Thin support for PC board transfer system
AssigneeJabil Circuit, Inc.
InventorsRonald P. Schmidt, Richard J Van.Every
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A transfer system that supports circuit boards as it conveys them through a reflow oven. The system uses a sag support between edge supports. The sag support does not have to move as the circuit board is transferred along the transfer system. The height of the sag support can be easily adjusted. The sag support's mounts can maintain appropriate tension in the sag support even if the sag support expands during operation. The system may use a mechanism to prevent the friction between the boards and the sag support from interfering with the movement of boards along the transfer system.
Claims20
A support system for supporting a circuit board, the circuit board adapted to move through an interior heating region of an inline pass through oven, the support system comprising:
- a sag support positioned with respect to the circuit board to prevent a first area of the circuit board from sagging with respect to a second area of the circuit board as the circuit board moves through the interior heating region of the inline pass through oven, such that the sag support does not actively transfer the circuit board through the oven;
- at least one frame;
- a first support mount coupled to the sag support and coupled to the at least one frame;
- a second support mount coupled to the sag support and coupled to the at least one frame;
- the first and second support mounts coupled to the at least one frame to position the sag support for preventing the first area of the circuit board from sagging with respect to the second area of the circuit board;
- at least one of the support mounts including a support base and a tensioner, the support base coupled to the at least one frame to fix the at least one support mount with respect to the circuit board, the tensioner coupled to the support base and to the sag support, the tensioner maintaining an adjustable tension on the sag support;
- a first edge support including a first transfer mechanism, the first edge support fixed to the at least one frame, the first edge support and the first transfer mechanism passing through the interior heating region of the inline pass through oven, the first transfer mechanism adapted to support a first edge of the circuit board;
- and
- a second edge support including a second transfer mechanism, the second edge support fixed to the at least one frame, the second edge support and the second transfer mechanism passing through the interior heating region of the inline pass through oven, the second transfer mechanism adapted to support a second edge of the circuit board, and the first and second transfer mechanisms adapted to transfer the circuit board through the inline pass through oven.
A support system for supporting a circuit board, the circuit board adapted to move through an interior heating region of an inline pass through oven, the support system comprising:
- a sag support that passes through the interior heating region of the inline pass through oven, the sag support positioned with respect to the circuit board to prevent a first area of the circuit board from sagging with respect to a second area of the circuit board as the circuit board moves through the interior heating region of the inline pass through oven, such that the sag support does not actively transfer the circuit board through the oven:
- a first support mount coupled to the sag support and coupled to a first surface that is fixed with respect to the circuit board;
- a second support mount coupled to the sag support and coupled to a second surface that is fixed with respect to the circuit board;
- the first and the second support mounts are fixed to the first and second surfaces to position the sag support with respect to the circuit board such that the sag support can prevent the first area of the circuit board from sagging with respect to the second area of the circuit board;
- a first height adjusting mechanism is provided to adjust the position of the first support mount with respect to the first surface;
- a second height adjusting mechanism is provided to adjust the position of the second support mount with respect to the second surface;
- and the first and second height adjusting mechanisms adapted to adjust the position of the sag support with respect to the circuit board by adjusting the position of the support mounts.
A transfer system for moving a circuit board, the transfer system comprising:
- an inline pass through oven having an interior heating region;
- first means for moving the circuit board through the interior heating region of the oven, the first means mounted within the inline pass through oven;
- and
- second means for preventing the circuit board from sagging as the first means moves the circuit board through the interior heating region of the inline pass through oven is the second means does not actively transfer the circuit board through the oven.
A method for preventing sagging of a circuit board, the method comprising the steps of:
- disposing a sag support in an interior heating region of an inline pass through oven;
- positioning the sag support with respect to the circuit board to prevent a first area of the circuit board from sagging with respect to a second area of the circuit board;
- moving the circuit board through the interior heating region of the inline pass through oven using a transfer system;
- using the sag support to prevent sagging of the circuit board as the transfer system moves the circuit board through the interior heating region of the inline pass through oven, the step of positioning occurring in the inline pass through oven, the sag support used to prevent sagging without using the sag support to actively move the circuit board through the oven.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.