Alphatest Corporation

Cerprobe Corporation

Patrick James Tarzwell

John W Tarzwell

Theodore R Myers

Jack L Eddings

John C Dahl

Barry M Hyland

A resilient connector uses a spring made from a cylindrical tube. The wall of the tube is cut in a helix along the central portion of the tube to form the spring. One or more plungers within the spring have a tip extending past a first end of the spring and a second end attached to the spring. Each plunger is a pin or a pair of coaxial conductors separated by a dielectric sheath. One of the coaxial conductors is a conductive layer on the sheath. A double ended connector uses a spring made as described above with a pair of plungers attached one each to each end of the spring.

Resilient connector having a tubular spring

A probe assembly is described for providing temporary connection to electrical circuits under test such as integrated circuits and the like. Individual probes are formed of suitable metal and are provided with a 90.degree. bend to create a depending portion for contact with a pad of a circuit under test and to form a supported length extending along a slot formed in the surface of a probe guide. The slot in the probe guide terminates at a hole for receiving the depending portion of the probe; the probe is supported by and positioned by the probe guide within the slot and hole provided therefore; an elastomeric pad is placed over a portion of the probe in the slot and a pressure plate urges the elastomer into contact with the probe to provide biasing force to urge the probe to extend through the probe guide hole into contact with the pad of the circuit under test. The pressure plate may contain signal traces for connection to the supported length of the probe to permit signals to be communicated from the probe tip in contact with the pad to a location remote from the probe.

Probe system for device and circuit testing

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Mesa, AZ, United States of America

Patrick James Tarzwell