The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 19, 2018
Filed:
Sep. 14, 2016
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Wei Guo, Shenzhen, CN;
Yanlong Hou, Shenzhen, CN;
WeiFeng Zhang, Shenzhen, CN;
Lin Zhao, Shenzhen, CN;
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A method of testing a printed circuit board (PCB) with an in-circuit test (ICT) probe having an improved probe-to-via contact is provided. The ICT probe includes a tip attached to a spindle; a housing having a cavity, a portion of the spindle insertable into the cavity; and a heating element wrapped helically around the spindle, the heating element coupled to the housing. The probe is contacted with a surface of a flux layer of a test via of the PCB, said contact compressing the heating element and recessing the insertable portion of the spindle into the cavity. The tip of the probe is heated with the heating element to a temperature capable of at least partially melting the flux layer, the tip at least partially penetrating the flux layer to contact a surface of a solder plugging the test via.