Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
199 words
Soldering apparatus for bonding by reflow soldering or for removing a chip comprising an integrated circuit or component to or from a substrate providing a multiplicity of sites for such a chip on one surface thereof, said apparatus comprising a head unit relatively moveable towards and away from an aligned substrate mounted on support means and comprising means for holding a chip during such movement to transport chips to or from chip sites on an aligned substrate and heating means for melting the connecting solder at the chip site and said apparatus being characterised in that the heating means comprises a selectively energisable infrared radiant heat source and a reflector therefor which is operative to concentrate radiant energy from the source in a focal plane or zone having an area of substantially the same size as a chip, and by means for advancing the head to a first position in which the spacing between the surface of the substrate and the focal plane or zone has a predetermined value and thereafter moving the head a predetermined distance such that the focal plane or zone is moved to coincide with the solder volume between the chip and the substrate surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
199 words
Soldering apparatus for bonding by reflow soldering or for removing a chip comprising an integrated circuit or component to or from a substrate providing a multiplicity of sites for such a chip on one surface thereof, said apparatus comprising a head unit relatively moveable towards and away from an aligned substrate mounted on support means and comprising means for holding a chip during such movement to transport chips to or from chip sites on an aligned substrate and heating means for melting the connecting solder at the chip site and said apparatus being characterised in that the heating means comprises a selectively energisable infrared radiant heat source and a reflector therefor which is operative to concentrate radiant energy from the source in a focal plane or zone having an area of substantially the same size as a chip, and by means for advancing the head to a first position in which the spacing between the surface of the substrate and the focal plane or zone has a predetermined value and thereafter moving the head a predetermined distance such that the focal plane or zone is moved to coincide with the solder volume between the chip and the substrate surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
Soldering apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further characterised in that the reflector substantially encloses the heat source but has a first opening covered by a shield having a second opening therein through which the radiant energy from the source is directed by the reflector.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
68 words
Soldering apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further characterised in that the first opening is closed by a plate formed of material which transmits said radiant energy, and in that the holding means comprise a chamber between the plate and a chip-engaging rim bounding the second opening in the shield and means for selectively connecting the chamber to a vacuum source to hold a chip against the rim.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
Soldering apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, further characterised in that the head unit is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the said surface of the substrate so that a chip held by the head can be rotated into angular alignment with its site.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
73 words
Soldering apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, further characterised by comprising substrate-support- means including an X-Y table for holding a substrate, which table is movable in two mutually perpendicular directions to align a held substrate with the head unit, and optical means permitting viewing of both a chip site and a chip held by the holding means to permit alignment of the chip and site to be made.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
96 words
Soldering apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, further characterised by comprising bias heating means operative to heat the substrate to reduce thermal shock when the heat source is energised, said bias heating means comprising a second source of infrared radiant heat located between the first said substrate and a surrogate substrate, means for detecting the temperature of a part of the surrogate substrate and means responsive to the temperature detecting means for controlling energisation of the second heat source so as to maintain the first substrate at a predetermined bias temperature.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
59 words
Soldering apparatus as claimed in claim 6 further characterised in that the bias heating means comprise a thermal enclosure containing the second heat source and having parts of its wall formed by the first and surrogate substrates and gas flow means for flowing gas in the enclosure to prevent build up of thermal pockets or layers in the enclosure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
88 words
Soldering apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, further characterised in that the head unit comprises a support structure carrying the first heat source and the reflector, which structure is counter-balanced to remain in a set position along a first vertical track and to slide along the track without offering any substantial resistance to such sliding movement, said first track being formed on a member selectively movable along a second vertical track to carry the support structure towards and away from an aligned substrate.