Elastomeric test probe

Claim 2

A test probe for signal testing an electronic circuit comprising: an elongated rigid pin member that is constructed of an electrically conductive metal material and having a free end and a longitudinal axis; and a flexible conductive tear drop shaped pad disposed at said free end of said pin member in alignment with the longitudinal axis of said elongated rigid pin member for cushioning physical and electrical contact between said test probe and the electronic circuit, said pad being constructed of a resilient elastomeric material.

Claim 3

A test probe as set forth in claim 1 wherein said test probe further comprises measuring means for measuring voltage and current of the electronic circuit upon contact of the electronic circuit by said flexible conductive pad.

Claim 4

A test probe as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pin comprises at least one piece of conductive wire.

Claim 5

A test probe as set forth in claim 1 wherein said flexible conductive pad is integrally molded to said pin.

Claim 6

A test probe as set forth in claim 1 wherein said flexible conductive pad is secured to said pin by a conductive adhesive.

Claim 7

A test probe as set forth in claim 1 wherein the outer diameter of said flexible conductive pad is at most twice the outer diameter of said elongated rigid pin.

Claim 8

A test probe as set forth in claim 1 wherein said elongated rigid pin extends into the interior of said flexible conductive pad to support said flexible conductive pad.

Claim 9

A test probe as set forth in claim 7 wherein said flexible conductive pad is integrally molded to said pin.

Claim 10

A test probe as set forth in claim 7 wherein said flexible conductive pad is secured to said pin by a conductive adhesive.

Claim 11

A test probe as set forth in claim 1 wherein said resilient elastomeric material has a hardness in a range of 40-80 durometers.

Claim 12

A test probe as set forth in claim 1 wherein said resilient elastomeric material comprises a non-conductive material selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber, graphite, and any combination of silicone rubber and graphite.

Claim 13

A test probe for signal testing an electronic circuit comprising: an elongated rigid pin member that is constructed of an electrically conductive metal material and having a free end and a longitudinal axis; and a flexible conductive tear drop shaped pad disposed at said free end of said pin member in alignment with the longitudinal axis of said elongated rigid pin member for cushioning physical and electrical contacts between said test probe and the electronic circuit, said pad being constructed of a resilient elastomeric material, wherein said elastomeric material is a combination of a conductive material and a non-conductive resilient material.

Claim 14

A test probe for signal testing an electronic circuit comprising: an elongated rigid pin member that is constructed of an electrically conductive metal material and having a free end and a longitudinal axis; and a flexible conductive tear drop shaped pad disposed at said free end of said pin member in alignment with the longitudinal axis of said elongated rigid pin member for cushioning physical and electrical contacts between said test probe and the electronic circuit, said pad being constructed of a resilient elastomeric material, wherein said elastomeric material is a combination of a conductive material and a non-conductive resilient material.

Claim 15

A test probe as set forth in claim 12 wherein said conductive material of said elastomeric material occupies 50-80% of the volume of said elastomeric material and said non-conductive material occupies the remaining volume.

Claim 16

A test probe as set forth in claim 12 wherein said non-conductive resilient material is selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber, graphite, and any combination of silicone rubber and graphite.

Claim 17

A test probe as set forth in claim 12 wherein the outer diameter of said flexible conductive pad is at most twice the outer diameter of said elongated rigid pin.

Claim 18

A test probe as set forth in claim 12 wherein said elongated rigid pine extends into the interior of said flexible conductive pad to support said flexible conductive pad.

Claim 19

A test probe as set forth in claim 16 wherein said flexible conductive pad is integrally molded to said pin.

Claim 20

A test probe as set forth in claim 16 wherein said flexible conductive pad is secured to said pin by a conductive adhesive.

Claim 21

A test probe for signal testing an electronic circuit comprising: an elongated rigid pin member that is constructed of an electrically conductive metal material; and a flexible conductive tear drop shaped pad means disposed at the free end of said pin member along the longitudinal axis of the elongated rigid pin member for cushioning physical and electrical contact between said test probe and the electronic circuit, said pad means being constructed of a resilient elastomeric material, wherein said elastomeric material is a combination of a conductive material and a non-conductive resilient material, wherein said conductive material of said elastomeric material occupies 50-80% of the volume of said elastomeric material and said non-conductive material occupies the remaining volume, and wherein said non-conductive material of said elastomeric material is silicone rubber.

Claim 22

A test probe for signal testing an electronic circuit comprising: an elongated rigid pin member that is constructed of an electrically conductive metal material; and a flexible conductive tear drop shaped pad means disposed at the free end of said pin member along the longitudinal axis of the elongated rigid pin member for cushioning physical and electrical contact between said test probe and the electronic circuit, said pad means being constructed of a resilient elastomeric material, wherein said elastomeric material is a combination of a conductive material and a non-conductive resilient material, wherein said conductive material of said elastomeric material occupies 50-80% of the volume of said elastomeric material and said non-conductive material occupies the remaining volume, and wherein said non-conductive material of said elastomeric material is silicone rubber.

Claim 23

A test probe for signal testing an electronic circuit comprising: an elongated rigid pin member that is constructed of an electrically conductive metal material and having a free end and a longitudinal axis; and a flexible conductive tear drop shaped pad disposed at said free end of said pin member in alignment with the longitudinal axis of said elongated rigid pin member for cushioning physical and electrical contact between said test probe and the electronic circuit, said pad being constructed of a resilient elastomeric material, wherein said flexible conductive pad is compressible up to 20% of its volume.

Claim 24

A test probe for signal testing an electronic circuit comprising: an elongated rigid pin member that is constructed of an electrically conductive metal material and having a free end and a longitudinal axis; and a flexible conductive tear drop shaped pad disposed at said free end of said pin member in alignment with the longitudinal axis of said elongated rigid pin member for cushioning physical and electrical contact between said test probe and the electronic circuit, said pad being constructed of a resilient elastomeric material, wherein said flexible conductive pad is compressible up to 20% of its volume.

Claim 25

A test probe as set forth in claim 20 wherein said resilient elastomeric material includes conductive and non-conductive materials and wherein said conductive materials comprise electrically conductive metal pieces.

Claim 26

A test probe as set forth in claim 20 wherein said resilient elastomeric material comprises a non-conductive material selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber, graphite, and any combination of silicone rubber and graphite.

Claim 27

A test probe as set forth in claim 20 wherein the outer diameter of said flexible conductive pad is at most twice the outer diameter of said elongated rigid pin.

Claim 28

A test probe as set forth in claim 20 wherein said elongated rigid pin extends into the interior of said flexible conductive pad to support said flexible conductive pad.

Claim 29

A test probe as set forth in claim 24 wherein said flexible conductive pad is integrally molded to said pin.

Claim 30

A test probe as set forth in claim 24 wherein said flexible conductive pad is secured to said pin by a conductive adhesive.

Claim 31

A test probe as set forth in claim 1 wherein said non-conductive material is selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber, graphite, and any combination of silicone rubber and graphite.

Claim 32

A test probe for signal testing an electronic circuit comprising: an elongated rigid pin member that is constructed of an electrically conductive metal material; and a flexible conductive tear drop shaped pad means disposed at the free end of said pin member for cushioning physical and electrical contact between said test probe and the electronic circuit, said pad means being constructed of a resilient elastomeric material, wherein said flexible conductive pad means is compressible up to 20% of its volume, wherein said flexible conductive pad means is comprised of an elastomeric material including conductive and non-conductive materials and in which said conductive materials comprise electrically conductive metal pieces, and wherein said non-conductive material is selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber, graphite, and any combination of silicone rubber and graphite.

Claim 33

A test probe for signal testing an electronic circuit comprising: an elongated rigid pin member that is constructed of an electrically conductive metal material; and a flexible conductive tear drop shaped pad means disposed at the free end of said pin member for cushioning physical and electrical contact between said test probe and the electronic circuit, said pad means being constructed of a resilient elastomeric material, wherein said flexible conductive pad means is compressible up to 20% of its volume, wherein said flexible conductive pad means is comprised of an elastomeric material including conductive and non-conductive materials and in which said conductive materials comprise electrically conductive metal pieces, and wherein said non-conductive material is selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber, graphite, and any combination of silicone rubber and graphite.

Claim 34

A test probe as set forth in claim 28 wherein said conductive material and said non-conductive resilient material are included in said elastomeric material in relative proportions such that said elastomeric material has a hardness in a range of 40-80 durometers.

Claim 35

A test probe as set forth in claim 28 wherein said conductive material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, copper, tungsten and any combination thereof.

Claim 36

A test probe as set forth in claim 28 wherein said conductive material of said elastomeric material comprises 50-80% of the volume of said elastomeric material and said non-conductive material occupies the remaining volume.

Claim 37

A test probe for signal testing an electronic circuit comprising: an elongated rigid pin member that is constructed of an electrically conductive metal material; and a flexible conductive tear drop shaped pad means disposed at the free end of said pin member for cushioning physical and electrical contact between said test probe and the electronic circuit, said pad means being constructed of a resilient elastomeric material, wherein said flexible conductive pad means is compressible up to 20% of its volume, wherein said flexible conductive pad means is comprised of an elastomeric material including conductive and non-conductive materials and in which said conductive materials comprise electrically conductive metal pieces, wherein said conductive material comprises silver, and wherein said non-conductive material comprises silicone rubber.

Claim 38

A test probe for signal testing an electronic circuit comprising: an elongated rigid pin member that is constructed of an electrically conductive metal material; and a flexible conductive tear drop shaped pad means disposed at the free end of said pin member for cushioning physical and electrical contact between said test probe and the electronic circuit, said pad means being constructed of a resilient elastomeric material, wherein said flexible conductive pad means is compressible up to 20% of its volume, wherein said flexible conductive pad means is comprised of an elastomeric material including conductive and non-conductive materials and in which said conductive materials comprise electrically conductive metal pieces, wherein said conductive material comprises silver, and wherein said non-conductive material comprises silicone rubber.

Claim 39

A test probe for signal testing an electronic circuit comprising: an elongated rigid pin member that is constructed of an electrically conductive metal material; and a flexible conductive tear drop shaped pad means disposed at the free end of said pin member for cushioning physical and electrical contact between said test probe and the electronic circuit, said pad means being constructed of a resilient elastomeric material, wherein said elastomeric material is a combination of a conductive material and a non-conductive resilient material, and wherein said non-conductive material is selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber, graphite, and any combination of silicone rubber and graphite.

Claim 40

A test probe for signal testing an electronic circuit comprising: an elongated rigid pin member that is constructed of an electrically conductive metal material; and a flexible conductive tear drop shaped pad means disposed at the free end of said pin member for cushioning physical and electrical contact between said test probe and the electronic circuit, said pad means being constructed of a resilient elastomeric material, wherein said elastomeric material is a combination of a conductive material and a non-conductive resilient material, and wherein said non-conductive material is selected from the group consisting of silicone rubber, graphite, and any combination of silicone rubber and graphite.

Claim 41

A test probe as set forth in claim 33 wherein said conductive material and said non-conductive resilient material are included in said elastomeric material in relative proportions such that said elastomeric material has a hardness in a range of 40-80 durometers.

Claim 42

A test probe as set forth in claim 33 wherein said conductive material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, copper, tungsten and any combination thereof.

Claim 43

A test probe for signal testing an electronic circuit comprising: an elongated rigid pin member that is constructed of an electrically conductive metal material; and a flexible conductive tear drop shaped pad means disposed at the free end of said pin member for cushioning physical and electrical contact between said test probe and the electronic circuit, said pad means being constructed of a resilient elastomeric material, wherein said elastomeric material is a combination of a conductive material and a non-conductive resilient material, wherein said conductive material comprises silver, and wherein said non-conductive material comprises silicone rubber.

Claim 44

A test probe for signal testing an electronic circuit comprising: an elongated rigid pin member that is constructed of an electrically conductive metal material; and a flexible conductive tear drop shaped pad means disposed at the free end of said pin member for cushioning physical and electrical contact between said test probe and the electronic circuit, said pad means being constructed of a resilient elastomeric material, wherein said elastomeric material is a combination of a conductive material and a non-conductive resilient material, wherein said conductive material comprises silver, and wherein said non-conductive material comprises silicone rubber.