We claim:
1. An interconnect assembly for printed circuit boards used in automotive vehicles, said assembly comprising:
a female portion including a housing containing a plurality of female terminals, said female terminals defining an insertion axis and having a spring clip portion oriented along said insertion axis and a contact top where the spring clip portion bends to create a first angle between the insertion axis and contact top bend; and
a male portion containing a plurality of male pins being coupled together by a retainer, each of said male pins including a straight portion, a first end to be mounted to the printed circuit board and a second end to engage one of said female terminals, said second end defining an angled portion with respect to a longitudinal axis of said male pin, said angled portion further defining a second angle, wherein said second angle in said male portion is substantially similar to said first angle in said female portion.
2. The interconnect assembly of claim 1 wherein said first angle is 121 degrees and said second angle is 121 degrees.
3. The male pins of claim 1 wherein said pins are substantially square.
4. An interconnect assembly for printed circuit boards used in automotive vehicles, said assembly comprising:
a female portion including a housing containing a plurality of female terminals, said female terminals defining an insertion axis and having a spring clip portion oriented along said insertion axis and a contact top where the spring clip portion bends to create a first angle between the insertion axis and contact top bend; and
a male portion of an interconnect containing a plurality of male pins with a straight portion on said pins surrounded by a housing at a bottom end of said pins and an arced portion on a mating end of said pin wherein the rise in the male pin surface along said arced portion creates a second angle on said male portion that is substantially similar to said first angle in said female portion.
5. The male pins of claim 4 wherein said pins are substantially square.
6. The interconnect assembly of claim 4 wherein said first angle is 121 degrees and said second angle is 121 degrees.
7. An interconnect assembly for printed circuit boards used in automotive vehicles, said assembly comprising:
a female portion including a housing containing a plurality of female terminals, said female terminals defining an insertion axis and having a spring clip portion oriented along said insertion axis and a contact top where the spring clip portion bends to create a first angle between the insertion axis and contact top bend; and
a male portion of an interconnect containing a plurality of male pins with a straight portion on said pins surrounded by a housing at a bottom end of said pins and a protruding portion on a mating end of said pin wherein the protruding portion contains an angled surface on a trailing side of said protruding portion that is angled up from the straight portion of said male pin wherein the angled surface and the straight portion create a second angle on said male portion that is substantially similar to said first angle in said female portion.
8. The male pins of claim 7 wherein said protruding portion is cut out in its center to allow compression of said protruding portion during insertion into said female mating interconnect.
9. The male pins of claim 7 wherein said protruding portion is angled on a leading edge to allow easier insertion to said mating female interconnect.
10. The male pins of claim 7 wherein said pins are substantially square.
11. The interconnect assembly of claim 7 wherein said first angle is 121 degrees and said second angle is 121 degrees.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method for manufacturing a probe card, comprising:
a first step of preparing a probe substrate, a plurality of probes each having an attaching portion and a probe tip portion, and plate-like first and second positioning members collaboratively positioning relative positions of the probe tip portions of the plurality of probes, wherein the first and second positioning members respectively have a plurality of first and second through holes that penetrate the respective positioning members in their thickness directions and in which the probe tip portions can be inserted and can perform parallel movement relatively between an inserting position at which the mutually corresponding first and second through holes are communicated and at which insertion of the probe tip portions of the corresponding probes is allowed in a state where the first and second positioning members are piled on each other and a clamping position at which edge portions of the first and second through holes collaboratively clamp the probe tip portions in a state where the probe tip portions are inserted in the first and second through holes;
a second step including placing the first and second positioning members at the inserting position and inserting the probe tip portions of the corresponding probes into the first and second through holes of the first and second positioning members placed in the inserting position;
a third step of making the first and second positioning members perform parallel movement relatively from the inserting position to the clamping position in a state where the probe tip portions are inserted in the first and second through holes to position the relative positions of the plurality of probe tip portions; and
a fourth step of fixing the attaching portions of the probes in relation to the probe substrate to hold the probes in the probe substrate in a state where the probe tip portions are clamped by the first and second positioning members.
2. The method for manufacturing a probe card according to claim 1, wherein each of the attaching portions is formed in a columnar shape having a circumferential surface, and the probe substrate has a plurality of third through holes penetrating in its thickness direction and allowing insertion of the attaching portions of the probes, and
wherein the first step further includes forming a metal layer having higher wettability than that of the attaching portion at a part of the circumferential surface of the probe and forming a layer of a hot-melt material to cover the metal layer and at least a part of the circumferential surface exposed form the metal layer,
the method further comprising, between the first step and the second step, a fifth step including inserting the attaching portion of each of the plurality of probes into each of the plurality of third through holes of the probe substrate so that at least a part of the metal layer may be located in the third through hole and melting the hot-melt material of each attaching portion and thereafter solidifying the hot-melt material in a state where the hot-melt material contacts the part of the metal layer and a part of a wall surface of the third through hole to temporarily hold each probe in the probe substrate,
wherein the fourth step includes, in a state where each of the probe tip portions is clamped by the first and second positioning members, melting the hot-melt material solidified in the fifth step and thereafter solidifying the hot-melt material in a state where the hot-melt material contacts the part of the metal layer and the part of the wall surface of the third through hole to fix the probe to the probe substrate.
3. The method for manufacturing a probe card according to claim 2, further comprising a sixth step including preparing a wiring board with a plurality of coupling portions formed on one surface thereof, arranging the probe substrate on the one surface of the wiring board, and jointing one end portions of the attaching portions projecting from the third through holes to the corresponding coupling portions formed on the wiring board; and
a seventh step for removing the positioning members from the probes after the sixth step.
4. The method for manufacturing a probe card according to claim 2, further comprising the sixth step for removing the positioning members from the probes after the fourth step, and
a seventh step including preparing a wiring board with a plurality of jointing portions formed on one surface thereof, arranging the probe substrate on the one surface of the wiring board, and jointing the one end portions of the attaching portions projecting from the third through holes to the corresponding coupling portions formed on the wiring board.
5. A method for manufacturing a probe card, comprising:
a first step of manufacturing a plurality of bar-like probes, wherein each probe has a probe main body portion extending in an up-down direction, a probe tip portion extending downward from a lower end of the probe main body portion, an attaching portion extending upward from an upper end of the probe main body portion, and a layer of a conductive jointing material provided on an outer surface of an upper portion of the attaching portion;
a second step including preparing a probe substrate having a plurality of first through holes penetrating in its up-down direction and arrayed on the probe substrate at least in a row and inserting the attaching portion of each of the plurality of probes into the corresponding first through hole;
a third step including inserting the probe tip portions of the corresponding probes into second through holes provided respectively on at least two plate-like positioning members piled in their thickness directions at least in a row and thereafter relatively displacing the adjacent positioning members to two-dimensionally position the probe tip portions of the probes against the probe substrate; and
a fourth step of softening the conductive jointing material to eliminate a stress generated in the probes by positioning of the probe tip portions of the probes against the probe substrate.
6. The method for manufacturing a probe card according to claim 5, further comprising, after the second step, a fifth step of melting the jointing material and solidifying the molten jointing material to fix the attaching portion of each probe in the first through hole of the probe substrate.
7. The method for manufacturing a probe card according to claim 5, wherein the probe tip portion of each probe and each second through hole of each positioning member have rectangular cross-sectional shapes, and
wherein the third step includes piling the adjacent positioning members so that the corresponding second through holes of the adjacent positioning members may be aligned to one another and relatively displacing the adjacent positioning members in a diagonal direction of the rectangle of the second through hole to maintain the adjacent positioning members in a state where the rectangle of the probe tip portion and each communicating part of the second through holes of the adjacent positioning members are in equal shapes, and where the probe tip portion is clamped by edge portions of the second through holes.
8. The method for manufacturing a probe card according to claim 5, wherein each probe has at a border between the probe main body portion and the probe tip portion a step abutting on an outer edge of the second through hole of the positioning member when the probe tip portion is inserted into the corresponding second through holes.
9. The method for manufacturing a probe card according to claim 5, wherein the first step includes manufacturing a probe plate, the probe plate having the plurality of probes and a tab integrally coupling the probes and detachable from each probe at the proximity of the probe tip portion of each probe, and
wherein the third step includes separating the tab from each probe before the probe tip portion is inserted in the second through holes.
10. The method for manufacturing a probe card according to claim 5, wherein each probe has a leading portion extending upward from the upper portion of the attaching portion, and
wherein inserting the attaching portion into the first through hole includes inserting the attaching portion of each probe into the first through hole from a side of the leading portion,
the method further comprising, after the second step, a step of removing the leading portion of the probe from the attaching portion, and after the fourth step, a step of removing the positioning members from the probes.
11. The method for manufacturing a probe card according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of first through holes are arrayed in plural rows,
wherein the first step includes manufacturing a plurality of probe plates, each probe plate having the plurality of probes and a tab integrally coupling the probes and detachable from each probe at the proximity of the probe tip portion of each probe, and
wherein the third step includes separating the tab from each probe before the probe tip portion is inserted in the second through holes.
12. The method for manufacturing a probe card according to claim 5, further comprising a sixth step including arranging the probe substrate on one surface of a wiring board and jointing the upper portions of the attaching portions projecting from the first through holes to a plurality of coupling portions formed on the one surface of the wiring board.
13. The method for manufacturing a probe card according to claim 5, wherein each probe has at a border between the probe main body portion and the attaching portion a step abutting on an outer edge of the first through hole of the probe substrate when the attaching portion is inserted into the first through hole.
14. The method for manufacturing a probe card according to claim 5, wherein the probe main body portion of each probe has a curve bent or curved in an equal direction.