Test needles, test probes, and flying probe testers for inspecting printed circuit boards

The test needle with a shielded conductor and capacitance measuring element addresses the challenges of measuring conductive layers in printed circuit board holes, providing accurate and efficient results without the need for additional tracks, enhancing measurement precision and reducing costs.

JP7883084B2Active Publication Date: 2026-07-01ATG MYCRONIC GMBH
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2024186554
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2018-10-16
Filing Date
2024-10-23
Publication Date
2026-07-01
Estimated Expiration
2039-01-17

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing methods for measuring conductive layers in printed circuit board holes are unreliable, costly, and fail to accurately transfer measurement results from coupons to the actual use areas due to differences in conductor track dimensions and the need for grounding references, leading to difficulty in pinpointing defects and increased costs.

Method used

A test needle with a shielded conductor surrounded by a capacitance measuring element, allowing for non-contact capacitance coupling with the conductive layer, combined with a touch sensor unit for precise positioning, is used to measure the conductive layer within a hole in a printed circuit board.

Benefits of technology

Enables accurate and reliable measurement of conductive layers with high positional resolution and capacitive coupling, minimizing contact interference and reducing the need for costly additional conductor tracks, thus improving measurement precision and efficiency.

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Patent Text Reader

Abstract

To manufacture a test needle which can easily, more surely and very accurately measure back-drilled holes on a printed circuit board and measure electrically conductive layers in the holes on the printed circuit board, a corresponding test probe, and flying probe tester.SOLUTION: The invention relates to a test needle (19) for measuring electrically conductive layers in holes on printed circuit boards, and to a test probe (12) having a test needle of this type and a flying probe tester for testing printed circuit boards which has a test needle of this type or a test probe of this type. The test needle has a capacitive measuring element (26) which is connected to a capacitive measuring device by means of a cable (25). The cable is shielded such that only the capacitive measuring element is able to form a capacitive coupling with additional electrically conductive elements. As a result, this capacitive coupling can be detected with high positional resolution.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3
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Citation Information

Patent Citations

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  • Residual material detection in backdrilled stubs

    US20160320443A1