Apparatus for cleaning electronic components
AssigneeLucent Technologies Inc.
InventorsFrank X. Foederl, Carson Ray Lomax, David Cutlar Sunderland
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A degreasing and cleaning apparatus for cleaning circuit boards and the like has a first, wash sump containing a boiling, environmentally friendly wash material and a second, rinse, sump containing an environmentally friendly rinse material, separated by a weir. An anti-splash and surge control fence is mounted on top of the weir to control splashing and spill-over between the sumps. The wash sump contains a plurality of spray wands and a programmed hoist pans the carrier of the boards past the spray wands in incremental steps. After the wash cycle, the carrier is introduced into the second, rinse, sump and then given a final vapor rinse. The temperature ranges in which the apparatus is operated yield optimum cleaning.
Claims18
An apparatus for cleaning electronic components comprising:
- a tank member having a solvent containing volume;
- a weir dividing said volume into first and second sumps;
- said first sump being adapted to contain a wash solvent of non-ozone depleting material therein;
- said second sump being adapted to contain a rinse solvent of non-ozone depleting material therein different from said wash solvent;
- heating members with said first sump for heating the wash solvent contained therein to the boiling point thereof;
- a hoist assembly for introducing a basket containing components to be cleaned in said first sump for a wash cycle and for introducing said basket into said second sump subsequent to the wash cycle for a rinse cycle;
- and
- a surge controlling member on said weir for preventing at least a portion of the wash solvent contained in said first sump from splashing into said second sump.
An apparatus for cleaning electronic components comprising:
- a tank member having a solvent containing volume;
- a wall member dividing the volume into first and second sumps, said first sump being adapted to contain a wash solvent of non-ozone depleting material therein and said second sump being adapted to contain a rinse solvent of non-ozone depleting material therein different from the wash solvent;
- means associated with said first sump for heating the wash solvent contained therein to the boiling point thereof;
- a hoist assembly for introducing a basket containing components to be cleaned into said first sump for a wash cycle and for introducing said basket into said second sump subsequent to the wash cycle for a rinse cycle;
- sub-surface spray means within said first sump for increasing the agitation of the wash solvent, said hoist assembly being programmed to move said basket past said spray means during the wash cycle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.