Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Michael C Cilia

Gurpreet S Dayal

Don Nguyen

Arthur K May

Camnhung T Tran

Lance E Terry

A rework nozzle includes a gripping device that is used to remove a soldered device from a circuit board. The rework nozzle attaches to a module that generates hot gas. The device that is to be removed from the circuit board is placed within the nozzle. The module generates hot gas, and the hot gas is directed by the nozzle to soldered connections that couple the device to the circuit board. The hot gas melts the solder and the gripping mechanism is used to grasp the device. The device may be removed from the circuit board by separating the circuit board from the nozzle after the hot gas melts the solder. The nozzle will release the device if the force needed to remove the device is greater than the force applied to the device by the gripping mechanism. The release of the device will prevent damage to the device or to the circuit board.

Apparatus and method for removing a soldered device from a printed circuit board

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

A method for isolating a pin of a ball grid array (BGA) device mounted on a printed circuit board, and routing the signal carried by the isolated pin to an alternate location. The BGA device pin is isolated by removing the solder ball to expose the device pad. A rework or engineering wire is then soldered to the BGA device pad using a high temperature solder. The rework wire is then routed between the other solder pads to the edge of the BGA device package. The BGA device is then reflowed at a temperature lower than the reflow temperature of the high temperature solder. The rework wire is used to route the signal carried by the isolated BGA pin to an alternate location. The present invention provides for higher process yields than conventional rework processes.

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Michael C Cilia