Patents by Inventor Thomas R. Correll

Thomas R. Correll has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8680444
    Abstract: A soldering apparatus for connecting solar cells includes an induction heat source to connect cell conducting tracks, provided with soldering medium, with electric conductors. The heat source has a high-frequency generator and an inductor loop in which the flow of a high-frequency current causes a high-frequency magnetic field to induce in the conducting track and in the electric conductor arranged along the conducting track eddy currents that generate the heat that is necessary for the soldering operation. The U-shaped inductor loop has narrowings and widenings that serve to optimize the heat development in the soldering zone and thus also save energy. Each widening affords access to the soldering point for a magnetic-field-neutral pressure foot that presses the conductor onto the conducting track. The inductor loop extends the entire length of the conducting track of the cell upper and lower sides to solder to the conductor in one soldering operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Komax Holding AG
    Inventors: Brad M. Dingle, Brian S. Micciche, Shawn M. Sidelinger, Thomas R. Correll, Kenneth A. Neidert
  • Publication number: 20090236328
    Abstract: A soldering apparatus for connecting solar cells includes an induction heat source to connect cell conducting tracks, provided with soldering medium, with electric conductors. The heat source has a high-frequency generator and an inductor loop in which the flow of a high-frequency current causes a high-frequency magnetic field to induce in the conducting track and in the electric conductor arranged along the conducting track eddy currents that generate the heat that is necessary for the soldering operation. The U-shaped inductor loop has narrowings and widenings that serve to optimize the heat development in the soldering zone and thus also save energy. Each widening affords access to the soldering point for a magnetic-field-neutral pressure foot that presses the conductor onto the conducting track. The inductor loop extends the entire length of the conducting track of the cell upper and lower sides to solder to the conductor in one soldering operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventors: Brad M. Dingle, Brian S. Micciche, Shawn M. Sidelinger, Thomas R. Correll, Kenneth A. Neidert
  • Patent number: 5133491
    Abstract: A substrate breaker positively feeds substrate plates to a stick breaker where the sticks are broken from the plate. The sticks are fed upwardly to an elevated chip breaker where chips are broken from the sticks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1992
    Assignee: Die Tech, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas R. Correll, Richard K. Dennis