Probe structure

• US 10,641,814 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2019
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Inventors: Kenzaki, Shinichi, Kitaichi, Yukihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Thang X
• Application Number:
  US16/449,177
• Publication Number:
  US 20190310301A1
• Time in Patent Office: 319 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/0416 Connectors, terminals G01R1/0425 and G01R1/0433 take precedence; with measurement function for battery poles G01R31/364
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/067 Measuring probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/073 Multiple probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/07392 manipulating each probe element or tip individually
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/68 Testing of releasable connections, e.g. of terminals mounted on a printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/69 of terminals at the end of a cable or a wire harness; of plugs; of sockets, e.g. wall sockets or power sockets in appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/18 End pieces terminating in a probe
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/15 Pins, blades or sockets having separate spring member for producing or increasing contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/24 resilient; resiliently-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/20 for testing or measuring purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/38 having concentrically or coaxially arranged contacts

Abstract

A probe structure for inspecting characteristics of a connector having at least one terminal includes a plunger, a coaxial probe, a flange, a housing, and a spring. A first end portion of the housing and the flange are configured to restrict rotation of the housing in the circumferential direction in a state in which the first end portion of the housing is fitted into the through-hole of the flange. Thus, inspection of characteristics of the terminal of the connector can be performed with higher accuracy.

Claims

1. A probe structure for inspecting characteristics of a connector including at least one terminal, the probe structure comprising:

a plunger that includes a groove portion to which the connector is to be fitted;

a coaxial probe that is inserted into the plunger and that allows a conductor pin to be exposed at a position corresponding to the terminal of the connector that is fitted into the groove portion of the plunger;

a flange that is fixed to an apparatus for inspecting the characteristics at a position that is spaced apart on a side opposite to a side on which the conducting pin is exposed with respect to the plunger, the flange having a through-hole into which the coaxial probe is inserted;

a housing that includes a first end portion and a second end portion and that extends toward the plunger while surrounding the coaxial probe, the first end portion being fitted into the through-hole of the flange from a side opposite to a side on which the plunger is disposed, the second end portion being attached to the plunger; and

a spring that is attached to a portion between the plunger and the flange, that is disposed at a position surrounding the housing, and that urges the plunger in a direction away from the flange,

wherein the first end portion of the housing and the through-hole of the flange have outer shapes that restrict rotation of the housing in a circumferential direction in a state in which the first end portion of the housing is fitted into the through-hole of the flange.

2. The probe structure according to claim 1, wherein the first end portion of the housing has a tapered shape that tapers inward toward the second end portion, and the through-hole of the flange has an inclined shape that receives the first end portion of the housing.

3. The probe structure according to claim 2, wherein a wall portion of the plunger that forms the groove portion includes a bottom wall that allows a tip portion of the conducting pin to be exposed, a first side wall that stands on a periphery of the bottom wall, and a second side wall that stands on a periphery of the first side wall and that is inclined so as to taper inward toward the first side wall.

4. The probe structure according to claim 3, wherein an inclination angle of the second side wall is set based on a friction coefficient of a material of the second side wall.

5. The probe structure according to claim 1, wherein a wall portion of the plunger that forms the groove portion includes a bottom wall that allows a tip portion of the conducting pin to be exposed, a first side wall that stands on a periphery of the bottom wall, and a second side wall that stands on a periphery of the first side wall and that is inclined so as to taper inward toward the first side wall.

6. The probe structure according to claim 5, wherein an inclination angle of the second side wall is set based on a friction coefficient of a material of the second side wall.