Soldering iron

Details Soldering iron Soldering iron

1998-09-17

2001-04-10

Jeffery, John A. (Department: 3742)

Electric heating

Heating devices

Tool or instrument

C219S230000, C228S051000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06215104

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention refers to a soldering iron comprising a housing for accommodating therein at least one heating means, and a soldering bit which is releasably secured to said housing, said heating means including a heat-transmitting contact surface provided on an end face thereof which faces the soldering bit, and a heat reception surface of said soldering bit being located opposite said contact surface.
From practical experience, a soldering iron is, for example, known in the case of which the heating means and the soldering bit are arranged in spaced relationship with one another. The air cushion which is, consequently, formed between the heating means and the soldering bit impairs the transfer of heat between said heating means and said soldering bit.
In the case of a further soldering iron which is known from practical experience, the heating means and the soldering bit are fixedly connected to one another. Although this improves the transfer of heat from the heating means to the soldering bit, it makes it impossible to exchange the soldering bit separately for another one, if it is worn or damaged.
The soldering bit of said soldering iron is provided with a heat reception surface having depressions arranged therein or projections arranged thereon. Complementary projections or depressions are arranged in/on the contact surface on the end face of the heating means.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With respect to this prior art, it is therefore the object of the present invention to improve a soldering iron of the type mentioned at the beginning in such a way that production of said soldering iron is simple and that, simultaneously, the transfer of heat between the contact surface and the heat reception surface is optimized.
Due to the fact that the contact surface and the heat reception surface are plane-parallel throughout the whole area thereof and include neither any depressions nor any projections, they are very easy to produce. Furthermore, a heat-conducting, essentially direct contact with no intermediate layer there between exists between said contact surface and said heat reception surface, said direct contact optimizing the transfer of heat between said surfaces and providing, in combination with the plane-parallel structural design of said surfaces, a backlash-free contact, which prevents heat-insulating intermediate layers, such as an air cushion, between the contact surface and the heat reception surface to a very large extent.
The production of the soldering bit and of the bit holder is additionally simplified by the fact that these components and, consequently, the contact surface and the heat reception surface are axially symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis of the soldering bit and of the bit holder, respectively.
In order to permit the soldering bit and the bit holder to be aligned in a simple manner relative to one another, when the soldering bit is secured to the soldering iron by means of the bit holder, the contact surface and the heat reception surface can be adapted to be rotated relative to one another. The rotary displaceability in combination with the plane-parallel structural design of the contact surface and of the heat reception surface and the direct contact between said surfaces additionally permit a better elimination of an air cushion which may, for example, exist between said surfaces.
The contact surface and the heat reception surface may have different contours. They can be angular or oval. Circular surfaces are preferably used for the contact surface and the heat reception surface because they can be rotated relative to one another more easily and because they are less difficult to produce. In this connection, it will also be advantageous when the two circular surfaces have the same radius. In this case, the surfaces will be in full direct contact without one surface projecting outwardly beyond the other.
When the soldering bit is electroplated, especially the marginal areas of the heat reception surface, which projects normally outwards in the radial direction relative to the rest of the soldering bit, can be provided with a slightly thicker layer of the material, which is applied by electroplating, than the area remote from said marginal areas. In order to guarantee also in this case an essentially direct contact with no intermediate layer there between the contact surface and the heat reception surface, said heat reception surface can be larger than the contact surface. In this way, the contact surface will be in direct contact with the heat reception surface only in the area surrounded by the marginal area. An additional treatment of the heat reception surface after the electroplating process can be avoided in this way. If, however, such an additional treatment is carried out, e.g. by face grinding or the like, the heat reception surface can, of course, also have the same size as the contact surface.
In accordance with a simple embodiment, the heating means can be an electrically heatable heating element; the heating element end face which faces the soldering bit can directly be the contact surface.
In order to optimize the transfer of heat between the heating means and the soldering bit, at least the contact surface of the heating means or of the heating element can consist of a material for optimizing the transfer of heat, i.e. a material having a high thermal conductivity coefficient. Such materials are e.g. copper, silver or the like.
In order to accelerate and optimize the transfer of heat from the heating means to the contact surface, the end portion of the heating element, which faces the soldering bit, can be inserted in a sleeve consisting of a material having a high thermal conductivity coefficient. In this case, the contact surface is formed on an end face of the sleeve, which faces the soldering bit. The transfer of heat from the heating element to the contact surface is accelerated and optimized by said sleeve.
The housing of the soldering iron can comprise several parts, a handle section accommodating, for example, suitable control electronics for controlling the temperature of the soldering bit. The handle section is provided with an insulation, and this permits the soldering iron to be held. Said insulation prevents a transfer of heat from the heating means to the outer surface of the handle section.
In this connection, it will be advantageous when the housing comprises a bit holder which is releasably secured to the rest of the housing so as to simplify the structural design of the soldering iron. When said bit holder is at its fastening position, it presses the contact surface and the heat reception surface firmly onto one another so that the direct contact with no intermediate layer there between is established. It will be advantageous when the bit holder has a sleeve-shaped structural design and defines a bit-holding sleeve in which at least an end portion of the heating element or heating means is arranged, the soldering bit being releasably secured to the free end of said bit-holding sleeve.
For establishing—when the bit holder is secured to the rest of the housing—a direct contact between the heat reception surface of the soldering bit and the complementary contact surface and for fastening the soldering bit to the soldering iron simultaneously in a simple manner, the free end of the bit-holding sleeve is provided with an opening through which the soldering bit projects, the end of the soldering bit facing the heating means being provided with an at least partially circumferentially extending collar engaging behind an opening edge of the opening. This permits the soldering bit to be passed easily through the opening from the interior of the bit holder until its collar comes into contact with the opening edge. By screwing the bit holder onto the rest of the housing of the soldering iron, or by fastening it in some other way to said housing, the heat reception surface of the soldering bit is, subsequently, pressed onto the contact surface of the heating means so that said s

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