Conductive Contact Pin Structure for Stable Narrow-Pitch Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrically conductive contact pins in test sockets suffer from issues such as inconsistent contact stability, signal distortion, and difficulty in accommodating narrow pitch terminals, leading to reduced test reliability and potential damage to external terminals.
Innovation Solution
An electrically conductive contact pin with a lower catch portion that is compressible and deformable, featuring a support structure with elastic properties, allowing it to be inserted and secured within a guide hole, preventing separation and providing stable contact through a plating process that integrates multiple components as a single body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the pogo-type socket pin is manufactured by separately making the barrel and pin portion and assembling them, then the manufacturing process is flexible, but the gap between the outer surface of the pin portion and inner surface of the barrel increases, causing inconsistent contact stability and signal distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the pin portion and barrel into a single integrated structure where the pin is formed as one piece with the barrel, eliminating the gap that occurs in assembled structures. This integration ensures consistent contact stability and prevents signal distortion while maintaining manufacturing flexibility through processes like injection molding or machining the unified structure.
2Reliability
If the pin portion has a pointed tip portion to increase contact effect, then contact effectiveness is improved, but marks or grooves are generated on the external terminal, causing vision inspection errors and lowering reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different surface characteristics at different locations of the pin tip. The main contact area has a harder, more durable surface finish (such as through plating or case hardening) to prevent marking and damage to the external terminal, while maintaining the pointed geometry for effective contact. This localized treatment ensures both contact effectiveness and protection of the terminal.
3Reliability
If the rubber-type socket pin uses conductive microballs arranged by magnetic field, then conductivity is improved, but when distance between magnetic fields is narrowed, conductive particles are irregularly oriented, limiting response to narrow pitch technology
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the magnetic field-based particle arrangement system with a mechanically controlled conductive structure. Instead of relying on magnetic fields to orient conductive particles, the design uses a solid conductive path formed through the pin structure itself, possibly with embedded conductive elements or a continuous conductive material. This mechanical approach eliminates the limitation of magnetic field spacing and enables adaptation to narrow pitch applications.
4Ease of manufacture
If the pogo-type socket pin is assembled from separate components, then manufacturing is easier, but it is difficult to manufacture the socket pin in a small size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the pin portion and barrel into a single integrated component that can be manufactured in small sizes using processes like precision injection molding or CNC machining. This unified structure eliminates the need for assembly of separate parts, enabling miniaturization while maintaining manufacturing ease through single-step production methods.
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
Enhances test reliability by maintaining consistent contact and preventing separation, while accommodating narrow pitch terminals, thus improving signal integrity and reducing damage to external terminals.
Implementation Method 1
The lower catch portion may be compressed and deformed inward in a width direction, inserted into a first side opening of a guide hole of a guide plate, and restored while passing through a second side opening of the guide hole and brought into contact with a lower surface of the guide plate
Implementation Method 2
an electrically conductive contact pin which comprises a first connection portion, a second connection portion, a support portion extending in a length direction, an elastic portion connected to at least one of the first connection portion and the second connection portion and elastically deformable along the length direction
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides an electrically conductive contact pin that improves test reliability for a test object and prevents separation in a side opening direction of a guide hole due to a lower catch portion.