Articulating Conductive Pin for Reliable Microcircuit Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current microcircuit test equipment faces challenges in making accurate, low-resistance, non-destructive electrical connections due to the small size and close spacing of microcircuit contacts, leading to wear and contamination issues, which result in false defect identifications and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A multi-part articulating pin pair with an upper and lower leg joined by a hinge, biased by an elastomer, maintains axial alignment while allowing offset body portions to enhance reliability and frequency response, allowing for robust and reliable electrical connections without damaging the microcircuit or test equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional spring-loaded POGO pins are used to make electrical contact with microcircuit terminals, then electrical connection is achieved, but the pins experience wear and dislodge conductive debris from both the tester contacts and DUT terminals due to high-speed automated testing
Solution Approach 1:
The pin is divided into three distinct segments: a contact tip, a body, and a biasing element, connected through a hinge mechanism. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function independently - the tip makes electrical contact, the body provides structural support, and the biasing element maintains contact force, thereby reducing wear on any single component and minimizing debris generation
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge mechanism enables the pin to dynamically adjust its configuration between a stored state (during insertion) and a deployed state (during testing). This dynamic movement allows the pin to absorb mechanical stresses and maintain reliable electrical contact without excessive wear, even during high-speed automated testing at 100 devices per minute or more
2Measurement precision
If test contacts are made with precise alignment to closely spaced microcircuit contacts, then accurate electrical connection is achieved, but small errors in contact alignment cause incorrect connections and false defect identifications
Solution Approach 1:
The pin is pre-configured in a stored state where the contact tip is positioned and oriented correctly before insertion. The hinge mechanism is pre-set to rotate into the correct alignment position upon insertion, ensuring that the contact tip automatically aligns with the microcircuit terminal even with minor positional variations, thereby preventing misalignment errors and false defect identifications
3Productivity
If conductive pins are used to make temporary electrical connections for testing, then non-destructive testing is achieved, but wear from repeated testing causes poor electrical connections and false defect indications
Solution Approach 1:
The biasing element continuously applies contact force to maintain electrical connection between the pin and microcircuit terminal throughout the testing process. This self-adjusting mechanism compensates for wear and positional variations, ensuring consistent electrical connection quality even during high-volume automated testing, thereby preventing false defect indications while maintaining high productivity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides reliable, low-resistance electrical connections with reduced wear and contamination, improving test accuracy and reducing costs by allowing for efficient testing without damaging the microcircuits or test equipment.
Implementation Method 1
an elastomer biasing the pin legs into contact, or preloaded contact, with their respective contact pads
Data Source
AI summary
A structure and method for providing a contact pin between a device under test (DUT) and a load board which provides upper and lower contact point which are axial aligned is disclosed. The pin has an upper (30) and lower (32) section and a hinge (44/46) in between which allow flex of both upper and lower contact (24/26) which, but the axial alignment can provide a direct replacement for POGO pins but with greater reliability. It also includes a structure and method for removing upper pins 230 by use of a modified hinge 244a.