# US 12,000,862 B2 · Probe apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,000,862 B2 - Document ID: US12000862B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/605,101 - Filed: 2020-03-05 - Published: 2022-06-30 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2019-04-26 - Assignees: Hioki E.E. Corporation - Applicants: Hioki E.E. Corporation - Inventors: Masashi Kobayashi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000862B2 ## CPC - G01R 1/06705: {Apparatus for holding or moving single probes (for moving multiple probe heads or ICs under test G01R31/2886)} - G01R 1/06727: {Cantilever beams} - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) ## Abstract The probe apparatus has a probe (first metal plate) as a signal terminal and a probe (second metal plate) as a ground terminal. A probe holder has a holder main body formed of a conductor, clamps that are formed of a dielectric and capable of clamping the probes, and a fixing member and a male screw (or “fixture”) capable of fixing both clamps, which have clamped the probes, to the holder main body. The probes are clamped by the two clamps in a state where the probes have been aligned along the plate surface direction, parts at front-end portion sides of the probes protrude from the two clamps, and the parts at front-end portion sides are capable of elastic deformation along the plate thickness direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A probe apparatus in which a signal terminal and a ground terminal are held by a terminal holder in a state where the signal terminal and the ground terminal are adjacently disposed, the probe apparatus comprising: a first metal plate as the signal terminal; and a second metal plate as the ground terminal, wherein the terminal holder includes: a holder main body that is formed of a conductor; a pair of clamps that are formed of a dielectric and are capable of clamping the first metal plate and the second metal plate; and a fixture capable of fixing both clamps, in a state where the first metal plate and the second metal plate have been clamped, to the holder main body, the first metal plate and the second metal plate are clamped by both clamps in a state where the first metal plate and the second metal plate have been aligned along a plate surface direction, parts on front-end sides of the first metal plate and the second metal plate protrude from both clamps, and the parts on the front-end sides are capable of elastic deformation along a plate thickness direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The probe apparatus according to claim 1, comprising two second metal plates, with the first metal plate disposed between the two second metal plates. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The probe apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a positioning concave, which is shallower than a thickness of the first metal plate and the second metal plate, is formed in at least one of the clamps, and the first metal plate and the second metal plate are fitted into and positioned by the positioning concave. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The probe apparatus according to claim 3, comprising two second metal plates, with the first metal plate disposed between the two second metal plates. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The probe apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fixture includes a fixing bracket formed of a conductor and at least two male threads formed of a conductor, and by screwing the male threads, which have been inserted through thread insertion portions formed in the fixing bracket, into female threads provided on the holder main body, both clamps, which have clamped the first metal plate and the second metal plate, are pressed against and fixed to the holder main body by the fixing bracket. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The probe apparatus according to claim 5, comprising two second metal plates, with the first metal plate disposed between the two second metal plates. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The probe apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a positioning concave, which is shallower than a thickness of the first metal plate and the second metal plate, is formed in at least one of the clamps, and the first metal plate and the second metal plate are fitted into and positioned by the positioning concave. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The probe apparatus according to claim 7, comprising two second metal plates, with the first metal plate disposed between the two second metal plates. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The probe apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the fixing bracket is provided, at at least two positions, with second parts located on both sides of a first part that is placed into contact with the clamps, has a thread insertion portion formed in each second part, and a thickness, along an insertion direction of the male thread into the thread insertion portions, of third parts located between the first part and the second parts is formed thinner than a thickness of the first part along the insertion direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The probe apparatus according to claim 9, comprising two second metal plates, with the first metal plate disposed between the two second metal plates. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The probe apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a positioning concave, which is shallower than a thickness of the first metal plate and the second metal plate, is formed in at least one of the clamps, and the first metal plate and the second metal plate are fitted into and positioned by the positioning concave. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The probe apparatus according to claim 11, comprising two second metal plates, with the first metal plate disposed between the two second metal plates. ### Claim 13 (depends on 5) The probe apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second metal plate is clamped between the holder main body and the fixing bracket, and the second metal plate, the holder main body, and the fixing bracket are electrically connected to each other. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The probe apparatus according to claim 13, comprising two second metal plates, with the first metal plate disposed between the two second metal plates. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The probe apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a positioning concave, which is shallower than a thickness of the first metal plate and the second metal plate, is formed in at least one of the clamps, and the first metal plate and the second metal plate are fitted into and positioned by the positioning concave. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The probe apparatus according to claim 15, comprising two second metal plates, with the first metal plate disposed between the two second metal plates. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The probe apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the fixing bracket is provided, at at least two positions, with second parts located on both sides of a first part that is placed into contact with the clamps, has a thread insertion portion formed in each second part, and a thickness, along an insertion direction of the male thread into the thread insertion portions, of third parts located between the first part and the second parts is formed thinner than a thickness of the first part along the insertion direction. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The probe apparatus according to claim 17, comprising two second metal plates, with the first metal plate disposed between the two second metal plates. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The probe apparatus according to claim 17, wherein a positioning concave, which is shallower than a thickness of the first metal plate and the second metal plate, is formed in at least one of the clamps, and the first metal plate and the second metal plate are fitted into and positioned by the positioning concave. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The probe apparatus according to claim 19, comprising two second metal plates, with the first metal plate disposed between the two second metal plates.