Chip removal apparatus and method of using same

A chip removal apparatus for use with a robotic unit, having a heated center quill for disabling the binding characteristics of a heat set type adhesive material bonding a chip body to a printed circuit board and a soldering unit with a plurality of thermode blades for liquefying solder bonding a plurality of chip leads extending from the chip body to the printed circuit board, comprising:

• a sheet of wick supporting material having at least a pair of parallel, spaced-apart elongated thermode blade receiving openings for permitting the plurality of thermode blades to pass therethrough;
• a plurality of narrow imperforate wick strips composed of solder dispersion material fastened in overlying relationship to said sheet in alignment with individual ones of said openings for causing liquefied solder to repel from the strips when the blades extend through their openings to carry the strips into engagement with the solder;
• mounting means disposed below the solder unit and the center quill for securing said sheet releasably to the robotic unit;
• and for permitting the center quill to be attached to the chip body removably;
• whereby the robotic unit can cause the center quill to disable the heat set type adhesive thereby causing the center quill, to be attached to the body portion of the chip, and the thermode blades to liquify the solder thereby permitting the robotic unit to separate the chip from the printed circuit board without damaging the body portion of the chip or leaving broken leads.