FR2889889A1 - Distribution connector and electronic circuit, e.g. electronic chip, has unit mounting plates so that openings' axes lie in same axis, where one plate is placed relative to other to make axis tangential with opening wall - Google Patents

Abstract

A connector has a set of rods (1) and plates (2, 12) with openings (30, 31) whose sections are equal to the rods. A guide plate stack (50) comprises a plate (4) comprising oblong openings (5) whose length and width are respectively equal to and greater than the section of the rods and a plate (9) comprising openings (32) whose section is equal to the rod section. A unit (40) mounts the plates, such that axes of the openings lie in same axis (3). The plate (4) is positioned with respect to other plates in a manner that the axis (3) is tangential with the wall of the oblong opening.

Description

2889889 1

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR

TYPE A NEEDLES

  The present invention relates to "needle" type electrical connectors for connecting the terminals of a distribution connector or the like with the terminals of an electronic chip-type electronic circuit or the like.

  It is known that the electronic components reach smaller and smaller dimensions and that their electrical contacts can have dimensions of less than fifty microns with spacings between two contiguous contacts of the order of seventy-five microns. Currently, for an electronic component of the electronic chip type, the number of these contacts spread over a smaller and smaller surface may exceed several hundred.

  In order to be able to electrically connect the input-output of these electronic components with those of the devices used to test them, it has therefore been necessary to make specific electrical connectors with multiple contacts.

  Such a type of multi-contact electrical connector is for example described in FR-A-2 748 813, more particularly illustrated in FIG. 1 appended to the descriptive part of this document.

  This multi-contact electrical connector comprises a body delimiting a cavity in which are housed three respectively upper, intermediate and lower plates substantially parallel and made of an electrically insulating material.

  These plates comprise a multiplicity of through holes arranged to be able to be traversed by contact pins made of an electrically conductive material, of a length greater than the distance separating the upper and lower plates so that they emerge from other of these two plates. One of the ends of the needles, for example the one emerging from the top plate, is wiredly connected to the input-output of the test apparatus, while the connector body is moved so that the ends of the needles emerging from the plate lower the mechanical input-output contact of the electronic component to be tested.

  It is however obvious that it is impossible to determine with absolute precision the length of these needles so that their ends emerging from the lower plate all come into contact with the input-output of the electronic component to be tested.

  For this, the connector further comprises means for moving the intermediate plate in at least one direction in order to achieve a unidirectional pre-buckling of the needles. In this way, by exerting a stress on the body of the connector, it is possible to bring all the ends of the needles emerging from the lower plate into contact with the input-output of the electronic component to be tested, the differences in level of these inputs. outputs and the differences in length of the needles being compensated by a greater or lesser deformation of the needles, this deformation being favored by their pre-buckling produced by the displacement of the intermediate plate as more fully described in this prior document, especially with respect to the Figure 5 appended to the descriptive part of this document.

  The electrical connector described in this document is satisfactory, but its structure does not yet make it easy to respond to the increasing miniaturization of electronic components and the increasing increase in the number of electrical contacts to be made in spaces more and more reduced.

  In addition, the displacement in translation of the plates relative to each other is a relatively difficult technical realization because of the intrinsic dimensions of both the terminals of the circuit to be tested and those between the axes separating them.

  Also, the present invention aims to provide a "needle" type electrical connector for connecting the terminals of a distribution connector or the like with the terminals of an electronic circuit to be tested of the electronic chip type. or the like, which overcomes at least in large part the aforementioned drawbacks of similar connectors of the prior art and in particular that described above.

  More specifically, the subject of the present invention is an interposed electrical connector of the "needle" type for connecting the terminals of a distribution connector with the terminals of an electronic circuit to be tested, characterized in that it comprises: A plurality of electrical connection needles, each needle defining a general axis, É a first guide plate, said first guide plate having first parallel openings therebetween and in number at least equal to the number of needles, the section said first bores being substantially equal to the cross section of said needles so that said needles can slide there without significant lateral movements, E a second guide plate, said second guide plate having second bores parallel to each other and number at least equal to said number of needles, the section of said second breakthroughs ant substantially equal to the cross section of said needles so that said needles can slide there without significant lateral movement, E a stack of two third and fourth guide plates, said stack being located between said first and second guide plates, * said third guide plate having third oblong holes in number at least equal to said number of needles, the width of the section of said third oblong holes in a plane perpendicular to the general axis being substantially equal to the cross section of the said needles and its length greater than the cross section of the needles, so that said needles can slide there while being able to undergo significant lateral movements by elastic deformation, * said fourth guide plate having fourth parallel punctures between them and number at least equal to said number of needles, the section of said fourth holes being substantially equal to the cross section of said needles so that said needles can slide without significant lateral movements, said four guide plates being made of an electrically insulating material, and E means for mounting said first, second, third and fourth guiding plates so that the axes of the respective drilled holes respectively made in the first, second and fourth plates and able to receive the same needle are all on the same axis general, the third guide plate being positioned relative to the other three so that the general axis is substantially tangent to the wall portion of the third oblong aperture corresponding to its width.

  Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description given with reference to the accompanying drawings by way of illustration but in no way limiting, in which: FIG. 1 represents a block diagram of the "needle" type electrical connector. according to the invention Ca connecting the terminals of a distribution connector Cd or the like with the terminals of an electronic circuit to be tested This type of electronic chip or the like, and Figure 2 shows a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a mode embodiment of the electrical connector according to the invention.

  It is specified that the two figures represent an embodiment of the object according to the invention, but that there may exist other embodiments that meet the definition of this invention.

  It is furthermore specified that, when, according to the definition of the invention, the object of the invention comprises "at least one" element having a given function, the embodiment described may comprise several of these elements. Conversely, if the embodiment of the object according to the invention as illustrated has several elements of identical function and if, in the description, it is not specified that the object according to this invention must obligatorily comprise a number particular of these elements, the object of the invention may be defined as comprising "at least one" of these elements.

  Lastly, it is specified that where, in the present description, an expression alone defines, without specific reference to it, a set of structural characteristics, these characteristics may be taken, for the definition of the object of the protection sought, when this is technically possible, either separately or in full and / or partial combination.

  The present invention relates to the intermediate electrical connectors of the "needle" type Ca for connecting the terminals of a distribution connector Cd or the like with the terminals of an electronic circuit to be tested, such as an electronic chip or the like, as shown in FIG. figure 1.

  With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the intermediate connector according to the invention essentially comprises a plurality of needles 1 arranged with respect to each other according to a given distribution as a function of the position of the terminals of the circuit to be tested, each needle defining an axis 3. In FIG. 2, only three needles 1-1, 1-2 and 1-3 respectively in three different situations are respectively shown in parts A, B and C of FIG. 2, but it is quite obvious that such an intermediate connector has many more.

  Each needle is defined structurally so that, over part of its length between its two ends 7, 8, it can undergo significant lateral movements by elastic deformation. To do this, it is advantageously shaped, for example substantially in its median part, in an expansion loop 6 in the preferred form of "U" or the like, and is made of a material chosen so that this lateral deformation in a loop 6 spring shape and remains in the context of an elastic deformation without becoming a plastic deformation which, it is not elastic. This elastic lateral deformation has the function of reversibly absorbing any distance variations between the two ends 7, 8 of the needle. The choice of this material is of course in the field of the skilled person who will determine it, if only by experimentation, to achieve such needles with the desired elasticity to obtain the result explained below.

  The intermediate connector comprises a first guide plate 2 which has first mutually parallel and numbered breakthroughs at least equal to the number of needles 1, the section of these first holes being substantially equal to the cross section of the needles so that the latter can slide in translation without undergoing significant lateral movements, but with a minimum of friction. The portion 111 of a needle 1 between its end 7 adapted to come into contact with a terminal of the distribution connector Cd and the loop 6 is slidably mounted in such a first breakthrough 30.

  The first guide plate 2 may consist of a single plate or of several auxiliary guide plates. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, it consists of two parallel auxiliary guide plates 21, 22 located at a certain distance from one another. In this case, each first breakthrough 30 consists of two first auxiliary bores 30-1, 30-2 made on the same general axis 3 respectively in each first auxiliary plate 21, 22.

  The intermediate connector also comprises a second guide plate 12 having second parallel bores 31 in number at least equal to the number of needles 1 and a section at least equal to the cross section of the needles so that the latter can slide in translation in the same way as in the first breakthroughs 30.

  The intermediate connector further comprises a stack 50 of two third 4 and fourth 9 guide plates, located between the first 2 and second 12 guide plates.

  The third guide plate 4 has third oblong holes 5 in number at least equal to the number of needles 1. The width and length L of the section of these third oblong holes in a plane perpendicular to the general axis 3 defined ci before being respectively substantially equal to and greater than the cross section of the needles, so that the latter can slide there while being able to undergo significant lateral movements by elastic deformation.

  More specifically, the length L of the third oblong holes 5 defined above is at least equal to the maximum height that can take the loops 6 described above taken perpendicularly to the general axis 3 when the distance between the two ends 7, 8 needles is minimal. This third guide plate 4 which makes it possible to orient the loop 6 is mounted in cooperation with the first guide plate 2 so that the general axis 3 of the needle coincides with the axis of the apertures 30 and the edge of the oblong breakthrough and that the loop 6 is contained at least partly in this oblong breakthrough 5.

  As for the fourth guide plate 9, it has fourth holes 32 parallel to each other and in number at least equal to the number of needles, the section of these fourth holes 32 being substantially equal to the cross section of the needles so that these the latter can slide in translation without undergoing significant lateral movements, as in the first and second bores 30, 31.

  The intermediate connector finally comprises means 40 for mounting and holding the first, second, third and fourth guide plates so that the axes of the corresponding openings 30, 31, 32 respectively formed in the first, second and fourth plates 2, 12, 9 and able to receive the same needle 1 are all on the same general axis 3, and that this general axis 3 is substantially tangential to the wall portion of the third oblong aperture 5 corresponding to its width so that the loop 6 is contained in the less in part in the oblong breakthrough 5.

  These latter means 40 for mounting and holding the four plates 2 (or 21-22), 4, 9, 12 are advantageously essentially constituted by a housing enclosing these plates laterally, the two opposite faces being open to allow the end 7, 8 needles to emerge from the housing to come into contact with the respective terminals of the distribution connector Cd and the electronic circuit Ce to be tested, such as an electronic chip or the like.

  The stack 50 described above is positioned relative to the first guide plate 2 so that their respective facing faces 51, 52 are located at a certain distance from each other non-zero to allow the loop 6 to overflow the oblong aperture 5 when it abuts against the face 11 of the fourth guide plate 9 as shown in Figure 2 and as explained below.

  As can be seen in FIG. 2, the first and second guide plates 2, 12 are situated on either side of the stack 50 so that the portion 121 of each needle between its loop 6 and its end 8 is suitable for come into contact with a terminal of the electronic circuit to be tested This is slidably mounted in a second breakthrough 31 and a fourth breakthrough 32.

  If it is assumed that the intermediate connector according to the invention is used so that the needles 1 are vertical, which is generally the case, and that their ends 7 adapted to come into contact with the terminals of the distribution connector Cd are in the up position , the fourth guide plate 9 is interposed between the second guide plate 12 and the third guide plate 4, and advantageously so that its upper face 11 is in contact with the lower face 44 of the third guide plate, otherwise very close, as the loop 6 remains constantly at least partially in the oblong breakthrough 5.

  In this way, the two ends 7, 8 of the needles are free and the intermediate connector can be brought into its vertical position so that the lower ends 8 of the needles come into contact with the terminals of the electronic circuit Ce to be tested. This maneuver is possible because the needles can not fall because the loop 6 abuts against the upper face 11 of the fourth guide plate 9, which thereby keeps the needles 1 substantially in a position of waiting for operation, as illustrated on part A of figure 2.

  Knowing that, by construction, the needles are generally not all the same length and that the terminals of the electronic circuit to be tested are not all in the same plane, as well as the output terminals of the distribution connector Cd, the intercalary connector Ca according to the invention makes it possible to make up for these differences in level. Parts B and C of Figure 2 represent two possibilities for such a catch-up.

  Part B of FIG. 2 represents the case where an output terminal of the distribution connector Cd is at a level vertically lower than that in the part A, the terminal of the electronic circuit to be tested Ce being at the same level as in the configuration according to part A of this figure 2 .. In this case, the loop 6 is compressed relative to its configuration according to part A of Figure 2 and is almost completely included in the oblong breakthrough 5.

  Part C of the figure represents the case where an output terminal of the distribution connector Cd is at the same level as that illustrated on the part B, whereas the terminal of the electronic circuit Ce to be tested is at a level vertically higher than that represented on parts A and B of Figure 2.

  In this case, the loop 6 is more compressed than in its configuration according to part A of FIG. 1, and it is not even in contact with the face 11 of the fourth guide plate 9 since its compression is effected towards the top. It can even emerge from the face 51 of the third guide plate 4, as illustrated in this part C of FIG.

  The three parts A, B and C of FIG. 2 represent three different deformations of a loop 6 in an oblong pierce 5 corresponding to three different distances separating the ends 7, 8 of a needle.

  The fact that the oblong aperture 5 has a width which is only slightly greater than the thickness of the needle prevents a rotation of the needle about its longitudinal axis. Therefore, the connector may comprise a plurality of needles 1 with their loop 6 located at distances from each other lower than the height of the loop, without fear that one loop may come into contact with another.

  It is also specified that, in a preferred embodiment, the third guide plate 9 and the second guide plate 12 which are traversed by the same part 121 of the needles, can be made in one piece. In the case of the figure, the breakthroughs 31 and 32 would form a single breakthrough.

  Finally, it is specified that the four plates 2, 4, 9, 12 may be made of an electrically insulating material such as ceramic. But it is equally possible that at least one, if not all, is made of an electrically conductive material and that the holes made therein are then lined with a layer of electrically insulating material, such as ceramic or the like.

  Of course, the length of the needles 1 is determined with respect to the thickness of the four guide plates positioned as described above, so that, regardless of the level differences to be made up between the terminals of the distribution connector Cd and the terminals of an electronic circuit to be tested Ce, the ends 7, 8 of the needles always emerge respectively from the upper face of the first guide plate 2 and the lower face of the second guide plate 12, to respectively come into contact with the terminals of the outputs of the connector Cd and the circuit to be tested Ce.

Claims (9)

REVENDI CATIONS   1. "Needle" type electrical connector (Ca) for connecting the terminals of a distribution connector (Cd) with the terminals of an electronic circuit to be tested (Ce), characterized in that it comprises: A plurality of electrical connection needles (1), each needle defining a general axis (3), É a first guide plate (2), said first guide plate having first openings (30) parallel to each other and a number at least equal to the number of needles (1), the section of said first holes (30) being substantially equal to the cross section of said needles so that said needles can slide there without significant lateral movement, E a second guide plate (12), said second guide plate having second bores (31) parallel to each other and in number at least equal to said number of needles (1), the section of said second bores (31) being substantially equal to the cross-section of said needles so that said needles can slide therein without significant lateral displacement, É a stack (50) of two third (4) and fourth (9) guide plates, said stack being located between said first (2) and second (12) guide plates, * said third guide plate (4) having third oblong holes (5) in number at least equal to said number of needles (1), the width of the section of said third oblong holes (5) in a plane perpendicular to the general axis (3) being substantially equal to the cross section of said needles and its length (L) greater than the cross section of the needles, so that said needles can slide there while being able to undergo significant lateral movements by elastic deformation, * said fourth guide plate (9) having fourth holes (3 2) parallel to each other and in number at least equal to said number of needles, the section of said fourth holes (32) being substantially equal to the cross section of said needles so that said needles can slide there without undergoing lateral movements noteable, said four guide plates (2, 12, 4, 9) being made of an electrically insulating material, and E means (40) for mounting said first, second, third and fourth guide plates so that the axes corresponding openings (30, 31, 32) respectively made in the first, second and fourth plates and able to receive the same needle (1) are all on the same general axis (3), the third guide plate (4) being positioned relative to the other three so that the general axis (3) is substantially tangential to the wall portion of the third oblong aperture (5) corresponding to its width.   2. Insert connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the part of the needles (1) passing through the third oblong bores (5) formed in the third guide plate (4) is preformed in a loop (6) so that each loop is contained at least partly in a third oblong bead (5) by being held laterally by the two wall portions opposite said oblong breakthrough corresponding to its length.   3. intermediate connector according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the first guide plate (2) is constituted by at least two auxiliary plates (21, 22) located at a distance from one of the and other mounted parallel to each other, each first piercing (30) consisting of two first auxiliary bores (30-1, 30-2) made on the same general axis (3) respectively in each first auxiliary plate (21, 22). .   4. intermediate connector according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the four guide plates (2, 4, 9, 12) are made of ceramic.   5. intermediate connector according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one of the four guide plates (2, 4, 9, 12) is made of an electrically conductive material and that the breakthroughs (30, 5, 32, 31) made in said plate are lined with a layer of electrically insulating material.   6. intermediate connector according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the mounting means (40) of said first, second, third and fourth guide plates are constituted by a housing enclosing laterally said four guide plates. (2, 4, 9, 12).   7. intermediate connector according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said needles (1) are made of an elastic material selected so that the deformation (6) of each needle in the third oblong aperture (5) corresponding spring shape and remains in the context of an elastic deformation without becoming a plastic deformation.   8. intermediate connector according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the third (4) and fourth (9) guide plates are in contact with each other.   9. intermediate connector according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said stack (50) is positioned relative to the first guide plate (2) so that their respective facing faces (51, 52). are located at a certain distance from each other.