Stationary bath for testing electronic components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10481198-B2
Application number	US-201815874677-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2018
Priority date	Dec 28, 2017
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

A system and method for stress-testing of electronic components are disclosed. The system and method include a stationary bath including a tub that defines an aperture in a plane, in which a plurality of slots are positionable and defined inside the tub and oriented orthogonally with respect to the plane. A dielectric fluid in the tub is heated by a heating element to a predetermined temperature value. A board is configured to be retrievably placed with one of the plurality of slots, the board having a plurality of sockets operable to receive corresponding electronic components.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a stationary bath including a tub that defines an aperture in a plane;
a plurality of slots defined inside the tub and oriented orthogonally with respect to the plane;
a dielectric fluid in the tub;
a heating element to apply heat to the dielectric fluid; and
a board retrievably placed in one of the plurality of slots, the board having a plurality of sockets operable to receive electronic components.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the board further comprises a plurality of conductive leads on a first end of the board, wherein the first end is not in contact with the dielectric fluid in the tub when the board is retrievably placed in the one of the plurality of slots, and wherein second, third and fourth ends of the board are in contact with the dielectric fluid in the tub when the board is retrievably placed in the one of the plurality of slots.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein a first of the plurality of conductive leads is coupled to a voltage source and a second of the plurality of conductive leads is coupled to a ground.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of sockets are arranged in at least a first socket column and a second socket column, the board further including a power supply rail positioned between the first socket column and the third end, between the second socket column and the fourth end, and between the first socket column and the second socket column.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the first and second ends are parallel with respect to each other, and the third and fourth ends are parallel with respect to each other.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the power supply rail couples to ground.

7. The system of claim 2 wherein the plurality of sockets are arranged in at least four columns on the board, and further including a power supply rail positioned between a first column and a second column and between a third column and a fourth column, wherein the power supply rail is not positioned between the second and third columns.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of sockets defines a hole therethrough, and the board defines at least one trench therethrough, wherein the each of the plurality of sockets is positionable over the at least one trench.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the heating element is to heat the dielectric fluid to a predetermined temperature value.

10. A method, comprising:
providing a stationary bath having a tub containing dielectric fluid;
heating the dielectric fluid;
providing a board having first and second parallel ends being shorter than third and fourth parallel ends;
coupling an electronic component to the board;
inserting the board into the dielectric fluid such that the first end is not in contact with the dielectric fluid and the second end is submerged in the dielectric fluid; and
coupling a power source to the electronic component via the first end of the board.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein inserting the board into the dielectric fluid comprises retrievably inserting the board into a slot formed in the tub, the slot extending orthogonally to a plane in which an opening of the tub lies.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising removing the board from the dielectric fluid.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining, after the board reaches room temperature, whether the electronic component failed.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining whether the electronic component failed comprises using an ohmmeter.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
coupling another electronic component on the board; and
retrievably reinserting the board into the slot formed in the tub.

16. A method, comprising:
obtaining a stationary bath with a plurality of slots positioned inside a tub of the stationary bath, the tub having a dielectric fluid;
heating the dielectric fluid to one of a plurality of predetermined temperature values;
providing a board with a plurality of conductive leads and a plurality of sockets;
positioning a plurality of electronic components onto respective ones of the plurality of sockets;
retrievably placing the board in one of the plurality of slots;
coupling a power source to the plurality of conductive leads;
following a predetermined period of time, decoupling the power source from the plurality of conductive leads;
retrieving the board from the one of the plurality of slots;
determining whether one or more of the plurality of electronic components has failed;
when the one or more of the plurality of electronic components have failed, removing the one or more failed plurality of electronic components from the board; and
retrievably replacing the board into the dielectric fluid.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the dielectric fluid comprises at least one of:
a vegetable-based oil;
a silicon-based oil; and
a synthetic-based oil.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the plurality of sockets are arranged in multiple columns on the board, and wherein a power supply rail coupled to a first lead of the plurality of leads is positioned between a first socket column and a second socket column.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein another power supply rail coupled to a second lead of the plurality of conductive leads is positioned between the first socket column and a first end of the board and is also positioned between the second socket column and a second end of the board, the first and second ends being parallel to each other.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising sliding the board into the one of the plurality of slots such that the plurality of conductive leads are not in contact with the dielectric fluid.

Assignees

• Texas Instruments Inc

Inventors

• Kaase David Wayne
• Yehle Joseph Milton
• Mcgee Jr James Henry
• Howell Clemon

Classifications

• G01R31/129

  of components or parts made of semiconducting materials; of LV components or parts (G01R31/18 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01R31/2817 Primary

  Environmental-, stress-, or burn-in tests (of IC's G01R31/2855; of individual semiconductors G01R31/2642; of other circuits G01R31/2849) · CPC title

• G01R1/0458

  related to environmental aspects, e.g. temperature · CPC title

• G01R31/2856

  Internal circuit aspects, e.g. built-in test features; Test chips; Measuring material aspects, e.g. electro migration [EM] · CPC title

• G01R31/1281

  of liquids or gases · CPC title