Abstract: Apparatus for spraying glass bottle mold bodies, such as blanks and rings in a molding machine, includes nozzles and spray guns mounted on a plate such that the nozzles are positioned to spray the mold bodies with a material such as a lubricant during normal operation of the machine and without shutting the machine down. The apparatus can be installed on an existing machine without changing the molding machine. Rings may be sprayed while in motion during normal machine operation. A nozzle is provided along with check valves to produce a tight conical spray pattern.

Abstract: Apparatus for spraying glass bottle mold bodies, such as blanks and rings in a molding machine, includes nozzles and spray guns mounted on a plate such that the nozzles are positioned to spray the mold bodies with a material such as a lubricant during normal operation of the machine and without shutting the machine down. The apparatus can be installed on an existing machine without changing the molding machine. Rings may be sprayed while in motion during normal machine operation. A nozzle is provided along with check valves to produce a tight conical spray pattern.

Abstract: Apparatus for spraying glass bottle mold bodies, such as blanks and rings in a molding machine, includes nozzles and spray guns mounted on a plate such that the nozzles are positioned to spray the mold bodies with a material such as a lubricant during normal operation of the machine and without shutting the machine down. The apparatus can be installed on an existing machine without changing the molding machine. Rings may be sprayed while in motion during normal machine operation. A nozzle is provided along with check valves to produce a tight conical spray pattern.

Abstract: During a liquid spray pattern detection procedure, the sensor (50, 52) is operable to detect the presence or absence of an edge of the dispensed liquid spray pattern. The nozzle (18) of the liquid dispensing system is moved to a predetermined position (A) relative to the sensor (50, 52) to determine the presence or absence of the spray pattern and is then moved to a second predetermined position (B) relative to the sensor (50, 52) to again determine the presence or absence of the spray pattern. Based on these determinations, the width of the spray pattern can be verified. This provides a quick means to verify that the width of the dispensed pattern is within certain tolerances.

Abstract: An apparatus to dispense a droplet of liquid, such as solder flux, onto the surface of a substrate, such as a printed circuit board, and thereafter flatten the droplet with a burst of pressurized air directed onto the droplet. A dispenser has a dispenser body, which has a liquid supply passageway adapted to connect to a source of liquid. A nozzle body connects to the dispenser body and includes a liquid discharge passageway in fluid communication with the liquid supply passageway. The nozzle body also has an air discharge orifice which is adapted to connect to a source of pressurized air for selectively discharging bursts of pressurized air. The air discharge orifice is configured and aligned with the liquid discharge passageway so that the discharged bursts of pressurized air impinge upon one of the droplets of liquid dispensed from the liquid discharge passageway so as to flatten that droplet and thereby increase the contact area between the droplet and the substrate.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for spray coating selected areas of a circuit board with a liquid coating material without coating regions of the circuit board to be left uncoated. In one mode of operation, a bead of liquid coating material dispensed from an elongated nozzle tip is atomized by directing jets of air pressurized against the bead to form a conical, swirling spray pattern which is sprayed on selected areas of a circuit board. In a second mode of operation, the non-atomized bead of liquid coating material dispensed through the elongated nozzle tip is applied on selected areas of the circuit board. In a third mode of operation, jets of pressurized air are directed against the bead of liquid coating material to create a soft swirl pattern, without atomizing the bead of coating material. In a second embodiment of the invention, the bead of liquid coating material is dispensed from a nozzle without the elongated nozzle tip.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for spray coating selected areas of a circuit board with a liquid coating material without coating regions of the circuit board to be left uncoated. In one mode of operation, a bead of liquid coating material dispensed from an elongated nozzle tip is atomized by directing jets of air pressurized against the bead to form a conical, swirling spray pattern which is sprayed on selected areas of a circuit board. In a second mode of operation, the non-atomized bead of liquid coating material dispensed through the elongated nozzle tip is applied on selected areas of the circuit board. In a third mode of operation, jets of pressurized air are directed against the bead of liquid coating material to create a soft swirl pattern, without atomizing the bead of coating materia. In a second embodiment of the invention, the bead of liquid coating material is dispensed from a nozzle without the elongated nozzle tip.

Abstract: A method of assembling electronic components using a dispenser having a nozzle in fluid communication with a source of viscous liquid having a high surface tension and having an air discharge passage in fluid communication with a source of pressurized air. A droplet of the viscous liquid is dispensed from the nozzle onto a printed circuit board to form an initial contact area between the droplet and the printed circuit board and the high surface tension of the droplet causes the initial contact area to remain substantially constant. A burst of air is then discharged from the air discharge passage for impinging the droplet after the droplet contacts the printed circuit board, which increases the initial contact area between the droplet and the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A liquid material dispensing system includes a nozzle tip that is adapted to dispense droplets of liquid material that expand in flight toward a substrate. The droplets elongate in orthogonal directions in a plane that is substantially transverse to the direction of travel of the droplets toward the substrate. Preferably, each droplet elongates in pattern width and in pattern length during its flight toward the substrate. The elongated droplets impact the substrate and contact adjacent droplets to form a generally rectangular layer of liquid material within a predetermined area on the substrate. Methods for forming a generally rectangular layer of liquid material on a substrate are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for attaching a semiconductor die or flip chip to a substrate to form a printed circuit board. A dispensing apparatus is spaced away from a substrate so that the dispenser does not contact the substrate. Droplets of no-flow flux and underfill material are dispensed from the dispensing apparatus onto a substrate. A flip chip with an array of solder balls or bumps on its underside is push through the material until it contacts the substrate. The flip chip and the substrate are heated sufficiently to form mechanical and electrical connections therebetween. The method of the present invention can apply the no-flow flux and underfill material in a predetermined pattern. Furthermore, the predetermined pattern of droplets can be tailored to also include a desired topography. That is, the height of the no-flow flux and underfill material can vary relative to the substantially flat surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Apparatus for applying a conformal coating to circuit boards which includes fluid circuits for applying coating material, solvent and drying circuits for cleaning the coating material circuits, and both a solvent dock and a nitrogen dock for the coating application nozzle to prevent skin-over of various coating materials thereon between coatings. Changeover controls and circuits for changing coating materials are disclosed, as well as solvent dump and replenishment circuits for the applicator nozzle solvent dock, and a supply line and cup for the alternative nitrogen dock.

Abstract: An apparatus for manipulating a spray device having a spray nozzle relative to a target substrate, which apparatus includes drive mechanisms for moving the spray device in the X, Y and Z directions, and separate mechanisms for rotating the spray nozzle relative to the spray device and for tilting the spray nozzle relative to the spray device and including a pressure regulator to vary the width of the spray pattern as the spray device moves relative to the target substrate.

Abstract: A dispensing apparatus including an airless ribbon nozzle having a nozzle tip formed with a nozzle bore tapering radially inwardly from an inlet end to a semispherical-shaped discharge end which intersects a rectangular-shaped discharge slot. The nozzle is mounted in position on a coating dispenser such that the inlet of the nozzle tip communicates with a coating passageway within the dispenser to receive coating material which is emitted from the discharge slot of the nozzle tip in a wide, splash-free, leaf-shaped pattern.

Abstract: A coating apparatus has one coating station with a downwardly directed device to coat both opposite surfaces of two sided circuit boards. One upwardly facing surface of a first board is coated at the coating station and moved to a handling station while a second board is moved to the coating station where its upwardly facing surface is coated while the first board is inverted at the handling station. The first board is then moved to the coating station while the second board is removed to a handling station, and the opposite side of the first board is coated at the coating station while the second board is inverted at the handling station. The two boards are exchanged in the coating station and then the opposite side of the second board is coated there while the first board is exchanged with a third board at the handling station.

Abstract: A mainframe printed wiring board assembly for receiving plug-in circuit boards of two different types in connectors on the mainframe printed wiring board. Each connector is correct for only one of the two types of circuit board. The mainframe printed wiring board assembly includes a row of connectors of a first type and a row of connectors of a second type, with each connector in each row having an elongated slot adapted to receive a circuit board edge. The slots in the connectors in each row extend transversely to the direction of the row. A first elongated key element extends along the first row of connectors adjacent the connector ends. A second elongated key element extends along the second row of connectors, spaced apart from the connector ends. The two different types of plug-in circuit boards have, on their connector engaging edges, different contours to accommodate one or the other of the elongated key elements.