Vertical Probe Head Structure for Tiny Contact Probing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Probe cards face challenges in achieving sufficient current withstanding capability and structural strength while maintaining a small diameter, leading to short lifespan and frequent replacement due to high resistance and vulnerability to wear or breakage during probing.
Innovation Solution
A probe head design with a vertical probe structure that includes a probe seat and multiple vertical probes, where the probe tip section narrows gradually to a smaller width and extends for a longer length, maintaining structural strength and allowing for wear without positional deviation, ensuring stable contact with tiny electrically conductive contacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If the diameter of the probe is reduced to meet tiny contact probing requirements, then the probe can access smaller contacts, but the resistance increases and current withstanding capability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The probe is designed with non-uniform cross-section: the upper portion (contact area) has small diameter to probe tiny contacts, while the lower portion (installation area) maintains large diameter for sufficient current capacity. This local differentiation allows each section to optimize for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
The probe is segmented into distinct functional zones: a probe tip section with gradually narrowing part and contact part for small diameter, and a body portion with larger diameter for current conduction. The segmentation separates the conflicting requirements of small size and high current capacity to different spatial regions.
2Area of moving object
If the probe diameter is reduced, then the probe can probe tiny contacts, but the structural strength is reduced making the probe vulnerable to wear and breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The probe structure implements local quality by providing small diameter only where needed for probing contacts, while maintaining large diameter in the body portion for structural strength. The gradual narrowing transition ensures stress distribution without sudden geometric discontinuities.
Solution Approach 2:
The probe is divided into a weak probe tip section (small diameter) and a strong body portion (large diameter), with the segmentation point located away from the contact area. This allows the critical contact region to be small while the load-bearing region remains strong.
3Area of moving object
If the probe tip section narrows suddenly to small width, then the probe can contact tiny contacts, but the rigidity is highly lowered causing positional deviation
Solution Approach 1:
The probe tip section features a gradually narrowing part with curved, continuous transition rather than sudden angular changes. This smooth curvature distribution reduces stress concentration and maintains rigidity while achieving the small contact width.
Solution Approach 2:
The cross-sectional width parameter changes gradually along the length of the probe tip section, transitioning from large diameter at the base to small diameter at the contact point. This continuous parameter change avoids abrupt geometric transitions that would compromise rigidity.
Data Source
AI summary
A probe head includes a probe seat, and vertical probes each having a head portion including a head portion installation section with a first width, and a probe tip section including a probe tip contact part with a second width smaller than the first width and a probe tip gradually narrowing part which is located between the head portion installation section and the probe tip contact part, gradually narrows from the first width to the second width, and has a first length smaller than a second length of the probe tip contact part. The head portion installation section protrudes out of a lower surface of the probe seat for a length smaller than the sum of the first and second lengths. The vertical probe is great in current withstanding capability, structural strength and life time, and meets the requirement of probing tiny electrically conductive contacts.