Jeff Smoot, VP of Apps Engineering and Motion Control at Same Sky, posts about the basics of electrical spring-loaded pogo pins for DigiKey:
Pogo pins are compact, spring-loaded connectors widely utilized in electronic systems to ensure reliable electrical connections through their contact points. Structurally, they consist of a cylindrical barrel housing an internal spring, which allows the pin to compress and maintain stable contact pressure. This design gives them a visual resemblance to the classic pogo stick, inspiring the name.
As an interesting note, the original pogo stick toy was developed by Max Pohlig and Ernst Gottschall, combining the first two letters of their surnames to create the product name. Beyond their similar motion and namesake, however, the functional and design relationship between pogo sticks and pogo pins ends there.
Pogo pins, first developed at Bell Labs in the early 1970s, were initially designed for semiconductor test equipment due to their suitability for highly precise, miniaturized, and repeatable electrical connections. Their role in the industry has since expanded significantly, with advancements in mechanical stability, current handling, and compact design. These improvements have made pogo pins versatile enough for applications across consumer electronics, industrial systems, and medical devices.
Read more about these important electrical components in the article here.