JPH0526904A - Spring contact and method of contact thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to attain sure contact at all times. CONSTITUTION:A spring contact 11 is so constructed as to have a rod-shaped contactor 12 having a round fore end, an outer tube 13 one end of which is shaped in an opened tube and which accommodates and holds the contactor 12 so that it is movable in the axial and transverse directions, with the aforesaid fore end projected from the opening, a spring 14 which is disposed in the depth behind the contactor 12 inside the outer tube 13 and presses the contactor 12 onto the opening, and a spring 15 which is disposed on the lateral side of the contactor 12 inside the outer tube 13 and presses the contactor 12 onto the inside surface of the outer tube 13. A pad 21 opposed as an object of contact to the fore end of the contactor 12 is provided with a slanting surface 22 slanting toward the side being apart from the fore end, in the direction from the contactor 12 onto the spring 15 side, and with a stepped part 23 being erected onto the fore end side from the edge of the side being apart from the fore end of the slanting surface 22, and the contactor 12 is brought into contact with the stepped part 23 as well by making use of a shift in the lateral direction of the contactor by the slant of the slanting surface 22.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a spring contact and its contact method. The spring contact is
It is generally called a pogo pin, and is arranged for each wiring that connects mutually opposite boards and connects the wirings by contact. For example, for connection between the tester main body and the IC connection wiring board in an IC tester. It makes it easy to switch between different wiring boards depending on the type of IC.
It is desired to improve the contact reliability as the number of uses increases.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view for explaining a conventional example of a spring contact and a contact method thereof, (a) showing before contact and (b) showing after contact.

In the figure, reference numeral 31 is a spring contact, and 41 is a pad to be contacted by the spring contact 31. The spring contact 31 has a rod-shaped contactor 32 with a rounded tip, and a cylindrical shape with one end opened, and an outer cylinder 33 for accommodating and holding the contactor 32 movably in the axial direction by projecting the tip from the opening. And a spring 34 that is arranged inside the outer cylinder 33 inside the contactor 32 and presses the contactor 32 toward the opening side. When the tip of the contact 32 is pushed against the spring 34, the contact 32 moves in the axial direction in which the contact 32 enters the outer cylinder 33.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2A, the pad 41 is arranged so as to face the tip of the contact 32, and the spring contact is formed.
When the pad 31 and the pad 41 are brought relatively close to each other, as shown in FIG. 2 (b), the tip of the contactor 32 comes into contact with one point of the pad 41 in a pressure contact state to connect them. The surface of the pad 41 is generally flat.

At this time, the spring contact 31 is pressed so that the contact 32 is pushed by the pad 41 and enters the outer cylinder 33.
The distance between the pad 41 and the pad 41.
Shorter than the distance where it makes direct contact with. By doing so, the variation in the distance to the pair of pads 41 in each of the plurality of spring contacts 31 arranged in parallel is absorbed, and all the spring contacts 31 are arranged in the pair of pads.
41 can be contacted.

[0006]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, the contactor
If foreign matter adheres between the tip of 32 and the pad 41,
Even if they seem to be in contact with each other, poor electrical contact will result.

As a measure for improving this point, there is a structure in which the tip of the contactor 32 has a crown cut structure (a structure in which the tip is made into a plurality of needles by making cuts), but the pad 41 is scraped off and the IC tester is used. When the same pad 41 is repeatedly used as described above, the life of the pad 41 is shortened, resulting in a contact failure.

Therefore, the present invention relates to a spring contact and a contact method thereof, and an object thereof is to always obtain a reliable contact.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, a spring contact according to the present invention has a rod-shaped contactor having a round tip and a tubular shape with one end opened, and the tip is projected from the opening. An outer cylinder that accommodates and holds the contactor so as to be movable in the axial direction and the lateral direction, and a first spring that is arranged inside the outer cylinder and that presses the contactor toward the opening side. And a second spring which is disposed beside the contactor in the outer cylinder and presses the contactor against the inner surface of the outer cylinder.

The contact method uses the spring contact, and a pad facing the tip of the contact as a contact target of the spring contact is applied to the pad from the tip in the direction from the contact to the second spring side. A tip end of the contact is provided by providing an inclined surface inclined to the distant side and a step rising from the edge of the inclined surface away from the tip to the tip side, and bringing the spring contact and the pad relatively close to each other. Pressing the slanted surface against the slanted surface, and further inclining the slanted surface to cause lateral movement of the tip to bring the contactor into contact with the step and bring the contactor into contact with the pad at a plurality of points. Is characterized by.

It is desirable that the slope of the sloped surface is larger than the slope on the side of the step.

[0012]

In the spring contact described above, the tip of the contact can be moved relative to the outer cylinder not only in the axial direction as in the conventional example but also in the lateral direction against the second spring. The lateral movement is effective in combination with the pad.

That is, the pad is provided with the above-mentioned inclined surface and a step, and when the spring contact and the pad are brought relatively close to each other as in the case of the conventional example, the contact of the contact member pressed against the inclined surface of the pad. The tip causes the lateral movement toward the step due to the inclination, and the side surface of the tip of the contactor abuts the step.

Therefore, the contactor comes into contact with the pad at a plurality of points, and the lateral movement is performed while the tip of the contactor slides under pressure on the inclined surface. Even if a foreign substance is attached during the contact with the inclined surface, the foreign substance is removed and a reliable contact is always obtained.

Increasing the inclination of the inclined surface at the portion away from the step facilitates the activation of the lateral movement against the static friction coefficient larger than the dynamic friction coefficient.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a spring contact and its contact method according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.
In FIG. 1, (a) shows before contact, and (b) shows after contact.

In the figure, 11 is a spring contact, and 21 is a pad to be contacted by the spring contact 11. The spring contact 11 has a rod-shaped contactor 12 with a rounded tip, and a tubular shape with one end opened, and the tip is projected from the opening to accommodate and hold the contactor 32 movably in the axial and lateral directions. The tube 13 and the contactor 12 inside the outer tube 13
A spring 14 (first spring) which is arranged in the inner part of the outer cylinder 13 and presses the contact 12 toward the opening side; And a spring 15 (the second spring) that presses against the side surface.

The spring 14 is a coil spring and is a contactor 12.
A predetermined initial pressure is applied to. The spring 15 is a strip-shaped leaf spring whose central portion bends and presses the side surface of the contactor 12, and the pressing force thereof is small enough to stabilize the lateral position of the contactor 12. When the tip of the contact 12 is pushed against the spring 14, the contact 12 is moved to the outer cylinder 13
It moves axially inward and moves laterally when pushed against the spring 15.

On the other hand, a pad facing the tip of the contact 12
As shown in FIG. 1 (a), the reference numeral 21 indicates an inclined surface 22 that is inclined toward the side away from the contact 12 in the direction from the contact 12 to the spring 14 side.
From the edge of the inclined surface 22 away from the contact 12
And a step 23 standing upright on the side. This slope 22
Has a curved surface in which the inclination away from the step 23 is larger than the inclination on the step 23 side.

Then, as in the case of the conventional example, the spring contact 11 and the pad 21 are brought relatively close to each other, and the contact 12
If the tip of is pressed against the inclined surface 22, as shown in Fig. 1 (b),
The tip of the contactor 12 moves laterally against the spring 15 due to the inclination of the inclined surface 22, and the side surface of the tip end portion of the contactor 12 contacts the step 23.

Therefore, the contact 12 comes into contact with the pad 21 at a plurality of points, and since the contact with the inclined surface 22 is stabilized as described above, a reliable contact is always obtained. Needless to say, even if a plurality of pairs of the spring contacts 11 and the pads 21 are arranged in parallel, the variation between the spring contacts 11 and the pads 21 is absorbed and the contact of all pairs is stabilized.

The reason why the inclined surface 22 is the above-mentioned curved surface is for facilitating the activation of the lateral movement of the tip end of the contact 12 as described above. For example, the inclined surface 22 does not have to be curved.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, with respect to the spring contact and the contact method thereof, it is possible to always obtain a reliable contact.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view for explaining an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view for explaining a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

11, 31 Spring contact 12, 32 contacts 13, 33 Outer cylinder 14 Spring (first spring) 15 spring (second spring) 34 spring 21, 41 Pad 22 Inclined surface 23 steps

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A rod-shaped contactor (12) having a round tip and a tubular shape with one end open, and the tip can be projected from the opening to move the contactor (12) axially and laterally. An outer cylinder (13) to be housed and held in the outer cylinder (13) and the contact arranged inside the outer cylinder (13) behind the contact (12).
A first spring (14) that presses (12) toward the opening side, and the contactor disposed next to the contactor (12) in the outer cylinder (13).
Second spring for pressing (12) against the inner surface of the outer cylinder (13)
(15) A spring contact characterized by having: 2. The spring contact (1) according to claim 1.
1), the contact (12) is attached to the pad (21) facing the tip of the contact (12) as the contact target of the spring contact (11).
From the end toward the second spring (15) side, the inclined surface (22) is inclined toward the side away from the tip, and the edge of the inclined surface (22) away from the tip is erected to the tip side. A step (23) is provided, the spring contact (11) and the pad (21) are brought relatively close to each other, and the tip of the contactor (12) is brought into pressure contact with the inclined surface (22), and further the inclined surface. The inclination of (22) causes lateral movement of the tip to bring the contact (12) into contact with the step (23),
A method of contacting a spring contact, characterized in that the contactor (12) is brought into contact with the pad (21) at a plurality of points. 3. The contact of a spring contact according to claim 2, wherein the inclined surface (22) has a greater inclination at a portion away from the step (23) than at the step (23) side. Method.