Method for separating hybrid substrate from carrier plate

Abstract

Stacked leaded hybrid substrates and associated carrier plates are exited from a reflow solder operation onto a vibrating table. Vibration of the table sequentially advances each stacked carrier and substrate until components on the latter contact an arm that is spaced above the table. Detection of the presence of a substrate and carrier adjacent the arm causes a plunger to move transversely across the table and into contact with an edge of the substrate. Further movement of the plunger pushes an edge of the carrier into contact with spring loaded pins in the table top. The shear force created on contiguous surfaces of the substrate and carrier by the plunger and pins causes the substrate to slide off of the carrier and over the pins. If this shear force exceeds a prescribed value, the pins rotate into the table top for passing a carrier and/or substrate without damaging the latter. In an alternate embodiment, separation is accomplished with a rotating brush that moves only substrates stacked on a carrier plate over an elongated bar on the table top.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.