Elastic Contact Device with Buckling Columns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical contact technologies for electronic components, such as pogo-pins and conductive polymer-based contacts, face limitations in pitch reduction, mechanical stress reduction, and stability due to direct proportionality between compression force and deformation, leading to potential damage and instability in applications like probe cards and sockets.
Innovation Solution
The development of an elastic contact device with a polymeric core and metallic columns that buckle under compression, decoupling mechanical and electrical characteristics, allowing for controlled elasticity and conductivity without interference with mechanical behavior.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If spring-based contacts are used to provide elastic electrical contact, then the contact can accommodate deformation and provide reaction force, but the structure becomes cumbersome and pitch reduction is limited due to the minimum working length requirement of springs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the elastic function from the conductive element itself by separating it into two independent components: a rigid conductive column for electrical conduction and an independent polymeric elastic core for mechanical elasticity. This allows the conductive column to be arbitrarily short while maintaining compact structure, as the elasticity is provided by the separate polymeric material surrounding it.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite structure where a rigid conductive column (metallic or carbon nanotube) is embedded within a polymeric elastic core. This composite design combines the electrical conductivity of the rigid column with the elastic deformation capability of the polymeric material, eliminating the need for long spring structures while maintaining both electrical and mechanical functions.
2Device complexity
If springs are made short to reduce device complexity, then pitch can be reduced, but the maximum deformation capability is limited and acceptable reaction force values cannot be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters by using polymeric materials with specifically tuned elastic properties (Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio) to provide the necessary reaction force. The polymeric core can be designed with optimal deformation characteristics independent of the conductive column length, allowing short contacts to maintain adequate reaction force through material property optimization rather than geometric constraints.
3Reliability
If compression force is increased to overcome planarity errors and ensure all contacts reach nominal deformation, then contact uniformity improves, but the reaction force from contacts that reach nominal deformation first is remarkably increased causing potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the force-deformation relationship by using polymeric elastic cores with non-linear elastic properties. Unlike springs that exhibit direct proportionality between force and deformation, the polymeric material can be designed to provide a more gradual increase in reaction force, reducing the shock and damage risk when contacts first make nominal contact while still achieving uniform deformation across all contacts.
Solution Approach 2:
The polymeric elastic core acts as an intermediary between the rigid conductive column and the external contact surface. It mediates the force transmission by providing controlled elastic deformation that gradually increases reaction force, preventing sudden force spikes that could damage the conductive column or the contacted component.
4Device complexity
If conductive polymer-based contacts are used to reduce structure complexity, then pitch can be reduced, but the working life is reduced due to structural modifications caused by added metallic particles in the polymer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the conductive function from the polymeric material itself by using separate rigid conductive columns (metallic or carbon nanotube) embedded within the polymeric elastic core. This separation means the polymeric material does not need to contain high amounts of metallic particles, preserving its elastic properties and structural stability over time, thereby extending the contact's working life while maintaining compact structure.
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
This solution enables precise control of elasticity and conductivity, reducing mechanical stress and improving contact uniformity, leading to more reliable and stable electrical connections with reduced risk of damage to components.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic core (for example, of polymeric material) for defining an elasticity of the basic module; the elastic core undergoes an axial elastic deformation in response to an axial compression
Implementation Method 2
one or more elongated contact elements (for example, metallic columns) extend axially between the first terminal element and the second terminal element, each elongated element being configured to have a buckling axial critical load that is higher than zero and lower than a threshold compression
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment of an elastic contact device for electrically contacting electronic components is proposed. The contact device includes at least one basic module with a longitudinal axis, each one including an elastic core for defining an elasticity of the basic module (undergoing an axial elastic deformation in response to an axial compression), a first contact terminal element and a second contact terminal element coupled with the elastic core in axially opposed positions, and at least one elongated contact element extending axially between the first and second terminal elements, wherein each elongated element is configured to have a buckling axial critical load higher than zero for self-sustaining in absence of external forces during a production of the basic module and lower than a threshold compression (ranging approximately between 0.1% and 50%) for buckling thereby not contributing to the elasticity of the basic module during operation thereof.