Patents by Inventor Timothy W. Dowdle

Timothy W. Dowdle 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: 6424166
    Abstract: A probe and test socket assembly wherein spring biased plunger probes of extraordinarily small diameter, such as 0.02 inch, are densely packed into a test socket for testing of integrated circuit chips. The socket is constructed in upper and lower halves with bores to receive the probes. To manufacture probes of such small diameter and to provide minimal and constant electrical resistance, the plungers and barrel of the probes are not crimped or otherwise secured together. The configuration of the socket bore walls in combination with the probe maintains the probe plunger and barrel together. The assembly is particularly useful in densely packed arrays of extremely fine diameter probes for testing densely packed test sites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Inventors: David W. Henry, William E. Thurston, Timothy W. Dowdle