Offset Guide Plate Probe Head for Short-Circuit-Free Pad Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In electrical connection apparatuses, the miniaturization of inspection objects leads to reduced probe distances, causing probes to short circuit when curved inside the probe head.
Innovation Solution
The probe head is designed with guide plates arranged in an offset configuration, where the guide holes for probes are shifted parallel to the main surface, intersecting obliquely with the arrangement direction of inspection pads, allowing probes to curve and maintain distance, preventing short circuits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the distance between inspection pads is reduced to achieve miniaturization, then the inspection object can be measured at smaller scales, but the probes come into contact with each other when curved, causing short circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by arranging guide holes in multiple layers (first guide plate and second guide plate) at different positions along the thickness direction. This vertical layering separates probes that would otherwise be too close in the horizontal plane, preventing short circuits while maintaining miniaturization of the inspection object.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements nesting by placing guide holes of different guide plates within the same probe head structure. The first guide plate and second guide plate are nested vertically, with their guide holes positioned at different heights along the thickness direction, allowing probes to be separated in three-dimensional space while remaining integrated in a single probe head.
2Ease of operation
If probes are curved inside the hollow portion of the probe head, then the probes can be held in place, but adjacent probes come into contact with each other causing short circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the contradiction between probe holding and short circuit prevention by utilizing the thickness direction (vertical dimension) to separate guide holes. The first guide plate and second guide plate are positioned at different heights, creating vertical separation that prevents lateral contact between curved probes while maintaining their curved holding configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the probe head into multiple guide plates (first guide plate and second guide plate) with guide holes at different positions. This segmentation allows probes to be held in curved positions while maintaining spatial separation, preventing short circuits between adjacent probes.
Data Source
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AI summary
An electrical connection apparatus includes probes; and a probe head having a configuration in which a first guide plate and a second guide plate, each having a guide hole formed therein, are arranged apart from each other along a surface normal direction of a main surface of the first guide plate. Positions of the guide hole of the first guide plate and the guide hole of the second guide plate through which the same probe penetrates are arranged so as to be shifted parallel to a main surface of the first guide plate. A direction in which the positions of the guide holes are shifted intersects obliquely with an arrangement direction of inspection pads of an inspection object.