Contact Probe Spring Geometry for Reliable Socket Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing contact probes in electrical component testing face challenges with high machining accuracy requirements and assembly difficulties due to the narrow distance between the plunger and tubular structure, leading to reduced productivity and reliability issues as the spring end detaches during compression, affecting the energized contact load and electrical testing reliability.
Innovation Solution
A contact probe design with a tubular structure, spring, and plunger featuring an eccentric structure body and increased coil outer diameter at one end of the spring, along with an inclined surface to allow for larger deformation and maintain contact, enhancing the energized contact load and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the distance between the side wall of the plunger and the inner wall of the tubular structure is increased to improve productivity, then assembly difficulty is reduced and productivity improves, but the spring end easily separates from the plunger after compression, reducing energized contact load and electrical testing reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The spring is designed with asymmetric coil diameters where the first end has a larger coil outer diameter than the middle section. This asymmetric geometry allows the spring to maintain stable contact with the plunger's spring positioning structure during compression while permitting the plunger to be positioned farther from the tubular structure wall, thereby resolving the contradiction between assembly ease and contact reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The spring positioning structure includes a localized enlarged coil diameter section at the first end of the spring. This local structural modification ensures reliable contact at the critical interface between spring and plunger without requiring the entire spring structure to be larger, enabling both improved assembly and maintained contact reliability
2Reliability
If the distance between the side wall of the plunger and the inner wall of the tubular structure is decreased to maintain spring contact, then electrical testing reliability is maintained, but machining accuracy requirements increase and assembly difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring's coil outer diameter parameter is changed at its first end to be larger than the middle section. This parameter modification allows the spring to engage reliably with the plunger's positioning structure even when the plunger is positioned farther from the tubular structure wall, thereby maintaining contact reliability while reducing machining precision requirements
3Reliability
If the coil outer diameter of the first end of the spring is increased to maintain contact with the plunger, then spring contact reliability is maintained, but the spring deformation space is reduced, decreasing elastic force and energized contact load
Solution Approach 1:
The spring is designed with a localized enlarged coil diameter only at the first end where it contacts the plunger, while the middle and second end sections maintain their original smaller dimensions. This local quality differentiation ensures reliable plunger contact while preserving sufficient deformation space and elastic force generation capacity in the main body of the spring
Solution Approach 2:
The asymmetric coil diameter design creates a larger diameter at the contact end and smaller diameter in the deformation zone. This asymmetry allows the spring to simultaneously achieve stable plunger engagement and adequate deformation capability, resolving the contradiction between contact reliability and force generation
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 design improves electrical testing reliability by maintaining spring contact and increasing the energized contact load, thereby improving productivity and reducing resistance value exceedance during testing.
Implementation Method 1
a spring provided in the receiving cavity, wherein a coil outer diameter of a first end of the spring is greater than a coil outer diameter of a middle of the spring
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present application provide a contact probe and a socket for electrical component testing. The contact probe includes a tubular structure within which a receiving cavity is formed, wherein a contact part for contacting a terminal of a first electrical component is provided at a first end of the tubular structure; a spring provided in the receiving cavity, wherein a coil outer diameter of a first end of the spring is greater than a coil outer diameter of a middle of the spring; a plunger connected to the tubular structure in a slidable manner, wherein a first end of the plunger is provided with a spring positioning structure, which comprises a transition part and an eccentric structure body connected to the transition part; wherein the eccentric structure body is arranged offset from a central axis of the plunger, and one end of the eccentric structure body is sheathed by the first end of the spring, one end of the transition part connected to the eccentric structure body is provided with an inclined surface, so that the spring is not contacted with the transition part when the spring is compressed; a second end of the plunger protrudes from a second end of the tubular structure.