Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus relating to test equipment with humidification capability

US5631429A · kind A · utility

4Cited by
24References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 30, 1995
Grant dateMay 20, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 30, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N17/00
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A new method provides test equipment having a humidification capability. Such method includes the steps of fabricating equipment having (a) a chamber for stress-testing products placed therein, and (b) a cavity for receiving a module. The equipment is installed in a product test facility and used for stress-testing (by, e.g., "temperature cycling") a first group of products placed in the chamber. Later (perhaps several months or years later), the module is mounted in the cavity, a second group of products is placed in the chamber and humidity-controlled air is circulated across the second group of products. The new method is particularly useful for manufacturers or testers of products like electronic printed circuit boards initially requiring only a temperature-related testing capability but later needing to add humidity-related testing regimens.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.