A method for assembling probe cards using bearings

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of wafer testing technology, specifically to a bearing assembly method for probe cards. The method employs a bearing assembly structure, which includes: a substrate with a flat top surface and positioning grooves for positioning the bearings; at least two first driving members, spaced apart around or below the substrate; at least two displacement feedback members, each comprising a body and a probe that is vertically retractable relative to the body and located above the substrate, wherein the displacement feedback member is configured to convert the vertical retraction of the corresponding probe into a readable displacement; and a second driving member connected to the body of each displacement feedback member, used to drive the synchronous vertical movement of each displacement feedback member. This bearing assembly method, based on the bearing assembly structure, does not rely on shims for adjustment or on instruments such as metallographic microscopes for measurement, enabling rapid installation of each bearing onto a reinforcing plate and ensuring the production efficiency of probe cards.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wafer testing technology, and more specifically to a method for assembling bearings for probe cards. Background Technology

[0002] Probe cards are indispensable core interface components in semiconductor wafer testing, acting as a bridge between the test equipment and the chips on the wafer. They perform electrical performance tests by contacting the chip pads with probes, screening and classifying qualified chips. A typical vertical probe card mainly includes a circuit board, space converter, structural components, probe heads, top blocks, reinforcement plates, and a support base. Ideal CP testing requires all probes to contact the chip pads simultaneously with the same pressure. This places extremely high demands on the horizontal accuracy of the probe card. Therefore, horizontal deviations must be strictly controlled during the assembly process to prevent error accumulation that could lead to chip test failures.

[0003] Currently, the assembly process for vertical probe cards involves first mounting the circuit board onto a reinforcing plate, then fixing the structural components to the circuit board with bolts, followed by positioning the probe head and structural components using two locating pins, and finally locking the probe head and structural components together with screws. The reinforcing plate is the foundation of the probe card assembly, typically featuring four bearings as reference points. Each bearing is a standard high-precision guide structure consisting of rollers, posts, and locating blocks. In a typical setup, four bearings are arranged in a square array in the center of the back of the reinforcing plate. The locating blocks of the bearings are connected to the reinforcing plate with screws, and the rollers of the bearings are connected to the probe station to lock the probe card in place. The probe station is a key piece of equipment in semiconductor testing; it is not directly connected to the circuit board but rather to the entire probe card via the bearings.

[0004] Understandably, the positioning planes of the four bearings serve as the reference planes for probe card assembly. The first step in assembly is to adjust the four positioning planes to the same horizontal level (with deviations generally controlled within 15μm), and then assemble the four bearings with the reinforcing plate. Due to issues such as machining accuracy, the horizontality of the reinforcing plate itself cannot be completely guaranteed. When the bearings are installed on the reinforcing plate, the front side of the reinforcing plate (corresponding to the mounting surface of the circuit board) may be tilted. Therefore, the current common adjustment method involves adding or removing shims between the bearings and the reinforcing plate, and measuring with instruments such as metallographic microscopes to achieve a horizontal setting for the front side of the reinforcing plate. During the adjustment process, calibration cannot usually be completed in one go; repeated disassembly and reassembly of the bearings to add or remove shims is required, which is cumbersome and severely impacts the production efficiency of probe cards.

[0005] In view of this, how to overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology has become the subject of study and solution of this invention. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method for assembling bearings for probe cards.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0008] A method for assembling bearings for a probe card, comprising assembling a reinforcing plate with at least two bearings, the bearing assembly method employing a bearing assembly structure, the bearing assembly structure comprising:

[0009] The substrate has a flat top surface and is provided with positioning grooves for positioning bearings;

[0010] At least two first driving members are spaced apart and disposed around or below the substrate;

[0011] At least two displacement feedback elements, each displacement feedback element including a body and a measuring rod that is vertically retractable relative to the body and located above the substrate, and the displacement feedback element is configured to convert the vertical retraction amount of the corresponding measuring rod into a readable displacement amount;

[0012] The second driving component is connected to the body of each displacement feedback component and is used to drive each displacement feedback component to move vertically synchronously.

[0013] The bearing assembly method includes the following steps:

[0014] Step 1: Adjust the first driving component so that the top surface of its driving end is not higher than the top surface of the substrate, and invert the bearing and assemble it into the corresponding positioning groove.

[0015] Step 2: Place the reinforcing plate with the back side facing down and move it down until it is in contact with the positioning blocks of each bearing;

[0016] Step 3: Drive each of the displacement feedback components to move down synchronously through the second driving component until the measuring rod of any of the displacement feedback components retracts vertically, or until the measuring rods of all the displacement feedback components retract vertically, and the displacement feedback component records the vertical retraction amount generated by the corresponding measuring rod as the displacement amount.

[0017] Step 4: Based on the displacement recorded in Step 3, selectively drive the driving end of part of the first driving member to rise, so as to push the back of the reinforcing plate until the displacement displayed by each displacement feedback member is consistent.

[0018] Step 5: While maintaining the position of the driving end of each of the first driving components, fix the reinforcing plate relative to each of the bearings.

[0019] This application illustrates four bearings arranged in a square array.

[0020] This application uses the vertical contraction of the measuring rod up to any displacement feedback element in step three as an example.

[0021] Understandably, the depth of the positioning grooves can be adjusted according to the bearing dimensions, such as to 1mm. Similarly, the distribution of the positioning grooves can be adjusted according to the bearing distribution.

[0022] The first driving component can be an existing high-precision Z-axis displacement stage. Initially, the output end of the first driving component can be adjusted to its lowest position.

[0023] The second driving component may include existing driving devices such as cylinders and a support plate, with each displacement feedback component installed at the bottom of the support plate.

[0024] Preferably, there are four first driving components and four displacement feedback components, all arranged in a square array.

[0025] Taking the reinforcing plate as a square plate as an example, there can be four first driving components. The projections of these four first driving components onto the reinforcing plate can be located at the four opposite corners of the reinforcing plate. Additionally, four more first driving components can be added, and their projections onto the reinforcing plate can be located at the center of the four edge regions of the reinforcing plate. The number and distribution of displacement feedback components can be referenced to the first driving components.

[0026] Due to issues such as processing precision, the level of the reinforcing plate itself cannot be completely guaranteed. When the reinforcing plate is installed upside down on the bearing, it may be tilted. This will cause some displacement feedback components to report the displacement amount (corresponding to the vertical contraction of the measuring rod) in the subsequent process, while some displacement feedback components will not report the displacement amount, or all displacement feedback components will report the displacement amount but the displacement amount will be inconsistent. The feedback from the displacement feedback components can accurately show whether the mounting surface of the reinforcing plate (or the front, corresponding to the circuit board) is level.

[0027] The back of the reinforcing plate is generally provided with a groove corresponding to the bearing. In step two, the positioning block of the bearing is assembled in the groove.

[0028] In step four, for example, since the displacement feedback device indicates that the left end of the reinforcing plate is higher than the right end, the first drive unit near the left end of the reinforcing plate does not need to be activated (if activated, it would cause the gap area to increase and affect the horizontal adjustment process of the reinforcing plate). The first drive unit near the right end of the reinforcing plate pushes the right end of the reinforcing plate upward to compress the measuring rod that has not yet undergone vertical contraction. When the vertical contraction of each measuring rod is the same, it means that the mounting surface of the reinforcing plate is completely horizontal.

[0029] In the bearing assembly method of this application, the horizontal status of the mounting surface of the reinforcing plate is accurately fed back through the setting of the displacement feedback component, and the leveling of the mounting surface of the reinforcing plate is quickly completed through the selective activation of the first driving component, balancing assembly effect and assembly efficiency. In addition, during the assembly process, the reinforcing plate is not subjected to additional clamping force, ensuring that stress is minimized and the reinforcing plate can maintain a flat shape, avoiding affecting the horizontal accuracy of its mounting surface.

[0030] In summary, the bearing assembly method in this application does not rely on shims for adjustment, nor on instruments such as metallographic microscopes for measurement. It can quickly install each bearing onto the reinforcing plate, ensuring the production efficiency of the probe card.

[0031] In a further technical solution, threaded holes are correspondingly provided on both the reinforcing plate and the bearing; the bearing assembly structure also includes a threaded connector (not shown in the figure).

[0032] In step five, the reinforcing plate and each bearing are fixed relative to each other by the engagement of the threaded connector and the threaded hole, thereby quickly achieving stable assembly of the reinforcing plate and each bearing.

[0033] Threaded fasteners refer to existing threaded connection structures, such as bolts.

[0034] A further technical solution is that the reinforcing plate has vertically penetrating adhesive guide holes;

[0035] In step two, the vertical projection of the bearing overlaps with that of the adhesive guide hole, so as to facilitate the rapid penetration of the adhesive guide hole into the gap area between the reinforcing plate and the bearing.

[0036] In step five, before using the threaded connector, the reinforcing plate is pre-fixed to each of the bearings, including the following steps:

[0037] Inject cured adhesive into at least a portion of the adhesive guiding holes;

[0038] The curing adhesive is irradiated with a curing light source.

[0039] The curing adhesive can be a UV curing adhesive, and the curing light source can be a UV light source; there are no specific limitations.

[0040] Understandably, the optimal parameters for the amount of curing adhesive used, the injection time, the interval between the injection process and the irradiation process, and the irradiation time can all be determined through testing, and no restrictions are imposed here.

[0041] Preferably, each bearing is equipped with a displacement feedback element, and the vertical projection of the bearing and the corresponding displacement feedback element coincides. For the displacement feedback element that first provides displacement feedback, no curing adhesive is injected into the guide hole corresponding to that displacement feedback element, while curing adhesive is injected into the guide holes corresponding to other displacement feedback elements. It is understood that as the displacement feedback elements move downward, one (or possibly more) displacement feedback elements will first come into contact with the reinforcing plate, thus eliminating the aforementioned gap area. However, due to the upward movement of a portion of the reinforcing plate, the aforementioned gap area is formed, requiring the injection of curing adhesive into the guide holes corresponding to this gap area. By selectively injecting curing adhesive, costs can be reduced and assembly efficiency improved.

[0042] By setting up a pre-fixation step, the reinforcing plate can be moved to the side area for re-fixation after pre-fixation is completed (using threaded connectors), without delaying the subsequent assembly process.

[0043] It should be noted that cured adhesives (such as UV adhesives) can have good shock resistance and load-bearing capacity, which can help resist the impact force during probe card testing.

[0044] A further technical solution is that the reinforcing plate has a vertically penetrating through hole in the middle (i.e., the middle of the reinforcing plate is hollowed out, which is a conventional setting).

[0045] In step two, after the reinforcing plate is attached to the bearing, each bearing is distributed circumferentially along the through hole, and a space is formed between the reinforcing plate and the substrate;

[0046] In step five, the curing light source illuminates the curing adhesive through the space between them.

[0047] For example, the four bearings are arranged in a square array around the circumference of the through hole.

[0048] Due to the formation of the space, the curing light source can irradiate the area where the curing adhesive is located, thereby quickly completing the pre-fixation of the bearing and the reinforcing plate. Preferably, the space has an entrance communicating with the through hole, through which the curing light source irradiates the area where the curing adhesive is located (the time is not limited and can be tested to determine the optimal time). Since this entrance is close to the bearing, the curing adhesive can be cured quickly, improving assembly efficiency.

[0049] In a further technical solution, a positioning pin (not shown in the figure) is installed on the substrate, and a positioning hole corresponding to the positioning pin is opened on the reinforcing plate; or, positioning holes are opened on both the substrate and the reinforcing plate, and the bearing assembly structure further includes a positioning pin corresponding to the positioning hole.

[0050] In step two, the positioning pin and the positioning hole are used to guide the downward movement of the reinforcing plate, so as to accurately assemble the reinforcing plate and the bearing. For example, the bearing can be precisely aligned with the above-mentioned glue guide hole and groove, thereby facilitating the pre-fixing step.

[0051] The positioning and mating of the positioning pin and the positioning hole are achieved in a conventional way. For example, multiple positioning pins and positioning holes can be set, or the positioning pins and positioning holes can be constrained to be cubic structures.

[0052] A further technical solution involves step four, where, after the vertical contraction of each measuring rod is identical, locking the drive end of each of the first driving components to prevent accidental contact or other situations from causing the reinforcing plate to continue rising, thereby avoiding affecting the assembly of the reinforcing plate and the bearing. For example, if the reinforcing plate continues to rise, it will cause the gap area between it and the bearing to expand vertically, affecting the pre-fixing step.

[0053] There are no restrictions on the method of locking the drive end of the first drive component. For example, many existing drive structures are equipped with a self-locking structure, which can be used to lock its drive end to avoid unexpected startup. This is a standard setting and will not be elaborated here.

[0054] A further technical solution is that the substrate is constructed as a granite plate with a very small flatness tolerance (e.g., 1 micrometer), ensuring that the positioning surfaces (belonging to positioning blocks) of each bearing are horizontally consistent, thus avoiding affecting the assembly of the bearings and the reinforcing plate.

[0055] By using a precision granite plate as the tooling surface, bearings located on the same horizontal plane can be quickly installed on the reinforcing plate in one go, eliminating the need for repeated adjustments, improving the consistency of bearing installation, forming a standardized installation process, ensuring installation accuracy while improving the efficiency of probe card assembly.

[0056] A further technical solution is that the displacement feedback device is constructed as a micrometer, which is simple and reliable in structure and can accurately display the displacement, thereby quickly helping to determine whether the top surface (i.e. the front) of the reinforcing plate is set horizontally.

[0057] In a further technical solution, the bearing assembly structure also includes a base;

[0058] In step one, the substrate and the first driving member are both placed on top of the base, and at least part of the non-driving end of the first driving member cooperates to clamp and position the substrate.

[0059] Preferably, the base is a cubic structure, in which case its top and bottom surfaces are both flat, and it can also be a granite slab.

[0060] For example, the non-driving ends of the two first driving components are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the substrate. Both non-driving ends can be installed on the top of the base by threaded connection and can be used to clamp and position the substrate by fitting. At this time, it is not necessary to fix the substrate separately.

[0061] It is understandable that the non-driving end of the first driving component is a non-actual driving structure. For example, if the first driving component is a cylinder, then the driving end is a piston, and the non-driving end is a structure other than the piston (the specific structure is not limited).

[0062] A probe card is also provided herein, which is manufactured using the bearing assembly method described in any of the above embodiments.

[0063] Due to the application of the above-mentioned solution, the technical solution of this application has the following advantages and effects compared with the prior art:

[0064] The bearing assembly method includes the following steps:

[0065] Step 1: Adjust the first driving component so that the top surface of its driving end is not higher than the top surface of the substrate, and invert the bearing and assemble it into the corresponding positioning groove.

[0066] Step 2: Place the reinforcing plate with the back side down and move it down until it is in contact with the positioning blocks of each bearing;

[0067] Step 3: Drive each displacement feedback element to move down synchronously through the second driving element until the measuring rod of any displacement feedback element produces a vertical contraction, or until the measuring rods of all displacement feedback elements produce a vertical contraction, and the displacement feedback element records the vertical contraction amount produced by the corresponding measuring rod as the displacement amount.

[0068] Step 4: Based on the displacement recorded in Step 3, selectively drive the drive end of part of the first drive component to rise, so as to push the back of the reinforcing plate until the displacement displayed by each displacement feedback component is consistent.

[0069] Step 5: While maintaining the position of the driving end of each first driving component, fix the reinforcing plate relative to each bearing.

[0070] Due to issues such as processing precision, the level of the reinforcing plate itself cannot be completely guaranteed. When the reinforcing plate is installed upside down on the bearing, it may be tilted. This will cause some displacement feedback components to report the displacement amount (corresponding to the vertical contraction of the measuring rod) in the subsequent process, while some displacement feedback components will not report the displacement amount. The feedback from the displacement feedback components can accurately show whether the mounting surface of the reinforcing plate (or the front, corresponding to the circuit board) is level.

[0071] In step four, for example, since the displacement feedback device indicates that the left end of the reinforcing plate is higher than the right end, the first drive unit near the left end of the reinforcing plate does not need to be activated (if activated, it would increase the gap between the reinforcing plate and the bearing and affect the horizontal adjustment process of the reinforcing plate). The first drive unit near the right end of the reinforcing plate pushes the right end of the reinforcing plate upward to compress the measuring rod that has not yet undergone vertical contraction. When the vertical contraction of each measuring rod is the same, it indicates that the mounting surface of the reinforcing plate is completely horizontal.

[0072] In the bearing assembly method of this application, the horizontal status of the mounting surface of the reinforcing plate is accurately fed back through the setting of the displacement feedback component, and the leveling of the mounting surface of the reinforcing plate is quickly completed through the selective activation of the first driving component, balancing assembly effect and assembly efficiency. In addition, during the assembly process, the reinforcing plate is not subjected to additional clamping force, ensuring that stress is minimized and the reinforcing plate can maintain a flat shape, avoiding affecting the horizontal accuracy of its mounting surface.

[0073] In summary, the bearing assembly method in this application does not rely on shims for adjustment, nor on instruments such as metallographic microscopes for measurement. It can quickly install each bearing onto the reinforcing plate, ensuring the production efficiency of the probe card. Attached Figure Description

[0074] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the bearing assembly structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0075] Figure 2 This is one of the partial structural schematic diagrams of the bearing assembly structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0076] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the positions of the reinforcing plate and bearing in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0077] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0078] Figure 5 This is a second partial structural schematic diagram of the bearing assembly structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0079] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the substrate structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0080] Figure 7 for Figure 1 A structural diagram from another perspective;

[0081] Figure 8 for Figure 7 Enlarged view of section B in the middle.

[0082] In the attached diagrams above:

[0083] 1. Substrate; 11. Positioning groove;

[0084] 2. First driving component;

[0085] 3. Second driving component;

[0086] 4. Displacement feedback component; 41. Body; 42. Measuring rod;

[0087] 5. Threaded hole; 6. Spacing; 7. Locating hole;

[0088] 8. Base;

[0089] 100. Reinforcing plate; 110. Adhesive guide hole; 120. Through hole;

[0090] 200, bearing; 210, roller; 220, column; 230, positioning block. Detailed Implementation

[0091] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0092] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in this article do not specifically refer to order or sequence, nor are they intended to limit this case; they are merely used to distinguish components or operations described using the same technical terms.

[0093] The terms "connection" or "positioning" as used in this article can refer to two or more components or devices making direct physical contact with each other, or making indirect physical contact with each other, or to two or more components or devices operating or moving with each other.

[0094] The terms “include,” “including,” and “have” used in this article are all open-ended, meaning they include but are not limited to.

[0095] Unless otherwise specified, the terms used herein generally have their ordinary meaning in the context of the art, the subject matter, and the specific context. Certain terms used to describe this case will be discussed below or elsewhere in this specification to provide additional guidance to those skilled in the art in describing this case.

[0096] The terms “front,” “back,” “up,” “down,” “left,” and “right” used in this article are directional terms. In this case, they are only used to describe the positional relationship between the structures and are not intended to limit the specific direction of the protection scheme or its actual implementation.

[0097] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of this work. Singular forms such as “a,” “this,” “this,” “the,” and “the” as used herein also include plural forms.

[0098] See Figures 1-8 A method for assembling bearings for a probe card, used to assemble a reinforcing plate 100 with at least two bearings 200, the bearing assembly method employing a bearing assembly structure, the bearing assembly structure comprising:

[0099] The substrate 1 has a flat top surface and is provided with a positioning groove 11 for positioning the bearing 200;

[0100] At least two first driving members 2 are disposed at intervals around or below the substrate 1;

[0101] At least two displacement feedback elements 4, each displacement feedback element 4 including a body 41 and a measuring rod 42 that can be vertically extended and retracted relative to the body 41 and is located above the base plate 1, and the displacement feedback element 4 is configured to convert the vertical contraction amount of the corresponding measuring rod 42 into a readable displacement amount.

[0102] The second driving component 3 is connected to the body 41 of each displacement feedback component 4 and is used to drive each displacement feedback component 4 to move vertically synchronously.

[0103] The bearing assembly method includes the following steps:

[0104] Step 1: Adjust the first driving component 2 so that the top surface of its driving end is not higher than the top surface of the substrate 1, and invert the bearing 200 and assemble it in the corresponding positioning groove 11.

[0105] Step 2: Place the reinforcing plate 100 with its back side facing down and move it down until it is in contact with the positioning block 230 of each bearing 200;

[0106] Step 3: Drive each of the displacement feedback components 4 to move down synchronously through the second driving component 3 until the measuring rod 42 of any of the displacement feedback components 4 produces a vertical contraction, or until the measuring rod 42 of each of the displacement feedback components 4 produces a vertical contraction, and the displacement feedback component 4 records the vertical contraction amount produced by the corresponding measuring rod 42 as the displacement amount.

[0107] Step 4: Based on the displacement recorded in Step 3, selectively drive the driving end of part of the first driving member 2 to rise, so as to push the back side of the reinforcing plate 100 until the displacement displayed by each displacement feedback member 4 is consistent.

[0108] Step 5: While maintaining the position of the driving end of each of the first driving members 2, fix the reinforcing plate 100 relative to each of the bearings 200.

[0109] This embodiment uses four bearings 200 arranged in a square array for illustration. The bearing 200 itself is a conventional guide structure, which consists of rollers 210, columns 220 and positioning blocks 230, and will not be described in detail here.

[0110] This embodiment is illustrated by the vertical contraction of the measuring rod of any displacement feedback device in step three.

[0111] Understandably, the depth of the positioning groove 11 can be adjusted according to the dimensions of the bearing 200, such as to 1mm. The distribution of the positioning groove 11 can also be adjusted according to the distribution of the bearing 200.

[0112] The first drive unit 2 can be an existing high-precision Z-axis displacement stage. Initially, the output end of the first drive unit 2 can be adjusted to its lowest position.

[0113] The second driving component 3 may include existing driving devices such as cylinders and support plates, and each displacement feedback component 4 is installed at the bottom of the support plate.

[0114] Preferably, there are four first driving components 2 and four displacement feedback components 4, and they are all arranged in a square array.

[0115] Taking the reinforcing plate 100 as a square plate for illustration, there can be four first driving elements 2. The projections of the four first driving elements 2 onto the reinforcing plate 100 can be located at the four opposite corners of the reinforcing plate 100. Additionally, four more first driving elements 2 can be added, and the projections of these four first driving elements 2 onto the reinforcing plate 100 can be located at the center of the four edge regions of the reinforcing plate 100. The number and distribution of the displacement feedback elements 4 can be referenced to the first driving elements 2.

[0116] Due to issues such as processing precision, the level of the reinforcing plate 100 itself cannot be completely guaranteed. When the reinforcing plate 100 is installed upside down on the bearing 200, it may be tilted. This will cause some displacement feedback components 4 to report the displacement amount (corresponding to the vertical contraction of the measuring rod 42) in the subsequent process, while some displacement feedback components 4 do not report the displacement amount, or all displacement feedback components 4 report the displacement amount but the displacement amount is inconsistent. The feedback from the displacement feedback components 4 can accurately show whether the mounting surface (or front, corresponding to the circuit board) of the reinforcing plate 100 is level.

[0117] The back of the reinforcing plate 100 is generally provided with a groove corresponding to the bearing 200. In step two, the positioning block 230 of the bearing 200 is assembled in the groove.

[0118] In step four, for example, since the displacement feedback component 4 indicates that the left end of the reinforcing plate 100 is higher than the right end, the first driving component 2 near the left end of the reinforcing plate 100 does not need to be activated (if activated, it would cause the gap area to increase and affect the horizontal adjustment process of the reinforcing plate 100). The first driving component 2 near the right end of the reinforcing plate 100 pushes the right end of the reinforcing plate 100 upward to compress the measuring rod 42 that has not yet undergone vertical contraction. When the vertical contraction of each measuring rod 42 is the same, it means that the mounting surface of the reinforcing plate 100 is completely horizontal.

[0119] In the bearing assembly method of this embodiment, the displacement feedback component 4 accurately provides feedback on the horizontal status of the mounting surface of the reinforcing plate 100, and the selective activation of the first driving component 2 quickly completes the leveling process of the mounting surface of the reinforcing plate 100, balancing assembly effect and assembly efficiency. Furthermore, during the assembly process, the reinforcing plate 100 is not subjected to additional clamping force, ensuring minimal stress and maintaining a flat shape, thus avoiding affecting the horizontal accuracy of its mounting surface.

[0120] In summary, the bearing assembly method in this embodiment does not rely on shims for adjustment, nor on instruments such as metallographic microscopes for measurement. It can quickly install each bearing 200 onto the reinforcing plate 100, ensuring the production efficiency of the probe card.

[0121] In one embodiment of this application, threaded holes 5 are correspondingly provided on both the reinforcing plate 100 and the bearing 200; the bearing assembly structure also includes a threaded connector (not shown in the figure).

[0122] In step five, the reinforcing plate 100 and each of the bearings 200 are fixed relative to each other by the cooperation of the threaded connector and the threaded hole 5, thereby quickly achieving stable assembly of the reinforcing plate 100 and each of the bearings 200.

[0123] Threaded fasteners refer to existing threaded connection structures, such as bolts.

[0124] In one embodiment of this application, the reinforcing plate 100 is provided with a vertically penetrating adhesive guide hole 110;

[0125] In step two, the bearing 200 and the adhesive guide hole 110 overlap in the vertical projection portion to facilitate the adhesive guide hole 110 to quickly penetrate into the gap area between the reinforcing plate 100 and the bearing 200.

[0126] In step five, before using the threaded connector, the reinforcing plate 100 is pre-fixed to each of the bearings 200, including the following steps:

[0127] Inject cured adhesive into at least a portion of the adhesive guiding holes 110;

[0128] The curing adhesive is irradiated with a curing light source.

[0129] The curing adhesive can be a UV curing adhesive, and the curing light source can be a UV light source; there are no specific limitations.

[0130] Understandably, the optimal parameters for the amount of curing adhesive used, the injection time, the interval between the injection process and the irradiation process, and the irradiation time can all be determined through testing, and no restrictions are imposed here.

[0131] Each bearing 200 is equipped with a displacement feedback element 4, and the vertical projection of the bearing 200 and the corresponding displacement feedback element 4 coincides. For the displacement feedback element 4 that first provides displacement feedback, no curing adhesive is injected into the guide hole 110 corresponding to this displacement feedback element 4, while curing adhesive is injected into the guide holes 110 corresponding to other displacement feedback elements 4. It can be understood that as the displacement feedback element 4 moves downward, one (or possibly more) displacement feedback elements 4 will first come into contact with the reinforcing plate 100, thus eliminating the aforementioned gap area. However, due to the upward movement of a portion of the reinforcing plate 100, the aforementioned gap area is formed, requiring the injection of curing adhesive into the guide holes 110 corresponding to this gap area. By selectively injecting curing adhesive, costs can be reduced and assembly efficiency improved. In some embodiments, for the displacement feedback element 4 that first provides feedback on displacement, the adhesive guide hole 110 corresponding to the displacement feedback element 4 is also injected with curing adhesive. At this time, each bearing 200 can be pre-fixed to the reinforcing plate 100, so that the reinforcing plate 100 can be directly moved upward and transferred to one side, and then the threaded connector is used.

[0132] By setting a pre-fixation step, the reinforcing plate 100 can be moved to the side area for re-fixation after pre-fixation (using threaded connectors), without delaying the subsequent assembly process. If it is not necessary to move the reinforcing plate 100 to the side area first, curing adhesive can be injected into only part of the adhesive guide holes 110.

[0133] It should be noted that cured adhesives (such as UV adhesives) can have good shock resistance and load-bearing capacity, which can help resist the impact force during probe card testing.

[0134] In one embodiment of this application, the reinforcing plate 100 has a vertically penetrating through hole 120 in the middle (i.e., the middle of the reinforcing plate 100 is hollowed out, which is a conventional setting).

[0135] In step two, after the reinforcing plate 100 is attached to the bearing 200, each bearing 200 is distributed along the circumferential direction of the through hole 120, and a space 6 is formed between the reinforcing plate 100 and the substrate 1.

[0136] In step five, the curing light source illuminates the curing adhesive through the space 6.

[0137] For example, four bearings 200 are arranged in a square array around the circumference of the through hole 120.

[0138] Due to the formation of the space 6, the curing light source can irradiate the area where the curing adhesive is located, thereby quickly completing the pre-fixation of the bearing 200 and the reinforcing plate 100. Preferably, the space 6 has an entrance communicating with the through hole 120, through which the curing light source irradiates the area where the curing adhesive is located (the time is not limited, and can be tested to determine the optimal time). Since this entrance is close to the bearing 200, the curing adhesive can be cured quickly, improving assembly efficiency.

[0139] It should be noted that in step five, the curing light source can simultaneously irradiate the curing adhesive through the adhesive guide hole 110.

[0140] In one embodiment of this application, a positioning pin (not shown in the figure) is installed on the substrate 1, and a positioning hole 7 corresponding to the positioning pin is opened on the reinforcing plate 100; or, both the substrate 1 and the reinforcing plate 100 are provided with positioning holes 7, and the bearing assembly structure further includes a positioning pin corresponding to the positioning hole 7.

[0141] In step two, the positioning pin and the positioning hole 7 are used to guide the downward movement of the reinforcing plate 100, so as to accurately assemble the reinforcing plate 100 and the bearing 200. For example, the bearing 200 can be precisely aligned with the above-mentioned glue guide hole 110 and the groove, thereby facilitating the pre-fixing step.

[0142] The positioning and positioning of the positioning pin and the positioning hole 7 are achieved by conventional settings, such as setting multiple positioning pins and positioning holes 7, or constraining the positioning pins and positioning holes 7 to be cubic structures, etc.

[0143] In one embodiment of this application, in step four, after the vertical contraction of each of the measuring rods 42 is the same, the driving ends of each of the first driving members 2 are immediately locked to prevent accidental contact or other situations from causing the reinforcing plate 100 to continue rising, thereby avoiding affecting the assembly of the reinforcing plate 100 and the bearing 200. For example, if the reinforcing plate 100 continues to rise, it will cause the gap area between it and the bearing 200 to expand vertically, affecting the pre-fixing step.

[0144] The method of locking the drive end of the first drive component 2 is not limited. For example, many existing drive structures are equipped with a self-locking structure, which can be used to lock its drive end to avoid unexpected startup. This is a conventional setting and will not be elaborated here.

[0145] In one embodiment of this application, the substrate 1 is constructed as a granite plate with a very small flatness tolerance (e.g., 1 micrometer), ensuring that the positioning surfaces of each bearing 200 (belonging to the positioning block 230) are horizontally consistent, thus avoiding affecting the assembly of the bearing 200 and the reinforcing plate 100.

[0146] By using a precision granite plate as a tooling surface, the bearings 200 located on the same horizontal plane can be quickly installed on the reinforcing plate 100 in one go, eliminating the need for repeated adjustments, improving the consistency of bearing 200 installation, forming a standardized installation process, ensuring installation accuracy while improving the efficiency of probe card assembly.

[0147] In one embodiment of this application, the displacement feedback element 4 is constructed as a micrometer, which is simple and reliable in structure and can accurately display the displacement, thereby quickly helping to determine whether the top surface (i.e. the front surface) of the reinforcing plate 100 is set horizontally.

[0148] In one embodiment of this application, the bearing assembly structure further includes a base 8;

[0149] In step one, the substrate 1 and the first driving member 2 are both placed on top of the base 8, and at least part of the non-driving end of the first driving member 2 cooperates to clamp and position the substrate 1.

[0150] Preferably, the base 8 is a cubic structure, in which case its top and bottom surfaces are both flat, and it can also be a granite slab.

[0151] For example, the non-driving ends of the two first driving components 2 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the substrate 1. Both non-driving ends can be installed on the top of the base 8 by means of threaded connection, and can be used to clamp and position the substrate 1 by means of fitting. At this time, it is not necessary to fix the substrate 1 separately.

[0152] It is understandable that the non-driving end of the first driving component 2 is a non-actual driving structure. For example, if the first driving component 2 is a cylinder, then the driving end is a piston, and the non-driving end is a structure other than the piston (the specific structure is not limited).

[0153] A probe card is also provided herein, which is manufactured using the bearing assembly method of any of the above embodiments.

[0154] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of the present invention, and are intended to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of the present invention and implement it accordingly. They should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. All equivalent changes or modifications made in accordance with the spirit and essence of the present invention should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for assembling bearings for a probe card, used to assemble a reinforcing plate (100) with at least two bearings (200), characterized in that: The bearing assembly method employs a bearing assembly structure, wherein the bearing assembly structure includes: The substrate (1) has a flat top surface and is provided with a positioning groove (11) for positioning the bearing (200). At least two first driving members (2) are spaced apart around or below the substrate (1); At least two displacement feedback elements (4), each displacement feedback element (4) includes a body (41) and a measuring rod (42) that is vertically retractable relative to the body (41) and located above the substrate (1), and the displacement feedback element (4) is configured to convert the vertical contraction of the corresponding measuring rod (42) into a readable displacement. The second driving element (3) is connected to the body (41) of each displacement feedback element (4) and is used to drive each displacement feedback element (4) to move vertically synchronously. The bearing assembly method includes the following steps: Step 1: Adjust the first driving member (2) so that the top surface of its driving end is not higher than the top surface of the substrate (1), and invert the bearing (200) and assemble it in the corresponding positioning groove (11); Step 2: Place the reinforcing plate (100) with its back side facing down and move it down until it is in contact with the positioning block (230) of each of the bearings (200); Step 3: Drive each displacement feedback component (4) to move down synchronously through the second driving component (3) until the measuring rod (42) of any displacement feedback component (4) produces vertical contraction, or until the measuring rod (42) of each displacement feedback component (4) produces vertical contraction, and the displacement feedback component (4) records the vertical contraction amount produced by the corresponding measuring rod (42) as the displacement amount; Step 4: Based on the displacement recorded in Step 3, selectively drive the driving end of part of the first driving member (2) to rise, so as to push the back of the reinforcing plate (100) until the displacement displayed by each displacement feedback member (4) is consistent. Step 5: While maintaining the position of the driving end of each of the first driving members (2), fix the reinforcing plate (100) relative to each of the bearings (200).

2. The method for assembling bearings for a probe card according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both the reinforcing plate (100) and the bearing (200) are provided with corresponding threaded holes (5); the bearing assembly structure also includes threaded connectors; In step five, the reinforcing plate (100) and each bearing (200) are fixed relative to each other by the cooperation of the threaded connector and the threaded hole (5).

3. The method for assembling bearings for a probe card according to claim 2, characterized in that: The reinforcing plate (100) is provided with a vertically penetrating adhesive guide hole (110). In step two, the bearing (200) and the adhesive guide hole (110) overlap in the vertical projection portion; In step five, before using the threaded connector, the reinforcing plate (100) is pre-fixed to each of the bearings (200), including the following steps: Inject curing adhesive into at least a portion of the adhesive guiding holes (110); The curing adhesive is irradiated with a curing light source.

4. The method for assembling bearings for a probe card according to claim 3, characterized in that: The reinforcing plate (100) has a vertically penetrating through hole (120) in the middle. In step two, after the reinforcing plate (100) is attached to the bearing (200), each bearing (200) is distributed circumferentially along the through hole (120), and a gap space (6) is formed between the reinforcing plate (100) and the substrate (1). In step five, the curing light source irradiates the curing adhesive through the space (6).

5. A method for assembling bearings for a probe card according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that: A positioning pin is installed on the substrate (1), and a positioning hole (7) corresponding to the positioning pin is opened on the reinforcing plate (100); or, both the substrate (1) and the reinforcing plate (100) are provided with positioning holes (7), and the bearing assembly structure further includes a positioning pin corresponding to the positioning hole (7). In step two, the downward movement of the reinforcing plate (100) is guided by the positioning engagement of the positioning pin and the positioning hole (7).

6. A method for assembling bearings for a probe card according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that: In step four, after the vertical contraction of each of the measuring rods (42) is the same, the driving end of each of the first driving components (2) is locked.

7. A method for assembling bearings for a probe card according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that: The substrate (1) is constructed as a granite plate.

8. A method for assembling bearings for a probe card according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that: The displacement feedback device (4) is constructed as a micrometer.

9. A method for assembling bearings for a probe card according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that: The bearing assembly structure also includes a base (8); In step one, the substrate (1) and the first driving member (2) are both placed on top of the base (8), and at least part of the non-driving end of the first driving member (2) cooperates to clamp and position the substrate (1).

10. A probe card, characterized in that: It is manufactured using the bearing assembly method for a probe card according to any one of claims 1-9.

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