Telescoping spring probe

• US 5,641,315 A
• Filed: 11/16/1995
• Issued: 06/24/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xcerra Corporation (COHU Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Everett Charles Technologies Incorporated (COHU Incorporated)
• Inventors: Vinther, Gordon, Swart, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Assistant Examiner(s): BIGGI, BRIAN JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US08/558,687
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 439/700, 439/824, 439/265, 439/267, 439/268, 439/840, 439/841, 439/482, 324/761, 324/754, 324/72.5
• US Class Current: 439/824
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06722 Spring-loaded
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/18 End pieces terminating in a probe
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2421 using coil springs

Abstract

Telescoping spring probes include a barrel having a hollow cylindrical body with a passageway extending from a closed barrel end to an open barrel end. The open barrel end is crimped radially inward into the passageway. A plunger axially disposed within the barrel passageway comprises a hollow body having an internal cavity extending from an open plunger end to a closed plunger end. The open plunger end disposed within the barrel passageway faces the closed barrel end. The plunger body has an outside surface portion with a diameter greater than the crimped barrel open end to prevent the plunger from exiting the barrel. A spring is disposed axially within the barrel passageway and the plunger cavity. In a first embodiment, the plunger body includes an inwardly deflected detent contacting one end of the spring to imposes a spring force which biases the plunger body against the barrel passageway. In third and fourth embodiments, the closed plunger end has an angled or beveled profile that contacts one end of the spring to impose a force onto the spring biasing the plunger body against the barrel passageway. This biased spring action produces continuous mechanical contact and resulting continuous electrical conductivity between the plunger and barrel during axial travel of the plunger in the barrel.

Claims

1. An electrical contact spring probe comprising:

a barrel having a hollow body with a passageway extending from a closed barrel end to a open barrel end, wherein the open barrel end is crimped radially inward;

a plunger axially disposed within the barrel passageway, wherein the plunger has a hollow body with a cavity extending from an open plunger end to a closed plunger end, wherein the open plunger end is oriented within the barrel passageway facing the closed barrel end, and wherein the plunger body has an outside surface portion with a diameter greater than the crimped barrel open end to prevent the plunger from exiting the barrel;

a spring disposed axially within the barrel passageway and the plunger cavity, wherein the closed plunger end has a tip that extends outwardly from the barrel passageway, and wherein the spring is positioned, in the cavity between the barrel closed end the plunger closed end; and

means disposed within the plunger cavity for imposing a sufficient radially directed force onto the spring to bias a sidewall portion of the plunger body against the barrel passageway for enhancing mechanical contact therebetween during axial travel of the plunger in the barrel against the bias of the spring, said enhanced mechanical contact producing continuity of electrical conduction between the plunger and barrel during said axial travel.

2. An electrical contact spring probe as recited in claim 1 wherein the means for imposing a force onto the spring comprises a closed plunger end having an angled profile, wherein action of a spring end against the angled closed plunger end imposes a force onto the plunger that causes the plunger body to be biased against the barrel passageway.

3. An electrical contact spring probe as recited in claim 1 wherein the plunger body has a enlarged diameter section and a reduced diameter section, wherein the enlarged diameter section has an outside diameter smaller than an inside diameter of the barrel passageway, and wherein the reduced diameter section has an outside diameter smaller than the crimped barrel open end.

4. An electrical contact spring probe as recited in claim 1 wherein maximum axial displacement of the plunger within the barrel passageway is defined by contact between the plunger open end and the barrel closed end.

5. An electrical contact spring probe comprising:

a barrel having a hollow body with a passageway extending from a closed barrel end to a open barrel end, wherein the open barrel end is crimped radially inward;

a plunger axially disposed within the barrel passageway, wherein the plunger has a hollow body with a cavity extending from an open plunger end to a closed plunger end, wherein the open plunger end is oriented within the barrel passageway facing the closed barrel end, and wherein the plunger body has an outside surface portion with a diameter greater than the crimped barrel open end to prevent the plunger from exiting the barrel;

a spring disposed axially within the barrel passageway and the plunger cavity, wherein the closed plunger end has a tip that extends outwardly from the barrel passageway, and wherein the spring is positioned, in the cavity between the barrel closed end the plunger closed end; and

means disposed within the plunger cavity for imposing a sufficient force onto the spring to bias a sidewall portion of the plunger body against the barrel passageway for enhancing mechanical contact therebetween during axial travel of the plunger in the barrel against the bias of the spring, said enhanced mechanical contact producing continuity of electrical conduction between the plunger and barrel during said axial travel;

wherein the enlarged diameter section of the plunger body includes a detent directed radially inward into the cavity, wherein the spring is positioned between the barrel closed end and the detent, and wherein action of a spring end against the detent imposes a force onto the plunger that causes the plunger body to be biased against the barrel passageway.

6. An electrical contact spring probe as recited in claim 5 wherein the detent is positioned adjacent the reduced diameter section of the plunger, preventing the spring end from contacting the plunger closed end.

7. An electrical contact spring probe comprising:

a barrel having a hollow body with a passageway extending from a closed barrel end to a open barrel end, wherein the open barrel end is crimped radially inward into the passageway;

a plunger axially disposed within the barrel passageway, wherein the plunger has a hollow body with a cavity extending from an open plunger end to a closed plunger end, wherein the open plunger end is oriented within the barrel passageway facing the closed barrel end, and wherein the plunger body includes an outside surface section having a diameter greater than the crimped barrel open end to prevent the plunger from exiting the barrel;

a spring axially disposed both within the barrel passageway and the plunger cavity; and

means disposed within the plunger cavity for imposing a sufficient radially directed force onto the spring to bias a sidewall portion of the plunger body against the barrel passageway, comprises a plunger closed end having an angled profile, wherein action of an end of the spring against the plunger closed end causes the spring to impose a sufficient force onto the plunger to bias a sidewall portion of the plunger body against the barrel passageway during axial travel of the plunger with barrel to enhance mechanical contact between the plunger and barrel to thereby enhance electrical continuity between them during said axial travel.

8. An electrical contact spring probe comprising:

a barrel having a hollow body with a passageway extending from a closed barrel end to a open barrel end, wherein the open barrel end is crimped radially inward into the passageway;

a plunger axially disposed within the barrel passageway, wherein the plunger has a hollow body with a cavity extending from an open plunger end to a closed plunger end, wherein the open plunger end is oriented within the barrel passageway facing the closed barrel end, and wherein the plunger body includes an outside surface section having a diameter greater than the crimped barrel open end to prevent the plunger from exiting the barrel;

a spring axially disposed both within the barrel passageway and the plunger cavity;

wherein the plunger body comprises a deflected sidewall portion that is directed radially into the plunger cavity, wherein action of an end of the spring against the deflected sidewall portion causes the spring to impose a sufficient sideways directed force onto the plunger to bias a sidewall portion of the plunger body against the barrel passageway during axial travel of the plunger with barrel to enhance mechanical contact between the plunger and barrel to thereby enhance electrical continuity between them during said axial travel.

9. An electrical contact spring probe as recited in claim 8 wherein the deflected sidewall portion is positioned axially along the plunger body a distance from the plunger closed end so that the spring end does not contact the plunger closed end.

10. An electrical contact spring probe comprising:

a barrel having a hollow body with a passageway extending from a closed barrel end to a open barrel end, wherein the open barrel end is crimped radially inward into the passageway;

a plunger axially disposed within the barrel passageway, wherein the plunger has a hollow body with a cavity extending from an open plunger end to a closed plunger end, wherein the open plunger end is oriented within the barrel passageway facing the closed barrel end, wherein the plunger body includes an outside surface section having a diameter greater than the crimped barrel open end to prevent the plunger from exiting the barrel, and wherein the plunger body includes;

an enlarged diameter section extending axially a distance from the open plunger end;

a reduced diameter section extending axially a distance from the closed plunger end; and

a cone-shaped section between the enlarged and reduced sections;

a spring axially disposed both within the barrel passageway and the plunger cavity; and

means disposed within the plunger cavity for imposing a sufficient force onto the spring to bias a sidewall portion of the plunger body against the barrel passageway, comprises a plunger closed end having an angled profile, wherein action of an end of the spring against the plunger closed end causes the spring to impose a sufficient force onto the plunger to bias a sidewall portion of the plunger body against the barrel passageway during axial travel of the plunger with barrel to enhance mechanical contact between the plunger and barrel to thereby enhance electrical continuity between them during said axial travel.

11. An electrical contact spring probe as recited in claim 10 wherein the enlarged diameter section has an outside diameter smaller than an inside diameter of the barrel passageway, and wherein the enlarged diameter section is completely disposed within the barrel passageway.

12. An electrical contact spring probe as recited in claim 11 wherein a tolerance between the enlarged diameter plunger section and the barrel passageway is approximately 0.02 millimeter.

13. An electrical contact spring probe as recited in claim 10 wherein the reduced diameter section has an outside diameter smaller than the crimped barrel open end, and wherein the reduced diameter section is completely outside of the barrel passageway when the plunger is in a nonretracted position.

14. An electrical contact spring probe as recited in claim 10 wherein action of the crimped barrel open end against the cone-shaped section of the plunger body prevents the plunger from completely exiting the barrel passageway.

15. An electrical contact spring probe comprising:

a barrel having a hollow body and an internal passageway extending therethrough from a barrel closed end to a barrel open end, wherein the barrel open end is crimped radially inwardly into the passageway;

a plunger axially disposed within the passageway, the plunger having a hollow body and an internal cavity extending therethrough from a plunger closed end to a plunger open end, wherein the plunger body is oriented within the passageway with the plunger closed end facing the barrel closed end, and wherein the plunger open end includes a radial portion having an outside diameter larger than the crimped barrel open end to prevent the plunger from exiting the passageway;

a spring disposed axially within a portion of the passageway and around an exterior portion of the plunger body confined within the barrel;

means disposed within the plunger cavity extending from a wall surface for imposing a radially directed force to the plunger when an external connector is placed within the plunger cavity, the sideways force causing a sidewall portion of the plunger body to be biased against the barrel passageway to maximize electrical contact therebetween;

wherein the barrel body include an enlarged diameter section extending axially a distance from the barrel open end, the spring confined in this section of the barrel, and a reduced diameter plunger guide section extending axially from the barrel closed end; and

wherein the plunger body has a uniform outside diameter portion smaller than the passageway in the barrel and disposed within the plunger guide section of the barrel to facilitate slidable axial displacement of the plunger in the barrel against the bias of the spring.

16. An electrical contact spring probe comprising:

a barrel having a hollow body with a passageway extending therethrough from a closed barrel end to a open barrel end, wherein the open barrel end is crimped radially inward into the passageway;

a plunger axially disposed within the barrel passageway, wherein the plunger has a hollow body with an internal cavity extending therethrough from an open plunger end to a closed plunger end, wherein the open plunger end is oriented within the barrel passageway facing the closed barrel end, and wherein the plunger body includes an outside surface section having a diameter greater than the crimped barrel open end to prevent the plunger from exiting the barrel; and

a spring axially disposed both within the barrel passageway and the plunger cavity;

wherein the plunger includes a deflected sidewall portion directed radially inwardly into the cavity, to impose a sufficient force onto the spring to bias a sidewall portion of the plunger body against the barrel passageway during axial travel of the plunger in the barrel.

17. An electrical contact spring probe as recited in claim 16 wherein the spring is disposed within the passageway and the internal cavity with a first spring end placed adjacent the closed barrel end and a second spring end placed adjacent the deflected plunger sidewall portion.

18. An electrical contact spring probe as recited in claim 16 wherein a tolerance between the enlarged diameter plunger section and the barrel passageway is approximately 0.02 millimeter.

19. An electrical contact spring probe as recited in claim 16 wherein the spring is disposed completely within the internal chamber defined by the enlarged diameter section of the plunger body.