Buckling Patents (Class 324/755.06)
  • 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
  • Patent number: 11619653
    Abstract: A testing apparatus comprises a tester base, a supporting member, a frame, one or more electrical connectors and an upper cover. Each electrical connector includes a set of contact members that are positioned on a substrate and having first and second arm portions made of an electrically conductive material. The one or more electrical connectors are mounted on top of ribs in the supporting members and each of the electrical connectors is separated from an adjacent electrical connector by a respective pair of protrusions formed on opposite sides of the frame. Each of the second arm portions of the set of contact members of each electrical connector are disposed in a respective through hole formed in a panel of the supporting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: GITech Inc.
    Inventor: John Williams
  • Patent number: 11209461
    Abstract: A probe card device and a neck-like probe thereof are provided. The neck-like probe includes a conductive pin and a ring-shaped insulator. The conductive pin includes a stroke segment and two end segments extending from the stroke segment. The stroke segment has two broad side surfaces and two narrow side surfaces, and each of the broad side surfaces has a long slot extending from one of the narrow side surfaces to the other one. The two long slots have a minimum distance therebetween that is 75%-95% of a maximum distance between the two broad side surfaces. The ring-shaped insulator surrounds a portion of the conductive pin having the two long slots, and a portion of the neck-like probe corresponding in position to a part of the ring-shaped insulator on the two broad side surfaces has a thickness that is 85%-115% of the maximum distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: CHUNGHWA PRECISION TEST TECH. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wen-Tsung Lee, Hsun-Tai Wei, Kai-Chieh Hsieh, Wei-Jhih Su
  • Patent number: 10132833
    Abstract: A multiple conduction path probe can provide an electrically conductive signal path from a first contact end to a second contact end. The probe can also include an electrically conductive secondary path and an electrically insulated gap between the signal path and the secondary path. A probe assembly can comprise multiple such probes disposed in passages in substantially parallel electrically conductive guide plates. In some configurations, the probe assembly can include one or more secondary probes disposed in passages of the conductive guide plates and electrically connected to one or both of the guide plates. Some of the probes can be electrically insulated from the guide plates and thus provide signal paths, and others of the probes can be electrically connected to the guide plates and thus provide secondary paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: FormFactor, Inc.
    Inventor: Benjamin N. Eldridge
  • Patent number: 9459283
    Abstract: A probe is fitted into cylindrical retaining holes formed in an upper block and a lower block. A plunger of the probe has a plate-like guide portion, and an edge contact portion. A bottomed one of the cylindrical retaining holes is formed in the upper block from a lower part thereof and a guide groove is formed from an upper surface thereof. The plate-like guide portion is movably guided vertically while being prevented from turning and slipping out by the guide groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: SEIKEN CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Tomioka
  • Patent number: 9429593
    Abstract: A testing head for a test equipment of electronic devices comprises a plurality of contact probes inserted into guiding holes made in at least one upper guide and in a lower guide, separate from one another by an air zone, the contact probes comprising at least one enlarged portion suitable for preventing the escape of such probes from the guiding holes. Conveniently, the enlarged portions of the contact probes adjacent according to a direction of distribution of contact pads of an integrated device to be tested have respective larger sides orthogonal to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Technoprobe S.p.A.
    Inventor: Roberto Crippa
  • Patent number: 9322849
    Abstract: A method of cleaning needles of a probe card in a test system includes mounting the probe card, which has a plurality of device under tests (DUTs) and needles, in a card mounting part. The DUTs and needles are scanned using a camera positioned in the test system to provide a scan result. A laser beam is focused on at least one of the needles based on the scan result and the laser beam is irradiated on the at least one of the needles to clean the at least one of the needles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Do-Yun Kim, In-Seok Hwang, Sang-Boo Kang
  • Patent number: 9069014
    Abstract: A wire probe assembly and forming process is described. In one example, a method includes inserting a plurality of wires through a probe former and a tip retainer to contact a probe head substrate, attaching the wires to a surface of the substrate, pulling the probe former laterally with respect to the substrate surface and the tip retainer to bend the wires into test probes with a resiliency to transverse movement, and removing the tip retainer to form a test probe head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Todd P. Albertson, Michael T. Crocker, David Shia, Lothar R. Kress
  • Patent number: 8994393
    Abstract: A test device including cobra probes and a method of manufacturing is disclosed. The test device includes a conductive upper plate having an upper guide hole and a conductive lower plate having a lower guide hole. The test device also includes a conductive cobra probe disposed between the upper guide hole of the upper plate and the lower guide hole of the lower plate. A dielectric material insulates the cobra probe from the upper plate and the lower plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hanyi Ding, John Ferrario, Barton E. Green, Richard J. St. Pierre
  • Publication number: 20140239995
    Abstract: The formation of test probe structures is described. One test probe structure includes a tip portion and a handle portion spaced a distance away from the tip portion. The test probe structure also includes a body bend portion positioned between the tip portion and the handle portion, and an intermediate portion positioned between the body bend portion and the handle portion. The body bend portion may include a curved shape extending from the intermediate portion to the tip portion. The tip portion may be formed to be offset from a longitudinal axis defined by the intermediate portion. The test probe structure defines a length and includes a cross-sectional area that is different at a plurality of positions along the length. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2011
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Inventors: Roy E. Swart, Warren S. Crippen, Charlotte C. Kwong, David Shia
  • Publication number: 20140184258
    Abstract: Approaches for performing in line wafer testing are provided. An approach includes a method that includes generating a radio frequency (RF) test signal, and applying the RF test signal to a device under test (DUT) in a wafer using a buckling beam probe set with a predefined pitch. The method also includes detecting an output RF signal from the DUT in response to the applying the RF test signal to the DUT, and sensing at least one frequency component of the detected output RF signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
  • Publication number: 20140132300
    Abstract: An apparatus for testing electronic devices is disclosed. The apparatus includes a plurality of probes attached to a substrate; each probe capable of elastic deformation when the probe tip comes in contact with the electronic; each probe comprising a plurality of isolated electrical vertical interconnected accesses (vias) connecting each probe tip to the substrate, such that each probe tip of the plurality is capable of conducting an electrical current from the device under test to the substrate. The plurality of probes may form a probe comb. Also disclosed is a probe comb holder that has at least one slot where the probe comb may be disposed. A method for assembling and disassembling the probe comb and probe comb holder is also disclosed which allows for geometric alignment of individual probes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: ADVANTEST AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Florent Cros, Lakshmi Namburi, Ting Hu
  • Patent number: 8717056
    Abstract: A probing assembly is disclosed. The probing assembly includes an interface board, a structural support element, a trace support element and a probe support element. The structural support element provides structural and mechanical support to the trace support element. The trace support element includes a body and multiple trace lines located on the body. The probe support element includes a plate having multiple guide holes in which micro probes are inserted. At least one of the micro pins is in contact with one of the trace lines within the trace support element. A set of rails are utilized to secure the probe support element, the trace support element and the structural support element to the interface board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Inventor: Francis T. McQuade
  • Patent number: 8674717
    Abstract: A probe of the present invention includes a beam portion cantilevered by a holding portion, and a contact extending perpendicularly to and downward from a free end of the beam portion. An inner cut portion is formed on a fixed end side of the beam portion in a side portion of the contact, and an outer cut portion is formed on a free end side of the beam portion in a side portion of the contact, so that the outer cut portion and the inner cut portion are formed to bend the contact when the contact contacts an electrode of an object to be inspected at a predetermined contact pressure. According to the present invention, in inspection of electrical characteristics of the object to be inspected, suitable contact between the probe and the object to be inspected may be maintained and the durability of the probe may be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Toshihiro Yonezawa
  • Publication number: 20140062519
    Abstract: A test device including cobra probes and a method of manufacturing is disclosed. The test device includes a conductive upper plate having an upper guide hole and a conductive lower plate having a lower guide hole. The test device also includes a conductive cobra probe disposed between the upper guide hole of the upper plate and the lower guide hole of the lower plate. A dielectric material insulates the cobra probe from the upper plate and the lower plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hanyi DING, John FERRARIO, Barton E. GREEN, Richard J. ST. PIERRE
  • Patent number: 8519727
    Abstract: A contact probe include: a first plunger to be connected to an object to be inspected; a second plunger to be connected to a board for inspection; and a spring operable to urge the first and second plungers in directions of moving the first and second plungers apart from each other. A pillar part of one of the first and second plungers is slidably engaged with an inner periphery of a tubular part of the other of the first and second plungers. The pillar part includes an elastically deformable part which is in contact with a part of the inner periphery of the tubular part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Yokowo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsugio Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8330479
    Abstract: A testing device suitable for a testing apparatus with light inspection of a display panel is provided, in which the testing device includes a main part and two contact parts. The testing device is fixed to the testing apparatus with light inspection by the main part. Two contact parts are respectively extended from two ends of the main part along a first direction, and each of the contact parts has a plurality of tips. The tips of each contact part have different heights. Besides, a testing apparatus is also provided. Therefore, the abovementioned testing device and the testing apparatus are able to drastically extend the user lifetime, improve the inspection accuracy and save cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Chunghwa Picture Tubes, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoang-Coang Wen, Xin-Xion Liang, Tao-Ming Lee, Shan-Yu Yu
  • Patent number: 8305102
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a probe card in which the positional shift of the tip of a probe can be compensated for in response to a change in the temperature, and a wafer test in a wide range of temperatures can be performed. More specifically, the probe card includes a substrate, a probe composed of a first metallic material having a first thermal expansion coefficient, a base of the probe being joined to the substrate, a tip of the probe coming into contact with a connection terminal of an electronic device, and a thermal compensation member composed of a second metallic material having a second thermal expansion coefficient that is higher than the first thermal expansion coefficient, a base of the thermal compensation member being fixed to the substrate, a tip of the thermal compensation member coming into contact with the probe at an intermediate portion between the base of the probe and the tip of the probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Takahashi, Hiroshi Ban
  • Patent number: 8264248
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention improve probes and probe assemblies. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a probe test head comprising a plurality of novel probes inserted in an array of holes in upper and lower dies of the assembly. The novel assembly includes a novel alignment layer for easy repair and maintenance of the probes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: DSL Labs, Inc.
    Inventor: Francis T McQuade
  • Patent number: 8159246
    Abstract: A testing device suitable for a testing apparatus with light inspection of a display panel is provided, in which the testing device includes a main part and two contact parts. The testing device is fixed to the testing apparatus with light inspection by the main part. Two contact parts are respectively extended from two ends of the main part along a first direction, and each of the contact parts has a plurality of tips. The tips of each contact part have different heights. Besides, a testing apparatus is also provided. Therefore, the abovementioned testing device and the testing apparatus are able to drastically extend the user lifetime, improve the inspection accuracy and save cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Chunghwa Picture Tubes, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoang-Coang Wen, Xin-Xion Liang, Tao-Ming Lee, Shan-Yu Yu
  • Patent number: 7956631
    Abstract: A test socket, adapted for connecting the semiconductor package and a printed circuit board comprises a base and a plurality of contacts received in the base. The base has a retaining board defining a plurality of first receiving holes and a positioning board defining a plurality of second receiving holes. The contacts has a contacting portion, an elastic portion and a retaining portion, the elastic portion is disposed between the retaining board and the positioning board and protruding rightward, and the contacting portion extends beyond the elastic portion and defines a acute angle with a horizontal line in a right hand before contacting with the semiconductor package to prevent the contacting portion from scratching with the left inner sidewall of the second receiving hole when pushed downward by the semiconductor package and rotating leftward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ke-Hao Chen, Wen-Yi Hsieh