Search

DE-102024133204-A1 - High-frequency test contact device with impedance matching

DE102024133204A1DE 102024133204 A1DE102024133204 A1DE 102024133204A1DE-102024133204-A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a carrier unit (19) for a test contact device (20) for detachably contacting and testing a contact partner (30) with high-frequency signals, in particular a board-to-board connector, comprising an insulating base body with a plurality of recesses (19a) arranged parallel to each other therein, in particular slot-like recesses, each of which is designed to receive and guide a high-frequency signal-transmitting test contact element (10), wherein each of the recesses (19a) is formed between two opposing partition walls (41) that insulate the test contact elements (10).

Inventors

  • Benjamin Merk
  • Christian König

Assignees

  • INGUN PRÜFMITTELBAU GMBH

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241113

Claims (20)

  1. Carrier unit (19) for a test contact device (20) for detachably contacting and testing a contact partner (30) with high-frequency signals, in particular a board-to-board connector, comprising an insulating base body with a plurality of recesses (19a) arranged parallel to each other therein, in particular slot-like recesses, each of which is designed to receive and guide a high-frequency signal-transmitting test contact element (10), wherein each of the recesses (19a) is formed between two opposing partition walls (41) that insulate the test contact elements (10), characterized in that at least one partition wall (41) has a hole pattern (40) which is formed along a direction of travel (V) of a test contact element (10) arranged adjacent to it in the recess (19a).
  2. carrier unit according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the hole pattern (40) in the otherwise continuous partition (41) comprises a plurality of openings which are arranged distributed along the direction (V) of the test contact element (10).
  3. carrier unit according to Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the hole pattern (40) extends completely over a length of the test contact element (10), in particular from an end-side first contact area (1) to an opposite end-side second contact area (2) of the test contact element (10).
  4. Carrier unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hole pattern (40) in side view of the carrier unit (19) is arranged overlapping with the contours of the test contact element (10), in particular in a spring-loaded state of the test contact element (10) and/or the carrier unit (19).
  5. Carrier unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hole pattern (40) has openings and/or recesses with a round, longitudinally extending and/or rhombic geometric shape.
  6. Carrier unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the design of the hole pattern (40), in particular the design of openings and/or recesses of the hole pattern (40) along the direction (V) of the test contact element (10), differs in its geometric shape and/or size.
  7. carrier unit according to Claim 5 or 6 , characterized in that a respective width (B1) of the openings or recesses of the hole pattern (40) or a respective width extent (B2) of the hole pattern (40) in at least one subsection of the hole pattern (40) is greater than a respective width extent (B3) of the section of the test contact element (10) arranged adjacent to the respective opening or recess.
  8. Carrier unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier unit (19) is made of a uniform material, in particular plastic material.
  9. Carrier unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each partition wall (41) has a thickness of 0.10 and 0.50 mm, preferably 0.12 to 0.20 mm.
  10. Carrier unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a respective recess (19a) for receiving the test contact element (10) has a width of 0.09 to 0.35mm, preferably 0.12 to 0.25mm.
  11. Carrier unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier unit (19) is designed in two parts, comprising a distal guide body (19d) which is movable relative to a rearwardly arranged base body (19c), wherein an associated force storage means (19e) is arranged between the base body (19c) and the guide element (19d).
  12. Carrier unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier unit (19) has a plurality of preferably adjacently arranged partition walls (41) each with a similarly designed hole pattern (40).
  13. Carrier unit according to one of the preceding Claims 1 until 11 , characterized in that the carrier unit (19) has a plurality of preferably adjacent partition walls (41) each with a differently designed hole pattern (40).
  14. Carrier unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hole pattern (40) in adjacent partition walls (41) is formed only in a continuous area of the carrier unit (19), which is used for the arrangement and guidance of high-frequency is formed with frequency signal-conducting test contact elements (10).
  15. Carrier unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier unit (19) has a plurality of test contact elements (10) arranged in the recesses (19a), wherein the test contact elements (10) preferably each have a lamellar base body (10a) with an end-side first contact area (1) for contacting a contact partner (30), an opposing second contact area (2) for contacting a test contact device (20) receiving the carrier unit (19) with the test contact elements (10) and an intermediate meandering elastic area (3).
  16. A high-frequency test contact device (20) for releasably contacting a multi-pole contact partner (30), in particular a board-to-board connector, comprising an inner housing (11) with an end-arranged contact section (12) for interacting with the contact partner (30) for testing purposes, and an outer housing (13) in which the inner housing (11) is guided at least partially and relative to it, in particular along a longitudinal direction ( L1 ) of the device, such that in a first contact-free relative position the inner housing is arranged in a position-secure manner, and in a second relative position contacting a contact partner (30) is mounted at least partially relative to the outer housing (13), in particular rotatably and/or tiltably, characterized in that the test contact device (20) includes a carrier unit (19) preferably arranged in the inner housing (11) according to one of the Claims 1 until 15 comprising a plurality of high-frequency test contact elements (10) arranged in the carrier unit (19) and extending to the contact section (12) of the inner housing (11).
  17. High-frequency test contact device according to Claim 16 , characterized in that the contact section (12) of the test contact device has a centering section (12a) which is spring-mounted and arranged at the end, in particular relative to the high-frequency test contact elements (10) in the longitudinal direction (L 1 ) of the device.
  18. High-frequency test contact device according to Claim 16 or 17 , characterized in that the inner housing (11) and the outer housing (13) are pre-tensioned against each other in the first relative position by a first spring element (21) and/or that the inner housing (11) has a piston (27) arranged movably at its end and acted upon by a spring force of a second spring element (23), on which in turn the contact section (12) of the test contact device (20) is formed at its end.
  19. High-frequency test contact device according to one of the Claims 16 until 18 , characterized in that a first spring element (21) of the device (20), which is arranged between inner and outer housing (11, 13), has a higher spring force than a second spring element (23), which is arranged between a movable piston (27) of the inner housing (11) and a base body (11a) of the inner housing (11).
  20. High-frequency test contact device according to Claim 19 , characterized in that the first and second spring elements (21,23) have a higher spring force than a third spring element (19e) which is arranged between a base body (19c) and a guide element (19d) of the carrier unit (19).

Description

The present invention relates to a carrier unit for a high-frequency test device, as well as a test contact device or a test head comprising this device for releasably contacting a contact partner in the high-frequency range. High-frequency test contact devices are well-known in the art and are used in test fields or other testing contexts to verify the functionality of a test partner, for example, an electronic assembly with a suitable socket section. The test contact device is attached to the contact partner under test as a plug or makes contact with it by means of end-mounted or extending test contact elements such as contact pins or contact lamellae. Test signals are then applied to the contact partner via a suitable contact mechanism. In regular testing, contact is established, typically at periodic intervals, by bringing the test contact device and the test specimen into close proximity. Particularly in the field of high-frequency technology, high contact quality is essential during the testing process, as poor electrical contact not only leads to increased wear and thus a reduced service life, but also to poor resistance and therefore waveform matching, resulting in unwanted reflections and potentially faulty contact or measurement results. Simultaneously, there is a need for a design of the contact elements and the device optimized for the transmission characteristics of high-frequency signals, especially to minimize the probability of potential signal loss. The WO 2019/138505 A1 discloses a test contact pin for use in the high-frequency range, as well as a test contact device which accommodates a plurality of thin, plate-shaped test contact pins. The CN 109782034 A Disclosing a test contact pin and an associated test contact device for the high-frequency range, the test contact pin is designed as a continuous stamped part and has a contact section for contacting a contact partner and a connecting section for connecting to a circuit board of the test device, as well as an intermediate, elastic arm section. The test device comprises a main body with a plurality of parallel cavities extending in the installation direction of the test contact pins for inserting and securing the test contact pins accordingly. The WO 2021/151524 A1 Disclosing a high-frequency test contact device for detachably contacting a contact partner, comprising an inner housing with an end-arranged contact section for interacting with a contact partner for testing purposes and an outer housing in which the inner housing is guided at least partially, wherein the inner housing comprises a carrier unit which has a plurality of parallel guide receptacles separated by means of continuous wall sections, which are designed for arranging and guiding a plurality of lamellar test contact elements. Based on the known state of the art, the object of the present invention is to provide an improved carrier unit for a test contact device and a test contact device comprising this, which enables optimized transmission of high-frequency signals and at the same time reliable contacting of a contact partner to be tested. This problem is solved by the carrier unit and the test contact device according to the independent claims. The dependent claims describe advantageous embodiments of the present invention. The present invention also addresses further problems, as will be evident from the following description. In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a carrier unit for a test contact device for detachably contacting and testing a contact partner with high-frequency signals, in particular a board-to-board connector, comprising an insulating base body with a plurality of recesses arranged parallel to one another, in particular slot-like recesses, each of which is designed to receive and guide a high-frequency signal-transmitting, in particular lamellar, test contact element, wherein each of the recesses is formed between two opposing partition walls that insulate the test contact elements. According to the invention, at least one partition wall of the carrier unit has a hole pattern which is formed along a direction of travel of a test contact element arranged adjacent to it in the recess. The hole pattern arranged in relation to the adjacent test contact element enables impedance matching along the signal path of the test contact element guided in the carrier unit. light. In particular, this enables a local adjustment of the dielectric constant of the carrier unit material in the area of the partition, which borders the adjacent or directly adjoining test contact element, resulting in impedance matching. The hole pattern, or the resulting opening or recess in the carrier unit material, provides at least a locally limited area with a lower dielectric constant (or that of air) than that of the carrier unit material. In addition to the resulting optimization of the carrier unit's high-frequency properties, this simultaneously ensures a mechanic