US 5,932,065 A · Universal fixture for supporting and holding populated sides of printed circuit board assemblies during processing

Abstract

A universal fixture for holding printed circuit board assemblies during stencil printing and other PCB assembly processes. In one embodiment, a universal printed circuit board holder has a plurality of supports adapted to be moveably connected to a platform of a printed circuit board processing machine. Each support has a connection end for engaging the platform, a support end to support a first side of a printed circuit board populated with components, and an attachment element at the support end to releasably hold the PCB to the support. The connection ends of the supports are moveably attachable to the platform at a plurality of different positions to selectively locate the attachment elements in alignment with support points on the first side of the printed circuit board. Accordingly, the universal printed circuit board holder preferably supports the populated first side of the printed circuit board in a manner that allows the second side to be manipulated by the printed circuit board processing machine.

Claims58

Dependent claims

A universal printed circuit board holder for supporting sides of printed circuit board assemblies populated with components, comprising:

a platform over which the printed circuit board assemblies are held during processing;
and
a plurality of supports projecting upwardly from the platform by a height, each support having a connection end configured to engage the platform and a support end configured to engage an underside of a printed circuit board assembly at an interior support area spaced inwardly from a perimeter of the printed circuit board assembly, wherein the connection ends of the supports are moveably attachable to the platform at a plurality of different positions to selectively configure the supports in a desired pattern corresponding to a pattern of support areas on the populated side of a printed circuit board assembly.

A universal printed circuit board holder for supporting sides of printed circuit board assemblies populated with components, comprising:

a platform adapted to be attached to a work station of a processing machine;
and
at least one support projecting upwardly from the platform to hold the printed circuit board assemblies over the platform, the support having a first end, a second end, and an attachment element positioned at least in part at the second end, the first end of the support being positionable on the platform to selectively locate the support at a position where the attachment element can engage a desired interior support area on a populated side of a first printed circuit board assembly spaced inwardly from a perimeter of the first printed circuit board assembly, and the support member being repositionable on the platform to selectively relocate the support at another position where the attachment element can engage a different desired support area on a populated side of a second printed circuit board assembly with a different configuration of components than the first printed circuit board assembly.

An apparatus for stenciling paste on top sides of printed circuit board assemblies after bottom sides of the printed circuit board assemblies have been populated with components, comprising:

a stencil assembly having a stencil plate with a plurality of holes arranged in a desired pattern and a moveable wiper to press the paste through the holes;
a moveable platform positioned under the stencil plate, the moveable platform having a surface facing a bottom side of the stencil plate, and the moveable platform being moveable into a raised position to present the top sides of the printed circuit board assemblies to the bottom side of the stencil plate and into a lowered position to remove the top sides of the printed circuit board assemblies from the bottom side of the stencil plate;
a base removeably attached to the platform;
and
a plurality of supports projecting upwardly from the base to support the printed circuit board assemblies over the base, the supports being configured to engage interior support areas on the bottom side of a printed circuit board assembly that are spaced inwardly from the perimeter of the printed circuit board assembly, and the supports being moveably attached to the base, wherein the supports are positionable on the base to selectively configure the supports in patterns corresponding to patterns of desired support areas on the bottom sides of printed circuit board assemblies with different configurations of components.

2 more elements

An apparatus for stenciling paste on top sides of printed circuit board assemblies after bottom sides of the printed circuit board assemblies have been populated with components, comprising:

a stencil assembly having a stencil plate with a plurality of holes arranged in a desired pattern and a moveable wiper to press the paste through the holes;
a moveable platform positioned under the stencil plate, the platform having a surface facing bottom side of the stencil plate and a conduit system adapted to be coupled in fluid communication with a vacuum source, and the moveable platform being moveable into a raised position to present the top sides of the printed circuit board assemblies to the bottom side of the stencil plate and into a lowered position to remove the top sides of the printed circuit board assemblies from the bottom side of the stencil plate;
and
a plurality of posts moveably attachable to the platform at selected locations to configure the posts in patterns corresponding to patterns of desired support points on the bottom sides of the printed circuit board assemblies, each post having a support face and a passage way with an opening at the support face, and each passage way being operatively coupled to the conduit system of the platform to be in fluid communication with the vacuum source, wherein the vacuum source draws a vacuum through the conduit and the posts to hold the support points of the printed circuit board assemblies to the support faces of the posts.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Universal fixture for supporting and holding populated sides of printed circuit board assemblies during processing

Life of this patent

Universal fixture for supporting and holding populated sides of printed circuit board assemblies during processing

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims58