Buckling beam test probe with elastomer encapsulated probe wires

摘要

A buckling beam probe contactor in which an array of electrically conductive, parallel, probe test wires, are cast into a housing with urethane or silicone elastomer so as to elastically couple the wires to each other and cause all of the probe wires to bend and buckle in identical, parallel, congruent waveforms and thereby maintain spacing between the wires. Stiffer elastomers are used to insure that the wires have a greater number of inflections with less sideways displacement. Various modifications of the elastomer allow desired buckling patterns to be generated.