Abstract: A hand held tool for grasping and moving light weight objects includes a battery powered vacuum. Upon pressing an actuator, an electrical circuit is completed, activating the vacuum pump. The vacuum pump draws air from a valving system, causing air to be drawn through a nozzle. A variety of gripping devices may be attached to the nozzle, so that air is also drawn through the attached gripping device when the vacuum pump is activated. As a result, the gripping device may be placed in proximity to a light weight object, so that activation of the vacuum pump results in that object being held against the gripping device, for ease of movement, until the vacuum pump is deactivated.

Abstract: Light-weight items or components may be picked-up and moved from space restricted areas. The method of lifting and placing such items involves the use of a hand-held tool, comprising a hollow tube containing a suction creating device, which suction creating device may be engaged by pressing an actuator member located in a hole in the hollow tube. A tip is attached to an open end of the hollow tube, so that air is expelled from and drawn into the suction creating device in the hollow tube through the tip. A gripping member is removably attached to the tip. The gripping member comprises a suction cup, an extension tube, and a fitting by which the gripping member is attached to the tip. A variety of gripping members, with suction cups of varying sizes and extension tubes of differing angles, may be used with the pick-up device.

Abstract: Leaded and leadless surface mounted devices are removed from or attached to a printed circuit board at various locations, without interfering with or adversely affecting other chips on the printed circuit board. The method of removal involves placing a tool on the substrate, comprising a rigid plate containing a hole, and a hollow tube extending beneath the hole from the rigid plate to the substrate. In this way a surface mounted device to be removed may be surrounded completely by the hollow tube, without encompassing adjacent chips. When heat is directed through the hole in the rigid plate and through the hollow tube to the surface mounted device, the soldered connections attaching the surface mounted device to the board may be melted. A disconnecting means is utilized to remove the surface mounted device from the substrate at the moment the soldered connections are melted or, in the case of non-eutectic solder, changed to a plastic phase.