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:
Jul. 20, 1993
Filed:
Aug. 08, 1991
Donald J Hayes, Plano, TX (US);
Michael T Boldman, Garland, TX (US);
David B Wallace, Dallas, TX (US);
MicroFab Technologies, Inc., Plano, TX (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for producing solidified solder balls and for ejecting generally spherical-shaped drops of liquid solder through a controlled atmosphere to impact on a surface to be wetted is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a preload reservoir to hold and maintain solder in a liquid state, an ejection chamber to hold and maintain the solder in a liquid state, a connection between the preload reservoir and the ejection chamber to allow liquid solder in the preload reservoir to be transferred to the ejection chamber while maintaining the oxides in the preload reservoir, a device to pressurize the ejection chamber with an inert gas and an ejection device operatively connected to receive liquid solder from the ejection chamber and to eject generally spherical-shaped drops of liquid solder to a specific location on a surface to be wetted. Structure is included to provide an atmosphere of inert gas between the ejection device and the specific location on a surface to be wetted. The method includes the steps of maintaining solder in a liquid state in a reservoir, transferring solder in the liquid state from the reservoir to an ejection chamber, maintaining the transferred solder in a liquid state in the ejection chamber, pressurizing the ejection chamber with an inert gas, transferring solder in the liquid state from the ejection chamber to an ejection device, ejecting generally spherical-shaped drops of liquid solder from said ejection device to a specific location on a surface to be wetted. An atmosphere of inert gas is provided between the ejection device and the specific location on a surface to be wetted.