JP2011137756A - Testing device, test method, and opening/closing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a contact conduction unit applicable to a testing device or the like, having an elongated using lifetime and improved reliability. <P>SOLUTION: A device 13 to be tested is mounted on a mounting stand 11a, and a contact part 12g constituted of a carbon material is arranged oppositely to the mounting stand 11a, and the electric characteristic of the device 13 to be tested is tested by abutment on a surface on which an electrode terminal 13e is arranged, of the device 13 to be tested on the mounting stand 11a, and by current carrying with the electrode terminal 13e. In the contact part 12g, since damage caused by a spark, melting or the like is suppressed even when being tested repeatedly, the using lifetime is elongated, and deterioration of a commodity value of the device 13 to be tested can be prevented. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a contact energization device that secures an energization path of a large current by a contact method, and more particularly to a test apparatus, a test method, and an opening / closing device that opens and closes an electric circuit.

  For electrical devices such as power semiconductors, capacitors, and other electrical / electronic components, inverters, power supplies, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), battery chargers, etc., it is usually necessary to test specified electrical characteristics before product shipment. Done. Hereinafter, an outline of a test apparatus for performing the test will be described. Hereinafter, a semiconductor device will be described as an example of a device under test to be tested by a test apparatus.

FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram of a test apparatus for testing a semiconductor device.
A test apparatus 100 that tests the electrical characteristics of the device under test 13 includes a contact device 100a including a contact portion 101 that can be separated from and connected to the device under test 13, and a tester 100b that is electrically connected to the contact device 100a. Have.

  In the test apparatus 100, currents of various test conditions are obtained from the tester 100 b in a state where the contact portion 101 is brought into contact with the electrode terminal 13 e of the device under test 13 and an energization route between the test apparatus 100 and the device under test 13 is secured. A voltage is applied to the electrode terminal 13 e of the device under test 13 via the contact portion 101. In consideration of the manufacturing cost of the contact device 100a and the work efficiency of the test, contact energization is generally performed using the contact portion 101 having a shape such as a probe type, a block type, a socket type, or a plate spring type. It is.

  Then, the tester 100b measures the electrical characteristics by obtaining the response of the device under test 13 according to the applied current / voltage. Further, for example, the tester 100b can determine whether the device under test 13 is a good product or a defective product based on the measured electrical characteristics of the device under test 13.

  When performing the test, when the device under test 13 is a power semiconductor or the like, a large current of several hundred A or more may be passed through the device under test 13. When a test using such a large current is performed, the contact surfaces of the electrode terminal 13e and the contact portion 101 are worn, and the contact surface generates heat due to contact energization between the electrode terminal 13e and the contact portion 101. End up. Due to such heat generation, a spark is generated between the contact portion 101 and the electrode terminal 13e, and the contact surface between the contact portion 101 and the electrode terminal 13e of the device under test 13 is melted, so that the contact portion 101 And the electrode terminal 13e are damaged. In addition, it has been empirically found that the contact energization in which such a problem becomes remarkable is approximately 50 A or more.

  Therefore, when performing a test in which a large current is applied, in the test apparatus 100, the contact portion 101 whose service life is shortened is replaced very frequently or / and electrically connected to the tester 100b. The crimp terminal is directly fixed to the electrode terminal 13e of the device under test 13 with a screw and energized.

Hereinafter, a specific example of a test apparatus for testing the device under test 13 will be described.
FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of a specific semiconductor device test apparatus.
12A is a side view of the test apparatus 100 that tests the device under test 13 by bringing the contact portion 101 having elasticity into contact with the electrode terminal 13e. FIG. 12B is an enlarged side view of a principal part of a test apparatus 200 that tests the device under test 13 by fixing the crimp terminal 105 to the electrode terminal 13e with a screw.

  In the contact device 120 included in the test device 100, a plurality of L-shaped metal plates 101a to 101c constituting the contact portion 101 are fixed to the end portions in the longitudinal direction by screws 103 via metal spacers 102a and 102b. ing. When high-precision measurement is required, the four-terminal method is mainly applied. In this case, an insulating spacer is used instead of the metal spacer in order to separate the sense terminal and the force terminal.

  In addition, a tester (not shown) included in the test apparatus 100 is electrically connected to the contact apparatus 120 via the wiring 104. The metal plates 101a to 101c are arranged in contact with each other so that the tips in the short direction of the metal plates 101a to 101c are in contact with the electrode terminal 13e surface of the device under test 13 at the same time. 120 is fixed to each.

  The metal plates 101a to 101c are preferably made of a tungsten-based material for the purpose of ensuring wear resistance or a phosphor bronze or a beryllium copper-based material for the purpose of ensuring elasticity. The surfaces of the metal plates 101a to 101c are preferably plated with gold, silver, nickel or the like to prevent oxidation.

  A device under test 13 to be tested by such test apparatuses 100 and 200 is formed on a resin case 13a for storing a semiconductor chip (not shown) inside, a main surface of the resin case 13a, and a nut 13c having a screw hole. And a fixing member 13b having an end portion of the electrode terminal 13e disposed thereon. The electrode terminal 13e has one end electrically connected to the semiconductor chip within the resin case 13a, and the other end extending outside the resin case 13a and formed at the other end. The opening hole 13f is aligned with the screw hole 13d.

Next, a method for testing the device under test 13 using the test apparatus 100 will be described.
First, the device under test 13 is set in a predetermined area of the test apparatus 100. Then, the contact device 120 is lowered and the tip of the contact portion 101 is brought into contact with the electrode terminal 13 e of the device under test 13.

  When testing the device under test 13, the contact device 120 is moved from the reference in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 12A with reference to the height at which the electrode terminal 13 e and the contact portion 101 start contact. Move (overdrive). Then, the longitudinal direction of the metal plates 101a to 101c of the contact portion 101 bends, a contact pressure of a desired magnitude is applied to the electrode terminal 13e by the leaf spring effect, and a large current can be passed through the device under test 13. Further, in order to apply a large current to the device under test 13, the contact area between the electrode terminal 13e and the contact portion 101 may be adjusted by changing the number of the metal plates 101a to 101c. In addition, the contact load may be controlled by appropriately selecting the type (elastic modulus), size, and overdrive amount of the metal plates 101a to 101c.

  Further, in the test apparatus 200, as shown in FIG. 12B, a crimp terminal 105 electrically connected to a tester (not shown) by a wiring 104 is placed on the electrode terminal 13e of the device under test 13. The crimp terminal 105 is screwed and fixed by a bolt 106 and a nut 13c.

  In this case, in the test method of the device under test 13, the current / voltage from the tester is applied to the electrode terminal 13 e of the device under test 13 via the wiring 104 and the crimp terminal 105. On the other hand, a response from the device under test 13 corresponding to the applied current / voltage is output to the tester via the electrode terminal 13e, the crimp terminal 105 and the wiring 104, or another electrode terminal and contact portion (not shown).

  In addition to the above, as a means for preventing damage to the electrode of the semiconductor chip of the device under test 13 and melting of the contact portion 101, the elastic coefficient is smaller than the constituent material of the electrode of the semiconductor chip of the device under test 13 and is substantially flat. It has been proposed to use a contact portion composed of an aggregate of conductive fibers having a surface (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  By the way, a carbon material excellent in toughness and conductivity is applied to a panda graph (current collecting slab) of a railway vehicle in order to suppress the occurrence of cracks and chips due to high-speed traveling under severe conditions. (For example, refer to Patent Document 2).

JP 2006-337247 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-126713

  When contact between the contact portion 101 composed of the metal plates 101a to 101c and the electrode terminal 13e of the device under test 13 is repeatedly performed, the contact surface of the contact portion 101 is gradually worn, and the contact portion 101 is plated. Is peeled off, and the base material is partially exposed to cause unevenness on the contact surface. Further, when the test is repeatedly performed on the contact portion 101 in a state where the base material is exposed, the exposed portion of the base material is oxidized due to heat generated by contact energization.

  As damage and oxidation of the contact surface of the contact portion 101 progress, the contact area is reduced, and the contact resistance partially increases and the contact energization becomes unstable. If this state further proceeds, the temperature of the contact surface during energization exceeds the melting point of the contact portion 101, melting and sparking occur, and the contact surface is further deteriorated. Then, it will not be able to withstand repeated tests. Also, the electrode terminal 13e itself of the device under test 13 also melts the contact surface of the electrode terminal 13e, and the commercial value is lowered due to the adhesion of the melted material of the contact portion 101.

  If the contact part comprised from the aggregate | assembly of the conductive fiber which has the substantially flat surface described in patent document 1 is utilized, the contact surface of the electrode terminal 13e will fuse | melt and the melt of the contact part 101 will adhere. This problem can be prevented. However, since it is an aggregate of fibers, the current capacity is lower than that of the bulk, and there is a problem that it cannot be used as it is for a very large current.

  Further, in the case of the test apparatus 200 described above, it is necessary to perform a screw tightening operation on each of the electrode terminals 13e that can withstand a large current existing at 2 to 20 locations per one device under test 13. The test cost will increase.

  The present application has been made in view of these points, and is capable of energizing a large current, extending the service life, improving the reliability, and reducing the test cost, the test method, and the opening and closing. An object is to provide an apparatus.

In order to achieve the above object, a test apparatus for testing electrical characteristics of a device under test is provided.
The test apparatus includes: a mounting table on which the device under test is mounted; and the surface of the device to be tested on the mounting table, which is disposed to face the mounting table, and press-contacts the surface of the device to be tested with the electrode. A contactor made of a carbon material that is energized to test the electrical characteristics.

Moreover, in order to achieve the said objective, the test method which tests the electrical property of a to-be-tested device is provided.
In this test method, a contact made of a carbon material is pressed against a surface of the device under test on which an electrode is disposed, and the electrode is energized to test the electrical characteristics.

According to such a test apparatus and test method, the surface of the device under test is pressed against the surface on which the electrode is arranged with a contact made of a carbon material, and the electrode is energized to test the electrical characteristics.
In order to achieve the above object, an opening / closing device for opening / closing an electric circuit is provided.

  The switchgear is disposed on at least one of the opposed first and second metal plates connected to the electric circuit and the opposed surfaces of the first and second metal plates, respectively. Has a contact made of a carbon material that energizes between the first and second metal plates when pressed against the second metal plate.

  Such a switchgear is arranged on at least one of the opposed surfaces of the opposed first and second metal plates connected to the electric circuit, and the first metal plate is made of a contact made of a carbon material. Is pressed against the second metal plate, the first and second metal plates are energized.

  In the test apparatus, test method, and switchgear described above, energization is stabilized, the service life is extended, and the test cost can be reduced.

It is a side view of the testing apparatus in an embodiment. It is a graph showing the resistance value according to the amount of overdrive of the contact part using the conventional contact material. It is a graph showing the pressing load dependence of the resistance value of the contact part which consists of carbon materials which made carbon the main material. It is a graph showing the resistance value according to the pressure of the contact part which consists of carbon materials according to contact area. It is a graph showing the change of the resistance value of a contact part by the frequency | count of a test. 1 is a side view of a test apparatus according to Example 1-1 in which a solenoid is used as a pressing unit. It is a side view of the test apparatus based on Example 1-2 in which the electric cylinder was used for the pressing means. It is a side view of the testing apparatus which used the spring for the press means based on Example 1-3. It is a side view of the testing apparatus to which the four terminal method was applied based on Example 2. FIG. It is a principal part side view of the switchgear concerning Example 3. It is a conceptual diagram of the test apparatus which tests a semiconductor device. It is a schematic diagram of a specific semiconductor device test apparatus.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described.
FIG. 1 is a side view of a test apparatus according to an embodiment.
Here, the positions of the metal plate 12f and the contact portion 12g (contactor) moved by being pressed by the air cylinder 12a are indicated by two-dot chain lines.

  The test apparatus 10 includes a placement unit 11 on which a device under test 13 to be tested is set, a pressing unit 12, and a tester (not shown) that is electrically connected to the pressing unit 12. Each configuration will be described below.

  The mounting unit 11 includes a mounting table 11a on which the device under test 13 is set and a positioning guide 11b that adjusts or guides the device under test 13 set on the mounting table 11a to a predetermined position.

  The pressing part 12 is disposed to face the mounting part 11. The pressing part 12 has an air cylinder 12a as a pressing means, one end of which is guided by the air cylinder 12a, and a rod 12b that moves up and down in FIG. 1 in response to driving of the air cylinder 12a, and a rod 12b. And an insulating plate 12c attached to the other end.

  Furthermore, it is attached to the mounting portion 11 side of the insulating plate 12c, and faces the electrode terminal 13e of the device under test 13 on the mounting portion 11 side of the metal plate 12f, which is an electrode outlet to the tester. Thus, the contact part 12g which consists of carbon materials which made carbon the main material is attached. A crimp terminal 12d to which a wiring 12e is connected is attached to the metal plate 12f by a screw 12h, and the metal plate 12f is connected to a tester via the wiring 12e. Moreover, each component which comprises such a press part 12 can also be connected by screwing, or can be joined by brazing, welding, etc. with a comparatively small electrical resistance.

The details of the contact portion 12g mainly made of carbon will be described later.
In the tester, the contact portion 12g is in contact with the device under test 13 and the energization route between the test apparatus 10 and the device under test 13 is secured. Applied to the device under test 13. Further, the tester measures the electrical characteristics of the device under test 13 from the response of the device under test 13 according to the applied current / voltage, and, for example, based on the electrical characteristics, It is also possible to determine defective products.

  Further, the device under test 13 is mounted on a circuit board, and a resin case 13a for storing therein a semiconductor chip (not shown) connected to the circuit board by a wire, solder, or the like, and a main surface of the resin case 13a A fixing member 13b is formed, and a nut 13c is fitted into the screw hole 13d, and an end portion of the electrode terminal 13e is disposed on the upper portion. The electrode terminal 13e has one end electrically connected to the semiconductor chip within the resin case 13a, and the other end extending outside the resin case 13a and formed at the other end. The opening hole 13f matches the screw hole 13d. The electrode terminal 13e has a base material, for example, a copper alloy, and the surface is subjected to electroless nickel plating.

Next, a test method for the device under test 13 performed in the test apparatus 10 having the above configuration will be described.
First, the device under test 13 is set on the mounting table 11a of the mounting unit 11, and the positioning guide 11b aligns and fixes the electrode terminal 13e of the device under test 13 to a predetermined region facing the contact unit 12g.

  Next, the air cylinder 12a is operated to lower the rod 12b, and the contact portion 12g is brought into contact with the electrode terminal 13e of the device under test 13 with a predetermined pressing load (see the position of the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1). ).

  In order to operate the air cylinder 12a, the contact portion 12g can be lowered by supplying compressed air. A regulator is connected to a compressed air pipe (not shown) for supplying compressed air so that the supply pressure can be adjusted. Here, the pressing load of the contact portion 12g to the electrode terminal 13e of the device under test 13 is obtained by air pressure × piston pressure receiving area × cylinder efficiency.

  Further, for the predetermined pressing load, the pressing load, the contact area, the contact surface pressure, and the resistance value (specific resistance of the contact portion 12g + electrode terminal) using the electrode terminal 13e of the device under test 13 and the contact portion 12g in advance. 13e) is obtained. After calculating (or measuring) the contact surface pressure at which a predetermined resistance value is obtained, the pressing load at which the contact surface pressure is obtained is calculated using the contact area. The relationship between the pressing load, the contact area, the contact surface pressure, and the resistance value depends on the material, shape, and temperature of the electrode terminal 13e and the contact portion 12g. For this reason, whenever these parameters change, it is necessary to check the relationship between the parameters and calculate the optimum pressing load each time.

The details of the relationship between the pressing load in the contact portion 12g, the contact area, the contact surface pressure, and the resistance value will be described later.
In a state in which the contact portion 12g is in contact with the electrode terminal 13e of the device under test 13, a predetermined current / voltage is applied from the tester for a predetermined time to energize the electrode terminal 13e from the contact portion 12g.

  Then, the tester measures electrical characteristics such as a resistance value of the device under test 13 based on a response from the device under test 13 in response to energization. Further, a good product or a defective product of the device under test 13 can be determined based on the electrical characteristics.

  After completion of the predetermined measurement, the compressed air for raising is supplied to the air cylinder 12a to raise the rod 12b, and the contact portion 12g is separated (opened) from the electrode terminal 13e of the device under test 13.

  When another electrode terminal of the device under test 13 is tested, a contact portion similar to the contact portion 12g is also provided for another electrode terminal, and the contact portion is the same as the contact portion 12g. The test is performed in contact with another electrode terminal.

In this way, the above test method is performed on the electrode terminals of the device under test 13.
Next, the contact portion 12g will be described.
In general, the service life of the contact portion 12g depends on energization conditions (current, contact time, etc.), contact conditions (contact pressure, etc.), temperature, and physical properties of the contact portion 12g. In addition, the specific resistance, wear resistance, and ease of oxidation are particularly important in the physical properties of the contact portion 12g.

  Further, it is desirable that the inherent resistance value of the contact portion 12g itself be as low as possible. The reason is that, first, by reducing the voltage drop due to the specific resistance between the contact portion 12g and another circuit, the capacitance required for the power supply of the energizing circuit for applying a predetermined voltage to the device under test 13 ( (The maximum voltage) can be reduced (the output voltage of the power source is the sum of the voltage drop and the voltage applied to the device under test 13). Alternatively, the voltage value that can be applied to the device under test 13 can be increased without changing the capacity of the power source. Further, since heat generation due to Joule heat due to the specific resistance of the contact portion 12g and the contact resistance with the electrode terminal 13e is suppressed, melting of the contact surface between the contact portion 12g and the electrode terminal 13e of the device under test 13 is prevented. Can do.

  For example, in FIG. 12A, the contact portion 101 is composed of eight phosphor bronze metal plates, the shape of the electrode terminal 13e of the device under test 13 is flat, and the surface of the deoxidized copper is nickel plated. Consider the case where it is given. In this case, if the energization conditions are 600 A, 50 ms, the power supply capacity of the energization circuit is specified in the range of 600 A, 10 V, and the maximum ON voltage of the device is 4 V, the allowable resistance value (specific resistance) of the contact portion 101 is set. The maximum value of + contact resistance is 5 mΩ (assuming that there are two contact portions 101 on the device under test 13 at the current inlet and outlet). Therefore, the resistance value is desirably 5 mΩ or less.

  Further, the contact portion 12g is required to be a material having high wear resistance and being difficult to oxidize in addition to low resistivity. In contrast, the inventors have proposed to apply carbon having excellent toughness and electrical conductivity.

  In the test apparatus 10, since the contact / non-contact between the contact portion 12g and the electrode terminal 13e of the device under test 13 is repeated several thousand times or more for performing the test, the contact surface of the contact portion 12g is oxidized. When an insulating oxide film is generated, it becomes a big problem.

  In the case of the current collecting plate of the railway vehicle of Patent Document 2, it is energized while being slid in contact with the electric wire, and even if an oxide film is formed, it is scraped and removed by the electric wire. However, the test apparatus may not have such a structure for scraping the oxide film by sliding, and it has been studied to apply a bulk carbon material applied in other fields to the test apparatus. There wasn't. Therefore, the inventor has made various studies and obtained knowledge that spark and melting can be prevented by applying a carbon material having predetermined characteristics to the contact portion 12g. Based on the knowledge, as a carbon material applicable to the contact portion 12g, for example, a carbon fiber reinforced carbon material using carbon fiber, or a metal-impregnated carbon material impregnated with a metal such as copper or aluminum, etc. Can be mentioned.

Such a carbon fiber reinforced carbon material and a metal-impregnated carbon material constituting the contact portion 12g can be manufactured as follows, for example.
The carbon fiber reinforced carbon material is first made into a prepreg by impregnating a resin into pitch-based or PAN (PolyAcryloNitrile) -based carbon fibers such as petroleum, coal, coal tar, and the like.

  Next, the prepreg is laminated and cured, or is formed by impregnating a carbon fiber fabric with a resin and curing by heating. The product thus formed can be produced by carbonizing in a reducing atmosphere.

  In some cases, the process of impregnating and baking the pitch or thermosetting resin is repeated several times to perform densification. Thereafter, heat treatment is performed at a high temperature to perform graphitization. Alternatively, the purification treatment may be performed by reacting with a halogen gas at a high temperature (about 2000 ° C.). Further, densification may be performed by using a pitch and a thermosetting resin in combination.

  On the other hand, as for the metal-impregnated carbon material, first, a carbon sintered body or a carbon fiber reinforced carbon material is charged into a reduced pressure impregnation furnace, and the inside of the reduced pressure impregnation furnace is decompressed. Next, the metal-impregnated carbon material can be produced by immersing the carbon sintered body or the carbon fiber reinforced carbon material in a molten metal heated to a melting temperature or higher and applying a pressure to impregnate the metal. Although the metal to impregnate is not specifically limited, For example, copper, aluminum, etc. are used.

In addition, the carbon material which made the carbon the main material used as the contact part 12g in the below-mentioned Example etc. was manufactured as follows.
First, pitch-based carbon fibers cut to have a length of about 30 to 100 mm are dispersed in a random direction, and the carbon fibers are fixed using 30 parts by mass of a phenol resin with respect to 100 parts by mass of the carbon fibers. A sheet-like prepreg was prepared. This prepreg was preliminarily dried at about 100 ° C., then about 100 sheets were stacked, pressed and molded using a hot press, and heat treated at about 2000 ° C. to obtain a carbon fiber laminate. Pyrolytic carbon was deposited on this carbon fiber laminate, impregnated with graphitizable heat pitch and heat treatment were repeated five times, and then heat treated at about 3000 ° C. to graphitize to obtain a carbon material.

Next, the relationship between the pressing load of the contact portion 12g, the contact area, the contact surface pressure, and the resistance value will be described.
First, for comparison, the contact portion 101 in FIG. 12A will be described.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing a resistance value according to an overdrive amount of a contact portion using a conventional contact material.
The horizontal axis represents the overdrive amount (mm) based on the start of contact with the electrode terminal 13e, and the vertical axis represents the resistance value (contact resistance value + specific resistance value with the electrode terminal 13e) (mΩ). . In the case of FIG. 2, two samples are respectively shown with respect to the contact portion 101 composed of eight metal plates.

  In either of the two samples, the resistance value decreases as the overdrive amount increases, that is, the pressing load increases. Then, the resistance value becomes stable from the point where the overdrive amount exceeds about 2 mm, and shows a substantially constant value (about 1.5 mΩ). The pressing load when the overdrive amount is about 2 mm corresponds to approximately 10 to 20 N (1 to 2 kgf) based on the size and material of the spring portion of the contact portion 101.

Next, the contact portion 12g mainly composed of carbon will be described.
FIG. 3 is a graph showing the pressing load dependency of the resistance value of a contact portion made of a carbon material whose main material is carbon.

Since carbon has a large elastic modulus, a pressing load is used in place of the overdrive amount as a parameter for determining contact conditions. The horizontal axis represents the pressing load (kgf), and the vertical axis represents the resistance value (contact resistance value with electrode terminal 13e + specific resistance value) (mΩ). In the case of FIG. 3, the contact area of the contact portion 12g mainly composed of carbon with respect to the electrode terminal 13e is about 20 mm ² , and three samples are shown with respect to the contact portion 12g.

  In any of the three samples, compared with the resistance value in the case of FIG. 2, although a large pressing load is required, the resistance value greatly decreases as the pressing load increases. Then, from the vicinity where the pressing load exceeds 20 kgf (196 N) to 80 kgf (785 N), a substantially constant resistance value (about 1.0 mΩ) is shown which is smaller than in the case of FIG.

From the graphs of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, it can be seen that the resistance value can be made smaller than that of the contact portion 101 formed of a metal plate by using the contact portion 12g.
Now, the resistance value corresponding to the contact area of the contact portion 12g with the electrode terminal 13e will be described.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing the resistance value according to the pressure of the contact portion made of a carbon material for each contact area.
The horizontal axis represents the pressure (MPa) against the electrode terminal 13e, and the vertical axis represents the resistance value (contact resistance value with respect to the electrode terminal 13e + specific resistance value) (mΩ). The three graphs represent the measured values when the contact area is 20, 70, and ²⁰⁰ mm ² , respectively.

In any contact area, the resistance value greatly decreases as the pressure increases. And the resistance value is almost constant from around the predetermined pressure. It can be seen that the resistance values that have become constant are smaller than those in the case of FIG. In particular, when the contact area is 200 mm ^{2 which} is the largest, the resistance value corresponding to the pressure is the smallest.

  Therefore, when the pressure on the electrode terminal 13e is constant, it is desirable that the contact surface of the contact portion 12g be as large as possible. If the shape of the contact portion 12g is a block shape (cuboid shape), a cylindrical shape, or the like, the contact area can be secured and the creation is easy.

Next, the resistance value of the contact portion 12g according to the number of tests will be described. In addition, the contact part 101 comprised with the metal plate is also demonstrated for a comparison.
FIG. 5 is a graph showing a change in the resistance value of the contact portion depending on the number of tests.

  The horizontal axis represents the number of tests (number of contacts) (times), and the vertical axis represents the resistance value (contact resistance value with electrode terminal 13e + specific resistance value) (mΩ). Moreover, the measurement result of three samples (metal type) of the contact part 101 comprised by eight metal plates and four samples (carbon type) of the contact part 12g which made carbon the main material is represented. In FIG. 5, pulse energization of 450 A, 100 ms is performed in a room temperature environment while maintaining the respective pressing loads at which the resistance values of the samples of the contact portions 101 and 12g are constant, and then the contact portion 12g is connected to the electrode terminal 13e. It shows the case where it is repeatedly performed that it is separated from.

  In any case of the contact portion 101 made of a metal plate, the resistance value starts to increase when the number of tests exceeds about 5000. As described above, this is considered due to the fact that the contact surface of the contact portion 101 starts to be damaged. In fact, the number of tests was 7500, and spark marks (melting marks) were confirmed in all samples.

  On the other hand, regarding the contact portion 12g mainly composed of carbon, it can be seen that the resistance value of any sample is almost stable after slightly increasing. In fact, when the number of tests was 7500, no spark mark (melting mark) was confirmed in any sample.

  Based on the above results, the contact portion 12g made of a carbon material whose main material is carbon is prevented from being damaged by sparks, melting, etc., even if it is repeatedly energized, thus extending the service life and the commercial value of the device under test. Can be prevented from deteriorating.

  In the test apparatus 10 to which such a contact portion 12g is applied, the energization is stabilized, the reliability is improved, the service life of the contact portion 12g is extended, and there is no need to frequently replace the contact portion 12g. The trouble of exchanging the part 12g is reduced. Further, since the test can be performed with the contact portion 12g being brought into contact with or not in contact with the electrode terminal 13e, it is not necessary to perform a screw tightening operation on each of the electrode terminals 13e of the device under test 13. Manufacturing cost (test cost) can also be reduced.

Hereinafter, various examples based on the above embodiment will be described.
First, an embodiment to which pressing means other than the air cylinder 12a is applied will be described.
[Example 1-1]
FIG. 6 is a side view of a test apparatus according to Example 1-1 in which a solenoid is used as a pressing unit.

  The test apparatus 20 includes a placement unit 11, a pressing unit 22, and a tester (not shown) electrically connected to the metal plate 12f and the contact unit 12g of the pressing unit 22. Hereinafter, the configuration of the pressing portion 22 will be described.

  The pressing portion 22 is disposed to face the mounting portion 11 and includes a frame 22a, a cylindrical coil 22c covered with the frame 22a, and a plunger 22b guided to the center of the coil 22c as pressing means. Provided with a solenoid. A stopper member 22d for preventing the plunger 22b from coming off from the coil 22c is formed at one end of the plunger 22b. And it has the insulating board 12c attached to the other edge part of the plunger 22b. Other configurations are the same as those in FIG.

  In the test apparatus 20, a predetermined current can be applied to the solenoid coil 22c to generate a magnetic field, and the plunger 22b can be moved up and down. Then, the plunger 22b can be lowered to bring the contact portion 12g into contact with the electrode terminal 13e of the device under test 13 with a predetermined pressing load. In the case of using a solenoid, it is necessary to confirm the current-thrust curve and stroke-thrust curve of the solenoid to be used in advance and to secure a necessary pressing load.

[Example 1-2]
FIG. 7 is a side view of a test apparatus according to Example 1-2 in which an electric cylinder is used as a pressing unit.

  The test apparatus 30 includes a placement unit 11, a pressing unit 32, and a tester (not shown) that is electrically connected to the metal plate 12f and the contact unit 12g of the pressing unit 32. Hereinafter, the configuration of the pressing portion 32 will be described.

  The pressing portion 32 is disposed to face the mounting portion 11 and includes, as pressing means, a motor 32a1, a ball screw 32a2 connected to the motor 32a1, and a rod 12b having one end connected to the ball screw 32a2. An electric cylinder 32a is provided. An insulating plate 12c is attached to the other end of the rod 12b. Other configurations are the same as those in FIG.

  In the test apparatus 30, the rotational movement of the motor 32a1 can be converted into a linear movement by the ball screw 32a2, and the rod 12b can be moved up and down. Then, the rod 12b can be lowered to bring the contact portion 12g into contact with the electrode terminal 13e of the device under test 13 with a predetermined pressing load.

[Example 1-3]
FIG. 8 is a side view of a test apparatus according to Example 1-3 in which a spring is used as the pressing unit.
The test apparatus 40 includes a placement unit 11, a pressing unit 42, and a tester (not shown) that is electrically connected to the metal plate 12f and the contact unit 12g of the pressing unit 42. Hereinafter, the configuration of the pressing portion 42 will be described.

  The pressing portion 42 is disposed to face the mounting portion 11, and includes a hand lever 42 a, a connecting member 42 c, a member 42 b having a rotation shaft that allows the hand lever 42 a and the connecting member 42 c to rotate, and a connecting member 42 c. A toggle clamp is provided which includes a rod 12b which is pivotally supported at one end so as to move freely and moves up and down in response to the rotation of the hand lever 42a. Further, a connecting member 42d attached to the other end of the rod 12b, a connecting member 42f connected to the connecting member 42d via a pair of springs 42e, and the end of the connecting member 42f on the mounting portion 11 side. And a stopper 42h formed so as to extend. Further, the insulating plate 12c is connected to the connecting member 42f via a spring 42g. The spring constant of the spring 42e is larger than the spring constant of the spring 42g. Other configurations are the same as those in FIG.

  In the pressing part 42, first, when the hand lever 42a is rotated, as the rod 12b is lowered, the structure below the rod 12b is also lowered, and the contact part 12g makes contact with the electrode terminal 13e of the device under test 13. Start.

  Further, when the hand lever 42a is rotated to lower the rod 12b, the spring 42g starts to bend, and thereafter the lowering of the contact portion 12g is suppressed by the stopper 42h. It should be noted that the distance between the stopper 42h and the mounting table 11a is set in advance so that the amount of bending of the spring 42g can be ensured so that a predetermined load (load = spring constant × stroke amount) can be obtained. When the hand lever 42a is rotated to the bottom dead center, the spring 42g is maintained in the deflection amount by the stopper 42h as described above. Therefore, a load corresponding to the deflection amount is applied to the contact portion 12g. Excess load due to the lowering of the rod 12b after the lowering of the contact portion 12g is stopped is absorbed by the spring 42e.

  In the pressing portion 42, the rod 12b is lowered by rotating the hand lever 42a of the toggle clamp in order to bend the springs 42e and 42g and contact the contact portion 12g. What is important in the present embodiment is that the stroke amount of the spring 42e during operation is set in advance, whereby a predetermined load can be obtained, and the excess load beyond that is absorbed by the spring 42g. Therefore, instead of the toggle clamp, the rod 12b may be lowered by the pressing means used in FIGS.

  Further, the present invention is not limited to the configuration of FIG. 8 relating to the stopper 42h and the springs 42e and 42g, and is configured to absorb a load beyond that when the loaded spring 42g is bent by a predetermined deflection amount. It can be selected appropriately.

[Example 2]
In the above, the test by the contact part 12g which consists of carbon materials has been demonstrated. On the other hand, when it is necessary to test and measure electrical characteristics with high accuracy, such as when measuring low resistance values, errors caused by contact resistance and residual resistance of lead wires can be eliminated. The terminal method can be used. In Example 2, a test apparatus compatible with the four-terminal method will be described.

FIG. 9 is a side view of a test apparatus to which the four-terminal method is applied according to the second embodiment.
The test apparatus 50 includes a placement unit 11, a pressing unit 52, and a tester (not shown) that is electrically connected to the pressing unit 52. Hereinafter, the configuration of the pressing portion 52 will be described.

  The pressing portion 52 is disposed opposite to the placement portion 11 as in the previous examples. The pressing portion 52 includes an arbitrary pressing means (not shown), a rod 12b driven in the vertical direction in FIG. 9 by the pressing means, and an insulating plate 12c attached to the other end of the rod 12b. Have. For example, the device / mechanism described above can be applied to the pressing means.

  In addition, the metal plate 12f, which is an electrode lead-out port to the tester, attached to the mounting portion 11 side of the insulating plate 12c, and the electrode terminal 13e of the device under test 13 are opposed to the mounting portion 11 side of the metal plate 12f. Thus, a contact portion 12g made of a carbon material whose main material is carbon is attached. A crimp terminal 12d to which a wiring 12e (force line) for flowing a large current is connected is attached to the metal plate 12f by a screw 12h, and the metal plate 12f is connected to a tester via the wiring 12e.

  In the second embodiment, an L-shaped metal plate contact portion 52b is fixed to the insulating plate 52a with an insulating screw 52c via the insulating plate 52a on the surface of the metal plate 12f on the mounting portion 11 side. ing. The contact portion 52b is not limited to an L-shaped metal plate, and a general-purpose contact material such as a pogo pin or a cantilever may be used. Further, it is desirable to use a tungsten-based material for the purpose of ensuring wear resistance, or a phosphor bronze or beryllium copper-based material for the purpose of ensuring elasticity. The surface of the contact portion 52b is preferably plated with gold, silver, nickel or the like to prevent oxidation. Further, a wiring 52d (sense line) which is a signal line for voltage measurement or the like is connected to the contact portion 52b, and the contact portion 52b is connected to a tester via the wiring 52d.

Next, a test method for the device under test 13 performed by the test apparatus 50 having the above configuration will be described.
First, the device under test 13 is set on the mounting table 11a of the mounting portion 11, and the device under test 13 is positioned by the positioning guide 11b so that its electrode terminal 13e is positioned in a predetermined region facing the contact portions 12g and 52b. Fix together.

The rod 12b is lowered by an arbitrary pressing means, and the contact portions 12g and 52b are brought into contact with the electrode terminal 13e of the device under test 13 with a predetermined pressing load.
In a state where the pressing load is maintained, a predetermined current / voltage is applied from the tester for a predetermined time to energize the electrode terminal 13e from the contact portion 12g. In addition, the contact portion 52b at this time is bent in the longitudinal direction, and a desired amount of pressure is applied to the electrode terminal 13e by the plate spring effect, so that contact resistance with the desired electrode terminal 13e is obtained.

  Then, the tester measures the electrical characteristics of the device under test 13, for example, the resistance value, by inputting the response of the device under test 13 according to energization through the contact portion 52 b. Further, a good product or a defective product of the device under test 13 can be determined based on the electrical characteristics.

After completion of the predetermined measurement, the rod 12b is raised by the pressing means, and the contact portion 12g is separated (opened) from the electrode terminal 13e of the device under test 13.
When another electrode terminal of the device under test 13 is tested, a contact portion similar to the contact portion 12g is also provided for another electrode terminal, and the contact portion is the same as the contact portion 12g. The test is performed in contact with another electrode terminal.

In this way, the above test method is performed on the electrode terminals of the device under test 13.
In the test apparatus 50 to which the contact portion 12g is applied, the energization is stable, the electrical characteristics can be tested and measured with high accuracy, the reliability is improved, and the service life of the contact portion 12g is extended. There is no need to frequently replace the contact portion 12g, and the complexity of replacing the contact portion 12g is reduced. Further, since the test can be performed with the contact portion 12g being brought into contact with or not in contact with the electrode terminal 13e, it is not necessary to perform a screw tightening operation on each of the electrode terminals 13e of the device under test 13. Manufacturing cost (test cost) can also be reduced.

[Example 3]
In Example 3, a switchgear (switch) to which the contact method using the contact portion 12g made of the carbon material described so far is applied will be described.

FIG. 10 is a side view of the main part of the switchgear according to the third embodiment.
The opening / closing device 60 includes a pressing portion 12 and a lower pressing portion 61 that is disposed to face the pressing portion 12. Each configuration will be described below.

  The pressing portion 12 includes arbitrary pressing means (not shown), a rod 12b driven in the vertical direction in FIG. 10 by the pressing means, and an insulating plate 12c attached to the other end of the rod 12b. . For example, the device / mechanism described above can be applied to the pressing means.

  Furthermore, a metal plate 12f which is attached to the lower pressing portion 61 side of the insulating plate 12c and serves as an electrode outlet, and a contact portion 12g made of carbon as a main material is formed on the lower pressing portion 61 side of the metal plate 12f. It is attached. Further, the terminal 1 of the switch (opening / closing device 60) is constituted by the metal plate 12f and the contact portion 12g made of a carbon material. The metal plate 12f is provided with a crimp terminal 12d to which a wiring 12e for the terminal 1 is connected, and is connected to a predetermined electric circuit or power source (not shown) via the wiring 12e.

  The lower pressing portion 61 is fixed so as to face the pressing portion 12. The lower pressing portion 61 includes a metal plate 61a serving as an electrode outlet and a contact portion 61b made of a carbon material mainly composed of carbon on the pressing portion 12 side of the metal plate 61a. The metal plate 61a and the contact portion 61b made of a carbon material constitute the terminal 2 of the switch (switching device 60). In addition, the crimp terminal 61c to which the wiring 61d with respect to the terminal 2 was connected is attached to the metal plate 61a, and it is connected to the predetermined | prescribed electric circuit via the said wiring 61d.

In addition, although the contact parts 12g and 61b which consist of carbon materials are each arrange | positioned at the press part 12 and the lower press part 61, only any one may be sufficient.
Further, the wiring from the terminals 1 and 2 is taken out by the crimp terminals 12d and 61c, but the wirings 12e and 61d may be directly connected to the metal plates 12f and 61a, or a connector may be used.

Next, an opening / closing method performed by the opening / closing device 60 having the above configuration will be described.
If necessary, the rod 12b is lowered by pressing means (not shown), and the contact portion 12g is brought into contact with the contact portion 61b of the lower pressing portion 61 with a predetermined pressing load. As a result, the switch is turned on.

  Thereafter, the rod 12b is raised by the pressing means, and the contact between the contact portion 12g and the contact portion 61b of the lower pressing portion 61 is cut (opened). As a result, the switch is turned off.

Thus, the switch operation is realized by controlling the contact between the contact portion 12g and the contact portion 61b by moving the rod 12b up and down by the pressing means.
In the switchgear 60 to which the contact portions 12g and 61b are applied, the energization is stable even when a large current is applied, the reliability is improved, and the service life of the contact portions 12g and 61b is extended. There is no need to frequently exchange 12g and 61b, and the complexity of exchanging contact parts 12g and 61b is reduced.

  Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the embodiments of the test apparatus in which the contact portion 12g is moved up and down by the pressing means to contact the contact portion 12g and the electrode terminal 13e have been described, but the contact portion 12g is fixed, You may make it contact the both by moving the mounting part 12 up and down.

10, 20, 30, 40, 50 Test apparatus 11 Mounting portion 11a Mounting table 11b Positioning guide 12, 22, 32, 42, 52 Pressing portion 12a Air cylinder 12b Rod 12c, 52a Insulating plate 12d, 61c Crimp terminal 12e, 52d , 61d Wiring 12f, 61a Metal plate 12g, 52b, 61b Contact portion 12h, 52c Screw 13 Device under test 13a Resin case 13b Fixing member 13c Nut 13d Screw hole 13e Electrode terminal 13f Opening hole 22a Frame 22b Plunger 22c Coil 22d Stopper member 32a Electric cylinder 32a1 Motor 32a2 Ball screw 42a Hand lever 42b Member 42c, 42d, 42f Connecting member 42e, 42g Spring 42h Stopper 60 Opening / closing device 61 Lower pressing part

Claims (10)

In a test apparatus for testing the electrical characteristics of a device under test,
A mounting table on which the device under test is mounted;
A contact member that is disposed opposite to the mounting table and is made of a carbon material that press-contacts the surface of the device under test on the mounting table on which the electrode is disposed and tests the electrical characteristics by energizing the electrode; ,
A test apparatus characterized by comprising:   The test apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a sum of a specific resistance value of the contact and a contact resistance value of the contact and the electrode is 5 mΩ or less.   The test apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the contact has a block shape in which a contact surface with the electrode is flat.   In addition to the contactor, the contactor further includes a metal contactor configured to be opposed to the mounting table, press-contact the electrode, and measure a response signal from the device under test via the electrode. The test apparatus according to claim 1.   A rod that supports a surface opposite to the pressure contact surface of the contact with the electrode is connected, and the rod is moved in the axial direction of the rod to have an air cylinder that presses the contact with the electrode. The test apparatus according to claim 1.   A rod that supports the surface of the contact opposite to the pressure contact surface with the electrode is connected, and the rod has an electric cylinder that moves the rod in the axial direction of the rod and presses the contact to the electrode. The test apparatus according to claim 1.   A plunger supporting a surface opposite to the pressure contact surface of the contact with the electrode is connected, and a solenoid is provided to move the plunger in the axial direction of the plunger and press the contact to the electrode. The test apparatus according to claim 1.   An elastic body that supports an opposite surface of the contact of the contact with the electrode; and the contact of the contact with the electrode by bending the elastic body by a predetermined stroke amount in a direction perpendicular to the opposite surface. The test apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: In a test method for testing the electrical characteristics of a device under test,
The device under test is contacted with a contact made of a carbon material on the surface on which the electrodes are arranged,
Testing the electrical properties by energizing the electrodes;
A test method characterized by the above. An opening and closing device for opening and closing an electric circuit,
First and second metal plates disposed opposite to each other connected to the electric circuit;
A carbon material disposed on at least one of the opposing surfaces of the first and second metal plates and energizing the first and second metal plates when the first metal plate is pressed against the second metal plate. A contact composed of
A switchgear characterized by comprising:

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