Apparatus for and method of desoldering and removing an integrated circuit from a mounting member and for cleaning the same

Claim 1

An apparatus for desoldering and removing an integrated circuit from a printed circuit board and for cleaning the same of solder comprising heater means for heating and melting to a liquid state solder securing together the integrated circuit and printed circuit board, a housing having means for holding within and enclosing the integrated circuit while the integrated circuit and printed circuit board are soldered together to remove the integrated circuit from the printed circuit board when the securing solder is melted by said heater means, seal means for fluid-tight engagement with the printed circuit board to complete the enclosure of said housing about the integrated circuit, means moving said housing and heater means relatively to cause the solder that secures together the integrated circuit and printed circuit board to contact said heater means to melt the solder to release the integrated circuit for removal from the printed circuit board by said holding means, and fluid supply means connected to supply fluid under pressure to the enclosure of said housing and to the integrated circuit held therein and to the printed circuit board engaged with said sealing means to clean the same free of the molten solder and to cool the integrated circuit, said fluid supply being selectively controllable, means connected with said fluid supply to selectively control the direction of the flow of the pressurized fluid to said moving means to cause said relative movement of said housing and heater and to vary the volume of the fluid flow to variably control the speed of said relative movement, and means to supply the fluid thereof under pressure to said housing enclosure to control the rate of removal of melted solder from said integrated circit and printed circuit board and the cooling thereof.

Claim 2

An apparatus for desoldering and removing an integrated circuit from a printed circuit board and for cleaning the same of solder comprising heater means for heating and melting to a liquid state solder securing together the integrated circuit and printed circuit board, a housing having means for holding within and enclosing the integrated circuit while the integrated circuit and printed circuit board are soldered together to remove the integrated circuit from the printed circuit board when the securing solder is melted by said heater means, seal means for fluid-tight engagement with the printed circuit board to complete the enclosure of said housing about the integrated circuit, means moving said housing and heater means relatively to cause the solder that secures together the integrated circuit and printed circuit board to contact said heater means to melt the solder to release the integrated circuit for removal from the printed circuit board by said holding means, and fluid supply means connected to supply fluid under pressure to the enclosure of said housing and to the integrated circuit held therein and to the printed circuit board engaged with said sealing means to clean the same free of the molten solder and to cool the integrated circuit, said fluid supply being selectively controllable, means connected with said fluid supply to selectively control the direction of the flow of the pressurized fluid to said moving means to cause said relative movement of said housing and heater and to vary the volume of the fluid flow to variably control the speed of said relative movement, and means to supply the fluid thereof under pressure to said housing enclosure to control the rate of removal of melted solder from said integrated circit and printed circuit board and the cooling thereof.

Claim 7

The method of separating and removing a soldered together multi-lead electronic component from a mounting member having holes in which leads of the component are soldered and for cleaning the same comprising holding the component in an enclosure and supporting the mounting member outside the enclosure to apply to the component and mounting member a force to separate the same and to remove the component from the mounting member, heating the solder securing together the component and the mounting member to melt the solder to cause it to release the component from its soldered connection with its mounting member, applying fluid under pressure to the enclosure and to the component in the enclosure such that the fluid is contained by the enclosure to flow about the component to clean the component of solder and to cool the same, and directing the fluid within the enclosure to flow out of the holes remaining in the mounting member by the removal of the component therefrom to clean the solder therefrom while causing the fluid in the enclosure to escape from the enclosure through the holes in the mounting member to clean the mounting member of solder and to cool the same, heating the solder securing together the component and mounting member by positioning the securing solder in a pool of heated melted solder contained in a heater while positioning the mounting means free of touching engagement with the heater, completing the enclosure by closing the same with the mounting means to contain the pressurized fluid therein, varying the application of the fluid to control the rate of cleaning and of the cooling of the component and the mounting member.

Claim 8

The method of separating and removing a soldered together multi-lead electronic component from a mounting member having holes in which leads of the component are soldered and for cleaning the same comprising holding the component in an enclosure and supporting the mounting member outside the enclosure to apply to the component and mounting member a force to separate the same and to remove the component from the mounting member, heating the solder securing together the component and the mounting member to melt the solder to cause it to release the component from its soldered connection with its mounting member, applying fluid under pressure to the enclosure and to the component in the enclosure such that the fluid is contained by the enclosure to flow about the component to clean the component of solder and to cool the same, and directing the fluid within the enclosure to flow out of the holes remaining in the mounting member by the removal of the component therefrom to clean the solder therefrom while causing the fluid in the enclosure to escape from the enclosure through the holes in the mounting member to clean the mounting member of solder and to cool the same, heating the solder securing together the component and mounting member by positioning the securing solder in a pool of heated melted solder contained in a heater while positioning the mounting means free of touching engagement with the heater, completing the enclosure by closing the same with the mounting means to contain the pressurized fluid therein, varying the application of the fluid to control the rate of cleaning and of the cooling of the component and the mounting member.

Claim 12

The method of separating and removing a soldered together multi-lead electronic component from a mounting member having holes in which leads of the component are soldered and for cleaning the same comprising holding the component in an enclosure and supporting the mounting member outside the enclosure to apply to the component and mounting member a force to separate the same and to remove the component from the mounting member, heating the solder securing together the component and the mounting member to melt the solder to cause it to release the component from its soldered connection with its mounting member, applying fluid under pressure to the enclosure and to the component in the enclosure such that the fluid is contained by the enclosure to flow about the component to clean the component of solder and to cool the same, and directing the fluid within the enclosure to flow out of the holes remaining in the mounting member by the removal of the component therefrom to clean the solder therefrom while causing the fluid in the enclosure to escape from the enclosure though the holes in the mounting member to clean the mounting member of solder and to cool the same, heating the solder by a heater to form a raised miniscus of solder therein, moving the heater and the enclosure relative to each other by the application of the fluid pressure to position the solder holding together the component and the mounting member within the solder miniscus without engaging the mounting member and heater.

Claim 13

The method of separating and removing a soldered together multi-lead electronic component from a mounting member having holes in which leads of the component are soldered and for cleaning the same comprising holding the component in an enclosure and supporting the mounting member outside the enclosure to apply to the component and mounting member a force to separate the same and to remove the component from the mounting member, heating the solder securing together the component and the mounting member to melt the solder to cause it to release the component from its soldered connection with its mounting member, applying fluid under pressure to the enclosure and to the component in the enclosure such that the fluid is contained by the enclosure to flow about the component to clean the component of solder and to cool the same, and directing the fluid within the enclosure to flow out of the holes remaining in the mounting member by the removal of the component therefrom to clean the solder therefrom while causing the fluid in the enclosure to escape from the enclosure though the holes in the mounting member to clean the mounting member of solder and to cool the same, heating the solder by a heater to form a raised miniscus of solder therein, moving the heater and the enclosure relative to each other by the application of the fluid pressure to position the solder holding together the component and the mounting member within the solder miniscus without engaging the mounting member and heater.

Claim 15

An apparatus for separating an assembled multi-lead component and a printed circuit board in which the component leads are soldered in holes in the printed circuit board and for cleaning the same of solder comprising a movable carrier having housing means on and movable therewith to house the component therein, gripper means movable with said carrier and relative thereto and within said housing to grip the component and to move the component into and out of said housing, spring means on said carrier connected with said gripper means to move the same relative to said carrier and normally to a position in said carrier whereby the gripper means grips the component and the component is drawn into said housing means such that the printed circuit board soldered to the component engages with said housing to close the same about the component therein, said spring means applying a separating force to the component and the printed circuit board to separate the same when the assembling solder is melted, a heater containing melted solder therein for engagement therewith by the solder of the assembled component and the printed circuit board, and fluid operated means for moving said carrier to position the solder of the assembly into melting engagement with the melted solder of said heater including means to adjust the positioning of said carrier to limit the extent of said solder melting engagement and to prevent damage to the printed circuit board, and means operable to supply fluid under pressure to said fluid operated means to move said carrier and to bathe the component in said housing with said pressurized fluid to clean the component of melted solder and to cool the component and to clean the printed circuit board of melted solder and to cool the printed circuit board by flowing outward of said housing through the holes left in the printed circuit board by the separation of the component from the printed circuit board.

Claim 16

An apparatus for separating an assembled multi-lead component and a printed circuit board in which the component leads are soldered in holes in the printed circuit board and for cleaning the same of solder comprising a movable carrier having housing means on and movable therewith to house the component therein, gripper means movable with said carrier and relative thereto and within said housing to grip the component and to move the component into and out of said housing, spring means on said carrier connected with said gripper means to move the same relative to said carrier and normally to a position in said carrier whereby the gripper means grips the component and the component is drawn into said housing means such that the printed circuit board soldered to the component engages with said housing to close the same about the component therein, said spring means applying a separating force to the component and the printed circuit board to separate the same when the assembling solder is melted, a heater containing melted solder therein for engagement therewith by the solder of the assembled component and the printed circuit board, and fluid operated means for moving said carrier to position the solder of the assembly into melting engagement with the melted solder of said heater including means to adjust the positioning of said carrier to limit the extent of said solder melting engagement and to prevent damage to the printed circuit board, and means operable to supply fluid under pressure to said fluid operated means to move said carrier and to bathe the component in said housing with said pressurized fluid to clean the component of melted solder and to cool the component and to clean the printed circuit board of melted solder and to cool the printed circuit board by flowing outward of said housing through the holes left in the printed circuit board by the separation of the component from the printed circuit board.