Electrically conductive pin

Abstract

The present invention provides an electrically conductive pin with improved physical and electrical properties. This electrically conductive pin which is provided in an inspection apparatus that identifies whether an object to be inspected is defective, and which transmits an electrical signal to the object to be inspected includes: a first contact portion positioned at one end portion of the electrically conductive pin; a second contact portion positioned at the other end portion of the electrically conductive pin; an elastic portion which is positioned between the first contact portion and the second contact portion and can be compressed and stretched in the longitudinal direction; and a current transfer portion which is positioned to be spaced apart from the elastic portion in the thickness direction, and which transfers an electrical signal between the first contact portion and the second contact portion.

Description

electrically conductive pins

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrically conductive pin, and more specifically, to an electrically conductive pin having improved physical and electrical characteristics.

[0002] Electrically conductive pins refer to contact pins that can be used in testing devices such as probe cards or test sockets that come into contact with the test object to test it. Here, the electrically conductive pins serve to transmit electrical signals between the test object and the testing device.

[0003] A method for inspecting the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device is performed by contacting a semiconductor wafer or semiconductor package (hereinafter referred to as “inspection target”) with a probe card or test socket equipped with a number of electrically conductive pins and applying an electrical signal.

[0004] The above method generally involves bringing an electrically conductive pin close to the inspection target to establish contact, and then further bringing it close in the same direction to cause elastic deformation of the electrically conductive pin (overdrive). As a result, a number of electrically conductive pins elastically deform, thereby contacting the corresponding electrode pads of the inspection target.

[0005] Therefore, electrically conductive pins are required to have high durability to cope with repeated electrode contact and elastic deformation, and high current carrying capacity characteristics are required to realize their essential function of current transmission.

[0006] Meanwhile, electrically conductive pins manufactured using the MEMS process can be formed as a single piece, including an elastic portion, without requiring a separate elastic member for elastic deformation. In this regard, prior art document No. 10-2009-0117053 discloses a "vertical micro-contact probe with variable stiffness."

[0007] The above prior art describes a probe structure that is integrally formed, including an elastic member. However, probes of this structure have the following problems: when constructed of durable materials, the current carrying capacity may be reduced; when constructed of materials with high current carrying capacity, the durability may be reduced; and, due to the curved portion forming the elastic member, the electrical signal line becomes longer, resulting in reduced electrical signal transmission efficiency.

[0008] [Prior Art Literature]

[0009] [Patent Document]

[0010] (Patent Document 1) Patent Publication No. 10-2009-0117053

[0011] In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention aims to provide an electrically conductive pin having improved physical and electrical properties.

[0012] In order to achieve the above-described object, an electrically conductive pin according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided in an inspection device for checking whether an inspection object is defective, and the electrically conductive pin for transmitting an electrical signal to the inspection object may include: a first contact portion located at one end of the electrically conductive pin; a second contact portion located at the other end of the electrically conductive pin; an elastic portion located between the first contact portion and the second contact portion and capable of being compressed and stretched in the longitudinal direction; and a current transmitting portion located spaced apart from the elastic portion in the thickness direction and transmitting an electrical signal between the first contact portion and the second contact portion.

[0013] In addition, in an embodiment of the present invention, the elastic member may include a plurality of elastic members, one end and the other end of which are connected to the first contact part and the second contact part, respectively, and spaced apart from each other in the thickness direction.

[0014] Additionally, in an embodiment of the present invention, the elastic member may further include a connecting member that connects at least two of the plurality of elastic members to each other.

[0015] In addition, in an embodiment of the present invention, the current transmitting portion includes a curved region that is curved in the width direction at least in part, and the curved region can induce a widthwise deformation of the current transmitting portion.

[0016] In addition, in an embodiment of the present invention, the current transmitting portion may have one end connected to one side in the width direction of the first contact portion, and the other end connected to one side in the width direction of the second contact portion.

[0017] Additionally, in an embodiment of the present invention, the current transmitting portion may have one end connected to one side in the width direction of the first contact portion, and the other end connected to the other side in the width direction of the second contact portion.

[0018] Additionally, in an embodiment of the present invention, the current transmitting portion may have one end connected to the widthwise center side of the first contact portion, and the other end connected to the widthwise center side of the second contact portion.

[0019] In addition, in an embodiment of the present invention, the current transmitting portion may include a first current transmitting portion, one end and the other end of which are connected to the first contact portion and the second contact portion, respectively; and a second current transmitting portion, spaced apart from the first current transmitting portion in the thickness direction, one end and the other end of which are connected to the first contact portion and the second contact portion, respectively;

[0020] In addition, in an embodiment of the present invention, the current transmitting portion has one end connected to one of the first contact portion and the second contact portion, the other end is spaced apart from the remaining one of the first contact portion and the second contact portion, and the other end can be connected to the remaining one when the elastic portion is compressed.

[0021] Additionally, in an embodiment of the present invention, the current transmitting portion may be made of a material having a higher electrical conductivity than the elastic portion.

[0022] The present invention has the effect of improving the durability of an electrically conductive pin and at the same time increasing the current carrying capacity by separating an elastic portion and a current transmitting portion.

[0023] In addition, the present invention has the effect of improving the signal transmission speed by shortening the transmission line while improving the current carrying capacity by the current transmission unit.

[0024] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing an electrically conductive pin according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 2a and FIG. 2b are drawings showing electrically conductive pins according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] FIGS. 3A and 3B are drawings showing an electrically conductive pin including a current transmitting portion according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] FIGS. 4A and 4B are drawings showing an electrically conductive pin including a current transmitting portion according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] FIGS. 5A and 5B are drawings showing an electrically conductive pin including a current transmitting portion according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] FIGS. 6A and 6B are drawings showing an electrically conductive pin including a plurality of bending regions according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] FIGS. 7A and 7B are drawings showing an electrically conductive pin including a plurality of current transmitting portions according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] FIGS. 8A and 8B are drawings showing an electrically conductive pin including a plurality of current transmitting portions according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 9a and FIG. 9b are drawings showing an electrically conductive pin with a current transmitting portion and a second contact portion spaced apart from each other according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] FIGS. 10A, 10B, and 10C are drawings showing electrically conductive pins including a connecting member according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figures 11a and 11b are drawings showing the AA' cross-section of Figure 10a.

[0035] FIGS. 12A to 12G are drawings showing a first contact portion and / or a second contact portion of an electrically conductive pin according to various embodiments of the present invention.

[0036] Those skilled in the art will be able to develop various devices that embody the principles of the invention and fall within the scope and spirit of the invention, even if not explicitly described or illustrated in this specification. Furthermore, all conditional terms and embodiments listed herein are expressly intended, in principle, to facilitate understanding of the invention's concept and should be understood as being in no way limiting to the specifically listed embodiments and conditions.

[0037] The above-described objects, features and advantages will become more apparent through the following detailed description of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, so that those skilled in the art will be able to easily implement the technical idea of ​​the invention.

[0038] The embodiments described herein will be described with reference to cross-sectional and / or perspective views, which are ideal illustrations of the present invention. The dimensions of components depicted in these drawings may be exaggerated for the purpose of effectively explaining the technical content. The form of the illustrations may be altered due to manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances.

[0039] When describing various embodiments, components that perform the same function will be given the same names and reference numerals for the sake of convenience even if the embodiments are different. The expression 'at least one of A, B, and C' means that it is composed of one, two, or three of A, B, and C. In addition, in this specification, the thickness direction means the +x and / or -x direction, the width direction means the +y and / or -y direction, and the length direction means the +z and / or -z direction. Furthermore, for the sake of convenience, the configurations and operations already described in other embodiments will be omitted. In addition, expressions such as 'first', 'second', etc. are merely terms added for the sake of convenience to describe a plurality of concepts, and should not be interpreted as meaning a specific configuration shown at a specific location shown in the drawings.

[0040] Below, an electrically conductive pin (10) according to an embodiment of the present invention is described.

[0041] Fig. 1 is a drawing showing an electrically conductive pin (10) according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figs. 2a and 2b are drawings showing an electrically conductive pin (10) according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figs. 3a and 3b are drawings showing an electrically conductive pin (10) including a current transmitting portion (400) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3b, an electrically conductive pin (10) according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a first contact portion (100) located at one end of the electrically conductive pin (10), a second contact portion (200) located at the other end of the electrically conductive pin (10), an elastic portion (300) located between the first contact portion (100) and the second contact portion (200) and capable of being compressed and stretched in the longitudinal direction, and may further include a current transmitting portion (400) located spaced apart from the elastic portion (300) in the thickness direction and transmitting an electrical signal between the first contact portion (100) and the second contact portion (200). The electrically conductive pin (10) may be provided in an inspection device (not shown) that checks whether an inspection object (not shown) is defective, and may transmit an electrical signal to the inspection object.

[0043] The inspection object may be a semiconductor wafer and / or a semiconductor package. The inspection device may be a probe card and / or a test socket. The inspection device can inspect the electrical characteristics of the inspection object by transmitting current between the inspection object and the inspection device through the electrically conductive pin (10). Specifically, the electrically conductive pin (10) can contact or be electrically connected to the electrode pads of the inspection object and the electrode pads of the inspection device, thereby transmitting current to the electrode pads and the inspection device.

[0044] The first contact portion (100) may be located at one end of the electrically conductive pin (10). The second contact portion (200) may be located at the other end of the electrically conductive pin (10). The first contact portion (100) may be in contact with or electrically connected to an electrode pad that is electrically connected to a circuit board of an inspection device, and the second contact portion (200) may be in contact with or electrically connected to an electrode pad that is electrically connected to an inspection target. Alternatively, the first contact portion (100) may be in contact with or electrically connected to an electrode pad that is electrically connected to an inspection target, and the second contact portion (200) may be in contact with or electrically connected to an electrode pad that is electrically connected to a circuit board.

[0045] The first contact portion (100) may be formed so that the horizontal cross-sectional area (xy plane) becomes smaller as it goes toward the longitudinal end, and the second contact portion (200) may be formed so that the horizontal cross-sectional area becomes smaller as it goes toward the longitudinal end. The first contact portion (100) and the second contact portion (200) may have a width of a region having the largest horizontal cross-sectional area that is larger than the width of the elastic portion (300), and the thickness of a region having the largest horizontal cross-sectional area that is larger than the thickness of the elastic portion (300).

[0046] However, the first contact portion (100) and the second contact portion (200) are not limited to the shapes illustrated in FIG. 1, and the shapes illustrated in FIG. 1 may be viewed as an example. The first contact portion (100) and / or the second contact portion (200) may be manufactured using a MEMS process and thus may be formed in various shapes.

[0047] The elastic member (300) may be positioned between the first contact member (100) and the second contact member (200). The elastic member (300) may be compressed and stretched in the longitudinal direction. The elastic member (300) may compress the electrically conductive pin (10) in the longitudinal direction in an overdrive state, and may stretch the electrically conductive pin (10) in the longitudinal direction again in a state where the overdrive is released.

[0048] Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the elastic member (300) may include at least one elastic member (310). For example, the elastic member (300) may include a first elastic member (311), a second elastic member (312), a third elastic member (313), and a fourth elastic member (314). This is merely an example, and the elastic member (300) may include fewer or more elastic members (310).

[0049] The elastic member (310) may have one end connected to the first contact portion (100) and the other end connected to the second contact portion (200). The elastic member (310) may include a connecting portion (315) connected to the first contact portion (100), a straight portion (316) connected to the connecting portion (315), and a curved portion (317) connected to the straight portion (316).

[0050] The elastic member (310) includes two connecting portions (315), and the connecting portion (315) located at one end can be connected to the first contact portion (100), and the connecting portion (315) located at the other end can be connected to the second contact portion (200). The connecting portion (315) is formed to extend in the longitudinal direction and can be connected to the first contact portion (100) and / or the second contact portion (200).

[0051] The elastic member (310) includes a plurality of straight sections (316), and each straight section (316) can be connected to a curved section (317) at one end and the other end. However, among the plurality of straight sections (316), the straight sections (316) located at both ends can have one end connected to the curved section (317) and the other end connected to the connecting section (315).

[0052] The elastic member (310) includes a plurality of curved portions (317), and each curved portion (317) can be connected to a straight portion (316) at one end and the other end. The curved portion (317) can contract or expand the electrically conductive pin (10) by narrowing or widening the angle and / or gap between the straight portions (316) connected to both ends.

[0053] The elastic member (300) may include a first elastic member (311) and a second elastic member (312). At this time, the first elastic member (311) may have a first phase, and the second elastic member (312) may have a second phase.

[0054] Referring again to Figure 1, the first phase of the first elastic member (311) is as follows.

[0055] The first elastic member (311) may be connected to one side in the width direction of the first contact portion (100). The first elastic member (311) may be connected to one surface (or lower surface) of the first contact portion (100). Here, the one side in the width direction of the first contact portion (100) may mean a position closer to the end of the first contact portion (100) that meets when proceeding in the width direction (y-axis) than the center based on the width direction (y-axis).

[0056] The other end of the first elastic member (311) may be connected to one side in the width direction of the second contact portion (200). The first elastic member (311) may be connected to one surface (or the upper surface) of the second contact portion (200). Here, the one side in the width direction of the second contact portion (200) may mean a position at which the y-axis coordinate is the same as the one side in the width direction of the first contact portion (100).

[0057] That is, the connecting portion (315) located at one end of the first elastic member (311) can be connected to one side of the first contact portion (100), and the connecting portion (315) located at the other end of the first elastic member (311) can be connected to one side of the second contact portion (200).

[0058] Referring to Figure 1, the second phase of the second elastic member (312) is as follows.

[0059] The second elastic member (312) may be connected to the other side in the width direction of the first contact portion (100). The second elastic member (312) may be connected to one surface (or the lower surface) of the first contact portion (100). Here, the other side in the width direction of the first contact portion (100) may mean a position closer to the end of the first contact portion (100) that meets when proceeding in the width direction (y-axis) than the center based on the width direction (y-axis). In addition, the one side and the other side of the first contact portion (100) may mean positions that are spaced apart from each other by the same distance in the opposite length direction based on the xz plane of the width direction center.

[0060] The second elastic member (312) may be connected to the other end of the second contact portion (200) in the width direction. The second elastic member (312) may be connected to one surface (or the upper surface) of the second contact portion (200). Here, the other end of the second contact portion (200) in the width direction may mean a position at which the y-axis coordinate is the same as the other end of the first contact portion (100) in the width direction.

[0061] That is, the connecting portion (315) located at one end of the second elastic member (312) can be connected to the other side of the first contact portion (100), and the connecting portion (315) located at the other end of the second elastic member (312) can be connected to the other side of the second contact portion (200).

[0062] Unlike FIG. 1, the first elastic member (311) may have one end connected to one side of the first contact portion (100) and the other end connected to the other side of the second contact portion (200), and the second elastic member (312) may have one end connected to the other side of the first contact portion (100) and the other end connected to one side of the second contact portion (200).

[0063] When the elastic part (300) includes only one elastic member (310), a phenomenon of buckling in the width direction may occur when the electrically conductive pin (10) is compressed. In addition, when the elastic part (300) includes two elastic members (310) having the same phase, a phenomenon of buckling in the width direction may occur when the electrically conductive pin (10) is compressed.

[0064] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the electrically conductive pin (10) can prevent the phenomenon of buckling in the width direction even when the electrically conductive pin (10) is compressed by having the first elastic member (311) and the second elastic member (312) connected to the first contact portion (100) and the second contact portion (200) with different phases.

[0065] That is, even when the elastic member (300) is repeatedly elastically deformed, the risk of wear and damage to the electrically conductive pin (10) can be reduced. Even when the electrically conductive pin (10) is provided in an inspection device such as a guide plate and a test socket, wear and damage to the electrically conductive pin (10) and the inspection device due to buckling can be prevented.

[0066] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2B, the elastic member (300) may include a first elastic member (311) to a fourth elastic member (314). The first elastic member (311) and the fourth elastic member (314) may have a first phase, and the second elastic member (312) and the third elastic member (313) may have a second phase. At this time, the elastic member (300) may include the first elastic member (311), the second elastic member (312), the third elastic member (313), and the fourth elastic member (314) in that order in the thickness direction, and the first elastic member (311) and the fourth elastic member (314) may be positioned on the outer side in the thickness direction, and the second elastic member (312) and the third elastic member (313) may be positioned on the inner side in the thickness direction.

[0067] In contrast, the first elastic member (311) to the fourth elastic member (314) may each have a first phase or a second phase in various combinations. That is, the elastic member (300) may include a plurality of elastic members (310) each having a first phase or a second phase.

[0068] A plurality of elastic members (310) can be spaced apart from each other in the thickness direction. Each of the plurality of elastic members (310) can be independently compressed and stretched.

[0069] Since a plurality of elastic members (310) are provided spaced apart from each other, the elastic members (310) do not cause friction with other nearby elastic members (310) when compressed and stretched, thereby increasing durability and improving the physical properties of the electrically conductive pin (10).

[0070] Since a plurality of elastic members (310) are provided independently and spaced apart from each other, the current carrying capacity is increased due to a reduction in the skin effect compared to when they are provided in contact with each other, and the electrical characteristics of the electrically conductive pin (10) can be improved.

[0071] Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the current transmitting portion (400) can be positioned spaced apart from the elastic portion (300) in the thickness direction. The current transmitting portion (400) can transmit an electrical signal between the first contact portion (100) and the second contact portion (200).

[0072] The electrically conductive pin (10) may be composed of copper (Cu), silver (Ag), gold (Au), rhodium (Rd), platinum (Pt), iridium (Ir), palladium (Pd), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn), tungsten (W), phosphorus (P) or an alloy thereof. In addition, the electrically conductive pin (10) may be composed of a palladium-cobalt (PdCo) alloy, a palladium-nickel (PdNi) alloy, a nickel-phosphorus (NiP) alloy, a nickel-manganese (NiMn) alloy, a nickel-cobalt (NiCo) alloy, a nickel-boron (NiB) alloy or a nickel-tungsten (NiW) alloy. However, the material of the electrically conductive pin (10) is not limited to those described above.

[0073] The current transmitting portion (400) may be made of a material having a higher electrical conductivity than the elastic portion (300). The elastic portion (300) may be made of a material having a higher wear resistance than the current transmitting portion (400).

[0074] For example, if the elastic member (300) is made of a nickel-cobalt (NiCo) alloy material, the current transmission member (400) may be made of a gold (Au) material. However, the above-described material is only an example and is not limited thereto, and the current transmission member (400) may be made of any material that has greater electrical conductivity than the elastic member (300), and the elastic member (300) may be made of any material that has greater wear resistance than the current transmission member (400).

[0075] Since the current transmitting portion (400) has a higher electrical conductivity than the elastic portion (300), the electrically conductive pin (10) can form a current path through the current transmitting portion (400) to have a higher electrical conductivity, thereby increasing the efficiency of electrical signal transmission.

[0076] Specifically, since the current transmission unit (400) has a greater electrical conductivity than the elastic unit (300), it can induce current to move through the current transmission unit (400), and since the current transmission unit (400) has a shorter signal transmission length than the elastic unit (300), it can further improve the current movement speed.

[0077] The electrically conductive pin (10) according to an embodiment of the present invention can form a current path shorter than the elastic portion (300) by having a current transmitting portion (400) having a greater electrical conductivity than the elastic portion (300), and can improve electrical characteristics by increasing the current carrying capacity. Furthermore, the electrically conductive pin (10) can have improved physical characteristics by increasing durability by having a greater wear resistance of the elastic portion (300) than the current transmitting portion (400).

[0078] The current transmitting portion (400) may include a bending region (450) that is bent in the width direction at least in part. The bending region (450) may induce deformation of the current transmitting portion (400) in the width direction. The bending region (450) may prevent contact with the elastic portion (300) spaced apart in the thickness direction by inducing deformation of the current transmitting portion (400) in the width direction.

[0079] The electric conductive pin (10) according to an embodiment of the present invention can prevent wear and breakage despite repeated deformation by inducing the current transmitting portion (400) to be elastically deformed in the width direction.

[0080] A plurality of current transmitting units (400) may be provided. The plurality of current transmitting units (400) may be spaced apart from each other in the thickness direction. One end of the current transmitting unit (400) may be connected to the first contact unit (100), and the other end may be connected to the second contact unit (200).

[0081] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the electrically conductive pin (10) has a plurality of current transmitting parts (400) spaced apart from each other in the thickness direction, and the plurality of current transmitting parts (400) are each spaced apart from the elastic part (300) in the thickness direction, so that friction does not occur between them despite elastic deformation of the elastic part (300), and thus physical characteristics can be improved.

[0082] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the electrically conductive pin (10) is provided such that one end and the other end of the current transmitting portion (400) are connected to the first contact portion (100) and the second contact portion (200), respectively, so that when contact and separation are repeated based on a state in which one end is separated, the wear of the end of the current transmitting portion (400) is reduced, and the physical characteristics can be improved.

[0083] FIGS. 4A and 4B are drawings showing an electrically conductive pin (10) including a current transmitting portion (400) according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 5A and 5B are drawings showing an electrically conductive pin (10) including a current transmitting portion (400) according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 6A and 6B are drawings showing an electrically conductive pin (10) including a plurality of bending regions (450) according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 7A and 7B are drawings showing an electrically conductive pin (10) including a plurality of current transmitting portions (400) according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 8A and 8B are drawings showing an electrically conductive pin (10) including a plurality of current transmitting portions (400) according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 9A and 9B are drawings showing an electrically conductive pin (10) in which a current transmitting portion (400) and a second contact portion (200) are spaced apart from each other according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0084] Referring to FIG. 3A, in an embodiment of the present invention, the current transmitting portion (400) may have one end connected to one widthwise side of the first contact portion (100), and the other end connected to one widthwise side of the second contact portion (200). Here, the widthwise side may refer to a position closer to the end of the first contact portion (100) that meets when proceeding in the widthwise direction than the center based on the widthwise direction. Here, the widthwise side of the first contact portion (100) and the widthwise side of the second contact portion (200) may refer to positions where the y-axis coordinate is the same.

[0085] Referring to FIG. 3b, in an embodiment of the present invention, the current transmitting portion (400) may be positioned between the second elastic member (312) and the third elastic member (313). However, the position of the current transmitting portion (400) is not limited to the above-described position, and the current transmitting portion (400) may be positioned between at least one pair of elastic members (310) that are arranged closely or adjacently among a plurality of elastic members (310).

[0086] Referring to FIG. 4A, in an embodiment of the present invention, the current transmitting portion (400) may have one end connected to one side in the width direction of the first contact portion (100), and the other end connected to the other side in the width direction of the second contact portion (200). Here, the one side in the width direction of the first contact portion (100) and the other side in the width direction of the second contact portion (200) may mean positions that are spaced apart from each other by an equal distance in the opposite length direction based on the xz plane of the center of the width direction.

[0087] Referring to FIG. 4b, in an embodiment of the present invention, the current transmitting portion (400) may be positioned between the second elastic member (312) and the third elastic member (313). However, the position of the current transmitting portion (400) is not limited to the above-described position, and the current transmitting portion (400) may be positioned between at least one pair of elastic members (310) that are arranged closely or adjacently among a plurality of elastic members (310).

[0088] Referring to FIG. 5a, in an embodiment of the present invention, one end of the current transmitting portion (400) may be connected to the widthwise center side of the first contact portion (100), and the other end may be connected to the widthwise center side of the second contact portion (200). Here, the widthwise center side may mean the center area based on the widthwise direction.

[0089] Referring to FIG. 5b, in an embodiment of the present invention, the current transmitting portion (400) may be positioned between the second elastic member (312) and the third elastic member (313). However, the position of the current transmitting portion (400) is not limited to the above-described position, and the current transmitting portion (400) may be positioned between at least one pair of elastic members (310) that are arranged closely or adjacently among a plurality of elastic members (310).

[0090] Referring to FIG. 6A, in an embodiment of the present invention, the current transmitting portion (400) may include two (or more) bending regions (450) that are bent in the width direction at least partially. The two bending regions (450) may induce widthwise deformation of the current transmitting portion (400) in opposite directions. The two bending regions (450) may induce widthwise deformation of the current transmitting portion (400), thereby preventing contact with the elastic portion (300) that is positioned spaced apart in the thickness direction.

[0091] Referring to FIG. 6b, in an embodiment of the present invention, the current transmitting portion (400) may be positioned between the second elastic member (312) and the third elastic member (313). However, the position of the current transmitting portion (400) is not limited to the above-described position, and the current transmitting portion (400) may be positioned between at least one pair of elastic members (310) that are arranged closely or adjacently among a plurality of elastic members (310).

[0092] Referring to Fig. 7a, in an embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of current transmitting units (400) may be provided. The first current transmitting unit (410) may have one end connected to one side in the width direction of the first contact unit (100), and the other end connected to one side in the width direction of the second contact unit (200). The second current transmitting unit (420) may have one end connected to the other side in the width direction of the first contact unit (100), and the other end connected to the other side in the width direction of the second contact unit (200).

[0093] Referring to FIG. 7b, in an embodiment of the present invention, the first current transmitting portion (410) may be positioned between the third elastic member (313) and the fourth elastic member (314). The second current transmitting portion (420) may be positioned between the first elastic member (311) and the second elastic member (312). However, the position of the current transmitting portion (400) is not limited to the above-described position, and the current transmitting portion (400) may be provided between at least one pair of elastic members (310) that are arranged closely or adjacently among a plurality of elastic members (310).

[0094] Referring to Fig. 8a, in an embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of current transmitting units (400) may be provided. The first current transmitting unit (410) may have one end connected to one side in the width direction of the first contact unit (100), and the other end connected to the other side in the width direction of the second contact unit (200). The second current transmitting unit (420) may have one end connected to the other side in the width direction of the first contact unit (200), and the other end connected to one side in the width direction of the second contact unit (200).

[0095] Referring to FIG. 8B, in an embodiment of the present invention, the first current transmitting portion (410) may be positioned between the third elastic member (313) and the fourth elastic member (314). The second current transmitting portion (420) may be positioned between the first elastic member (311) and the second elastic member (312). However, the position of the current transmitting portion (400) is not limited to the above-described position, and the current transmitting portion (400) may be provided between at least one pair of elastic members (310) that are arranged closely or adjacently among a plurality of elastic members (310).

[0096] Referring to FIGS. 9A and 9B, in an embodiment of the present invention, the current transmitting portion (400) may have one end connected to one of the first contact portion (100) and the second contact portion (200), and the other end may be spaced apart from the remaining one of the first contact portion (100) and the second contact portion (200). The other end of the current transmitting portion (400) may be connected to the remaining one when the elastic portion (300) is compressed.

[0097] The electric conductive pin (10) according to the embodiment of the present invention is provided with a length occupied by the current transmitting portion (400) shorter than the length occupied by the elastic portion (300) in a non-compressed state, so that the compression force received by the independently provided current transmitting portion (400) at the end is reduced, thereby increasing durability.

[0098] FIGS. 10a, 10b, and 10c are drawings showing an electrically conductive pin (10) including a connecting member (320) according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 11a and 11b are drawings showing a cross-section taken along line AA' of FIG. 10a.

[0099] Referring to FIGS. 10A to 10C, in an embodiment of the present invention, the elastic member (300) may further include a connecting member (320) that connects at least two of the plurality of elastic members (310) to each other. The connecting member (320) may be provided between the plurality of elastic members (310). The connecting member (320) may be provided in multiple numbers.

[0100] The electrically conductive pin (10) according to an embodiment of the present invention can improve physical properties by increasing the stability and durability of the elastic member (300) by having the connecting member (320) suppress independent deformation of the plurality of elastic members (310).

[0101] Referring to Fig. 10a, a connecting member (320) is provided between the second elastic member (312) and the third elastic member (313) to suppress independent deformation of the second elastic member (312) and the third elastic member (313) and induce simultaneous deformation. However, the position of the connecting member (320) is not limited to the position of Fig. 10a.

[0102] Referring to FIG. 10b, a connecting member (320) may be provided between the first elastic member (311) and the second elastic member (312), between the second elastic member (312) and the third elastic member (313), and between the third elastic member (313) and the fourth elastic member (314). A plurality of connecting members (320) may be positioned at the same height (same z-axis coordinate). The connecting members (320) may suppress independent deformation of the first elastic members (311) to the fourth elastic members (314) to induce simultaneous deformation. However, the position of the connecting members (320) is not limited to the position of FIG. 10b.

[0103] Referring to Fig. 10c, a plurality of connecting members (320) may be provided at different positions between the second elastic member (312) and the third elastic member (313). However, the positions of the plurality of connecting members (320) are not limited to the positions of Fig. 10c.

[0104] Referring to FIG. 11a, in an embodiment of the present invention, a connecting member (320) may be formed on a portion of a straight portion (316) (one straight portion) of an elastic member (310) to connect a plurality of elastic members (310) spaced apart in the thickness direction. Referring to FIG. 11b, in an embodiment of the present invention, a connecting member (320) may be formed on the entire straight portion (316) of an elastic member (310) to connect a plurality of elastic members (310) spaced apart in the thickness direction. When the connecting member (320) is formed along the entire straight portion (316) (one straight portion) of an elastic member (310), the structural stability of the elastic member (300) may be further enhanced.

[0105] Next, the first contact portion (100) and the second contact portion (200) of various shapes will be examined.

[0106] FIGS. 12A to 12G are drawings showing a first contact portion (100) and / or a second contact portion (200) of an electrically conductive pin (10) according to various embodiments of the present invention.

[0107] Referring to FIGS. 12A to 12G, the electrically conductive pin (10) in an embodiment of the present invention may include a first contact portion (100) and / or a second contact portion (200) of various shapes. Only the first contact portion (100) of the electrically conductive pin (10) may have a shape according to FIGS. 12A to 12G, only the second contact portion (200) may have a shape according to FIGS. 12A to 12G, and both the first contact portion (100) and the second contact portion (200) may have a shape according to FIGS. 12A to 12G.

[0108] At this time, the first contact portion (100) and the second contact portion (200) may be formed by a combination of different shapes. The first tip portion (111) to the fourth tip portion (114) described below may be brought into contact with the inspection device and / or the inspection object. The fixing portion (110) may support one or more tips (111, 112, 113, 144). The first tip portion (111) to the fourth tip portion (114) may each be provided within the horizontal plane (xy plane) of the fixing portion (110).

[0109] Referring to FIG. 12a, at least one of the first contact portion (100) and the second contact portion (200) may include a fixed portion (110) whose shape and size of the horizontal cross-sectional area remain constant in the length direction, and a first tip portion (111) formed in a stepwise manner in a plurality of layers from the lowest layer to the highest layer in the width direction, with the lowest layer formed in the center in the width direction and the highest layer formed at the end in the width direction.

[0110] At this time, the lowest layer may be provided as one, the highest layer may be provided as two, and the two highest layers may be formed at the same height. The thickness and width of the first tip portion (111) may be the same as the thickness and width of the fixing portion (110), respectively.

[0111] Referring to FIG. 12b, at least one of the first contact portion (100) and the second contact portion (200) may include a fixed portion (110) whose shape and size of the horizontal cross-sectional area remain constant in the length direction, and a second tip portion (112) formed with a highest layer formed in the center in the width direction and a lowest layer formed at the end in the width direction, and formed in a stepwise manner in a plurality of layers from the highest layer to the lowest layer in the width direction.

[0112] At this time, the highest layer may be provided as one, the lowest layer may be provided as two, and the two lowest layers may be formed at the same height. The thickness and width of the second tip portion (112) may be the same as the thickness and width of the fixed portion (110), respectively.

[0113] Referring to FIGS. 12c to 12e, at least one of the first contact portion (100) and the second contact portion (200) may include a fixed portion (110) whose shape and size of the horizontal cross-sectional area remain constant in the longitudinal direction, and a third tip portion (113) formed by protruding from the fixed portion (110) and having a smaller horizontal cross-sectional area than the fixed portion (110).

[0114] At this time, the third tip portion (113) may be provided in multiple numbers, and the number and arrangement may be configured in various ways. For example, four (Figs. 12c and 12e) or two (Fig. 12d) third tips (113) may be formed by protruding from the fixing portion (110) and may be arranged spaced apart from each other. The thickness and width of one third tip portion (113) may be smaller than the thickness and width of the fixing portion (110), respectively.

[0115] Referring to FIGS. 12f and 12g, at least one of the first contact portion (100) and the second contact portion (200) may include a fixed portion (110) whose shape and size of a horizontal cross-sectional area remain constant in the longitudinal direction, and a fourth tip portion (114) whose horizontal cross-sectional area is smaller than that of the fixed portion (110), but whose horizontal cross-sectional area gradually decreases in size toward one end of the longitudinal direction, and which protrudes from the fixed portion (110). The fourth tip portion (114) may have a tapered shape.

[0116] At this time, the fourth tip portion (114) may be provided in multiple numbers, and the number and arrangement may be configured in various ways. For example, the plurality of fourth tips (114) may be arranged continuously (connected) along the width direction (Fig. 12f) or the thickness direction. Alternatively, the plurality of fourth tips (114) may be arranged spaced apart from each other along the width direction (Fig. 12g) or the thickness direction. The thickness of one fourth tip portion (114) may be the same as the thickness of the fixing portion (110). The width (based on the longest width) of one fourth tip portion (114) may be smaller than the width of the fixing portion (110).

[0117] However, the above-described shapes of the first contact portion (100) and the second contact portion (200) are merely examples and are not limited to the shapes shown in FIGS. 12a to 12g.

[0118] The electrically conductive pin (10) according to the embodiment of the present invention can respond to electrode pads, bumps, etc. having various sizes and shapes by applying various shapes of the first contact portion (100) and / or the second contact portion (200).

[0119] The present invention can improve the electrical characteristics of the electrically conductive pin (10) by forming a current path shorter than the elastic portion (300) by providing a current transmission portion (400).

[0120] The present invention has a curved current-conducting portion (400) that is spaced apart from an elastic portion (300) in the thickness direction and simultaneously induces deformation in the width direction, thereby reducing friction between the current-conducting portion (400) and the elastic portion (300), thereby improving the physical properties of the electrically conductive pin (10).

[0121] The present invention can improve the physical properties of an electrically conductive pin (10) by reducing friction between a plurality of elastic members (310) by providing an elastic member (300) with a plurality of elastic members (310) spaced apart from each other.

[0122] As described above, the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or variations may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the following claims.

[0123] [Explanation of symbols]

[0124] 10: Electrically conductive pin

[0125] 100: First contact point

[0126] 200: Second contact point

[0127] 300: Elasticity

[0128] 310: Elastic member

[0129] 311: First elastic member

[0130] 312: Second elastic member

[0131] 313: Third elastic member

[0132] 314: Fourth elastic member

[0133] 315: Joint

[0134] 316: Straight line

[0135] 317: Curved section

[0136] 320: Connecting member

[0137] 400: Current transmission part

[0138] 410: First current transmission unit

[0139] 420: Second current transmission unit

[0140] 450: Curved area

Claims

1. In an electrically conductive pin that is provided in an inspection device that checks whether or not a test item is defective and transmits an electrical signal to the test item, A first contact portion located at one end of the above electrically conductive pin; A second contact portion located at the other end of the above electrically conductive pin; An elastic member positioned between the first contact portion and the second contact portion and capable of being compressed and stretched in the longitudinal direction; and An electrically conductive pin, comprising: a current transmitting portion positioned spaced apart from the elastic portion in the thickness direction and transmitting an electrical signal between the first contact portion and the second contact portion.

2. In paragraph 1, The above elastic part, An electrically conductive pin, comprising a plurality of elastic members, each of which is connected to the first contact portion and the second contact portion at one end and the other end and is spaced apart from each other in the thickness direction.

3. In paragraph 2, The above elastic part, An electrically conductive pin further comprising a connecting member connecting at least two of the plurality of elastic members to each other.

4. In paragraph 1, The above current transmitting unit is, Contains a curved region that is at least partially curved in the width direction, The bending region is an electrically conductive pin that induces a width-wise deformation of the current-carrying portion.

5. In paragraph 1, The above current transmitting unit is, An electrically conductive pin, one end of which is connected to one side in the width direction of the first contact portion, and the other end of which is connected to one side in the width direction of the second contact portion.

6. In paragraph 1, The above current transmitting unit is, An electrically conductive pin, one end of which is connected to one side in the width direction of the first contact portion, and the other end of which is connected to the other side in the width direction of the second contact portion.

7. In paragraph 1, The above current transmitting unit is, An electrically conductive pin, one end of which is connected to the width-wise center side of the first contact portion, and the other end of which is connected to the width-wise center side of the second contact portion.

8. In paragraph 1, The above current transmitting unit is, A first current transmitting portion, the first and second ends of which are respectively connected to the first contact portion and the second contact portion; and An electrically conductive pin, comprising: a second current transmitting portion spaced apart from the first current transmitting portion in the thickness direction, one end and the other end of which are respectively connected to the first contact portion and the second contact portion.

9. In paragraph 1, The above current transmitting unit is, One end is connected to one of the first contact portion and the second contact portion, The other end is spaced apart from the remainder of the first contact portion and the second contact portion, The above other terms are, An electrically conductive pin connected to the remainder when the elastic portion is compressed.

10. In paragraph 1, The above current-conducting portion is an electrically conductive pin made of a material having a higher electrical conductivity than the elastic portion.

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