Spring Contact Pin With Stepped Thickness For IC Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spring contacts are structurally weak due to a thickness of ⅓ of the width, leading to easy breakage and poor contact with IC balls, resulting in bad test results during IC testing.
Innovation Solution
The spring contact design includes a thicker contact pin section from the contact portion to the spring holding protrusions, with a cylindrical or square column-shaped head and increased thickness in this area, providing enhanced structural strength and a larger contact surface area to prevent breakage and ensure proper contact with IC balls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the thickness of the contact pin is reduced to 1/3 of the width, then the device complexity is reduced and manufacturing is easier, but the strength and reliability of the contact pin deteriorates, leading to easy breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The contact pin employs different thickness values in different sections: a first thickness in the body portion and a second, greater thickness in the contact portion. This local quality differentiation allows the contact pin to have sufficient strength at the critical contact area while maintaining overall manufacturing simplicity and cost-effectiveness.
2Device complexity
If the thickness of the contact pin is reduced to 1/3 of the width, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of contact with IC balls deteriorates, causing bad test results
Solution Approach 1:
The contact pin employs different thickness values in different sections: a first thickness in the body portion and a second, greater thickness in the contact portion. This local quality differentiation allows the contact pin to have sufficient strength at the critical contact area while maintaining overall manufacturing simplicity and cost-effectiveness.
3Strength
If the contact portion thickness is increased, then the strength and contact reliability are improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the thickness parameter of the contact pin from a uniform value to a stepped value with two distinct thicknesses. This parameter change optimizes both strength and manufacturability by creating a simple two-section structure that is easier to manufacture than a fully thick contact pin while providing sufficient strength at the contact area.
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 modified spring contact structure enhances strength and maintains good contact with IC balls even when they deviate, improving test yield and reducing breakage risks.
Implementation Method 1
a spring (111) fitted over an assembly of the upper and lower contact pins (30, 70) at a position between the upper and lower contact pins (30, 70)
Data Source
AI summary
A spring contact, including: an upper contact pin having a contact portion, a head, a neck, a body and two spring holding protrusions; a lower contact pin having a construction that is the same as or similar to that of the upper contact pin and being coupled to the upper contact pin while crossing at right angles; and a spring fitted over an assembly of the upper and lower contact pins, wherein to increase the strength of the upper contact pin and increase the surface area of the contact portion, the head forms a cylindrical or square column shape or a part of the contact pin within the range from the contact portion to the spring holding protrusions has a thickness greater than the thickness of the body, thereby increasing the strength of the upper contact pin and increasing the surface area of the contact portion.