JP2000310650A - Life judgment method of contact probe - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a judgment method of a contact probe that can quantitatively and simply judge the fluctuation of the contact pressure between the contact probes without using a contact pressure-measuring instrument. SOLUTION: Pressure-sensitive paper 3 is inserted between a contact probe 10 of a board checker 1 and a printed-circuit board 2. A contact needle 4 of the contact probe 10 is brought into contact with the pressure-sensitive paper 3. The state of the contact probe is judged according to the amount of the color development and the shape of the color developing part of the pressure- sensitive paper, thus quantitatively and simply judging the fluctuation of the contact pressure between the contact probes without depending on a contact pressure-measuring instrument.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for determining the life of a contact probe used in a printed circuit board determination machine (board checker).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, a printed circuit board has been electrically inspected by contacting a plurality of contact probes with a board checker to judge pass / fail. However, since the contact probes are deteriorated or have trouble due to their life, the contact pressure between the contact probes varies. Therefore, the contact pressure between the contact probes is quantitatively measured by a contact pressure measuring device,
Pass / fail was determined and the defective contact probe was replaced.

However, in recent years, the mounting density has increased along with the miniaturization of electronic components, and the intervals between contact probes have become narrower. There is no space for inserting a contact pressure measuring instrument. There was a problem that the contact pressure could not be determined quantitatively.

[0004] For this reason, it has been exchanged periodically depending on the number of times of contact, or the state of the spring has been exchanged based on experience or intuition based on the judgment of a touch finger or the like. However, the quality of the contact probe could not be quantitatively determined.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and quantitatively measures the variation in contact pressure between contact probes without using a contact pressure measuring device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a contact probe life determining method that can be easily determined.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a method for determining the life of a contact probe of a board checker, wherein the contact probe is brought into contact with a pressure-sensitive paper placed on a substrate, and a coloring amount and a color-forming portion of the pressure-sensitive paper are provided. A method for determining the life of the contact probe based on the shape of the contact probe.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a method for determining the life of a contact probe according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the contact pressure of the pressure-sensitive paper and the amount of color development. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state of pressure-sensitive paper in contact with a contact probe, FIG. 3A is a diagram showing an initial state, and FIG.
(B) is a figure which shows a malfunction state.

As shown in FIG. 1, a pressure-sensitive paper 3 cut to the same size as a printed circuit board to be electrically inspected is placed between a contact probe 10 of a board checker 1 and a printed circuit board 2 on which no components are mounted. Insert Next, the contact needle 4 of the contact probe 10 is brought into contact with the pressure-sensitive paper 3.
As the pressure-sensitive paper, a pressure-measuring test paper showing color development in proportion to the applied pressure was used. Note that, as shown in FIG. 2, the contact pressure and the color development amount are in a proportional relationship.

[0010] In Fig. 3, A is a color development state in a normal case, B is a color development state in a set-down state of a spring connected to a contact needle, and C is a case in which a flux adheres to the tip of the contact needle. , D indicates the color development state in the case of spring twisting or catching, and E indicates the color development state in the case of contact needle inclination.

That is, as shown in FIG. 3A, in a normal case (A), the color developed by the contact probe has a constant size. In addition, as shown in FIG. 3B, in the spring torsion (D) and the spring set (B), the amount of color development due to pressure is small and the size is also small. In the case of adhesion of the flux to the tip of the contact needle (C), the amount of coloring is small and the size is large. With the inclination (E) of the contact needle, the color development amount is almost the same as in the normal case, but the shape changes from a circle to an ellipse.

Therefore, by comparing the amount of coloring and the shape of the coloring portion in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the life and malfunction of the contact probe can be easily determined.

[0013]

As described above, according to the present invention, the life of a contact probe can be determined quantitatively and easily without depending on the contact pressure measuring device. A method could be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view schematically showing a contact probe life determining method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a contact pressure of a pressure-sensitive paper and a coloring amount.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a state of pressure-sensitive paper in contact with a contact probe. FIG. 3A illustrates an initial state. FIG.
(B) is a figure which shows a malfunction state.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Board checker 2 Printed circuit board 3 Pressure sensitive paper 4 Contact needle 5 Socket 6 Spring 10 Contact probe A Colored state in normal case B Colored state in case of spring set C Colored state in case of adhering to flux tip D Coloring state in case of spring prying or catching E Coloring state in case of inclination

Claims (1)

[Claims] In the method for determining the life of a contact probe of a board checker, the contact probe is brought into contact with a pressure-sensitive paper placed on a substrate, and the contact probe is contacted with the pressure-sensitive paper according to the amount of color development and the shape of a color-forming portion. A method for determining the life of a contact probe, comprising determining whether the state is good or bad.