JP7679621B2 - probe - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a probe used to inspect connector characteristics.

Patent document 1 discloses a probe structure for inspecting the characteristics of a multi-pole connector, in which one end of a housing is fitted into a through hole in a flange by a spring, and a plunger is attached to the other end of the housing.

Patent No. 6597915

In the probe structure exemplified in Patent Document 1, a spring is arranged on the outermost periphery of the side of the probe, and various components are located inside of that, which makes the radial dimension of the entire probe large. For this reason, in conventional probes, the components arranged around the connector to be inspected tend to interfere with the probe, and there are cases where restrictions are imposed on the layout of the printed circuit board in order to prevent interference.

Therefore, this disclosure provides a probe that is less likely to impose constraints on the layout of a printed circuit board.

The probe according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a probe used for testing electrical characteristics of a connector, and includes an inner housing formed in a columnar shape and having one end and the other end, through which a coaxial cable is inserted, a probe pin electrically connected to the coaxial cable at the other end of the inner housing and extending to the outside of the inner housing, a plunger surrounding the periphery of the probe pin and having an opening through which the tip of the probe pin can be exposed, a flange disposed at one end of the inner housing, a first spring that biases the inner housing in a direction away from the flange, and an outer housing formed in a cylindrical shape, which houses the inner housing and the first spring, and holds the plunger so that the area in which the opening is formed in the plunger is exposed to the outside.

In a probe according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the first spring is housed in an outer housing, so the diameter of the first spring is smaller than in conventional probes. By reducing the radial dimension of the entire probe, interference between the probe and components arranged around the connector to be inspected can be suppressed. This makes it possible to provide a probe that is less likely to impose restrictions on the layout of the printed circuit board.

This disclosure makes it possible to provide a probe that is less likely to impose constraints on the layout of a printed circuit board.

1A is a perspective view of a probe according to a first embodiment, FIG. 1B is a plan view, FIG. 1C is a side view, and FIG. 1D is a bottom view. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a probe, taken along line AA in FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of an inner housing. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of an inner housing. 4 is an enlarged schematic view showing a connection portion between a probe and a connector. FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of a probe. 7A and 7B are diagrams illustrating an example of changes in the state of the probe, with Fig. 7A being a cross-sectional view in an initial state and Fig. 7B being a cross-sectional view in a stroke state. 8A is a perspective view, FIG. 8B is a plan view, FIG. 8C is a side view, and FIG. 8D is a bottom view of the probe according to the second embodiment. 8(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 8(b). FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the structure of a probe. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of a probe. 12A is a side view of the probe structure according to a modified example, and FIG 12B is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG 12A. 13A and 13B are diagrams showing the structure of a probe in a modified example, with Fig. 13A being a side view and Fig. 13B being a cross-sectional view taken along line DD in Fig. 13A.

The following describes the embodiments in detail with reference to the drawings. In the description, the same elements or elements having the same functions are given the same reference numerals, and duplicate descriptions are omitted.

[First embodiment]
Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the appearance of a probe 1 in a first embodiment. Fig. 1(a) is a perspective view, Fig. 1(b) is a plan view, Fig. 1(c) is a side view, and Fig. 1(d) is a bottom view. As shown in Fig. 1, the probe 1 is a tool used to inspect the characteristics of a connector 100. The connector 100 is, for example, a multi-core connector having a plurality of connection terminals. The connector 100 is disposed on a printed circuit board (not shown) and is electrically connected to the probe 1. In addition to the connector 100, various other components are disposed on the printed circuit board.

Hereinafter, the direction in which the probe 1 and the connector 100 are connected is referred to as the Z-axis direction. In the Z-axis direction, the direction in which the connector 100 (and the printed circuit board (not shown)) is located as viewed from the probe 1 is referred to as "down", and the direction in which the probe 1 is located as viewed from the connector 100 (and the printed circuit board (not shown)) is referred to as "up". The probe 1 has a generally columnar shape extending in the Z-axis direction. The shape of the probe 1 viewed from above in the Z-axis direction (see FIG. 1(b)) and the shape of the probe 1 viewed from the bottom in the Z-axis direction (see FIG. 1(d)) are both similar to a rectangle. The direction along the long side of the rectangle is referred to as the X-axis direction. The direction perpendicular to the X-axis and Z-axis is referred to as the Y-axis direction. The X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are mutually perpendicular. In addition, the surface of the probe 1 visible when viewed from above is referred to as the top surface, and the surface of the probe 1 visible when viewed from the bottom is referred to as the bottom surface. In addition, the surface of the probe 1 parallel to the Z-axis direction is referred to as the side surface.

Probe 1 is positioned upward when viewed from connector 100. When probe 1 and connector 100 are connected, an external force (hereinafter referred to as "external force") is applied to probe 1 in an upward direction. The state in which no external force is applied to probe 1 is called the initial state, and the state in which an external force is applied is called the stroke state. Figure 1 shows probe 1 in the initial state.

Figure 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the probe 1. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section along line A-A in Figure 1 (b). The probe 1 includes a metal cap 12, a flange 13, a first spring 14, an inner housing 15, a probe pin 16, a second spring 17, a plunger 18, and an outer housing 19. The probe 1 is connected to the testing equipment by a coaxial cable 11.

The coaxial cable 11 is a conductor covered with an insulator extending in the Z-axis direction. The coaxial cable 11 is electrically connected to the probe pin 16. Here, "electrically connected" includes not only the case where the coaxial cable 11 and the probe pin 16 are electrically connected by being physically directly connected to each other, but also the case where the coaxial cable 11 and the probe pin 16 are electrically connected to each other by being indirectly connected to each other via a conductive part (e.g., a metal rod, wiring, etc.) arranged between the coaxial cable 11 and the probe pin 16. The probe 1 is configured to include multiple (e.g., 10) coaxial cables 11.

The flange 13 has a main body portion which is a substantially rectangular plate-like part for fixing the probe 1 to the inspection equipment. The main body portion of the flange 13 is disposed at the upper end portion 15a of the inner housing 15 described later. The main body portion of the flange 13 has an upper surface 13a and a bottom surface 13b. The flange 13 has a through hole 13c formed from the center of the upper surface 13a to the center of the bottom surface 13b. When the upper surface 13a is viewed from above, or when the bottom surface 13b is viewed from below, the area in which the through hole 13c is formed is hollowed out in a circular shape. In addition, a pair of clearance holes 13d are formed on both ends of the main body portion of the flange 13 along the X-axis direction from the upper surface 13a to the bottom surface 13b so as to sandwich the through hole 13c. The flange 13 is fixed to the inspection equipment by screwing through the clearance holes 13d. The clearance holes 13d may be so-called screw holes.

The upper surface 13a of the flange 13 fixes a rod-shaped pin 132 formed separately from the above-mentioned roughly rectangular plate-shaped main body portion. The pin 132 has an upper end 132a that extends upward, and a lower end 132b that is fixed to the flange 13 (see FIG. 7(a)).

The flange 13 has an annular portion 131 formed separately from the above-mentioned substantially rectangular plate-shaped main body portion. The annular portion 131 is an annular plate-shaped part, and is made of a material with high sliding properties, such as polyacetal resin. The annular portion 131 has an upper surface 131a and a bottom surface 131b. The annular portion 131 is arranged so that the upper surface 131a of the annular portion 131 contacts the bottom surface 13b of the main body portion of the flange 13. The annular portion 131 is also arranged along the outer periphery of the through hole 13c of the main body portion of the flange 13 (so as to surround the through hole 13c).

The flange 13 has a communication hole 13e formed from the upper surface 13a of the main body portion to the bottom surface 131b of the annular portion 131. A plurality of communication holes 13e (for example, four) are formed at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction of the annular portion 131. A rib 19d of the outer housing 19, which will be described later, is inserted into the communication hole 13e from the bottom surface 131b.

The first spring 14 is a coil spring. The first spring 14 is disposed between the annular portion 131 and the inner housing 15. The first spring 14 biases the inner housing 15 in a direction away from the flange 13. In the initial state, the first spring 14 applies a downward biasing force to the inner housing 15 from the bottom surface 131b of the annular portion 131. The first spring 14 biases the inner housing 15 in a direction away from the flange 13, so that the inner housing 15 is kept in an initial position at a predetermined distance from the flange 13. In the stroke state, the first spring 14 is in a contracted state in the Z-axis direction. The first spring 14 surrounds the side surface 151d of the first body 151 described later.

The inner housing 15 is formed in a columnar shape, has an upper end 15a and a lower end 15b, and passes through the coaxial cable 11. The upper end (one end) 15a does not refer to only the upper end, but also includes the vicinity of the upper end (the area close to the upper end). Similarly, the lower end (the other end) 15b does not refer to only the lower end, but also includes the vicinity of the lower end (the area close to the lower end).

Figures 3 and 4 are exploded perspective views showing the configuration of the inner housing 15. The inner housing 15 has a first body 151, a second body 152, a third body 153, a substrate 154, and an insulator 155.

The first body 151 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom, and houses the second body 152. The first body 151 has an upper surface 151a and a side surface 151d. The upper end of the first body 151 is closed by the upper surface 151a. The upper surface 151a has a plurality of through holes 151c into which the coaxial cable 11 is inserted. The coaxial cable 11 is inserted into each of the through holes 151c. The lower end of the first body 151 has an opening 151b (see FIG. 4). The first body 151 receives the second body 152 from the opening 151b and houses the second body 152. The side surface 151d faces the inner peripheral surface 19f of the outer housing 19 described later (see FIG. 2(b)).

The inner housing 15 further has a protrusion 1511. The protrusion 1511 is provided at the lower end of the first body 151, arranged to surround the outer periphery of the first body 151, and fixes the first body 151 and the outer housing 19. The protrusion 1511 surrounds the outer periphery of the side surface 151d, and is formed so as to protrude outward in a circular plate shape from the side surface 151d as a base end. The protrusion 1511 has an upper surface 1511a, a bottom surface 1511b, and a tip surface 1511c erected in the Z-axis direction from the upper surface 1511a to the bottom surface 1511b. The upper surface 1511a faces the bottom surface 131b of the annular portion 131 and sandwiches the first spring 14 (see FIG. 2B). The tip surface 1511c is a surface formed at the protruding tip. The tip surface 1511c is fixed in contact with the inner peripheral surface 19f (see FIG. 2(b)).

The protrusion 1511 is formed to protrude from the side surface 151d of the first body 151 toward the inner peripheral surface 19f of the outer housing 19. The tip surface 1511c of the protrusion 1511 contacts and is fixed to the inner peripheral surface 19f of the outer housing 19, thereby fixing the inner housing 15 and the outer housing 19 together. The inner housing 15 is fixed to the outer housing 19 by, for example, press fitting.

The first spring 14 biases the protrusion 1511 in a direction away from the flange 13, thereby biasing the inner housing 15 in a direction away from the flange 13. In this way, the first spring 14 biases the protrusion 1511, so that the biasing force of the first spring 14 can be applied to the inner housing 15 and the outer housing 19.

The second body 152 is formed in a columnar shape and is housed in the first body 151. The second body 152 has an upper surface 152a, a bottom surface 152b, and a side surface 152d that stands in the Z-axis direction from the upper surface 152a to the bottom surface 152b. The second body 152 has a plurality of through holes 152c formed from the upper surface 152a to the bottom surface 152b. The plurality of through holes 152c are connected to the plurality of through holes 151c of the first body 151. The second body 152 has, for example, an insulator containing a conductive part (metal rod or metallic pin) disposed in the through hole 152c, and relays an electrical connection between the coaxial cable 11 and the substrate 154 via the conductive part. The side surface 152d contacts the inner peripheral surface of the first body 151. The second body 152 is fixed within the first body 151 by the side surface 152d contacting the inner peripheral surface of the first body 151.

The third body 153 is formed in a cylindrical shape and holds the second body 152 between the first body 151. The third body 153 has an upper surface 153a, a bottom surface 153b, a support portion 153f, and a side surface 153g that stands in the Z-axis direction from the upper surface 153a to the bottom surface 153b. The third body 153 has a two-stage stepped hole 153c formed from the upper surface 153a to the bottom surface 153b. The third body 153 has a first step 153d and a second step 153e formed by the two-stage stepped hole 153c. The first step 153d is a surface formed in an area close to the side surface of the third body 153. The second step 153e is a surface formed by recessing an area close to the center of the first step 153d. The substrate 154 is placed on the first step 153d. When the substrate 154 is placed on the first step 153d, a gap is created between the substrate 154 and the second step 153e. The second step 153e has a central portion penetrated by a stepped hole 153c. The support portion 153f is formed in a rectangular tube shape and holds the insulator 155. The support portion 153f extends downward from the outer periphery of the area where the stepped hole 153c is formed on the bottom surface 153b. An opening is formed at the tip of the support portion 153f (see FIG. 4). The cavity in the support portion 153f is connected to the stepped hole 153c on the bottom surface 153b. The side surface 153g faces the inner circumferential surface 19f of the outer housing 19 described later (see FIG. 2B). The support portion 153f surrounds the side surface of the insulator 155 and fixes the insulator 155.

The substrate 154 electrically connects the coaxial cable 11 and the probe pin 16 to each other. The substrate 154 is arranged so as to be sandwiched between the second body 152 and the third body 153. The substrate 154 has a top surface 154a and a bottom surface 154b. The top surface 154a faces the bottom surface 152b of the second body. The substrate 154 electrically connects the coaxial cable 11 and the probe pin 16 to each other via wiring provided on the top surface 154a and the bottom surface 154b (see FIG. 2(b)). With such wiring, the substrate 154 can electrically connect the coaxial cable 11 and the probe pin 16 to each other even if the pitch of the coaxial cable 11 and the pitch of the probe pin 16 are different.

The insulator 155 is formed in a rectangular column shape and contains the probe pin 16 so that the probe pin 16 is exposed from both end faces. The upper end of the insulator 155 fits into the stepped hole 153c and faces the bottom surface 154b of the substrate 154. The lower end of the insulator 155 is exposed downward from the tip of the support portion 153f.

Returning to FIG. 2(b), the probe pin 16 is a needle-shaped conductive part (e.g., a pogo pin). The probe pin 16 is electrically connected to the coaxial cable 11 at the lower end 15b of the inner housing 15 and extends outside the inner housing 15. The probe pin 16 is held by the inner housing 15 and is arranged to extend along the Z-axis direction. The probe pin 16 is connected to the substrate 154 at the lower end 15b of the inner housing 15, and is thereby electrically connected to the coaxial cable 11. The probe pin 16 also extends outside the inner housing 15 and is connected to the connector 100 (see FIG. 5).

The second spring 17 is a coil spring. The second spring 17 is disposed between the inner housing 15 and the plunger 18. The second spring 17 biases the plunger 18 in a direction away from the protrusion 1511 (see FIG. 3). In the initial state, the second spring 17 applies a downward biasing force to the plunger 18 from the bottom surface 1511b (see FIG. 3) of the protrusion 1511. In the stroke state, the second spring 17 is compressed in the Z-axis direction. The second spring 17 surrounds the side surface 153g of the third body 153.

The plunger 18 positions the connector 100 when the probe 1 and the connector 100 are connected. The plunger 18 has a shape in which a square tube is arranged in the center of one side of a disk. The plunger 18 has an upper surface 18a, a bottom surface 18b, and a fitting portion 18c. The plunger 18 also has an opening 18d through which the tip of the probe pin 16 can be exposed. The upper surface 18a faces the bottom surface 153b of the third body 153. The upper surface 18a also faces the bottom surface 1511b (see FIG. 3) of the protruding portion 1511 to sandwich the second spring 17. The bottom surface 18b faces the inner bottom 19g of the outer housing 19 described later. The fitting portion 18c is formed in a square tube shape and is fitted with the connector 100. The fitting portion 18c is formed so as to protrude downward from the bottom surface 18b as a base end. An opening 18d is formed at the tip of the fitting portion 18c. A cavity is formed in the plunger 18 that penetrates from the upper surface 18a to the opening 18d. The fitting portion 18c surrounds the periphery of the support portion 153f (see FIG. 3), thereby surrounding the periphery of the probe pin 16. The tip (lower end) portion of the fitting portion 18c is tapered (tapered portion 18e is formed) so that the thickness becomes thinner (the opening shape becomes larger) toward the tip. The tapered portion 18e serves as a guide when aligning the probe 1 with the connector 100.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing an enlarged view of the connection point between the probe 1 and the connector 100. As shown in Figure 5, the tip of the probe pin 16 faces the connector 100 in the Z-axis direction. The probe pin 16 is surrounded by the fitting portion 18c. The tapered portion 18e is formed so as to be continuous with the tip of the fitting portion 18c, and is provided, for example, in a pair in the X-axis direction and a pair in the Y-axis direction. When the tapered portion 18e approaches the connector 100 in the Z-axis direction, it adjusts the position of the connector 100 along the slope.

Returning to FIG. 2B, the plunger 18 can move between a first position where the tip of the probe pin 16 is not exposed from the opening 18d in the plunger 18 and a second position where the tip of the probe pin 16 is exposed from the opening 18d in the plunger 18, depending on the elastic force of the second spring 17. In the initial state, the upper surface 18a of the plunger 18 and the bottom surface 153b of the third body 153 are separated. In addition, the plunger 18 is disposed at the first position where the tip of the probe pin 16 is not exposed from the opening 18d in the plunger 18. Specifically, the tip of the probe pin 16 extends downward, but does not reach the area where the opening 18d in the plunger 18 is formed. In the stroke state, the upper surface 18a and the bottom surface 153b come into contact with each other, thereby restricting the upward movement of the plunger 18. In this state, the plunger 18 moves to the second position where the tip of the probe pin 16 is exposed from the opening 18d in the plunger 18. In other words, when the plunger 18 moves to the second position, the tip of the probe pin 16 reaches the area of the plunger 18 where the opening 18d is formed.

The outer housing 19 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and houses the inner housing 15 and the first spring 14, and holds the plunger 18 so that the area in which the opening 18d in the plunger 18 is formed is exposed to the outside. The outer housing 19 has, for example, a bottomed cylindrical shape. An opening 19a is formed at the upper end of the outer housing 19. The lower end of the outer housing 19 is closed by a bottom surface 19b. The outer housing 19 has a base 19c (see FIG. 6) formed to surround the outer periphery of the inner housing 15 in an area near the lower end of the outer housing 19, and a rib 19d (see FIG. 6). The rib 19d is a plate-shaped protrusion that extends upward from the base 19c as a base end. A plurality of ribs 19d (for example, four) are provided at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction of the base 19c. The rib 19d is inserted into the communication hole 13e of the flange 13 and the stepped hole 12c of the metal cap 12, which will be described later.

The outer housing 19 is formed with an inner bottom 19g, which is a surface facing the bottom surface 18b of the plunger 18. The outer housing 19 is formed with a through hole 19e that runs from the center of the inner bottom 19g to the center of the bottom surface 19b. The fitting portion 18c of the plunger 18 is inserted into the through hole 19e from the inner bottom 19g, exposing the fitting portion 18c to the outside (downward).

The inner surface of the base 19c of the outer housing 19 and the inner surface of the rib 19d continuing from the inner surface, the inner peripheral surface 19f, face the side surface 151d and the side surface 153g of the inner housing 15. In the initial state, the inner bottom 19g of the outer housing 19 and the bottom surface 18b of the plunger 18 are in contact. In the stroke state, the inner bottom 19g and the bottom surface 18b are separated.

The metal cap 12 is a part having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The metal cap 12 is arranged at the upper end 15a of the inner housing so as to surround the periphery of the inner housing 15. The metal cap 12 has an upper surface 12a and a bottom surface 12b. The metal cap 12 has a stepped hole 12c along the Z-axis direction from the center of the upper surface 12a to the center of the bottom surface 12b. The diameter of the stepped hole 12c in the upper surface 12a is smaller than the diameter of the stepped hole 12c in the bottom surface 12b. The stepped hole 12c in the bottom surface 12b is connected to the communication hole 13e in the upper surface 13a of the flange 13. A step 12d is formed at the change in diameter of the stepped hole 12c. The tip of the rib 19d of the outer housing 19 contacts the step 12d. When the top surface 12a is viewed from above or the bottom surface 12b is viewed from below, the area in which the stepped hole 12c is formed is hollowed out in a circular shape.

A pin hole 12e is formed in the bottom surface 12b of the metal cap 12. The pin hole 12e is formed from the bottom surface 12b toward the top surface 12a (upward), but does not reach (penetrate) the top surface 12a. A hole bottom 12g is formed at the deepest part of the pin hole 12e. A pin 132 is placed in the pin hole 12e. In the initial state, the upper end 132a of the pin 132 abuts against the hole bottom 12g (see FIG. 7(a)). In the stroke state, the upper end 132a of the pin 132 moves away from the hole bottom 12g (see FIG. 7(b)).

Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the probe 1. Figure 6 shows an example of the external appearance when each part constituting the probe 1 is disassembled along the Z-axis direction. As shown in Figure 6, the coaxial cable 11, metal cap 12, flange 13, first spring 14, inner housing 15, second spring 17, plunger 18, and outer housing 19 are arranged in this order along the Z-axis.

The bottom surface 12b of the metal cap 12 faces the top surface 13a of the flange 13. The top surface 131a of the annular portion 131 is in contact with the bottom surface 13b of the flange 13. The bottom surface 131b of the annular portion 131 faces the top surface 1511a of the protruding portion 1511 of the inner housing 15, sandwiching the first spring 14 between them. The bottom surface 1511b of the protruding portion 1511 faces the top surface 18a of the plunger 18, sandwiching the second spring 17 between them. The bottom surface 18b of the plunger 18 faces the opening 19a of the outer housing 19.

The first spring 14 and the second spring 17 are arranged concentrically. Concentrically here means that the radial center of the first spring 14 and the radial center of the second spring 17 are on the same axial line. The axial line is a line along the Z-axis direction.

An example of assembling the probe 1 is described below. The coaxial cable 11 is inserted into the upper end 15a of the inner housing 15. The lower end 15b of the inner housing 15 holds the probe pin 16.

The outer housing 19 accommodates the plunger 18, second spring 17, inner housing 15, and first spring 14 in the Z-axis direction in that order from the opening 19a. The plunger 18 is inserted into the through hole 19e of the outer housing 19 so that the tip of the fitting portion 18c is exposed to the outside. The outer housing 19 holds the plunger 18 so that the area of the plunger 18 where the opening 18d is formed is exposed to the outside. The bottom surface 18b of the plunger 18 contacts the inner bottom 19g of the outer housing 19 and is not exposed to the outside of the outer housing 19.

The support portion 153f of the inner housing 15 is inserted into the fitting portion 18c from the upper surface 18a of the plunger 18. The probe pin 16 is exposed to the outside downward from the opening 18d in the plunger 18.

The rib 19d of the outer housing 19 is inserted into the communication hole 13e from the bottom surface 131b of the annular portion 131 and fitted into the flange 13. The outer housing 19 cooperates with the flange 13 to house the plunger 18, the second spring 17, the inner housing 15, and the first spring 14 inside. By housing each component in this way, the outer housing 19 can protect each internal component while suppressing interference between the components arranged around the connector 100 to be inspected. The rib 19d is also inserted into the stepped hole 12c from the bottom surface 12b of the metal cap 12 and comes into contact with the step 12d.

The upper end 15a of the inner housing 15 is inserted into the through hole 13c from the bottom surface 13b of the flange 13 and fitted into the flange 13. The upper end 15a of the inner housing 15 is also inserted into the stepped hole 12c from the bottom surface 12b of the metal cap 12.

[stroke]
7A and 7B are diagrams showing an example of a change in state of the probe 1. Fig. 7A is a cross-sectional view in an initial state, and Fig. 7B is a cross-sectional view in a stroke state.

As shown in FIG. 7(a), in the initial state, the upper end 132a of the pin 132 abuts against the bottom 12g of the hole. By abutting in this manner, the movement of the probe 1 in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions is fixed, and the initial position of the probe 1 is determined. Specifically, in the initial position of the probe 1, the position of the metal cap 12 is determined relative to the flange 13. Furthermore, the movement of the rib 19d of the outer housing 19 that contacts the step 12d of the metal cap 12 is restricted, and the initial position of the outer housing 19 is determined. Furthermore, the movement of the inner housing 15 that is press-fitted into the outer housing 19 is restricted, and the initial position of the inner housing 15 is determined. Furthermore, the plunger 18 is disposed in a first position that does not expose the tip of the probe pin 16 from the opening 18d in the plunger 18.

As shown in FIG. 7(b), in the stroke state, the outer housing 19 moves upward. Since the rib 19d of the outer housing 19 is in contact with the step 12d of the metal cap 12, the metal cap 12 is pushed by the rib 19d, and the metal cap 12 also moves upward. In addition, the upper end 132a of the pin 132 moves away from the hole bottom 12g, and a gap is generated inside the pin hole 12e. This makes the probe 1 movable in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions. This makes it possible for the probe 1 to adjust the axial misalignment between the probe 1 and the connector 100. In addition, the plunger 18 moves to a second position where the tip of the probe pin 16 is exposed from the opening 18d in the plunger 18. At this time, the probe pin 16 is connected to the connector 100.

In one example, the spring constant of the first spring 14 is smaller than the spring constant of the second spring 17. When an external force is applied to the probe 1, the first spring 14 elastically deforms faster than the second spring 17. In other words, the first spring 14 contracts in the Z-axis direction faster than the second spring 17. When the first spring 14 elastically deforms and the second spring 17 does not elastically deform, the plunger 18 is in a first position that does not expose the tip of the probe pin 16 from the opening 18d in the plunger 18. The first spring 14 adjusts the axial misalignment between the probe 1 and the connector 100 in a state where it is contracted in the Z-axis direction. After that, when further external force is applied to the probe 1, the second spring 17 contracts in the Z-axis direction. At this time, the plunger 18 moves to a second position and the tip of the probe pin 16 is exposed. By the elastic deformation of the first spring 14 and the second spring 17 in this order, the axial misalignment can be adjusted while the tip of the probe pin 16 is protected.

[Effects of this embodiment]
The probe 1 according to one aspect of the present embodiment is a probe 1 used for electrical characteristic testing of a connector 100, and includes an inner housing 15 formed in a columnar shape and having one end 15a and the other end 15b, through which a coaxial cable 11 is inserted, a probe pin 16 electrically connected to the coaxial cable 11 at the other end 15b of the inner housing 15 and extending to the outside of the inner housing 15, a plunger 18 surrounding the probe pin 16 and having an opening 18d through which the tip of the probe pin 16 can be exposed, a flange 13 disposed at one end 15a of the inner housing 15, a first spring 14 that biases the inner housing 15 in a direction away from the flange 13, and an outer housing 19 formed in a cylindrical shape, accommodating the inner housing 15 and the first spring 14, and holding the plunger 18 so that the area of the plunger 18 in which the opening 18d is formed is exposed to the outside.

In the probe 1 according to one aspect of the present embodiment, the tip of the probe pin 16 is arranged so as to be exposed from the opening 18d formed in the plunger 18 at the other end 15b of the columnar inner housing 15, so that the probe pin 16 and the connector 100 can be connected. In addition, a flange 13 is arranged at one end 15a of the inner housing 15, and the inner housing 15 is biased in a direction away from the flange 13 by the first spring 14, so that the inner housing 15 is maintained in an initial position with a predetermined distance from the flange 13. The inner housing 15 and the first spring 14 are accommodated in a cylindrical outer housing 19, and the plunger 18 that exposes the tip of the probe pin 16 from the opening 18d is held by the outer housing 19, so that each component inside the outer housing 19 can be protected while suppressing interference between the components and components arranged around the connector 100 to be inspected. Furthermore, since the first spring 14 is accommodated in the outer housing 19, the diameter of the first spring 14 is reduced compared to conventional probes. By reducing the radial dimension of the entire probe 1, it is possible to suppress interference between the probe 1 and the components arranged around the connector 100 to be inspected. This makes it possible to provide a probe 1 that is less likely to impose restrictions on the layout of the printed circuit board.

The above-mentioned probe 1 further includes a protrusion 1511 that is arranged to surround the outer periphery of the inner housing 15 and secures the inner housing 15 to the outer housing 19, and the first spring 14 urges the protrusion 1511 in a direction away from the flange 13, thereby urging the inner housing 15 in a direction away from the flange 13. The protrusion 1511, which is fixed to surround the outer periphery of the inner housing 15, is urged in a direction away from the flange 13 by the first spring 14, thereby indirectly urging the inner housing 15. This makes it possible to apply the urging force of the first spring 14 to the inner housing 15 while miniaturizing the inner housing 15.

In the above probe 1, the protrusion 1511 is formed to protrude from the side surface of the inner housing 15 toward the inner circumferential surface 19f of the outer housing 19, and the tip surface 1511c of the protrusion 1511 contacts and is fixed to the inner circumferential surface 19f of the outer housing 19, thereby fixing the inner housing 15 and the outer housing 19. With this configuration, the biasing force of the first spring 14 can be applied to the inner housing 15 and the outer housing 19.

The above-mentioned probe 1 further includes a second spring 17 that biases the plunger 18 in a direction away from the protrusion 1511, and the plunger 18 is movable between a first position where the tip of the probe pin 16 is not exposed from the opening 18d in the plunger 18 and a second position where the tip of the probe pin 16 is exposed from the opening 18d in the plunger 18 according to the elastic force of the second spring 17. According to this configuration, the plunger 18 receives the biasing force of the second spring 17. The plunger 18 is movable between a first position where the probe pin 16 is not exposed from the opening 18d and a second position where the probe pin 16 is exposed according to the elastic force of the second spring 17. As a result, the probe pin 16 is not exposed from the opening 18d of the plunger 18 except when the connector 100 is being inspected, so that a probe 1 that protects the probe pin 16 from impact can be provided.

In the above probe 1, the first spring 14 and the second spring 17 are arranged concentrically. With this configuration, the diameters of the first spring 14 and the second spring 17 are minimized. By making the radial dimension of the entire probe 1 smaller, it is possible to suppress interference between the probe 1 and components arranged around the connector 100 to be inspected, and it is possible to provide a probe 1 that is less likely to impose restrictions on the layout of the printed circuit board.

In the above probe 1, the spring constant of the first spring 14 is smaller than the spring constant of the second spring 17. With this configuration, when a stroke is performed during inspection of the connector 100, the first spring 14 elastically deforms faster than the second spring 17. Specifically, after the axial misalignment is adjusted by the first spring 14, the tip of the probe pin 16 is adjusted by the second spring 17 to be exposed. This makes it possible to provide a probe 1 in which the axial misalignment can be adjusted while the tip of the probe pin 16 is protected.

In the above probe 1, the inner housing 15 has a substrate 154 that electrically connects the coaxial cable 11 and the probe pin 16 to each other. With this configuration, even if the pitch of the coaxial cable 11 and the pitch of the probe pin 16 differ, it is possible to provide a probe 1 that can easily adjust the difference in pitch by wiring the substrate 154.

[Second embodiment]
8A and 8B are diagrams showing the appearance of the probe 2 in the second embodiment. Fig. 8A is a perspective view, Fig. 8B is a plan view, Fig. 8C is a side view, and Fig. 8D is a bottom view. The probe 2 is a tool used to inspect electrical characteristics of the connector 100. The following will mainly describe the differences between the probe 2 and the probe 1 (first embodiment). The probe 2 does not include an outer housing 19, and is even smaller in radial dimension than the probe 1.

Figure 9 is a diagram showing the configuration of the probe 2. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section along line B-B in Figure 8 (b). The probe 2 includes a metal cap 12, a flange 23, a first spring 14, an inner housing 25, a probe pin 16, a second spring 17, a plunger 18, and a holding portion 29. The probe 2 is connected to the inspection equipment by a coaxial cable 11.

The flange 23 is a plate-shaped part for fixing the probe 2 to the inspection equipment. The flange 23 is disposed at the upper end 25a of the inner housing 25 described later. The flange 23 has an upper surface 23a and a bottom surface 23b. The upper surface 23a faces the bottom surface 12b of the metal cap 12 and fixes the lower end 132b of the pin 132. In the initial state, the upper surface 23a is in contact with the bottom surface 12b. The flange 23 has a through hole 23c formed from the upper surface 23a to the bottom surface 23b. When the upper surface 23a is viewed from above or when the bottom surface 23b is viewed from below, the area in which the through hole 23c is formed is hollowed out in a circular shape. In addition, the flange 23 has a plurality of clearance holes 23d formed from the upper surface 23a to the bottom surface 23b. The flange 23 is fixed to the inspection equipment by screwing through the clearance holes 23d.

The flange 23 has an annular portion 231 formed as a separate body. The annular portion 231 is a plate-shaped component, and is made of a material with high sliding properties, such as polyacetal resin. The annular portion 231 has an upper surface 231a and a bottom surface 231b. The annular portion 231 is disposed so that the upper surface 231a of the annular portion 231 contacts the bottom surface 23b of the flange 23. The annular portion 231 is also disposed along the outer periphery of the through hole 23c (so as to surround the through hole 23c).

The first spring 14 is disposed between the annular portion 231 and the inner housing 25. The first spring 14 biases the inner housing 25 in a direction away from the flange 23. In the initial state, the first spring 14 applies a downward biasing force to the inner housing 25 from the bottom surface 231b of the annular portion 231. Since the first spring 14 biases the inner housing 25 in a direction away from the flange 23, the inner housing 25 is maintained in an initial position at a predetermined distance from the flange 23. In the stroke state, the first spring 14 is in a contracted state in the Z-axis direction.

The inner housing 25 is formed in a columnar shape, has an upper end 25a and a lower end 25b, and passes through the coaxial cable 11. The upper end (one end) 25a does not refer to only the upper end, but also includes the vicinity of the upper end (the area close to the upper end). Similarly, the lower end (the other end) 25b does not refer to only the lower end, but also includes the vicinity of the lower end (the area close to the lower end).

The inner housing 25 has a first body 151, a second body 152, a third body 153, a substrate 154, and an insulator 155.

Figure 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the structure of the probe 2 for range E in Figure 9 (b). The third body 153 further has a fixing portion 253h. The fixing portion 253h contacts the tip of a rib 29d of the holding portion 29 described below and fixes the rib 29d. The fixing portion 253h is a recess provided in an area near the outer periphery of the bottom surface 153b at the lower end portion 25b.

The probe pin 16 is electrically connected to the coaxial cable 11 at the lower end 25b of the inner housing 25 and extends outside the inner housing 25. The probe pin 16 is held by the inner housing 25 and arranged along the Z-axis direction. The probe pin 16 is electrically connected to the coaxial cable 11 by being connected to the substrate 154 at the lower end 25b of the inner housing 25. The probe pin 16 also extends outside the inner housing 25 and is connected to the connector 100.

As shown in FIG. 9, the second spring 17 is disposed between the inner housing 25 and the plunger 18. The second spring 17 is disposed concentrically with the first spring 14 and biases the plunger 18 in a direction away from the inner housing 25. In the initial state, the second spring 17 applies a downward biasing force to the plunger 18 from the bottom surface 1511b of the protrusion 1511. In the stroke state, the second spring 17 is compressed in the Z-axis direction. The second spring 17 surrounds the side surface 153g of the third body 153.

The plunger 18 has multiple through holes 28f formed from the top surface 18a to the bottom surface 18b. Ribs 29d of the holding portion 29, which will be described later, are inserted into the through holes 28f from the bottom surface 28b.

The holding portion 29 is fixed to the lower end portion 25b of the inner housing 25, and holds the plunger 18 between the inner housing 25 so that the area in which the opening 18d is formed in the plunger 18 is exposed to the outside. The holding portion 29 has, for example, a disk shape. As shown in FIG. 10, the holding portion 29 has an upper surface 29a, a bottom surface 29b, and a rib 29d. The rib 29d is a plate-shaped protrusion that is provided so as to extend upward from the outer periphery of the upper surface 29a. A plurality of ribs 29d (for example, four) are provided at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction of the upper surface 29a. The rib 29d is inserted into the through hole 28f of the plunger 18. The tip of the rib 29d is in contact with and fixed to the fixing portion 253h of the third body 153. In one example, the rib 29d is provided so as to be continuous with the side surface 153g of the third body 153. A through hole 29c is formed in the holding portion 29 from the center of the top surface 29a to the center of the bottom surface 29b. The fitting portion 18c of the plunger 18 is inserted into the through hole 29c from the top surface 29a, so that the fitting portion 18c is exposed to the outside (downward). Because the plunger 18 is held between the inner housing 25 and the holding portion 29 fixed to the inner housing 25, the diameter of the holding portion 29 that holds the plunger 18 can be minimized.

The upper surface 29a of the holding portion 29 faces the bottom surface 18b of the plunger 18. In the initial state, the upper surface 29a of the holding portion 29 and the bottom surface 18b of the plunger 18 are in contact. In the stroke state, the upper surface 29a and the bottom surface 18b are separated.

Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the probe 2. Figure 11 shows an example of the external appearance when each part constituting the probe 2 is disassembled along the Z-axis direction. As shown in Figure 11, the coaxial cable 11, metal cap 12, flange 23, first spring 14, inner housing 25, second spring 17, plunger 18, and holding portion 29 are arranged in this order downward.

The bottom surface 12b of the metal cap 12 faces the upper surface 23a of the flange 23. The upper surface 231a of the annular portion 231 is in contact with the bottom surface 23b of the flange 23. The bottom surface 231b of the annular portion 231 faces the upper surface 1511a of the protruding portion 1511 of the inner housing 25, sandwiching the first spring 14 therebetween. The bottom surface 1511b of the protruding portion 1511 faces the upper surface 18a of the plunger 18, sandwiching the second spring 17 therebetween. The bottom surface 18b of the plunger 18 faces the upper surface 29a of the holding portion 29.

[Effects of this embodiment]
The probe 2 according to one aspect of the present embodiment is a probe 2 used for testing electrical characteristics of a connector 100, and includes an inner housing 25 formed in a columnar shape and having one end 25a and the other end 25b, through which a coaxial cable 11 is inserted, a probe pin 16 that is electrically connected to the coaxial cable 11 at the other end 25b of the inner housing 25 and extends out of the inner housing 25, a plunger 18 that surrounds the periphery of the probe pin 16 and has an opening 18d through which the tip of the probe pin 16 can be exposed, a flange 23 that is disposed at the one end 25a of the inner housing 25, and a plunger 18 that is fixed to the other end 25b of the inner housing 25 and has a flange 23 that is disposed at the other end 25b of the inner housing 25. The plunger 18 is provided with a retaining portion 29 that retains the plunger 18 between itself and the inner housing 25 so that an area in which an opening 18d in the plunger 18 is formed is exposed to the outside, a first spring 14 that urges the inner housing 25 in a direction away from the flange 23, and a second spring 17 that is arranged concentrically with the first spring 14 and urges the plunger 18 in a direction away from the inner housing 25, and the plunger 18 is movable between a first position in which the tip of the probe pin 16 is not exposed from the opening 18d in the plunger 18 and a second position in which the tip of the probe pin 16 is exposed from the opening 18d in the plunger 18 in accordance with the elastic force of the second spring 17.

In the probe 2 according to one aspect of this embodiment, the tip of the probe pin 16 is arranged so as to be exposed from the opening 18d formed in the plunger 18 at the other end 25b of the columnar inner housing 25, so that the probe pin 16 and the connector 100 can be connected. At the other end 25b, the plunger 18 is held between the holding portion 29 and the inner housing 25. In addition, a flange 23 is arranged at one end 25a of the inner housing 25, and the inner housing 25 is biased by the first spring 14 in a direction away from the flange 23, so that the inner housing 25 is kept in an initial position with a predetermined distance from the flange 23. Furthermore, the plunger 18 is biased in a direction away from the inner housing 25 by the second spring 17 arranged concentrically with the first spring 14. Since the first spring 14 and the second spring 17 are arranged concentrically, the diameters of the first spring 14 and the second spring 17 can be minimized. Furthermore, the plunger 18 is biased by the second spring 17, and is movable between a first position where the probe 2 is not exposed from the opening 18d and a second position where the probe 2 is exposed, depending on the elastic force of the second spring 17. In addition, since the plunger 18 is held between the inner housing 25 and a holding portion 29 fixed to the inner housing 25, the diameter of the holding portion 29 that holds the plunger 18 can be minimized. This makes it possible to suppress interference between the probe 2 and components arranged around the connector 100 to be inspected, and to provide a probe 2 that is less likely to restrict the layout of the printed circuit board.

[Modification]
Although the embodiments have been described above, the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the present disclosure.

The probe 1 may not include the second spring 17. The plunger 18 may be fixed in a second position that exposes the tip of the probe pin 16 from the opening 18d in the plunger 18.

Although it has been described that the protrusion 1511 has the side surface 151d as its base end and protrudes outward in the shape of a circular plate, this is not limited to this.

Figure 12 shows the structure of the probe 1 in a modified example. Figure 12(a) is a side view, and Figure 12(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in Figure 12(a). The protrusion 1511 is formed to protrude from the inner peripheral surface 19f of the outer housing 19 toward the side surface 151d of the inner housing 15, and the inner housing 15 and the outer housing 19 may be fixed together by contacting and fixing the tip surface 1511c of the protrusion 1511 to the side surface 151d of the inner housing 15. With this configuration, the biasing force of the first spring 14 can be applied to the inner housing 15 and the outer housing 19.

Figure 13 shows the structure of the probe 1 in a modified example. Figure 13(a) is a side view, and Figure 13(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D in Figure 13(a). The protrusion 1511 is formed to connect the inner peripheral surface 19f of the outer housing 19 to the side surface 151d of the inner housing 15, and the outer housing 19 and the inner housing 15 may be integrally formed to fix the inner housing 15 and the outer housing 19. With this configuration, the biasing force of the first spring 14 can be applied to the inner housing 15 and the outer housing 19. In addition, since the inner housing 15 and the outer housing 19 are integrally formed, a process of fixing the protrusion 1511 to the inner housing 15 or the outer housing 19 is not required.

1...probe, 2...probe, 11...coaxial cable, 12...metal cap, 13...flange, 14...first spring, 15...inner housing, 15a...upper end (one end), 15b...lower end (other end), 151d...side, 16...probe pin, 17...second spring, 18...plunger, 18d...opening, 19...outer housing, 19f...inner surface, 23...flange, 25...inner housing, 25a...upper end (one end), 25b...lower end (other end), 29...holding portion, 100...connector, 154...board, 1511...protrusion, 1511c...tip surface.

Claims (10)

A probe used for inspecting characteristics of a connector,
an inner housing formed in a columnar shape, having one end and another end, through which the coaxial cable is inserted;
a probe pin electrically connected to the coaxial cable at the other end of the inner housing and extending to an outside of the inner housing;
a plunger surrounding the probe pin and having an opening through which the tip of the probe pin can be exposed;
a flange disposed at the one end of the inner housing;
a first spring that biases the inner housing in a direction away from the flange;
an outer housing formed in a cylindrical shape, accommodating the inner housing and the first spring, and holding the plunger such that a region of the plunger in which the opening is formed is exposed to the outside;
Equipped with
The outer housing has a plate-shaped rib that is inserted into the flange.
probe. A probe used for inspecting characteristics of a connector,
an inner housing formed in a columnar shape, having one end and another end, through which the coaxial cable is inserted;
a probe pin electrically connected to the coaxial cable at the other end of the inner housing and extending to an outside of the inner housing;
a plunger surrounding the probe pin and having an opening through which the tip of the probe pin can be exposed;
a flange disposed at the one end of the inner housing;
a first spring that biases the inner housing in a direction away from the flange;
an outer housing formed in a cylindrical shape, accommodating the inner housing, the plunger, and the first spring therein, and holding the plunger such that a region of the plunger in which the opening is formed is exposed to the outside;
a protrusion disposed around an outer periphery of the inner housing and fixing the inner housing to the outer housing;
Equipped with
The first spring biases the protrusion in a direction away from the flange, thereby biasing the inner housing in a direction away from the flange.
probe. a protrusion that is disposed around an outer periphery of the inner housing and that fixes the inner housing to the outer housing;
The first spring biases the protrusion in a direction away from the flange, thereby biasing the inner housing in a direction away from the flange.
The probe of claim 1 . The probe according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the protrusion is formed so as to protrude from a side surface of the inner housing toward an inner circumferential surface of the outer housing, and the inner housing and the outer housing are fixed together by a tip surface of the protrusion contacting and fixing the inner circumferential surface of the outer housing. The probe according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the protrusion is formed so as to protrude from an inner peripheral surface of the outer housing toward a side surface of the inner housing, and the inner housing and the outer housing are fixed together by a tip surface of the protrusion contacting and fixing the side surface of the inner housing. The probe according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the protrusion is formed to connect an inner surface of the outer housing and a side surface of the inner housing, and the outer housing and the inner housing are integrally formed to fix the inner housing and the outer housing. A second spring is provided to bias the plunger in a direction away from the protrusion.
the plunger is movable between a first position where the tip of the probe pin is not exposed from the opening in the plunger and a second position where the tip of the probe pin is exposed from the opening in the plunger in response to an elastic force of the second spring.
The probe according to any one of claims 2 to 6. The probe of claim 7, wherein the first spring and the second spring are arranged concentrically. The probe according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the spring constant of the first spring is smaller than the spring constant of the second spring. The probe according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the inner housing has a substrate that electrically connects the coaxial cable and the probe pin to each other.

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