# US 11,440,116 B2 · Reflow oven with a zeolite box, and a method for recovering gas with such zeolite box

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- Number: US 11,440,116 B2
- Document ID: US11440116B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/640,153
- Filed: 2018-08-09
- Published: 2021-03-18
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2017-08-22
- Assignees: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
- Applicants: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
- Inventors: Chuanbo Wang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440116B2

## CPC

- B23K 1/008: Soldering within a furnace (B23K1/012 takes precedence)
- B23K 3/04: Heating appliances
- B23K 3/08: Auxiliary devices therefor
- B23K 1/0016: {Soldering of electronic components}
- B23K 1/203: {Fluxing, i.e. applying flux onto surfaces}
- B23K 2101/42: Printed circuits
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM

## Abstract

The present application provides a reflow oven (100) and a gas recovery method. The reflow oven (100) comprises a reflow oven hearth (101), a separator (105), the separator inlet (110) being connected to the gas outlet (102) of the reflow oven hearth (101) so that the gases in the reflow oven hearth (101) can flow into the separator (105), a zeolite box (107), the zeolite box inlet (112) being connected to the separator outlet (111), and the zeolite box outlet (113) being connected to the gas inlet (103) of the reflow oven hearth (101) so that the gases flowing through the separator (105) can enter the zeolite box (107) and the gases flowing through the zeolite box (107) can flow out of the zeolite box outlet (113), a sensor (106), which is provided in the gas passage between said zeolite box outlet (113) and the gas inlet (103) of the reflow oven hearth (101). The reflow oven (100) in the present application enables the gases flowing through the separator (105) to enter the zeolite box (107). After most of the flux is removed from the gases in the separator (105), the flux is further removed in the zeolite box (107). In addition, polygonal zeolites have certain volumes and are supported in the zeolite box (107) to form clearances, and thus almost no resistance is brought about to the flow of the gases in the zeolite box (107).

## Claims

### Claim 1

A reflow oven, comprising:
a reflow oven hearth comprising a gas outlet and a gas inlet;
a separator comprising a separator inlet and a separator outlet, the separator inlet being connected to the gas outlet of the reflow oven hearth so that the gases in said reflow oven hearth can flow into the separator; and
a zeolite box comprising a zeolite box inlet and a zeolite box outlet, the zeolite box inlet being connected to the separator outlet, and the zeolite box outlet being connected to the gas inlet of the reflow oven hearth so that the gases flowing through the separator can enter the zeolite box and the gases flowing through the zeolite box can flow from the zeolite box outlet back to the reflow oven hearth, wherein the zeolite box comprises:
a box body having a chamber and an opening;
an inner net cage detachably mounted in the chamber through the opening, gas openings being provided in at least two side walls of the inner net cage, the inner net cage being used to accommodate a plurality of zeolites, and the gas openings having such a size that the gas openings can block the plurality of zeolites; and
a box cover sealing said opening.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The reflow oven as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reflow oven further comprises:
a sensor provided positioned in the gas passage between the zeolite box outlet and the gas inlet of said reflow oven hearth.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The reflow oven as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a nitrogen inlet on the reflow oven hearth, and the reflow oven further comprises:
a nitrogen regulating valve connected to the nitrogen inlet and being used to regulate the amount of input nitrogen, and
a control device configured to:
receive a detection signal from the sensor; and
control the nitrogen regulating valve based on the detection signal of the sensor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The reflow oven as claimed in claim 1, wherein the zeolite is in the shape of a polygon so that there is a clearance between said plurality of zeolites.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The reflow oven as claimed in claim 4, wherein the average particle size of said plurality of zeolites is above 2 cm.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The reflow oven as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least two side walls of said inner net cage are perforated plates.