International Business Machines Corporation

Philo B Hodge

Alvin W Buechele

Thomas J Cochran

Mukta S Farooq

Paul F Bodenweber

Yuet-Ying Yu

Charles J Hendricks

Louis H Faure

Vincent P Peterson

Kathleen M Wiley

John T Butler

Terence W Spoor

Ralph R Comulada

David C Polgrean

Hans G Hottenrott

Disclosed is an interposer and test structure for making contact between a substrate and a test bed. One embodiment of the interposer has a floating, rigid conductive element in a nonconductive body which makes temporary contact between the test bed and the substrate. In another embodiment of the invention, the interposer includes two layers of material, in which one layer includes pogo pins for contacting the substrate and the other layer includes pads for contacting the test bed. The pogo pins are on a grid spacing corresponding to that of the substrate input/output pads while the interposer pads are on a grid spacing corresponding to that of the pogo pin contactors of the test bed.

Interposer for maintaining temporary contact between a substrate and a test bed

A paste dispensing system for dispensing paste to a substrate such as a ceramic greensheet or other electronic component substrate comprises a reservoir for holding the paste and a nozzle housing in fluid communication with the reservoir and having an opening therein through which the paste is dispensed. The nozzle housing has disposed therein a rotatable slotted shutter which is in fluid communication with the reservoir and which has an auger disposed in the shutter. The auger when actuated, draws paste from the reservoir into the shutter, advances the liquid material through the shutter and circulates the paste back to the reservoir. When it is desired to dispense the paste, the shutter is rotated so that the slot in the shutter communicates with a slot in a nozzle plate connected to the nozzle housing through which slot the paste is dispensed. The paste is continually circulated through the paste dispensing system by the auger whether or not paste is being dispensed. A paste cartridge is also provided for use with the paste dispensing system and is easily attached or removed from the system reservoir avoiding downtime in the paste dispensing operation. A method is also provided for applying a layer of paste to a substrate using the paste dispensing system of the invention.

Homogeneous screening nozzle

Substrates are tested by conductive, individually plug replaceable, buckling beam probes in a probe pattern to engage the circuitry on the substrate. When probes engage the substrate, they buckle as a given engaging force is exceeded. Each probe socket is adapted to releasably retain a probe inserted in its socket. The probes and the probe sockets are axially mounted in a probe housing. A probe in a socket has a first end oriented to engage the circuitry and a second end is releasably engaged in a sleeve in its socket. the probe pattern is displayed radially. Guides have guide pins mounted in the probe housing. The pins cooperate with companion guide ways with contours such as slots. The guide ways in the substrate engaging member, and an actuator move the substrate engaging member relative to the guide pins along the contours of the guide ways. Cams are affixed to the probe housing approximately 180 degrees from one another, with a cam follower movably mounted relative to the cams so the cam follower engages the cams, and the follower is driven relative to the cams. The substrate engaging member either shrouds the first ends of the probes, or exposes the first ends of the probes to engage the circuitry.

Contactor and probe assembly for electrical test apparatus

The buckling beam probe contactor assembly utilizing buckling beams in the form of continuous wires from the probe tips to remote source connectors includes at least one post terminating in a spring biased plunger assembly fixed to an underlying stripper plate provided with holes through which the beams project and protects them from damage. The stripper plate acts to accurately position the probe tips. The buckling beams intermediate their ends are potted in a slidable assembly axially movable on the post and shifted by an adjusting nut to preposition the probe tips relative to the stripper plate. The stripper plate first contacts the product during upward movement of the product, and the stripper plate is forced upwardly against spring bias relative to the post, then the beams contact the product test points and deflect a predetermined amount to maintain biased low ohmage circuit completions with the product.

Buckling beam twist probe contactor assembly with spring biased stripper

A sensing apparatus for determining the precise location of a conductive feature on an insulating substrate which has a base, a plurality of flexible flat elongated contact blade elements having end portions for contacting and establishing electrical contact to a conductive surface feature, insulating means between the blade elements, and a base member for supporting the blade elements in a bowed condition with the end portions arranged in a plane parallel to the plane of the top surface of the insulating substrate.

Sensing probe for determining location of conductive features

Growing community of inventors

Roxbury, CT, United States of America

Philo B Hodge