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:
Apr. 14, 1992
Filed:
Sep. 24, 1990
Terry F Hayden, Round Rock, TX (US);
Christopher A Hicks, Austin, TX (US);
Rodney A Pooler, Round Rock, TX (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
The method and apparatus of the present invention permits the automated deposition of heated solder onto a plurality of conductive pads which are disposed in one or more linear arrays on a circuit board or other planar member. A robotically controlled arm is utilized to mount a solder nozzle and selectively manipulate the solder nozzle over the circuit board. The solder nozzle is first manipulated to a selected point offset in a known direction and distance from a first conductive pad by means of a data set which specifies the centroid and footprint for a selected group of conductive pads. After feeding solder into the solder nozzle, aligning the solder nozzle at a desired angle parallel to a linear array of conductive pads and lowering the solder nozzle until a solder droplet contacts the circuit board, the solder nozzle is manipulated at a substantially constant velocity toward the first conductive pad and thereafter along a selected line which tracks the linear array of conductive pads. To avoid solder starvation at the last few pads in a linear array, the solder nozzle is manipulated at a selected angle away from the selected line while decreasing the solder nozzle velocity. The angle of departure from the selected line is preferably an acute angle selected so that the solder nozzle avoids contact with alignment points or other areas which do not require solder deposition.