Process and apparatus for the wave soldering of circuit boards
US5411200A · kind A · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 28, 1994 |
| Grant date | May 2, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 28, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB23K1/085
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A circuit board is wave soldered as it is carried by a conveyor through a solder wave established in a solder reservoir. Disposed on both sides of the solder wave are gas plenums which discharge shield gas. The gas plenums include orifices for directing shield gas (i) at high velocity toward the solder wave to protect the solder wave with an atmosphere of shield gas, and/or (ii) upwardly toward an underside of the circuit board to strip entrained air therefrom. The solder wave is generated by a pump driven by a drive shaft that extends downwardly into the solder reservoir. An upper portion of the drive shaft is surrounded by a stationary hollow sleeve which projects into the solder reservoir to restrict the churning of the solder during rotation of the drive shaft. A shield gas is introduced into the sleeve to inert the solder being churned. An enclosure is positioned above the solder reservoir having an inlet and an outlet through which the circuit boards are conveyed. Curtains are positioned across portions of the inlet and outlet not occupied by the conveyor, the curtains being automatically adjusted when the width of the conveyor is adjusted.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.