High bandwidth probe assembly
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorSteven Feldman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A spring probe block assembly includes an insulative housing. A probe connector having a signal probe, an insulative layer, and a conductive shell is positioned within the housing. At least one ground probe is also positioned within the housing. The ground probe and the conductive shell of the probe connector are electrically connected by a grounding element. The grounding element is configured to elastically deform the ground probe in such a manner as to create spring energy in the ground probe. The spring energy generates a normal force between the ground probe and the grounding element which maintains the ground probe in its position. Also, a method for retaining a spring probe in a housing by elastically deforming the spring probe to maintain a spring force between the spring probe and the housing.
Claims25
A spring probe block assembly comprising:
- an insulative housing hating a cavity in a front face of the housing;
- a probe connector in the cavity, the probe connector having a signal probe surrounded by an insulative layer and a conductive shell;
- a conductive ground probe in the cavity;
- a conductive retainer positioned within the cavity adjacent the front face of the housing, the retainer having passages for receiving the probe connector and the ground probe, wherein the ground probe is in electrical contact with the conductive retainer and the conductive shell of the probe connector.
A spring probe block assembly comprising:
- a housing;
- a first probe connector positioned within the housing, the first probe connector having a signal probe, an insulative layer, and a conductive shell;
- a first ground probe positioned within the housing;
- a first grounding portion electrically connecting the first ground probe and the conductive shell of the first probe connector;
- wherein a retention force is maintained between the first grounding portion and the first ground probe by spring energy stored in the first ground probe by elastic deformation of the first ground probe.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.