Sharpened, oriented contact tip structures

• US 9,030,222 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2010
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FormFactor Incorporated
• Original Assignee: FormFactor Incorporated
• Inventors: Eldridge, Benjamin N., Grube, Gary W., Khandros, Igor Y., Madsen, Alex, Mathieu, Gaetan L.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, PARESH H
• Application Number:
  US12/852,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20100323551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,740 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 324/755.07
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06711 Probe needles; Cantilever beams; "Bump" contacts; Replaceable probe pins
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/06727 Cantilever beams
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/00 Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, specially adapted for printed circuits, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB], flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, e.g. terminal strips, terminal blocks; Coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures; Terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures printed connections to, or between, printed circuits H05K1/11
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/57 surface mounting terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2407 characterized by the resilient means
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2442 with a single cantilevered beam
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/20 for testing or measuring purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/26 Connections in which at least one of the connecting parts has projections which bite into or engage the other connecting part in order to improve the contact H01R4/188, H01R4/203, H01R4/5075 take precedence; using shape memory materials H01R4/01
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49004 including measuring or testing of device or component part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49128 Assembling formed circuit to base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49165 by forming conductive walled aperture in base

Abstract

An apparatus and method providing improved interconnection elements and tip structures for effecting pressure connections between terminals of electronic components is described. The tip structure of the present invention has a sharpened blade oriented on the upper surface of the tip structure such that the length of the blade is substantially parallel to the direction of horizontal movement of the tip structure as the tip structure deflects across the terminal of an electronic component. In this manner, the sharpened substantially parallel oriented blade slices cleanly through any non-conductive layer(s) on the surface of the terminal and provides a reliable electrical connection between the interconnection element and the terminal of the electrical component.

Claims

1. An electrical apparatus, comprising:

a substrate;

an interconnection element comprising a flexible, resilient elongate portion extending from a surface of said substrate;

at least one blade on an end of said interconnection element, said blade having a given length and oriented on the interconnection element such that said length runs within plus or minus fifteen degrees of parallel to a horizontal motion of said blade relative to an electrical terminal as said elongate portion bends toward said surface of said substrate in response to a force of contact of said blade with said electrical terminal.

2. The electrical apparatus of claim 1, wherein said force is substantially perpendicular to said surface of said substrate, and said horizontal motion of said blade is substantially parallel to said surface of said substrate.

3. The electrical apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

said interconnection element is coupled to said substrate, and

a contact portion of said blade configured to contact said electrical terminal faces away from said surface of said substrate.

4. The electrical apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said interconnection element is coupled to said substrate, and

a contact portion of said blade configured to contact said electrical terminal faces away from said surface of said substrate.

5. The electrical apparatus of claim 4, wherein said contact portion is a cutting part of said blade.

6. The electrical apparatus of claim 5, wherein said cutting part is one of sharpened or a flat surface.

7. The electrical apparatus of claim 5, wherein said length of said blade is a length of said cutting part.

8. The electrical apparatus of claim 7, wherein said length of said cutting part is a longest dimension of said cutting part.

9. The electrical apparatus of claim 7, wherein said force is substantially perpendicular to said surface of said substrate, and said horizontal motion of said blade is substantially parallel to said surface of said substrate.

10. The electrical apparatus of claim 1, wherein said interconnection element comprises different materials.

11. The electrical apparatus of claim 10, wherein a first of the materials has a greater yield strength than a second of the materials.

12. The electrical apparatus of claim 10, wherein a first of the materials is harder than a second of the materials.

13. The electrical apparatus of claim 10, wherein a first of the materials is more electrically conductive than a second of the materials.

14. The electrical apparatus of claim 13, wherein a cutting part of said blade configured to contact said electrical terminal faces away from said surface of said substrate.

15. The electrical apparatus of claim 14, wherein said length of said blade is a length of said cutting part.

16. The electrical apparatus of claim 15, wherein said length of said cutting part is a longest dimension of said cutting part.

17. The electrical apparatus of claim 1, wherein said length is a longest dimension of a cutting part of said blade.

18. The electrical apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a second blade on said end of said interconnection element, wherein a length of said second blade is substantially parallel to said length of said at least one blade.

19. The electrical apparatus of claim 1, wherein said length of said blade is substantially parallel to said surface of said substrate prior to said elongate portion bending toward said surface of said substrate in response to said force of contact of said blade with said electrical terminal.

20. The electrical apparatus of claim 1, wherein said horizontal motion is substantially parallel to said surface of said substrate.

21. The electrical apparatus of claim 1, wherein said horizontal motion is substantially parallel to a surface of said electrical terminal that contacts said blade.

26. The electrical apparatus of claim 1, wherein said surface of said substrate is substantially horizontal, and said force of contact of said blade is substantially vertical.

22. An electrical apparatus, comprising:

a substrate;

an interconnection element comprising a flexible, resilient elongate portion extending from a surface of said substrate;

at least one blade on an end of said interconnection element, said blade having a given length and oriented on the interconnection element such that said length runs substantially parallel to a horizontal motion of said blade relative to an electrical terminal as said elongate portion bends toward said surface of said substrate in response to a force of contact of said blade with said electrical terminal; and

a foot, a first side of said foot attached to said end of said interconnection element, wherein a second side of said foot opposite said first side comprises a substantially flat surface, wherein said blade is attached to and extends from said flat surface.

23. The electrical apparatus of claim 22 further comprising a plurality of blades attached to and extending from said flat surface, wherein each said blade has a given length oriented such that said length runs substantially parallel to said horizontal motion.

24. The electrical apparatus of claim 23, wherein two of said blades are spaced apart from each other, and said lengths of said two blades are substantially parallel to each other.

25. The electrical apparatus of claim 23, wherein a first of said blades is disposed in series with a second of said blades, and a first height by which said first of said blades extends from said flat surface is greater than a second height by which said second of said blades extends from said flat surface.