Machine for cleaning printed circuit board

Claim 2

In a machine for scrubbing printed circuit boards, conveyor means movable in a first direction and adapted for carrying printed circuit boards, elongated brush means extending transversely of said first direction and proximate to said conveyor means for scrubbing circuit boards carried by said conveyor means, means pivotally mounting the ends of said brush means for arcuate movement about spaced apart parallel axes normal to said first direction, and reciprocating drive means operably connected to said brush means for moving said brush means transversely of said first direction.

Claim 3

A machine as in claim 1 wherein said drive means is fluid operated.

Claim 4

A machine as in claim 1 wherein said conveyor means is movable in a second direction opposite to said first direction, together with means for selectively moving said conveyor means in said first and second directions.

Claim 5

A machine as in claim 1 together with a fluid operated ram operably connected to said brush means for urging said brush means into contact with circuit boards carried by said conveyor means and a pressure regulating valve connected for controlling the flow of fluid to said ram.

Claim 6

A machine as in claim 1 wherein said conveyor means comprises an endless conveyor belt having a textured surface for gripping printed circuit boards carried thereon.

Claim 7

A machine as in claim 5 together with means cooperating with said conveyor belt for feeding boards from a stack placed on said belt individually to said brush means, said means for feeding comprising a cylindrical roller mounted for rotation about an axis generally parallel to said brush means, said roller being spaced above said belt by a distance corresponding to the thickness of a circuit board.

Claim 8

In a machine for scrubbing printed circuit boards, a frame assembly, a conveyor means including an endless belt mounted on said frame assembly and movable in a first direction of travel, said belt being adapted for carrying printed circuit boards on its upper surface, elongated brush means extending transversely of the direction of belt travel, said brush means having a bristle portion disposed for engaging the upper surfaces of printed circuit boards carried by the belt, a pair of spaced apart spindle members carried by the frame assembly and extending in a direction normal to the upper surface of the belt, means constraining the ends of said brush means for arcuate movement about said spindle members, reciprocating drive means operably connected to said brush means for moving the same transversely of the belt travel, drying means mounted on said frame assembly at one end of the conveyor means for receiving printed circuit boards from said belt and drying said boards, and rinsing means mounted on said frame assembly intermediate the conveyor belt and said drying means for rinsing the printed circuit boards as they pass from said belt to said drying means.

Claim 9

In a machine for scrubbing printed circuit boards, a frame assembly, a conveyor means including an endless belt mounted on said frame assembly and movable in a first direction of travel, said belt being adapted for carrying printed circuit boards on its upper surface, elongated brush means extending transversely of the direction of belt travel, said brush means having a bristle portion disposed for engaging the upper surfaces of printed circuit boards carried by the belt, a pair of spaced apart spindle members carried by the frame assembly and extending in a direction normal to the upper surface of the belt, means constraining the ends of said brush means for arcuate movement about said spindle members, reciprocating drive means operably connected to said brush means for moving the same transversely of the belt travel, drying means mounted on said frame assembly at one end of the conveyor means for receiving printed circuit boards from said belt and drying said boards, and rinsing means mounted on said frame assembly intermediate the conveyor belt and said drying means for rinsing the printed circuit boards as they pass from said belt to said drying means.

Claim 10

A machine as in claim 7 wherein said drying means includes a plurality of rollers disposed in pairs and adapted for passing printed circuit boards between the rollers of each pair, one roller in each pair having moisture absorbent material at its periphery, said drying means also including means for directing warm air against the boards.

Claim 11

A machine aS in claim 7 together with a washing sink disposed at the end of the conveyor means opposite said drying means.

Claim 12

A machine as in claim 7 together with fluid actuated ram means carried by the frame assembly for urging the brush means into contact with printed circuit boards carried by the conveyor belt and means for maintaining the pressure of fluid delivered to the ram means at a predetermined level.

Claim 13

A machine as in claim 7 together with means for feeding circuit boards individually along the belt toward the brush means from a stack of boards on the belt, said means comprising a cylindrical roller mounted for rotation about an axis extending transversely of the direction of belt travel, said roller being spaced above the upper surface of the belt by a distance corresponding to the thickness of a circuit board.