IC card closure and welding apparatus
US5739500A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 20, 1995 |
| Grant date | Apr 14, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 20, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB23K2101/40
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A system is described for completing the construction of an IC (integrated circuit) card, of the type that includes an inner unit (18) formed by a pair of connectors (14, 16) at opposite ends of a circuit board (12), and a sheet metal cover (20) with upper and lower halves (22, 24) that must be fixed together around the inner unit. The system includes front, left, and right weld units (50, 52, 54) arranged about an imaginary rectangular weld region (60), a guide rail (72) extending rearwardly from below the weld region, and a slide assembly (70) with a card-holding fixture, that can slide forwardly into the weld region and rearwardly out of the weld region. A pair of rollers (82, 84) is separately movable forwardly so flanges (86, 88) on the rollers progressively close the upper cover half on the lower one, and then movable rearwardly out of the way, so the slide assembly with a closed card can be moved into the weld region where welds are formed to fix the cover halves together. The system includes a frame (42) with a plate-like platform (44), with the weld units, guide track and slider assembly, and rollers all lying above the platform. A pair of actuators that move the slide ass…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.