Severing by tearing or breaking – Breaking or tearing apparatus – Movable breaking tool
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-21
2002-10-15
Rachuba, M. (Department: 3724)
Severing by tearing or breaking
Breaking or tearing apparatus
Movable breaking tool
C083S695000, C029S846000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06464121
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The field of the proposed invention relates to the manufacture and assembly of printed wiring boards (PWBs) and more particularly to methods, equipment, and improved printed wiring boards in which multiple boards can be manufactured, connected, and tested together before separation into adjoining boards.
The electrical joining of multiple PWBs is a common feature in many computers and in much additional modem electronic equipment. PWBs are typically joined by orthogonally mounting one board into a socket fixture connected to an adjoining board. Such orthogonal mounting allows the PWBs to occupy less space within the same plane, thereby more compactly using the available cabinet space.
Whenever separate PWBs are joined, they must be both electrically connected and held rigidly in position in relation to each other. Both functions are often provided by a socket fixture. Although wire connections separate from the socket fixture are well known in the art, the typical socket fixture both holds the joined boards rigidly in position in relation to each other and provides electrical connection for each circuit that runs from one board to the other. To accomplish such electrical connections, it is necessary for circuits within the socket fixture to be aligned precisely with the relevant circuits on each board and then, typically to be soldered at the circuit juncture on each board in order to assure good electrical contact and rigidity at the point of electrical contact. Where separate wires are used for electrical contact between the boards rather than circuits within the socket fixture itself, such wires have conventionally been manually soldered using pre-insulated wires. The process of joining the boards typically requires manual insertion of at least one of the boards into the socket fixture in order not to damage pins or edges of the inserted board.
FIGS. 1-2
show two conventional socket fixtures of the prior art. Beginning with
FIG. 1
, an elevational cross sectional view of socket fixture
11
is shown joining two PWBs in an orthogonal fashion. Socket fixture
11
is mounted on top of base PWB
10
by means of soldered fasteners
12
A and
12
B. The cross sectional view of socket fixture
11
reveals that the fixture has a u-shape receptor into which orthogonal PWB
13
is inserted. Electrical connections to base PWB
10
are made by contact pins
15
at the base of socket fixture
11
where it is fastened to base PWB
10
. Often, soldered fasteners
12
A and
12
B also serve as the electrical contacts, and the holes into which they are inserted are drilled into PWB electrical contact pads of the type discussed below in relation to the improved process of the present invention. Returning to
FIG. 1
, electrical connection between socket fixture
11
and orthogonal PWB
13
is made by contact pins
14
(shown in dotted outline) extending beyond the edge of PWB
13
. Pins
14
are inserted into pin sockets at the base of the unshaped receptor of fixture
11
. During manufacture, both PWBs
10
and
13
are printed separately. Although the placement and attachment of socket fixture
11
to base PWB
10
is often automated, the insertion of PWB
13
into socket fixture
11
is done manually to avoid damaging pins
14
.
Turning now to
FIG. 2
, a second example of a conventional socket fixture is shown. Here, socket fixture
21
comprises a straight connector that is placed into pre-drilled holes and soldered into base PWB
20
using soldered fasteners
22
, which may also serve as electrical contacts. The structural and electrical connections between fixture
21
and base PWB
20
are thus the same as shown in FIG.
1
. Instead of a unshaped receptor, however, fixture
21
mates with orthogonal PWB
23
by a repeat of the processes used to fasten fixture
21
into base PWB
20
. In other words, orthogonal PWB
23
is aligned parallel to and in contact with socket fixture
21
. Fasteners
24
A and
24
B are then inserted into pre-drilled and aligned holes in both orthogonal PWB
23
and socket fixture
21
. When soldered into place, fasteners
24
A and
24
B both rigidly hold PWB
23
orthogonally to base PWN
20
and provide electrical contact between the PWBs.
As noted above, stacked PWBs, whether stacked orthogonally as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
or otherwise, require hand manipulation during assembly. Often, the hand manipulation extends to selection from inventory of the correct boards for assembly since each board is manufactured independently of the other. A further consequence of conventional manufacture and assembly processes is that each board undergoes its own manufacturing and handling processes independent of the other. In other words, each of the manufacturing, assembly, and testing processes of a PWB is performed separately upon each of the stacked PWBs prior to the point at which the PWBs are brought together for joining and interconnection. Among the typical processes that each PWN undergoes are: A) circuit printing, B) component stuffing (whether by axial, radial or SMD processes), C) initial testing, D) touch-up fixes, E) final PWB Quality Control, F) inventorying, and G) delivery to final assembly station for interconnection.
It would be advantageous to fully automate the above processes such that no manual manipulation is necessary when bringing the PWBs from inventory or when performing the joining operation itself. Moreover, it would be advantageous to streamline and lower the cost of manufacture, assembly, and testing by creating a process for simultaneous manufacture, assembly, and testing of both boards to be joined such that all phases of manufacture, inventory, final assembly, and testing are performed jointly and automatically. Lastly, it would be advantageous to create specialized tooling that enables the above advantageous processes of the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the present invention is a tool for separating a common printed wiring board substrate into a plurality of substrates having at least one circuit connector connected between the substrates, comprising: a beveled edge of the tool for placement in contact with the substrates to be separated; and at least one notch in the beveled edge for alignment with at least one circuit connector.
Another aspect of the present invention is a process for separating a common printed wiring board substrate into a plurality of substrates having at least one circuit connector connected between the substrates, comprising: forming at least one notch in a beveled edge of a separation tool; aligning at least one notch with at least one circuit connector; and applying pressure between the separating tool and the common substrate.
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patent: 4425706 (1984-01-01), Southworth et al.
patent: 4898056 (1990-02-01), Grobb et al.
patent: 5232430 (1993-08-01), Nitsch
patent: 5537905 (1996-07-01), Zimmer et al.
patent: 5709138 (1998-01-01), Rimer
patent: 789444 (1980-07-01), None
patent: 789444 (1980-12-01), None
Prone Jason
Xerox Corporation
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