International Business Machines Corporation

Thomas J Cochran

Philo B Hodge

Alvin W Buechele

Alfred A Stricker

Walter Von Kaenel

Walter W Ficker

Albert H Buchmann

Hans G Hottenrott

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 vacuum pick up and transfer head adapted for handling flimsy sheets of material such as spacer sheet and uncured ceramic sheet commonly referred to as green sheet. The vacuum transfer head is of generally rectangular configuration having a sheet contacting lip having vacuum slots formed through the periphery thereof to hold the sheets in place by vacuum pressure. The center of the sheet contacting face is recessed whereby, with a sheet in place and acting as a diaphragm, a central vacuum chamber is also defined. A series of check valves are provided to control application of vacuum and positive pressure to the green sheet for picking the sheet up, retaining it and stripping it. A plurality of probes are provided in the handling head, adapted to selectively project through the sheet contacting surface for detecting green sheet and/or spacer sheet utilized inbetween layers of green sheet. These probes also can act as positive strippers when the head enters a green sheet spacer tray in the process of removing a sheet of spacer or green sheet.

Pick up and placement head for green sheet and spacer

Growing community of inventors

LaGrangeville, NY, United States of America

Thomas J Cochran