JP2021189085A - Electric characteristic inspection unit for power conversion circuit device, and electric current test probe for electric characteristic inspection unit - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an electric current test probe capable of tightly crimping a probe contact element to an electrode on an inspected side in inspection on a large electric current like inverter inspection on an electric power train mounted on an electric automobile even if a probe inserted into a holding block has a slight error in straightness, and an electric characteristic inspection unit for a power conversion circuit device.SOLUTION: There is provided an electric characteristic inspection unit 1 that can be joined to an inspected terminal part 20 of a power conversion circuit device, and that has: a movable pallet 2 carried by a reciprocal operation mechanism; a positioning mechanism (a positioning rod 3, a positioning hole 22) positioning the movable pallet 2 relative to the inspected terminal part 20; and a current test probe 4 mounted on the movable pallet, and contacting and leaving the inspected terminal part through reciprocal movements of the movable pallet. The current test probe has a probe shaft part, comprising a contact element 11 atop, loosely inserted into a through hole of the probe holding part through a spring member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to an electrical characteristic inspection unit and a current test probe of the electrical characteristic inspection unit applied to a power conversion circuit device. In particular, the present invention relates to an electric characteristic inspection unit and an electric characteristic inspection unit of a power conversion circuit device suitable for detecting a large current or the like as seen in an inspection facility for an inverter of an electric vehicle (EV vehicle), for example, in an automobile production line. Regarding the current test probe.

When detecting electrical characteristics such as current and voltage in various electrical equipment or general electrical equipment, connect a probe to a measuring instrument according to the purpose, and bring the tip of this probe into contact with the electrode to be measured. The values of current, voltage, etc. are measured. Such inspection probes come in various forms depending on the type of inspection object, inspection purpose, inspection item, etc., for example, from those for wiring inspection of wiring boards of electronic devices to those for power supply devices in power generation equipment. Various forms such as a large current probe for measuring output voltage or used in an inverter inspection device for an electric vehicle in recent years are known.

The probe card positioning mechanism shown in Patent Document 1 is known as a probe device for inspecting the electrical characteristics of various electronic devices including a printed wiring board and the like. This is done by providing a pair of positioning pins on the flat plate frame of the probe card that moves up and down and three-dimensionally moves in the X and Y directions, and on the base (inspected side) holding the contact terminals located below the flat plate frame. A positioning hole that can be fitted with the positioning pin is formed so that the probe card on the inspection side can be easily positioned with respect to the object to be inspected, whereby the contact terminal and the probe pin can be joined with high accuracy. be.

The vertically actuated probe card for measuring the electrical characteristics of the LSI chip and the like shown in Patent Document 2 is a vertically actuated probe card in which an elongated probe hanging from a substrate is used as a through hole of a horizontal insulating adjusting member and a pair of horizontal horizontal probes below the probe card. By making contact with the electrodes of the LSI chip on the lower movable table through the through hole of the needle tip guide member, short-circuiting between a plurality of elongated probes is prevented, and the probe buckling during contact is caused by the adjusting member. The deformation can be adjusted, and the contact pressure of the probe with respect to the electrode pad on the other side is made uniform.

Further, as applied to a probe for a large current, for example, an inverter inspection facility of an electric vehicle (EV vehicle), a conductive stud is inserted in a conductive barrel (cylinder body), and the inside of the barrel is inserted. There is also known a large current probe in which the tip of the stud is pressed against the electrode to be measured by a spring provided in the stud and the rear end of the stud is brought into contact with the detection electrode of the inspection facility.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-147067 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-21828

A conductive stud is inserted into the above-mentioned conductive cylinder, the end of the stud exposed from one end of the cylinder is pressed against the electrode to be measured, and the other end of the stud or the other end of the cylinder is inspected. A device that detects electrical characteristics such as an inverter by contacting the detection end of the device is more suitable for detecting a large current than a measurement probe that connects the rear end of the probe and the measuring device with a lead wire. However, it is a form in which only one terminal of the probe is connected to the detection end of the inspection device, and there is a limit to the detection of a higher current. In addition, in order to handle a large current, it is necessary to securely crimp the probe contacts to the electrodes of the device to be inspected, and there is a concern that a single contact will generate heat if the connection is insufficient. was there.

In the positioning mechanism of the probe card of Patent Document 1, the frame on the detection side holding the probe pin and the base on which the contact terminal on the detection side is mounted are aligned by engaging the positioning pin and the positioning hole, and the object to be inspected. Although it is effective in that the contacts can be joined with high accuracy, this device is used as an inspection device in the manufacturing process of printed wiring boards, etc., and is used for many contact pins on the inspection target side arranged at minute intervals. Each probe is in contact with each other, and is not intended to detect a large current as in the case of vehicle inverter measurement.

Further, the vertically actuated probe card of Patent Document 2 prevents short-circuiting between the needle-tip contacts of a plurality of elongated probes hanging at small intervals, and is related to the measurement of various electrical characteristics of an LSI chip. Similarly, it cannot be applied to inspection of a large current such as a vehicle inverter.

The present invention inspects probe contacts in high current inspections such as inverter inspections of electric power trains mounted on electric vehicles, even if there is some error in the straightness of the probe inserted in the holding block. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical characteristic inspection probe that can be tightly crimped to a side electrode and an electrical characteristic inspection unit of a power conversion circuit device incorporating this electrical characteristic inspection probe.

The present invention also provides a power source that allows the contacts of these probes to be tightly crimped to the electrode under test, even when a plurality of current test probes are held on a movable pallet that moves up and down or left and right. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical characteristic inspection unit of a conversion circuit device.

The present invention also provides an electrical characteristic inspection unit for a power conversion circuit device with good maintainability, in which only probes damaged during use can be easily replaced for a plurality of probes held on a movable pallet that moves up and down or left and right. The purpose is to provide.

The present invention is further useful for an electric vehicle (EV vehicle) inverter inspection facility, and is a compact electric characteristic inspection probe as a whole and an electric characteristic inspection unit of a power conversion circuit device incorporating the electric characteristic inspection probe. The purpose is to provide.

The present invention is further suitable for being incorporated into the electrical characteristic inspection unit of the power conversion circuit device, and the current test of the electrical characteristic inspection unit in which the contactor at the tip of the probe is tightly crimped to the electrode to be inspected. The purpose is to provide a probe.

According to the present invention, it is an electrical characteristic inspection unit that can be joined to an inspected terminal portion of a power conversion circuit device, and a movable pallet supported by a reciprocating operation mechanism and the movable pallet are attached to the inspected terminal portion. It has a positioning mechanism for positioning and a current test probe mounted on the movable pallet and brought into contact with and separated from the terminal to be inspected by the reciprocating movement of the movable pallet. The current test probe has a contact at its tip. Provided is an electrical characteristic inspection unit of a power conversion circuit device, wherein the probe shaft portion is loosely inserted into a through hole of the probe holding portion via a spring member.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the terminal portion to be inspected is mounted on a transport pallet transported on a production line, and the positioning mechanism of the movable pallet is positioned mounted on the movable pallet. It has a rod, and the positioning rod is configured to engage with a positioning hole formed in the transport pallet of the terminal portion to be inspected by the forward movement of the movable pallet.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the movable pallet is provided with a signal line terminal portion, and the signal line terminal portion is provided on the transport pallet of the terminal portion to be inspected by the forward movement of the movable pallet. It is configured to be joined to the signal line terminal on the inspection side.

According to still another embodiment of the present invention, the movable pallet is formed in the form of a water-cooled jacket having a water flow passage inside.

Further, according to the present invention, in the current test probe in the electrical characteristic inspection unit of the power conversion circuit device, the probe holding portion connected to the reciprocating operation mechanism and the through hole of the probe holding portion are passed through a spring member and It has a probe shaft portion loosely inserted with an inner diameter portion of the through hole and a contact formed at the tip end portion of the probe shaft portion, and the contactor is the probe. Provided is a current test probe of an electrical characteristic inspection unit, which is configured to be joined to a terminal portion to be inspected of the power conversion circuit device by moving the holding portion.

Further, according to one form of the current test probe according to the present invention, the contact is in the form of three-point contact with the tip of the probe shaft portion, which is not in a straight line with the terminal portion to be inspected. It is provided individually.

The electrical characteristic inspection unit according to the present invention can tightly press the probe contactor to the electrode terminal on the inspected side even if there is some error in the straightness of the electrical characteristic inspection probe held on the movable pallet.

Further, in the present invention, even when a plurality of electrical property inspection probes are held on the movable pallet, each of the contacts of these probes is tightly pressure-bonded to the electrode terminal on the side to be inspected, thereby making contact. It is possible to prevent heat generation due to poor contact of the child, and even if some of the multiple electrical property inspection probes held on the movable pallet are damaged during operation, only the damaged probe can be replaced for maintainability. A good electrical property inspection unit can be provided.

Further, in the electrical characteristic inspection unit of the present invention, a plurality of inverter inspection probes are held on a movable pallet together with various signal line inspection terminal portions, so that a compact inspection unit can be obtained.

Further, according to the present invention, a current test of an electric characteristic inspection unit suitable for being incorporated in an electric characteristic inspection unit of a power conversion circuit device and capable of tightly crimping a contactor at the tip of a probe to an electrode on the side to be inspected. A probe is obtained.

It is a perspective view of the electric characteristic inspection unit and the terminal part to be inspected in the power conversion circuit apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention, and is the figure of the state which the electric characteristic inspection unit was seen from the front (top surface) side. It is a perspective view of the electric characteristic inspection unit and the terminal part to be inspected in the power conversion circuit apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention, and is the figure of the state which the electric characteristic inspection unit was seen from the back surface (lower surface) side. It is external perspective view of the current test probe apparatus attached to the electrical characteristic inspection unit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. It is a vertical sectional view of the current test probe shown in FIG.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
This embodiment is an example configured as an electric characteristic inspection unit for an inverter inspection for an electric power train mounted on an electric vehicle (EV vehicle) on an automobile production line. In an electric vehicle production line, a current inspection is performed on the terminal to be inspected of the inverter in a state where a power conversion circuit device (inverter) that converts direct current to alternating current is transferred on the line and stopped at a fixed position. .. The inverter is incorporated in the electric power train of the vehicle, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the transport pallet 21 of the terminal unit 20 to be inspected, which is a part thereof, is transported on the line.

The transport pallet 21 on the side to be inspected is fitted with the positioning mechanism of the electrical characteristic inspection unit 1 according to the present invention so that the two can be aligned. In the embodiment, the positioning mechanism has an engagement structure between a pair of positioning rods 3 provided on the movable pallet 2 (described later) of the electrical characteristic inspection unit 1 and a positioning hole 22 formed in the transport pallet 21 of the terminal portion 20 to be inspected. It is composed of. The transport pallet 21 is provided with a pair of signal line terminal portions 23. Further, a large current inspected terminal portion 14 to be joined to the plurality of current test probes 4 according to the present invention is arranged on the transport pallet 21 of the inspected terminal portion 20 of the inverter mounted on the vehicle body. In the illustrated embodiment, nine current test probes 4 and nine high current inspected terminal portions 24 are provided on the transport pallet 21 correspondingly. The current test probe 4 will be described later.

In the electrical characteristic inspection unit 1 according to the embodiment, a current test probe 4, a signal line terminal portion 5, and other necessary components are mounted on a movable pallet 2 fixed to an entry / exit operation unit (not shown), and the entrance / exit operation unit is driven. The movable pallet 2 moves up and down reciprocatingly. The drive of the entry / exit operation unit is controlled by a control unit (not shown). The fixing screw 6 provided at the corner of the movable pallet 2 is a screw for fixing the movable pallet 2 to the entry / exit operation portion. In this embodiment, the fixing screw 6 is formed of elastic hard rubber, and the deformation of the hard rubber absorbs the core shake during operation of the transport pallet 21, and the positioning rod 3 at the time of matching both pallets 2 and 21. Consideration is given so that the engagement with the positioning hole 22 can be easily performed.

In this embodiment, the present invention in which the transport pallet 21 on the inspected side moves the production line with various necessary elements and devices such as the signal line terminal 23 mounted, stops at a fixed position, and stands by below the line. The electrical characteristic inspection unit 1 according to the above is raised, and the positioning rod 3 provided on the movable pallet 2 engages with the positioning hole 22 (FIG. 2) formed in the transport pallet 21 of the terminal portion 20 to be inspected. The characteristic inspection unit 1 and the terminal portion 20 to be inspected are matched, the current test probe 4 is joined to the large current terminal portion 24 to be inspected of the terminal portion 20 to be inspected, and a predetermined current inspection is performed on the terminal portion 20 to be inspected. Is done. Further, in a state where the electrical characteristic inspection unit 1 and the terminal portion 20 to be inspected are aligned according to the present invention, the signal line terminal portion (inspection unit side signal line terminal portion) 5 of the movable pallet 2 is on the transport pallet 21. It is joined to the signal line terminal portion (inspected side signal line terminal portion) 23.

Next, the current test probe 4 of the electrical characteristic inspection unit 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described more specifically. The number of current test probes 4 on the movable pallet 2 corresponds to the large current inspected terminal portion 24 on the inspected side. As described above, in this embodiment, nine current test probes are provided corresponding to the nine high current inspected terminal portions on the inspected side, but the current test probe and the large current inspected terminal portion are provided. The number is not necessarily limited to this, and for example, six current test probes and a large current inspected terminal portion may be used. Next, the current test probe will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

In the large current test probe 4, the conductive probe shaft portion 8 is inserted in the synthetic resin block case 7 as an insulating material. In this embodiment, the block case 7 is a probe holding portion. In the block case 7 of the insulating material, a cylindrical portion 7b is formed following the large hollow head 7a, the cylindrical portion 7b is inserted into the movable pallet 2, and the back surface of the hollow head 7a is formed as shown in FIG. The block case 7 is brought into contact with the upper surface of the movable pallet 2 (the surface facing the transport pallet 21 of the terminal to be inspected), and the block case 7 is moved by the mounting bolt 10 through the bolt hole 15 formed in the hollow head 7a of the block case 7. It is attached to 2.

The tip of the conductive probe shaft portion 8 inserted into the block case 7 is exposed from the hollow head 7a of the block case 7, and three contacts 11 are formed in a convex shape on the tip surface of the shaft portion 8. Has been done. As shown in the figure, the three contacts 11 are formed in the form of a three-point contact that is not in a straight line, whereby the entire contact is stably in contact with the terminal portion 24 on the upper side to be inspected. .. The conductive probe shaft portion 8 inserted into the block case 7 has a smaller diameter than the tip side portion from the middle portion to the rear end thereof, and as is clearly shown in FIG. 4, the inner peripheral portion of the cylinder of the block case 7 A spring member (coil spring) 12 is mounted between the conductive probe shaft portion 8 and the small diameter outer peripheral portion of the conductive probe shaft portion 8. In the spring member 12, one end of the spring member 12 is in contact with the step portion between the large diameter portion on the distal end side and the small diameter portion on the rear end side of the probe shaft portion 8, and the other end of the spring member 12 is the cylindrical portion 7b of the block case 7. It is in contact with the stepped portion on the inner circumference of the rear end. With this spring member 12, the conductive probe shaft portion 8 can be elastically displaced with respect to the block case 7 of the probe holding portion in the pushing direction of the probe tip (direction of arrow A in FIG. 4). Further, a stop washer 16 is attached to the small diameter portion of the probe shaft portion 8 in contact with the rear end surface of the cylindrical portion 7b of the block case 7, whereby the probe shaft portion 8 is prevented from coming out from the block case 7 to the tip side. Has been done.

A male screw portion 13 is formed on the outer peripheral portion on the rear end side of the conductive probe shaft portion 8, and two nut members 17 are screwed into the male screw portion 13 with two disc-shaped washers 14 sandwiched therein. There is. The lead terminal 18 is sandwiched between the two washers 14, and by tightening the nut member 17 with respect to the washer 14, the lead terminal 18 is crimped between the washers 14.

In this embodiment, all of the nine current test probes 4 mounted on the movable pallet 2 need to be closely pressed against each inspected terminal portion 24 of the inspected terminal portion 20 on the transport pallet 21. In the present invention, each test is based on a three-point contact structure of the probe shaft portion 8 with respect to the block case 7, a free-fitting structure of the probe shaft portion 8, a pressing structure of the probe shaft portion 8 by the spring member 12, and a contactor 11 at the tip of the probe shaft portion. A close contact between the probe and the terminal to be inspected is realized. In the embodiment, the probe shaft portion 8 is loosely inserted into the inner diameter portion of the block case 7 with a slight clearance, and the contactor 11 of the test probe is further inserted by the pressing force of the spring member 12 provided in the block case 7. Is pressure-contacted with the terminal to be inspected, so that the spring member absorbs the discrepancy in the position (height position) of the tip contacts of the nine current test probes 4, and the tip surface of the probe shaft and the cover are covered. Even if there is a slight inclination with the end surface of the inspection terminal portion, it is automatically corrected by the insertion clearance of the probe shaft portion 8, and vertical surface contact of the contact is possible. If even one of the plurality of current test probes has a poor contact, it may cause heat generation or the like at that portion, but in the present invention, there is an error in straightness between the probe and the large current inspected terminal portion 24. Even in this case, the contactor 11 at the tip of the probe can be tightly crimped to the terminal portion 24 to be inspected. Changes in characteristics such as the pressing force of the contactor 11 of the probe shaft 8 with respect to the terminal to be inspected can be dealt with by individually replacing spring members with different spring constants. Only the resulting probe can be replaced individually.

In another embodiment of the invention, the movable pallet 2 of the high current test probe 4 is formed in the form of a water-cooled jacket. A water flow passage is formed inside the movable pallet 2, and the water flow passage is filled with cooling water to reduce heat generation of the large current test probe 4 generated during operation. In some cases, the inlet / outlet of the water flow passage of the movable pallet 2 is connected to an external cooling water pump via a hose or the like so that the cooling water circulates between the water flow passage of the movable pallet and the cooling water pump for cooling. The effect can be enhanced.

In the above embodiment, in the EV vehicle production line, the transport pallet 21 of the terminal to be inspected is conveyed on the line and stopped at a predetermined position, and then the movable pallet 2 equipped with the large current test probe 4 is inspected. It rises toward the terminal unit 20, and the contact 11 of the large current test probe 4 of the movable pallet 2 is fitted with the terminal unit 20 to be inspected to perform necessary inspections such as current detection. Even if there is some error in the straightness of the contactor 11, it is tightly crimped to the terminal to be inspected, and heat generation due to poor crimping is prevented.

1 Electrical characteristic inspection unit 2 Movable pallet 3 Positioning rod 4 Current test probe 5 Signal line terminal (inspection unit side)
6 Fixing screw 7 Block case 8 Conductive probe shaft 11 Contactor 12 Mounting bolt 13 Male thread 14 Disc-shaped washer 16 Stop washer 17 Nut member 18 Lead terminal 20 Inspected terminal 21 Conveying pallet 22 Positioning hole 23 Signal line Terminal part (terminal to be inspected)
24 Large current Inspected terminal

Claims (6)

An electrical characteristic inspection unit that can be joined to the terminal to be inspected of the power conversion circuit device, the movable pallet supported by the reciprocating operation mechanism, and the positioning mechanism for positioning the movable pallet with respect to the terminal to be inspected. The current test probe is mounted on the movable pallet and has a current test probe that comes into contact with and separates from the terminal portion to be inspected by the reciprocating movement of the movable pallet. An electrical characteristic inspection unit of a power conversion circuit device characterized in that it is loosely inserted into a through hole of a holding portion via a spring member. The terminal unit to be inspected is mounted on a transport pallet that is transported on a production line, and the positioning mechanism of the movable pallet has a positioning rod mounted on the movable pallet, and the movable pallet is forwarded. The electrical characteristic inspection of the power conversion circuit apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the positioning rod is configured to engage with a positioning hole formed in the transport pallet of the terminal portion to be inspected by motion. unit. The movable pallet is provided with a signal line terminal portion, and the signal line terminal portion is joined to the signal line terminal portion on the inspected side provided on the transport pallet of the terminal portion to be inspected by the forward movement of the movable pallet. The electrical characteristic inspection unit of the power conversion circuit apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the unit is configured in the above. The electrical characteristic inspection unit of the power conversion circuit device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the movable pallet is formed in the form of a water-cooled jacket having a water flow passage inside. In the current test probe in the electrical characteristic inspection unit of the power conversion circuit device, the probe holding portion connected to the reciprocating operation mechanism, the through hole of the probe holding portion via the spring member, and the inner diameter portion of the through hole. It has a probe shaft portion loosely inserted with a slight clearance between the two, and a contact formed at the tip of the probe shaft portion, and the contact is said to be moved by the probe holding portion. A current test probe of an electrical characteristic inspection unit, which is configured to be joined to a terminal portion to be inspected of a power conversion circuit device. The electrical characteristic inspection unit according to claim 5, wherein the contactor is provided at the tip of the probe shaft portion at three points in contact with the terminal portion to be inspected. Current test probe.

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