Patent US3464707A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent EP0209650A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0209650A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method and apparatus for placing and electrically connecting components on a printed circuit board
Assignee: VANZETTI SYSTEMS Inc
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Filing: 1986-04-30
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-04-30
Abstract
Abstract A system for placing, soldering and inspecting component parts, such as soldered joints and electronic components, on a printed circuit board 26 utilizes a transfer device 10 for selecting and transferring specific electronic component parts 30 to predetermined positions on a printed circuit board and holding each component part 30 in the desired position by means of the transfer device 10 during a reflow soldering operation to mechanically and electrically connect the component part to the printed circuit board. The reflow soldering utilizes a laser beam 20 for injecting thermal energy into each soldered joint to melt the soldered material. An infrared detector 19 senses thermal radiation and/or reflected radiation from the heated solder material to discontinue the application of the laser beam to the solder material upon liquifaction of the solder material. The infrared detector 19 also continues to sense the thermal radiation from the heated solder material during cool down to provide a signal which will be compared with a standard signal to determine the quality of the solder joint.
Inventors
- 👤 Riccardo Vanzetti
- 👤 Ashod S. Dostoomian
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 13:00
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23K; B23K26/00; B23K26/02; B23K26/03; B23K26/032; B23K1/00; B23K1/005; B23K1/0056; B23K26/034; H; H05; H05K; H05K13/00; H05K13/04; H05K13/046; H05K13/0465; H05K13/08; H05K13/082; H05K3/00; H05K3/30; H05K3/32; H05K3/34; H05K3/3494; H05K2203/00; H05K2203/10; H05K2203/107; H05K2203/16; H05K2203/163
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
188 words
An apparatus for placing, soldering and inspecting components and soldered connections on a printed circuit board comprising support means 28 for moveably supporting a printing circuit board 26, supply means for sequentially supplying electronic components 30, transfer means 10 for automatically selecting, transferring and temporarily holding said electronic components 30 in a predetermined sequence at predetermined locations on said printed circuit board 26, laser means 20 for injecting thermal energy into solder material disposed at desired contact points of one of said electronic components 30 with said circuit board 26 to liquify the solder material, infrared sensing means 19 for continuously sensing the radiation from each solder joint during heating of said solder joint for providing a signal indicative of the liquifaction of said solder material, control means 17 receiving said signal indicative of liquifaction of said solder material for terminating the injection of thermal energy by said laser means 20 and inspection means 17 for comparing the signal provided by said infrared sensing means subsequent to the termination of heat injection by said laser means 20 with a standard signal to determine acceptability of each solder joint.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
188 words
An apparatus for placing, soldering and inspecting components and soldered connections on a printed circuit board comprising support means 28 for moveably supporting a printing circuit board 26, supply means for sequentially supplying electronic components 30, transfer means 10 for automatically selecting, transferring and temporarily holding said electronic components 30 in a predetermined sequence at predetermined locations on said printed circuit board 26, laser means 20 for injecting thermal energy into solder material disposed at desired contact points of one of said electronic components 30 with said circuit board 26 to liquify the solder material, infrared sensing means 19 for continuously sensing the radiation from each solder joint during heating of said solder joint for providing a signal indicative of the liquifaction of said solder material, control means 17 receiving said signal indicative of liquifaction of said solder material for terminating the injection of thermal energy by said laser means 20 and inspection means 17 for comparing the signal provided by said infrared sensing means subsequent to the termination of heat injection by said laser means 20 with a standard signal to determine acceptability of each solder joint.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said infrared sensing means includes a single infrared detector 30 for sensing thermal radiation from the heated solder joint for determining both the point of liquifaction and for sensing the thermal radiation subsequent to the liquifaction of said solder.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus as set forth in Claim 2 further comprising an additional radiation detector for sensing radiation reflected from said solder to determine the liquifaction of the solder.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
An apparatus as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said support means for said printed circuit board is comprised of a support table 28 moveable along X-Y axes and means for shifting said support table for sequentially performing a reflow soldering operation on successive electronic components.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said laser injection and infrared sensing means is disposed at an acute angle relative to a line perpendicular to the said printed circuit board.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
177 words
A method for placing, soldering and inspecting components and soldered connections on a printed circuit board at a single work station comprising automatically transferring electronic components 30 from supply means to a printed circuit board 26 by transfer means 10 wherein the elements to be soldered together have pre-tinned contact points, injecting thermal energy into said pre-tinned contact points by laser means 20 while each electronic component is held in position on said circuit board by said transfer means 10 to liquify the solder material at each contact point, detecting infrared radiation emitted from the heated solder material by infrared detector means 19 to determine the instant all solid solder material has been melted at the contact point to provide a signal for turning off the laser means, continuing the sensing of infrared radiation by means of said infrared detector means during cool down of the soldered joint and comparing the signal provided by the infrared radiation during cool down with a standard ideal signal stored in a memory to determine the acceptability of the solder joint.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
177 words
A method for placing, soldering and inspecting components and soldered connections on a printed circuit board at a single work station comprising automatically transferring electronic components 30 from supply means to a printed circuit board 26 by transfer means 10 wherein the elements to be soldered together have pre-tinned contact points, injecting thermal energy into said pre-tinned contact points by laser means 20 while each electronic component is held in position on said circuit board by said transfer means 10 to liquify the solder material at each contact point, detecting infrared radiation emitted from the heated solder material by infrared detector means 19 to determine the instant all solid solder material has been melted at the contact point to provide a signal for turning off the laser means, continuing the sensing of infrared radiation by means of said infrared detector means during cool down of the soldered joint and comparing the signal provided by the infrared radiation during cool down with a standard ideal signal stored in a memory to determine the acceptability of the solder joint.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method as set forth in Claim 6 further comprising classifying the faults obtained by comparing the signal provided by the infrared radiation during cool down with a standard ideal signal stored in a memory 17 and providing feedback signal means for taking the appropriate action in accordance with the type of fault detected.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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