is an elastic body arranged between the flange 4 and the plunger 10 and capable of urging the flange 4 and the plunger 10 in the axial direction A in a direction away from each other. The thrust bearing 14 is arranged around the housing 6 between the flange 4 and the plunger 10 and is interposed so as to receive the urging force F in the axial direction A by the spring 12.

According to such a configuration, the thrust bearing 14 can absorb the rotational force W due to the twist of the spring 12 while receiving the urging force F in the axial direction A by the spring 12. As a result, it is possible to suppress the rotational force W of the spring 12 being transmitted to the plunger 10, and it is possible to suppress the misalignment of the probe pin 16 arranged in the plunger 10, and the probe pin 16 can be used as the terminal of the connector. It is possible to make contact with high accuracy. In this way, the accuracy of the characteristic inspection of the connector can be improved.

Further, in the probe 2 of the embodiment, the thrust bearing 14 is arranged between the spring 12 and the plunger 10. According to such a configuration, by arranging the thrust bearing 14 at a position closer to the plunger 10 than the spring 12, the rotational force of the spring 12 can be made difficult to be transmitted by the plunger 10.

Further, in the probe 2 of the embodiment, the thrust bearing 14 comes into direct contact with the plunger 10. According to such a configuration, the number of parts can be reduced by not providing a member between the thrust bearing 14 and the plunger 10.

Further, in the probe 2 of the embodiment, the thrust bearing 14 comes into direct contact with the spring 12. According to such a configuration, the number of parts can be reduced by not providing a member between the thrust bearing 14 and the spring 12.

Further, in the probe 2 of the embodiment, a spring 12 arranged around the housing 6 is used as an elastic body that generates an urging force F. According to such a configuration, a general-purpose configuration can be used for the elastic body, and the manufacturing cost of the probe 2 can be reduced.

Further, in the probe 2 of the embodiment, the outer diameter D1 of the spring 12 is set to be larger than the diameter D2 of the center hole of the thrust bearing 14. According to such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the spring 12 from accidentally entering the center hole of the thrust bearing 14.

Further, in the probe 2 of the embodiment, the thrust bearing 14 has a ring-shaped first thrust washer 30, a ring-shaped second thrust washer 32, and a ring-shaped cage 34. The second thrust washer 32 is arranged closer to the tip portion 22 of the housing 6 than the first thrust washer 30. The cage 34 is arranged between the first thrust washer 30 and the second thrust washer 32, and holds a plurality of balls 36. According to such a configuration, a general-purpose configuration can be used as the thrust bearing 14, and the manufacturing cost of the probe 2 can be reduced.

Further, in the probe 2 of the embodiment, the lower surface 30C and the upper surface 32B of the first thrust washer 30 and the second thrust washer 32 facing the cage 34 are flat. According to such a configuration, the ball 36 of the cage 34 can be freely moved in the plane direction as compared with the case where the raceway groove of the ball 36 of the cage 34 is provided on the inner surface of the

thrust washers

30 and 32. .. As a result, not only the rotational force W due to the twist of the spring 12 but also the displacement in the plane direction can be absorbed by the thrust bearing 14. Therefore, the misalignment of the probe pin 16 can be further suppressed, and the accuracy of the characteristic inspection of the connector 3 can be further improved.

Further, in the probe 2 of the embodiment, a plurality of coaxial cables 8 and probe pins 16 are provided, respectively, and the characteristics of the multi-pole connector 3 having a plurality of terminals are inspected. According to such a configuration, since the multi-pole connector 3 has a plurality of terminals, poor contact with the terminals is likely to occur due to the misalignment of the probe pins 16, whereas the position of the probe pins 16 due to the twist of the spring 12 is likely to occur. By suppressing the deviation, the accuracy of the characteristic inspection of the multi-pole connector 3 can be improved.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the above-described embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, in the above embodiment, the case where the spring 12 is arranged on the upper side and the thrust bearing 14 is arranged on the lower side has been described, but the case is not limited to such a case. For example, the spring 12 may be arranged on the lower side, the thrust bearing 14 may be arranged on the upper side, and the like may be arranged at any position between the flange 4 and the plunger 10.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where one thrust bearing 14 is provided has been described, but the case is not limited to such a case. For example, two thrust bearings 14 may be provided. When two thrust bearings 14 are provided, in the probe 2 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a thrust bearing different from the thrust bearing 14 may be interposed between the flange 4 and the spring 12.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the spring 12 is used as the elastic body for generating the urging force F in the axial direction A has been described, but the case is not limited to such a case. Any elastic body may be used as long as it generates an urging force F in the axial direction A.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the multi-pole connector 3 having a plurality of terminals, particularly the multi-pole connector 3 having eight terminals, is the inspection target of the probe 2 has been described, but the case is not limited to such a case. .. A connector having an arbitrary number of terminals may be inspected.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where the thrust bearing 14 has a plurality of balls 36 as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B has been described, but the case is not limited to such a case. Any type of thrust bearing may be used as long as it is a "rotational force absorbing member" that absorbs the rotational force W due to the twist of the spring 12 while receiving the urging force F in the axial direction A of the spring 12. Here, different examples of the thrust bearing 14 of the above-described embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11.

(Example 1)
FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing the thrust bearing of the first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 10, the thrust bearing of the first embodiment is a ring-shaped member 100 having a through hole 102 in the central portion. A housing 6 (not shown) is arranged in the through hole 102. The ring-shaped member 100 has a main surface 104 as a surface facing the spring 12 (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 10, the main surface 104 has a first surface 106 and a second surface 108. The first surface 106 is a surface surrounding the through hole 102 and comes into direct contact with the spring 12. The second surface 108 is a surface along the outer circumference 110 of the first surface 106, and is provided outside the first surface 106.

In Example 1, the ring-shaped member 100 is integrally made of a resin such as POM. On the other hand, the material of the spring 12 and the plunger 10 that come into contact with the ring-shaped member 100 is, for example, SUS. Here, the coefficient of friction between the SUSs is, for example, 0.6 to 0.9. On the other hand, the coefficient of friction between SUS and POM is, for example, about 0.15, which is lower than the coefficient of friction between SUSs.

According to such a configuration, the coefficient of friction between the first surface 106 made of POM and the spring 12 made of SUS (for example, 0.15) is the coefficient of friction between the spring 12 made of SUS and the plunger 10 made of SUS (for example, 0.15). It is smaller than 0.6 to 0.9). According to such a relationship of friction coefficient, the spring 12 is connected to the ring-shaped member 100 by interposing the ring-shaped member 100, as compared with the configuration in which the spring 12 and the plunger 10 are in direct contact with each other without providing the ring-shaped member 100. It can be made slippery on the main surface 104. As a result, the force in the plane direction due to the compression of the spring 12, particularly the rotational force W, can be absorbed by the ring-shaped member 100, and the rotational force W can be suppressed from being transmitted to the plunger 10. In this way, the same effect as that of the thrust bearing 14 (for example, made of metal) of the embodiment can be obtained.

Further, in the first embodiment, the friction coefficient between the second surface 108 and the spring 12 is made larger than the friction coefficient between the first surface 106 and the spring 12. In order to obtain such a friction coefficient, for example, the first surface 106 and the second surface 108 may be integrally formed of the same material, and then the surface of the second surface 108 may be roughened.

According to such a difference in friction coefficient between the first surface 106 and the second surface 108, when the spring 12 slides in the plane direction with respect to the first surface 106, when it moves to the outside of the first surface 106, the friction coefficient is increased. Further movement of the spring 12 can be suppressed because it comes into contact with the large second surface 108. By providing the second surface 108 having a surface rougher than that of the first surface 106 on the outside of the first surface 106, it is possible to have a stopper function for restricting the movement of the spring 12.

Further, by making the ring-shaped member 100 made of resin such as POM, the shape such as thickness can be easily changed by resin molding without performing shaving or the like as in the case of metal. As a result, the urging force of the spring 12 can be easily adjusted.

Further, the friction coefficient between the spring 12 and the third surface, which is the surface of the ring-shaped member 100 facing the first surface 106 and the second surface 108, is preferably smaller than the friction coefficient between the spring 12 and the plunger 10. In this case, the transmission of the rotational force to the plunger 10 can be further suppressed.

(Example 2)
FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view showing the thrust bearing of the second embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 11, the thrust bearing of the second embodiment is a ring-shaped member 200 having a through hole 202 in the central portion. A housing 6 (not shown) is arranged in the through hole 202. The ring-shaped member 200 has a first surface 204 as a main surface on the side facing the spring 12 (not shown).

Similar to the first embodiment, the first surface 204 is made of a resin such as POM, and the friction coefficient between the first surface 204 and the spring 12 (for example, 0.15) is set to the friction coefficient between the spring 12 and the plunger 10 (for example). It is smaller than 0.6 to 0.9). As a result, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained.

Further, in the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, a projecting portion 206 projecting in a direction orthogonal to the first surface 204 is provided around the first surface 204. By providing such a protruding portion 206, it is possible to provide a stopper function for restricting the movement of the spring 12 when the spring 12 slides in the plane direction, as in the first embodiment. The surface of the first surface 204 may be processed in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

In Examples 1 and 2, the case where the ring-shaped

members

100 and 200 are a perfect annular shape continuous in the circumferential direction has been described, but not limited to such a case, the ring-shaped

members

100 and 200 are incomplete with a partially discontinuous portion. It may be an annular shape. That is, the ring-shaped

members

100 and 200 may at least partially surround the housing 6.

In the above embodiment, the case where the spring 12 is arranged on the upper side and the ring-shaped

members

100 and 200 are arranged on the lower side has been described, but the case is not limited to such a case. For example, the spring 12 may be arranged on the lower side, the ring-shaped

members

100 and 200 may be arranged on the upper side, and the spring 12 may be arranged at any position between the flange 4 and the plunger 10. When the spring 12 is arranged on the lower side and the ring-shaped

members

100 and 200 are arranged on the upper side, the friction coefficient between the ring-shaped

members

100 and 200 and the flange 4 is smaller than the friction coefficient between the spring 12 and the flange 4. Is preferable.

The configurations of Examples 1 and 2 described above may be combined with each other.

Although the present disclosure has been fully described in relation to preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, various modifications and modifications are obvious to those skilled in the art. It should be understood that such modifications and amendments are included therein, as long as they do not deviate from the scope of the present disclosure by the appended claims. In addition, changes in the combination and order of elements in each embodiment can be realized without departing from the scope and ideas of the present disclosure.

It should be noted that, by appropriately combining any of the above-mentioned various embodiments and modifications, the effects of each can be achieved.

The present invention is applicable to any probe that inspects the characteristics of the connector.

2 probe 3 connector (multi-pole connector)
4 Flange 6 Housing 8 Coaxial cable 10 Plunger

10A Fitting part

10B Mounting part 11 Top surface 12 Spring (elastic body)
13 Recess 14 Thrust bearing 16 Probe pin 20 Through hole 21 Base end 22 Tip 23 Intermediate 24 Projection 26 Plate 28 Guide groove 30 First thrust washer

30A Center hole

30B Top surface

30C Bottom surface 32 Second thrust washer

32A Center hole

32B Top surface

32C Bottom surface 34 Washer 34A Center hole 36 Ball A Axial direction F, F1, F2 Biasing force R Rotational direction (circumferential direction)
W Rotational force 100 Ring-shaped member (thrust bearing)
102 Through hole 104 Main surface 106 First surface 108 Second surface 110 Outer circumference 200 Ring-shaped member (thrust bearing)
202 Through hole 204 First surface 206 Projection

Claims

A probe for checking the characteristics of connectors,
Flange with through hole and
It has a base end portion which is an end portion on one side and a tip portion which is an end portion on the other side, is inserted into the through hole of the flange, and the base end portion can be fitted into the through hole. A housing that contains a coaxial cable and extends in the axial direction,
A plunger attached to the tip of the housing and having an opening at the bottom for passing a probe pin electrically connected to the coaxial cable.
An elastic body arranged between the flange and the plunger and capable of urging the flange and the plunger in the axial direction in a direction away from each other.
A probe comprising a thrust bearing located between the flange and the plunger around the housing and interposed so as to receive the axial urging force of the elastic body.
The probe according to claim 1, wherein the thrust bearing is arranged between the elastic body and the plunger.
The thrust bearing has a first surface that directly contacts the elastic body and surrounds the through hole, and the friction coefficient between the first surface and the elastic body is based on the friction coefficient between the elastic body and the plunger. The probe according to claim 2, which is also small.
The thrust bearing has a second surface along the outer periphery of the first surface, and the coefficient of friction between the second surface and the elastic body is larger than the coefficient of friction between the first surface and the elastic body. , The probe according to claim 3.
The probe according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the thrust bearing has a protruding portion protruding from the first surface around a portion of the first surface that comes into direct contact with the elastic body.
The probe according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the thrust bearing comes into direct contact with the plunger.
The probe according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the thrust bearing is in direct contact with the elastic body.
The probe according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the elastic body is a spring arranged around the housing.
The probe according to claim 8, wherein the outer diameter of the spring is set to be larger than the diameter of the center hole of the thrust bearing.
The thrust bearing includes a ring-shaped first thrust washer, a ring-shaped second thrust washer arranged on the tip end side of the housing with respect to the first thrust washer, and the first thrust washer and the second thrust washer. The probe according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the probe is arranged between the two and has a ring-shaped washer for holding a plurality of balls.
The probe according to claim 10, wherein the surface of the first thrust washer and the second thrust washer on the side facing the cage is flat.
A plurality of the coaxial cable and the probe pin are provided, respectively.
The probe according to any one of claims 1 to 11, for performing a characteristic inspection of a multi-pole connector having a plurality of terminals.
A probe for checking the characteristics of connectors,
Flange with through hole and
It has a base end portion which is an end portion on one side and a tip portion which is an end portion on the other side, is inserted into the through hole of the flange, and the base end portion can be fitted into the through hole. A housing that contains a coaxial cable and extends in the axial direction,
A plunger attached to the tip of the housing and having an opening at the bottom for passing a probe pin electrically connected to the coaxial cable.
An elastic body arranged between the flange and the plunger and capable of urging the flange and the plunger in the axial direction in a direction away from each other.
A ring-shaped member arranged around the housing between the flange and the plunger and interposed so as to receive the axial urging force by the elastic body is provided.
The ring-shaped member has a first surface that comes into direct contact with the elastic body and receives the urging force of the elastic body.
A probe in which the coefficient of friction between the first surface and the elastic body is smaller than the coefficient of friction between the plunger and the elastic body.
The ring-shaped member has a second surface along the outer circumference of the first surface, and the friction coefficient between the second surface and the elastic body is larger than the friction coefficient between the first surface and the elastic body. The larger probe of claim 13.
The probe according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the ring-shaped member has a protruding portion protruding from the first surface around a portion of the first surface that comes into direct contact with the elastic body.