JP2023007843A - Contact probe and assembly method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

A contact probe that can be assembled without deforming a part of a terminal, and a method for assembling the same. A first terminal (110) contacting a first electronic device, a second terminal (120) contacting a second electronic device, and the first terminal (110) and the second terminal (120) are spaced apart from each other in an axis X direction. and the first terminal 110 has a first contact portion 111, a first extension portion 113, a first orthogonal portion 114, and a first return portion 115. The second terminal 120 has a second contact portion 121, a second extension portion 123, a second orthogonal portion 124, and a second return portion 125, and has a first orthogonal portion 114 and a second orthogonal portion. The first orthogonal portion 114 is slidable along the axis X direction in a region adjacent to the second extending portion 123, and the second orthogonal portion 114 intersects with the portion 124 when viewed from the axis X direction. The portion 124 is slidable along the axis X direction in a region adjacent to the first extension portion 113 . [Selection drawing] Fig. 2

Description

The present invention relates to contact probes and methods of assembling the same.

2. Description of the Related Art Electronic devices such as IC packages mounted on electronic equipment are generally tested using an inspection socket to remove potential defects before they are mounted on a wiring board. The test socket includes contact probes for electrically connecting electrode portions such as solder balls and solder bumps of the electronic device and a printed wiring board (substrate) as a test board or a mounting substrate.

Examples of contact probes include those disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example.
The contact described in Patent Document 1 has a configuration in which H-shaped hook portions provided on two contact pins are elastically deformed to hook the two contact pins.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-516398

However, when adopting the configuration as disclosed in Patent Document 1, the hook portion is required to have high dimensional accuracy. This is because if the distance between the hooks is narrow, an excessive load may be applied to the hook during assembly and the hook may be damaged. because it may fall out of Also, if the distance between the hooks is narrow, the contact pins will be in good contact with each other, but it will be difficult to slide. is.
In addition, since the hooks are assembled using the elastic deformation of the hooks, there is a possibility that the hooks will be pressed against each other during assembly and the contact pins will be damaged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a contact probe that can be assembled without deforming a portion of the terminal, and a method for assembling the same.

In order to solve the above problems, the contact probe and its assembling method of the present invention employ the following means.
That is, a contact probe according to a first aspect of the present invention is a contact probe that electrically connects two electronic devices and extends in an axial direction, and includes a first terminal that contacts the first electronic device; a second terminal that contacts two electronic devices; and a biasing member that biases the first terminal and the second terminal away from each other in the axial direction, the first terminal , a first contact portion contacting the first electronic device, a first extension portion extending from the first contact portion along the axial direction, and a first extension portion orthogonal to the axial direction. and a first return portion extending from the first orthogonal portion toward the first contact portion, wherein the second terminal connects to the second electronic device. a contacting second contact portion; a second extending portion extending from the second contact portion along the axial direction; and a second extending portion extending from the second extending portion in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction. It has an orthogonal portion and a second return portion extending from the second orthogonal portion toward the second contact portion, and the first orthogonal portion and the second orthogonal portion are separated from each other when viewed from the axial direction. the first orthogonal portion is slidable along the axial direction in a region adjacent to the second extension portion, and the second orthogonal portion is slidable along the axial direction in a region adjacent to the .

According to the contact probe according to this aspect, the first orthogonal portion and the second orthogonal portion intersect when viewed in the axial direction, and the first orthogonal portion is located adjacent to the second extension portion along the axis. Since the second orthogonal portion is slidable along the axial direction in a region adjacent to the first extending portion, the orthogonal portions are caught by each other and biased. Separation of the terminals urged by the member can be regulated. As a result, a contact probe is configured in which the terminals are slidable relative to each other, with the position where the orthogonal portions are hooked to each other as the position where the terminals are most distant from each other.
Further, the orthogonal portion can be held by the return portion. This can prevent the orthogonal portion from falling out of the region adjacent to the extension. Moreover, the straightness of the terminal can be improved.
In addition, since the contact probe can be assembled by hooking the substantially J-shaped hook portions composed of the extended portion, the orthogonal portion, and the return portion, the terminal can be partially deformed like an H-shaped contact probe. No need. For this reason, dimensional accuracy as high as that of the H-shaped contact probe is not required. Also, damage to the terminals during assembly can be avoided. Moreover, the sliding resistance can be reduced as compared with the H-shaped contact probe.

Moreover, in the contact probe according to the first aspect of the present invention, the first terminal includes a first auxiliary extension extending from the first contact portion toward the tip of the first return portion along the axial direction. and/or the second terminal has a second auxiliary extension portion extending along the axial direction from the second contact portion toward the tip of the second return portion. ing.

Since the contact probe according to this aspect has the first auxiliary extension and/or the second auxiliary extension, the orthogonal portion can be held by the auxiliary extension. As a result, it is possible to prevent each orthogonal portion from falling out of the region adjacent to the extension portion where the return portion does not exist. Moreover, the straightness of the terminal can be improved. Moreover, since the number of contact points between the terminals increases, the conductivity can be improved.

Moreover, in the contact probe according to the first aspect of the present invention, the first auxiliary extension portion is connected to the first return portion.

According to the contact probe according to this aspect, one of the auxiliary extensions (here, the first auxiliary extension) is connected to the first return portion, that is, it becomes an O-shaped hook instead of a J-shaped. Therefore, it is possible to further reduce the possibility that the second orthogonal portion will fall off from the region adjacent to the first extending portion.

Further, in the contact probe according to the first aspect of the present invention, the amount of protrusion of the second return portion from the second orthogonal portion is determined by setting the thickness dimension of the first orthogonal portion to t and the stroke amount to S. 0.5t or more and S or less.

According to the contact probe according to this aspect, the amount of protrusion of the second return portion from the second orthogonal portion is 0.5 t or more and S, where t is the thickness dimension of the first orthogonal portion and S is the stroke amount. Therefore, when the hook portion of the first terminal is hooked to the hook portion of the second terminal, the first terminal can be minimized by pushing the to the second terminal side. Therefore, by minimizing the expansion and contraction of the biasing member, it is possible to reduce deterioration in performance (decrease in elastic force) of the biasing member.

Further, in the contact probe according to the first aspect of the present invention, the distance between the tip of the second auxiliary extension portion and the tip of the second return portion is determined by setting the thickness dimension of the first orthogonal portion to t. t or more and 2t or less.

Further, the distance between the tip of the second auxiliary extension portion and the tip of the second return portion is set to t or more and 2t or less, where t is the thickness dimension of the first orthogonal portion. The gap between the tip of the extension part and the tip of the second return part can be set such that the hook part of the assembled terminals is difficult to come off while securing the gap for inserting the first orthogonal part. .

Also, in the contact probe according to the first aspect of the present invention, the first terminal has a first projecting portion extending from the first orthogonal portion toward the second contact portion along the axial direction. and/or the second terminal has a second projection extending along the axial direction from the second orthogonal portion toward the first contact portion.

According to the contact probe of this aspect, since it has the first projecting portion and/or the second projecting portion, the projecting portion can slide along the extension portion and the auxiliary extension portion. Thereby, the rectilinearity of the terminal can be improved.

Further, in the contact probe according to the first aspect of the present invention, the first terminal extends from the first extending portion to the first orthogonal portion between the first contact portion and the first orthogonal portion. having a first intermediate orthogonal portion extending in parallel, the second terminal extending parallel to the second orthogonal portion from the second extension between the second contact portion and the second orthogonal portion; It has a second intermediate orthogonal portion extending into.

According to the contact probe according to this aspect, since it has the first intermediate orthogonal portion and the second intermediate orthogonal portion, it is possible to form the hook portion in two stages.

Further, the contact probe assembling method according to the first aspect of the present invention is a contact probe that electrically connects two electronic devices and extends in an axial direction, and has a first terminal that contacts the first electronic device. a second terminal that contacts a second electronic device; and a biasing member that biases the first terminal and the second terminal so as to separate them from each other in the axial direction; One terminal includes a first contact portion that contacts the first electronic device, a first extension portion that extends from the first contact portion along the axial direction, and a first extension portion that extends from the first extension portion in the axial direction. and a first return portion extending from the first orthogonal portion toward the first contact portion, wherein the second terminal comprises the second a second contact portion that contacts the electronic device; a second extension portion that extends from the second contact portion along the axial direction; and a second return portion extending from the second orthogonal portion toward the second contact portion, the method for assembling a contact probe, when viewed from the direction of the axis when the first orthogonal portion and the second orthogonal portion are arranged in parallel; and the step of orthogonalizing the first orthogonal portion and the second orthogonal portion are included.

A contact probe according to a second aspect of the present invention is a contact probe that electrically connects two electronic devices and extends in an axial direction, and includes a third terminal that contacts a third electronic device; 4 a fourth terminal contacting an electronic device; and a biasing member biasing the third terminal and the fourth terminal away from each other in the axial direction, the third terminal a third contact portion contacting the third electronic device; a third extension portion extending from the third contact portion along the axial direction; and a third extension portion perpendicular to the axial direction. a third orthogonal portion extending in a direction, the fourth terminal extending along the axial direction from a fourth contact portion for contacting the fourth electronic device; a tubular portion, the tubular portion having a slit formed along the axial direction, and the third orthogonal portion sliding along the axial direction in the slit; It is possible.

According to the contact probe according to this aspect, the third orthogonal portion is slidable along the axial direction in the slit portion. It is possible to regulate the separation between the terminals that are energized. As a result, a contact probe is formed in which the terminals are positioned farthest apart from each other at the position where the third orthogonal portion and the slit portion are hooked, and the terminals are slidable relative to each other.
Further, the contact probe can be assembled by a simple method of only hooking the third orthogonal portion to the slit portion.

Further, in the contact probe according to the second aspect of the present invention, the tubular portion is formed with a guide slit portion that communicates between the edge and the slit portion.

According to the contact probe according to this aspect, since the cylindrical portion is formed with the guide slit portion that communicates the edge and the slit portion, the third orthogonal portion can be guided from the edge of the cylindrical portion to the slit portion. can be done. That is, the third orthogonal portion can be guided to the slit portion without deforming the third terminal.

Further, in the contact probe according to the second aspect of the present invention, the guide slit portion includes a vertical slit extending along the axial direction in communication with the edge of the cylindrical portion, and a vertical slit in communication with the slit portion. and a lateral slit along a direction perpendicular to the axial direction.

According to the contact probe according to this aspect, the guide slit portion has the vertical slit along the axial direction and the horizontal slit along the direction perpendicular to the axial direction. The contact probe can be assembled by pushing the third terminal from the edge along the slit and then rotating the third terminal around the axis so that the third orthogonal portion is along the horizontal slit.

Moreover, in the contact probe according to the second aspect of the present invention, the guide slit section has an inclined slit that is inclined with respect to the axial direction.

According to the contact probe according to this aspect, since the guide slit portion has the inclined slit that is inclined with respect to the axial direction, it is possible to push and rotate the third terminal at the same time.

Further, in the contact probe according to the second aspect of the present invention, the guide slit portion is connected to a portion of the slit portion closer to the fourth contact portion than the edge portion of the tubular portion. there is

According to the contact probe according to this aspect, since the guide slit portion is connected to the portion closer to the fourth contact portion than the edge portion of the tubular portion in the slit portion, Also, the third orthogonal portion can be held in the region on the edge side of the cylindrical portion. As a result, the third orthogonal portion is stably held by the slit portion at the position where the terminals are most separated from each other (the position in the no-load state).

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the contact probe which can be assembled without deform|transforming a part of terminal, and its assembly method can be provided.

1A and 1B are a front view and a cross-sectional view of a socket provided with a contact probe according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a contact probe according to Example 1. FIG. 1 is an exploded view (front view) of a contact probe according to Example 1. FIG. 1 is an exploded view (side view) of a contact probe according to Example 1. FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a method of assembling the contact probe according to Example 1; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a method of assembling the contact probe according to Example 1; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a method of assembling the contact probe according to Example 1; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a method of assembling the contact probe according to Example 1; FIG. 11 is an exploded view (front view) of the contact probe according to Example 2; FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a contact probe according to Example 3 (springs are omitted); FIG. 11 is an exploded view (front view) of a contact probe according to Example 3; FIG. 11 is an exploded view (front view) of another example of the contact probe according to Example 3; FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a contact probe according to Example 4 (spring omitted). FIG. 11 is an exploded view (front view) of another example of the contact probe according to Example 4; FIG. 20 is a perspective view of another example of the contact probe according to Example 4 (a spring is omitted). FIG. 11 is an exploded view (front view) of another example of the contact probe according to Example 4; FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a contact probe according to Example 5 (springs are omitted). FIG. 12 is an exploded view (front view) of another example of the contact probe according to Example 5; It is a perspective view of the contact probe which concerns on a modification (spring is omitted). FIG. 11 is an exploded view (front view) of another example of the contact probe according to the modified example; It is a perspective view of the contact probe which concerns on a modification (spring is omitted). FIG. 11 is an exploded view (front view) of another example of the contact probe according to the modified example; It is a perspective view of the contact probe which concerns on a modification (spring is omitted). FIG. 11 is an exploded view (front view) of another example of the contact probe according to the modified example; It is a perspective view of the contact probe which concerns on a modification (spring is omitted). FIG. 11 is an exploded view (front view) of another example of the contact probe according to the modified example; FIG. 11 is an exploded view (front view) of another contact probe according to a comparative example; FIG. 4A is a front view and cross-sectional view of a socket provided with a contact probe according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a perspective view of a contact probe according to Example 1. FIG. 4 is a front view of the third terminal of the contact probe according to Example 1. FIG. 4 is a side view of the third terminal of the contact probe according to Example 1. FIG. 4 is a view of the fourth terminal of the contact probe according to Example 1, which is developed around the entire axis; FIG. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a contact probe according to Example 2; It is the figure which expanded the 4th terminal of the contact probe which concerns on Example 2 to the perimeter of an axis|shaft. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a contact probe according to Example 3; It is the figure which developed the 4th terminal of the contact probe concerning Example 3 all around the axis. It is a perspective view of a contact probe according to a modification. It is the figure which expand|deployed the 4th terminal of the contact probe which concerns on a modification all around an axis|shaft. It is a front view of the 3rd terminal which concerns on a modification.

[First embodiment]
A test socket according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[Overview of Socket]
FIG. 1 shows a front view and a longitudinal sectional view of an inspection socket 10 (hereinafter simply referred to as "socket 10").
The socket 10 is a component that provides conduction between the printed wiring board 20 (first electronic device) and the IC package 30 (second electronic device) in testing the IC package 30 . The socket 10 is mounted, for example, on the upper surface of a printed wiring board 20 as a test board. Also, an IC package 30 as an inspection device, for example, is attached to the recess 12a of the socket 10 mounted on the printed wiring board 20 .
As the IC package 30, a BGA (Ball Grid Array) type is exemplified. Alternatively, an LGA (Land Grid Array) type or a QFP (Quad Flat Package) type may be used.

A socket 10 includes a contact probe 100 , a housing 11 and a movable base 12 . In the socket 10, the housing 11 is arranged on the printed wiring board 20 side, and the movable pedestal 12 is arranged so as to be stacked thereon.

A pedestal spring 13 is interposed between the housing 11 and the movable pedestal 12, and urges both members in a direction to separate them from each other. Thereby, the movable pedestal 12 can elastically approach and separate from the housing 11 .
Specifically, the movable base 12 is separated from the housing 11 by applying no load, and the movable base 12 is brought closer to the housing 11 by pushing the movable base 12 toward the housing 11 .

Between the housing 11 and the movable pedestal 12 constructed in this manner, a large number of contact probes 100 are housed standing upright at a pitch of 0.3 mm to 0.8 mm, for example.
The contact probes 100 establish electrical continuity between the IC package 30 mounted on the socket 10 and the printed wiring board 20 on which the socket 10 is mounted.

[Contact probe details]
Hereinafter, the detailed structure of the contact probe 100 will be described with reference to multiple embodiments.

[Example 1]
As shown in FIG. 2, the contact probe 100 is a component extending in the direction of the axis X and has a first terminal 110, a second terminal 120 and a spring (biasing member) .
The dimension of the contact probe 100 along the X-axis direction (full length when extended) is, for example, about 2 mm to 6 mm.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the first terminal 110 has a first contact portion 111 and a first hook portion 112 .
The dimension (total length) of the first terminal 110 along the axis X direction is, for example, about 1 mm to 3 mm.

The first contact portion 111 is a portion that contacts the printed wiring board 20 .
A sharp portion is formed at the tip of the first contact portion 111 . In the case of the figure, the sharp portion has a single peak, but it may have a shape like a so-called crown cut.
A first hook portion 112 is integrally connected to the proximal end (the side opposite to the distal end) of the first contact portion 111 .

The first hook portion 112 is a portion configured to be hooked on a second hook portion 122 of a second terminal 120, which will be described later.
The first hook portion 112 has a first extension portion 113 , a first orthogonal portion 114 and a first return portion 115 .

The first extension portion 113 is a prismatic portion extending along the direction of the axis X from the base end of the first contact portion 111 .

The first orthogonal portion 114 is a prismatic portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the axis X from the tip (upper end in the figure) of the first extending portion 113 .
At this time, the first orthogonal portion 114 has a thickness dimension of t1 (hereinafter also referred to as “thickness t1”). In addition, the thickness here means the dimension along the direction of the axis line X as illustrated.

The first return portion 115 is a prism-shaped portion extending from the tip of the first orthogonal portion 114 (the right end in the drawing) along the direction of the axis X toward the first contact portion 111 .
At this time, the first return portion 115 is sized so as not to come into contact with the first contact portion 111 (protrusion amount p1). Also, the first return portion 115 is separated from the first extension portion 113 by a distance d1 in the extension direction of the first orthogonal portion 114 . The distance d1 is constant along the X axis.

The protrusion amount p1 of the first return portion 115 is set so that 0.5t2≦p1≦S with respect to the thickness t2 (described later) of the second orthogonal portion 124 and the stroke amount S of the contact probe 100. . It should be noted that the stroke amount S referred to here is the amount of expansion and contraction of the contact probe 100 that can be assumed in normal use, and is appropriately set, for example, within a range of approximately 0.2 mm to 1.0 mm.
This prevents the first orthogonal portion 114 from being detached from the second return portion 125 in the contact probe 100 under no load, and also prevents the first terminal 110 and the second terminal 120 from being pressed by the amount ( That is, the amount of compression of the spring 130 can be made as small as possible.

The first hook portion 112 is formed in a substantially J shape by the first extension portion 113, the first orthogonal portion 114, and the first return portion 115 configured in this way.
As shown in FIG. 4, the first hook portion 112 has a width w1 (hereinafter also referred to as "width w1"). The width w1 is substantially the same as the distance d1 or slightly smaller than the distance d1.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the second terminal 120 has a second contact portion 121 and a second hook portion 122 .
The dimension (total length) of the second terminal 120 along the axis X direction is, for example, about 1 mm to 3 mm.

The second contact portion 121 is a portion that contacts the IC package 30 .
A sharp portion is formed at the tip of the second contact portion 121 . In the case of the figure, the sharp portion has a single peak, but it may have a shape like a so-called crown cut.
A second hook portion 122 is integrally connected to the proximal end (the side opposite to the distal end) of the second contact portion 121 .

The second hook portion 122 is a portion configured to be hooked on the first hook portion 112 of the first terminal 110 described above.
The second hook portion 122 has a second extension portion 123 , a second orthogonal portion 124 and a second return portion 125 .

The second extension portion 123 is a prismatic portion extending along the direction of the axis X from the base end of the second contact portion 121 .

The second orthogonal portion 124 is a prismatic portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the axis X from the tip (lower end in the drawing) of the second extending portion 123 .
At this time, the second orthogonal portion 124 has a thickness dimension of t2 (hereinafter also referred to as “thickness t2”). In addition, the thickness here means the dimension along the direction of the axis line X as illustrated.

The second return portion 125 is a prism-shaped portion extending from the tip of the second orthogonal portion 124 (the right end in the figure) along the direction of the axis X and toward the second contact portion 121 .
At this time, the second return portion 125 is sized so as not to come into contact with the second contact portion 121 (protrusion amount p2). In addition, the second return portion 125 is separated from the second extension portion 123 by a distance d2 in the extension direction of the second orthogonal portion 124 . The distance d2 is constant along the X axis.

The protrusion amount p2 of the second return portion 125 is set so that 0.5t1≦p2≦S with respect to the thickness t1 of the first orthogonal portion 114 and the stroke amount S of the contact probe 100 .
This prevents the second orthogonal portion 124 from being detached from the first return portion 115 in the contact probe 100 under no load, and also prevents the first terminal 110 and the second terminal 120 from being pressed by the amount ( That is, the amount of compression of the spring 130 can be made as small as possible.

The second hook portion 122 is formed in a substantially J shape by the second extension portion 123, the second orthogonal portion 124, and the second return portion 125 configured in this manner.
As shown in FIG. 4, the second hook portion 122 has a width dimension of w2 (hereinafter also referred to as "width w2"). The width w2 is substantially the same as the distance d2 or slightly smaller than the distance d2.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first terminal 110 and the second terminal 120 configured as described above are connected to each other by intersecting and hooking the first hook portion 112 and the second hook portion 122 .
At this time, the first hook portion 112 and the second hook portion 122 are housed inside the spring 130 . Moreover, the spring 130 is in contact with the first contact portion 111 and the second contact portion 121 with elastic force.
As a result, the contact probe 100 is configured such that the first terminal 110 and the second terminal 120 are urged in the direction of separating from each other, and the first hook portion 112 and the second hook portion 122 are caught by each other so that the contact probe 100 does not come off from each other. It will be. That is, the first orthogonal portion 114 of the first hook portion 112 slides in the direction of the axis X in the region adjacent to the second extending portion 123, and the second orthogonal portion 124 of the second hook portion 122 slides along the first extending portion. A contact probe 100 that slides in the direction of the axis X is formed in a region adjacent to the portion 113 .

[Assembly method of contact probe]
Contact probe 100 is assembled as follows.
First, as shown in FIG. 5, the first hook portion 112 is inserted inside the spring 130 from one end of the spring 130 . Also, the second hook portion 122 is inserted inside the spring 130 from the other end of the spring 130 .

At this time, the first hook portion 112 and the second hook portion 122 are in parallel, that is, the first orthogonal portion 114 and the second orthogonal portion 124 are in parallel. Moreover, it is a state in which no load is applied to the spring 130, that is, a state in which the length of the spring 130 is the natural length.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the first terminal 110 and the second terminal 120 are pushed in along the direction of the axis X so that the first terminal 110 and the second terminal 120 are close to each other.
At this time, the first orthogonal portion 114 and the second orthogonal portion 124 are parallel to each other, that is, the first hook portion 112 and the second hook portion 122 overlap each other. Also, the spring 130 is in a compressed state.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7, the first terminal 110 is rotated about the axis X by approximately 90 degrees, for example.
As a result, the first orthogonal portion 114 and the second orthogonal portion 124 intersect (perpendicularly).
At this time, spring 130 is still in a compressed state.

As long as the first orthogonal portion 114 and the second orthogonal portion 124 that are in a parallel state intersect, the terminal to be rotated may be the second terminal 120 or both terminals.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the first terminal 110 and/or the second terminal 120 are released.
As a result, the spring 130 expands to separate the first terminal 110 and the second terminal 120 from each other, and the first orthogonal portion 114 of the first hook portion 112 and the second orthogonal portion 124 of the second hook portion 122 are caught. , the assembly of the contact probe 100 that can extend and contract in the direction of the axis X is completed.

[Example 2]
As shown in FIG. 9, the first terminal 110 may be provided with a first auxiliary extension 116 .
The first auxiliary extension portion 116 is a prism-shaped portion extending along the direction of the axis X from the base end of the first contact portion 111 toward the tip end of the first return portion 115 .

The first auxiliary extending portion 116 can improve the straightness of the second terminal 120 in the portion closer to the first contact portion 111 than the first return portion 115 (lower in the drawing). Moreover, since the number of contact points between the first terminal 110 and the second orthogonal portion 124 increases, the conductivity can be improved.

A gap is provided between the tip of the first auxiliary extension portion 116 and the tip of the first return portion 115 (distance g1).
The distance g1 is set so that the thickness t2 of the second orthogonal portion 124 satisfies t2≦g1≦2t2.
As a result, the first hook portion 112 of the assembled first terminal 110 and the second hook portion 112 of the assembled first terminal 110 and the second orthogonal portion 124 can be inserted into the region adjacent to the first extension portion 113 from the gap. A gap can be set so that the second hook portion 122 of the terminal 120 is difficult to come off.

Further, in this embodiment, it is preferable that the protrusion amount p1 of the first return portion 115 is p1=0.5t2 with respect to the thickness t2 of the second orthogonal portion 124 .
This prevents the second orthogonal portion 124 from being detached from the first return portion 115 in the contact probe 100 under no load, and also prevents the first terminal 110 and the second terminal 120 from being pressed by the amount ( That is, the amount of compression of the spring 130 can be made as small as possible.

Also, the second terminal 120 may be provided with a second auxiliary extension portion 126 . In this case, the configuration of each portion is the same as that of the first terminal 110 .
A gap of distance g2 is provided between the tip of the second auxiliary extension portion 126 and the tip of the second return portion 125 . The distance g2 is set so that t1≦g2≦2t1 with respect to the thickness t1 of the first orthogonal portion 114 .
As a result, the first hook portion 112 of the assembled first terminal 110 and the second hook portion 112 of the assembled first terminal 110 are secured while the first orthogonal portion 114 can be inserted into the region adjacent to the second extension portion 123 from the gap. A gap can be set so that the second hook portion 122 of the terminal 120 is difficult to come off.

Further, the tip corner of the first auxiliary extending portion 116 and/or the tip corner of the first return portion 115 may be tapered (indicated by broken lines in FIG. 9) or rounded.
As a result, the second orthogonal portion 124 can be smoothly inserted into the region adjacent to the first extending portion 113 through the gap.
The same configuration can be adopted for the tip corner portion of the second auxiliary extension portion 126 and/or the tip corner portion of the second return portion 125 .

[Example 3]
As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, for example, the first auxiliary extension portion 116 of the first terminal 110 may be connected to the first return portion 115 to be integrated. That is, the first hook portion 112 may be O-shaped.
Note that the contact probe 100 can be assembled if the mating hook portion (second hook portion 122) is provided with a gap into which the first orthogonal portion 114 is inserted.

Thus, by making the first hook portion 112 O-shaped and the second hook portion 122 J-shaped, there is a possibility that the first hook portion 112 and the second hook portion 122 may come off (gap). can be reduced.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 12, the second terminal 120 may be provided with a second auxiliary extension portion 126 (see Example 2). Also, a terminal having an O-shaped hook portion may be the second terminal 120 instead of the first terminal 110 .

[Example 4]
As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the first terminal 110 may be provided with a first protrusion 117 . Also, a second projecting portion 127 may be provided on the second terminal 120 .

The first protruding portion 117 is a prismatic portion extending along the direction of the axis X from the central portion of the first orthogonal portion 114 toward the side opposite to the first contact portion 111 .

The second protruding portion 127 is a prismatic portion extending along the direction of the axis X from the central portion of the second orthogonal portion 124 toward the side opposite to the second contact portion 121 .

As shown in FIG. 13 , the first projecting portion 117 contacts the second extending portion 123 and the second return portion 125 in a region adjacent to the second extending portion 123 . Also, the second projecting portion 127 contacts the first extending portion 113 and the first return portion 115 in a region adjacent to the first extending portion 113 .
Accordingly, straightness of the first terminal 110 and the second terminal 120 can be improved. Moreover, since the number of contact points between the first terminal 110 and the second terminal 120 increases, the conductivity can be improved.

It should be noted that it is not always necessary to provide protrusions on both terminals, and for example, as shown in FIGS.

[Example 5]
As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the first terminal 110 may be provided with a first intermediate orthogonal portion 118 . Also, a second intermediate orthogonal portion 128 may be provided on the second terminal 120 .

The first intermediate orthogonal portion 118 extends from the first extending portion 113 between the first contact portion 111 and the first orthogonal portion 114 (for example, at an intermediate position) in a direction orthogonal to the axis X (between the first orthogonal portion 114 and parallel direction).
First intermediate orthogonal portion 118 extends in the same direction as first orthogonal portion 114 . That is, when the first terminal 110 is viewed from the direction of the axis X, the first orthogonal portion 114 and the first intermediate orthogonal portion 118 overlap each other.

The second intermediate orthogonal portion 128 extends from the second extending portion 123 between the first contact portion 111 and the first orthogonal portion 114 (for example, at an intermediate position) in a direction orthogonal to the axis X (between the second orthogonal portion 124 and parallel direction).
The second intermediate orthogonal portion 128 extends in the same direction as the second orthogonal portion 124 . That is, when the second terminal 120 is viewed from the direction of the axis X, the second orthogonal portion 124 and the second intermediate orthogonal portion 128 overlap each other.

The first intermediate orthogonal portion 118 and the second intermediate orthogonal portion 128 may be provided with a folded portion similar to the first orthogonal portion 114 and the second orthogonal portion 124 .

By providing the first intermediate orthogonal portion 118 and the second intermediate orthogonal portion 128 , the first orthogonal portion 114 is hooked on the second intermediate orthogonal portion 128 and the second orthogonal portion 124 is hooked on the first intermediate orthogonal portion 118 . .
Accordingly, straightness of the first terminal 110 and the second terminal 120 can be improved. Moreover, since the number of contact points between the first terminal 110 and the second terminal 120 increases, the conductivity can be improved.

[Modification]
As shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, for example, the hook portion of the first terminal 110 may be a two-step O-shape.
Further, as shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, for example, an auxiliary extension portion may be provided for the second intermediate orthogonal portion 128 of the second terminal 120 .
Also, as shown in FIGS. 23 and 24, the folded portions of the first intermediate orthogonal portion 118 and the second intermediate orthogonal portion 128 can be omitted.
Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 25 and 26 , the first intermediate orthogonal portion 118 and the second intermediate orthogonal portion 128 do not prevent the provision of the first projecting portion 117 and the second projecting portion 127 .

According to this embodiment, the following effects are obtained.
The first orthogonal portion 114 and the second orthogonal portion 124 intersect when viewed in the direction of the axis X, and the first orthogonal portion 114 extends in the direction of the axis X in a region adjacent to the second extending portion 123. Since the second orthogonal portion 124 is slidable along the direction of the axis X in the region adjacent to the first extending portion 113, the first orthogonal portion 114 and the second orthogonal portion 124 are slidable. Since the orthogonal portions 124 are engaged with each other, it is possible to restrict the separation of the terminals biased by the spring 130 . As a result, the contact probe 100 is configured such that the terminals are slidable relative to each other, with the position where the first orthogonal portion 114 and the second orthogonal portion 124 are hooked to each other as the position at which the terminals are most distant from each other.

Also, the second orthogonal portion 124 can be held by the first folded portion 115 . This can prevent the first orthogonal portion 114 from falling out of the region adjacent to the second extending portion 123 . Also, the first orthogonal portion 114 can be held by the second return portion 125 . This can prevent the second orthogonal portion 124 from falling off from the region adjacent to the first extending portion 113 . Furthermore, the straightness of the first terminal 110 and the second terminal 120 can be improved by the first return portion 115 and the second return portion 125 .

Further, since the contact probe 100 can be assembled by hooking the first hook portion 112 and the second hook portion 122, there is no need to deform a part of the terminal as in an H-shaped contact probe. For this reason, dimensional accuracy as high as that of the H-shaped contact probe is not required. Also, damage to the terminals during assembly can be avoided. Moreover, the sliding resistance can be reduced as compared with the H-shaped contact probe.

Further, the first auxiliary extension portion 116 and/or the second auxiliary extension portion 126 extend from the region adjacent to the first extension portion 113 and/or the second extension portion 123 to the second orthogonal portion 124 and/or the first extension portion 124 . It is possible to prevent the orthogonal portion 114 from falling off. In addition, straightness of the first terminal 110 and the second terminal 120 can be improved. Also, since the number of contact points between the first terminal 110 and the second terminal 120 increases, the conductivity can be improved.

In addition, by setting the protrusion amount p2 of the second return portion 125 to 0.5t1≦p2≦S with respect to the thickness t1 of the first orthogonal portion 114 and the stroke amount S of the contact probe 100, the first orthogonal portion While ensuring the minimum protrusion amount p2 of the second return portion 125 holding the contact probe 114, the pushing amount of the first terminal 110 and the second terminal 120 at the time of assembly of the contact probe 100 (that is, the amount of compression of the spring 130) can be made as small as possible. Therefore, it is possible to suppress deterioration in the performance (decrease in elastic force) of the spring 130 .

Further, by setting the distance g2 between the tip of the second auxiliary extension portion 126 and the tip of the second return portion 125 to the thickness t1 of the first orthogonal portion 114 to satisfy t1≤g2≤2t1, The first hook portion 112 of the assembled first terminal 110 and the second terminal 120 are separated from each other while ensuring a space that allows the first orthogonal portion 114 to be inserted into the region adjacent to the second extension portion 123 from the gap. A gap can be set so that the second hook portion 122 is difficult to come off.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 27, if the first terminal 110 is provided with the first return portion 115, the second return portion 125 of the second terminal 120 can be omitted.
In this case, when the first terminal 110 and the second terminal 120 are most separated, the first orthogonal portion 114 is not held by the second folded portion 125, but the second orthogonal portion 124 is held by the first folded portion 115. . In addition, the straightness of the first terminal 110 and the second terminal 120 is ensured by the first auxiliary extension portion 116 and the like.

[Second embodiment]
An inspection socket according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 28, the configuration of the socket 10 is similar to that of the first embodiment. However, the form of the contact probes 200 that are housed standing upright at a pitch of 0.8 mm to 1.2 mm, for example, is different. Therefore, the detailed structure of the contact probe 200 will be described below with reference to multiple examples.

[Example 1]
As shown in FIG. 29, the contact probe 200 is a component extending in the direction of the axis X and has a third terminal 210, a fourth terminal 220 and a spring (biasing member) 230. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 30 and 31, the third terminal 210 has a third contact portion 211 and a third hook portion 212 .

The third contact portion 211 is a portion that contacts the printed wiring board 20 (third electronic device).
A sharp portion is formed at the tip of the third contact portion 211 . In the case of the figure, the sharp portion has a single peak, but it may have a shape like a so-called crown cut.
Two third hook portions 212 are integrally connected to the proximal end (the side opposite to the distal end) of the third contact portion 211 .

The third hook portion 212 is a portion configured to be hooked on a slit portion 223 of a fourth terminal 220, which will be described later.
The third hook portion 212 has a third extension portion 213 and a third orthogonal portion 214 .

The third extending portion 213 is a portion extending along the direction of the axis X from the base end of the third contact portion 211 . The third extending portion 213 is, for example, plate-shaped.
One third extending portion 213 is provided at each end of the third contact portion 211 . Therefore, the third contact portion 211 is formed in a substantially U shape by the third contact portion 211 and the two third extension portions 213 .

The third orthogonal portion 214 is a portion protruding outward in a direction perpendicular to the axis X from the tip (upper end in the figure) of each third extension portion 213 .

An navel portion 215 may be provided between one third extension portion 213 and the other third extension portion 213 .
The navel portion 215 is a portion extending in the same direction as the third extension portion 213 from the proximal end of the third contact portion 211 . A spring 230 is fitted in the navel portion 215 and functions as a retaining mechanism and a holding mechanism for the spring 230 .

As shown in FIGS. 29 and 32 , the fourth terminal 220 has a so-called barrel shape and has a fourth contact portion 221 and a tubular portion 222 .

The fourth contact portion 221 is a portion that contacts the IC package 30 (fourth electronic device).
A sharp portion is formed at the tip of the fourth contact portion 221 . In the case of the figure, the sharp portion is a so-called crown cut.
A tubular portion 222 is integrally connected to the proximal end (the side opposite to the distal end) of the fourth contact portion 221 .

The tubular portion 222 is a tubular portion extending along the direction of the axis X from the fourth contact portion 221 .
The interior of the tubular portion 222 is a space in which the third terminal 210 and the spring 230 are accommodated.
A slit portion 223 and a guide slit portion 224 are formed in the tubular portion 222 .

The slit portion 223 is a rectangular opening formed along the direction of the axis X in the peripheral wall of the tubular portion 222 .
Two slit portions 223 are formed symmetrically with the axis X interposed therebetween.

The guide slit portion 224 is an opening formed in the peripheral wall of the cylindrical portion 222 and communicates the edge 222 a of the cylindrical portion 222 and the slit portion 223 .

In this embodiment, the guide slit portion 224 has a vertical slit 224a and a horizontal slit 224b.

The vertical slit 224a is a rectangular opening formed along the direction of the axis X from the edge 222a of the cylindrical portion 222. As shown in FIG.

The horizontal slit 224b is a rectangular opening formed along a direction perpendicular to the axis X. As shown in FIG.
One end of the horizontal slit 224b is connected to the end of the vertical slit 224a.
The other end of the horizontal slit 224b is connected to the end of the slit portion 223 on the fourth contact portion 221 side.

The third terminal 210 and the fourth terminal 220 configured as described above are connected by hooking the third orthogonal portion 214 of the third hook portion 212 on the slit portion 223 as shown in FIG.
At this time, the spring 230 is in elastic contact with the third terminal 210 and the fourth terminal 220 .

As a result, the contact probe 200 is configured such that the third terminal 210 and the fourth terminal 220 are biased in the direction of separating from each other, and the third hook portion 212 and the slit portion 223 do not come off from each other. Become. That is, the contact probe 200 is configured such that the third orthogonal portion 214 slides in the direction of the axis X at the slit portion 223 .

[Assembly method of contact probe]
Contact probe 200 is assembled as follows.
First, with the spring 230 housed inside the tubular portion 222, the third hook portion 212 is moved so that the third orthogonal portion 214 is guided from the edge 222a of the tubular portion 222 to the vertical slit 224a.

Next, the third terminal 210 is pushed in along the direction of the axis X until the third orthogonal portion 214 reaches the lateral slit 224b. At this time, the spring 230 is in a compressed state.

Next, the third terminal 210 is rotated around the axis X until the third orthogonal portion 214 reaches the slit portion 223 . At this time, spring 230 is still in a compressed state.

Next, the third terminal 210 is released.
As a result, the spring 230 expands, the third terminal 210 and the fourth terminal 220 are separated from each other, and the third orthogonal portion 214 of the third hook portion 212 is hooked on the end portion of the slit portion 223. Assembly of the extendable contact probe 200 is completed.

[Example 2]
As shown in FIGS. 33 and 34, the other end of the horizontal slit 224b may be connected to the portion of the slit portion 223 on the edge 222a side.

However, it is preferable to connect the horizontal slit 224b to a position closer to the fourth contact portion 221 than the edge 222a side end of the slit portion 223, rather than the edge 222a side edge portion.
Specifically, it is preferable to connect to a position shifted toward the fourth contact portion 221 by a distance approximately equal to the thickness t3 (see FIG. 30) of the third orthogonal portion 214 .

As a result, when the third terminal 210 and the fourth terminal 220 are most separated, the third orthogonal portion 214 is held in the slit portion 223 to prevent the third orthogonal portion 214 from slipping out of the horizontal slit 224b. can be done.
In addition, since the dimension of the vertical slit 224a along the direction of the axis X can be shortened, it is possible to minimize the amount of pressing of the third terminal 210 (that is, the amount of compression of the spring 230) during assembly of the contact probe 200. can. Therefore, it is possible to suppress deterioration in the performance (decrease in elastic force) of the spring 230 .

[Example 3]
As shown in FIGS. 35 and 36, the guide slit portion 224 may be inclined to form an inclined slit 224c.
Accordingly, when the contact probe 200 is assembled, the third terminal 210 can be rotated about the axis X at the same time as the third terminal 210 is pushed.

In this embodiment as well, it is preferable to connect the inclined slit 224c not to the edge 222a side end of the slit portion 223, but to a position closer to the fourth contact portion 221 than the edge 222a side end (embodiment 2).

[Modification]
As shown in FIGS. 37 and 38, the guide slit portion 224 may be omitted.
In this case, the third terminal 210 is inserted into the cylindrical portion 222 of the fourth terminal 220 by elastically deforming the third extension portion 213 of the third terminal 210 inward.

According to this embodiment, the following effects are obtained.
Since the third orthogonal portion 214 is slidable along the direction of the axis X at the slit portion 223 , the third orthogonal portion 214 and the slit portion 223 are engaged with each other, so that the third orthogonal portion 214 is biased by the spring 230 . Separation between the terminal 210 and the fourth terminal 220 can be regulated. As a result, the position where the third orthogonal portion 214 and the slit portion 223 are hooked is positioned at the farthest distance between the third terminal 210 and the fourth terminal 220, and the third terminal 210 and the fourth terminal 220 slide relative to each other. A possible contact probe 200 is constructed.

Further, the contact probe 200 can be assembled by a simple method of only hooking the third orthogonal portion 214 to the slit portion 223 .

Also, if the guide slit portion 224 is formed, the third orthogonal portion 214 can be guided to the slit portion 223 from the edge 222 a of the cylindrical portion 222 . That is, the third orthogonal portion 214 can be guided to the slit portion 223 without deforming the third terminal 210 .

Further, if the guide slit portion 224 has the vertical slit 224a and the horizontal slit 224b, the third orthogonal portion 214 pushes the third terminal 210 along the vertical slit 224a from the edge 222a, and then the third orthogonal portion The contact probe 200 can be assembled by rotating the third terminal 210 around the axis X so that the third terminal 214 is aligned with the horizontal slit 224b.

Further, if the guide slit portion 224 has the inclined slit 224c, the third terminal 210 can be pushed and rotated at the same time.

Further, if the guide slit portion 224 is connected to the portion of the slit portion 223 closer to the fourth contact portion 221 than the end portion of the cylindrical portion 222 on the side of the edge 222a of the slit portion 223, the cylindrical portion 224 is connected to the portion of the slit portion 223 that is closer to the fourth contact portion 221 than the connection point with the guide slit portion 224. The third orthogonal portion 214 can be held in the area on the edge 222a side of the shaped portion 222 . As a result, the third orthogonal portion 214 is stably held by the slit portion 223 at the position where the third terminal 210 and the fourth terminal 220 are most separated (position in the no-load state).

In addition, in Examples 1 to 3, as shown in FIG. 39, the third extension portion 213 of the third terminal 210 may be formed in a tubular shape. In this case, when assembling the contact probe 200 , the spring 230 is fitted inside the cylindrical third extension portion 213 .

10 socket (inspection socket)
11 housing 12 movable base 12a recess 13 base spring 20 printed wiring board (test board)
30 IC package (inspection device)
100 contact probe 110 first terminal 111 first contact portion 112 first hook portion 113 first extension portion 114 first orthogonal portion 115 first return portion 116 first auxiliary extension portion 117 first projecting portion 118 first intermediate orthogonal portion Part 120 Second terminal 121 Second contact part 122 Second hook part 123 Second extension part 124 Second orthogonal part 125 Second return part 126 Second auxiliary extension part 127 Second projecting part 128 Second intermediate orthogonal part 130 spring (biasing member)
200 contact probe 210 third terminal 211 third contact portion 212 third hook portion 213 third extension portion 214 third orthogonal portion 215 navel portion 220 fourth terminal (barrel)
221 Fourth contact portion 222 Cylindrical portion 222a Rim 223 Slit portion 224 Guide slit portion 224a Vertical slit 224b Horizontal slit 224c Inclined slit 230 Spring (biasing member)

Claims (13)

A contact probe electrically connecting two electronic devices and extending in an axial direction,
a first terminal contacting the first electronic device;
a second terminal contacting the second electronic device;
a biasing member biasing the first terminal and the second terminal away from each other in the axial direction;
with
The first terminal is
a first contact portion that contacts the first electronic device;
a first extending portion extending along the axial direction from the first contact portion;
a first orthogonal portion extending from the first extending portion in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction;
a first return portion extending from the first orthogonal portion toward the first contact portion;
has
The second terminal is
a second contact portion that contacts the second electronic device;
a second extending portion extending along the axial direction from the second contact portion;
a second orthogonal portion extending from the second extending portion in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction;
a second return portion extending from the second orthogonal portion toward the second contact portion;
has
The first orthogonal portion and the second orthogonal portion intersect when viewed from the axial direction,
The first orthogonal portion is slidable along the axial direction in a region adjacent to the second extending portion,
The contact probe, wherein the second orthogonal portion is slidable along the axial direction in a region adjacent to the first extending portion. The first terminal has a first auxiliary extension portion extending along the axial direction from the first contact portion toward a tip of the first return portion,
and/or
2. The contact probe according to claim 1, wherein the second terminal has a second auxiliary extending portion extending from the second contact portion toward the tip of the second return portion along the axial direction. . 3. The contact probe according to claim 2, wherein said first auxiliary extension is connected to said first return portion. The amount of protrusion of the second return portion from the second orthogonal portion is 0.5t or more and S or less, where t is the thickness dimension of the first orthogonal portion and S is the stroke amount. 4. The contact probe according to 2 or 3. 3. The distance between the tip of the second auxiliary extension portion and the tip of the second return portion is t or more and 2t or less, where t is the thickness dimension of the first orthogonal portion. 5. The contact probe according to any one of 4. the first terminal has a first projecting portion extending from the first orthogonal portion toward the second contact portion along the axial direction;
and/or
6. The contact according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the second terminal has a second projecting portion extending from the second orthogonal portion toward the first contact portion along the axial direction. probe. the first terminal has a first intermediate orthogonal portion extending parallel to the first orthogonal portion from the first extension portion between the first contact portion and the first orthogonal portion;
The second terminal has a second intermediate orthogonal portion extending parallel to the second orthogonal portion from the second extension portion between the second contact portion and the second orthogonal portion. A contact probe according to any one of claims 1 to 6. A contact probe electrically connecting two electronic devices and extending in an axial direction,
a first terminal contacting the first electronic device;
a second terminal contacting the second electronic device;
a biasing member biasing the first terminal and the second terminal away from each other in the axial direction;
with
The first terminal includes a first contact portion that contacts the first electronic device, a first extension portion that extends from the first contact portion along the axial direction, and from the first extension portion, the a first orthogonal portion extending in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction; and a first return portion extending from the first orthogonal portion toward the first contact portion;
The second terminal includes: a second contact portion that contacts the second electronic device; a second extension portion that extends from the second contact portion along the axial direction; A method for assembling a contact probe having a second orthogonal portion extending in a direction orthogonal to an axial direction and a second return portion extending from the second orthogonal portion toward the second contact portion There is
When viewed from the direction of the axis,
arranging the first orthogonal portion and the second orthogonal portion in parallel;
orthogonally crossing the first orthogonal portion and the second orthogonal portion;
Assembly method including. A contact probe electrically connecting two electronic devices and extending in an axial direction,
a third terminal contacting the third electronic device;
a fourth terminal contacting the fourth electronic device;
a biasing member biasing the third terminal and the fourth terminal away from each other in the axial direction;
with
The third terminal is
a third contact portion that contacts the third electronic device;
a third extending portion extending along the axial direction from the third contact portion;
a third orthogonal portion extending from the third extending portion in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction;
has
The fourth terminal is
a fourth contact portion that contacts the fourth electronic device;
a tubular portion extending along the axial direction from the fourth contact portion;
has
The tubular portion has a slit formed along the axial direction,
The contact probe, wherein the third orthogonal portion is slidable in the slit portion along the axial direction. 10. The contact probe according to claim 9, wherein the tubular portion is formed with a guide slit portion that communicates between the edge and the slit portion. The guide slit portion has a vertical slit communicating with the edge of the cylindrical portion and along the axial direction, and a horizontal slit communicating with the slit portion and extending in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction. 11. The contact probe according to claim 10. 11. The contact probe according to claim 10, wherein said guide slit portion has an inclined slit inclined with respect to said axial direction. The contact probe according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the guide slit portion is connected to a portion of the slit portion closer to the fourth contact portion than the edge portion of the tubular portion.

Images