Metal fusion bonding – With means to handle work or product – Work portion comprises electrical component
Patent
1994-09-02
1996-01-09
Heinrich, Samuel M.
Metal fusion bonding
With means to handle work or product
Work portion comprises electrical component
2282342, B23K 37047, B23K 3102, B65G 4904
Patent
active
054822017
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a transport device and process for loading and removing the part to be soldered in a vapor-phase soldering installation or equipment.
The minimization of soldering vapor escape is an important criterion for a vapor-phase soldering equipment since the corresponding chemical substances are very costly.
Therefore, many efforts were made in the prior art to minimize the losses in vapor-phase soldering equipments. In this connection, the transport system for the part to be soldered is an important factor because soldering vapor can escape when the part to be soldered enters and exits the equipment.
Ideally, the transport system of a vapor-phase soldering equipment should guarantee that the part to be soldered, i.e. the workpiece, is conveyed without jerks while allowing horizontal and vertical movements, that the workpiece is maintained in a horizontal position and that soldering vapor is prevented from escaping.
German Patent No. 39 15 046 discloses a chain conveying means for printed-board assemblies or circuit modules in a vapor-phase soldering equipment. Said means is divided into three separate conveying belt sections which horizontally transport a workpiece support that is suspended on chains. The first section conveys the workpiece from the environment into the soldering equipment, the second section transports it through the soldering equipment where the workpiece is soldered, and the third section carries the soldered workpiece out of the soldering equipment. In this document, a transport path of some length which comprises transition points between the conveying sections is provided. The conveying means is suited for the treatment of large quantities; it has a complicated structure and prevents larger amounts of soldering medium from escaping from the equipment during the transport of the workpiece, in particular because of its separation into a plurality of conveying sections.
Such a system, however, involves considerable costs which are too high for smaller users or for laboratory applications; and it does not guarantee either that the workpiece is transported completely without jerks.
In contrast to this, the object of the present invention is to provide a transport device and a process for vapor-phase soldering equipments which meet the above requirements but are simple and economical.
This object is achieved with the features of the claims.
The solution of the invention is based on the idea to have the workpiece support pivot about an axis when it enters and exits the vapor-phase soldering equipment and to maintain at the same time the original direction of the workpiece support (generally horizontally). In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the workpiece support is formed as one side of a parallelogram and three sides of the parallelogram are turned about the corners of the fourth side. The direction of the plane of the workpiece support is maintained in all pivoting positions and it is guaranteed that the horizontal position of the workpiece is maintained, if desired, during the transport and immersion into a medium container in which the soldering is performed. Preferably one sealing flap or door, more preferably two sealing doors in the transport path of the workpiece support which open and close alternately prevent a direct contact of the medium container with the environment outside the soldering equipment during loading and removal of the workpiece and thus prevent soldering vapor from escaping.
The advantages of the present invention lie in the completely jerk-free transport of the workpiece, the constant position of the workpiece, small required space and a reduction of soldering vapor losses. In addition, the simple construction permits a very economical manufacture of the transport device.
In the following, the invention is described in more detail with reference to the drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a cross section of a vapor-phase soldering equipment with an inventive embodiment without sealing doors,
FIG. 2 is a top view of the inventive
REFERENCES:
patent: 4032033 (1977-06-01), Chu et al.
patent: 4077467 (1978-03-01), Spigarelli
patent: 4466791 (1984-08-01), Jacobs et al.
patent: 4634000 (1987-01-01), Plapp et al.
patent: 4897934 (1990-02-01), Peck
Heinrich Samuel M.
Rauchfuss, Jr. George W.
LandOfFree
Transport device and process for a vapor-phase soldering install does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Transport device and process for a vapor-phase soldering install, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Transport device and process for a vapor-phase soldering install will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1297914