Patents by Inventor Stephen M. Hugo

Stephen M. Hugo has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9986649
    Abstract: An apparatus for increasing solder hole-fill in a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) are provided in the illustrative embodiments. In the PCBA comprising a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and the device, a pin of a device is caused to move in a first direction, the pin occupying a hole in the PCB, the hole being filled to a first distance by a solder material. By causing the pin to move, the solder material is drawn into the hole up to a second distance that is greater than the first distance. The pin is allowed to move in a second direction, to return the pin to an initial position in the hole. Allowing the pin to move in the second direction keeps the solder material at a third distance, wherein the third distance is greater than the first distance in the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stephen M. Hugo, Matthew S. Kelly
  • Patent number: 9910085
    Abstract: A laminate bond strength detection apparatus is provided. The laminate bond strength detection apparatus includes first circuit elements affixable to a printed circuit board (PCB), a housing having a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatched from that of the PCB, second circuit elements affixable to the housing and configured to be laminated to a surface of the PCB, connectors and circuitry. The connectors respectively connect pairs of the first and second circuit elements and are breakable during CTE mismatch inducing heat processing resulting in the corresponding second circuit element becoming delaminated from the surface. The circuitry is coupled to the first and second circuit elements and configured to determine a number of broken connectors following the heat processing and to calculate a laminate bond strength of the PCB from the number of broken connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stephen M. Hugo, Theron L. Lewis
  • Publication number: 20180053711
    Abstract: Bottom terminated components and methods of making bottom terminated components are provided. The bottom terminated component includes a die paddle and at least one die paddle structure configured to prevent wicking into a respective thermal via of a printed circuit board. The at least one die paddle structure includes a base defining an axis, the base having an axial thickness extending from the die paddle, and a contact surface configured to contact the printed circuit board at the thermal via of the printed circuit board to prevent wicking of solder into the respective thermal via.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventors: Stephen M. Hugo, Mark J. Jeanson, Matthew S. Kelly
  • Publication number: 20180045773
    Abstract: A laminate bond strength detection apparatus is provided. The laminate bond strength detection apparatus includes first circuit elements affixable to a printed circuit board (PCB), a housing having a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatched from that of the PCB, second circuit elements affixable to the housing and configured to be laminated to a surface of the PCB, connectors and circuitry. The connectors respectively connect pairs of the first and second circuit elements and are breakable during CTE mismatch inducing heat processing resulting in the corresponding second circuit element becoming delaminated from the surface. The circuitry is coupled to the first and second circuit elements and configured to determine a number of broken connectors following the heat processing and to calculate a laminate bond strength of the PCB from the number of broken connectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Stephen M. Hugo, Theron L. Lewis
  • Publication number: 20170192051
    Abstract: A laminate bond strength detection apparatus is provided. The laminate bond strength detection apparatus includes first circuit elements affixable to a printed circuit board (PCB), a housing having a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatched from that of the PCB, second circuit elements affixable to the housing and configured to be laminated to a surface of the PCB, connectors and circuitry. The connectors respectively connect pairs of the first and second circuit elements and are breakable during CTE mismatch inducing heat processing resulting in the corresponding second circuit element becoming delaminated from the surface. The circuitry is coupled to the first and second circuit elements and configured to determine a number of broken connectors following the heat processing and to calculate a laminate bond strength of the PCB from the number of broken connectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventors: Stephen M. Hugo, Theron L. Lewis
  • Publication number: 20170179004
    Abstract: Bottom terminated components and methods of making bottom terminated components are provided. The bottom terminated component includes a die paddle and at least one die paddle structure configured to prevent wicking into a respective thermal via of a printed circuit board. The at least one die paddle structure includes a base defining an axis, the base having an axial thickness extending from the die paddle, and a contact surface configured to contact the printed circuit board at the thermal via of the printed circuit board to prevent wicking of solder into the respective thermal via.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Stephen M. Hugo, Mark J. Jeanson, Matthew S. Kelly
  • Patent number: 9662732
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product for increasing solder hole-fill in a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) are provided in the illustrative embodiments. In the PCBA comprising a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and the device, a pin of a device is caused to move in a first direction, the pin occupying a hole in the PCB, the hole being filled to a first distance by a solder material. By causing the pin to move, the solder material is drawn into the hole up to a second distance that is greater than the first distance. The pin is allowed to move in a second direction, to return the pin to an initial position in the hole. Allowing the pin to move in the second direction keeps the solder material at a third distance, wherein the third distance is greater than the first distance in the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stephen M. Hugo, Matthew S. Kelly
  • Publication number: 20170142845
    Abstract: An apparatus for increasing solder hole-fill in a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) are provided in the illustrative embodiments. In the PCBA comprising a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and the device, a pin of a device is caused to move in a first direction, the pin occupying a hole in the PCB, the hole being filled to a first distance by a solder material. By causing the pin to move, the solder material is drawn into the hole up to a second distance that is greater than the first distance. The pin is allowed to move in a second direction, to return the pin to an initial position in the hole. Allowing the pin to move in the second direction keeps the solder material at a third distance, wherein the third distance is greater than the first distance in the hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: STEPHEN M. HUGO, Matthew S. Kelly
  • Publication number: 20160297022
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product for increasing solder hole-fill in a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) are provided in the illustrative embodiments. In the PCBA comprising a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and the device, a pin of a device is caused to move in a first direction, the pin occupying a hole in the PCB, the hole being filled to a first distance by a solder material. By causing the pin to move, the solder material is drawn into the hole up to a second distance that is greater than the first distance. The pin is allowed to move in a second direction, to return the pin to an initial position in the hole. Allowing the pin to move in the second direction keeps the solder material at a third distance, wherein the third distance is greater than the first distance in the hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen M. Hugo, Matthew S. Kelly
  • Patent number: 9427828
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product for increasing solder hole-fill in a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) are provided in the illustrative embodiments. In the PCBA comprising a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and the device, a pin of a device is caused to move in a first direction, the pin occupying a hole in the PCB, the hole being filled to a first distance by a solder material. By causing the pin to move, the solder material is drawn into the hole up to a second distance that is greater than the first distance. The pin is allowed to move in a second direction, to return the pin to an initial position in the hole. Allowing the pin to move in the second direction keeps the solder material at a third distance, wherein the third distance is greater than the first distance in the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stephen M. Hugo, Matthew S. Kelly
  • Publication number: 20160044791
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product for increasing solder hole-fill in a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) are provided in the illustrative embodiments. In the PCBA comprising a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and the device, a pin of a device is caused to move in a first direction, the pin occupying a hole in the PCB, the hole being filled to a first distance by a solder material. By causing the pin to move, the solder material is drawn into the hole up to a second distance that is greater than the first distance. The pin is allowed to move in a second direction, to return the pin to an initial position in the hole. Allowing the pin to move in the second direction keeps the solder material at a third distance, wherein the third distance is greater than the first distance in the hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: Stephen M. Hugo, Matthew S. Kelly
  • Patent number: 9232664
    Abstract: A structure including a circuit board including a plane and a pin-in-hole component; and a heat transfer device, where the heat transfer device is thermally connected to the plane at a leading edge of the circuit board, the heat transfer device transfers heat from a wave of molten solder to the plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen M. Hugo, Matthew S. Kelly
  • Patent number: 9148962
    Abstract: A structure including a circuit board including a plane and a pin-in-hole component; and a heat transfer device, where the heat transfer device is thermally connected to the plane at a leading edge of the circuit board, the heat transfer device transfers heat from a wave of molten solder to the plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen M. Hugo, Matthew S. Kelly
  • Publication number: 20140183250
    Abstract: A structure including a circuit board including a plane and a pin-in-hole component; and a heat transfer device, where the heat transfer device is thermally connected to the plane at a leading edge of the circuit board, the heat transfer device transfers heat from a wave of molten solder to the plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen M. Hugo, Matthew S. Kelly
  • Publication number: 20140182909
    Abstract: A structure including a circuit board including a plane and a pin-in-hole component; and a heat transfer device, where the heat transfer device is thermally connected to the plane at a leading edge of the circuit board, the heat transfer device transfers heat from a wave of molten solder to the plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stephen M. Hugo, Matthew S. Kelly