Johnstech International Corporation

Fsi International, Inc.

Gary William Michalko

Jeffrey C Sherry

John E Nelson

Brian Warwick

Russell F Oberg

Joel N Erdman

Patrick J Alladio

John E Steger

Kurt Karl Christenson

Christina Ann Rathman

Nam Pyo Lee

The terminals of a device under test are temporarily electrically connected to corresponding contact pads on a load board by a series of electrically conductive pin pairs. The pin pairs are held in place by an interposer membrane that includes a top contact plate facing the device under test, a bottom contact plate facing the load board, and a vertically resilient, non-conductive member between the top and bottom contact plates. Each pin pair includes a top and bottom pin, which extend beyond the top and bottom contact plates, respectively, toward the device under test and the load board, respectively. The top and bottom pins contact each other at an interface that is inclined with respect to the membrane surface normal. When compressed longitudinally, the pins translate toward each other by sliding along the interface. The sliding is largely longitudinal, with a small and desirable lateral component determined by the inclination of the interface.

Electrically conductive pins for microcircuit tester

The terminals of a device under test (DUT) are temporarily electrically connected to corresponding contact pads on a load board by a series of electrically conductive pin pairs. The pin pairs are held in place by an interposer membrane with a top facing the device under test, a bottom facing the load board, and a vertically resilient, non-conductive member between the top and bottom contact plates. Each pin pair includes a top and bottom pin, which extend beyond the top and bottom contact plates, respectively, toward the device under test and the load board, respectively. The bottom pins has a lower contact surface which includes an arcuate portion or ridge which increases contact pressure and ablates oxides by the rocking action of ridge when the DUT in inserted.

Electrically conductive pins microcircuit tester

Terminals () of a device under test (DUT) are connected to corresponding contact pads or leads by a series of electrically conductive contacts. Each terminal testing connects with both a 'force' contact and a 'sense' contact. In one embodiment, the sense contact () partially or completely laterally surrounds the force contact (). In order to increase the contact surface, the force contact, in a spring pin () configuration contacts the device under test terminal at that portion of the lead which is curved or angled, rather than orthogonal to the pin.

Electrically conductive kelvin contacts for microcircuit tester

Resilient interposer with electrically conductive slide-by pins as part of a microcircuit tester

Terminals of a device under test are connected to corresponding contact pads or leads by a series of electrically conductive contacts. Each terminal testing connects with both a 'force' contact and a 'sense' contact. In one embodiment, the sense contact partially or completely laterally surrounds the force contact, so that it need not have its own resiliency. The sense contact has a forked end with prongs that extend to opposite sides of the force contact. Alternatively, the sense contact surrounds the force contact and slides laterally to match a lateral translation component of a lateral cross-section of the force contact during longitudinal compression of the force contact. Alternatively, the sense contact includes rods that have ends on opposite sides of the force contact, and extend parallel.

Electrically conductive Kelvin contacts for microcircuit tester

The terminals of a device under test are temporarily electrically connected to corresponding contact pads on a load board by a series of electrically conductive pin pairs. The pin pairs are held in place by an interposer membrane that includes a top contact plate facing the device under test, a bottom contact plate facing the load board including a rocker base protrusion, and a vertically resilient, non-conductive member between the top and bottom contact plates. Each pin pair includes a top and bottom pin, which extend beyond the top and bottom contact plates, respectively, toward the device under test and the load board, respectively. The top and bottom pins contact each other at an interface that is inclined with respect to the membrane surface normal. When compressed longitudinally, the pins translate toward each other by sliding along the interface. The sliding is largely longitudinal, with a small and desirable lateral component determined by the inclination of the interface.

Microcircuit tester with slideable electrically conductive pins

Electrical contact pin

Electrical pin used in integrated circuit test sockets

Growing community of inventors

Ham Lake, MN, United States of America

Gary William Michalko