IP Library Granted Patent US 8,523,579
Granted Patent B2
US 8,523,579 · App. 13/546,980 · Granted Sep 3, 2013

Spring contact assembly

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,523,579
App. No.
13/546,980
Granted
Sep 3, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A spring contact assembly having a first plunger with a tail portion having a flat contact surface and a second plunger having a tail portion with a flat contact surface wherein the flat contact surfaces are overlapping and are surrounded by an external compression spring such that the sliding engagement of the flat surfaces increases during compression of the spring.

Claims (31)

1. A spring contact assembly comprising:

a first contact member having a tail portion having a flat contact surface along a length of the tail portion and a flange adjacent the tail portion;

a second contact member having a tail portion having a flat contact surface along a length of the tail portion engaging the tail portion of the first contact member, and a flange adjacent the tail portion; and

a compression spring attached to the first contact member tail portion and the second contact member tail portion between the flange of each of the first and second contact members,

whereby the flat contact surface of the tail portion of the first contact member slidably engages the flat contact surface of the tail portion of the second contact member and increases in contact surface area of the flat surfaces during compression of the spring;

whereby at least one of the first contact members or the second contact members has a contact tip providing four distinct contact points with a test site location; and

wherein the second contact member comprises two pieces each having two contact points on the contact tip.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the contact tip is two pieces intersecting perpendicular to one another.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the first contact member comprises two pieces each having two contact points on the contact tip.

4. A spring contact assembly comprising:

a first contact member having a tail portion having a flat contact surface along a length of the tail portion and a flange adjacent the tail portion;

a second contact member having a tail portion having a flat contact surface along a length of the tail portion engaging the tail portion of the first contact member, and a flange adjacent the tail portion; and

a compression spring attached to the first contact member tail portion and the second contact member tail portion between the flange of each of the first and second contact members,

whereby the flat contact surface of the tail portion of the first contact member slidably engages the flat contact surface of the tail portion of the second contact member and increases in contact surface area of the flat surfaces during compression of the spring;

whereby at least one of the first contact members or the second contact members has a contact tip providing four distinct contact points with a test site location; and

wherein the contact tip is folded upon itself.

5. A spring contact assembly comprising:

a first flat contact member having a contact tip and a coplanar tail portion having a contact surface without a projection along a length of the tail portion;

a second flat contact member having a contact tip and a coplanar tail portion having a contact surface without a projection along a length of the tail portion; and

a compression spring positioned around the first flat contact member tail portion and the second flat contact member tail portion,

whereby the contact surface of the tail portion of the first flat contact member overlappingly and slidably engages the flat contact surface of the tail portion of the second flat contact member during compression of the spring contact assembly and whereby the contact tip of the second flat contact member provides four distinct contact points when engaging a test site location; and

wherein the second contact member comprises two pieces each having, two contact points on the contact tip.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the contact tip is two pieces intersecting perpendicular to one another.

7. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the first contact member comprises two pieces each having two contact points on the contact tip.

8. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the contact tip of the second flat contact member comprises a first tip section having a slot and a second tip section having a slot such that each slot engages one another perpendicularly to create the three dimensional contact tip.

9. A spring contact assembly comprising:

a first flat contact member having a contact tip and a coplanar tail portion having a con surface without a projection along a length of the tail portion;

a second flat contact member having a contact tip and a coplanar tail portion having a contact surface without a projection along a length of the tail portion; and

a compression spring positioned around the first flat contact member tail portion and the second flat contact member tail portion,

whereby the contact surface of the tail portion of the first flat contact member overlappingly and slidably engages the flat contact surface of the tail portion of the second flat contact member during compression of the spring contact assembly and whereby the contact tip of the second flat contact member provides four distinct contact points when engaging a test site location; and

wherein the contact tip is folded upon itself.

Assignments (10)
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS, RECORDED AT REEL 047185, FRAME 0624 Recorded Mar 7, 2024
From: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS AGENT
To: XCERRA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 066762/0811 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE INCORRECT STATEMENT THAT THIS DOCUMENT SERVES AS AN OATH/DECLARATION PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 047185 FRAME 0628. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT. Recorded Nov 28, 2018
From: XCERRA CORPORATION
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047675/0354 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 2, 2018
From: XCERRA CORPORATION
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047185/0624 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE INCORRECT PATENT NUMBER 7261561 AND REPLACE WITH PATENT NUMBER 7231561 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 034660 FRAME 0188. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY AGREEMENT. Recorded Feb 11, 2016
From: XCERRA CORPORATION; EVERETT CHARLES TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 037824/0372 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN UNITED STATES PATENTS Recorded Dec 18, 2014
From: SILICON VALLEY BANK, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: XCERRA CORPORATION; EVERETT CHARLES TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 034660/0394 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 18, 2014
From: XCERRA CORPORATION; EVERETT CHARLES TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 034660/0188 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 12, 2014
From: DELAWARE CAPITAL FORMATION, INC.
To: LTX-CREDENCE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 033091/0639 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 27, 2014
From: LTX-CREDENCE CORPORATION
To: XCERRA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 033032/0768 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 17, 2014
From: LTX-CREDENCE CORPORATION; EVERETT CHARLES TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 032086/0476 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 26, 2012
From: JOHNSTON, CHARLES J.; CHABINEAU, SCOTT; TREIBERGS, VALTS; YAKUSHEV, SERGEY; SWART, MARK; KOTTMEYER, EDWARD A.
To: DELAWARE CAPITAL FORMATION, INC.
Reel/Frame 028651/0378 →