Flowing Flux Or Filler (e.g., Wave Former, Etc.) Patents (Class 228/37)
  • Patent number: 11623291
    Abstract: Selective soldering system for selective wave soldering of circuit boards, including a solder pot, a solder nozzle which can be detachably arranged on the solder pot, wherein the solder nozzle has a nozzle base and a nozzle neck, wherein at the free end of the nozzle neck a nozzle opening is provided, the solder pot being arranged on a moving unit, which can be moved along an x and y axis in a horizontal plane and along a z axis in the vertical direction, and a control unit for controlling the moving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: ERSA GmbH
    Inventors: Sven Proppert, Theresa Christ
  • Patent number: 11267063
    Abstract: Method for operating a soldering device and soldering device, wherein a graphic representation of at least part of the soldering device is captured, wherein an instantaneous operating state of the soldering device is determined by means of automated processing of the graphic representation dependent on information about the soldering device from the graphic representation, characterized in that the information about the soldering device is determined dependent on a reference representation of at least part of the soldering device, wherein the reference representation is captured as a graphic representation or wherein the reference representation is read as a graphic representation from a memory, and in that the reference representation characterizes a degree of oxidation of solder (122) when the solder (122) flows out over at least part of a surface (124) of a soldering nozzle (116).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: ERSA GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Schaefer
  • Patent number: 11167364
    Abstract: Provided are a jet solder bath and a jet soldering apparatus using the jet solder bath. The jet solder bath contains first and second jet nozzles which inject molten solder by first and second pumps and a bridge member arranged between the first and second jet nozzles. The bridge member includes a guide portion that guides at least one of flows of the molten solder injected from the first jet nozzle and flowing on the downstream side of the first jet nozzle and of the molten solder injected from the second jet nozzle and flowing on an upstream side of the second jet nozzle, and side members which controls the flow of the molten solder, the side members being arranged near opposite ends of the guide portion across a direction that is perpendicular to the carrying direction of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Senju Metal Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryoichi Suzuki, Yasuji Kawashima, Tetuya Okuno, Shigeo Komine, Takashi Sugihara
  • Patent number: 11154916
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a soldering system for selective wave soldering comprising at least one solder crucible, the solder crucible comprising a solder reservoir, a solder nozzle and a solder pump, the solder pump being designed to guide the liquid solder out from the solder reservoir through the solder nozzle for generating a standing wave from liquid solder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: ERSA GmbH
    Inventor: Stefan Voelker
  • Patent number: 11059119
    Abstract: A soldering apparatus 100 including: a chamber 120 configured to contain solder and include an opening 122 configured to discharge the solder in a bottom surface or a side surface; a pump 140 configured to transport the solder to the chamber 120; and an inner bath 160 configured to communicate with the opening 120 and perform soldering using the solder fed through the opening 120.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: SENJU METAL INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Noboru Hashimoto, Takahiro Kasama
  • Patent number: 11000912
    Abstract: An automatic solder paste feeding system, comprising: a base, a container mounted on the base and configured to contain a solder paste therein, a syringe mounted on the base and configured to inject the solder paste into the container, and a heater mounted on the base and configured to heat the solder paste contained in the container, so that the solder paste is melted into liquid state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignees: Tyco Electronics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., TE Connectivity Corporation, Measurement Specialties (Chengdu) Ltd., Shenzhen AMI Technology Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Fengchun Xie, Dandan Zhang, Roberto Francisco-Yi Lu, Lvhai Hu, Qinglong Zeng, Lan Gong, Qian Ying, Yingcong Deng, Yun Liu
  • Patent number: 10780516
    Abstract: A wave soldering machine includes a housing and a conveyor configured to deliver a printed circuit board through the housing. The wave soldering machine further includes a wave soldering station coupled to the housing. The wave soldering station includes a reservoir of solder material, and a wave solder nozzle assembly configured to create a solder wave. The wave solder nozzle assembly has a nozzle core frame, a solder distribution baffle secured to the nozzle core frame, and a sliding plate that together define a nozzle. The sliding plate is movable with respect to the nozzle core frame between a close proximate position in which the nozzle is configured to produce a reduced width solder wave through the solder distribution baffle and a spaced apart position in which the nozzle is configured to produce an extended width solder wave through the solder distribution baffle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan M. Dautenhahn, Gregory Leo Hueste
  • Patent number: 10201866
    Abstract: A soldering apparatus for selective soldering, comprising a solder bath for holding the molten solder at least one solder nozzle a solder pump for conveying solder from the solder bath through the solder nozzle a movement device for the relative movement of the solder nozzle and an assembly to be soldered wherein several solder nozzles are provided in several solder nozzle assemblies, with each solder nozzle assembly having one or more solder nozzles and wherein each solder nozzle assembly may be assigned an assembly, and the movement device is designed for synchronous movement of the several solder nozzle assemblies relative to the respective assemblies in the horizontal X-Y plane, and the soldering machine is so designed that the individual solder nozzle assemblies and the respective assemblies may be moved towards one another and independently of one another in the vertical direction (Z-direction) by means of a coupling device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: SEHO SYSTEMTECHNIK GMBH
    Inventors: Bernd Dreikorn, Thomas Herz, Reiner Zoch, Markus Walter
  • Patent number: 10081069
    Abstract: A device for soldering electrical or electronic components on a printed circuit board includes a soldering nozzle arrangement arranged above a solder crucible. The nozzle arrangement includes at least one carrier, on which at least one soldering nozzle is arranged. Molten solder is conveyed, using a conveyor unit, out of the solder crucible through the soldering nozzle to the components to be soldered. At least one discharge unit is arranged between a tip of the soldering nozzle and the carrier for any excess solder that has left the soldering nozzle. The discharge unit includes at least one baffle plate substantially surrounding the soldering nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: ERSA GMBH
    Inventors: Stefan Völker, Egon Spachmann
  • Patent number: 9550246
    Abstract: The invention relates to a selective soldering plant for the soldering of electronic circuit boards, at least one container for liquid solder, a soldering arrangement with at least one soldering nozzle and at least one pump for conveying the liquid solder to the soldering arrangement being provided, an inner shielding device for at least partially shielding the soldering arrangement upwardly with regard to a gas flow being provided above the soldering arrangement, and an inflow device being provided, through which gas, in particular protective gas, can in any event flow into the region below the inner shielding device. It is proposed that an outer shielding device for at least partially shielding the inner shielding device upwardly with regard to a gas flow be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS
    Inventor: Ton Colijn
  • Patent number: 9368934
    Abstract: A first contact surface of a semiconductor laser chip can be formed to a target surface roughness selected to have a maximum peak to valley height that is substantially smaller than a barrier layer thickness of a metallic barrier layer to be applied to the first contact surface. A metallic barrier layer having the barrier layer thickness can be applied to the first contact surface, and the semiconductor laser chip can be soldered to a carrier mounting along the first contact surface using a solder composition by heating the soldering composition to less than a threshold temperature at which dissolution of the metallic barrier layer into the soldering composition occurs. Related systems, methods, articles of manufacture, and the like are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: SpectraSensors, Inc.
    Inventors: Gabi Neubauer, Alfred Feitisch, Mathias Schrempel
  • Patent number: 9022275
    Abstract: Automatic welding equipment includes a wave soldering machine including a tank, a plurality of first nozzles, a first pump, and a first guide plate. The tank has an opening. The first nozzles and melted solder are disposed in the tank. The first pump is disposed in the tank for jetting the solder via the first nozzles. The first guide plate is located at the opening and includes a first plate portion and a second plate portion. The first plate portion is located over the first nozzles and has a plurality of first holes for passed through by the solder jetted from the first nozzles. The second plate portion, connected to the first plate portion, guides the solder to flow out of the first holes. The solder guided by the second plate portion passes through second holes of the second plate portion and returns into the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Inventec Corporation
    Inventor: Chin-Changmr Hsieh
  • Patent number: 8944309
    Abstract: A solder joint may be used to attach components of an organic vapor jet printing device together with a fluid-tight seal that is capable of performance at high temperatures. The solder joint includes one or more metals that are deposited over opposing component surfaces, such as an inlet side of a nozzle plate and/or an outlet side of a mounting plate. The components are pressed together to form the solder joint. Two or more of the deposited metals may be capable of together forming a eutectic alloy, and the solder joint may be formed by heating the deposited metals to a temperature above the melting point of the eutectic alloy. A diffusion barrier layer and an adhesion layer may be included between the solder joint and each of the components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: The Regents of The University of Michigan
    Inventors: Stephen R. Forrest, Gregory McGraw
  • Patent number: 8939347
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the field of fabricating microelectronic packages, wherein magnetic particles distributed within a solder paste may be used to form a magnetic intermetallic compound interconnect. The intermetallic compound interconnect may be exposed to a magnetic field, which can heat a solder material to a reflow temperature for attachment of microelectronic components comprising the microelectronic packages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Rajasekaran Swaminathan, Ravindranath V. Mahajan
  • Publication number: 20150014394
    Abstract: An apparatus used for wave soldering including a nozzle device configured to discharge molten solder to a circuit board near a solder tank, wherein, the nozzle device includes at least one pair of adjacent nozzle openings configured to discharge the molten solder towards the middle between the pair of nozzle openings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Li Ling, Ke Pu, Chun C. Wang, Wei Feng Zhang
  • Patent number: 8905290
    Abstract: A chip mounting apparatus includes a loading unit, a combining unit and a bonding unit. The loading unit loads a circuit board having contact pads and semiconductor chips having solder balls into the chip mounting apparatus. The combining unit positions the semiconductor chip onto a respective mounting area of the circuit board and combines the solder balls of the semiconductor chip with the contact pads of the circuit board by using flux. The combining unit has a flux coater for coating the solder balls with the flux and a flux controller for automatically supplementing the flux to the flux coater. The bonding unit bonds the solder balls to the respective contact pads by a reflow process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Il-Soo Choi, Min Kim, Tae-Ho Moon, Ju-Young Yu, Sung-Bok Hong
  • Patent number: 8875978
    Abstract: A process and tools for forming spherical metal balls is described incorporating molds, injection molded solder, a liquid or gaseous environment to reduce or remove metal oxides and an unconstrained reflow of metal in a heated liquid or gas and solidification of molten metal in a cooler liquid or gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Claudius Feger, Peter A. Gruber, Mark H. McLeod, Jae-Woong Nah
  • Publication number: 20140209661
    Abstract: Automatic welding equipment includes a wave soldering machine including a tank, a plurality of first nozzles, a first pump, and a first guide plate. The tank has an opening. The first nozzles and melted solder are disposed in the tank. The first pump is disposed in the tank for jetting the solder via the first nozzles. The first guide plate is located at the opening and includes a first plate portion and a second plate portion. The first plate portion is located over the first nozzles and has a plurality of first holes for passed through by the solder jetted from the first nozzles. The second plate portion, connected to the first plate portion, guides the solder to flow out of the first holes. The solder guided by the second plate portion passes through second holes of the second plate portion and returns into the tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: Inventec Corporation
    Inventor: Chin-Changmr HSIEH
  • Publication number: 20140212678
    Abstract: Provided are a soldering device and method which allow for oldering at low cost with high yield and high reliability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: TANIGUROGUMI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Katsumori Taniguro
  • Patent number: 8651356
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a solder bump forming apparatus performing a soldering process on a substrate, the solder bump forming apparatus including: a solder bath receiving a solder therein; an agitator agitating the solder in the solder bath; a driver driving the agitator; and a suction pressure provider providing suction pressure to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Noriaki Mukai, Hueng Jae Oh, Dae Young Lee, Jin Won Choi
  • Publication number: 20140027495
    Abstract: Described herein is an apparatus and method for providing an inerting gas during the application of soldering to a work piece. In one aspect, there is provided an apparatus for providing an inerting gas into an atmosphere above a solder reservoir during soldering of a work piece comprising: a base comprising an interior volume in fluid communication with an inerting gas source, a tube having an interior volume and comprising one or more perforations for the flow of inerting gas therethrough, and one or more support legs comprising an interior volume in fluid communication with the interior volume of the base and the interior volume of the tube, wherein the one or more support legs extend vertically upward from the base and elevate the tube above the surface of molten solder contained within a solder reservoir, and wherein the inerting gas travels through the base, upward through the one or more support legs, into the interior volume of the tube, and out through the one or more perforations in the tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS INC.
    Inventors: Gregory Khosrov Arslanian, Jerry Wu, Victor Wang
  • Patent number: 8590765
    Abstract: A solder drawing member (402) is detachably attached on the outer side of a jet nozzle (303) that jets molten solder pumped from a solder tank (102) storing the molten solder. The solder drawing member (402) is made of a material having higher wettability to the molten solder than the surface material of the jet nozzle (303). Thus a force of separating the solder from a point to be soldered can be increased by a surface tension of the molten solder flowing on the solder drawing member (402), thereby reducing bridge phenomena and icicle phenomena.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Yoshino, Minoru Yamamoto, Toshinori Mimura
  • Patent number: 8584925
    Abstract: A process by which molten solder is purified in-situ, making the soldering process more efficient and yielding better results, particularly for lead-free soldering. Lead-free solder becomes practical for use since the temperature for reliable soldering is reduced. A layer of active additive is maintained on the surface of molten solder for scavenging metal oxide from the solder and assimilating metal oxide into a liquid layer. The active additive is an organic liquid having nucleophilic and/or electrophilic groups. As an example, a layer of dimer acid maintained on a wave soldering apparatus scavenges metal oxide from the bath, and assimilates dross that may form on the surface. Scavenging metal oxide cleanses the bath and lowers viscosity of the solder, and PC boards or the like soldered on the wave have reliable solder joints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: MS2 Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Lawrence C. Kay, Erik J. Severin, Luis A. Aguirre
  • Patent number: 8453915
    Abstract: A solder return apparatus for a wave solder machine that collects solder exiting a nozzle and returns the solder to a solder reservoir while limiting the degree to which the solder can splash onto electronic substrates (e.g., printed circuit boards), components of the wave solder machine, and/or the like. The apparatus includes a mounting section that may be placed over an upper surface of the nozzle and a collection section that collects the solder and returns the solder to the solder reservoir. The collection section includes a trough having an opening in a bottom wall of the trough and a flow control member that can adjust a quantity of solder exiting the trough as well as the velocity of the solder exiting the trough. One or more deflection plates can be mounted so as to extend from the trough into solder in the solder reservoir to further contain the solder and limit the degree to which splashing solder can reach unintended locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Flextronics AP, LLC
    Inventors: Larry Yanaros, Frederick Wagner
  • Publication number: 20130098974
    Abstract: Described herein is an apparatus and method for providing an inerting gas during the application of soldering to a work piece. In one aspect, there is provided an enclosure for providing an inerting gas into an atmosphere above a solder reservoir during soldering of a work piece comprising: a tube in fluid communication with an inerting gas source wherein the tube comprises one or more openings for the flow of the inerting gas therethrough, a base wherein the tube resides in therein and comprises an interior volume, a neck comprising an opening and an interior volume in fluid communication with the interior volume of the base, and a cap proximal to the opening wherein the inerting gas source travels through the tube into the interior volume and into the atmosphere through the opening defined by the neck and cap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC.
    Inventors: Chun Christine Dong, Victor Wang, Jerry Wu, Ranajit Ghosh, Gregory Khosrov Arslanian
  • Patent number: 8424743
    Abstract: A solder return apparatus for a wave solder machine that collects solder exiting a nozzle and returns the solder to a solder reservoir while limiting solder from splashing onto electronic substrates (e.g., printed circuit boards), components of the wave solder machine, and/or the like. The apparatus includes a mounting section that may be placed over an upper surface of the nozzle and a collection section that collects the solder and returns the solder to the solder reservoir. The collection section includes a trough having an opening in a bottom wall of the trough and a flow control member that can adjust a quantity of solder exiting the trough as well as the velocity of the solder exiting the trough. One or more deflection plates can be mounted to extend from the trough into solder in the solder reservoir to further limit splashing solder from reaching unintended locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Flextronics AP, LLC
    Inventors: Larry Yanaros, Frederick Wagner
  • Patent number: 8403200
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for supplying inert gas in order to protect the surface of a solder bath in a wave soldering installation and the components to be soldered against oxidation. Wave soldering installations form solder waves over which parts to be soldered are transported. The parts to be soldered are generally electronic printed circuit boards which have electronic components soldered onto their undersides by the solder wave making contact with the printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Fernand Heine, Marc Leturmy
  • Patent number: 8403199
    Abstract: To enable the molten solder to be partially spouted onto a component-mounting member in a stable state without decreasing the revolutions of a pump which is difficult to set a spouted amount of molten solder, even if a nozzle having a small spouting opening is used in a partial-jet-solder bath. As shown in FIG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Senju Metal Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Issaku Sato, Akira Takaguchi
  • Publication number: 20120325899
    Abstract: This invention relates to for devices, systems, and methods for separating dross, carried by molten solder, into solder and residue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Lambertus Petrus Christinus Willemen
  • Patent number: 8328069
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device and method for selective soldering, including at least one nozzle and a soldering channel surrounded by a vertically moveable hood, which immerses in a soldering bath or which is sealed against a surface of the soldering bath. The hood includes a passage for each nozzle, at least one gas feeding device for providing protective and/or active gas underneath the hood, and flow plates which are attached to the hood to extend substantially downward in the direction of the soldering bath from the hood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Linde Atkiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hans Isler, Ernst Wandke
  • Patent number: 8328067
    Abstract: A novel inert environment enclosure includes an object inlet where production objects enter the enclosure and an object outlet where the production objects exit. At least one of the object inlet and the object outlet includes both a top-side flow obstructer and a bottom-side flow obstructer for preventing air from entering the enclosure. In a particular embodiment, the top-side flow obstructer and the bottom-side flow obstructer each include a curtain constructed from a flexible fabric having a plurality of individual adjacent fingers. In another particular embodiment, the inert environment enclosure is a nitrogen hood that houses a wave soldering machine. A inert gas nozzle is mounted at or near the inlet and/or the outlet. The inert environment enclosure maintains a positive pressure with respect to the surrounding environment when production objects are passed through the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Flextronics AP LLC
    Inventors: Larry Yanaros, Frederick Wagner
  • Patent number: 8302835
    Abstract: To prevent clogging in a jet nozzle without using any inert gas and to allow reliability to be improved by filling a through hole of a printed circuit board with the molten solder. By flowing the molten solder 4 in the solder bath 2 from inside of the inner cylinder 15 to a nozzle cap 19, the inside of the nozzle cap 19 is filled with the molten solder 4, and the molten solder 4 filling the inside of the nozzle cap 19 is flown downward from between an inner cylinder 15 and an outer cylinder 16 without substantially flowing it to outside from an insert hole 19a. This enables the molten solder 4 to be prevented from oxidizing because the molten solder 4 is not exposed to the outside air. For this reason, it is possible to prevent clogging in the jet nozzle 3 without filling a part of nozzle outlet with any inert gas as in the conventional soldering apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Senju Metal Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Issaku Sato, Akira Takaguchi
  • Patent number: 8297487
    Abstract: A quick-loading soldering apparatus for soldering PCBs comprises a rotatable deck which has a plurality of angularly spaced PCB work sites. While a first PCB work site is angularly positioned for pre-loading and pre-heating PCB components at a pre-loading station, a second PCB work site is angularly positioned for soldering pre-loaded PCB components at a soldering station. Correct rotation of the deck is ensured by a sensor mounted on the deck. If the rotation angle is correct, locator pins provided externally of the deck become actionable by an operator to register the deck prior to the PCB being soldered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Pillarhouse International Limited
    Inventor: Alexander James Ciniglio
  • Publication number: 20120255987
    Abstract: A wave soldering tank includes a soldering tank body for housing molten solder and a solder feed chamber disposed within the soldering tank body. An axial-flow, multiple-blade screw-type pump is disposed so as to draw molten solder into the solder feed chamber through an inlet and discharge the molten solder through an outlet. In a preferred embodiment, the pump includes a rotatable hub and a plurality of helical blades secured to the hub at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the hub, each of the blades overlapping an adjoining one of the blades when the blades are viewed in the axial direction of the impeller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Inventors: Akira Takaguchi, Issaku Sato, Noboru Hashimoto, Junichi Okamura
  • Patent number: 8220699
    Abstract: Described herein is an apparatus and method for providing an inerting gas during the application of soldering to a work piece. In one aspect, there is provided an apparatus that is placed atop of a solder reservoir and comprises a plurality of porous tubes that are in fluid communication with an inerting gas. In another aspect, there is provided a method for providing an inerting gas to a wave soldering apparatus comprising the steps of, among other things, placing an apparatus atop at least one edge of the solder reservoir wherein the apparatus comprises a plurality of tubes comprising one or more openings in fluid communication with an inerting gas source. In a further aspect, at least one of the tubes comprises a non-stick coating or is comprised of a porous non-stick material such as a sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Chun Christine Dong, Gregory Khosrov Arsianian, Ranajit Ghosh, Victor Wang, Jerry Wu
  • Patent number: 8215535
    Abstract: A method and a system for jetting droplets of viscous medium, such as solder paste, onto a substrate, such as an electronic circuit board. The volume of the droplets are adjusted by regulating the amount of viscous medium that is fed into a jetting nozzle for subsequent jetting of the viscous medium droplets therefrom. The exit velocity of the jetted droplets is adjusted or maintained substantially constant by regulating the velocity with which the viscous medium is impacted. Furthermore, the rate at which viscous medium is fed, for instance by a feed screw, into the nozzle is adjusted in order to regulate the feeding time required for feeding the viscous medium into the jetting nozzle, for instance in order to maintain a constant feeding time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Mydata Automation AB
    Inventors: William Holm, Kenth Nilsson, Johan Berg, Johan Kronstedt, Häkan Sandell
  • Patent number: 8215534
    Abstract: A wave soldering tank includes a soldering tank body for housing molten solder and a solder feed chamber disposed within the soldering tank body. An axial-flow, multiple-blade screw-type pump is disposed so as to draw molten solder into the solder feed chamber through an inlet and discharge the molten solder through an outlet. In a preferred embodiment, the pump includes a rotatable hub and a plurality of helical blades secured to the hub at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the hub, each of the blades overlapping an adjoining one of the blades when the blades are viewed in the axial direction of the impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Senju Metal Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Takaguchi, Issaku Sato, Noboru Hashimoto, Junichi Okamura
  • Publication number: 20120168488
    Abstract: A solder return apparatus for a wave solder machine that collects solder exiting a nozzle and returns the solder to a solder reservoir while limiting solder from splashing onto electronic substrates (e.g., printed circuit boards), components of the wave solder machine, and/or the like. The apparatus includes a mounting section that may be placed over an upper surface of the nozzle and a collection section that collects the solder and returns the solder to the solder reservoir. The collection section includes a trough having an opening in a bottom wall of the trough and a flow control member that can adjust a quantity of solder exiting the trough as well as the velocity of the solder exiting the trough. One or more deflection plates can be mounted to extend from the trough into solder in the solder reservoir to further limit splashing solder from reaching unintended locations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: FLEXTRONICS AP, LLC
    Inventors: Larry Yanaros, Frederick Wagner
  • Patent number: 8186563
    Abstract: To enable the circuit board to be fixed on a predetermined position and to be conveyed to the solder processing portion. Conveying hooks 10 that hold the printed circuit board W1 therebetween, conveying chains 15a, 15b that drive so that the conveying hooks 10 are movable from a heater part 4 to a solder bath 5, first frames 9A that guide the conveying chains 15a, 15b along the heater part 4, second frames 9B that guide the conveying chain 15 along the solder bath 5, and an absorbing member 124 that is provided between each of the first frames 9A and each of the second frames 9B and absorbs an expansion and contraction based on difference of any thermal expansion between the frames 9A, 9B and the conveying chains 15a, 15b are provided. Since the absorbing member 124 absorbs the expansion and contraction based on difference of any thermal expansion between the frames 9A, 9B and the conveying chains 15a, 15b, it is possible to prevent the conveying chains 15a, 15b from being deviated from the frames 9A, 9B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Senju Metal Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Sugihara, Takashi Usuba, Hirokazu Ichikawa, Toshihiko Mutsuji
  • Patent number: 8146792
    Abstract: A solder return apparatus for a wave solder machine that collects solder exiting a nozzle and returns the solder to a solder reservoir while limiting the degree to which the solder can splash onto electronic substrates (e.g., printed circuit boards), components of the wave solder machine, and/or the like. The apparatus includes a mounting section that may be placed over an upper surface of the nozzle and a collection section that collects the solder and returns the solder to the solder reservoir. The collection section includes a trough having an opening in a bottom wall of the trough and a flow control member that can adjust a quantity of solder exiting the trough as well as the velocity of the solder exiting the trough. One or more deflection plates can be mounted so as to extend from the trough into solder in the solder reservoir to further contain the solder and limit the degree to which splashing solder can reach unintended locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Flextronics AP, LLC
    Inventors: Larry Yanaros, Frederick Wagner
  • Patent number: 8132707
    Abstract: The present invention provides a flow soldering apparatus that can suppress the occurrence of soldering defects, even if VOC-free flux or low-VOC flux is applied to an electronic circuit substrate. In other words, the flow soldering apparatus according to the present invention includes: a water content sensor for measuring a residual water content of a surface of a substrate; and a monitoring device for judging whether soldering quality is satisfactory or not by using a residual water content value of the surface of the substrate acquired from the residual water content measured by the water content sensor, on the basis of a correlation between a residual water content value of a surface of a sample substrate and a residual water content value of through holes of the sample substrate, as acquired previously by using a plurality of substrate samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kimiaki Nakaya, Kenichiro Suetsugu, Arata Kishi
  • Publication number: 20120055980
    Abstract: Described herein is an apparatus and method for providing an inerting gas during the application of soldering to a work piece. In one aspect, there is provided an apparatus that is placed atop of a solder reservoir and comprises a plurality of porous tubes that are in fluid communication with an inerting gas. In another aspect, there is provided a method for providing an inerting gas to a wave soldering apparatus comprising the steps of, among other things, placing an apparatus atop at least one edge of the solder reservoir wherein the apparatus comprises a plurality of tubes comprising one or more openings in fluid communication with an inerting gas source. In a further aspect, at least one of the tubes comprises a non-stick coating or is comprised of a porous non-stick material such as a sleeve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC.
    Inventors: Chun Christine Dong, Gregory Khosrov Arslanian, Ranajit Ghosh, Victor Wang, Jerry Wu
  • Publication number: 20120024938
    Abstract: A solder drawing member (402) is detachably attached on the outer side of a jet nozzle (303) that jets molten solder pumped from a solder tank (102) storing the molten solder. The solder drawing member (402) is made of a material having higher wettability to the molten solder than the surface material of the jet nozzle (303). Thus a force of separating the solder from a point to be soldered can be increased by a surface tension of the molten solder flowing on the solder drawing member (402), thereby reducing bridge phenomena and icicle phenomena.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinji Yoshino, Minoru Yamamoto, Toshinori Mimura
  • Patent number: 8104662
    Abstract: A novel inert environment enclosure includes an object inlet where production objects enter the enclosure and an object outlet where the production objects exit. At least one of the object inlet and the object outlet includes both a top-side flow obstructer and a bottom-side flow obstructer for preventing air from entering the enclosure. In a particular embodiment, the top-side flow obstructer and the bottom-side flow obstructer each include a curtain constructed from a flexible fabric having a plurality of individual adjacent fingers. In another particular embodiment, the inert environment enclosure is a nitrogen hood that houses a wave soldering machine. A inert gas nozzle is mounted at or near the inlet and/or the outlet. The inert environment enclosure maintains a positive pressure with respect to the surrounding environment when production objects are passed through the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Flextronics AP LLC
    Inventors: Larry E. Yanaros, Frederick W. Wagner
  • Publication number: 20120006886
    Abstract: To enable the molten solder to be partially spouted onto a component-mounting member in a stable state without decreasing the revolutions of a pump which is difficult to set a spouted amount of molten solder, even if a nozzle having a small spouting opening is used in a partial-jet-solder bath. As shown in FIG.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: SENJU METAL INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Issaku Sato, Akira Takaguchi
  • Patent number: 8091758
    Abstract: In a conventional wave soldering bath, molten solder spouted from a second discharge nozzle did not have a uniform height, oxides were spouted from the nozzle opening and adhered to printed circuit boards, and constituent parts of the wave soldering bath were eroded. In a wave soldering bath according to the present invention, a cylinder is disposed at one end of a duct, a spiral pump is installed in the cylinder, and the width of a nozzle opening is made narrower than the width of the duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Senju Metal Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Zen, Satoshi Ozawa
  • Patent number: 8091759
    Abstract: A soldering machine for soldering components which are mounted on a circuit board contains a soldering module and comprises at least one soldering station which is mobile and exchangeably insertable in the soldering module. The soldering station and the soldering module are equipped with means for mutual alignment and with female or male plugs, which fit with one another and which terminate supply lines for goods. When inserting the soldering station in the soldering module said means align the soldering station in relation to the soldering module. Preferably, the soldering machine is composed of modules which are situated one behind another in the transport direction and are removably connected to one another. Each module comprises an own transport system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Kirsten Soldering AG
    Inventors: Hans Otto Willenegger, Bruno Ghidotti
  • Patent number: 8070049
    Abstract: The instant invention relates to a device for wave soldering workpieces, encompassing means for moving the workpiece, which is to be soldered, along a specific path across at least one solder wave generated above a solder reservoir, with a protective and/or active gas atmosphere of a first composition being located above the solder reservoir so as to exclude oxygen and with means for introducing the protective and/or active gas as well as an enclosure being provided, with the enclosure being configured in such a manner that it encloses at least the essential parts of a solder zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Linde Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Johann Mästele, Ernst Wandke
  • Patent number: 8047418
    Abstract: A soldering apparatus including a vessel containing a molten solder, a casing defining therewithin a soldering chamber in which a flat overflowing wave of the molten solder is formed, a conveyor physically integrated with the casing for movement therewith and operable for transferring a printed circuit board through the soldering chamber, actuators and for vertically moving the casing, inert gas feeders for feeding an inert gas to the soldering chamber, and a controller for controlling the operation of the actuators and, so that the printed circuit board is contacted with the surface of the flat overflowing wave in an atmosphere of the inert gas during its passage through the soldering chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignees: Fujitsu Ten Limited, Sensbey Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Aoyama, Kenshi Ikedo, Akira Okuno, Masato Arita
  • Publication number: 20110226843
    Abstract: A solder return apparatus for a wave solder machine that collects solder exiting a nozzle and returns the solder to a solder reservoir while limiting the degree to which the solder can splash onto electronic substrates (e.g., printed circuit boards), components of the wave solder machine, and/or the like. The apparatus includes a mounting section that may be placed over an upper surface of the nozzle and a collection section that collects the solder and returns the solder to the solder reservoir. The collection section includes a trough having an opening in a bottom wall of the trough and a flow control member that can adjust a quantity of solder exiting the trough as well as the velocity of the solder exiting the trough. One or more deflection plates can be mounted so as to extend from the trough into solder in the solder reservoir to further contain the solder and limit the degree to which splashing solder can reach unintended locations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: Flextronics AP, LLC
    Inventors: Larry Yanaros, Frederick Wagner