Inclined Contact Probe Tip for Oxide Film Penetration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conductive contact probes used in testing semiconductor integrated circuits and liquid crystal display devices often fail to establish stable electrical connection due to oxide films on solder electrodes, as their crown-like shapes are insufficient to break through these films.
Innovation Solution
A contact probe design featuring a first plunger with a tapered tip and a coil spring, where the plunger is inclined to rotate and break through the oxide film upon contact, ensuring stable electrical conduction by adjusting its longitudinal axis to match the probe's axis, thereby improving positional precision and contact reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a crown-like shape contact probe is used, then the contact probe can be simple in structure, but it fails to break through oxide films on electrode surfaces resulting in unstable conduction
Solution Approach 1:
The contact probe tip is designed with a specific inclination angle (α) relative to the longitudinal axis, allowing it to dynamically rotate upon contact with the electrode. This dynamic rotation enables the tip to actively break through oxide films rather than relying on static crown-like shape, thereby achieving stable conduction while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the contact probe tip by introducing an inclination angle (α) between the tip axis and the longitudinal axis. This parameter modification enables the tip to effectively penetrate oxide films through rotational motion during contact, resolving the conduction stability issue without complicating the overall structure
2Measurement precision
If the contact probe tip is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, then the structure is simple, but the positional precision and contact reliability are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The contact probe tip is designed with asymmetric inclination relative to the longitudinal axis, creating a specific angle (α) between them. This asymmetric configuration improves positional precision and contact reliability by enabling rotational motion upon contact, while avoiding excessive structural complexity through the use of a simple inclined geometric form
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 stabilizes electric conduction with test targets by effectively breaking through oxide films, ensuring reliable signal transmission and improved precision in contact with semiconductor integrated circuits and circuit boards.
Implementation Method 1
a coil spring configured to be joined to the first plunger
Data Source
AI summary
A contact probe includes: a first plunger including a tip end configured to be contact with one of electrode, and a flange that is continuous to the tip end; and a coil spring configured to be joined to the first plunger. The tip end includes: a tip contact including a tip configured to be contact with the one of the electrode; a columnar first base portion provided to a base end side of the tip contact, and including a lateral side surface extending along a longitudinal axis of the first plunger; and a second base portion provided to an end of the first base portion, the end being on a side opposite to the tip contact, the second base portion including an inclined lateral side inclined in a manner approaching the longitudinal axis of the first plunger, as the inclined lateral side extends toward the flange.