JP2002062312A - Contact device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To increase the variety of the tip shapes of a probe and to enhance corresponding properties to changes in a contact device, which can cope with not only a specimen of a rigid type but also specimens of flexible type. SOLUTION: The contact device is composed of a plate 13, in which a plurality of plates 131 to 135 having a plurality of probe housing holes 141 to 145 in mutually identical positions are overlapped, and respective probes 1 which are housed in the probe housing holes 14 in the plate 13. Each probe 1 is composed of a pin contact 2 and a probe contact 3, equipped with a spring 11, which come into contact with each other. Each probe housing hole 14 is provided with a pin-contact engaging step part 15, which is engaged with a part 7 of the pin contact 2 and which prevents the pin contact from springing out; and a probe-contact engaging step part 17 which is engaged with a part 18 of the probe contact 3, equipped with the spring and which prevents the probe contact from springing out.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a contact device,
In particular, an object to be contacted having a large number of wirings, terminals and / or electrodes, for example, a large number of probes corresponding to a portion to be contacted which is at least a part of the wirings, terminals and / or electrodes of the printed circuit board to be inspected The present invention also relates to a contact device for electrically leading a part to be contacted to each other, for example, to a tester circuit through each probe.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Electronic circuits using ICs, LSIs, transistors, and other electronic components are used in a large number of devices and equipment, and the applications thereof are steadily expanding. An electronic circuit is usually configured using a printed circuit board on which a wiring film is printed on one or both sides, and ICs, LSIs, transistors, and other various electronic components are mounted on the printed circuit board, and necessary soldering is performed. By doing so, an electronic circuit is configured.

[0003] Many of the devices and equipment using electronic circuits are required to be reduced in size, to have higher functions, and to have higher performance. As a result, the circuit configuration of electronic circuits is required to be more complicated and higher integration is required. ing. Therefore, the wiring of the printed circuit board is also miniaturized,
There is a tendency for high integration, which makes the inspection difficult. This is because it is necessary to increase the arrangement density and the accuracy of the arrangement position of the inspection probe by making the wiring finer and more highly integrated. Nevertheless, the importance of testing is growing. The reason for this is that the finer the wiring and the higher the integration, the higher the incidence of short-circuit defects.

Then, a tester having a tester circuit is used for the inspection, and a contact device is used for electrically leading each wiring film, electrode, etc. of the printed circuit board to the tester circuit. This contact device has a large number of probes on a plate, one end of each probe is brought into contact with a portion to be electrically connected to a tester circuit such as each wiring film on a printed circuit board, and the other end of a cord connected to the tester circuit. Many are designed to contact the tip, but there are several types.

FIGS. 3A to 3C are cross-sectional views showing different examples of the conventional contact device used for the inspection. FIG. 3A shows a rigid-type printed circuit board measuring contact device. In the figure, a is a plate for accommodating a pin contact b and is formed by laminating two plates a1 and a2. c is a hole formed in the plate a1, d is a hole formed in the plate a2, and the pin c and the hole d constitute a pin storage hole, and the pin contact b is provided in the pin storage hole at both ends thereof. a so as to protrude from both surfaces.

FIG. 3B shows a contact device which can be applied to a flexible type printed circuit board. FIG.
In (B), a is a plate for accommodating the base half of the pin contact b, and is formed by laminating two plates a1 and a2. Reference numeral a3 denotes a movable plate, which is disposed on the plate a via springs e and e. When the movable plate a3 is pressed against the plate a against the spring force of the springs e and e, the tip of the pin contact b Is the movable plate a3
The movable plate a3 protrudes from the surface of the movable plate a3 (surface on the side opposite to the plate a) by an appropriate amount through the hole f. Thus, by providing the movable plate a3 via the springs e and e, the flexible type printing is performed. The electrical derivation can be performed without any trouble by bringing the tip of the pin contact b into contact with a wiring film, an electrode, or the like of the substrate.

FIG. 3C shows a contact device for measuring a printed circuit board of a type in which the positional relationship between the printed circuit board and each pin in the plate plane direction can be finely adjusted. In FIG. 3C, a is three plates a1,
In the plate composed of a2 and a3, the intermediate plate a2 is movable in the plane direction with respect to the upper and lower plates a1 and a3. g is a probe contact accommodated in the plate a, accommodates a plunger in a barrel via a spring, uses the outer end of the plunger as a terminal, and contacts the terminal to a wiring or the like of a printed circuit board. The terminal can be elastically contacted with a wiring or the like by the spring force of the spring. Therefore, it can correspond to a flexible type printed circuit board.

Reference numeral h denotes a guide pin which is attached to the plates a1 and a2 and is loosely inserted into the play insertion hole i of the plate a3. The hole j through which the probe contact g of the plate a2 passes is made larger than the diameter of the probe contact g, so that the plate a2 can be moved in a plane direction with respect to the plates a1 and a3. Therefore, the guide pin h can be moved by moving the plate a2. Since the guide pins h are fitted into the guide pin fitting holes of the printed circuit board to be inspected, the position of the printed circuit board relative to the probe contacts g can be finely adjusted.

[0009]

FIG. 3 (A)
The contact device described in (1) has a problem that it can be applied only to a rigid type printed circuit board measurement contact device. In recent years, the number of flexible type printed circuit boards has increased, and it is not preferable to be able to cope only with rigid type printed circuit board measuring contact devices. On the other hand, the contact devices shown in FIGS. 3B and 3C can be applied to a flexible type printed circuit board, and can be said to be superior in that respect.

However, the contact devices shown in FIGS. 3 (A) to 3 (C) all deal with changes and variations in the shape of the tip of the pin contact b or the probe contact g in contact with the wiring film, electrodes, etc. of the printed circuit board. There was a problem that was difficult. That is, as a recent trend, the shape of the tip of the pin contact b or the probe contact g that is in contact with the wiring film, the electrode, etc. of the printed board has been limited to a small type such as a needle shape in the past, but recently,
Not only the needle shape but also various shapes such as a crown shape appear, and the printed circuit board manufacturer specifies the tip shape of the probe used for inspection from a unique technical viewpoint according to the type of printed circuit board, etc. It has been demanded that the shape of the tip can be changed according to the printed circuit board. However, none of the arrangements shown in FIGS. 3 (A) to 3 (C) can sufficiently meet the demand.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem. In a contact device which can cope with not only a rigid type test object but also a flexible type test object, the present invention provides a contact device having a probe tip shape. The purpose is to be able to easily respond to diversity and changes.

[0012]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of plates having a plurality of holes for accommodating a probe at the same position are aligned with the centers of the holes to form a probe accommodating hole. And a probe accommodated in each probe accommodating hole of the plate, each probe having one end protruding from one surface of the plate, and one end enclosing the plate. A probe contact with a spring projecting from the other surface and having the other end elastically in contact with the other end of the pin contact. Each of the probe storage holes is engaged with a part of the pin contact at a portion for storing the pin contact. A pin contact engaging step for preventing the plate from protruding toward the one surface side, and the spring-provided probe contact Engaging a portion engaged with and having a probe contact engagement Godan portion for preventing the popping out to the other surface side of the plate.

Therefore, according to the contact device of the first aspect, the probe is composed of the pin contact and the probe contact having the spring, so that the probe is elastically connected to the wiring film, the electrode or the like of the inspection object by the spring of the probe contact having the spring. Can be done. Therefore, not only a rigid type, for example, a printed circuit board, but also a test object, such as a flexible type printed circuit board, can be handled.

In order to cope with the variety and change of the shape of the probe tip which comes into contact with the wiring film, the electrode, etc. of the object to be inspected, the pin contact is simply prepared by preparing various pin contacts having different tip shapes. This can be done very easily by exchanging only those having different tip shapes.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the contact device according to the first aspect, wherein the pin contact engaging step is constituted by a plate on the one surface side constituting the plate.

Therefore, according to the contact device of the second aspect, the pin contact can be easily removed simply by removing the plate on the one surface side that constitutes the plate. Instead of just attaching the plate on the most front side,
Easy replacement of pin contacts.

[0017]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The contact device of the present invention basically comprises a plate in which a plurality of plates each having a hole for accommodating a probe are superimposed on each other, and each probe accommodated in each probe accommodating hole of the plate. Wherein each probe comprises a pin contact having one end protruding from one surface of the plate, and a probe contact having a spring having one end protruding from the other surface of the plate and the other end elastically contacting the other end of the pin contact. A pin contact engaging step for engaging the part of the pin contact at a portion for accommodating the pin contact and preventing the plate from jumping out to the one surface side, A probe connector which is engaged with a part of the probe contact having spring to prevent the plate from jumping out to the other surface side. Those having a transfected engagement Godan unit,
Each plate constituting the plate is insulative, has a certain degree of rigidity, a normal temperature at which the contact device is used,
It is necessary that deformation such as bending does not occur under the humidity condition, and high workability is desirable. In particular,
It can be said that, for example, bakelite is suitable for the synthetic resin plate.

Although the probe is composed of a pin contact and a probe contact, a change in the shape of the tip that comes into contact with an object to be inspected, such as a printed circuit board, is performed simply by exchanging only the pin contact that is in contact with the object to be inspected. obtain. The probe contact is, for example, a state in which a plunger formed such that one end thereof is in contact with, for example, the tip of a cord of a tester circuit or other terminals is interposed between the other end and the inner bottom surface of the barrel in a compressed state. A typical example is that the one end is built in such that it protrudes from the barrel, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to this. The structure is not necessarily limited to such a structure as long as a spring having a necessary elasticity for making the tip of the probe elastically contact a wiring film or the like of a printed circuit board is incorporated.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the illustrated embodiments. 1 (A) to 1 (C) show an embodiment of the contact device of the present invention. In this embodiment, the present invention relates to a contact device interposed between a tester for measuring a printed board and a printed board to be inspected. Applied to the device,
(A) shows a probe, (B) shows a plate, and (C) shows a contact device.

In the drawings, reference numeral 1 denotes a probe, which comprises a pin contact 2 and a probe contact 3. One end (outer end) 4 of the pin contact 2 is brought into contact with a wiring film or the like of a printed circuit board to be inspected, and the contact point is electrically led out to the tester side, and its shape is diversified.
In the present embodiment, it is formed in a conical shape, but there are various variations. This will be described later.
The other end (inner end) 5 of the pin contact 2 is a terminal that is brought into contact with the probe contact 3.

Reference numeral 6 denotes an intermediate large-diameter portion of the pin contact 2, which is provided to form the engaging steps 7 and 8.
The engaging step portions 7 and 8 are necessary for preventing the pin contact 2 from coming off the plate (13) described later and for limiting the movable range.

The probe contact 3 has a barrel 9
A plunger 10 and a spring 11 contracted between the inner end of the plunger 10 and the inner bottom surface of the barrel 9, and the outer end of the plunger 10 protrudes from the open end of the barrel 9 and faces the tester. Terminal 1 that comes in contact with the cord of
Two. Then, the outer bottom surface of the barrel 9 is brought into contact with the other end (inner end) 5 of the pin contact 2.
The open end of the barrel 9 is bent inward after accommodating the base of the spring 11 and the plunger 10 in the barrel 9 to form an engagement piece. The jar 10 is prevented from coming off the barrel 9.

Reference numeral 13 denotes a plate, and a plurality of plates 13 ₁ , 1
3 ₂ , 13 ₃ , 13 ₄ , 13 ₅ are superposed. The plate 1
3, a plurality of plates 13 ₁ , 13 ₂ , 13 ₃ , 13 ₄ , 1
3 ₅ Each large number of holes 14 _1, 14 _2, 14 _3, 14 _4,
14 ₅ and these holes 14 ₁ , 14 ₂ , 14 ₃ , 1
The centers of 4 ₄ and 14 ₅ are made to coincide with each other to form one probe accommodating hole 14. Hole 14 ₁ of the plate 13 ₁ is as downward pin contact engagement Godan portion 15 lower than the top is larger in diameter is configured.

The engaging step 15 is provided on the pin contact 2
The pin contact 2 is disengaged upward by engaging with the engagement step 7.
Plays a role in preventing prolapse. Board 13_TwoHole 14_TwoIs at the bottom
So that the diameter thereof is reduced to form an upward engaging step 16
The engaging step 15 is provided with the pin contact 2.
The pin contact 2 is moved downward by engaging with the engagement step 8.
The movement is defined, and thus the movable range is defined. And Pinko
Contact 2 is board 13 ₁, 13_TwoHole 14₁, 14_TwoWithin
And the engaging step 7 is₁And the engagement step 15
And the engaging step 8 is in the hole 14._TwoWith the engagement step 16
Moveable in the thickness direction of the plate 13 between the engaging positions
Noh.

The holes 14 ₃ , 1 of the plates 13 ₃ , 13 ₄ , 13 ₅
4 _4, 14 is ₅ probe contact 3 is housed in the holes 14 ₅ has an upward engaging step portion 17 by the lower is the small diameter, the probe contacts 3 in the engagement step 17 The opening-side end 18 of the barrel 9 is engaged to prevent the probe contact 3 from coming off the plate 13. The probe contact 3 is inserted into the holes 14 ₃ , 14 ₄ , 14 _{5 with} its inner end in contact with the inner end of the pin contact 2 and the open end 18 of the barrel 9 in contact with the engaging step 17. accommodated and the outer end portion 12 of the plunger 10 forms a terminal contact with the cord distal end surface of the tester-side projecting downwardly from the plate 13 _5.

According to such a contact device, the probe 1 comprises the pin contact 2 and the probe contact 3 having a spring, and the spring 11 of the probe contact 3 allows the probe 1 to connect the probe 1 to the wiring film and the electrode on the printed circuit board to be inspected. And the like and the cable on the tester side can be interposed via elasticity, and thus the wiring films, electrodes, and the like can be electrically led out to the tester side. Therefore, it is possible to inspect and measure not only a rigid printed board but also a flexible printed board.

It is easy to cope with the variety of shapes of the probe tips that come into contact with the wiring film, electrodes, etc. of the printed circuit board to be inspected by preparing various pin contacts 2 having different tip shapes. Can do it. FIG.
4A to 4D are an end view and a front view showing another example of the shape of the tip 4 of the pin contact 2. 2A, the tip 4 has a triangular pyramid shape, FIG. 2B shows a crown shape, FIG. 2C shows an R (R) tip shape, and FIG. ) Has a tip 4 having a needle-like (conical) shape. A plurality of types of pin contacts 2 having different shapes of such tips 4 are prepared, and the pin contacts 2 according to a customer's order are prepared from among them. By selecting the probe contact 3 and combining it with the probe contact 3 to construct a probe contact 3 and providing the contact device to a customer, it is possible to meet the customer's request regarding the shape of the tip 4 of the pin contact 2.

In this case, it is not necessary to prepare other types of probe contacts 3 and any type of pin contacts 2 can be used. However, it goes without saying that the type of the probe contact 3 must be changed depending on the difference in size (diameter, length).

It is also easy to replace the pin contact 2 after the contact device has been constructed and delivered. That is, when it is necessary to change the shape of the tip 4 of the pin contact 2 depending on the type of the printed circuit board or the like, the other type of contact 2 is delivered together with the contact device for replacement.
If the uppermost plate 13 ₁ constituting the plate 13 is removed, the pin contact 2 is taken out, the alternative pin contact 2 is stored in the holes 14 ₁ , 14 ₂ , and the plate 13 ₁ is mounted on the plate 13 ₂ by overlapping. The replacement of the pin contact 2 is completed, and the replacement work is easily completed. Therefore, the pin contact 2 can be replaced due to a difference in the type of printed circuit board to be inspected.

[0030]

According to the contact device of the first aspect, since the probe is composed of the pin contact and the probe contact having the spring, the spring is used to connect the probe to the wiring film such as the object to be inspected.
It can be elastically contacted with an electrode or the like. Therefore, not only a rigid type, for example, a printed circuit board, but also a test object, such as a flexible type printed circuit board, can be handled.

In order to cope with the variety and change of the shape of the probe tip in contact with the wiring film, the electrode, etc. of the object to be inspected, various types of pin contacts having different tip shapes are prepared. Can be easily accomplished by exchanging between different ones.

According to the contact device of the second aspect, the pin contact can be easily removed simply by removing the plate on the one surface side constituting the plate. Instead, the pin contact can be easily replaced simply by attaching the plate on the most front surface side.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 (A) to 1 (C) are cross-sectional views showing one embodiment of a contact device of the present invention, wherein FIG.
(B) shows a plate, and (C) shows a contact device.

FIGS. 2A to 2D are an end view and a front view showing another example of the shape of the tip end 4 of the pin contact 2. FIGS.

FIGS. 3A to 3C are cross-sectional views showing another example of a conventional contact device used for the inspection.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... probe, 2 ... pin contact, 3 ...
Probe contact, 4 ... tip (one end) of pin contact, 7 ... engagement step, 11 ... spring,
12: tip of probe contact, 13: plate, 13 _{1 to 5:} plate, 14: probe housing hole,
14 _{1 to 5} ··· plate hole, 15 ··· pin contact engaging step, 17 ··· probe contact engaging step, 18 ·
..Part of the probe contact.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A plate in which a plurality of plates each having a plurality of holes for accommodating a probe at the same position are overlapped so that the centers of the holes are aligned with each other to form a probe accommodating hole. Each probe accommodated in each probe accommodating hole, wherein each probe has one end protruding from one surface of the plate, one end protruding from the other surface of the plate, and the other end having the pin contact. Each of the probe storage holes is engaged with a part of the pin contact at a portion for storing the pin contact, so that the plate protrudes toward the one surface side. A pin contact engaging step to prevent, and a part of the above-mentioned plate by engaging with a part of the probe contact having spring. Contact apparatus characterized by having a probe contact engagement Godan portion for preventing the popping out to the side. 2. The contact device according to claim 1, wherein the pin contact engaging step is formed on a plate on the one surface side that constitutes the plate.