Micro connector to facilitate testing of micro electronic component and subassemblies

Abstract

The subject invention is a testing apparatus which includes a contact connector comprised of a housing with contact blades extending from the housing. The contact blades are pivotally mounted to the housing by pivot rods. A biasing element is coupled to the contact blades, providing resistance against rotary movement of the contact blade in one direction.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/308,514 entitled “Micro Connector to Facilitate Testing of Micro Electronic Components and Subassemblies,” filed on Jul. 27,2001 the contents of which are hereby incorporated in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates generally to a testing apparatus for contact connectors. More particularly, the invention relates to a testing apparatus which can mate with a connector of a device under test without damaging the connector.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Contact connectors such as the one shown in FIG. 1 are well known. These connectors are typically used to removably connect circuits to each other. As shown in FIG. 2, connectors are commonly used in conjunction with a flex cable 20 to connect circuits located on circuit boards or peripheral devices to each other.

[0004] FIG. 1 shows a typical female-type embodiment of a connector, this embodiment is comprised of a contact 10 and a housing 11, with the contact having a leg 12 which extends from the housing and a contact surface 13. The female type connectors will typically mate with a male-type connector like the one shown in FIG. 3. The male-type connector also has a housing 30, a contact 32, and a leg 34. The contact 32 also has a contact surface 36. The male-type connector is configured so that when the housing for the male-type connector mates with the housing for the female type connector, the contacts of one connector touches that of the other.

[0005] During normal use electrical contact between the female contact connector and the male contact connector are typically quite reliable because the two remain statically mated. In this condition, the contact 10 is displaced by the contact 32 and the resiliency of the contact 10 resists this displacement. As a result, contact pressure is created between the contact 10 and the contact 30 which forces good contact between the two.

[0006] However, repeated insertion and removal of a male contact connector reduces the resiliency of the contact 10. After repeated insertions and removals, the contact 10 no longer resists displacement and simply deforms. A deformed contact 10 will typically cause insufficient contact pressure between the contact 10 and the contact 30, and as a result, there is inconsistent continuity between the circuits being connected.

[0007] This problem can occur during testing of circuits or flex cables. Testing often requires repeated insertion and removal of a male contact connector into the female-type connector. As stated above this repeated insertion and removal may damage the female-type connector. In order to avoid this damage, a male-type connector is needed which would apply minimal pressure to the contact 10 so that the contact is not displaced. Yet, there must be sufficient contact pressure between the contact 10 and a male contact to provide good contact between the two.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Accordingly, the subject invention is a testing apparatus with a novel connector which provides repeatable, reliable electrical contact when mated to an opposite connector, without deforming the contacts of the opposite connector. In one embodiment, the subject connector is configured as a male-type contact connector especially adapted to mate with a common female-type contact connector. The connector includes a housing with contact blades extending from the housing. The contact blades are pivotally mounted to the housing by pivot rods, and a biasing element is coupled to the contact blades providing resistance against rotary movement of the contact blade in one direction.

[0009] Due to the angle of the contact surface 49 and the rotary movement of the contact blades, a contact blade on a female-type connector is not displaced by the insertion of the male-type contact connector. The contact blades on the male-type connector rotate to accommodate the presence of a contact from a female-type connector while the biasing elements provides sufficient resistance to this rotary movement to allow good contact pressure. As a result, even with repeated insertion and removal of the male type connector, the female-type connector experiences little deformation and retains its ability to maintain good contact.

[0010] In one embodiment, the testing apparatus is comprised of a base with the male-type contact connector mounted onto the base. The male-type connector is generally adapted to mate with a connector on the specific device under test. The base carries additional circuitry which is in communication with the contact blades on the male-type connector, enabling the testing apparatus to communicate with the device under test.

[0011] While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. As will be apparent, the invention is capable of modifications in various obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the invention, there is illustrated the accompanying drawings, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, the invention, its construction and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.

[0013] FIG. 1, (prior art) a cross-sectional view of a female-type contact connector.

[0014] FIG. 2, (prior art) a perspective view of a flex cable conductively coupled to the female-type contact connector of FIG. 1.

[0015] FIG. 3, (prior art) a cross-sectional view of a male-type contact connector.

[0016] FIG. 4, a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a testing apparatus in accordance with the subject invention.

[0017] FIG. 4a perspective view of one embodiment of a pivot rod.

[0018] FIG. 5, a reduced, overhead, planar view of the testing apparatus of FIG. 4.

[0019] FIG. 6, a cross-sectional view of the testing apparatus of FIG. 4 conductively coupled to a female-type contact connector.

[0020] FIG. 7, an expanded view of FIG. 6 showing the testing apparatus of FIG. 4 conductively coupled to a female-type contact connector.

[0021] FIG. 8, a top perspective view of a testing apparatus in accordance with the subject invention.

[0022] FIG. 9, a side perspective view of the testing apparatus of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] The subject invention is a testing apparatus with a novel connector which provides repeatable, reliable, electrical contact when mated to an opposite connector, without deforming the contacts of the opposite connector. As shown in FIG. 4, in one embodiment, the subject connector is configured as a male-type contact connector especially adapted to mate with a common female-type contact connector. However, one skilled in the art can readily appreciate that the subject invention can be easily modified to accommodate a number of different types of contact connectors.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 4, in one embodiment, the testing apparatus 40 includes a male-type contact connector 41 comprised of a housing 42 with contact blades 43 extending from the housing. The contact blades 43 are pivotally mounted to the housing 42 by pivot rods 44. A biasing element 57 is coupled to the contact blades 43, providing resistance against rotary movement of the contact blade in one direction.

[0025] In one embodiment, each contact blade 43 includes a contact portion 46, a central portion 56, and a base portion 47. An aperture 53 extends through the central portion of the contact blade, the aperture being sized to allow a pivot rod 44 to be disposed therein. The contact portion 46 also defines an angled contact surface 49 which extends from the housing 42.

[0026] In one embodiment, the thickness of the contact blade 43 is designed to be less than the contact width of a contact blade on a female connector to be mated with. Typically, the contact blades 43 are fabricated from about 0.13 mm feeler gauge sheet stock and electroless Nickel plated to a final thickness of about 0.14 mm. However, as one skilled in the art would readily appreciate, the width and tolerance of the contact blade is readily adaptable to conform to the size and spacing of a contact blade on a connector.

[0027] In one embodiment, a pair of pivot rods 44 (as shown in FIG. 4a), preferably a Zirconia tube reinforced with a steel wire 44a, extend laterally along the housing 42 of the male-type contact connector 41. The pivot rods are generally parallel to each other, and they rotatively support a plurality of contact blades 43. The pivot rods 44 extend through an aperture 53 located on each contact blade 43, with each contact blade 43 rotating about the central axis of the pivot rod 44.

[0028] In one embodiment, the biasing element 57 is disposed within the housing and is coupled to the base portion 47 of each contact blade 43. In the disclosed embodiment, the biasing element serves a dual purpose. First, it provides an electrical connection from each contact blade to an output pin 54. Second, it provides resistance, in one direction, against the rotary movement of the contact blade 43 about the pivot rods 44. The direction of the bias provided is easily changed to accommodate a particular application.

[0029] The biasing element 57 provides a known, repeatable, resistance to the rotary movement of the contact blade. In one embodiment, the biasing element is a flexible pin 45, preferably a pogo pin. However, it can be readily appreciated that a number of known components can be easily substituted for the flexible pin. A spring or any other resilient body can easily be accommodated to perform the same function as the flexible pin 45.

[0030] In one embodiment, the flexible pins 45 are disposed within non-conductive “U” shaped blocks 55 mounted within the housing. These U-shaped blocks 55 are preferably fabricated from G-11 fiber glass epoxy stock. Due to their size (diameter) these flexible pins 45 can be mounted in staggered tiers so that there is space available within the housing to accommodate a plurality of the pins.

[0031] In one embodiment, a stop 48 extends laterally within the housing, disposed between the contact blades 43. The stop 48 prevents rotational movement of the contact blade 43 in one direction, and maintains the orientation of the contact blade and spacer. The stop is fabricated from a non-conductive material such as G-11 fiberglass epoxy stock.

[0032] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, in one embodiment, the subject invention includes two parallel rows of contact blades 43 extending laterally across the housing 42. Each contact blade 43 is separated from a neighboring contact blade 43 in the same row by a generally non-conductive spacer 50. The spacer 50 extends between the pivot rods 44 and it has a pair of apertures 58 which enables each pivot rod 44 to extend therethrough. Each spacer 50 is preferably fabricated from about 0.25 mm plastic shim stock and are designed to fill most of the space surrounding each contact blade 43. For improved control of contact blade spacing and tolerance, spacers would preferably be fabricated from a ceramic or similar material that can be lapped to a close tolerance.

[0033] In operation and as shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 6 and 7, the contact blades 43 are inserted into a female-type contact connector 52. The contact portion 46 protrudes above the spacers 50 enabling it to contact a female contact blade 51 of a female-type connector 52 being tested. The contact portion 46 protrudes roughly about 0.75 mm above the spacers 50. The contact surface 49 contacts an upper portion 70 of the female contact blade 51. Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, persons skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0034] Upon insertion into the female-type connector, the contact blades 43 are displaced, rotating about the pivot rod 44. The flexible pin 45 provides a sufficient amount of resistance to the rotation so that there is sufficient contact pressure between the contact blade 43 and the female contact blade 51. Due to the angle of the contact surface 49 and the rotary movement of the contact blades 43. The female contact 51 is not displaced by the insertion of the male-type contact connector 41. Since there is little to no displacement of the female contact 51, the female contact does not deform, even after repeated insertion and removal of the male-type connector.

[0035] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, in one embodiment, the testing apparatus comprises the male-type contact connector 41 and a base 59. The base 59 may include additional circuitry therein to communicate with the output pins 54 of the male-type connector 41, or the base may function solely as a support to the male-type connector 41. The testing apparatus can include additional components which utilize the male-type connector 41 to communicate with the device under test.

[0036] The testing apparatus can be applied manually to a device under test, or it can be actuated onto a device under testing. Alternatively, the device under testing can be actuated onto the testing apparatus. The actuator can be one that is known in the art.

[0037] While the subject invention has been described with reference to several embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will recognize various changes that may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention. Accordingly, this invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification. Any numbering or ordering of elements in the following claims is merely for convenience and is not intended to suggest that the ordering of the elements of the claims has any particular significance.

Claims

1. A connector comprising a housing, a contact blade pivotally disposed within the housing, and a biasing element coupled to the contact blade and opposing pivotal movement of the contact blade in one direction.

2. The connector of claim 1 and further comprising a rod coupled to the contact blade, the rod rotatably coupled to the housing.

3. The connector of claim 2 wherein the rod extends through the contact blade

4. The connector of claim 1, wherein the biasing element is a flexible pin.

5. The connector of claim 4, and further comprising an output pin conductively coupled to the contact blade flexible pin.

6. The connector of claim 1, wherein the biasing element is a spring.

7. The connector of claim 1, wherein the contact blade is comprised of a contact portion, a central portion, and a base portion, and wherein the contact portion includes an angled contact surface and the control portion has an aperture extending therethrough.

8. The connector of claim 7, and further comprising a non-conductive spacer, and wherein the rod extends through the spacer.

9. A method of manufacturing a connector comprising coupling a contact blade to a rod, rotatably mounting the rod to a housing, and coupling a biasing element to the contact blade.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of coupling the contact blades to a rod includes extending the rod through the blade.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the blade is comprised of a contact section, a middle section and a base section, and wherein a flexible pin is coupled to the base section of the blade.

12. The method of claim 9, and further comprising extending a first rod through a first set of blades and extending a second rod through a second set of blades, and aligning the first and second set of blades generally parallel to each other.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the biasing means are coupled to the contact blades so that the first set of blades are biased to in one direction and the second set of blades are biased in an opposite direction.

14. A testing apparatus comprising a base, a housing mounted to the base, a first set and a second set of contact blades, each blade pivotally connected to the housing, and biasing elements coupled to the first and second set of contact blades, the biasing elements biasing the first set of blades in one direction and the second set of blades in an opposite direction.

15. The testing apparatus of claim 14, and further comprising a pair of rods rotatively disposed within the housing, the rods being positioned parallel to each other with each coupled to a set of contact blades.

16. The testing apparatus of claim 15, wherein each contact blade has an aperture therethrough sized to allow the disposal of the rod therein, and wherein each rod extends through a set of blades.

17. The testing apparatus of claim 16, wherein a flexible pin is coupled to each contact blade.

18. The testing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the biasing means is a pogo pin.

19. The testing apparatus of claim 17, and further comprising an output pin, and wherein the pogo pin conductively couples the output pin to the contact blade.

20. The testing apparatus of claim 19, wherein the contact blade has an angled contact surface.