Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Lance E Terry

Daniel D Gonsalves

Leonardo Sandman

Michael C Cilia

Camnhung T Tran

Paul D Welch

Kia-Pin A May

A flow control nozzle for hot gases includes an input end to receive a hot gas. An output end of the flow control nozzle delivers the hot gas to a surface mount device attached with solder to a printed circuit board. A gas distribution mechanism is positioned between the input end and the output end. A gas flow control mechanism is positioned in the gas distribution mechanism to selectively alter the flow of the hot gas through the gas distribution mechanism such that the gas distribution mechanism and the gas flow control mechanism operate to deliver the hot gas to the output end in a substantially uniform manner that facilitates substantially uniform melting of the solder.

Apparatus and method for uniformly melting the solder attaching a surface mount device to a printed circuit board

The disclosed invention relates to the employment of a spacer element for mounting, aligning and spacing a computer chip relative to a PCB. The spacer element is formed and dimensioned to engage the chip in a manner to assure that the pins of the chip are properly aligned relative to openings in the PCB and to assure that the chip is centered and maintained parallel to the PCB and each of its pins maintained equal distance from the underneath side of the PCB during the wave soldering process for electrically connecting the chip and PCB.

Computer chip spacer element

Growing community of inventors

Fremont, CA, United States of America

Lance E Terry