Flat cable soldering apparatus

Claim 2

Soldering apparatus for pretinned multiwire flat cable and circuit card connectors, comprising: a base member; a support bracket mounted on said base member; a frame member vertically, pivotally mounted to said bracket; a frame driving means mounted on said base member and movingly coupled to one end of said frame member; means for receiving and aligning said circuit card connector and said pretinned multiwire flat cable to provide a plurality of circuit card conductor-to-flat cable conductor joints, said means for receiving and aligning being adjustable and mounted on said base member below said heating means; means for heating circuit card conductor-to-flat cable conductor joints above the eutectic point of said pretinned multiwire flat cable, said heating means mounted on said frame member on an end opposite of said frame driving means, said heating means including a heating element and an elongated bar of heat conducting material; and timing and control means for controllably actuating said heating means and said frame driving means to cause said heating means to be heated above the eutectic point of said pretinned multiwire flat cable and to cause said frame driving means to pivot said frame such that said elongated bar of heat conducting material contacts said pretinned multiwire flat cable and circuit card connector to solder them together at a preset pressure.

Claim 3

The soldering apparatus of claim 1 wherein said heating means comprises an elongated bar of heat conductive material having first and second longitudinal channels formed therein, said first channel receiving an electrical resistance heating unit and said second channel being connected to a vented source of cooling gas, said heating unit and said vented source of cooling gas controllably actuated by said timing and control means.

Claim 4

The soldering apparatus of claim 2 wherein said heater bar has a plurality of grooves formed on the lower surface thereof.

Claim 5

The soldering apparatus of claim 1 wherein said frame driving means comprises an air-actuated piston, said piston being drivingly connected to said frame member by an actuator rod.

Claim 6

The soldering apparatus of claim 1 wherein said heating means includes a temperature sensor mounted atop said heating means and connected to said timing and control means.

Claim 7

The soldering apparatus of claim 1 wherein said base member includes safety interlock means disposed between said circuit card connector and flat cable receiving means and connected to said timing and control means for electrically disabling said timing and control means if said circuit card connector or flat cable are improperly positioned or aligned within said receiving means.

Claim 8

Apparatus for soldering electrical connections to be made between pretinned multiwire flat cable conductors and circuit card connectors and having controlled heating, pressure and cooling cycles, comprising: a base member; a support bracket mounted on said base member; a frame member vertically, pivotably mounted to said bracket; a frame driving means mounted on said base member and movingly coupled to one end of said frame member; heating means mounted on said frame member on an end opposite said frame driving means, said heating means comprising an elongated bar of heat conductive material, said heating bar having a rounded lower contacting portion and including first and second longitudinal channels formed therein, said first channel receiving an electrical resistance heating unit and said second channel being connected to a vented source of cooling gas; adjustable circuit card connector and flat cable receiving means mounted on said base member below said heating means; and timing and control means for controllably actuating said resistance heating unit, said frame driving means, and said vented source of cooling gas causing in sequence said heater bar to be heated above the eutectic point of said pretinned multiwire cable, said frame driving means to pivot said frame such that said lower contacting portion of said heater bar contacts said pretinned multiwire flat cable conductors and circuit card connectors to solder their electrical connections together at a preset pressure for a preset amount of time, said vented source of cooling gas to be supplied to said second channel formed in said heater bar to controllably lower said heater bar and said soldered circuit card and pretinned multiwire flat cable connections below their eutectic point, and said frame driving means to pivot said frame such that said heater bar no longer contacts said soldered circuit card connectors and pretinned multiwire flat cable conductors.

Claim 9

Apparatus for soldering electrical connections to be made between pretinned multiwire flat cable conductors and circuit card connectors and having controlled heating, pressure and cooling cycles, comprising: a base member; a support bracket mounted on said base member; a frame member vertically, pivotably mounted to said bracket; a frame driving means mounted on said base member and movingly coupled to one end of said frame member; heating means mounted on said frame member on an end opposite said frame driving means, said heating means comprising an elongated bar of heat conductive material, said heating bar having a rounded lower contacting portion and including first and second longitudinal channels formed therein, said first channel receiving an electrical resistance heating unit and said second channel being connected to a vented source of cooling gas; adjustable circuit card connector and flat cable receiving means mounted on said base member below said heating means; and timing and control means for controllably actuating said resistance heating unit, said frame driving means, and said vented source of cooling gas causing in sequence said heater bar to be heated above the eutectic point of said pretinned multiwire cable, said frame driving means to pivot said frame such that said lower contacting portion of said heater bar contacts said pretinned multiwire flat cable conductors and circuit card connectors to solder their electrical connections together at a preset pressure for a preset amount of time, said vented source of cooling gas to be supplied to said second channel formed in said heater bar to controllably lower said heater bar and said soldered circuit card and pretinned multiwire flat cable connections below their eutectic point, and said frame driving means to pivot said frame such that said heater bar no longer contacts said soldered circuit card connectors and pretinned multiwire flat cable conductors.

Claim 10

The soldering apparatus of claim 7 wherein said heater bar has a plurality of grooves formed on the lower surface thereof.

Claim 11

The soldering apparatus of claim 7 wherein said frame driving means comprises an air-actuated piston, said piston being drivingly connected to said frame member by an actuator rod.

Claim 12

The soldering apparatus of claim 7 wherein said heating means includes a temperature sensor mounted atop said heating means and connected to said timing and control means.