Rotary developer and method for its use

Claim 2

A rotary developer for removing a portion of a layer of an electronic part to form a via in the part, the developer comprising: a support; a rotor having a rotor axis, the rotor rotatably connected to the support about the rotor a part holder having a holder axis, the holder rotatably connected to the rotor about the holder axis; means for rotating the rotor about the rotor axis in a first direction and for rotating the holder about the holder axis in a second direction; . means for spraying a liquid and a gas on the layer to remove the portion to form the via and to dry the layer and the via.

Claim 3

The rotary developer as in claim 1, wherein the holder axis is spaced from, and substantially parallel to, the rotor axis.

Claim 4

The rotary developer as in claim 1, wherein the first direction is opposite to the second direction.

Claim 5

The rotary developer as in claim 1, wherein the rotating means is for rotating the holder with respect to the support.

Claim 6

The rotary developer as in claim 1, wherein the rotating means comprises: an adjustable motor connected to the support, the motor having an axle rotatable about an axle axis; means for connecting the axle to the rotor with the axle axis intersecting the rotor axis; a stationary pulley around the axle and fixed to the support, the stationary pulley having a circumferential surface; a rotatable pulley fixed to the holder and rotatable about the holder axis, the holder pulley having a circumferential surface; and timing means for going around and contacting the stationary pulley circumferential surface and the holder pulley circumferential surface, whereby when the motor is turned on, the motor rotates the axle in one direction rotating the rotor in the first direction and the timing means rotates the holder in the second direction.

Claim 7

The rotary developer as in claim 5, wherein the circumferences of the stationary pulley circumferential surface and the rotatable pulley circumferential surface are different.

Claim 8

The rotary developer as in claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of part holders, the holders having holder axes and rotatably connected to the rotor about the holder axes; the rotating means is for rotating the holders in the second direction; the spraying and drying means comprises means for spraying the liquid on layers of parts to wash away unexposed photopolymer portions of the layers to form vias when the parts are held by the holders and the rotor and holders are rotating; and the spraying and drying means further comprises means for blowing the gas to remove some of the liquid and the portions from the layers and then to dry the layers and vias when the parts are held by the holders and the rotor and holders are rotating.

Claim 9

The rotary developer as in claim 7, wherein the rotating means comprises: an adjustable motor connected to the support, the motor having an axle rotatable about an axle axis; means for connecting the axle to the rotor with the axle axis intersecting the rotor axis; a stationary pulley around the axle and fixed to the support, the stationary pulley having a circumferential surface; a rotatable pulley fixed to one of the holders and rotatable about the one holder axis, the one rotatable pulley having a circumferential surface; timing means for going around and contacting the stationary pulley circumferential surface and the one rotatable holder pulley circumferential surface; a holder pulley fixed to each of the holders, the holder pulleys having circumferential surfaces; and driving means for going around and contacting each of the holder pulley circumferential surfaces, whereby when the motor is turned on, the motor rotates the motor axle in the first direction rotating the rotor in the first direction, the timing means rotates the rotatable pulley in the second direction, and the driving means rotates the holders in the second direction.

Claim 10

The rotary developer as in claim 7, wherein there is a total of twelve holders.

Claim 11

The rotary developer as in claim 1, wherein the spraying and drying means comprises: means for spraying the liquid comprising a fan spray nozzle fixed in a position spaced from and directed toward the layer when the part is held by the holder, the nozzle substantially on the holder axis at a first position of the holder.

Claim 12

The rotary developer as in claim 1, wherein the spraying and drying means comprises: means for spraying comprising a stationary fan spray nozzle capable of spraying the liquid in a fanning out fashion substantially in a plane substantially intersecting the rotor axis and the holder axis at a first position of the holder, such that when the rotor rotates the holder past the nozzle while the holder is holding the part and the nozzle is spraying, substantially all of the layer is sprayed.

Claim 13

The rotary developer as in claim 11, wherein the plane is at an acute angle with a plane intersecting the rotor axis and the holder axis at the first position of the holder

Claim 14

The rotary developer as in claim 11, wherein the plane intersects the rotor axis and the holder axis at the first position of the holder.

Claim 15

The rotary developer as in claim 1, wherein the spraying and drying means comprises: means for spraying comprising an atomizing fan spray nozzle capable of spraying a mixture of the liquid and the gas toward the layer when the part is held by the holder and the holder is at a first position.

Claim 16

The rotary developer as in claim 1, wherein the spraying and drying means comprises: means for spraying the liquid comprising a plurality of fan spray nozzles, each of the nozzles fixed in a position substantially on a circle spaced from and directed toward the layer when the part is held by the holder, the nozzles substantially on the holder axis at different positions of the holder.

Claim 17

The rotary developer as in claim 15, wherein there are a total of six nozzles spaced around the circle with about 60° between adjacent ones of the nozzles.

Claim 18

The rotary developer as in claim 1, wherein the spraying and drying means comprises: means for blowing the gas to remove some of the liquid and the portion from the layer and then to dry the layer, the blowing means comprising a gas knife fixed in a position spaced from, and for blowing the gas toward, the layer when the part is held by the holder, the gas knife substantially on the holder axis at a second position of the holder.

Claim 19

The rotary developer as in claim 1, wherein the spaying and drying means comprises: means for blowing the gas to remove some of the portion from the layer and then to dry the layer, the blowing means comprising a stationary gas knife capable of blowing dry gas in a knife edge pattern substantially in a plane substantially intersecting the rotor axis and the holder axis at a second position of the holder, such that when the holder rotates the holder past the gas knife while the holder is holding the part and the knife is blowing, all of the layer is blown by the gas.

Claim 20

The rotary developer as in claim 1, wherein the spraying and drying means comprises: means for blowing the gas to remove some of the liquid and the portion from the layer and then to dry the layer, the blowing means comprising a plurality of gas knives, each of the knives fixed in a position substantially on a second circle spaced from and directed toward the layer when the part is held by the holder, the knives substantially on the holder axis at different positions of the holder.

Claim 21

The rotary developer as in claim 19, wherein there are a total of six gas knives spaced around the second circle with about 60° between adjacent ones of the nozzles.

Claim 22

The rotary developer as in claim 16, wherein the spraying and drying means comprises: means for blowing the gas to remove some of the liquid and the portion from the layer and then to dry the layer, the blowing means comprising six gas knives, each of the knives fixed in a position substantially on a second circle spaced from and directed toward the layer when the part is held by the holder, the knives substantially on the holder axis at different positions of the holder; and wherein one of the knives is between adjacent ones of the nozzles.

Claim 23

The rotary developer as in claim 1, further comprising: a frame; a tank having an opening, the tank supported by the frame, the spraying and drying means in the tank; the support pivotably connected to the frame between first and second positions, such that in the first position the support closes the tank opening with the rotor and the holder extending into the tank and in the second position the support is angled away from the tank providing access to the holder for replacement of electronic parts; and means for Pivoting the support between the first and second positions.

Claim 24

The rotary developer as in claim 1, wherein: the layer comprises hardened and hardenable portions and the liquid and the gas remove the hardenable portions.

Claim 25

The rotary developer as in claim 23, wherein: the layer comprises a photopolymer.

Claim 26

The rotary developer as in claim 23, wherein: the portions are soluble in the liquid.

Claim 27

The rotary developer as in claim 24, wherein: the portions are soluble in the liquid.

Claim 30

The method of claim 27, wherein the spinning, orbiting, rotating and spraying steps occur simultaneously.

Claim 31

The method of claim 28, wherein: during the rotating step, the holder rotates about the holder axis in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

Claim 32

The method of claim 29, wherein: the holder rotates at substantially the same speed as the rotor.

Claim 33

The method of claim 29, wherein: the holder rotates at a different speed than the rotor.

Claim 34

The method of claim 27, further comprising the steps of: after the loading step, closing a tank with a cover supporting the rotor and holder inside the tank; and after the drying step, opening the tank by moving the cover.

Claim 35

The method of claim 27, wherein there are a plurality of part holders, a plurality of electronic parts having layers with unhardened portions are loaded on the holders, the holders are orbited about the rotor axis while the holders rotate about holder axes, the liquid is sprayed on the layers to form vias, the layers and vias are dried, and the parts are removed.

Claim 36

The method of claim 27, wherein: the layer comprises a photopolymer.

Claim 37

The method of claim 27, wherein: the unhardened portion is soluble in the liquid.

Claim 38

The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of: blowing a gas on the layer to remove excess liquid and to blow away the washed out unhardened portion while the liquid is being sprayed.