Abstract: A method and apparatus for reflow-soldering of printed circuit boards are disclosed. A printed circuit board having electronic parts with lead wires having low temperature resistance alone or together with electronic part of high temperature resistance can be soldered according to the reflow-soldering method in a specifically designed heating zone involving plural preheating chambers and a reflowing chamber while maintaining a difference in temperature between the obverse surface and the reverse surface of the board without causing any soldering failure and any environmental pollution.

Abstract: A soldering apparatus is disclosed which comprises a conveyor for moving print circuit boards along a predetermined path, an inert gas-filling chamber provided with a solder tank wherein the print circuit board is soldered in the inert gas atmosphere, primary and secondary, external air shutoff chambers positioned in front of and in rear of the inert gas-filling chamber, respectively. Both primary and secondary chambers are provided respectively with a first shutter having a mechanism for open/close action and capable of isolating the inside of the chambers from external air and with a second shutter having a mechanism for open/close action and capable of preventing release of the inert gas in the inert gas-filling chamber and are connected through a valve to a vacuum tank capable of evacuating the primary and secondary chambers.

Abstract: A printed circuit board transferring device is disclosed which includes a pair of endless roller chains defining a printed circuit board transferring path therebetween, a plurality of support members fixed to the chains for movement therewith and each adapted to support printed circuit boards thereon, a clamp plate member provided on each of the support members and moveable between close and open positions, and an engaging member provided both ends of the transfer path and engageable with upper surface of the clamp plate members to maintain the clamp plate members in the open positions, so that the printed circuit boards supported on the supporting members are clamped between the supporting members and the clamp plate members during the non-engagement of the clamp plate members with the engaging member.

Abstract: A soldering apparatus of a reflow type contains a preheating chamber and a reflow chamber which are provided with a plurality of heaters for heating printed circuit boards with chips temporarily mounted thereon with solder pastes during conveyance by a conveyor. The heaters are mounted on the side walls of the chamber, extending along a direction of conveyance of the printed circuit boards. The chambers are also provided with a screening member respectively so as to prevent direct radiation of radiant heat from the heaters into the chambers and onto the printed circuit boards and to provide a uniform air flow so as to be blown uniformly onto the printed circuit boards.

Abstract: A soldering apparatus of the reflow type contains a preheating chamber and a reflow chamber which are provided with a plurality of heaters for heating printed circuit boards with chips temporarily mounted thereon with solder pastes during conveyance by a conveyor. The heaters are provided with a screening member and/or a partition member so as to prevent direct radiation of radiant heat from the heaters into the chambers and onto the printed circuit boards and to provide a uniform air flow to be blown uniformly onto the printed circuit boards. The heaters are arranged so as to heat them in such a manner as to increase temperatures in the direction from an inlet to an outlet so as to become higher with a predetermined temperature differential from the previous heater, thus removing bubbles generated upon fusion of the solder pastes and minimizing heat shock to the chips as they are heated.

Abstract: A device for correcting warp of printed circuit boards in carrierless soldering apparatus wherein the printed circuit boards are soldered while being held by holding claws of a conveying means is disclosed, which comprises a sliding means involving a single or plural warp-correcting means, sliding plates for installing the warp-correcting means thereon, and a single or plural pairs of slide beds provided in parallel to the direction of movement of the printed circuit boards, and a driving means for reciprocating the slide means in parallel to the direction of movement of the printed circuit boards.

Abstract: A soldering apparatus capable of forming a flowing layer of a molten solder with which an article to be soldered is contacted and the height of the upper surface of which is automatically controlled between predetermined upper and lower levels by continuously detecting the upper surface with two detectors. Each detector has a vertical pipe whose top is connected to a source of a pressurized gas and whose bottom is opened downward so that the pressure within the pipe is increased or released when the upper surface of the solder is positioned above or below the open bottom end of the pipe. A pressure switch is provided in each pipe to detect the increase and decrease of the pressure within the pipe to detect the upper surface of the solder layer.

Abstract: A soldering apparatus of a type in which printed circuit boards having temporarily mounted thereon chip parts with solder paste are heated within a heating chamber to cause the solder paste to reflow. The heating chamber is partitioned into preheating chamber or chambers and a reflowing chamber, with each preheating chamber being divided into gas flow channels and center space through which the board is transferred and in which a heater, flow control plates and a fan are provided so that the hot air heated with the heater in each preheating chamber is forcibly recirculated within each chamber to preheat the board uniformly. The preheated board is transferred to the reflowing chamber provided with far infrared radiation lamps to cause the solder paste to reflow.

Abstract: A printed circuit board transferring device is disclosed which includes a pair of endless roller chains defining a printed circuit board transferring path therebetween, a plurality of support members fixed to the chains for movement therewith and each adapted to support printed circuit boards thereon, a clamp plate member provided on each of the support members and moveable between close and open positions, and engaging plates provided on both sides of the transfer path and engageable with upper surfaces of the clamp plate members to maintain the clamp plate members in the close positions, so that the printed circuit boards supported on the supporting members are clamped between the supporting members and the clamp plate members during the engagement of the clamp plate members with the engaging plates.

Abstract: An apparatus for soldering printed circuit boards moving along a predetermined path of travel, comprises an upwardly extending nozzle member having an opening at its top end from which molten solder is caused to overflow to form an overflowing molten solder with which the underside surface of the printed circuit board is contacted, and an adjustable outlet member rotatably disposed in the opening to define an outlet extending in the direction transverse to the path of travel, so that by adjusting the angular position of the outlet member the orientation of the outlet may be varied for adjustment of the direction and height of the overflowing solder.

Abstract: A soldering apparatus is disclosed having a first vessel through which printed circuit boards are transferred for soldering by a combination of a solder wave and hot vapors of a heat transfer liquid, a second vessel in which heat transfer liquid is heated and vaporized, a gas feed conduit extending between the first and second vessels and having a pump for feeding the vapors produced in the second vessel to the first vessel, and a liquid recycling conduit extending between the first and second vessels and having a pump for recycling heat transfer liquid formed by the condensation of the vapors and collected in the first vessel to the second vessel.

Abstract: Printed circuit boards to be soldered are placed in a magazine and automatically fed, one by one, to a printed circuit board-processing line. The processed boards are automatically collected in another, empty magazine. Lifting means is provided for vertically displacing the boards-carrying magazine to position respective boards at a predetermined feed location where an air cylinder feeds each board to the processing line. Another lifting means is provided for vertically displacing the empty magazine to position respective holding members of the magazine at a delivery location and to receive therein the processed board displaced by an air cylinder.

Abstract: A vapor phase soldering apparatus for soldering printed circuit boards, including a vessel for containing a heat transfer liquid, partition plates provided within the vessel for dividing the inside space of the vessel into inner and outer chambers which are in fluid communication with each other at upper and lower portions of the partition plates, a heater provided in the inner chamber to heat and to vaporize the heat transfer liquid in the inner chamber, a cooler provided within the outer chamber to cool and to condense vapors of the heat transfer liquid in the outer chamber, and a conveyor for conveying printed circuit boards through the vessel, whereby the printed circuit boards are soldered in the inner chamber by contact with the vapors of said heat transfer liquid, and the vapors escaped from the inner chamber to the outer chamber are condensed in the outer chamber and recycled to the inner chamber.

Abstract: A vapor phase bonding apparatus wherein articles to be bonded are heated with hot vapors of a heat transfer liquid so that a bonding agent such as a solder provided between the articles to be bonded is melted to effect the bonding. The apparatus includes a vessel for containing the heat transfer liquid, a heater for vaporizing the heat transfer liquid, inlet and outlet port means provided in the vessel to allow the passage of articles to be bonded therethrough, conveying means to convey the articles through the inside of the vessel via inlet and outlet port means, closure means for opening and closing the inlet and outlet port means, and cooling means provided on the closure means for condensing vapors of the heat transfer liquid.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically coating terminal leads of electrical components such as IC with solder for improving solderability thereof. A plurality of IC stored in a row within a container placed at a predetermined feed location are automatically fed onto a track extending adjacent to a series of work stations arranged in a straight path and including a soldering station in which IC are contacted with a solder wave. Driving means is provided for displacing along the track the row of IC fed thereon. The worked IC are automatically collected within an empty container placed at a predetermined receipt location.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying molten wax onto a printed circuit board travelling along a predetermined transfer path. The applied wax after solidification serves to fix the electric components mounted on the board, facilitating the succeeding operations such as cutting and soldering. The apparatus includes a vessel for containing a molten wax, a plurality of ejection nozzles arranged in a direction transverse to the transfer path, valve means connected to each of the ejection nozzles and operable so that the molten wax is ejection from each nozzle upon actuation of the corresponding valve means, and a pump, such as a gear pump, having a suction side in fluid communication with the vessel and a discharge side in fluid communication with each of the valve means. Means are provided for selectively rendering the valve means operable according to the width of the printed circuit board.

Abstract: Printed circuit boards bearing chip type electric parts on its underside surface and travelling along a predetermined path are soldered by contact with a progressive wave of a molten solder progressing in a direction transverse to the path of travel of the printed circuit board. A nozzle member provided with an array of molten solder overflowing ports arranged in a direction transverse to the travelling path is moveable in the same direction so as to form the progressive wave of molten solder.

Abstract: Carriers each carrying a printed circuit board is conveyed successively through a soldering zone to dip each printed circuit board in molten solder contained in a vessel disposed below a space defined by two pairs of parallel front and rear rails. The four rails are engageable with four wheels of the carrier simultaneously and are vertically moveable so the printed circuit board carried on the carrier on the rails are contacted with the molten solder when the rails are in their lowered positions. Engaging means is provided for movement with one of the rails and for supporting engagement with the carrier. The engaging means is horizontally moveable so that the carrier engaged by the engaging means is horizontally moved forward and backward. By suitably moving the rails and the engaging means, the printed circuit board may alight on and leave from the surface of the molten solder in any desired tilted state.

Abstract: Printed circuit boards bearing chip type electric parts on its underside surface and travelling along a predetermined path are soldered using first and second molten solder, successively. The first molten solder is forced to overflow from a nozzle member to form a wave of overflowing solder extending in the direction of the path of travel of the printed circuit board so that the lower side of the printed circuit board is brought into co-current contact with the upper surface of the solder wave for effecting both preheating and first soldering treatment by the first molten solder. A solder applicator is provided adjacent to and downstream of the nozzle member to effect a second soldering treatment by the second molten solder.

Abstract: A flux control device for maintaining the specific gravity and the surface level of a liquid flux contained in a fluxing vessel within predetermined ranges, includes a first reservoir for storing a concentrated flux, a second reservoir for storing a diluent, detectors for checking the liquid level and the specific gravity of the liquid flux in the fluxing vessel for any deviation from predetermined ranges, and first and second conduits extending between the vessel and the first reservoir and between the vessel and the second reservoir, respectively. Means are provided to apply a gas pressure selectively to the first and second reservoirs so that the concentrated flux and the diluent may be fed to the fluxing vessel through the first and second conduits, respectively, upon pressurization of the first and second reservoirs.