Htc Corporation

Dynapert-Htc Corp.

James L Finney

Donald J Spigarelli

Douglas J Peck

Walter J Hall

A vapor phase system for soldering of a workpiece. A vessel for containing an electronic liquid which is heated to generate a zone of saturated vapor. A first inclined throat communicates with the vessel and a solder pot is located within the vessel. The solder pot including a reservoir for containing molten solder, a second throat aligned with the first throat and communicating at one end with molten solder contained in the reservoir means and communicating at the other end with the saturated vapor, molten solder contained in the reservoir means is pumped through the second throat and is captured by the reservoir and a conveyor carries work product through the first throat, through the saturated vapor and into the second throat whereby the work product will become immersed in the molten solder contained within the second throat.

Apparatus for solder removal

A vapor processing system has a vessel for containing a processing vapor into which work product is conveyed for processing. A thermocouple probe generates a signal representative of the actual temperature at one of at least a plurality of spaced locations within the vessel. The probe has a shaft portion and a free end portion defining an angle with the shaft portion and is adapted to be rotatively displaced about the shaft portion to locate the tip of the probe at a selected location around its displacement circle.

Temperature sensors for vapor processing systems

A system for the continuous production soldering of circuit boards and other products in which the product is heated by an independently controlled vapor phase system, and solder applied by a separately controlled application system operative to direct one or more controlled and defined streams of solder onto the product. A vessel is provided for containing a heated saturated inert vapor into which the product is introduced prior to solder application. One or more nozzles are disposed within the vessel for directing one or more streams of molten solder to the heated product. The heating and soldering operations are separately controllable and are each substantially independent of the control of the other.

Continuous solder system

A solder leveling system for use in vapor phase soldering of printed wiring boards. A transport system operating in a near-horizontal mode moves the board to be solder coated through a vapor zone in a chamber having a solder pot which has a throat in line with the plane of the transport system. The near-horizontal movement through the vapor and into and out of the solder pot prevents solder sag and permits control of the thickness of solder deposited on the opposing board surfaces. Leveling nozzles are positioned in a vapor-filled chamber astride the transport system between the solder pot and the chamber throat. Perpendicular nozzle offset distance from the board and nozzle angle are adjustable. Preferably one nozzle projects a stream normal to the board, with the other nozzle projecting a grazing stream for clearing through holes. A nozzle flow rate corresponding to a predetermined energy threshold provides reliable hole clearing. Preferably the chamber throat is cooled for vapor containment, forming one of three cooling zones for vapor containment, vapor leveling, and condensation. In the preferred solder pot, as the board enters the sloping throat, solders spills over a weir into a reservoir from whence it is pumped into a standpipe which charges the sloping throat. Preferably solder is added to the pot through a drop tube having a lower end immersed in the solder to provide a unique vapor seal and means for determining the level of solder. A preferred transport system utilizes a spring loaded carrier providing easy loading and unloading of the boards.

Growing community of inventors

Hudson, MA, United States of America

James L Finney