At&t Technologies, Inc.

Western Electric Company, Inc.

American Telephone and Telegraph Company, At&t Technologies, Inc.

David R Dines

Vertis C Webb

Robert G Workman

George Svoboda

Alfred P Broyer

The present invention is directed to a method for soldering each of a plurality of members (40), arranged in one or more parallel rows, to a separate one of a plurality of metallized pads (42) on a substrate (10), each pad being contiguous with a corresponding member. The method is initiated by tilting the substrate so that one end of each row of members and the metallized pads contiguous therewith are at a higher elevation than the other end. A stream (80) of molten solder and a dripping stream (88) of flux droplets are directed onto the substrate into the regions where the members are contiguous with the metallized pads. Simultaneously, the substrate is displaced relative to the streams along a path (96) inclined with respect to the horizontal and parallel to the rows of members so that the members and the metallized pads are successively coated with solder and then flux. The inclination of the substrate is such that the solder and flux flow downwardly, under gravity, past a successive one of the members and metallized pads. The force of gravity on the solder, together with the presence of the flux, is sufficient to break the surface tension of the solder between adjacent members to prevent a solder bridge therebetween.

Soldering method and apparatus

A connector (10) having two rows of opposed terminals (11, 12) joined by a pair of solder bars (13, 14) is mounted on a printed circuit board (16) with the terminals overlaying circuit board edge contact pads (15, 19) on opposite sides of the board. The assembled connector and circuit board is placed in a fixture whereafter pairs of comb devices are manipulated to position the comb tines between adjoining pairs of terminals. The fixture is conveyed at a fast rate in a first direction past a pair of heaters (34, 35) for preheating the two rows of terminals, the solder bars, and the circuit board pads. Next, the fixture is returned in a second opposite direction at a slow rate past the heaters to melt and thereby solder bond the comb held terminals to their corresponding board pads.

Apparatus for bonding connector terminals to circuit boards

Method and apparatus for bonding connector terminals to circuit boards

Printed circuit boards 10 having connector terminals 14 and 16 overlaying contact pads 17 and 18 are loaded into fixtures 22 which are conveyor 31 advanced through a pair of solder applying stations 33 and 34 whereat solder is laid and melted at the junctures of the terminals and contact pads. As a fixture approaches a solder applying station, the conveyor is slowed down and a programmed controller 170 is enabled for operation. If a circuit board is sensed by a photodetector 172, a second photodetector is rendered effective to sense elements 176 projecting from a side of the fixture. The sensed elements 176 effectuate the generation of count pulses and output signals to control the movements of solder applying devices 36 to soldering sites where solder feed devices 136 lay discontinuous stripes of solder at the junctures of the contact pads and terminals.

Apparatus for applying stripes of solder to opposite sides of circuit

Various permutations of plugs (13) are inserted in keying holes (12) formed in a connector 10 secured to an edge of a printed circuit board (11). A carrier nest (16) is loaded with a permutation array of plugs (13) at a load station (20), advanced to an insert station where the array is checked, and then advanced to an unload station (22) where a group of insert pins act through carrier nest holes (17) to seat the plugs in the connector holes (12). At the inspect station, checks are made for missing plugs and plugs in wrong holes. If plugs in wrong holes are detected, the plugs are dumped from the carrier nest and a new array of plugs are loaded into the carrier nest (16). If a missing plug is detected, the carrier nest is returned to the load station and a plug is loaded into the proper nest hole (17).

Methods and apparatus for assembling permutations of elements into or

A non-jamming magazine 51 supports bar-like articles 10 in inclined positions so that the lowermost articles may be successively withdrawn and the remainder of the stack will drop without cocking an article between side rails 22 and 23 to jam and preclude further withdrawal of the articles. A parallelogram fixture 50 is used to receive a supply of articles 10 and upon flexing of the fixture, the articles are placed in inclined positions for loading into the magazine.

System for loading and dispensing articles from a magazine

A connector (13) having two banks of terminals (16 and 17) is seated in a nest (27) located in a terminal spreading apparatus. A first spreader (36-37) overlies the first bank of terminals (17). A printed circuit board (10) with edge contact pads (12) is advanced along ways (98 and 99) to engage a roller (107) which thrusts a slide (48) toward the nest and then upwardly to move a second spreader (41-42) to engage and spread the banks of terminals (16 and 17). The connector body (14) tilts in the nest (27) to distribute the terminal spreading forces between the two banks of terminals.

Connector terminal spreader

A protective coating (13) on a printed circuit board (10) is formed to extend into spaces (22) between spaced contact pads (16) adhered along an edge portion of the board. The protective coating is selected to be thicker than the thickness of the contact pads to provide fillets between the contact pads that function to form pockets (33) with the contact pads (16) being at the bottom of the pockets. When a multi-terminal connector (21) is assembled on the edge of the circuit board, the terminals (18) tend to fall into and seat within the pockets.

Growing community of inventors

Oklahoma City, OK, United States of America

David R Dines