Contact Pin With Angled Spring Arms For Miniaturized Circuit Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing contact pins for testing integrated circuits are not suitable for miniaturized circuits due to their large physical extent and inability to maintain effective electrical contact as conductive layers oxidize, leading to impaired connections.
Innovation Solution
A contact pin design featuring a central region with two spring arms, each connected to the central region at an angle less than or equal to 90 degrees, optimizing the geometric volume and signal paths for miniaturization and improved high-frequency transmission, while maintaining elasticity through additional parallel spring arms and plug-in connections for mechanical stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a conventional contact pin design is used, then electrical connection is established, but the physical extent is comparatively large making it unsuitable for miniaturized integrated circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The contact pin is segmented into a central region and two separate spring arms, allowing independent optimization of each component. The spring arms can be designed with minimal length for miniaturization while the central region provides structural support and connection points, resolving the contradiction between small volume and reliable electrical connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring arms are oriented at angles less than or equal to 90 degrees relative to the center axis of the central region, utilizing angular/directional arrangement rather than linear extension. This dimensional reconfiguration allows the contact pin to achieve reliable electrical connection through optimized spatial orientation while minimizing overall volume for miniaturized applications.
2Volume of moving object
If the contact pin is miniaturized, then it becomes suitable for miniaturized integrated circuits, but the signal path length decreases affecting high-frequency transmission characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the contact pin are optimized for different functions: the spring arms are minimized in length for miniaturization while the central region is designed with specific geometric properties to optimize signal transmission. This local quality differentiation allows the contact pin to achieve both miniaturization and optimized high-frequency transmission characteristics through region-specific design optimization.
3Reliability
If oxidation layers form on contact areas, then electrical contact is impaired, but frictional movement removes these layers improving contact
Solution Approach 1:
The spring arms are designed to execute frictional movement parallel to the contact areas during insertion and operation, which automatically removes oxidation layers from the contact surfaces. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for external cleaning or maintenance while continuously maintaining optimal electrical contact quality, resolving the contradiction between oxidation layer formation and electrical contact reliability.
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 contact pin design minimizes geometric volume, optimizes high-frequency transmission, and maintains effective electrical contact by scraping off oxidation layers, ensuring reliable connections in miniaturized integrated circuit testing environments.
Implementation Method 1
Owing to a frictional movement of the two contact regions of the contact pin, which frictional movement runs parallel in relation to the contact areas in each case and occurs when the device under test to be tested is inserted into the test base, particles are removed from these, for example, tin oxide layers
Implementation Method 2
A contact pin according to the invention has a central region and two spring arms as elasticities
Data Source
AI summary
A contact pin (100; 10012, 10032) for electrically connecting a first electrical contact area (13), which is arranged on a device under test (300) to be surveyed, and a second electrical contact area (17), which is arranged in a test base (200; 200′), has an elongate central region (1) which is mechanically connected to the test base (200; 200′), has a first spring arm (21), the first end (41) of which is connected to a first end (5) of the central region (1) and the second end (111) of which has a first contact region (12) for electrical contact-connection to the first electrical contact area (13), and has a second spring arm (31), the first end (61) of which is connected to a first or second end (5, 7) of the central region (1) and the second end (151) of which has a second contact region (16) for electrical contact-connection to the second electrical contact area (17). The first and the second spring arm (21, 31) are each oriented, in the region of their first end (41, 61), at an angle (ϕ1, ϕ2) in relation to a longitudinal axis (9) of the central region (1), which angle is smaller than or equal to 90°.