TWI463142B - Probe apparatus and probe unit - Google Patents

Description

Probe device and probe unit

The present invention relates to a probe device and a probe unit for electrical testing of a flat object to be inspected like a liquid crystal display panel.

For example, a flat-shaped object to be inspected such as a liquid crystal display panel with a liquid crystal display is generally inspected, that is, tested, using an inspection device using a probe unit having a probe device, that is, a test device. In this test, the electrical signal from the circuit of the test device is supplied to the object to be inspected through the probe device.

For example, the probe device described in Patent Document 1 includes one wiring piece having a plurality of contact electrodes that are in contact with the electrodes of the test object in the front portion, a plurality of connection pieces electrically connected to the wiring piece, and a plurality of connection pieces, and a support The support of the wiring sheet.

The wiring sheet includes a first sheet-like member extending in the front-rear direction, and a plurality of first wirings formed in the first sheet-like member and having the contact electrodes provided in the front portion and extending in the front-rear direction, and the contact electrodes are provided The first wiring is a probe. The plurality of first wirings are provided in the first sheet-like member at intervals in the left-right direction, that is, in the width direction of the wiring sheet.

Further, each of the connecting pieces includes a second sheet-like member that extends in the front-rear direction, and a plurality of second wires that are provided in the second sheet-like member and that are coupled to the first wiring of the wiring sheet and extend in the front-rear direction. A plurality of second wirings are spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction, that is, in the width direction of the connecting piece. It is provided in the second sheet member.

The plurality of connecting sheets are overlapped with each other in a state in which the widthwise directions are aligned, and the positions in the front-rear direction are coupled to the wiring sheet. Each of the connecting pieces is electrically connected to the circuit of the test device, and the electrical signal from the circuit is supplied to the object to be inspected through the second wire of each of the connecting pieces, the first wire of the first wiring piece, and the contact electrode provided in the first wire. .

In the probe device, a part of the connecting piece is made to face the surface of the first wiring of the first sheet-like member on the wiring sheet and the surface of the second wiring of the second sheet-shaped member of the connecting sheet. To the wiring sheet, the first wiring of the wiring sheet and the second wiring corresponding to the first wiring of the wiring sheet are thermocompression bonded to each other (that is, the material to be bonded is used for the wiring sheet) The bonding at a suitable temperature below the melting point is pressure-bonded and plastically deformed, and the surface of the material to be joined is brought into contact and bonded. Accordingly, the wiring sheet and the connecting piece are electrically connected.

However, when the wiring sheet is bonded to each of the connecting pieces, a positional shift may occur in the width direction, that is, in a direction in which a plurality of first or second wirings are arranged at intervals, resulting in a connection piece. 2 The wiring is in a problem of being in contact with the first wiring adjacent to the first wiring corresponding to the wiring sheet.

In order to prevent such a first wiring from coming into contact with the second wiring which does not correspond to this, the technique of Document 1 is to provide an insulating protective layer on the connecting sheet. Such an insulating sheet is provided on the connecting sheet so as to cover the second wiring other than the position of the first wiring to be thermocompression-bonded (that is, bonded) to the wiring sheet.

If such an insulating protective layer is provided between the wiring sheet and the connecting piece, The through hole for connecting the first and second wirings is formed in the insulating protective layer, and the wiring sheet is elastically deformed, and then the through hole is pressed into the through hole so that the first wiring contacts the second wiring, and the contact faces are formed. Perform thermocompression bonding. Therefore, the first wiring is connected to the second wiring of the connecting sheet at the bottom of the U-shape in a state in which the cross section viewed from the left-right direction is bent in a U shape so that the wiring piece follows the through hole.

However, when the wiring sheet is pressed into the through hole of the protective layer and the first wiring is elastically deformed into a U shape, the bent wiring piece is returned to the flat state from the U shape. That is, the elastic force that the first wiring is separated from the second wiring is received. In particular, since the through hole of the protective layer is formed into a micro-aperture to prevent short-circuiting, the wiring piece is forcibly pressed into the through hole and bent, and the elastic force is extremely large.

Therefore, in the probe device in which the protective layer is provided between the first wiring sheet and the second wiring sheet, even if the first wiring and the second wiring are thermocompression-bonded, the first wiring is intended to be detached from the second wiring. The force acts on the wiring sheet to separate the first wiring from the second wiring, which causes a problem of poor connection between the wiring sheet and the connecting sheet.

Advanced technical literature

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 9-184853

It is an object of the present invention to reliably connect the wiring of the wiring sheet and the wiring of the connecting piece corresponding to the wiring.

In order to achieve the above object, a probe device according to the present invention includes a plurality of probes that are in contact with electrodes of a test object, a wiring sheet electrically connected to the probe, and a connection circuit electrically connected to the wiring sheet, and the wiring An insulating sheet between the sheet and the connecting circuit, and a hot-melting metal member that electrically connects the wiring sheet and the connecting circuit through the insulating sheet.

The wiring sheet has a plurality of first wirings that are continuously or electrically connected to the probe from the probe, and a first sheet-shaped member that is provided on one surface of the first wiring. The connection circuit is formed in a sheet shape in a state in which a part of the connection circuit is opposed to the wiring sheet, and has a plurality of second wirings corresponding to the first wiring and a second sheet having the second wiring disposed on one surface thereof member. The metal member penetrates the insulating sheet to bond the first wiring and the second wiring corresponding thereto.

The connection circuit may include at least a first and a second connection piece each having a plurality of the second wirings and the second sheet-like member, and the first wiring may have a plurality of the second wirings corresponding to the first connection piece a first conductive circuit and a plurality of second conductive circuits corresponding to the second wiring of the second connecting piece.

The metal member may include a plurality of first metal members that couple the second conductive line of the first conductive circuit and the first connecting piece corresponding thereto, and the second conductive circuit and the aforementioned A plurality of second metal members to which the second wiring of the second connecting piece is joined. The first metal members may be arranged in a line at intervals in the left-right direction, and the second metal member may be located in front of or behind the first metal member. The left and right directions are arranged in a row at intervals.

The connection circuit may include at least a first, second, and third connection piece each having a plurality of the second wirings and the second sheet-like member, and the first wiring has the second wiring corresponding to the first connection piece. a plurality of first conductive circuits, a plurality of second conductive circuits corresponding to the second wiring of the second connecting piece, and a plurality of third conductive circuits corresponding to the second wiring of the third connecting piece.

The metal member includes a plurality of first metal members that couple the second conductive line of the first conductive circuit and the first connecting piece corresponding thereto, and the second conductive circuit and the first portion corresponding thereto a plurality of second metal members to which the second wiring of the connecting piece is joined, and a plurality of third metal members to which the second conductive line of the third conductive circuit and the third connecting piece corresponding thereto are connected.

The first metal members may be arranged in a line at intervals in the left-right direction, and the second metal members may be arranged in a row in the left-right direction after the first metal members, and the third metal members may be located in the second row. The metal members are arranged in a row at intervals in the left-right direction. Further, the insulating sheet may be supported by the wiring sheet.

The first, second, and third connecting pieces may be formed in the same shape, and the second wirings of the first, second, and third connecting pieces may extend parallel to each other or further to the left or The first wiring region in which one of the right sides extends obliquely and the second wiring region extending rearward from the rear end portion of the first wiring region, the first, second, and third connecting pieces may be overlapped in the left-right direction The location is the same.

The front end portion of the first connecting piece may be disposed in front of the front end portion of the second connecting piece, and the end portion of the second connecting piece may be disposed forward of the end portion of the third connecting piece. Further, the first wiring may have a first conductive circuit region extending from the probe continuously or electrically connected to the probe rearward and extending in the front-rear direction so as to be narrower toward the front.

The first wiring may be electrically connected to each of the probes and extend rearward, and the insulating sheet may be supported on the wiring sheet so as to cover the first wiring of the wiring sheet, and the insulating sheet may be provided in the foregoing The needle is electrically connected to the through hole at which the tip of the probe is inserted at the position of the first wiring.

The probe unit of the present invention may include: the probe device including the first, second, and third connecting pieces, and a probe holder having a plate shape and having the probe device in front of the upper surface, and the probe The relay substrate is provided so as to extend upward and the front and rear directions are in the thickness direction, and the first, second, and third connecting pieces are electrically connected thereto and are provided on the first substrate of the relay substrate. Second and third connection parts.

The first connecting piece may be overlapped on the upper side of the second connecting piece, and the second connecting piece may be superposed on the upper side of the third connecting piece, and the first connecting portion may be provided below the second connecting portion. The second connecting portion may be provided below the third connecting portion.

According to the probe device of the present invention, even if the insulating sheet is present between the wiring sheet and the connecting sheet, the first wiring and the second wiring can be formed by the metal member penetrating through the thermal melt of the insulating sheet. Corresponding before The second wiring is combined. In this way, it is not necessary to bend the connecting piece or the wiring piece in order to press the connecting piece of the wiring piece or the connecting circuit into the through hole of the insulating sheet.

Therefore, even when the first wiring is prevented from being connected to the second wiring that does not correspond to the insulating sheet, the wiring sheet or the connecting piece of the connecting circuit can be prevented from being bent. 1 wiring is combined with the second wiring. As described above, since the force for separating the first wiring from the second wiring does not occur, the first and second wirings can be reliably connected.

Further, when a plurality of the connecting sheets are bonded to one of the wiring sheets, if the insulating sheets are provided on the connecting sheets, a plurality of the connecting sheets of the insulating sheets are required to be provided, and the probe device is provided. The cost will become high. However, according to the present invention, since the insulating sheet is provided on the wiring sheet, it is only necessary to provide one of the insulating sheets on one of the wiring sheets. Therefore, the probe device can be manufactured at a low cost.

[instructions]

In the present invention, the upper and lower directions in FIG. 2 are referred to as the vertical direction or the Z direction, and the left and right directions are referred to as the front side of the probe device side of the probe device and the rear side of the relay substrate side of the probe device. In the front-rear direction or the Y-direction, the paper back direction is referred to as the left-right direction or the X-direction. However, the above direction differs depending on the posture of the object to be inspected placed on the panel holder such as a workbench.

Therefore, the probe device and the probe block are in the present invention. The upper and lower directions (Z direction) are actually mounted in the test device in a state in which the state is in the up and down direction, the state in the up and down direction, and the state in the oblique direction.

[Testing device]

As shown in FIG. 1, the test apparatus 10 is used for the lighting inspection of the flat object to be inspected 12 such as a liquid crystal display panel. The test apparatus 10 is provided with a circuit (not shown) for sending a cake to test the signal of the object 12 to be inspected. For the object 12 to be inspected, a test signal or a driving signal for inspecting, for example, black display of the liquid crystal display panel is supplied from the circuit through the test device 10.

The object 12 to be inspected has a rectangular shape, and a plurality of electrodes 14 are formed on the edge portion 12a corresponding to at least one side of the rectangle. Each of the electrodes 14 has a strip shape extending in the X direction or the Y direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the edge portion 12a, and is formed at a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction of the edge portion 12a. In the illustrated example, a plurality of electrodes 14 are provided on two adjacent sides of the object 12 to be inspected.

The test apparatus 10 includes a chuck top 16 for holding the object 12 to be inspected, and a plurality of probe units 18 disposed above the top 16 of the chuck. The body 12 to be inspected on the top 16 of the chuck, as previously known, is adjusted in its XY plane by the brake member 20 and the pusher 22.

The body 12 whose posture is adjusted is held on the top 16 of the chuck by the attraction of the top 16 of the chuck. The collet top 16, as previously known, is placed on the xyz θ stage. In this way, the object to be inspected on the top 16 of the chuck can move integrally with the top 16 of the chuck in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction at right angles to the XY plane, and can also surround the Z-axis (that is, the θ direction). Rotate.

Each probe unit 18 is provided with a chuck on a plane parallel to the top 16 of the chuck A slightly rectangular probe base 24 disposed above the top 16 with a space therebetween, a plurality of probe devices 26 supported by the probe holder 24, and a relay substrate 28 provided on the probe holder 24 are provided.

A plurality of probe devices 26 are supported by the probe holder 24 at intervals in the longitudinal direction (X direction or Y direction) of the probe holder 24. A plurality of probe devices 26 are electrically connected to the relay substrate 28 as will be described later. The relay substrate 28 is electrically connected to the circuit of the test apparatus 10 by a connection wiring 30 such as a flat cable.

[probe device]

As shown in FIG. 2, each probe device 26 includes a coupling block 32 that is loaded and coupled to the probe holder 24, a support block 34 that is supported by the coupling block 32, a coupling block 36 that is coupled to the support block 34, and a coupling block that is supported by the coupling block. The probe assembly 38 of 36 electrically connects the probe assembly 38 to the wiring sheet 40 of the relay substrate 28 and the connection circuit 42.

The connecting block 32 has an L-shaped cross-sectional shape by being connected to the main body portion 32a of the probe holder 24 and the auxiliary portion 32b extending forward from the upper portion of the main body portion 32a so as to be erected from the probe holder 24. The connecting block 32 is detachably coupled to the probe holder 24 by penetrating the main body portion 32a from above to a plurality of bolts 43 screwed to the probe holder 24 at the lower side.

The support block 34 has an inverted L-shaped cross-sectional shape by a rectangular parallelepiped main body portion 34a and an auxiliary portion 34b extending forward from the lower portion of the main body portion 34a. The support block 34 is coupled to the front surface of the main body portion 32a of the connecting block 32 behind the main body portion 34a by a plurality of guides 44 and guide rails 46 so as to be movable in the vertical direction, and can be adjusted in the up and down direction by the bolts 48. Location The support is supported on the lower side of the auxiliary portion 32b of the coupling block 32.

The bolt 48 penetrates the auxiliary portion 32b of the coupling block 32 from above to below, and is screwed into the screw hole 50 formed in the support block 34. The support block 34 is disposed between the auxiliary portion 32b of the coupling block 32 and the support block 34, and the compression coil spring 52 is biased downward. Thus, by adjusting the amount of screwing of the bolt 48 to the support block 34, the height of the probe assembly 38 can be adjusted through the support block 34 and the joint block 36 coupled to the support block 34.

The coupling block 36 is a plate-shaped member whose length in the lower direction is longer in the left-right direction, and in the central portion thereof, the auxiliary portion 34b of the support block 34 is penetrated from above to the bolt 54 screwed to the coupling block 36 from below. Bonded to the underside of the support block 34. The coupling block 36 has a downwardly extending portion 36a extending in the left-right direction at the front lower portion thereof. The probe assembly 38 is held in the lower stage portion 36a by screwing the through hole 36b of the coupling block 36 from above to below and screwing the screw member 56 of the probe assembly 38.

As shown in FIG. 3, the probe assembly 38 is assembled with a pair of slit bars 64 at intervals in the front-rear direction on the seat piece 60, and a plurality of probes 62 are arranged to extend in the front-rear direction at intervals in the left-right direction. In a state, the insulating rod member 66 having a circular cross-sectional shape is passed through the probe 62, and the end portion of the rod member 66 is attached to the seat piece 60 by a pair of cover members 68.

The probe assembly 38 is screwed to the seat piece 60 in a state in which the lower stage portion 36a of the coupling block 36 is fitted, whereby the probe assembly 38 is maintained on the lower side of the coupling block 36. Each of the probes 62 is made of a conductive material and is a fin type (that is, a plate-shaped) probe. The seat piece 60 and each of the slit bars 64 are made of ceramics, synthetic resin, etc. which are electrically insulating, and have a left and right The shape of the corner column is long.

Each of the slit bars 64 is formed in a prismatic shape, and is attached to a state in which the front surface of the front piece or the lower portion of the front piece 60 is extended in the left-right direction. Each of the slit bars 64 has a plurality of slits extending in the longitudinal direction (left-right direction) of the slit bar in the front-rear direction and opening to the front, the rear, and the lower side with a predetermined interval therebetween.

Each slit corresponds to the probe 62 and has a width dimension corresponding to the thickness dimension of the corresponding probe 62, and receives the lower portion 62a and the rear upper portion 62b of the corresponding probe 62. The distance between the left and right directions of the plurality of probes 62 is maintained by the slits of the two slit bars 64.

The two cover members 68 are disposed on both sides of the slit bar 64, and each cover member 68 penetrates the cover member 68 in a state where the end portion of the lever member 66 is received inside, and is screwed in the left-right direction of the seat piece 60. The plurality of screw members 69 at the ends are detachably attached to the side surfaces of the seat sheet 60 in the left-right direction.

Each of the probes 62 has a thickness direction in the left-right direction, and is disposed in the slit bar 64 so that the front lower portion 62a and the rear upper portion 62b protrude from the seat piece 60 toward the front and the rear. Each of the probes 62 is extended in the front-rear direction, and the front lower portion 62a and the rear upper portion 62b are fitted to the slits of the slit rods 64 on the front side and the rear side, respectively.

Each of the probes 62 has a rear needle tip 62c that stands upwards at a position further rearward than the upper portion 62b after being fitted to the rear slit. The probe assembly 38 is held in the joint block 36 while the needle tip 62c of each probe 62 is in contact with the wiring sheet 40.

As shown in FIG. 4(A), the wiring sheet 40 is in a state of extending in the front-rear direction. The lower portion is supported below the bonding block 36 and is electrically connected to the probe assembly 38 at its front portion. The wiring sheet 40 includes a first sheet member 70 that is attached to the lower surface of the joint block 36 and a plurality of first wires 72 that are formed on the other surface of the first sheet member 70. Each of the first wires 72 corresponds to the probe 62 of the probe assembly 38, and the wiring sheet 40 has the same number of first wires 72 as the plurality of probes 62.

Further, the wiring sheet 40 is provided with a guide fiim 76 extending in the left-right direction at the front portion thereof (see FIG. 5(B)), and is transmitted through a plurality of through holes 77 provided in the vertical direction of the guide film 76. One of the first wirings 72 is partially exposed below. The probe tip 62c at the rear of each probe 62 is in contact with the corresponding first wiring 72 through the through hole 77. Accordingly, the wiring sheet 40 is electrically connected to the probe assembly 38.

As shown in FIG. 4(B), the rear portion of the wiring sheet 40 is electrically connected to the connection circuit 42. The connection circuit 42 includes a plurality of connecting pieces 80, and each of the connecting pieces 80 includes a second sheet member 82 and a plurality of second wires 84 provided on one surface of the sheet member 82. Each of the second sheet members 82 is extended in the front-rear direction, and the plurality of wires 84 are formed in the second sheet-like member 82 so as to extend in the front-rear direction at intervals in the left-right direction (see FIG. 8).

Each of the connecting sheets 80 is bonded to the wiring sheet 40 with a portion of the surface on which the second wiring 84 is formed, which is aligned with the wiring sheet 40, with the insulating sheet 74 interposed therebetween. Each of the second wires 84 corresponds to the first wire 72, and the metal member 78 that has passed through the insulating sheet 74 is coupled to the corresponding first wire 72. Accordingly, the wiring sheet 40 is electrically connected to the connection circuit 42.

Since the connection circuit 42 is electrically connected to the circuit of the test device 10, The electric signal from the circuit is supplied to the test object 12 through the second wire 84 of each of the connecting pieces 80 of the connection circuit 42, the first wire 72 of the wiring piece 40, and the probe 62 of the probe assembly 38.

[Wiring sheet]

As shown in FIG. 5, the wiring sheet 40 has a first sheet member 70 made of an insulating material such as polyimide, and a plurality of first wirings 72 formed in the sheet member 70. Therefore, the wiring sheet 40 may be a flexible sheet-like printed wiring board such as a so-called Flexible Printed Circuits (FPC) or Tape Automated Bonding (TAB). The wiring sheet 40 extends in the front-rear direction, and although the display of the intermediate portion thereof is omitted in FIG. 5, actually, the intermediate portion extends in the front-rear direction (refer to FIG. 2).

As shown in FIG. 5(B), the plurality of first wirings 72 extend in the front-rear direction slightly in parallel with each other, and have the first conductive circuit region 72A extending in the front-rear direction and the rear end direction from the rear end of the first conductive circuit region 72A. The extended second conductive circuit region 72B, the third conductive circuit region 72C extending continuously from the rear end of the second conductive circuit region 72B, and the fourth conductive circuit extending continuously from the rear end of the third conductive circuit region 72C Area 72D.

The distance between the first wires 72 at the tip end portion of the first conductive circuit region 72A corresponds to the distance between the plurality of probes 62 arranged at intervals in the left-right direction of the probe assembly 38. In addition, the first and third conductive circuit regions 72A and 72C are in a state in which the distance between the wirings is longer and the second and fourth conductive circuit regions 72B and 72D are extended in a state in which the distance between the wirings is maintained constant. In the front and rear direction.

In this manner, the first wiring 72 is the front end portion of the first conductive circuit region 72A. The pitch, that is, the distance between the probes 62, is formed in the first sheet member 70 such that the distance between the fourth conductive circuit regions 72D, that is, the distance between the rear portions of the first wiring 72 is large.

Moreover, in the example of the figure, the first wiring 72 is provided in the first sheet-like member 70, and is divided into four groups 73 in which four of them are grouped. In each of the groups 73, the four first wirings 72 are the first, second, third, and fourth guiding circuits 73a, 73b, 73c, and 73d from the lower side in FIG. 5(B).

A guide film 76 extending in the left-right direction (from the upper side to the lower side in FIG. 5(B)) is provided at the front end portion of the wiring sheet 40. The conductive film 76 has a plurality of through holes 77 that penetrate in the thickness direction and are arranged at intervals in the longitudinal direction. The interval between the plurality of through holes 77 corresponds to the distance between the distal end portions of the first wiring 72, and each of the through holes 77 exposes a portion of the corresponding first wiring 72. The first wire 72 is electrically connected to the probe 62 by the needle tip 62c behind the probe 62 contacting the exposed portion.

Further, an insulating sheet 74 is provided on the rear portion of the wiring sheet 40 so as to cover the fourth conductive circuit region 72D of the first wiring 72. In the fourth conductive circuit region 72D in which the insulating sheet 74 is provided, the first, second, third, and fourth conductive circuits 73a, 73b, 73c, and 73d are formed with first, second, third, and fourth, respectively. Metal members 78a, 78b, 78c and 78d. The insulating sheet 74 has a plurality of through holes 79 penetrating in the thickness direction at positions corresponding to the respective metal members 78, and a metal material 78 is disposed in each of the through holes 79 (see FIGS. 6 and 7).

The first metal members 78a (four in the illustrated example) provided in the respective first conductive circuits 73a are arranged at the same interval in a state in which they are arranged in a line in the left-right direction, and are provided in each of the second and third sides. 4th conductive circuits 73b, 73c and 73d Similarly, the second metal member 78b, the third metal member 78c, and the fourth metal member 78d are arranged at the same interval in a state in which they are arranged in a line in the left-right direction.

Further, the first metal member 78a is disposed in front of the fourth conductive circuit region 72D, and the second, third, and fourth metal members 78b, 78c, and 78d are disposed on the first, second, and third metals at intervals. The members 78a, 78b, and 78d are in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction (the right side and the upper side in Fig. 5(B)).

According to this, in the case where all the metal materials 78 (16 in the illustrated example) are arranged in a row in the left-right direction, the metal material 78 is arranged such that the distance between the left and right directions is wide. When connected to the wiring sheet 80, the short circuit of the adjacent metal material 78 can be prevented. In the example of the drawing, the respective lead circuits 73a to 73d extend to the rear portion of the fourth conductive circuit region 72D, but may extend at least to the arrangement portion of the metal member 78.

When the wiring sheet 40 is printed on the wiring board, the arrangement of the first wiring 72 can be freely designed by the design and manufacturing method of the conventional printed wiring board, and the wiring pattern can be freely designed. Therefore, as in the wiring sheet of Patent Document 1, the positions of the set of connection terminals can be arranged in different positions in the front-rear direction and in the left-right direction, that is, in the front-rear direction.

However, in order to arrange the positions of the connection terminals (that is, the joint portions) in a straight line in the front-rear direction as in Patent Document 1, the corners of the wiring pattern are greatly curved, and in the production of the printed wiring board, there may be When the corner portion is short-circuited with the adjacent wiring, the printed wiring is formed, and the wiring sheet is defective in circuit.

Therefore, in the state in which the first wiring is arranged to extend in a substantially parallel linear shape as in the present embodiment, compared with the case where the corner portion in which the wiring is largely bent is produced in the manufacture of the printed wiring board, Reduce the defective rate of printed wiring boards.

In the present embodiment, the wiring sheet 40 is FPC, TAB, or the like, but may be a rigid printed circuit board (RPC: Rigid Printed Circuits). In the case of such a substrate, the first sheet member 70 is made of a hard material such as alumina, phenolic paper or epoxy glass.

Further, in the present embodiment, the 16 first wirings 72 are formed in the first sheet member 70, but actually, more of the first wirings 72 are formed. In this case, the number of adjustment groups 73 and the number of the conduction circuits belonging to each group may be grouped. Further, the number of wiring pieces of the connection circuit 42 can be made the same as the number of the number of conduction circuits of each group.

[Connection of wiring piece and connecting piece]

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the connection circuit 42 includes first, second, third, and fourth connecting pieces 80a, 80b, 80c, and 80d, and each of the connecting pieces 80 is made of a polyimide-like insulating material. The second sheet member 82 and the plurality of wires 84 formed in the second sheet member 82. The second connecting piece is a sheet-like member that is long in the front-rear direction, and the plurality of wires 84 are provided on the second sheet-like member 82 so as to extend in the front-rear direction with a space therebetween in the left-right direction (see FIG. 8 ).

Therefore, the connecting piece 80 may have a plurality of wirings 84 formed in the second sheet member 82, that is, a flexible sheet such as an FPC, a TAB, or a flexible flat cable (FFC: Flexible Flat Cable). Wiring road. In the case where the connecting sheet 80 is FFC, the FFC is used by removing one of the covers of the connecting portion connected to the wiring sheet 40. Therefore, the flat type wire of the FFC functions as the second wire 84, and the other surface of the cover acts as the second sheet member.

Each of the connecting pieces 80 has a portion facing the second wiring 84 facing the wiring sheet 40. Between the wiring sheet 40 and the connecting sheet 80, there is an insulating sheet 74 provided on the wiring sheet 40 so as to cover the first conductive circuit. By the insulating sheet 74, it is possible to prevent a short circuit between the first wiring 72 and the second wiring 84 (for example, the second wiring 84 adjacent to the second wiring 84 corresponding to the first wiring 72).

The insulating sheet 74 may also be provided on the connecting sheet 80. However, when a plurality of connecting sheets 80 are connected to one of the wiring sheets 40, if the insulating sheet 74 is provided on the wiring sheet 40, it is only necessary to provide one insulating sheet 74 on one of the wiring sheets 40, and therefore In comparison with the case where the insulating sheets 74 are provided for each of the plurality of connecting sheets 80, the probe device 26 can be manufactured at a lower cost.

As shown in FIG. 6, in the wiring sheet 40 before the connection piece 80 is connected, an insulating sheet 74 having a through hole 79 is formed on the surface on which the first wiring 72 is provided. The insulating sheet 74 may be an insulating layer of a polyimide film or the like, or may be an insulating layer coated with a polyimide ink by a printing technique. The metal member 78 is formed in a protruding shape at a position corresponding to the through hole 79 of the first wiring 72. The height of the projection of the metal member 78 may be greater than the thickness of the insulating sheet 74.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the connecting piece 80 is connected to the wiring sheet 40, the metal member 78 is crushed and filled in the through hole 79. Through this The metal member 78 in the state is coupled to the first wiring 72 and the second wiring 84. The metal member 78 is a hot-melting metal member, and the first and second wirings 72 and 84 can be formed by a heating process such as a reflow process in a state where the wiring sheet 40 and the connecting sheet 80 are bonded together. Combine.

Since the wiring sheet 40 and the connecting piece 80 are joined in a state in which the through hole 79 of the insulating sheet 74 is filled with the metal member 78, in the present invention, in order to connect the first wiring 72 and the connecting piece of the wiring sheet 40 The second wiring 84 of 80 is joined, and it is not necessary to bend the wiring sheet 40 or the connecting sheet 80 by pressing the through hole 79 of the insulating sheet 74.

As described above, since the force of separating the first wiring 72 and the second wiring 84 is not caused by bending the wiring sheet 40 or the connecting sheet 80, the first and second wirings can be reliably connected. Further, by making the amount of the metal member 78 equal to the capacity of the through hole 79, it is possible to prevent the metal member 78 from being scattered and causing a short circuit between the wirings.

In FIGS. 6 and 7, the one through hole 79 and the metal member 78 are described. However, in actuality, a plurality of through holes 79 and a plurality of metal members 78 corresponding thereto are provided on the insulating sheet 74, respectively. In a plurality of the wiring sheets 40, the plurality of metal members 78 are simultaneously joined to the plurality of second wirings 84 via the reflow process.

As shown in Fig. 8, the first, second, third, and fourth connecting pieces 80a, 80b, 80c, and 80d are respectively associated with the first, second, third, and fourth metal members 78a, 78b, 78c, and 78d. Further, the four second wires 84 of the respective connecting pieces are spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction (the wiring sheet 40) The four metal members 78 arranged in a row in the width direction are spaced apart from each other.

Since the four metal members 78 are arranged in a line in the left-right direction, the connecting piece 80 is the length of the wiring piece 40 in the longitudinal direction of itself by the width direction of the connecting piece 80 in the column direction. The wiring sheet 40 is connected in the side direction.

In the present embodiment, each of the connecting pieces 80 includes the second sheet member 82 having the same shape and the second wiring 84 provided in the second sheet member 82 with the wiring pattern of the same shape, and has the same shape. The second sheet-like member 82 is formed in a long strip shape in the front-rear direction, and the second wiring includes a first wiring region 84A that is inclined to the left side (toward the left side in FIG. 8 , that is, to the lower side in FIG. 8 ). And a second wiring region 84B that linearly extends from the rear end portion of the first wiring region 84A in the rear direction (the right side in FIG. 8).

In the wiring sheet 40, the first, second, third, and fourth metal members 78a, 78b, 78c, and 78d are disposed in the front-rear direction (from the left side to the right side in FIG. 8) and the left-right direction (from FIG. 8 The lower side is on the upper side). Further, the front and rear direction intervals of the second and third metal materials 78b and 78c and the front and rear direction intervals of the third and fourth metal materials 78c and 78d are spaced apart from the first and second metal materials 78a and 78b, respectively. 2 and the third metal materials 78b and 78c are spaced apart in the front and rear directions.

Further, the distance between the adjacent first metal members 78a, the distance between the adjacent second metal members 78b, the distance between the adjacent third metal members 78c, the distance between the adjacent fourth metal members 78d, and the connecting sheets The adjacent second wires 84 of 80 are spaced apart from each other and are respectively the same.

In the connection between the wiring sheet 40 produced in the above manner and the connecting sheet 80, any portion of the inclined first wiring region 84A is bonded to the wiring sheet. In the case of the metal member 78 of 40, each of the connecting pieces 80 can adjust the position of the connecting piece 80 in the left-right direction by adjusting the position in the front-rear direction. For example, when the wiring sheet 40 is joined to the front side (the left side in FIG. 8), the connecting piece 80 is moved to the left side (the lower side in FIG. 8) to be joined.

As described above, by adjusting the position in the front-rear direction of the connecting piece 80, the plurality of connecting pieces 80 can be connected to the wiring sheet 40 in a state in which the positions of the plurality of connecting pieces 80 are the same in the left-right direction. If the connecting piece 80 can be connected to the wiring sheet so that the left-right direction is at the same position, the overlap of the connecting piece 80 becomes easy, and the probe device can be easily manufactured. Further, by making the connecting sheet 80 into the same shape, the connecting sheet 80 can be made easier and more inexpensive.

Further, the front ends of the first, second, and third connecting pieces 80a, 80b, and 80c are disposed in front of the front ends of the second, third, and fourth connecting pieces 80b, 80c, and 80d, respectively, first and second. The interval between the front ends of the connecting pieces 80a and 80b is smaller than the interval between the front ends of the second and third connecting pieces 80b and 80c, and the distance between the front ends of the second and third connecting pieces 80c and 80d is smaller than the third and fourth connections. The spacing between the ends of the sheets 80c and 80d is small.

The second wiring 84 of the connecting piece 80 can be formed only by the second wiring region 84B extending in the front-rear direction without providing the inclined first wiring region 84A. However, such a connecting piece 80 cannot adjust the position in the left-right direction by changing the position in the front-rear direction.

[Connection of connection circuit and relay substrate]

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, the connection circuit 42 electrically connects the wiring sheet 40 and the relay substrate 28. The connection circuit 42 is supported by the probe holder 24 by a cable holder 89 mounted under the probe holder 24.

The connection circuit 42 is bonded to the wiring sheet 40 before the first, second, third, and fourth connecting pieces 80a, 80b, 80c, and 80d, and penetrates the through hole 24a of the probe holder 24, and is connected to the rear portion at the rear portion. Following the substrate 28. The connecting pieces 80a, 80b, 80c, and 80d are connected to the relay substrate 28 by connecting portions 90a, 90b, 90c, and 90d, respectively, such as connectors.

The fourth connecting piece 80d is coupled to the rear portion of the wiring sheet 40 corresponding to the fourth metal member 78d, the third connecting piece 80c is superposed on the fourth connecting piece 80d corresponding to the third metal member 78c, and the second connecting piece 80b corresponds to the second metal. The member 78b is superposed on the third connecting piece 80c, and the first connecting piece 80a is superposed on the second connecting piece 80b in correspondence with the first metal member 78a.

Moreover, the connection portion 90 of the connection piece 80 and the relay substrate 28 is disposed on the upper side of the first connection portion 90a by the second connection portion 90b, and the third connection portion 90c is disposed on the upper side of the second connection portion 90c and the fourth connection portion 90d. The relay board 28 is connected to the upper side of the third connection portion 90c. By connecting the connecting sheet 80 to the wiring sheet 40 and the relay substrate 28 in this manner, it is possible to arrange a plurality of connecting sheets without overlapping the connecting sheet 80 in the left-right direction, that is, in the front-rear direction. 80 is connected to the relay substrate 28.

When a plurality of connecting pieces 80 are arranged in an overlapping manner, the length dimension of the connecting piece 80 can be shortened as compared with a case where the connecting pieces 80 are arranged in the left-right direction. Therefore, the manufacture of the connecting piece 80 becomes easy, and the probe device 26 is made cheaper.

[Other Embodiments of Wiring Sheets]

As shown in FIG. 9, the wiring sheet 140 is attached to the wiring sheet 40 previously described. The intermediate portion of the lead circuit region 72A in the front and rear directions is cut in the width direction of the wiring sheet 40. A guide film 176 is provided at an end portion of the wiring sheet 140, and the conductive film 176 has a through hole 177 corresponding to the distance between the first wirings 72 of the front end portion.

When the wiring sheet 140 is formed as described above, the distance between the front end portions of the first wiring 72 of the wiring sheet 140 can be made the first one of the wiring sheets 40. The distance between the front ends of the wirings 72 is large.

Therefore, when the pitch of the probes 62 of the probe assembly 38 becomes large (that is, when the subject 12 is replaced with a larger distance between the electrodes 14), the pitch can be changed by the wiring sheet 40. The cutting portion adjusts the distance between the first wires 72 accordingly.

In general, in the manufacture of a printed wiring board such as FPC or TAB, it is easy to form a plurality of substrates having the same shape, and a plurality of substrates having the same shape are manufactured at a lower cost than a plurality of substrates having different shapes. Therefore, if a plurality of probe devices having different probe pitches can be produced using the same shape of the wiring sheet, it is possible to manufacture the probe device at a lower cost than when a plurality of probe devices having different shapes are used to fabricate a plurality of probe devices. Needle device.

The wiring sheet 140 is cut in the intermediate direction before and after the conductive circuit region 72A of the wiring sheet 40. However, when the rear end of the conductive circuit region 72A is cut, the distance between the first wirings 72 is the largest. Further, the wiring sheet 40 may be folded back without changing the wiring sheet 40 in the intermediate portion in the rear direction of the lead circuit region 72A.

As shown in FIG. 10, in the wiring sheet 240, an insulating sheet 274 is provided over the entire first sheet member 70. In this way, the first wiring Since all of 72 is covered, it is possible to prevent a short circuit between wirings due to adhesion of impurities between the first wirings 72.

Further, by providing the through hole 277 corresponding to the distance between the first wires 72 at the end portion of the insulating sheet 274, the insulating sheet 274 can be made into a conductive film. According to this, it is not necessary to separately form the insulating sheet 274 and the conductive film, so that the wiring sheet can be easily produced.

[Other Embodiments of Probe Device]

As shown in FIG. 11, each probe device 326 includes a connection block 332 that is placed and coupled to the probe holder 24, a support block 334 that is supported by the connection block 332, and a coupling block 336 that is coupled to the support block 334. The probe block 338 of the block 336, the wiring piece 340 electrically connecting the probe block 338 to the relay substrate 28, and the connection circuit 342.

The connecting block 332 and the supporting block 334 of the probe device 326 have the same shape and coupling relationship as the connecting block 32 and the supporting block 34 of the probe device 26. The joint block 336 is a plate-like member whose upper and lower directions are in the thickness direction and long in the left-right direction, and is bonded to the lower side of the support block 334 in the central portion thereof. The coupling block 336 and the support block 334 are joined by a bolt 354 that penetrates the support block 334 from above to below the coupling block 336.

The probe block 338 is coupled to the bond block 336 by passing the bond block 336 from above to a bolt 356 screwed down to the probe block 338. The probe block 338 has a plate-shaped wiring piece support body 338a which is inclined forward in the front portion and is inclined downward. The wiring sheet 340 is supported under the probe block 338 and under the wiring sheet support 338a.

The wiring sheet 340 has a flexible sheet member 370 and is provided on the sheet member A plurality of wires 372 of 370 and contact electrodes 377 provided at the tip end portions of the respective first wires 372 (see FIG. 12). The connection circuit 342 includes a plurality of connection pieces 80 which are the same as the connection circuit 42 of the probe device 26.

The wiring sheet 340 is electrically connected to the connection circuit 342 at the rear portion so that the first wiring 372 is coupled to the second wiring 84 of each of the connection sheets 80. Since the connection circuit 342 is electrically connected to the circuit of the test apparatus 10, the electrical signal from the circuit is supplied to the second wiring 84 of each of the connection pieces 80, the first wiring 372 of the wiring sheet 340, and the contact electrode 377 to be inspected. Body 12.

As shown in FIG. 12, the wiring sheet 340 is similar to the wiring sheet 40 in a sheet-like wiring circuit having flexibility such as an FPC or a TAB tape. The wiring piece 340 extends in the front-rear direction, and the center portion is omitted in FIG. 12, but actually, the central portion extends linearly in the front-rear direction (see FIG. 11).

The first wiring 372 has a contact electrode 377 that protrudes downward at a front end portion thereof. The distance between the contact electrodes 377, that is, the distance between the tip end portions of the first wiring 372 corresponds to the distance between the electrodes 14 of the test object 12. The contact electrode 377 and the front portion of the first wiring 372 function as probes that are in contact with the electrode 14 of the test object 12.

In the rear portion of the wiring sheet 340, similarly to the wiring sheet 40 of the probe device 26, an insulation having a plurality of through holes 79 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) penetrating in the vertical direction is provided so as to cover the first wiring 72. Sex film 74. The metal member 78 is provided in a plurality of through holes 79 of the insulating sheet 74, and the arrangement thereof is the same as that of the wiring sheet 40 of the probe device 26.

The connecting piece 80 of the connecting circuit 342 passes through the insulating sheet 74 and the wiring piece In the 140 direction, the first wiring 372 and the second wiring 84 are coupled to each other through the metal member 78, and are electrically connected to the wiring sheet 340.

Industrial availability

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various changes can of course be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

12‧‧‧Inspected body

14‧‧‧electrodes of the object to be inspected

24‧‧‧ probe holder

26, 326‧‧‧ probe device

40, 140, 240, 340‧‧‧ Wiring

42, 342‧‧‧Connected circuit

62‧‧‧Probe

62c‧‧‧Needle tip

70, 170, 270, 370 ‧ ‧ 1st sheet member

72, 172, 272, 372‧‧‧1st wiring

72A‧‧‧1st circuit area

73a‧‧‧1st conductive circuit

73b‧‧‧2nd circuit

73c‧‧‧3rd circuit

73d‧‧‧4th circuit

74, 274‧‧‧Insulating film

76‧‧‧Guide film

77, 177, 277‧‧ ‧ through hole of the film

78‧‧‧Metal components

78a‧‧‧1st metal component

78b‧‧‧2nd metal component

78c‧‧‧3rd metal component

78d‧‧‧4th metal component

79‧‧‧through holes for insulating sheets

80a‧‧‧1st piece

80b‧‧‧2nd connection piece

80c‧‧‧3rd connection piece

80d‧‧‧4th connection piece

82‧‧‧2nd sheet member

84a‧‧‧1st wiring area

84b‧‧‧2nd wiring area

90a‧‧‧1st connection

90b‧‧‧2nd connection

90c‧‧‧3rd connection

90d‧‧‧4th connection

377‧‧‧Contact electrode

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing a test apparatus including a probe device and a probe unit of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view showing a first embodiment of the probe device of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view showing the vicinity of the probe assembly of Fig. 2 in an enlarged manner.

4 is a side elevational view showing portions of 4A and 4B of FIG. 2, and FIGS. 4(A) and 4(B) are portions showing 4A and 4B of FIG. 2, respectively.

Fig. 5 is a view showing a wiring sheet used in the probe device of Fig. 2. Fig. 5(A) shows a side view of the wiring sheet, and Fig. 5(B) shows a plan view of the wiring sheet.

6 is a side cross-sectional view showing a state before the wiring sheet of the probe device of FIG. 2 is connected to the connecting piece, and FIG. 6(A) shows the entire connecting area, and FIG. 6(B) shows an enlarged view of FIG. 6(A). Section 6B is an enlarged sectional view.

7 is a side cross-sectional view showing a state in which the wiring piece of the probe device of FIG. 2 is connected to the connecting piece, and FIG. 7(A) shows the entire connecting area, and FIG. 7(B) shows an enlarged view of FIG. 7(A). An enlarged cross-sectional view of section 7B.

Figure 8 is a view showing the wiring piece of the probe device of Figure 2 and a plurality of connections A diagram of the connection relationship of slices.

Fig. 9 is a view showing a wiring sheet used in a second embodiment of the probe device of the present invention, wherein Fig. 9(A) shows a side view of the wiring sheet, and Fig. 9(B) shows a plan view of the wiring sheet.

Fig. 10 is a view showing a wiring sheet used in a third embodiment of the probe device of the present invention, wherein Fig. 10(A) shows a side view of the wiring sheet, and Fig. 10(B) shows a plan view of the wiring sheet.

Figure 11 is a side view showing a fourth embodiment of the probe device of the present invention.

Fig. 12 is a view showing a wiring sheet used for the probe device shown in Fig. 11, and Fig. 12(A) shows a side view of the wiring sheet, and Fig. 12(B) shows a plan view of the wiring sheet.

7B‧‧‧Some enlarged sectional view

40‧‧‧Wiring

42‧‧‧Connected circuit

70‧‧‧1st sheet member

72‧‧‧1st wiring

74‧‧‧Insulating film

78‧‧‧Metal components

79‧‧‧through holes

80‧‧‧Connecting piece

82‧‧‧2nd sheet member

84‧‧‧2nd wiring

Claims (6)

A probe device having a plurality of probes in contact with an electrode of a test object at a front portion, comprising: a wiring piece; and a plurality of first ones extending continuously or electrically from the probe to the rear of the probe a wiring, a first sheet-like member provided on one surface of the first wiring, and a connection circuit electrically connected to the wiring sheet and having a sheet shape, and having a plurality of second wirings corresponding to the first wiring, and the wiring a second sheet-like member provided on one surface of the second wiring; an insulating sheet interposed between the wiring sheet and the connecting circuit; and a plurality of metal members respectively penetrating the insulating sheet to connect the first wiring and the first The second wiring corresponding to the wiring is combined and is thermally fusible; the connection circuit includes at least first, second, and third connecting pieces, and each of the first, second, and third connecting pieces has a plurality of the second The wiring and the second sheet-like member; the second wiring of each of the first, second, and third connecting pieces extends in parallel with each other or obliquely extending to the left or the right side toward the front The first wiring region and the rear portion from the rear end portion of the first wiring region a second wiring region; the first, second, and third connecting sheets are stacked at the same position in the left-right direction; and the first wiring has a plurality of first portions corresponding to the second wiring of the first connecting sheet a conductive circuit, a plurality of second conductive circuits corresponding to the second wiring of the second connecting piece, and the second wiring of the third connecting piece a plurality of third conductive circuits; the metal member having a plurality of first metal members that couple the first conductive circuit and the second wiring of the first connecting piece corresponding thereto, and the second conductive material a plurality of second metal members joined to the second wiring of the second connecting piece corresponding thereto, and the second wiring of the third conductive circuit and the third connecting piece corresponding thereto a plurality of third metal members; the first metal members are arranged in a row at intervals in the left-right direction; and the second metal members are disposed behind the first metal members and arranged in a row at intervals in the left-right direction; The metal members are disposed behind the second metal member and arranged in a line at intervals in the left-right direction. The probe device of claim 1, wherein the insulating sheet is provided on the wiring sheet. The probe device according to claim 1, wherein the front end portion of the first connecting piece is disposed in front of the front end portion of the second connecting piece, and the front end portion of the second connecting piece is smaller than the third connecting piece. The front end is placed in front. The probe device according to claim 1, wherein the first wiring has a continuous or electrical connection from the probe to the rear of the probe, and extends in a front-rear direction so as to be narrower toward the front. The first conductive circuit area. The probe device of claim 1, wherein the first wiring is electrically connected to each of the probes and extends rearward; and the insulating sheet further includes the probe electrically connected to the first The position of the wiring is a through hole through which the tip of the probe is inserted, and is supported by the wiring sheet. A probe unit comprising: the probe device of claim 1, wherein the first connecting piece is superposed on an upper side of the second connecting piece; the probe holder has a plate shape and is provided on a front portion of the upper surface a probe device; the relay substrate is provided at a rear portion of the probe holder so as to extend upward and the front and rear directions are in a thickness direction; and the first and second connection portions are electrically connected to the first and second connections, respectively The sheet is disposed on the relay substrate; the first connecting portion is disposed below the second connecting portion.