Reliability enhancement of press fit connectors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11456548-B2
Application number	US-201916574845-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2019
Priority date	Sep 18, 2019
Publication date	Sep 27, 2022
Grant date	Sep 27, 2022

Abstract

A method comprises inserting a press-fit element into a through hole on a substrate board. The method also comprises obtaining a target heat-application plan for the press-fit element. The method also comprises applying heat to the press-fit element. The method also comprises determining that the target heat-application plan has been completed. The method also comprises withdrawing heat from the press-fit element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
inserting a press-fit element into a through hole on a substrate board;
obtaining a sensitive-component condition for a component on the substrate board;
obtaining a target heat-application plan for the press-fit element;
applying heat to the press-fit element;
detecting that the sensitive-component condition has been reached at the component on the substrate board;
triggering, based on the detecting that the sensitive-component condition has been reached, a sensitive-component alarm,
determining that the target heat-application plan has been completed; and
withdrawing heat from the press-fit element.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying heat to the press-fit element comprises:
determining a time-and-temperature curve to secure the press-fit element in the through hole, wherein the time-and-temperature curve comprises a set of temperature values that are each paired with a corresponding time value and wherein each pair of temperature values and corresponding time values represents a heat-application plan;
selecting, from the time-and-temperature curve, the target heat-application plan; and
increasing a temperature at the press-fit element to a temperature value corresponding to the selected target heat-application plan.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
obtaining a heat-sensitivity value for a component on the substrate board; and
restricting the time-and-temperature curve by the heat-sensitivity value, resulting in a restricted set of temperature values that are each paired with a corresponding time value;
wherein the target heat-application plan is selected from the restricted set of temperature values.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining comprises:
identifying a target time value; and
concluding that the target time value has been reached.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the triggering comprises reducing the heat applied at the press-fit element.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the applying heat comprises applying heat to the entire substrate board simultaneously.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the applying heat comprises applying heat to selected portions of the substrate board.

8. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computer to cause the computer to:
obtain a target heat-application plan for a press-fit connection;
obtain a sensitive-component condition for a component on a substrate board;
activate a heating element to heat a press-fit element in a through hole on the substrate board;
monitor a first temperature of the press-fit connection;
monitor a second temperature of the component;
detect, based on the monitoring the second temperature, that the sensitive-component condition has been reached at the component on the substrate board;
trigger, based on the detecting that the sensitive-component condition has been reached, a sensitive-component alarm;
determine, based on the monitoring the first temperature, that the target heat-application plan has been completed; and
deactivate, based on the determining, the heating element.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the program instructions further cause the computer to:
determine a time-and-temperature curve to secure the press-fit element in the through hole, wherein the time-and-temperature curve comprises a set of temperature values that are each paired with a corresponding time value and wherein each pair of temperature values and corresponding time values represents a heat-application plan;
select, from the time-and-temperature curve, the target heat-application plan; and
increase a temperature at the press-fit element to a temperature value corresponding to the selected target heat-application plan.

10. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the determining comprises:
identifying a target time value; and
concluding that the target time value has been reached.

11. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the triggering comprises reducing the heat applied by the heating element.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Hoffmeyer Mark K
• Lewis Theron Lee

Classifications

• H05K2203/1105

  Heating or thermal processing not related to soldering, firing, curing or laminating, e.g. for shaping the substrate or during finish plating · CPC title

• H05K2201/1059

  Connections made by press-fit insertion · CPC title

• H05K1/184

  associated with components inserted in holes through the PCBs and wherein terminals of the components are connected to printed contacts on the walls of the holes or at the edges thereof or protruding over or into the holes · CPC title

• H05K3/42

  Plated through-holes {or plated via connections} · CPC title

• H05K3/308

  Adaptations of leads (connectors to printed circuits H01R12/00) · CPC title