Connector for burn-in apparatus

Abstract

To provide a connector for a burn-in device.SOLUTION: A connector includes a contact interface. The contact interface includes a surface, a plurality of metal contacts, and at least two protrusions. The protrusion is formed on the surface, and a height of the protrusion does not exceed a height of the plurality of metal contacts protruding from the surface, so that the protrusion serves as a limit or buffer for the contact interface to prevent the plurality of metal contacts from being excessively deformed when the contact interface is connected with another contact interface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4B

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to connectors, particularly connectors for burn-in equipment, and more particularly to connector designs that aim to reduce wire and optimize space. [Background technology]

[0002] A burn-in test device consists of a large circuit board and multiple test sockets, which generally have an operable mechanism, such as a flip-type socket, a slide-type test socket, and a test socket with a retractable mechanism.

[0003] 1 shows a known flip-type socket (1000) having a base (1100) and a cover (1200), the base (1100) and the cover (1200) being pivotally connected to each other, for example, via a pivot (1300). The bottom surface of the base (1100) is fixedly connected to a circuit board (2000), the base (1100) has a storage space for storing a device under test (DUT), and the storage space has a plurality of metal contacts for electrically connecting the device under test (DUT) and establishing an electrical connection between the device under test (DUT) and the base (1100). The cover (1200) includes a heat dissipation means (1220) and a heat conductive seat (1230), which protrudes from the bottom (1210) of the cover (1200) and contacts the top of the device under test (DUT) to absorb heat from the device under test (DUT) and then transfer it to the heat dissipation means (1220), which may be heat dissipation fins. The flip socket (1000) includes a connector including an upper contact portion (1240) fixed to the cover (1200) and a lower contact portion (2100) fixed to the base (1100). The upper contact portion 1240 has an upper contact interface 1250, and the lower contact portion 2100 has a lower contact interface 2200, the upper contact interface 1250 and the lower contact interface 2200 being configured to mate with each other to establish an electrical connection when the base 1100 is manipulated to the closed position. As shown, the upper contact interface 1250 may be comprised of a protruding metal contact, and the lower contact interface 2200 may be comprised of a corresponding concave metal contact.

[0004] 2A and 2B show a test socket with a retractable mechanism, including a base 20, a mounting base 30, a cover 40, and a housing frame 50. The base 20 is electrically connected to a circuit board (not shown). The mounting base 30 is connected to the base 20 via a resilient connecting means, and the cover 40 is positioned on the mounting base 30 and configured to selectively press the mounting base 30 when operated. A plurality of metal contacts are provided on the bottom of the base 20 for electrical connection to the circuit board. The housing frame 50 consists of two side walls, each fixed to either side of the base 20, to restrict the mounting base 30 and the cover 40 onto the base 20. The base 20 has a lower contact portion 21 of a connector on the other side that can be retracted into the mounting table 30, and the lower contact portion 21 is electrically connected to the base 20. The mounting table 30 includes a pair of guide rails 31 and a tray 32. The guide rails 31 are configured to be able to move vertically with respect to the base 20. Both sides of the tray 32 are connected to the pair of guide rails 31 by sliding means, so that the tray 32 can slide horizontally with respect to the guide rails 31 between a retracted position and an extended position. The tray 32 has a groove formed therein for accommodating a device under test (DUT), and a plurality of metal contacts are provided on the bottom surface of the groove for electrically connecting the device under test (DUT).

[0005] Figure 2C shows the test socket in a closed state. At this time, the mounting base 30 is in a retracted position, and the catch 44 and handle 60 are operated to push the cover 40 down onto the mounting base 30, allowing the cover 40 to contact the device under test (DUT). Figure 2D shows the test socket in a closed state, with the connector's upper contact portion 35 extending from one end of the mounting base 30 and mating with the lower contact portion 21 as the mounting base 30 retracts, establishing an electrical connection. As shown, the upper contact interface of the upper contact portion 35 includes a plurality of protruding metal contacts, and the lower contact interface of the lower contact portion 21 includes a corresponding plurality of metal contacts.

[0006] Figure 3 shows another specific modification of the lower contact portion of the connector. The lower contact portion (200) comprises a body (214), which has a front end (215), a pair of attachment mechanisms (214A, 214B), one row of aperture arrays (214C), and another row of aperture arrays (214D). The front end (215) is configured as an insertion end for a plurality of conductors (850, 840). The attachment mechanisms (214A, 214B) can be combined with known attachment means, such as screws, to secure the body (214) to a circuit board. The aperture arrays (214C, 214D) are aligned on the top (216) along two parallel axes (920, 930), respectively, and expose a plurality of protruding metal contacts (231) through the aperture arrays (214C, 214D) to form a lower contact interface. Each metal contact (231) and corresponding conductor (850, 840) establishes an electrical connection within the body (214).

[0007] Whether it's the upper contact portion 1240 and the lower contact portion 2100 in FIG. 1, the upper contact portion 35 and the lower contact portion 21 in FIG. 2D, or the lower contact portion 200 in FIG. 3, the protruding metal contacts arranged at the contact interfaces all have elasticity. During operation, the upper and lower contact interfaces collide with each other, causing the metal contacts to lose elasticity or undergo irreversible deformation. This situation causes poor electrical connection in the connector, affecting the functionality of the test socket. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector including a contact interface, the contact interface including a surface, a plurality of metal contacts protruding from the surface, and at least two protrusions formed on the surface, the height of the at least two protrusions being no greater than the height of the plurality of metal contacts protruding from the surface, so that the at least two protrusions act as buffers for the contact interface to prevent excessive deformation of the plurality of metal contacts when the contact interface is connected to another contact interface.

[0009] In one embodiment, the contact interface further includes at least one aperture array having a plurality of apertures defined in the surface, the plurality of metal contacts protruding from the plurality of apertures.

[0010] In one embodiment, the at least one aperture array includes a first aperture array and a second aperture array, and the at least two protrusions are located between the first aperture array and the second aperture array.

[0011] In one embodiment, the at least two protrusions are located between the apertures of the at least one array.

[0012] In one embodiment, the at least two protrusions are cylindrical.

[0013] In one embodiment, the at least two protrusions are strips.

[0014] Another object of the present invention is to provide a burn-in device including: a circuit board having a lower contact interface of a connector and electrically connecting with the lower contact interface; a base and a lid, the base being fixed to the circuit board, the lid being movably connected to the base so as to be operable between an open position and a closed position, the lid having an upper contact interface of the connector, the upper contact interface being electrically connected to one or more electronic components on the lid, and a test socket, the upper contact interface being electrically connected to the lower contact interface when the lid is operated to the closed position. The lower contact interface or the upper contact interface includes the surface, a plurality of metal contacts, and at least two protrusions.

[0015] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a test socket including a base having a lower contact interface of a connector, and a lid movably connected to the base so as to be operable between an open position and a closed position, the lid having an upper contact interface of the connector, the upper contact interface being electrically connected to one or more electronic components of the lid, and the upper contact interface being electrically connected to the lower contact interface when the lid is operated to the closed position, the lower contact interface or the upper contact interface including the surface, a plurality of metal contacts, and at least two protrusions.

[0016] The foregoing and other aspects of the present invention will become more apparent based on the following detailed description of specific non-limiting embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0017] For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be made to the following drawings and description. Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments are described with reference to the following drawings. It should be noted that the components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to actual size, but are instead drawn with the focus on explaining the structure and principles. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the configuration of a flip-type test socket and its wireless connector. [Figure 2A] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the configuration of a test socket with a retraction mechanism and its wireless connector. [Figure 2B] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the configuration of a test socket with a retraction mechanism and its wireless connector. [Figure 2C] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the configuration of a test socket with a retraction mechanism and its wireless connector. [Figure 2D] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the configuration of a test socket with a retraction mechanism and its wireless connector. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B illustrate contact interface configurations of a connector. [Figure 4A] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating an embodiment of a connector of the present invention. [Figure 4B] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating an embodiment of a connector of the present invention. [Figure 4C] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating an embodiment of a connector of the present invention. [Figure 4D] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating an embodiment of a connector of the present invention. [Figure 4E] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating an embodiment of a connector of the present invention. [Figure 4F] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating an embodiment of a connector of the present invention. [Figure 5A] 10A and 10B show modified contact interfaces of the connector of the present invention. [Figure 5B] 10A and 10B show modified contact interfaces of the connector of the present invention. [Figure 5C] 10A and 10B show modified contact interfaces of the connector of the present invention. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B show another embodiment of the connector of the present invention. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B show a further embodiment of the connector of the present invention. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating yet another embodiment of the connector of the present invention. [Figure 9]10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating yet another embodiment of the connector of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The following more fully describes the present invention with reference to the drawings, illustrating specific embodiments. However, the claimed subject matter may be specifically embodied in a variety of different forms, and therefore the construction of the claimed subject matter of the coverage or application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein. The specific embodiments are merely exemplary. Likewise, the present invention is intended to provide a reasonably broad scope for the subject matter of the application or coverage claims.

[0020] As used herein, the phrase "in one embodiment" does not necessarily refer to the same specific embodiment, and the phrase "in some other / specific embodiments" as used herein does not necessarily refer to different specific embodiments. Claimed subject matter is intended to include all or any combination of the specific embodiments.

[0021] 4A-4F illustrate one embodiment of the present invention. The connector 400 can replace the lower contact portion 2100 and its lower contact interface 2200 shown in FIG. 1. The connector 400 includes a body 402 configured to provide a contact interface 404. The contact interface 404 can be the lower contact interface 2200 shown in FIG. 1. The contact interface 404 has a surface. At least one aperture array is defined on the surface. FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate the contact interface 404 having a first aperture array 404A and a second aperture array 404B. The first aperture array 404A has nine apertures, and the second aperture array 404B has nine apertures, with the first aperture array 404A and the second aperture array 404B being aligned parallel to each other. In other embodiments, the first aperture array (404A) and the second aperture array (404B) may be misaligned. The contact interface (404) also includes a plurality of metal contacts (406) protruding from the apertures. The metal contacts (406) are elastic and can deform and sink into the apertures when pressure is applied. As shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C, the body (402) has a front end configured to provide a plurality of metal contacts (407) for connection to conductors. Each metal contact (406) is electrically connected to a corresponding metal contact (407). The metal contacts (407) are configured to be connected to the ends of conductors, facilitating soldering of the ends of the conductors to the metal contacts (407). The conductors refer to conductors electrically connected to a circuit board, through which the connector (404) establishes an electrical connection with the circuit board, but are not limited thereto.

[0022] 4A, 4B, and 4E show at least two protrusions 408 formed on the surface of the contact interface 404. The protrusions 408 are cylindrical and are located between the first aperture array 404A and the second aperture array 404B, but the present invention is not limited thereto. FIG. 4F shows the protrusions 408 protruding from the surface of the contact interface 404 by a height H1, which is lower than the height H2 of the metal contacts 406 protruding from the surface. This arrangement of the protrusions 408 helps to reduce mechanical shock to the metal contacts 406, such as when the upper contact interface 1250 and the lower contact interface 2200 of FIG. 1 are connected. Specifically, the protrusions 408 prevent the metal contacts 406 from being over-compressed, causing irreversible deformation and affecting the signal transmission performance of the connector 400.

[0023] A pair of mounting mechanisms (402A, 402B) configured to allow the use of known fixing means (such as screws) are provided on both sides of the main body (402), and the main body (402) is fixed onto a circuit board and formed in the same configuration as the lower contact portion (2100) and the lower contact interface (2200) in Figure 1, although the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0024] 5A to 5C show variations of the contact interface of the connector of the present invention. FIG. 5A shows an example of a protrusion (408A) that extends between the first aperture array (404A) and the second aperture array (404B) and has a strip-like shape. FIG. 5B shows an example of two protrusions (408B) that extend to the first aperture array (404A) and the second aperture array (404B) at both ends and have a strip-like shape. FIG. 5C shows an example of four protrusions (408C) that are located around the surface of the contact interface and surround the first aperture array (404A) and the second aperture array (404B).

[0025] FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of a connector of the present invention, similar to the connector (200) of FIG. 3, in which two protrusions (608) are formed on the surface of the contact interface (604).

[0026] FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the connector of the present invention, which can be considered as an alternative to the connector 200 of FIG. 3 and the connector 400 of FIG. 4. The connector 700 includes a first body 702 fixed to a circuit board (PCB), with a contact interface 704 on the surface of the first body 702. The first body 702 has multiple terminals, which are first fixed to the circuit board (PCB) by soldering, and then the circuit board (PCB) establishes an electrical connection with a second body 705 via multiple curved terminals. The second body 705 can be further connected to another circuit board or a corresponding connector structure. Two protrusions 708 are formed on the contact interface 704, similar to the configuration in FIG. 4E.

[0027] 8 shows yet another embodiment of the connector of the present invention, in which at least one protrusion 1800 is formed on the upper contact interface 1250 of the flip socket 1000 of FIG. 1. In this way, when the upper contact interface 1250 and the lower contact interface 2200 are connected, the protrusion 1800 can function as a limiting or buffering element to prevent the protruding metal contact of the upper contact interface 1250 from being excessively compressed and causing irreversible deformation.

[0028] Figure 9 shows yet another embodiment of the connector of the present invention, in which at least one protrusion 28 is formed on the surface of the lower contact portion 21 of the test socket connector of Figure 2D, and multiple metal contact pads are provided on the contact interface of the lower contact portion where the protrusion 28 is located. When multiple protruding elastic metal contacts of the upper contact portion 35 descend to contact the metal contact pads of the lower contact portion 21, the protrusion 28 acts as a limiting or buffering element, preventing the upper contact portion 35 from sinking excessively, thereby preventing the metal contacts of the upper contact portion 35 from being overly compressed.

[0029] In summary, the connector of the present invention has been described based on the above description and drawings. However, each of the above-described embodiments (or technical contents / technical features) can be used or applied alone, and those skilled in the art can combine or partially combine any two or more of the above-described embodiments (or technical contents / technical features) in the same embodiment as needed. It should be noted that each specific embodiment of the present invention is merely an example, and many modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the claims of the present invention, and such modifications are within the scope of the patent of the present invention. Therefore, each specific embodiment described herein should not be used with the intention of limiting the present invention, and the true scope and spirit of the present invention are disclosed in the claims below. [Explanation of symbols]

[0030] 1000 Flip Socket 1100 bases 1200 Lid 1210 Bottom 1220 Heat dissipation means 1230 Heat conduction seat 1240 Upper contact part 1250 upper contact interface 1300 Axis 1800 protrusion 2000 Circuit Boards 2100 Lower contact part 2200 bottom contact interface DUT Device under test 20 Foundation 21 Lower contact part 28 Protrusion 30 Mounting table 31 Guide rail 32 trays 35 Upper contact part 40 Lid 44 Fasteners 50 Housing Frame 60 Handle 200 Lower contact part 214 Main Unit 214A, 214B mounting mechanism 214C, 214C aperture array 215 Front end 216 Top 231 Metal Contact 840, 850 conductor 920, 930 parallel axis 400 Connector 402 Main Unit 402A, 402B mounting mechanism 404 Contact Interface 404A First Aperture Array 404B Second Aperture Array 406 Metal Contact 407 Metal Contact 408, 408A, 408B, 408C protrusion 604 Contact Interface 608 Protrusion 700 Connector 702 Main Unit 704 Contact Interface 705 Second Body 708 Protrusion H1 Height H2 height PCB circuit board

Claims

1. The surface and a plurality of metal contacts protruding from said surface; at least two protrusions formed on the surface, the height of the at least two protrusions being no greater than the height of the plurality of metal contacts protruding from the surface, thereby functioning as buffers for the contact interface to prevent excessive deformation of the plurality of metal contacts when the contact interface is connected to another contact interface; a contact interface including connector.

2. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the contact interface further includes at least one aperture array having a plurality of apertures defined in the surface, the plurality of metal contacts protruding from the plurality of apertures.

3. 3. The connector of claim 2, wherein the at least one aperture array includes a first aperture array and a second aperture array, and the at least two protrusions are located between the first aperture array and the second aperture array.

4. The connector of claim 2 , wherein the at least two projections are located between the apertures of the at least one array.

5. The connector of claim 2 , wherein the at least two protrusions are cylindrical.

6. The connector of claim 2 , wherein the at least two protrusions are strips.

7. a circuit board provided with a lower contact interface of the connector and electrically connected to the lower contact interface; a test socket including a base and a lid, the base being fixed to the circuit board, the lid being movably connected to the base so as to be operable between an open position and a closed position, the lid having an upper contact interface of the connector, the upper contact interface being electrically connected to one or more electronic components of the lid, and the upper contact interface being electrically connected to the lower contact interface when the lid is operated to the closed position; A burn-in apparatus comprising: The lower contact interface or the upper contact interface is The surface and a plurality of metal contacts protruding from said surface; at least two protrusions formed on the surface, the height of the at least two protrusions being no greater than the height of a plurality of metal contacts protruding from the surface, thereby functioning as buffers for the lower contact interface or the upper contact interface to prevent the plurality of metal contacts from being excessively deformed when the upper contact interface is connected to the lower contact interface; a burn-in device,

8. a base having a lower contact interface of the connector; a cover movably connected to the base so as to be operable between an open position and a closed position, the cover having an upper contact interface of the connector, the upper contact interface being electrically connected to one or more electronic components of the cover, and the upper contact interface being electrically connected to the lower contact interface when the cover is operated to the closed position; A test socket comprising: The lower contact interface or the upper contact interface is The surface and a plurality of metal contacts protruding from said surface; at least two protrusions formed on the surface, the height of the at least two protrusions being no greater than the height of a plurality of metal contacts protruding from the surface, thereby functioning as buffers for the lower contact interface or the upper contact interface to prevent the plurality of metal contacts from being excessively deformed when the upper contact interface is connected to the lower contact interface; Including, Test socket.

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