International Business Machines Corporation

Other

David J Braun

John Richard Dangler

Theron Lee Lewis

James D Bielick

Timothy P Younger

Stephen Michael Hugo

Jennifer I Bennett

Timothy Jennings

Tim Bartsch

Matthew Stephen Doyle

Thomas Donald Kidd

Thomas A Belton

Gerald Keith Bartley

Mark Garrison Clark

Jason Thomas Stoll

Mark Kenneth Hoffmeyer

James Aloysius Hagan

Roger Scott Krabbenhoft

Roy Jonathan Rosser

Timothy Charles Daun-Lindberg

Steven Dennis Keidl

John Gregory Stephanie

Joseph DiCicco

Charles J Guenther

Eric Nguyen Phan

Timothy A Bartsch

Erica Elizabeth Jasper

Vincent W Ting

A method of fabricating a multilayer circuit board is provided which includes forming a layer of a the multilayer circuit board with an internal clearance region having a modified voltage-to-ground clearance of conductive material adjacent to an aperture of the multilayer circuit board. The modified voltage-to-ground clearance of conductive material is based on a configuration of a connector pin to be press-fit connected within the aperture of the multilayer circuit board, and the internal clearance region is enlarged in a direction of greatest normal force outward from the aperture with insertion of the connector pin into the aperture.

Modified internal clearance(s) at connector pin aperture(s) of a circuit board

A first apparatus includes an electrical connector with an outer shell and an inner wafer, where the inner wafer is configured to slide into a cavity of the outer shell. The first apparatus further includes a shape-memory alloy coupled to a void in the outer shell and configured to interfere with an area on the inner wafer. A second apparatus includes an OTS connector with an outer shell and an inner wafer, where the inner wafer is configured to slide into a cavity of the outer shell. The second apparatus further includes a plurality of SMT leads of the inner wafer configured to mount onto a plurality of landing pads on a PCBA. The second apparatus includes a shape-memory alloy coupled to a void in the outer shell and configured to interfere with the inner wafer preventing movement of the inner wafer within the outer shell of OTS connector.

Shape-memory alloy lock for connectors

Aspects include a hybrid socket dynamic warp indicator for socket connector systems and methods of using the same to measure the warpage of a printed circuit board assembly. The method can include providing a printed circuit board having a plurality of pads and a socket. A warp indicator having a plurality of solder joint connections and a resistor array is electrically coupled to the printed circuit board to build a printed circuit board assembly. The printed circuit board assembly is subjected to a thermal event. A resistance across the resistor array is measured after the thermal event. A number of separations between one or more pads of the printed circuit board and one or more solder joint connections of the warp indicator is determined based on a change in the resistance. A defective warpage condition for the socket is determined based on the number of separations.

Hybrid socket warp indicator

A press-fit insertion method is provided. The press-fit insertion method includes loading press-fit pins into a connector, heating a printed circuit board (PCB) defining plated through holes (PTHs) into which the press-fit pins are insertable and pressing the connector onto the PCB to insert the press-fit pins into the PTHs with the PCB remaining heated.

Press-fit rework method

An apparatus for thermal interface material detection includes a heatsink stack up with a heatsink, a thermal interface material, a heat generating component, and a printed circuit board. The heatsink is disposed on the thermal interface material, the thermal interface material is disposed on the heat generating component, and the heat generating component is disposed on the printed circuit board. A channel in a body of the heatsink is configured for insertion of a compression probe, where a first end of the channel leads to a lower surface of the body of the heatsink and a second end of the channels leads to an upper surface of the body of the heatsink.

Thermal interface material detection through compression

An apparatus for grounding a heatsink utilizing an EMC spring press-fit pin includes a printed circuit board, a logic chip, a heatsink, and a grounding member, where the grounding member includes an integrated spring and a first terminal pin at a first end of the grounding member. The logic chip is electrically coupled to the printed circuit board and the heatsink is disposed on a top surface of the logic chip. The first terminal pin at the first end of the grounding member is disposed in a plated-through hole of the printed circuit, where the grounding member is configured to electrically couple the heatsink to the printed circuit board.

Electromagnetic shielding of heatsinks with spring press-fit pins

Aspects of the invention include a press-fit pin for mechanically and electrically connecting to a through-hole of a substrate. The press-fit pin can include a press-fit portion configured to be deformed upon insertion into the through-hole against a plated surface of the through-hole. A surface mount technology (SMT) pad can be coupled to a first end of the press-fit portion. The SMT pad can include a conductive material. The press-fit pin can further include a trace extension coupled to the SMT pad. The trace extension can extend from the SMT pad in a direction perpendicular to the press-fit portion. The press-fit pin can include a tip portion coupled to a second end of the press-fit portion.

Compliant pin surface mount technology pad for rework

A method for printed circuit board design rework utilizing two components in series, the method includes selecting a first chip component and a second chip component for placement on an original land location previously occupied by an original chip component. The method further includes placing the first chip component and the second chip component on a chip component support structure. The method further includes soldering a first end of the first chip component to a first end of the second chip component. Responsive to transferring the first chip component and the second chip component to the original land location, the method further includes soldering a second end of the first chip component to a first land of the original land location. The method further includes soldering a second end of the second chip component to a second land of the original land location.

Soldering of end chip components in series

Described is an anti-vibration fixture comprising a radiolucent enclosure and a vibration-dampening material attached to an inside face of the radiolucent enclosure. The vibration-dampening material is configured to receive a component for nondestructive testing by computed tomography (CT) scanning. The anti-vibration fixture further comprises a plurality of fasteners attached to opposing faces of the radiolucent enclosure.

Anti-vibration fixturing system for nondestructive testing

Provided is a system for removing an electronic component from a printed circuit board (PCB). The system may comprise a heating well configured to hold a rework liquid. The system may further comprise a head system configured to create a liquid-tight seal around an electronic component. The system may further comprise a nozzle and a mechanical capture device disposed within the head system. The mechanical capture device may be configured to attach to the electronic component. The system may further comprise a controller. The controller may be configured to release the rework liquid through the nozzle and onto the electronic component and lift the electronic component off the PCB.

Localized rework using liquid media soldering

Press-fit insertion method

A method adjusts a mechanical process on a material in order to improve bonding characteristics of the material. A system collects surface micro-roughness measurements of a material, and places discrete sampling regions on the material. The system analyzes the surface micro-roughness measurements for each of the discrete sampling regions on the material, and identifies a lowest micro-roughness measurement in a discrete sampling region from a plurality of discrete sampling regions on the material. The system compares the lowest micro-roughness measurement to a threshold micro-roughness measurement in order to determine that the lowest micro-roughness measurement is less than the threshold micro-roughness measurement. In response to determining that the lowest micro-roughness measurement is less than the threshold micro-roughness measurement, the system adjusts a mechanical process on the material until micro-roughness measurements for each of the discrete sampling regions are greater than the threshold micro-roughness measurement.

Detecting and correcting deficiencies in surface conditions for bonding applications

A tool is provided for shaping contact tab interconnects at a circuit card edge. The tool includes a base member with a slot to receive a circuit card edge. The slot is sized such that the edge of the circuit card is slidable lengthwise within the slot. The tool further includes shaping dowels disposed within the base member, including at least two shaping dowels that define a set of adjacent shaping dowels extending at an angle relative to each other. The set of adjacent shaping dowels are exposed, at least in part, within the slot so that with lengthwise sliding of the edge of the circuit card within the slot, the edge of the circuit card contacts and slides across the set of adjacent shaping dowels rounding off, at least in part, ends of the contact tab interconnects at the edge of the circuit card.

Tool for shaping contact tab interconnects at a circuit card edge

Aspects of the invention include a stutter step press-fit connector insertion process. A non-limiting example of a method includes applying a force to at least one press-fit pin for causing the press-fit pin to move in a direction of a through-hole of a printed circuit board, wherein a value of the force increases as the press-fit pin moves in the direction of the through-hole. In response to detecting contact between the press-fit pin and a surface profile of the through-hole, a first pause of the force is introduced for a pre-determined time interval, wherein the value of the force remains generally static during the pre-determined time interval. The force is reapplied to the press-fit pin upon completion of the time interval, wherein the value of the force increases during the reapplying until the press-fit pin is inserted into the through-hole.

Stutter step press-fit connector insertion process

A heat sink assembly can comprise a heat sink and a shaping element made of a shape memory material. The shaping element is incorporated into the heat sink assembly in an assembly shape. An actuation energy can cause the shape memory material to change the shaping element to an actuation shape, and the actuation shape can produce a thermal coupling shape in the heat sink. A method comprises forming a shaping element, of a shape memory material, into an actuation shape. The method includes re-forming the shaping element from the actuation shape into an assembly shape and incorporating the shaping element in a heat sink assembly that includes a heat sink. In the method, applying an actuation energy causes the shape memory material to change the shaping element from the assembly shape to the actuation shape to produce a thermal coupling shape in the heat sink.

Growing community of inventors

St. Charles, MN, United States of America

David J Braun