Patents Assigned to Technoprobe S.p.A.
  • Publication number: 20260160808
    Abstract: A probe head for a testing apparatus of electronic devices is disclosed having a plurality of contact probes, a guide provided with a plurality of guide holes for slidingly housing the contact probes, and a containment element which is adapted to support the guide. The containment element includes a first portion and a second portion which is movable with respect to the first portion, movement means adapted to move the second portion of the containment element with respect to the first portion, and a test optical signal distribution element configured to transmit a test optical signal to the device under test. The test optical signal distribution element is associated with the second portion of the containment element and is arranged to be moved integrally therewith. The movement means is configured to allow the alignment of the test optical signal distribution element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2026
    Publication date: June 11, 2026
    Applicant: TECHNOPROBE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Riccardo VETTORI, Roberto CRIPPA
  • Patent number: 12571838
    Abstract: A probe head for a testing apparatus of electronic devices is disclosed having a plurality of contact probes, a guide provided with a plurality of guide holes for slidingly housing the contact probes, and a containment element which is adapted to support the guide. The containment element includes a first portion and a second portion which is movable with respect to the first portion, movement means adapted to move the second portion of the containment element with respect to the first portion, and a test optical signal distribution element configured to transmit a test optical signal to the device under test. The test optical signal distribution element is associated with the second portion of the containment element and is arranged to be moved integrally therewith. The movement means is configured to allow the alignment of the test optical signal distribution element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2026
    Assignee: TECHNOPROBE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Riccardo Vettori, Roberto Crippa
  • Patent number: 12487253
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a probe head for the functionality testing of devices under test (DUT) is disclosed. The method includes providing a containment element, arranging a lower guide at a lower face of the containment element which faces toward the devices under test during the test, and arranging an upper guide at an upper face of the containment element. The containment element is interposed between the lower and upper guides which are initially in the shape of a single plate connected to the containment element. The method further includes cutting the lower and/or upper guide thereby defining a plurality of guide portions that are independent and separated from each other, and inserting a plurality of contact elements into respective guide holes formed in the guides. The contact elements are adapted to contact pads of the devices under test. A probe head obtained by the method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2025
    Assignee: TECHNOPROBE S.P.A.
    Inventor: Flavio Maggioni
  • Publication number: 20250334610
    Abstract: A probe card mounted in an of electronic device testing apparatus is described, having a probe head housing a plurality of contact probes, each having a first end portion which abuts onto contact pads of a device under test, a main board and a connected intermediate board which provides a distance spatial transformation between contact pads made on opposite faces thereof. The intermediate board is a space transformer which includes a plurality of modules that are plate-shaped and coplanar, and structurally and functionally independent from each other. Each module has a first face facing towards the probe head and a first plurality of contact pads whereonto respective second end portions of the contact probes abut and an opposite second face facing towards the main board. The second face has a second plurality of contact pads connected to the first plurality of contact pads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2023
    Publication date: October 30, 2025
    Applicant: TECHNOPROBE S.P.A.
    Inventor: Stefano FELICI
  • Patent number: 12455299
    Abstract: A contact element for a probe head for an electronic device test apparatus is disclosed, having a body extending along a longitudinal axis between a first and a second opposite contact end, each made of electrically conductive material. The body includes a first section which extends over a distance less than 1000 ?m along the longitudinal axis starting from the first contact end towards the second contact end, a second section which extends along the longitudinal axis starting from the second contact end towards the first contact end, and a third section, interposed between the first and second sections, made of an electrically insulating material. The sections follow each other along the longitudinal axis so that the first contact end is included only in the first section, the second contact end is included only in the second section, and the third section electrically insulates the first section from the second section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2025
    Assignee: TECHNOPROBE S.P.A.
    Inventor: Roberto Crippa
  • Publication number: 20250258199
    Abstract: A testing head apt to verify the operation of a device under test integrated on a semiconductor wafer includes a plurality of contact elements, each including a body that extends between a first end portion and a second end portion, and a guide provided with a plurality of guide holes apt to house the contact elements. The guide includes a conductive portion that includes and electrically connects the holes of a group of guide holes to each other and is apt to contact a corresponding group of contact elements apt to carry a same type of signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2025
    Publication date: August 14, 2025
    Applicant: TECHNOPROBE S.P.A.
    Inventor: Flavio MAGGIONI
  • Patent number: 12313655
    Abstract: A testing head apt to verify the operation of a device under test integrated on a semiconductor wafer includes a plurality of contact elements, each including a body that extends between a first end portion and a second end portion, and a guide provided with a plurality of guide holes apt to house the contact elements. The guide includes a conductive portion that includes and electrically connects the holes of a group of guide holes to each other and is apt to contact a corresponding group of contact elements apt to carry a same type of signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: TECHNOPROBE S.P.A.
    Inventor: Flavio Maggioni
  • Patent number: 12292457
    Abstract: A flexible membrane adapted to carry high-frequency power signals is described having a plurality of contact pads in a central portion of the flexible membrane connected to a plurality of micro contact probes and a plurality of contact structures connected to a support plate in a peripheral portion of the flexible membrane, as well as a plurality of conductive tracks connecting the contact pads with the contact structures. The flexible membrane further includes an intermediate portion between the central and peripheral portions. The elastic membrane is divided into a first area having a first total thickness and into a second area having a second total thickness. The first area is contiguous and adjacent to the second area. The first total thickness is less than or equal to 75 ?m and the second total thickness is greater than the first total thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: TECHNOPROBE S.P.A.
    Inventor: Flavio Maggioni
  • Patent number: 12259407
    Abstract: A contact probe having a first end portion adapted to abut onto a contact pad of a device under test and a second end portion adapted to abut onto a contact pad of a PCB board of a testing apparatus, as well as a rod-shaped probe body extended between the end portions along a longitudinal development direction is provided with an opening extending along the longitudinal development direction and defines at least one pair of arms in the probe body. Suitably, each arm of the at least one pair of arms has a not constant transversal section, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal development direction, having different areas in correspondence of different points along the probe body and ensures a distribution of the stress along the probe body during bending thereof during testing operation of the device under test performed by means of the contact probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: TECHNOPROBE S.P.A.
    Inventor: Riccardo Vettori
  • Publication number: 20250052783
    Abstract: A contact probe is disclosed having a first end portion which ends with a contact tip configured to abut onto a contact pad of a device under test and a second end portion which ends with a contact head configured to abut onto a contact pad of a board of a testing apparatus, as well as a probe body extended between the first end portion and the second end portion along with a longitudinal development axis The first end portion includes a first support part, interposed between the probe body and the contact tip. Suitably, the first support part includes at least one contact pin and one probe length which extend parallel to each other along the longitudinal development axis and are separated by an air gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Publication date: February 13, 2025
    Applicant: TECHNOPROBE S.P.A.
    Inventor: Riccardo VETTORI
  • Patent number: 12105118
    Abstract: A testing head for testing the functionality of an electronic device is disclosed having a plurality of contact probes including a probe body extended between respective end portions adapted to contact respective contact pads, a lower guide provided with guide holes for housing the contact probes, and a conductive portion in the lower guide. The conductive portion includes a group of the guide holes and is adapted to contact and short-circuit a corresponding group of contact probes housed in the group of holes. The contact probes housed in the group of holes include a deformable portion adapted to be partially inserted into the guide holes of the group. The deformable portion, when housed in the guide holes, is in a configuration in which it is deformed by the contact with a wall of the guide holes and exerts on the wall a reaction force ensuring a sliding contact during testing of the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: TECHNOPROBE S.P.A.
    Inventor: Roberto Crippa
  • Patent number: 12085588
    Abstract: A probe head for testing a device under test includes an upper guide and a lower guide parallel to each other and spaced apart. Each of the guides is provided with a respective plurality of guide holes, a plurality of contact probes housed in the guide holes and provided each with a first end and with a second end, the first end being adapted to contact pads of a device under test. At least one additional guide is associated with one of the guides. The additional guide includes first guide holes, housing a first group of the contact probes, and second guide holes, housing a second group of the contact probes. The first and second guide holes are shifted with respect to the guide holes of the guide which said additional guide is associated with, and the shift of the first guide holes is in a direction opposite the shift of the second guide holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: Technoprobe S.p.A.
    Inventor: Stefano Felici
  • Patent number: 12044703
    Abstract: A contact probe having a first end portion and a second end portion, a probe body extended along a longitudinal development direction between the first end portion and the second end portion is disclosed. The probe body has a pair of arms separated by a slot and extending according to the longitudinal development direction and a conductive insert extended along the longitudinal development direction, in a bending plane of the contact probe. The conductive insert is made of a first material and the contact probe is made of a second material and the first material has a lower electrical resistivity than an electrical resistivity of the second material. The conductive insert is a power transmission element of the contact probe and the arms are structural support elements of the contact probe during a deformation of the probe body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: TECHNOPROBE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Raffaele Vallauri, Fabio Morgana
  • Patent number: 12019111
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a multi-layer for a probe card comprises providing first contact pads on an exposed face of a first dielectric layer and second contact pads on an exposed face of a last dielectric layer. Each dielectric layer is laser ablated to realize pass-through structures and the pass-through structures are conductively filled to realize conductive structures. The dielectric layers are superimposed in a way that each conductive structure contacts a corresponding conductive structure of a contiguous dielectric layer in the multi-layer and forms conductive paths electrically connected the first and second contact pads. The second contact pads having a greater distance between its symmetry centers than the first contact pads, the multi-layer thus performing a spatial transformation between the first and second contact pads connected through the connective paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: TECHNOPROBE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Roberto Crippa, Flavio Maggioni, Raffaele Vallauri
  • Patent number: 12000879
    Abstract: An apparatus for the automated assembly of a probe head for testing electronic devices integrated on a semiconductor wafer, includes a support adapted to support at least two parallel guides, which are provided with a plurality of respective guides holes, and at least one holding means adapted to hold a contact probe to be housed in the guides holes, of the guides. Suitably, the support is a movable support adapted to be moved according to a preset trajectory between a first position, wherein the contact probe is held by the holding means at a predetermined position outside the guides holes, and a second position wherein the contact probe, which is held at the predetermined position, is housed in a set of guides holes that are substantially concentric to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: TECHNOPROBE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Roberto Subranni, David Heriban, Jean-Christophe Villain, Jocelyn Perreau, Florent Perrocheau, Anne Delettre
  • Publication number: 20240151744
    Abstract: A testing head apt to verify the operation of a device under test integrated on a semiconductor wafer includes a plurality of contact elements, each including a body that extends between a first end portion and a second end portion, and a guide provided with a plurality of guide holes apt to house the contact elements. The guide includes a conductive portion that includes and electrically connects the holes of a group of guide holes to each other and is apt to contact a corresponding group of contact elements apt to carry a same type of signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2024
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Applicant: TECHNOPROBE S.P.A.
    Inventor: Flavio MAGGIONI
  • Patent number: 11971449
    Abstract: A probe head comprises a plate-shaped support including respective pluralities of guide holes, a plurality of contact probes being slidingly housed in the respective pluralities of guide holes and including at least a first group of contact probes being apt to carry only one type of signal chosen between ground and power supply signals, a conductive portion realized on the support and including a plurality of the guide holes housing the contact probes of the first group, and at least one filtering capacitor having at least one capacitor plate being electrically connected to the conductive portion, the conductive portion electrically connecting the contact probes of the first group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TECHNOPROBE S.P.A.
    Inventor: Flavio Maggioni
  • Patent number: 11953522
    Abstract: A probe head for a testing apparatus integrated on a semiconductor wafer is disclosed having a first plurality of contact probes having a first transversal diameter, a second plurality of micro contact probes having a second transversal diameter, smaller than the first transversal diameter, and a flexible membrane having conductive tracks for connecting a first plurality contact probe with a corresponding second plurality micro contact probe. The second plurality contact probes are arranged between the testing apparatus and the flexible membrane, and the second plurality micro contact probes are arranged between the flexible membrane and a semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: TECHNOPROBE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Roberto Crippa, Stefano Felici
  • Patent number: 11921133
    Abstract: A testing head apt to verify the operation of a device under test integrated on a semiconductor wafer includes a plurality of contact elements, each including a body that extends between a first end portion and a second end portion, and a guide provided with a plurality of guide holes apt to house the contact elements. The guide includes a conductive portion that includes and electrically connects the holes of a group of guide holes to each other and is apt to contact a corresponding group of contact elements apt to carry a same type of signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: TECHNOPROBE S.P.A.
    Inventor: Flavio Maggioni
  • Publication number: 20240044940
    Abstract: A contact probe is disclosed having a first contact end portion adapted to abut onto a contact pad of a device under test, a second contact end portion adapted to abut onto a contact pad of a PCB board of a testing apparatus, and a rod-shaped probe body extended between the first and second contact end portions according to a longitudinal direction. The contact probe also includes an opening that extends along the probe body and along at least one contact end portion, a first opening part defining a pair of arms in the probe body and a second opening part defining a pair of end sections in the contact end portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Applicant: TECHNOPROBE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Roberto CRIPPA, Flavio MAGGIONI