EP0165331A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Buckling beam test probe assembly
Assignee: IBM Deutschland GmbH
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Filing: 1984-06-22
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-06-22
Abstract
Abstract O The buckling beam probe container assembly comprises a number of square test probe arrays each containing a plurality of buckling beams (50) in the form of continuous wires extending from the probe tips to a remote test apparatus. The buckling beams pass through an adjustable beam carrier block (48) and through a number of guide plates (56, 57, 58) which are kept in predetermined distances along the buckling beams by means of thin stabilizing rods (60) arranged at the corners of the test probe array (50). The guide plates are inserted into grid-like frames, (90,92) which allow the arrangement of a plurality of test probe arrays close to each other wherein each array may contain test probes over its full area except for the locations occupied by the thin stabilizing rods.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael Elsässer
- 👤 Roland Stoehr
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 05:35
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R1/00; G01R1/02; G01R1/06; G01R1/067; G01R1/073; G01R1/07307; G01R1/07357
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
198 words
A buckling beam test probe assembly comprising a plurality of electrically conductive probe wire arrays wherein each wire is arranged to buckle in X or Y direction when biased in Z direction by contacting a product being tested, and wherein said assembly comprising mounting members suitable to fix said plurality of probe wire arrays in a grid-like structure, characterized by guide means (56, 57, 58) for determining the array position of each buckling beam (50) which are slidably arranged in holes of said guide means, slender stabilizing means (60) fixedly arranged at the periphery of the guide means maintaining the position of the latter along the Z direction, frame means (90, 92, 72) including a plurality of holes in which said guide means are inserted, said openings are adjacent to each other to allow a close arrangement of a plurality of arrays of buckling beams, whereby each of said arrays may occupy the full area of the assigned guide means except the positions of the stabilizing means, and whereby said frame means take up forces in Y and X direction which arise as result of buckling the beams when they are contacting in parallel the product being tested.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
198 words
A buckling beam test probe assembly comprising a plurality of electrically conductive probe wire arrays wherein each wire is arranged to buckle in X or Y direction when biased in Z direction by contacting a product being tested, and wherein said assembly comprising mounting members suitable to fix said plurality of probe wire arrays in a grid-like structure, characterized by guide means (56, 57, 58) for determining the array position of each buckling beam (50) which are slidably arranged in holes of said guide means, slender stabilizing means (60) fixedly arranged at the periphery of the guide means maintaining the position of the latter along the Z direction, frame means (90, 92, 72) including a plurality of holes in which said guide means are inserted, said openings are adjacent to each other to allow a close arrangement of a plurality of arrays of buckling beams, whereby each of said arrays may occupy the full area of the assigned guide means except the positions of the stabilizing means, and whereby said frame means take up forces in Y and X direction which arise as result of buckling the beams when they are contacting in parallel the product being tested.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
79 words
Test probe assembly according to claim 1, characterized by beam carrier means (48) fixing the buckling beams (50) and having a cross-section which essentially corresponds to said guide means (56, 57, 58, 74), and by adjusting means (26, 42) rotatably connected to one end of the beam carrier means to move them in Z direction, whereby the axial position of the buckling beam arrays are adjustable relative to each other and to the surface of the product being tested.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
Test probe assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the buckling beams (50) are continuous wires extending from the test apparatus to the end of the beams adjacent to the product being tested, and that the beam carrier means (48) consists of a moldable and electrically insulating material fixedly embedding the buckling beams which pass through said carrier means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
67 words
Test probe assembly according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said adjusting means include a tube (26) fixedly arranged and provided with a nut thread and said adjusting means further include a screw bold (42) engaging said nut thread and rotatably connected to the beam carrier means (48) following the movement of said screw bold in Z direction when it is rotated.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
101 words
Test probe assembly according to claim 1, characterized by a stripper plate (70) common to said plurality of buckling beam arrays (126) arranged adjacent to the beam tips and including holes (75) to slidably guide the tips of the beams and to accurately position them according to the position of test pads of the product being tested, by slidable guide means (78) connected to the stripper plate allowing its movement in Z direction by a predetermined distance (86), and by spring means (82) arranged at the guide means to bias the stripper plate arrangement (70, 72, 74) in beam tip direction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
Test probe assembly according to claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the frame means consist of at least one grid-like frame (90) comprising square holes (96) which are close to each other and which are adapted to surround a plurality of correspondingly shaped guide plates (56) in which the buckling beams (50) are slidably guided.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
65 words
Test probe assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that there are two grid-like frames (90 and 92) arranged in a first distance from each other while both are arranged in second distances from said beam carrier means (48) and in third distances from lower guide means (58), whereby the first, second and/or third distances allow buckling of said beams in X or Y direction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
71 words
Test probe assembly according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that at least one of said grid-like frames (92) is shiftably arranged to allow a lateral movement relative to the other frame, and that there are adjusting means (102) to laterally adjust the position of said frames relative to each other biasing said beams (50) to buckle in a predetermined direction if charged by a predetermined force in Z direction.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
Test probe assembly according to one of the claims 1 to 8, characterized by a rotatable rod (102) including an excentric portion (106) which is engaged to one of the frames (92) whereby a rotation of the rod causes a lateral adjustment of said frame.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
Test probe assembly according to one of the claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the frame means (90, 92, 72) comprise a square matrix of square holes arranged at a rectangular corner of the assembly four of which form a probe head.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
52 words
Test probe assembly according to one of the claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the frame means include a stripper plate frame (72) comprising square openings in a grid-like structure, and that each of said openings include stripper plate inserts (74) fixedly arranged therein and assigned to a buckling beam array.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
50 words
Test probe assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that each of said stripper plate inserts (74) include an individual set of holes (76) guiding the tips of the buckling beams (50) of one of said array and adapted to the pattern of test points at the product being tested.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
79 words
Test probe assembly according to one of the claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the slender stabilizing means (60) are fixedly connected to the lower ends of said tube means (26) and to said guide means (56, 57, 58) to keep the latter in their predetermined positions along the extension of the buckling beams (50) in Z direction, whereby the lower ends of said stabilizing means extend into holes (76) of the stripper plate arrangement (70, 72, 74).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
65 words
Test probe assembly according to one of the claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the slender stabilizing means (60) slidably pass through holes in said beam carrier means (48) and are fixedly arranged in holes of said guide means (56, 57, 58), whereby said holes are located at the corners of said guide means and of the square cross-section of said beam carrier means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
45 words
Test probe assembly according to claims 8, 13 or 14, characterized in that the slender stabilizing means are then cylindrical rods (60) positioned at the corners of a square probe array and jointly deflectable with said beams (50) when said frame (92) is laterally adjusted.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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