Motorola Corporation

Freescale Semiconductor,inc.

Depuy Synthes Products, Inc.

Ovidiu Neiconi

Richard Lee Mangold

Christopher Lee Becher

David S Narducci

Jonathon G Greenwood

Stephen M Bucina

Cedric Beausse

Thomas P Kirby

James H Kasper

Piotr Nowak

Christopher Becher

John Patrick Hunt

Edward Juchniewicz

Christopher John Keane

A control device for a surgical power tool. The control device including a housing, an input element located on the housing, and a control unit. The housing configured to couple to a surgical power tool. The input element located proximate the top of the housing and configured to receive a user input. The control unit located within the housing, where the control unit sends user input information received at the input element to the surgical power tool.

External hand control for surgical power tool

A replaceable heated end effector ( ) can be quickly connected and disconnected to a vacuum ported tool changer ( ) on a high speed machine for picking and placing electronic components. The modular end effector is made up of an adapter flange ( ), a heater plate ( ) and a heated tip ( ). The heater plate contains one or more heating elements ( ) to heat up the tip. The upper side ( ) of the adapter flange mates with the vacuum ported tool changer so as to be easily removable. The adapted flange also has electrical contacts ( ) to supply power to the heating elements on the heater plate. The heated tip has a vacuum pickup portion ( ) that is designed to pick up the electronic components ( ) and heat them while they are being transported to the placement location. There are holes or apertures ( ) in the adapter flange, the heater plate and the heated tip that port the vacuum from the tool changer to the vacuum pickup tip. The adapter flange, the heater plate and the heated tip are all fastened together in close proximity to form a modular unit that can be easily and removably connected to the tool changer.

Removable heated end effector

A solder printing apparatus (40) for use within a solder printer (34) includes a vision and alignment mechanism (44), a steering mechanism (46), a vacuum conveyer (48), and a tension roller assembly (42). The vision and alignment mechanism (44) controls the position of the flexible tape (10) and sends a signal to the steering mechanism (46). The steering mechanism (46) adjusts the position of the flexible tape (10) in response to receiving the signal from the vision and alignment mechanism (44). The vacuum conveyer (48) holds and advances the flexible tape (10). The tension roller assembly (42) maintains tension in the flexible tape (10).

Solder printing apparatus

An apparatus (400) used for indexing and affixing components to a substrate includes a vacuum conveyor and a controller (816) for controlling operation of the apparatus (400). The conveyor includes pallets (102), first and second tracks (414, 416), first and second motors (502, 503), a vacuum source, a plenum (110), and first and second elevators (404, 405). The pallets carry the substrate, while the first and second tracks guide the pallets. The first motor is used for driving a pallet in a first direction on the first track, while the second motor is used for driving a pallet in a direction opposite to the first direction on the second track. The plenum is coupled to the vacuum source and at least one pallet for applying adhering forces to the substrate. The first and second elevators are used for transferring a pallet between the first and second tracks.

Apparatus for indexing and affixing components to a substrate

An apparatus (400) enclosing a portion of a substrate (401) is used for affixing at least one component to a corresponding circuit of the substrate when a manufacturing line (800) ceases to operate. The apparatus includes a conveyor (400), heating elements (102), and a controller (816) for controlling operation of the apparatus (400). The conveyor is used for indexing the substrate periodically through the apparatus. The heating elements are used for dividing the portion of the substrate enclosed by the apparatus into controllable temperature zones (902). The controller is adapted to cause each of the plurality of heating elements to dynamically adjust the temperature of each of the controllable temperature zones upon the indexing process of the manufacturing line (800) ceasing to operate, until at least one component of each circuit enclosed by the apparatus has been adequately affixed to its corresponding circuit.

Method and apparatus for affixing components to a substrate when a

A station (10) in a manufacturing line (12) for the accurate placement of solder balls (30) on a ball grid array package and for the removal of excess solder balls comprises a substrate (4) having an array of solder pads (7), and an adhesion layer (8) on the solder pads. The station further comprises a stencil (16) placed on top of the substrate and having a height between 1/4 times the diameter of one of the solder balls and 5/4 times the diameter of one of the balls, the stencil having an array of apertures (18) corresponding to the array of solder pads and substantially exposing each of the solder pads of the array, a pallet (2) for holding and transporting the substrate to the stencil and further along the manufacturing line, a dispenser (26) for pouring solder balls in bulk over the stencil, a vibration device (20) coupled to the station for urging the solder balls into the apertures of the stencil and onto the adhesion layer above the solder pads, and a moving directed column of air (24) across the surface of the stencil to remove excess solder balls from the stencil.

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Boynton Beach, FL, United States of America

Ovidiu Neiconi