Vibratory wave soldering
AssigneeElectrovert Ltd.
InventorCarlos A. Deambrosio
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Wave soldering process and apparatus for the soldering of elements such as, for example, printed circuit assemblies with surface mounted components and the like which yield improved soldering results by promoting the penetration of solder into narrow spaces between components, the filling of small holes in a board, filling crevices, filling corners adjacent to solder masks and all other areas where solder wetting is difficult to achieve with conventional machines. The process provides the steps of moving an element in a predetermined path, forming a solder wave beneath the path so that at least a portion of the element passes through the solder wave, and producing an oscillation in the solder wave during the passage of the element therethrough.
Claims39
Process for wave soldering a prefluxed element comprising the steps of:
- moving the element in a predetermined path;
- forming a solder wave having a predetermined configuration beneath the path so that at least a portion of the element passes through the solder wave;
- and
- producing an oscillation in the solder wave in the range of about 20 to 400 Hz during the passage of the element therethrough, the oscillation not substantially changing the predetermined configuration of the solder wave.
Process for wave soldering surface mounted devices to a prefluxed printed wiring board or assembly comprising the steps of:
- moving the wiring board in a predetermined path;
- forming a solder wave having a predetermined configuration beneath the path, so that the underside of the wiring board passes through the solder wave;
- and
- producing an oscillation in the solder wave in the range of about 20 to 400 Hz during the passage of the wiring board therethrough, the oscillation not substantially changing the predetermined configuration of the solder wave.
An apparatus for wave soldering a prefluxed element comprising:
- means for forming a solder wave having a predetermined configuration;
- means for moving the element in a path so that at least a portion of the element passes through the solder wave, and
- oscillating means to produce oscillations in the solder wave in the range of about 20 to 400 Hz during the passage of the element therethrough, the oscillations not substantially changing the predetermined configuration of the solder wave.
An apparatus for wave soldering surface mounted devices to a prefluxed printed wiring board or assembly comprising:
- means for forming a solder wave having a predetermined configuration;
- means for moving the wiring board in a path so the underside of the wiring board passes through the solder wave;
- and
- oscillating means to produce oscillations in the solder wave in the range of about 20 to 400 Hz during the passage of the wiring borad therethrough, the oscillations not substantially changing the predeteined configuration of the solder wave.
An apparatus for wave soldering surface mounted devices on a printed wiring board comprising:
- a reservoir adapted to contain molten solder;
- a discharge nozzle facing upwards positioned above the reservoir;
- pump means for forming a solder wave from the nozzle;
- means for moving the wiring board in a path so the underside of the wiring board passes through the solder wave;
- and
- oscillating means to produce oscillations in the solder wave during the passage of the wiring board therethrough.
An apparatus for applying solder to prefluxed exposed metallic surfaces and prefluxed protruding metallic surfaces on one face of a circuit board or the like comprising:
- a reservoir adapted to contain solder at a predetermined level;
- a discharge nozzle facing upwards positioned above the solder level in the reservoir and having a circuit board entry side and a circuit board exit side;
- means for forming a solder wave having a predetermined configuration from the nozzle, the wave contacting the lower face of the circuit board and being higher than any protruding metallic surfaces;
- an upward sloping circuit board path above the reservoir passing over the nozzle;
- means for moving a circuit board up the path at a predetermined speed from the entry side to the exit side of the nozzle;
- the nozzle adapted to permit a greater volumetric portion of the solder wave to flow downwards at the entry side, the entry side of the nozzle having a contoured downward sloping guide adapted to return the solder to the reservoir in a smooth flow;
- the exit side of the nozzle having a substantially rectangular tray attached thereto with an adjustable weir at the edge of the tray parallel to the exit side of the nozzle, the shape of the tray together with the weir adapted to reduce feedback of flow disturbances on the solder wave, and guide the remaining volumetric portion of the solder wave in a smooth horizontal or downward sloping stream in substantially the same direction at approximately the same speed as the circuit board moving up the path, and
- oscillating means to produce oscillation in the solder wave in the range of about 20 to 400 Hz during the passage of the circuit board therethrough, the oscillations not substantially changing the predetermined configuration of the solder wave.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.