Metal buckling beam probe
US6404211B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 11, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jun 11, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 11, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01R1/07357
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A buckling beam probe assembly and a process to make the assembly using insulated metal to hold the vertical beam probe wires. The buckling beam probe assembly electrically connects a test apparatus with contact pads on the surface of a device to be tested. The assembly is formed with a plurality of buckling beam wires each having a head, a body, and a tail. Each of the beam wires is pressed vertically onto the contact pads and buckles laterally to adapt to height differences of the contact pads caused by irregularities on the surface of the device to be tested. A top plate has a first plurality of apertures receiving the heads of the plurality of buckling beam wires. A bottom plate has a second plurality of apertures receiving the tails of the plurality of buckling beams wires. A plurality of intermediate metal sections are positioned between the top plate and the bottom plate. Each of the intermediate metal sections is formed with a plurality of thin metal layers and has a plurality of openings coated with an insulation layer. The bodies of the plurality of buckling beam wires pass through the openings.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.