International Business Machines Corporation

Gilbert B Nebgen

Darryl Ray Polk

David P Watson

Terry L Wilmoth

Rafael Pelc

Francis W Bogaczyk

Michael A Rubsam

Joel R Anstrom

Robert W Kulterman

Clifford M Wood

Robert A Amos

The apparatus of the present invention may be utilized for the automated bonding of electronic components to a circuit board. A placement and bonding head is attached to a manipulatable robotic arm and is utilized to select an electronic component having a plurality of conductive leads from a supply of such components and position that component adjacent a plurality of contact pads on a circuit board. While retaining the electronic component within the placement and bonding head, the component is then thermally bonded to the contact pads. In one embodiment of the present invention, an electronic component may be optically inspected while being retained within the placement and bonding head. In another embodiment, thermal bonding is accomplished utilizing a plurality of thermally activatable blades which each include a thermocouple mounted adjacent thereto. Selective low current control signals are then coupled to the placement and bonding head where transformers are utilized to amplify the current prior to coupling the control signal to individually thermally activatable blades. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the placement and bonding head includes a plenum for supplying inert gas to the bonding site so that the use of flux is not necessary.

System for automated mounting of electronic components to circuit boards

There is disclosed an improved drive circuit for a print element actuator wherein the current applied to the actuator has a fast rise mode which is terminated when a predetermined level has been reached. Current is allowed to slowly decay through the circuit until it reaches a second and lower predetermined level. The circuit is self-timing and self-compensating for variations in voltage or actuator impedance.

Self-timing and self-compensating print wire actuator driver

Growing community of inventors

Round Rock, TX, United States of America

Gilbert B Nebgen