Abstract: A low electric resistance is accomplished because there are no parts connecting different components as opposed to the arrangement using an electroconductive needle member and an electroconductive coil spring, and a low electric inductance can be accomplished because the coil spring is closely wound and surface processed with highly electroconductive material, thereby providing a straight electric path along the axial direction of the closely wound portion of the coil spring. Because the coil spring portion has a uniform pitch, and the contact unit consists of closely wound portions and the uniform pitch portion, it can be formed with a simple coiling process, and the manufacturing cost can be minimized.

Abstract: In a conductive coil contact member having at least one tapered end consisting of a plurality of turns of coil wire having a progressively smaller coil radius toward a free end thereof, the coil wire comprises a core wire and at least one highly electrically conductive layer formed over the core wire, a last turn of the coil wire at the free end having a smaller coil radius than would be possible by coiling the coil wire. Thus, the core wire is coiled to a smallest possible radius in the last turn, and the coil wire diameter is thereafter increased by forming layers formed by plating or other similar methods. The final result is that the last turn of the coil wire at the free end has a smaller coil radius than would be possible by coiling the coil wire. The reduction in the coil radius of the last turn contributes to the improvement in the positional accuracy of the free end of the tapered end of the conductive coil contact member.

Abstract: Provided is a support member assembly suitable for use in a contact probe head comprising a support member formed with a plurality of holder holes for supporting conductive contact members in a mutually parallel relationship, and a reinforcing member integrally formed with the support member and extending in a part of the support member devoid of any holder holes. The reinforcing member increases the overall mechanical strength of the support member assembly, and prevents the thermal deformation of the support member. Because the holder holes are formed in the support member made of material suitable for forming holes, such as plastic material, the holder holes can be formed at high precision and at low cost.

Abstract: In a conductive coil contact member having at least one tapered end consisting of a plurality of turns of coil wire having a progressively smaller coil radius toward a free end thereof, the coil wire comprises a core wire and at least one highly electrically conductive layer formed over the core wire, a last turn of the coil wire at the free end having a smaller coil radius than would be possible by coiling the coil wire. Thus, the core wire is coiled to a smallest possible radius in the last turn, and the coil wire diameter is thereafter increased by forming layers formed by plating or other similar methods. The final result is that the last turn of the coil wire at the free end has a smaller coil radius than would be possible by coiling the coil wire. The reduction in the coil radius of the last turn contributes to the improvement in the positional accuracy of the free end of the tapered end of the conductive coil contact member.

Abstract: In the electroconductive contact unit of the present invention, a gold plated layer 8 is formed over the surface of an electroconductive needle member 2 via a Ni under layer 7a, and a layer of iridium (titanium nitride, rhodium or hafnium nitride) is formed on the gold plated layer 8 of the needle portion 2a by sputtering, via an Ni under layer 7b. Thereby, the tip portion is provided with an improved resistance to oxidization and wear without using any special material for the needle member, and the durability of the needle member is improved so that the running cost can be minimized.

Abstract: In the electroconductive contact unit of the present invention, an electroconductive needle member 2 is made of a noble metal alloy having a high hardness and wear resistance, and formed with a gold plated layer 8 via a Ni under layer 7, and a flat surface 2e is formed by a tip portion thereof so as to expose the material of the needle member. Thereby, the durability of the needle member is ensured and the electroconductivity of the electric path between the needle member and coil spring is minimized on account of the gold plated layer. Even when the contact surface is soiled by solder deposition after repeated applications to contact objects such as solder balls, simply grinding the contact surface and revealing a new surface, the contact resistance between the contact surface and contact object can be kept unchanged by grinding so that the test can be conducted with the benefit of low resistance at all times.

Abstract: A uniform contact resistance is obtained by a contact spring (2) having a leg portion (2b), a body portion (2c) and a tightly twisted neck portion (2a); a holder (6) having a reception hole (7) from which the leg portion (2b) and the neck portion (2a) are allowed to project and the body portion (2c) is inhibited from coming out; a float type guide plate (5) having a guide hole (3) into which the neck portion (2a) is inserted, and a support spring (15) interposed between the holder and the guide plate.

Abstract: In a conductive coil contact member having at least one tapered end consisting of a plurality of turns of coil wire having a progressively smaller coil radius toward a free end thereof, the coil wire comprises a core wire and at least one highly electrically conductive layer formed over the core wire, a last turn of the coil wire at the free end having a smaller coil radius than would be possible by coiling the coil wire. Thus, the core wire is coiled to a smallest possible radius in the last turn, and the coil wire diameter is thereafter increased by forming layers formed by plating or other similar methods. The final result is that the last turn of the coil wire at the free end has a smaller coil radius than would be possible by coiling the coil wire. The reduction in the coil radius of the last turn contributes to the improvement in the positional accuracy of the free end of the tapered end of the conductive coil contact member.

Abstract: The support member assembly (1) is formed by laminating a plurality of plastic layered assemblies (6) each incorporated with a reinforcing plate (3) and integrally joining them by heating. Holder holes (2) are formed in the parts of the assembly corresponding to the openings (3a) of the reinforcing plates (3). The reinforcing member increases the overall mechanical strength of the support member assembly. Furthermore, because a number of reinforcing plates can be layered and each reinforcing plate may be provided with a small thickness, the working of the strips of the reinforcing plates between adjacent openings can be achieved without any difficulty, and the manufacturing cost of such a support member assembly can be reduced. When each plastic layered assembly comprises plastic material formed by impregnating non-woven fabric with thermosetting resin, the drilling of holder holes for receiving electroconductive contact members can be more favorably and economically performed.

Abstract: In an electric contact probe assembly, an electroconductive patch is attached to a part of the support sheet so as to cover a through hole formed in the support sheet from a front side thereof, and a base end of an electroconductive resilient probe member is attached to the patch. The patch is connected to a terminal of a circuit board both electrically and physically via a solder lump placed in the through hole. The patch may also be attached to the reverse side of the support sheet. In this case, the base end of the resilient probe member is partly received in the through hole. The contact probe assembly of the present invention is suited for a high density design comprising a large number of extremely small resilient probe members one next to the other while simplifying the fabrication process.

Abstract: The holder for an electroconductive contact unit according to the present invention uses a silicon wafer having a laminated structure including a first silicon layer, second silicon layer and silicon oxide film which is disposed between the two silicon layers. A small hole is formed in the first silicon layer for coaxially and slidably guiding a head portion of an electroconductive needle member, and a large hole is formed in the second silicon layer for receiving a flange portion of the needle member and a compression coil spring so that the silicon oxide film serves as a stopper for the flange member. Thus, by finishing the surface of the first silicon layer by lapping, the projecting length of the electroconductive needle member can be defined at a high precision.

Abstract: In order for a conduction path to have a reduced number of sliding portions for conduction, without increase in inductance nor resistance, thereby permitting an enhanced accuracy of inspection, a pair of plungers (3, 4) biased in opposite directions by a coil spring (2), to be electrically connected to a wiring plate (10), have electrical connections in which, in a tubular portion (15) as a tight wound spiral portion (15a) fixed on one plunger (4) to allow linear flow of electrical signal, the other plunger (3) is brought into slidable contact.

Abstract: An electroconductive contact unit which includes needle member guide holes formed in a plate made of high strength material such as metallic materials. The mechanical strength of the parts of the holder defining the needle member guide holes are increased in mechanical strength so that the positional precision of the tip of each electroconductive needle member can be improved. Forming an insulating film over the inner circumferential surface of each needle member guide hole, which guides the corresponding needle member, allows the needle member to be slidably disposed therein without breaking insulation.

Abstract: In a conductive coil contact member having at least one tapered end consisting of a plurality of turns of coil wire having a progressively smaller coil radius toward a free end thereof, the coil wire comprises a core wire and at least one highly electrically conductive layer formed over the core wire, a last turn of the coil wire at the free end having a smaller coil radius than would be possible by coiling the coil wire. Thus, the core wire is coiled to a smallest possible radius in the last turn, and the coil wire diameter is thereafter increased by forming layers formed by plating or other similar methods. The final result is that the last turn of the coil wire at the free end has a smaller coil radius than would be possible by coiling the coil wire. The reduction in the coil radius of the last turn contributes to the improvement in the positional accuracy of the free end of the tapered end of the conductive coil contact member.

Abstract: In a conductive contact member typically used in fixtures for testing semiconductor devices and circuit boards having solder balls or terminals having solder deposited thereon, and electric sockets for semiconductor devices, a layer of highly electrically conductive material resistant to solder deposition is formed at least over a conductive contact part of the conductive contact member so that transfer of solder of the object to be tested onto the conductive contact member can be reduced and the number of possible contacts that can be effected before the cleaning of the solder deposition on the contact part becomes necessary can be increased. Therefore, the run time of the test line can be increased, and the maintenance cost can be reduced.

Abstract: A magnet head device capable of minimizing the sway of a head body in a direction parallel to a front surface of a recording medium, and which allows easy application of a pressing force to press the head body into contact with the front surface of the recording medium. In one embodiment of the invention, the magnetic head comprises a carriage having a main body extending over a recording medium, an elastically deformable support member connected to the bent portion of the carriage, and a head body installed to the support member. The support member may be fixed in surface-contact with the bent portion of the carriage and bent at a surface where the support member is fixed to the bent portion and extends along the recording medium. In one embodiment, the corner of the bend of the support member provides the support point of connection.

Abstract: In an electric contact probe unit using a perforated plate member as a holder member, the holder member is made of material having a low coefficient of thermal expansion so that, even when used in a high temperature environment, the thermal expansion of the holder member can be minimized so that the positional accuracy of the electric contact probe units can be ensured without creating cumulative errors between those located remote from each other. When the holder member consists of a plurality of laminated thin plate members, because the perforation of thin plate members can be accomplished by etching, the production process is suited for mass production. By forming electrically insulating film on the inner circumferential surface of the holder hole, it becomes possible to form the holder member from materials which have a low coefficient of thermal expansion but are electroconductive, thereby expanding the range of material selection.

Abstract: In an electroconductive contact probe unit, the electroconductive needle member is axially slidably received in a support hole formed in an insulating support plate, and is urged by the compression coil spring wound around a stem portion of the electroconductive needle member in a direction to project out of the support hole. The inner end of the compression coil spring is provided with a closely wound portion in which adjacent turns of the coil wire contact each other in the free state of the compression coil spring. As the support plate is lowered toward the object to be tested and the compression coil spring is compressed, the compression coils snakes or otherwise curves in the support hole, causing the inner surface of the closely wound portion to come into contact with the outer circumferential surface of the stem portion.

Abstract: A magnetic head in which a pole core is formed on a base, and a planar coil, formed as a thin film coil, winds around the pole core. A cover, formed of a ceramic material or the like, is provided on the base. Using a planar film allows thinner magnetic heads to be produced. Since the planar coil can be brought close to an end of the pole core, a magnetic field can be generated more efficiently, and the recording performance can be improved.

Abstract: The electric contact unit 1 according to the present invention comprises an insulating base board 2 incorporated with resilient coil-shaped electroconductive members 3. Each of the coil-shaped electroconductive members 3 may include a small number of turns, for instance a single turn, of coil wire, and comprises an intermediate part secured to the base board 2 and a pair of axial projecting parts projecting from either side of the base board. The base board 2 is secured relative to a semiconductor device 4 and a circuit board 6 in such a manner that the two ends of each coil-shaped electroconductive member resiliently engage an electroconductive ball 5 serving as a terminal fixedly secured to a lower surface of the semiconductor device 4 by soldering, and a terminal pattern 7 formed on the circuit board 6 disposed opposite to the ball.