Rectangular Contact Probe Reducing Voltage Drop
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing contact probes have a thin wall thickness and small sectional area, leading to high conductor resistance and significant heat generation and voltage drop when supplying large electric currents, limiting the current to around 1 A due to the small pitch and diameter of the tubes.
Innovation Solution
The contact probe design features a conductive tube with a larger sectional area in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, achieved by altering the tube's shape from cylindrical to rectangular, square, oval, or arc-like, with plungers and a coil spring, allowing for increased current supply without changing the pitch between probes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the tube has a thin wall thickness and small sectional area to maintain small pitch between probes, then the probe arrangement density is improved, but the conductor resistance increases and heat generation becomes significant
Solution Approach 1:
The tube cross-section is designed with asymmetric dimensions where the dimension in the direction different from the first direction (width) is greater than the dimension in the first direction (depth). This asymmetric rectangular cross-section allows the tube to have a larger sectional area for reduced resistance and heat generation, while maintaining a compact profile in the pitch direction to keep probes densely arranged.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing the tube diameter uniformly in all directions (circular cross-section), the invention utilizes dimensional anisotropy by making the cross-section rectangular with different dimensions in different directions. This allows selective expansion in the direction perpendicular to probe arrangement (first direction) while maintaining compactness in the arrangement direction, effectively increasing sectional area without increasing overall probe footprint.
2Area of stationary object
If the tube has a thin wall thickness and small sectional area to maintain small pitch between probes, then the probe arrangement density is improved, but the voltage drop becomes large
Solution Approach 1:
The tube cross-section is designed with asymmetric dimensions where the dimension in the direction different from the first direction (width) is greater than the dimension in the first direction (depth). This asymmetric rectangular cross-section allows the tube to have a larger sectional area for reduced resistance and heat generation, while maintaining a compact profile in the pitch direction to keep probes densely arranged.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing the tube diameter uniformly in all directions (circular cross-section), the invention utilizes dimensional anisotropy by making the cross-section rectangular with different dimensions in different directions. This allows selective expansion in the direction perpendicular to probe arrangement (first direction) while maintaining compactness in the arrangement direction, effectively increasing sectional area without increasing overall probe footprint.
3Power
If the tube diameter is increased to supply large electric current, then the current supply capability is improved, but the pitch between adjacent probes must be increased
Solution Approach 1:
The tube cross-section is designed with asymmetric dimensions where the dimension in the direction different from the first direction (width) is greater than the dimension in the first direction (depth). This asymmetric rectangular cross-section allows the tube to have a larger sectional area for reduced resistance and heat generation, while maintaining a compact profile in the pitch direction to keep probes densely arranged.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of increasing the tube diameter uniformly in all directions (circular cross-section), the invention utilizes dimensional anisotropy by making the cross-section rectangular with different dimensions in different directions. This allows selective expansion in the direction perpendicular to probe arrangement (first direction) while maintaining compactness in the arrangement direction, effectively increasing sectional area without increasing overall probe footprint.
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 design reduces conductor resistance and heat generation, enabling the supply of larger electric currents, such as up to 5 A, while maintaining the same pitch arrangement, by increasing the sectional area in the perpendicular direction.
Implementation Method 1
a coil spring, contained in the tube, and adapted to elastically urge the plunger outward
Implementation Method 2
an conductive tube; an conductive plunger, contained in at least one end side of the tube
Implementation Method 3
the tube 12 has a thin wall thickness and a small sectional area, and its conductor resistance is larger as compared with the plungers 14, 14 having a large sectional area. Therefore, in case where a large electric current is supplied to the probe 10, remarkable heat generation and a large drop of electric voltage occur in the tube 12
Data Source
AI summary
A contact probe includes a plurality of probes, each of the probes including: an conductive tube; an conductive plunger, contained in at least one end side of the tube, and having a distal end part protruding outward from the tube in an axial direction of the tube; and a coil spring, contained in the tube, and adapted to elastically urge the plunger outward. The plural probes are arranged in a first direction in a socket comprised of insulating material. A cross section of the tube in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the tube has a greater size in a direction different from the first direction than a size in the first direction.