Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
219 words
In an electrical test probe comprising: an annular frame of thermoplastic material, said frame having opposing surfaces generally parallel to the plane defined by said frame, and groups of electrical leads extending from the outer edge of said frame toward the inner edge along only one of said opposing surfaces, and having tip ends projecting in cantilevered fashion into the open center of the frame, each said projecting lead end having a bend therein such that the portion closest to the tip end of each lead is inclined away from said plastic frame, different ones of said lead groups being disposed around the periphery of said frame at approximately integral multiples of ninety degrees from each other, and segments of all said leads being embedded in the one surface such that the embedded portions of the segments are contiguous with and retained by the thermoplastic material at and adjacent to said one surface, the improvement being that: the tip ends of the leads collectively form a pyramidal protrusion from said one surface, said protrusion having been formed by bending and concomitant lengthwise displacement of said leads prior to said lead embedding so that said tip ends forming said pyramidal protrusion are longer than if said protrusion had been formed by bending of said cantilevered leads after said lead embedding.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
219 words
In an electrical test probe comprising: an annular frame of thermoplastic material, said frame having opposing surfaces generally parallel to the plane defined by said frame, and groups of electrical leads extending from the outer edge of said frame toward the inner edge along only one of said opposing surfaces, and having tip ends projecting in cantilevered fashion into the open center of the frame, each said projecting lead end having a bend therein such that the portion closest to the tip end of each lead is inclined away from said plastic frame, different ones of said lead groups being disposed around the periphery of said frame at approximately integral multiples of ninety degrees from each other, and segments of all said leads being embedded in the one surface such that the embedded portions of the segments are contiguous with and retained by the thermoplastic material at and adjacent to said one surface, the improvement being that: the tip ends of the leads collectively form a pyramidal protrusion from said one surface, said protrusion having been formed by bending and concomitant lengthwise displacement of said leads prior to said lead embedding so that said tip ends forming said pyramidal protrusion are longer than if said protrusion had been formed by bending of said cantilevered leads after said lead embedding.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
The probe of claim 1, further characterized in that at least one of said lead portions forming said pyramidal protrusion terminates closer to an edge of the pyramid defined by said protrusion than if said protrusion had been formed by bending of said cantilevered leads after said lead embedding.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A probe as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the leads have a nonconstant cross-section which is wider at the middle than at least one of the top and bottom surfaces thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A probe as recited in claim 1 wherein one surface has two generally concentric levels and the inner concentric level protrudes relative to the outer concentric level in a direction away from the surface opposite said one surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
A probe as recited in claim 4 wherein the leads are embedded in said one surface at both of said levels.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
A probe as recited in claim 5 wherein the ends of the cantilevered portions of the probes are flat and in a plane substantially parallel to a plane defined by the inner level of said one surface.