The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 10, 1992
Filed:
Nov. 20, 1990
Robert A Amos, Austin, TX (US);
Joel R Anstrom, Austin, TX (US);
Francis W Bogaczyk, Austin, TX (US);
Robert W Kulterman, Austin, TX (US);
Gilbert B Nebgen, Round Rock, TX (US);
Darryl R Polk, Austin, TX (US);
Michael A Rubsam, Austin, TX (US);
David P Watson, Round Rock, TX (US);
Terry L Wilmoth, Austin, TX (US);
Clifford M Wood, Round Rock, TX (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
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.