# US 10,502,762 B2 · Differential contact probe including ground mechanism and associated methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,762 B2 - Document ID: US10502762B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/611,663 - Filed: 2015-02-02 - Published: 2016-08-04 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2015-02-02 - Assignees: Keysight Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Keysight Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Jason Swaim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502762B2 ## CPC - G01R 1/06788: {Hand-held or hand-manipulated probes, e.g. for oscilloscopes or for portable test instruments (end pieces terminating in a probe H01R11/18)} - G01R 3/00: Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture {or maintenance} of measuring instruments {, e.g. of probe tips} - G01R 19/10: Measuring sum, difference or ratio - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) ## Abstract A handheld differential contact probe includes a housing configured to be held in a hand of a user, a pair of probe arms carried by the housing, and a pair of opposing probe tip assemblies each carried by one of the respective probe arms and each having a probe tip circuit coupled to a probe tip at a distal end thereof. A probe tip span adjustment mechanism is carried by the housing and coupled to the pair of probe arms, and configured to adjust a span between the probe tips. A ground path mechanism is coupled between the probe tip circuits of the respective probe tip assemblies, and includes a pair of curved conductive ribbon springs each coupled at an outer end thereof to a respective probe tip circuit, and each curved conductive ribbon spring slidably engaging each other at a respective inner end thereof. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A handheld differential contact probe comprising: a housing configured to be held in a hand of a user; a pair of probe arms carried by the housing; a pair of opposing probe tip assemblies each carried by one of the respective probe arms and each comprising a probe tip circuit coupled to a probe tip at a distal end thereof; a probe tip span adjustment mechanism carried by the housing and coupled to the pair of probe arms, and configured to adjust a span between the probe tips; and a ground path mechanism coupled between the probe tip circuits of the respective probe tip assemblies, and comprising a pair of curved conductive ribbon springs each coupled at an outer end thereof to a respective probe tip circuit, and each curved conductive ribbon spring slidably engaging each other at a respective inner end thereof, wherein: the inner end of each of the curved conductive ribbon springs is not fixed; and the inner end of each of the curved conductive ribbon spring slides against the inner end of the other of the pair of conductive ribbon springs. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The handheld differential contact probe of claim 1, wherein each of the curved conductive ribbon springs is configured to elastically deform and maintain electrical contact with each other while the span between the probe tips is adjusted by the probe tip span adjustment mechanism. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The handheld differential contact probe of claim 1, wherein the probe tip circuit of each probe tip assembly comprises a printed circuit board. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The handheld differential contact probe of claim 1, wherein the probe tip of each probe tip assembly comprises a pogo pin. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The handheld differential contact probe of claim 1, wherein the pair of opposing probe tip assemblies are symmetrical, and the pair of curved conductive ribbon springs are symmetrical. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The handheld differential contact probe of claim 1, wherein each of the curved conductive ribbon springs comprises a copper alloy spring metal and gold plating. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The handheld differential contact probe of claim 1, wherein each of the curved conductive ribbon springs comprises a spring metal including at least one of beryllium copper (BeCu), phosphor bronze and spring steel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The handheld differential contact probe of claim 1, wherein each of the curved conductive ribbon springs comprises a U-shaped conductive ribbon spring. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The handheld differential contact probe of claim 1, further comprising a pair of signal connectors carried by the housing and coupled to respective probe tip circuits via corresponding transmission lines. ### Claim 10 A handheld contact probe comprising: first and second opposing probe tip assemblies each comprising a probe tip circuit coupled to a probe tip at a distal end thereof; a probe tip span adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a span between the probe tips; and a ground path mechanism coupled between the probe tip circuits of the respective probe tip assemblies, and comprising a pair of curved conductive ribbon springs configured to elastically deform and slidably maintain electrical coupling between the probe tip circuits of the first and second opposing probe tip assemblies while the span between the probe tips is adjusted by the probe tip span adjustment mechanism, wherein: an inner end of each of the curved conductive ribbon springs is not fixed; and the inner end of each of the curved conductive ribbon springs slides against the inner end of the other of the pair of curved conductive ribbon springs. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The handheld contact probe of claim 10, wherein the probe tip circuit of each probe tip assembly comprises a printed circuit board. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The handheld contact probe of claim 10, wherein the probe tip of each probe tip assembly comprises a pogo pin. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The handheld contact probe of claim 10, wherein the first and second opposing probe tip assemblies are symmetrical. ### Claim 14 A method of manufacturing a handheld differential contact probe, the method comprising: providing a pair of probe arms carried by a housing configured to be held in a hand of a user; providing a pair of opposing probe tip assemblies each carried by one of the respective probe arms and each comprising a probe tip circuit coupled to a probe tip at a distal end thereof; coupling a probe tip span adjustment mechanism, carried by the housing, to the pair of probe arms, to adjust a span between the probe tips; and coupling a ground path mechanism between the probe tip circuits of the respective probe tip assemblies, and comprising a pair of curved conductive ribbon springs each coupled at a n outer end thereof to a respective probe tip circuit, and each curved conductive ribbon spring slidably engaging each other at a respective inner end thereof, wherein: the inner end of each of the curved conductive ribbon springs is not fixed; and the inner end of each of the curved conductive ribbon springs slides against the inner end of the other of the pair of curved conductive ribbon springs. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein each of the curved conductive ribbon springs is configured to elastically deform and maintain electrical contact with each other while the span between the probe tips is adjusted by the probe tip span adjustment mechanism. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the probe tip circuit of each probe tip assembly is defined by a printed circuit board. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the probe tip of each probe tip assembly comprises a pogo pin. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the pair of opposing probe tip assemblies are symmetrical, and the pair of curved conductive ribbon springs are symmetrical. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein each of the curved conductive ribbon springs are formed by gold plating a copper alloy spring metal. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein each of the curved conductive ribbon springs is formed of a spring metal including at least one of beryllium copper (BeCu), phosphor bronze and spring steel. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein each of the curved conductive ribbon springs is formed by a U-shaped conductive ribbon spring. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising coupling a pair of signal connectors, carried by the housing, to respective probe tip circuits via corresponding transmission lines.