US3966110A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Stabilizer system with ultrasonic soldering
Assignee: HOLLIS AUTOMATION Co A Corp OF
•
Filing: 1975-03-11
•
Granted: 1976-06-29
•
Expires: 1995-03-11
Abstract
Abstract An ultrasonic soldering system is described. Electrical and electronic components are assembled in a circuit board with their leads extending through holes in the board. The components are temporarily held in position in the board by means of a solid, solder-compatible, stabilizer material having a melting point below that of solder, which material couples the board and leads to one another. The component leads are then trimmed to finish length, and after trimming, the components are soldered in place utilizing vibratory energy in a body of molten solder. The vibratory energy in the solder scrubs the board and leads removing oxides and allowing wetting, thus eliminating the need for application of fluxes and surface preparation prior to soldering. The stabilizing material is melted and displaced simultaneously with soldering.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth G. Boynton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 07:53
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23K; B23K35/00; B23K35/22; B23K35/36; B23K35/3612; B23K35/3613; H; H05; H05K; H05K13/00; H05K13/04; H05K13/046; H05K13/0465; H05K3/00; H05K3/30; H05K3/303; H05K3/305; H05K3/306; H05K2203/00; H05K2203/02; H05K2203/0285; H05K2203/07; H05K2203/0756; H05K2203/0769; H05K3/22; H05K3/28; H05K3/282; H05K3/32; H05K3/34; H05K3/3447; H05K3/3465; H05K3/3468; H05K3/3489; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
A method of mass joining with solder printed circuit boards having mounted thereon components with leads extending through holes in lands on the board, said method comprising the steps of: holding said components in position in said board by coupling said lands and leads to one another with a solid stabilizer material which is compatible with said solder and has a melting point below that of said solder, and immersing said board and leads at least in part in a molten body of said solder to which vibratory energy is imparted so as simultaneously to melt said stabilizer material and scrub said lands and leads to remove oxides and said materials therefrom, and to wet said lands and leads with said molten body of solder.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
125 words
A method of mass joining with solder printed circuit boards having mounted thereon components with leads extending through holes in lands on the board, said method comprising the steps of: holding said components in position in said board by coupling said lands and leads to one another with a solid stabilizer material which is compatible with said solder and has a melting point below that of said solder, and immersing said board and leads at least in part in a molten body of said solder to which vibratory energy is imparted so as simultaneously to melt said stabilizer material and scrub said lands and leads to remove oxides and said materials therefrom, and to wet said lands and leads with said molten body of solder.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 1 further including the step of trimming the component leads prior to immersing said board and leads in said molten body of solder.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein said leads are trimmed after said components are mounted on said board.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
152 words
A method of mass joining with solder electrical and electronic components assembled in a circuit board wherein the components have leads which extend through holes in lands on the board, and excess lengths of said component leads are trimmed prior to soldering said method comprising the steps in sequence of: a. holding said components in position on said board by coupling said lands and leads to one another with a solid stabilizer material which is compatible with said solder and has a melting point below that of said solder; b. trimming said leads; c. immersing said board and leads at least in part in a molten body of said solder to which vibratory energy is imparted so as simultaneously to melt said stabilizer material and to scrub said lands and leads to remove oxides and said stabilizer material therefrom, and to wet said lands and leads with said molten body of solder.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
152 words
A method of mass joining with solder electrical and electronic components assembled in a circuit board wherein the components have leads which extend through holes in lands on the board, and excess lengths of said component leads are trimmed prior to soldering said method comprising the steps in sequence of: a. holding said components in position on said board by coupling said lands and leads to one another with a solid stabilizer material which is compatible with said solder and has a melting point below that of said solder; b. trimming said leads; c. immersing said board and leads at least in part in a molten body of said solder to which vibratory energy is imparted so as simultaneously to melt said stabilizer material and to scrub said lands and leads to remove oxides and said stabilizer material therefrom, and to wet said lands and leads with said molten body of solder.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 4 wherein said solder-compatible stabilizer material has a melting point temperature in the range of about 120°-205°F.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 4 wherein said solder-compatible stabilizer material is selected from the group consisting of waxes, resins and polymers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein said stabilizer material comprises a naturally occurring wax.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 7 wherein said naturally occurring wax comprises a vegetable wax.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 7 wherein said naturally occurring wax comprises an animal wax.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 7 wherein said naturally occurring wax comprises a petroleum derived mineral wax.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein said stabilizer material comprises a synthetic wax derived from a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein said stabilizer material comprises a resin selected from the group consisting of alkyl resins and dipentene resins.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein said stabilizer material is a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, a polyethylene glycol, polybutene, and polyindene.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein said stabilizer material comprises a water soluble polymeric material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 4 wherein said solder-compatible stabilizer material is applied to said lands and leads as a selected liquid material, and including the step of hardening said liquid.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method according to claim 4 wherein said stabilizer material is applied to said lands prior to assembling said components onto said board, and the components are loaded in position on said board by forcing said leads into or through said material for a distance.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 16 including the step of reflowing and then rehardening said stabilizer material.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
112 words
A system for mass joining with solder electrical and electronic components assembled in a circuit board wherein the components have leads which extend through holes in lands on said board, and comprising in combination: means for applying to said board a solid stabilizer material which is compatible with said solder and has a melting point below that of said solder; and, an ultrasonic soldering station adapted to apply to said lands and leads a molten body of said solder to which vibratory energy is imparted so as to scrub said lands and leads to remove oxides and said stabilizer material therefrom, and to simultaneously wet said lands and leads with molten solder.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
112 words
A system for mass joining with solder electrical and electronic components assembled in a circuit board wherein the components have leads which extend through holes in lands on said board, and comprising in combination: means for applying to said board a solid stabilizer material which is compatible with said solder and has a melting point below that of said solder; and, an ultrasonic soldering station adapted to apply to said lands and leads a molten body of said solder to which vibratory energy is imparted so as to scrub said lands and leads to remove oxides and said stabilizer material therefrom, and to simultaneously wet said lands and leads with molten solder.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system according to claim 18 wherein said means for applying said stabilizer material comprises a container adapted to maintain a liquid body of said material.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system according to claim 19 wherein said container includes means for heating said stabilizer material so as to maintain said material as a melt.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system according to claim 19 including means for forming said liquid as a moving wave.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
23 words
A system according to claim 20 further including means for hardening said material after the latter is applied to said lands and leads.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system according to claim 22 wherein said means for hardening comprises cooling means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
14 words
A system according to claim 22 wherein said means for hardening comprises heating means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system according to claim 22 wherein said means for hardening comprises means for treating said material with a chemical agent which agent causes said material to harden.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system according to claim 22 wherein said means for hardening comprises means for exposing said material to ultraviolet light.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
19 words
A system according to claim 18 further including means for positioning said components at predetermined positions on said board.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system according to claim 18 further including means for trimming said components to a predetermined length prior to soldering.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2784481A
Cited
US2983853A
Cited
US3158927A
Cited
US3388465A
Cited
US3616533A
Cited
US3704515A
Cited
US3835531A
Cited
US3825994A
Cited
US3888639A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-06-29 | 1979-12-29 | 1980-06-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-06-29 | 1983-12-29 | 1984-06-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-06-29 | 1987-12-29 | 1988-06-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |