KR19980032242A - Probe Assemblies and Probes - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention can be easily and inexpensively fabricated, and the needle tip (pointed tip) can be reliably brought into contact with the electrode, thereby facilitating exchange of the probe, so that the probe assembly has a block 12 and a band-shaped central region ( 30) and a plurality of probes 14 having first and second precipitation regions 32, 34 extending forward and rearward from the front and rear ends of the central region, respectively, in the width direction of the central region in the vertical direction. The center region is opposed to the center in parallel to the lower side of the block, and the probe 14 is supported by the block 12 through at least one elongated guide bar 16 passing through the probe. It is done.

Description

Probe Assemblies and Probes

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a probe assembly and a probe for use in inspecting a flat object such as a liquid crystal display panel.

A probe assembly used for inspecting a liquid crystal display panel, wherein a plurality of fine metal wires having a tip portion (needle portion) in a tapered shape and having a smaller diameter dimension of the tip portion (needle line) correspond to an arrangement pattern of electrodes of the liquid crystal display panel. Needle type (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-225245) and a plurality of holes corresponding to the arrangement pattern of the liquid crystal display panel electrode are formed in a curved shape in the block. Thus, a probe assembly in the form of a spring pin having a spring pin disposed in each hole is sold.

The needle type is a needle type, which has the advantage that the needle needle and the electrode are electrically contacted with each other reliably by the so-called scratch action that rubs the electrode of the liquid crystal display panel, and the contact state between the needle needle and the electrode can be visually confirmed. On the other hand, there is a problem that the production becomes complicated and expensive, and also difficult to replace the probe. On the other hand, the spring pin type has the advantage of being easy to manufacture, inexpensive, and easy to replace the probe, while the contact state between the needle and the electrode cannot be visually confirmed, and the spring pin is arranged in a curved shape. Only by doing so has a problem that it cannot cope with the case where the arrangement pitch of the electrode is small.

It is an object of the present invention to be able to easily and inexpensively fabricate and to make needles reliably contact electrodes, thereby facilitating exchange of probes.

The probe assembly of the present invention is a plurality of probes having a block and strip-shaped central region and first and second needle regions extending forward and rearward from the front and rear ends of the central region, respectively, wherein the width direction of the central region is different. It includes a plurality of probes arranged in parallel to the lower side of the block facing the center area in the up and down direction, and extends through the central station of the probe and one or more elongated guide bars supported by the block.

Each probe has a guide hole through which the guide bar penetrates, and uses end portions of the first and second needle guide areas as needle guides. Such a probe can be produced by, for example, etching a thin metal plate. For this reason, preparation of the probe itself is easy and inexpensive.

The probe assembly may, for example, arrange a plurality of probes in parallel in a block in a pattern according to an arrangement pattern of a plate-shaped object under test, such as a liquid crystal display panel, and pass the guide bar through the guide hole of the probe, and then It can be assembled by supporting the block. For this reason, assembly of a probe assembly becomes easy and it becomes inexpensive.

The completed probe assembly is attached to a tape automated bonding (TAB) tape, for example, by attaching the tip (needle line) of the second needle line region in contact with an electrode of a driving integrated circuit provided on the TAB tape. Can be assembled to the head. The assembled inspection head is attached to the test apparatus such that the needle in the first needle region is opposite to the electrode of the object under test.

In the inspection, the probe assembly slightly overpresses the needle of the first needle region to the electrode of the flat object. As a result, the first needle line region is bent in the bow shape by the overdrive, so that the needle line in the first needle region is slipped with respect to the electrode of the object under test. For this reason, each probe and electrode are electrically and reliably contacted.

For example, the probe can be replaced by removing the probe to be replaced by removing the guide bar, placing a new probe in the block instead, and passing the guide bar through the probe again to support the guide bar. This facilitates replacement of the probe.

According to the present invention, a plurality of strip-shaped probes are disposed in parallel with the central area facing each other in a state where the width direction of the central area of the probe is in the up and down direction below the block, and the guide bar is penetrated through the probe to support the block. As a result, manufacturing is easy and inexpensive, the needle wire reliably contacts the electrode, and the probe can be easily replaced.

Further, a plurality of first and second slit bars disposed on the front end side and the rear end side of the block and extending in the longitudinal direction of the guide bar, respectively, having a plurality of longitudinally spaced portions to accommodate the front end and rear end portions of the probe, respectively. It may include a first and second slit bar having a slit, respectively. This is because the probe is held at a predetermined position in the longitudinal direction of the guide bar by the slit bar, which makes the assembling work easier and more inexpensive. In addition, even after assembly, since displacement of the probe in the longitudinal direction of the guide bar is prevented by the slit bar at both ends of the probe, the position of both needle regions in the longitudinal direction of the guide bar is stabilized, and the needle needle of each probe is fixed. It is reliably in contact with an electrode.

A pair of plate-shaped side covers, each receiving a guidebar longitudinal end, may comprise a pair of side covers, each detachably attached to a side of the block. In this way, the guide bar can be supported by the block via the side bar.

It is possible to provide a pair of guide bars extending through the longitudinally spaced portions of the central region of the probe, preferably the leading and trailing ends. This stabilizes the attitude of each probe with respect to the block.

In a preferred embodiment, the needle points of the first and second needle point regions project downward and upward at their leading and trailing ends, respectively.

In addition, a guide member having a long plate shape attached to the rear end of the block in a state extending in the longitudinal direction of the guide bar may include a guide member having a plurality of holes through which the needle needle of the second needle needle region passes. As a result, the needle bar in the second needle bar area is held at a predetermined position in the longitudinal direction of the guide bar by the guide member, so that the needle bar position in the second needle bar area is more stable.

The probe of the present invention is provided with a band-shaped central region, a first needle line region continuing at one end of the central region, a second needle region and a guide hole formed at the other end of the central region. The needle bar of the first and second needle bar areas protrudes to the outside and the opposite sides in the width direction of the center area. For this reason, the said probe assembly can be manufactured by attaching to a block by a guide bar as mentioned above.

It may also have one or more elongated holes formed in the central region and extending in the longitudinal direction of the central region. As a result, even if a plurality of probes are attached to the block as described above, the capacitance or stray capacitance between adjacent probes is small, and the leakage of the electrical signal is small.

In a preferred embodiment, the first and second needle guide regions extend on the side of one edge and the side of the other edge in the width direction of the central region, respectively.

The first needle point region may be smaller than the width dimension of the central region. Thereby, when a needle | tip is pressed by the electrode of a to-be-tested object, a 1st needle | tip needle | tip region reliably curves in a bow shape, and a needle | tip needle and an electrode reliably contact.

The guide hole through which the guide bar penetrates is preferably formed at the leading end and the rear end at each of the places spaced in the longitudinal direction of the central region. This stabilizes the attitude of each probe with respect to the block in a state where a plurality of probes are attached to the block by the guide bars.

1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a probe assembly of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the probe assembly shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

3 is a left side view of FIG. 2;

4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing one embodiment of a state in which the probe assembly shown in FIG. 1 is installed in a fixture of an inspection head. FIG.

6 is an enlarged view of one embodiment of a probe;

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

10 probe assembly 12 block

14: probe 16: guide bar

18: slit bar 20: guide member

22: side cover 28: guide pin

30: center area 32, 34: needle area

36: guide hole 38: long hole

40: slit 42: through hole

1 to 6, the probe assembly 10 includes a block 12, a plurality of strip-shaped probes 14 arranged in parallel under the block 12, and a probe 14 penetrated therethrough. A pair of elongated guide bars 16, a pair of slit bars 18 in which a portion of the probe 14 is accommodated, and an elongated guide member 20 for stabilizing the position of the needle bar on the rear end side of the probe 14. ) And a pair of side covers 22 for supporting the guide bar 16 to the block 12.

In addition, in this invention, the thickness direction (up-down direction in FIG. 1) of the block 12 is called an up-down direction, and the extension | stretching direction of a probe, ie, the longitudinal direction (left-right direction in FIG. 1), is called a front-back direction, and a guide bar The stretching direction of (16), that is, the longitudinal direction (the lower right to the upper left and the opposite direction in FIG. 1) is referred to as the left and right direction.

The block 12 is provided with a screw hole 24 and a pair of guide holes 26 on the upper surface side, and a pair of guide holes 28 on each side. As shown in FIG. 4, the lower surface of the block 12 is formed in a step shape by a plurality of ends. The block 12 can be produced from a so-called non-conductive metal material that does not pass electricity, and ceramic or synthetic resin.

Each probe 14 has a band-shaped central region 30 and a pair of needle region 32 and extending forward and rearward from each of the front, i.e., front and rear ends of the central region, as shown in FIGS. 34). The central region 30 has a plurality of long holes 38 having guide holes 36 through which the guide bar 16 penetrates at each end and penetrating the spaced portions in the longitudinal direction of the central region 30. Is provided at a portion between the guide holes 36. Each of the long holes 38 extends in the longitudinal direction of the central region 30 and is spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the central region 30.

In the example of illustration, although each guide hole 36 is circular, it can be set as the shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the guide bar 16. As shown in FIG. In addition, the guide hole 36 may be formed elsewhere spaced in the longitudinal direction of the center area | region 30, may be long hole extended in the longitudinal direction of the center area | region 30, and in this case, the long hole 38 It may be used as a long hole following).

The needle line regions 32 and 34 extend forward and backward at one edge side and the other edge side in the width direction of the central region 30, respectively, and are smaller than the width dimension of the central region 30. It has a small width dimension. The needle lines 32a and 34a of the needle point regions 32 and 34 protrude downward and upward from the tip and the rear ends of the needle point regions 32 and 34, respectively. When the probe 14 is viewed in the thickness direction, the needle needle 32a has a semicircular shape, but the needle needle 34a has a triangular shape.

The probe 14 can be fabricated by etching the conductive thin metal plate to form a probe, and then forming a coating with an electrically insulating material such as a polyimide material except for the portion that becomes the needle needle.

The probe 14 opposes the center region 30, the guide hole 36, and the long hole 38 in a state where the width direction of the center region 30 becomes the up and down direction, and is parallel to the lower side of the block 12. It is arranged.

Each guide bar 16 has a circular cross-sectional shape as an example of illustration, and is formed of a non-conductive metal material. Each guide bar 16 is pushed into the guide hole 36 of the probe 14 and is attached to the block 12 by both side covers 22 by each end penetrating the side cover 22. do.

Each slit bar 18 is formed with a plurality of slits 40 at a predetermined pitch in the longitudinal direction. Each slit 40 has a width dimension substantially the same as the thickness dimension of the probe 14 and extends over the entire width direction of the slit bar 18. Slit bar 18 may be fabricated from a non-conductive material such as ceramic. In addition, each slit 40 may be formed before or after the slit bar 18 is mounted to the block 12.

One slit bar 18 is bonded to the front lower surface of the block 12 in a state in which it extends in the arrangement direction of the probe 14 so that the slit 40 faces downward. The other slit bar 18 is bonded to the rear lower surface of the block 12 in a state where it extends in the arrangement direction of the probe 14 so that the slit 40 faces downward. However, each slit bar 18 may be provided in the block 12 by one or more screw members or by engagement.

Each probe 14 receives the needle needle region 32 in the slit 40 of one slit bar 18 so that the needle needle 32a protrudes forward and downward from one slit bar 18. In the slit 40 of the other slit bar 18, the vicinity of the boundary between the central region 30 and the needle bar region 34 is projected so that the needle bar 34a protrudes rearward and upward from the other slit bar 18. It is accepted.

The guide member 20 has an L-shaped cross-sectional shape and has a plurality of through holes 42 (see FIG. 6) spaced in the longitudinal direction of the guide member 20 in one portion near the L-shape. The guide member 20 can be made from a nonconductive film such as a polyimide material, and the holes 42 can also be formed by etching.

The guide member 20 is block | blocked by the several screw member 44 in the state extended in the arrangement direction of the probe 14 in the near part of L-shape so that each needle | wire 34a may penetrate the hole 42. FIG. It is detachably provided in the lower rear end surface of (12). However, the guide member 20 may be attached to the block 12 by bonding or by bonding.

Each side cover 22 is formed from a plate member having a shape corresponding to the side surface of the block 12, and is formed on the side surface of the block 12 by a pair of guide pins 46 and a plurality of screw members 48. It is detachably installed in. Each guide pin 46 is coupled to the guide hole 28 formed by the block 12 in an unremovable manner, and the end is coupled to the guide hole formed in the side cover 22. However, the guide pin 46 may be fixed to the side cover 22. The side cover 22 has a through hole for receiving the ends of both guide bars 16.

In the figure, although adjacent probes 14 are shown with large intervals, in practice, the arrangement pitch of the probes 14 is small. The thickness dimension and the arrangement pitch of the probe 14 and the arrangement pitch and the width dimension of the slit 40 are different depending on the type of object under test, in particular, the arrangement pitch and the width dimension of the electrode.

For example, when the arrangement pitch and width dimensions of the electrode of the inspected object are 55 μm and 40 μm, respectively, the placement pitch of the probe 14 and the slit 40 is 55 μm and the width dimension of the slit 40 is 35 μm. The thickness of the thin metal sheet material for the probe 14 can be 30 μm.

Probe assembly 10, first, both the slit bar 18 and the guide member 20 is installed in the block 12 in the above state, both ends of each probe 14 to the slit of the slit bar 18 At the same time as inserting into the 40, the needle wire 34a is passed through the hole 40 of the guide member 20, and then the guide bar 16 is inserted into the guide hole 36 of the probe 14 and then passed through. The guide pin 46 is inserted into the side cover 22 and the block 12, and at the same time, the end of the guide bar 16 is inserted into the side cover 22, and then the side cover 22 is screwed. 48 to the block 12, and can be assembled. Thereby, the pro part 14 and the guide bar 16 are supported by the block 12 via the side cover 22.

In the assembled state as described above, the pro part 14 is arranged in parallel to the lower side of the block 12 in a pattern corresponding to the arrangement pattern of the electrodes of the flat object under test, such as a liquid crystal display panel, and the needle line 32a. Silver protrudes forward and downward from the slit bar 18, and the needle bar 34a protrudes backward and upward from the slit bar 18 and protrudes upward from the guide member 20, and the slit of the needle bar area 32. It is formed in the space | interval between bottom surfaces of 40. As shown in FIG.

When attached to the inspection head 50, the probe assembly 10 contacts the electrodes of the driving integrated circuit 54 with the needle 34a provided on the TAB tape 52, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. In addition, the needle wire 34a is attached to the attachment 56 of the inspection head 50 in a state of being slightly pressed against the electrode of the driving integrated circuit 54. As a result, each probe 14 is bowed in a bow shape because the width dimension of the needle region 34 is smaller than that of the central region 30, and each needle 34a is reliably in contact with the electrode. The driving integrated circuit 54 is connected to the wiring formed of the flexible wiring board 58.

It is preferable to adhere the guide film 60 having the plurality of micro guide holes 62 corresponding to the through holes 40 of the guide member 20 to the lower surface of the electrode of the integrated circuit 54 for driving. As a result, when the needle tip 34a is pressed against the electrode of the driving integrated circuit 54, the contact position shift between the needle tip 34a and the electrode caused by the needle needle 34a slipping with respect to the electrode is guide hole 62. Is prevented by.

When attaching the probe assembly 10 to the attachment 56, the probe assembly 10 is positioned relative to the attachment 56 by guide pins that fit into the guide holes 26 shown in FIG. 1. In addition, it is detachably attached to the attachment body 56 by the screw member fastened to the screw hole 24. When attaching the probe assembly 10 to the attachment body 56, if there is a slight shift in the position of the needle bar 34a in the up and down direction, the misaligned probe 14 is attached to the guide bar 16. On the other hand, between the guide bar 16 and the guide hole 36 on the needle point region 34 side is absorbed by the displacement within a slight gap.

The completed inspection head 50 is attached to a test apparatus (not shown) so that the needle bar 32a faces the electrode of the inspected object 70 (see FIG. 6). In the inspection, the probe assembly 10 slightly presses the needle bar 32a against the electrode of the test object 70. At this time, if there is some deviation in the position between the needle wires 32a in the up and down direction, the misaligned probe 14 is guided on the needle bar region 32 side with respect to the guide bar 16. The gap between 16) and the guide hole 36 is absorbed by the displacement within a slight gap.

When the needle tip 32a is slightly pressed against the electrode of the subject 70, the needle tip region 32 is bent in a bow shape as shown in FIG. As a result, the needle needle 32a slightly slides with respect to the electrode of the object under test. By such a rubbing action, the needle wire 32a scrapes off the oxide film on the surface of the electrode or penetrates slightly into the electrode. For this reason, each probe and electrode contact with each other electrically and reliably. The amount of bending and sliding of the probe is shown in FIG. 6 as L1 and L2, respectively.

When the needle line region 32 is bent in a bow shape as shown in Fig. 6, if the needle line 32a has a semicircular shape, the contact point of the needle line 32a of the electrode of the subject under test is displaced, The amount L2 of sliding of the needle line 32a becomes small, so that the cutting layer of the electrode is small. However, the needle tip 32a may be formed in another shape such as a triangle and a flat wall.

At the time of inspection, the probe 14 is used as the electricity supply of the inspected object 70 or used for drawing out an electrical signal from the inspected object 70. In either case, the capacitance or stray capacitance between adjacent probes is pressed small by the long hole 38, and the leakage of the electrical signal from the probe 14 is reduced.

Replacement of the probe 14 removes the probe assembly 10 from the attachment 56 and the side cover 22 from the block 12 to pull out the guide bar 16 and remove the probe to be replaced. Instead, a new probe may be placed in the block 12, then the probe assembly 10 may be assembled by the method already mentioned, and the probe assembly 10 may be attached to the attachment 56. This facilitates replacement of the probe.

According to the probe assembly 10, since the fabrication of the probe assembly 10 and its components is remarkably easy as compared with the conventional probe assembly, the probe assembly 10 becomes inexpensive, and the needle tip 32a is used to The electrode is reliably contacted and the exchange of the probe 14 becomes significantly easier compared to the conventional probe assembly.

In assembling the probe assembly 10, the probe 14 is held at a predetermined position in the longitudinal direction of the guide bar 16 by the slit bar 18, so that the assembling operation becomes easy and inexpensive. In addition, even after assembling, since the displacement of the probe 14 in the longitudinal direction of the guide bar 16 is prevented by the slit bar 18 at both ends of the probe 14, in the longitudinal direction of the guide bar 16. The positions of the needle needle regions 32 and 34 are stable, and the needle needles 32a and 34a of each probe 14 reliably contact a predetermined electrode. However, it is not necessary to provide the slit bar 18.

As in the above embodiment, if a pair of guide bars 16 extending through the spaced portions of the central region 30 of the probe 14, preferably the leading end portion and the rear end portion, are provided, the block ( The posture of each probe 14 with respect to 12 is stable. However, one guide bar 16 may be used.

When the guide member 20 is provided with a plurality of holes through which the needle line in the second needle line region penetrates, the needle line 34a is guided by the guide member 20 at a predetermined position in the longitudinal direction of the guide bar 16. Since it is held, the position of the needle bar 34a is more stable. However, the guide member 20 may not be provided.

The present invention can be applied not only to probes and probe assemblies used for inspection of liquid crystal display panels, but also to probes and probe assemblies used for inspection of other flat object such as integrated circuits.

Claims (12)

Block 12, The central region with a plurality of probes 14 having a band-shaped central region 32 and first and second needle-shaped regions 32 and 34 extending forward and rearward from the front and rear ends of the central region, respectively; A plurality of probes 14 arranged in parallel to face the center region at the lower side of the block with the width direction of the upper and lower directions being; And at least one guide bar (16) elongating through the central area of said probe and supported by said block. 2. The probe (14) of claim 1, wherein the probe (14) is disposed as a first and a second slit bar (18) disposed at the front end side and the rear end side of the block (12) and extending in the longitudinal direction of the guide bar (16). And first and second slit bars (18) each having a plurality of slits (40) spaced in the longitudinal direction so as to receive the front and side portions respectively. 3. A plate according to claim 1 or 2, as long as it is detachably attached to the side of the block (12) as a pair of plate-shaped side covers (22) for receiving end portions in the longitudinal direction of the guide bar (6). Probe assembly comprising a pair of side covers (22). The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a pair of guide bars (16) are provided, and both guide bars (16) extend through the spaced portions in the longitudinal direction of the central region (30). And a probe assembly. 3. The probe assembly of claim 2, wherein said first and second needle point regions (32, 34) have needle points (32a, 34a) projecting downward and upward at their front and rear ends, respectively. The needle line of the second needle point region 34 as a guide member 20 having an elongated plate shape attached to a rear end of the block 12 in a lengthwise direction of the guide bar 16. And a guide member (20) having a plurality of holes (42) through which (34a) pass. A band-shaped central region 30, A first needle point region 32 connected to one end of the central region, A second needle point region 34 following the other end of the central region, A guide hole 36 formed in the central region, The probe according to claim 1, wherein the needle lines (32a, 34a) of the first and second needle line regions (32, 34) protrude from opposite sides of the width direction of the central region (30). 8. The probe according to claim 7, wherein said central region (30) is provided with at least one elongated hole (30) extending in its longitudinal direction. 9. The first and second needle guide regions 32 and 34 respectively extend to the side of one edge and the side of the other edge in the width direction of the central region 30. Probe, characterized in that. 9. A probe according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that said first needle point region (32) has a width dimension smaller than the width dimension of said central region (30). The probe according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the guide holes (36) are formed in each of the places spaced in the longitudinal direction of the central region (30). 12. The probe according to claim 11, wherein the guide hole (36) is formed at the front end and the rear end of the central region (30).