Test Socket Assembly With Elastic Grounding Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rough flatness in the contact surface between RF circuit devices and test sockets leads to gaps, deteriorating the isolation characteristic and increasing cross-talk during electric property testing.
Innovation Solution
A test socket assembly featuring a socket block with signal probes, an elastic grounding member made of conductive elastic material, and an insulation member, which improves contact surface flatness and reduces cross-talk by ensuring close contact between the test object and the socket block without gaps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ground voltage is applied from a ground pin of the test socket to the circumference of the terminals to be tested, then cross-talk between terminals is decreased, but rough flatness due to machining error causes gaps that deteriorate isolation characteristic and increase cross-talk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the grounding member from rigid to elastic, allowing it to deform and adapt to surface irregularities. The elastic grounding member can elastically deform to fill gaps caused by machining errors, ensuring continuous contact with the test object surface and maintaining effective grounding despite manufacturing precision limitations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs an elastic grounding member made of conductive elastic material that can flexibly conform to the contact surface topology. This flexible grounding member adapts to surface irregularities and gaps, ensuring reliable electrical contact and effective grounding even when the contact surface has rough flatness due to machining errors.
2Device complexity
If a rigid ground pin is used to apply ground voltage, then the structure is simple, but gaps form due to machining error leading to poor contact and deteriorated isolation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the mechanical property of the grounding member from rigid to elastic, enabling it to deform and maintain reliable contact. This elastic grounding member can adapt to surface variations caused by machining errors, ensuring continuous electrical connection without requiring complex compensation mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic adaptability to the grounding member by making it elastic. The grounding member can dynamically adjust its shape and position to conform to the contact surface, ensuring reliable contact despite manufacturing tolerances. This dynamic characteristic allows the simple structure to achieve high contact reliability.
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 solution significantly enhances the isolation characteristic of the test object's terminals, reducing cross-talk and enabling more reliable electric property testing.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic grounding member accommodated in the recessed portion and made of a conductive elastic material
Data Source
AI summary
A test socket assembly for electrically connecting a contact point to be tested in a test object and a contact point for testing in a testing circuit. The test socket assembly includes: a plurality of signal probes; a socket block including a bottom surface facing toward the testing circuit, a top surface facing toward the test object, a plurality of probe holes for accommodating the plurality of signal probes to be parallel with one another while opposite ends of the signal probes are exposed from the top surface and the bottom surface, and a recessed portion recessed from at least partial area of the top surface and the bottom surface excluding a circumferential area of the probe holes; and an elastic grounding member accommodated in the recessed portion and made of a conductive elastic material to come into contact with at least one of the test object and the testing circuit.