# US 2014/0197860 A1 · Current-diverting guide plate for probe module and probe module using the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197860 A1 - Document ID: US20140197860A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/152,755 - Filed: 2014-01-10 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-11 - Assignees: Mpi Corporation - Applicants: Mpi Corporation - Inventors: Hsien-Ta HSU; Horng-Kuang FAN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197860A1 ## CPC - G01R 1/36: Overload-protection arrangements or circuits for electric measuring instruments - G01R 1/07357: {with flexible bodies, e.g. buckling beams} - G01R 1/067: Measuring probes - G01R 1/06711: {Probe needles; Cantilever beams; "Bump" contacts; Replaceable probe pins} - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) ## Abstract A current-diverting guide plate for use in a probe module is disclosed to include a plate body having a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a plurality of through holes penetrating through the first and second surfaces. A conducting layer is provided at a periphery wall of each through hole of the plate body and electrically coupled to a probe slidably inserted through the through holes. A current-diverting circuit trace is disposed on the first surface of the plate body and electrically connected with the conducting layers for diverting the electric current flowing through probes. Thus, the current-diverting guide plate can be used to prevent the probes from possible damage due to an excessive instantaneous current. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A current-diverting guide plate for insertion of probes of a probe module, comprising: a plate body having a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a plurality of through holes penetrating through the first and second surfaces for insertion of the probes of the probe module; a plurality of conducting layers each provided at a periphery wall of one of the through holes of the plate body; and a current-diverting circuit trace disposed on the first surface of the plate body and electrically connected with the conducting layers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The current-diverting guide plate as claimed in claim 1, wherein the current-diverting circuit trace comprises at least one primary branch connected between two adjacent said conducting layers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The current-diverting guide plate as claimed in claim 2, wherein the current-diverting circuit trace comprises at least one secondary branch connected between the two adjacent conducting layers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The current-diverting guide plate as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the conducting layers is a composite conducting layer comprising a metal base layer and a metal coating coated on a surface of the metal base layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The current-diverting guide plate as claimed in claim 4, wherein the metal coating contains polymer particles. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The current-diverting guide plate as claimed in claim 1, wherein the through holes of the plate body each have a circular or square cross-sectional shape. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A probe module comprising: at least one current-diverting guide plate as claimed in claim 1; and a plurality of probes each slidably inserted through one of the through holes of the plate body of the current-diverting guide plate and electrically coupled to the conducting layer provided at said one of the through holes of the plate body of the current-diverting guide plate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The probe module as claimed in claim 7, comprising two said current-diverting guide plates, namely an upper current-diverting guide plate and a lower current-diverting guide plate, spacedly arranged in a manner that the two second surfaces of the plate bodies of the upper and lower current-diverting guide plates face to each other; each of the probes has an upper end inserted through one of the through holes of the plate body of the upper current-diverting guide plate and electrically coupled to the conducting layer provided at said one of the through holes of the plate body of the upper current-diverting guide plate, and a lower end inserted through one of the through holes of the plate body of the lower current-diverting guide plate and electrically coupled to the conducting layer provided at said one of the through holes of the plate body of the lower current-diverting guide plate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The probe module as claimed in claim 7, comprising one said current-diverting guide plate; wherein the probe module further comprises a support plate spacedly facing the second surface of the plate body of the current-diverting guide plate and having a plurality of guide holes through which the probes are slidably and respectively inserted. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The probe module as claimed in claim 9, wherein the support plate is located above the current-diverting guide plate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The probe module as claimed in claim 9, wherein the support plate is located under the current-diverting guide plate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The probe module as claimed in claim 7, wherein the current-diverting circuit trace of the current-diverting guide plate comprises at least one primary branch connected between two adjacent said conducting layers. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The probe module as claimed in claim 12, wherein the current-diverting circuit trace of the current-diverting guide plate comprises at least one secondary branch connected between the two adjacent conducting layers. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The probe module as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of the conducting layers of the current-diverting guide plate is a composite conducting layer comprising a metal base layer and a metal coating coated on a surface of the metal base layer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The probe module as claimed in claim 14, wherein the metal coating contains polymer particles. ### Claim 16 (depends on 7) The probe module as claimed in claim 7, wherein the through holes of the plate body of the current-diverting guide plate each have a circular or square cross-sectional shape. ### Claim 17 (depends on 7) The probe module as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of the probes is a vertical buckling probe or pogo pin. ### Claim 18 (depends on 7) The probe module as claimed in claim 7, comprising two said current-diverting guide plates, namely an upper current-diverting guide plate and a lower current-diverting guide plate, spacedly arranged in a manner that the two first surfaces of the plate bodies of the upper and lower current-diverting guide plates face to each other; each of the probes has an upper end inserted through one of the through holes of the plate body of the upper current-diverting guide plate and electrically coupled to the conducting layer provided at said one of the through holes of the plate body of the upper current-diverting guide plate, and a lower end inserted through one of the through holes of the plate body of the lower current-diverting guide plate and electrically coupled to the conducting layer provided at said one of the through holes of the plate body of the lower current-diverting guide plate.