Unitary Electrical Contactor With Bamboo-Shoot Spring Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical contactors used for conducting signals between contact targets on semiconductor wafers and packaged integrated circuits have high resistance due to long conduction paths, which affects conductivity and stability.
Innovation Solution
An electrical contactor formed from a plate-shaped member with tapered arm portions and bamboo-shoot-like spring structures, featuring inclined tip ends and a coupling mechanism to reduce resistance and improve slidability and contact stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional electrical contactors with multiple components are used, then the contactor can be formed with separate elastic members and contact portions, but the resistance becomes high at contact points between components, affecting electrical conductivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the elastic member and contact portions into a single unitary structure formed from a single piece of conductive material. This eliminates the contact points between separate components, thereby removing the high resistance issue while maintaining the elastic functionality and contact capability of the design.
2Reliability
If the contactor is designed with improved conductivity, then the electrical conduction path can be shortened, but the slidability of elastic member and contact stability with contact target need to be improved simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The contactor is segmented into a straight conduction path portion optimized for electrical conductivity and a separate elastic portion with optimized geometry for slidability and contact stability. This allows each segment to be independently optimized for its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the contactor are given different geometric qualities: the conduction path portion has a straight, low-resistance geometry, while the elastic portion has a configuration optimized for sliding motion and stable contact. This local optimization of geometry for different functions resolves the contradiction between conductivity and operational performance.
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 enhances conductivity by shortening the electrical conduction path and improving the slidability and stability of the contactor, reducing resistance and maintaining contact reliability.
Implementation Method 1
a first elastic portion formed by winding the upper arm portion, the first elastic portion having a bamboo-shoot-like spring structure that elastically moves the first contact portion in an axial direction
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an electrical contactor that is formed from a small number of components that can improve the conductivity in the electrical contactor, while improving the slidability of an elastic member and the electrical contact stability with a contact target. The present disclosure provides an electrical contactor which is formed from a plate-shaped member, the plate-shaped member including: a main body; an upper arm portion; a first tip end portion provided at a tip end of the upper arm portion; a lower arm portion; and a second tip end portion provided at a tip end of the lower arm portion, the electrical contactor including: a first contact portion formed by winding the first tip end portion; a first elastic portion formed by winding the upper arm portion and having a bamboo-shoot-like spring structure; a second contact portion formed by winding the second tip end portion; a second elastic portion formed by winding the lower arm portion and having a bamboo-shoot-like spring structure; and a coupling portion that couples the first elastic portion and the second elastic portion to enable elasticity of each of the first elastic portion and the second elastic portion by winding the main body, in which each or either of a tip end surface of the first contact portion that contacts the first contact target and a tip end surface of the second contact portion that contacts the second contact target is an inclined surface.