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:
Dec. 25, 2000
Filed:
Feb. 16, 1998
James J Andrus, Bow, NH (US);
Allan Lance Larrabee, Litchfield, NH (US);
John Norton, New Boston, NH (US);
Lambertus P Willemen, Dorst, NL;
Soltec B.V., Oosterhout, NL;
Abstract
A debridging tool incorporated into an automated wave soldering system adjacent to and after a wave soldering station removes bridges and/or excess solder formed during the wave soldering process by emitting a pressurized stream of air, inert gas or other fluid only under selected areas of a printed circuit board, including a flexible circuit. The debridging tool, which comprises a movable nozzle from which the stream is emitted and a means for transporting the nozzle under the printed circuit board, targets only those areas of the board where bridges or excess solder repeatedly forms during the soldering process without disturbing solder joints where no bridges or excess solder form. More than one movable nozzle may be used where warranted. Since the debridging tool is positioned so closely to the wave soldering station and the latent heat from the soldering process remains in the printed circuit board, and the gas mass is relatively small, the stream of air, gas or other fluid used for solder removal may be kept below the temperature of molten solder. The debridging tool also permits the stream to be emitted at a first pressure under a first area where solder is to be removed and at a second pressure under a second area where solder is to be removed.