Abstract: A soldering iron with a removable tip, including: a soldering iron, including: a shaft; a ferrite bobbin disposed on the shaft; a magnetic coil wrapped around the ferrite bobbin; and a removable tip with a heater element disposed thereon, wherein the heater element is dimensioned to be received around the magnetic coil when the removable tip is placed onto the soldering iron.

Abstract: A soldering iron with a removable tip, including: a soldering iron, including: a shaft; a ferrite bobbin disposed on the shaft; a magnetic coil wrapped around the ferrite bobbin; and a removable tip with a heater element disposed thereon, wherein the heater element is dimensioned to be received around the magnetic coil when the removable tip is placed onto the soldering iron.

Abstract: A fume extraction and filter apparatus includes a housing including a base and a top portion connected to a top side of the base. The base includes an inlet in a side thereof, the inlet leading into the housing and being in flow communication with an outlet in the top portion. A motor is disposed in the housing. A blower assembly is disposed in the housing and drivable by the motor to draw air into the inlet and cause the air to exit through the outlet. A filter is disposed in the housing between the inlet and the outlet and is arranged to filter air drawn in the inlet before the air exits through the outlet.

Abstract: A system for positioning a tool head with respect to a component platform, comprising: a frame; a tool head connected to the frame, the tool head being adjustably positionable in X and Y directions; a component platform connected to the frame, the component platform being adjustably positionable in X and Y directions; and an optical system positionable to simultaneously view the tool head and the component platform. A method of aligning the position of a tool head with respect to a component platform, wherein the tool head and the component platform are both individually adjustably positionable in X and Y directions, comprising: positioning the tool head while the component platform is maintained at a fixed location; and then positioning the component platform while the tool head is maintained at a fixed location, while simultaneously viewing the positions of the tool head and the component platform with an optical system.

Abstract: A fume extraction and filter apparatus includes a housing including a base and a top portion connected to a top side of the base. The base includes an inlet in a side thereof, the inlet leading into the housing and being in flow communication with an outlet in the top portion. A motor is disposed in the housing. A blower assembly is disposed in the housing and drivable by the motor to draw air into the inlet and cause the air to exit through the outlet. A filter is disposed in the housing between the inlet and the outlet and is arranged to filter air drawn in the inlet before the air exits through the outlet.

Abstract: A technique for producing soldering iron tips entails cutting clad wire into a plurality of segments, each segment comprising a core of material (such as copper) and an outer protective layer (such as stainless steel, Ni, Cr, or alloy thereof). Each clad wire segment is then shaped into a soldering iron tip by a cold or hot heading process, or other metal forming process. In the finished tip, the protective outer layer is disposed behind the working area of the tip, and serves to reduce the corrosion of the tip, and to improve the electrical conductivity between the tip and the soldering iron handle. A heater element can be formed at one end of the soldering iron tip from the same clad wire segment used to produce the tip itself, thereby ensuring good thermal transfer properties between the heater element and the tip. The invention also pertains to a technique for forming a protective outer layer on the working area of the tip.

Abstract: A dental handpiece grips a removable dental tool by teeth within the end of a resilient quill carried within the spindle of said handpiece and when rotated in one direction by the handpiece turbine providing an axial force on the dental tool tending to draw the tool axially into the quill despite any opposite pull due to teeth on the dental tool.

Abstract: A dental handpiece includes two hollow casings arranged to swivel with respect to each other about an axis. A hub connected to one casing has a carefully finished exterior surface that has a close fit with a surrounding interior surface on the other casing. Various grooves around the hub are supplied with turbine drive air, with water and with auxiliary air. Registering ports in the other casing conduct these fluids to the vicinity of an air turbine at the end of the other casing. No O-rings or comparable seals are used between the fluid connections at the hub, but the positioning of the several grooves and ports and the relative pressures of the fluids are arranged so that any minor leakage is not harmful.