Patents by Inventor Kazuya Soma

Kazuya Soma has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11940465
    Abstract: A contact probe includes a first plunger, a second plunger, a coil spring, and a pipe; the first plunger includes a first slide portion that slides along the inner periphery of the pipe; the second plunger includes a second slide portion that slides along the inner periphery of the pipe; and the coil spring includes: a first attachment portion that is attached to the first plunger and tightly wound; a second attachment portion that is attached to the second plunger and tightly wound; a coarsely wound portion; a first contact portion including one end connected to the first attachment portion and another end connected to the coarsely wound portion and contacting the pipe; and a second contact portion including one end connected to the coarsely wound portion and another end connected to the second attachment portion and contacting to the pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuya Soma, Masahiro Takahashi, Shuji Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20240053380
    Abstract: A probe unit includes: a contact probe that comes into contact with, at both ends of a longitudinal length of the contact probe, each of electrodes that are contact targets; and a probe holder including a main body portion configured to hold the contact probe, the main body portion being insulating. The main body portion includes, formed therein: a holder hole configured to hold the contact probe inserted in the holder hole; and a counterbore portion drilled in at least part of an area around the holder hole, the area being on one of surfaces of the main body portion, the surfaces being near one end and another end of the contact probe, the counterbore portion having an inner wall surface that forms a hollow space and that is insulating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Applicant: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Futa Sasaki, Hajime Arai, Kazuya Soma
  • Publication number: 20240019460
    Abstract: A probe holder includes: a first layered member including members layered over one another; and a second layered member bonded to the first layered member and including members layered over one another. Each of the first and second layered members includes: a first member made of a material having a low dielectric constant; a second member provided on one of surfaces of the first member and having higher hardness than the first member; and a third member provided on the other surface of the first member and having higher hardness than the first member. The probe holder further includes a holder hole formed by bonding the third members of the first and second layered members, the holder hole penetrating the probe holder in a direction in which the first and second layered members are layered, and having a stepped hole shape having a smaller diameter in the second members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Applicant: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Ito, Kazuya Soma, Hajime Arai
  • Patent number: 11782074
    Abstract: A probe unit includes: first contact probes each coming into contact with a target electrode on one end side in a longitudinal direction; a second contact probe connected to an external ground; a signal pipe disposed around each first contact probes; a ground member provided around each signal pipe and configured to form an air layer with the signal pipe; a probe holder including a plate-shaped first and second members; a first wiring part provided at least on a front surface of the first member and electrically connected to the second contact probe; a second wiring part provided at least on a front surface of the second member and electrically connected to the second contact probe; a first conductive unit configured to electrically connect the first wiring part and the ground member; and a second conductive unit configured to electrically connect the second wiring part and the ground member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Inuma, Kazuya Soma
  • Publication number: 20230251286
    Abstract: A contact probe includes: a first plunger; a second plunger; and a coil spring provided between the first and second plungers and configured to connect the first and second plungers to each other so as to freely advance and retreat. The first plunger is provided with a groove portion formed on a side surface of the first plunger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hajime Arai, Kazuya Soma
  • Patent number: 11656246
    Abstract: A probe unit includes: a signal probe configured to receive and output a signal from and to a predetermined circuit structure; a power supply probe configured to supply power to the predetermined circuit structure; a grounding probe configured to supply a ground potential to the predetermined circuit structure; and a conductive probe holder including a plurality of hole portions in which the signal probe, the power supply probe, and the grounding probe are insertable, the plurality of hole portions having a same hole shape as one another, wherein the signal probe, the power supply probe, and the grounding probe inserted into the plurality of hole portions are interchangeable with one another to change an arrangement of the signal probe, the power supply probe, and the grounding probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Kohei Hironaka, Kazuya Soma
  • Publication number: 20230138105
    Abstract: A probe unit includes: a plurality of first contact probes each coming into contact with an electrode to be contacted on one end side in a longitudinal direction; a second contact probe connected to an external ground; and a probe holder configured to hold the first and second contact probes, the probe holder including a first hollow portion configured to allow the first contact probes to be inserted therethrough and hold the first contact probes, a second hollow portion configured to allow the second contact probe to be inserted therethrough and hold the second contact probe, and a through-hole provided around the first hollow portion, wherein the probe holder includes a conductive portion that constitutes the through-hole and electrically connects the through-hole and the second contact probe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Inuma, Shuji Takahashi, Kazuya Soma, Takashi Nidaira, Yuya Hironaka
  • Publication number: 20230107255
    Abstract: A probe card includes: a plurality of conductive contact probes; a probe head configured to accommodate ends of the plurality of contact probes; a laminated member laminated on the probe head on a side opposite to a side of the probe head; and a fastening member including a screw and a nut configured to fasten the probe head and the laminated member to each other, the screw including a head provided on the side of the probe head in which the contact probes extend outwardly, and a shaft inserted through the probe head and the laminated member, the shaft extending and having a diameter smaller than a diameter of the head. The shaft is fixed to the probe head, is threadedly connected to the nut on an end side opposite to the head side, and is configured to fasten the probe head and the laminated member to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Applicant: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naruhiko Nishiwaki, Masahiro Takahashi, Kazuya Soma, Satoshi Shoji, Shuji Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20220317155
    Abstract: A probe unit includes: a signal probe configured to receive and output a signal from and to a predetermined circuit structure; a power supply probe configured to supply power to the predetermined circuit structure; a grounding probe configured to supply a ground potential to the predetermined circuit structure; and a conductive probe holder including a plurality of hole portions in which the signal probe, the power supply probe, and the grounding probe are insertable, the plurality of hole portions having a same hole shape as one another, wherein the signal probe, the power supply probe, and the grounding probe inserted into the plurality of hole portions are interchangeable with one another to change an arrangement of the signal probe, the power supply probe, and the grounding probe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Applicant: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohei Hironaka, Kazuya Soma
  • Patent number: 11422156
    Abstract: A contact probe includes: a cylindrical pipe member; a collar including a hollow portion and fixed to an inner circumferential side of at least one end in a longitudinal direction of the pipe member; and an inner conductor including a flange configured to abut on a stepped portion formed by the pipe member and the collar, the inner conductor being expandable and contractible along the longitudinal direction and penetrating the pipe member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohei Hironaka, Kazuya Soma
  • Publication number: 20220146552
    Abstract: A contact probe includes a first plunger, a second plunger, a coil spring, and a pipe; the first plunger includes a first slide portion that slides along the inner periphery of the pipe; the second plunger includes a second slide portion that slides along the inner periphery of the pipe; and the coil spring includes: a first attachment portion that is attached to the first plunger and tightly wound; a second attachment portion that is attached to the second plunger and tightly wound; a coarsely wound portion; a first contact portion including one end connected to the first attachment portion and another end connected to the coarsely wound portion and contacting the pipe; and a second contact portion including one end connected to the coarsely wound portion and another end connected to the second attachment portion and contacting to the pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Applicant: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuya Soma, Masahiro Takahashi, Shuji Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20220011345
    Abstract: A probe unit includes: first contact probes each coming into contact with a target electrode on one end side in a longitudinal direction; a second contact probe connected to an external ground; a signal pipe disposed around each first contact probes; a ground member provided around each signal pipe and configured to form an air layer with the signal pipe; a probe holder including a plate-shaped first and second members; a first wiring part provided at least on a front surface of the first member and electrically connected to the second contact probe; a second wiring part provided at least on a front surface of the second member and electrically connected to the second contact probe; a first conductive unit configured to electrically connect the first wiring part and the ground member; and a second conductive unit configured to electrically connect the second wiring part and the ground member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Inuma, Kazuya Soma
  • Publication number: 20210156887
    Abstract: A contact probe includes: a cylindrical pipe member; a collar including a hollow portion and fixed to an inner circumferential side of at least one end in a longitudinal direction of the pipe member; and an inner conductor including a flange configured to abut on a stepped portion formed by the pipe member and the collar, the inner conductor being expandable and contractible along the longitudinal direction and penetrating the pipe member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Inventors: Kohei Hironaka, Kazuya Soma