Probe contactor having buckling beam probes

Claim 2

An electrical contactor including: a plurality of probes; each of said probes including a first electrically conductive wire formed of a flexible material and having a length many times its cross sectional area; each of said wires extending substantially axially for its entire length when not subjected to an axial load; means to prevent one end of each of said wires from moving axially beyond a predetermined position when an axial load is applied to its other end; means to slidably support said probe adjacent its other end to allow said probe to flex and slide when its other end has an axial load applied thereto so as to buckle between its ends; each of said wires having its other end extend beyond said slidably support means to have the axial load applied thereto; each of said wires buckling throughout a predetermined range when a predetermined axial load is applied thereto; each of said wires having its length selected in accordance with the formula L 3 pi (EI/F)1/2 where L is the length of each of said wires, I is the least moment of inertia of said wire, E is the modulus of elasticity of the material of each of said wires, and F is the predetermined axial load to which said wire is to be subjected when applied to its other end to cause buckling throughout the predetermined range; means to control the direction of buckling of each of said wires so that each of said wires buckles in a predetermined direction; and means to supply electrical power to each of said wires.

Claim 3

The contactor according to claim 1 including electrical insulating means to prevent each of said wires from engaging any of the other of saiD wires in the area in which said probes buckle.

Claim 4

The contactor according to claim 2 in which said electrical insulating means includes electrical insulating means on each of said wires.

Claim 5

An electrical contactor including: a plurality of probes; each of said probes including a first electrically conductive wire formed of a flexible material and having a length many times its cross sectional area; each of said wires extending substantially axially for its entire length when not subjected to an axial load; means to prevent one end of each of said wires from moving axially beyond a predetermined position when an axial load is applied to its other end; means to slidably support said probe adjacent its other end to allow said probe to flex and slide when its other end has an axial load applied thereto so as to buckle between its ends; each of said wires having its other end extend beyond said slidably support means to have the axial load applied thereto; each of said wires buckling throughout a predetermined range when a predetermined axial load is applied thereto; means to control the direction of buckling of each of said wires so that each of said wires buckles in a predetermined direction; means to supply electrical power to each of said wires; a housing surrounding said probes; said slidably support means including a first member supported by said housing and having a plurality of openings, each of said openings having one of said wires extending therethrough; said preventing means including: a second member supported by said housing in spaced relation to said first member and having a plurality of openings, each of said openings having one of said wires extending therethrough; and means cooperating with the one end of said wire extending through said opening in said second member to prevent axial movement of the one end of said wire beyond the predetermined position; and said control means comprises means in at least one of said first and second members cooperating with each of said wires to cause each of said wires to have a slight buckle in the predetermined direction when not subjected to an axial load.

Claim 6

An electrical contactor including: a plurality of probes; each of said probes including a first electrically conductive wire formed of a flexible material and having a length many times its cross sectional area; each of said wires extending substantially axially for its entire length when not subjected to an axial load; means to prevent one end of each of said wires from moving axially beyond a predetermined position when an axial load is applied to its other end; means to slidably support said probe adjacent its other end to allow said probe to flex and slide when its other end has an axial load applied thereto so as to buckle between its ends; each of said wires having its other end extend beyond said slidably support means to have the axial load applied thereto; each of said wires buckling throughout a predetermined range when a predetermined axial load is applied thereto; means to control the direction of buckling of each of said wires so that each of said wires buckles in a predetermined direction; means to supply electrical power to each of said wires; a housing surrounding said probes; said slidably support means including a first member supported by said housing and having a plurality of openings, each of said openings having one of said wires extending therethrough; said preventing means including: a second member supported by said housing in spaced relation to said first member and having a plurality of openings, each of said openings having one of said wires extending therethrough; and means cooperating with the one end of said wire extending through said opening in said second member to prevent axial movement of the one end of said wire beyond the predetermined position; and said control means comprises means in at least one of said first and second members cooperating with each of said wires to cause each of said wires to have a slight buckle in the predetermined direction when not subjected to an axial load.

Claim 7

The contactor according to claim 4 in which said control means comprises each of said openings in said first member for each of said wires being disposed out of axial alignment with said corresponding opening in said second member for the same wire.

Claim 8

The contactor according to claim 5 in which said control means comprises means in said second member to dispose the longitudinal axis of each of said wires adjacent to said second member at an angle to the axis of the opening in said first member.

Claim 9

The contactor according to claim 4 in which said control means comprises means in said second member to dispose the longitudinal axis of each of said wires adjacent to said second member at an angle to the axis of the opening in said first member.

Claim 10

The contactor according to claim 4 in which said cooperating means includes means to fixedly secure said wire to a fixed electrically conductive element.

Claim 11

The contactor according to claim 4 in which said supply means supplies power to said wire through said cooperating means.

Claim 12

The contactor according to claim 1 in which: each of said probes includes: a second electrically conductive wire disposed in spaced relation to said first wire; and electrical insulating means disposed between said first and second wires of each of said probes; each of said second wires and said electrical insulating means terminates prior to said slidably support means; and means to connect said second wires of all of said probes to each other.