# US 12,114,423 B2 · Circuit board and probe card > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,114,423 B2 - Document ID: US12114423B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/796,003 - Filed: 2021-01-25 - Published: 2023-03-09 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2020-01-30 - Assignees: KYOCERA Corporation - Applicants: KYOCERA Corporation - Inventors: Youichiro Honda; Yoshihiro Toda - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12114423B2 ## CPC - H05K 1/0296: {Conductive pattern lay-out details not covered by sub groups H05K1/02 - H05K1/0295 (H05K1/11 takes precedence; lay-out adapted to mounted component configuration H05K1/18)} - H05K 1/116: {Lands, clearance holes or other lay-out details concerning the surrounding of a via} - G01R 1/07314: {the body of the probe being perpendicular to test object, e.g. bed of nails or probe with bump contacts on a rigid support (on an elastic support, e.g. a film, G01R1/0735)} - G01R 1/07342: {the body of the probe being at an angle other than perpendicular to test object, e.g. probe card} - H05K 1/115: {Via connections; Lands around holes or via connections (H05K1/112 takes precedence)} - G01R 31/2889: {Interfaces, e.g. between probe and tester (G01R31/31905 and G01R1/07364 take precedence)} - H05K 1/0262: {Arrangements for regulating voltages or for using plural voltages} - H05K 2201/09227: Layout details of a plurality of traces, e.g. escape layout for Ball Grid Array [BGA] mounting - H05K 2201/0929: Conductive planes - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) ## Abstract A circuit board includes an insulating substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a solid conductor located inside the insulating substrate, a first via conductor connected to the solid conductor from a side of the first surface, and a second via conductor connected to the solid conductor from a side of the second surface. The solid conductor has a cutout that intersects a line segment that connects a node of the first via conductor and a node of the second via conductor to each other. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A circuit board comprising: an insulating substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; a solid conductor located inside the insulating substrate; a first via conductor connected to the solid conductor from a side of the first surface; and a second via conductor connected to the solid conductor from a side of the second surface, wherein the solid conductor has a cutout that intersects a line segment that connects a node of the first via conductor and a node of the second via conductor to each other, wherein the solid conductor includes first and second solid conductors located in different layers of the insulating substrate and made conductive with each other, and each of the first and second solid conductors has the cutout, and wherein the cutout of the solid conductor on a voltage-supplied side is larger than the cutout of the solid conductor on a voltage-output side between the first solid conductor and the second solid conductor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The circuit board according to claim 1, further comprising a third via conductor connected to the solid conductor from the side of the first surface, wherein a difference in the solid conductor between a shortest conduction path length from the node of the first via conductor to the node of the second via conductor and a shortest conduction path length from the node of the first via conductor to a node of the third via conductor is smaller than a difference between a length of a line segment that connects the node of the first via conductor and the node of the second via conductor and a length of a line segment that connects the node of the first via conductor and the node of the third via conductor to each other. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The circuit board according to claim 2, further comprising a third electrode located on the first surface and electrically connected to the solid conductor through the third via conductor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A probe card comprising: the circuit board according to claim 1; and a probe pin electrically connected to the solid conductor through the first via conductor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The circuit board according to claim 1, wherein a position of the cutout of the first solid conductor and a position of the cutout of the second solid conductor differ from each other when transparently viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first surface. ### Claim 6 A circuit board comprising: an insulating substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; a solid conductor located inside the insulating substrate; a first via conductor connected to the solid conductor from a side of the first surface; and a second via conductor connected to the solid conductor from a side of the second surface, a first electrode located on the first surface and electrically connected to the solid conductor through the first via conductor; and a second electrode located on the second surface and electrically connected to the solid conductor through the second via conductor, wherein the solid conductor has a cutout that intersects a line segment that connects a node of the first via conductor and a node of the second via conductor to each other, wherein the solid conductor includes first and second solid conductors located in different layers of the insulating substrate and made conductive with each other, and each of the first and second solid conductors has the cutout, and wherein the cutout of the solid conductor on a voltage-supplied side is larger than the cutout of the solid conductor on a voltage-output side between the first solid conductor and the second solid conductor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The circuit board according to claim 6, wherein the cutout has a slit shape. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A probe card comprising: the circuit board according to claim 7; and a probe pin electrically connected to the solid conductor through the first via conductor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The circuit board according to claim 7, wherein a position of the cutout of the first solid conductor and a position of the cutout of the second solid conductor differ from each other when transparently viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) A probe card comprising: the circuit board according to claim 6; and a probe pin electrically connected to the solid conductor through the first via conductor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The circuit board according to claim 6, wherein a position of the cutout of the first solid conductor and a position of the cutout of the second solid conductor differ from each other when transparently viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first surface. ### Claim 12 A circuit board comprising: an insulating substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; a solid conductor located inside the insulating substrate; a first via conductor connected to the solid conductor from a side of the first surface; and a second via conductor connected to the solid conductor from a side of the second surface, wherein the solid conductor has a cutout that intersects a line segment that connects a node of the first via conductor and a node of the second via conductor to each other, wherein the cutout has a slit shape, wherein the solid conductor includes first and second solid conductors located in different layers of the insulating substrate and made conductive with each other, and each of the first and second solid conductors has the cutout, and wherein the cutout of the solid conductor on a voltage-supplied side is larger than the cutout of the solid conductor on a voltage-output side between the first solid conductor and the second solid conductor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A probe card comprising: the circuit board according to claim 12; and a probe pin electrically connected to the solid conductor through the first via conductor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The circuit board according to claim 12, wherein a position of the cutout of the first solid conductor and a position of the cutout of the second solid conductor differ from each other when transparently viewed from a direction perpendicular to the first surface.