US4871110A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for aligning solder balls
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 1988-07-26
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Granted: 1989-10-03
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Expires: 2008-07-26
Abstract
Abstract Solder balls are supplied onto an aligning plate having aligned through-holes formed therein. Air is sucked from the bottom of the above described aligning plate to fit and attract solder balls into the above described through-holes. Solder balls are thus aligned with high work efficiency.
Inventors
- 👤 Hideyuki Fukasawa
- 👤 Mamoru Kobayashi
- 👤 Masahiro Wanami
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 05:46
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/30; H05K3/32; H05K3/34; H05K3/3465; H05K3/3478; H10; H10W; H10W70/00; H10W70/099; H10W72/00; H10W72/01; H10W72/012; H05K2201/00; H05K2201/10; H05K2201/10613; H05K2201/10621; H05K2201/10734; H05K2203/00; H05K2203/01; H05K2203/0104; H05K2203/0113; H05K2203/0195; H05K2203/02; H05K2203/0257; H05K2203/03; H05K2203/0338; H05K2203/04; H05K2203/041; H05K2203/08; H05K2203/082; H10W72/011; H10W72/0112; H10W72/01204; H10W72/01221; H10W72/01225; H10W72/20; H10W72/251; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S269/00; Y10S269/903
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A method for aligning solder balls having an outer diameter comprising the steps of: supplying solder balls onto an aligning plate having through-holes formed therein, each of said through-holes having a first hole and a second hole connected to said first hole, said first hole having a slightly larger diameter than the outer diameter of the solder ball to be aligned and being open to one surface of said aligning plate, and said second hole having a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the solder ball and being open to another surface of said aligning plate; applying a vacuum from said another surface of said aligning plate through said through-holes; attracting and fitting solder balls existing on said aligning plate into said first holes with said vaccum; and positioning and attracting solder balls into said second holes.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
138 words
A method for aligning solder balls having an outer diameter comprising the steps of: supplying solder balls onto an aligning plate having through-holes formed therein, each of said through-holes having a first hole and a second hole connected to said first hole, said first hole having a slightly larger diameter than the outer diameter of the solder ball to be aligned and being open to one surface of said aligning plate, and said second hole having a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the solder ball and being open to another surface of said aligning plate; applying a vacuum from said another surface of said aligning plate through said through-holes; attracting and fitting solder balls existing on said aligning plate into said first holes with said vaccum; and positioning and attracting solder balls into said second holes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method for aligning solder balls according to claim 1, wherein said supplying includes providing said aligning plate of a glass material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method for aligning solder balls according to claim 1, wherein said supplying includes providing said aligning plate of a photosensitive glass material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method for aligning solder balls according to claim 1, wherein said supplying includes providing said aligning plate of a ceramics material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
84 words
The method of aligning solder balls of claim 14, further comprising the step of: supplying an excess number of solder balls so that aligned ones of the solder balls are positioned in said second holes and excess ones of the solder balls are positioned outside the first holes, and removing the excess solder balls from said aligning plate by moving the excess solder balls across said one surface of the aligning plate without disturbing the positioning of the aligned ones of the solder balls.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method for aligning solder balls of claim 5, wherein said step of removing the excess solder balls includes maintaining said vacuum applying step during said removing step.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
125 words
An apparatus for aligning solder balls, comprising an aligning plate having aligned through-holes formed therein for aligning solder balls supplied on said aligning plate; an aligning plate fixing block for fixing said aligning plate; an air suction nozzle coupled to said aligning plate fixing block; said aligning plate including a lower plate and an upper plate; first through-holes having a smaller diameter than an outer diameter of solder balls to be aligned, said first through holes being open at posiitons of said lower plate corresponding to alignment posiitons; and second through-holes having a diameter larger than an outer diameter of solder balls to be aligned, said second through-holes being open at positions of said upper plate corresponding to said first through-holes in said lower plate.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
125 words
An apparatus for aligning solder balls, comprising an aligning plate having aligned through-holes formed therein for aligning solder balls supplied on said aligning plate; an aligning plate fixing block for fixing said aligning plate; an air suction nozzle coupled to said aligning plate fixing block; said aligning plate including a lower plate and an upper plate; first through-holes having a smaller diameter than an outer diameter of solder balls to be aligned, said first through holes being open at posiitons of said lower plate corresponding to alignment posiitons; and second through-holes having a diameter larger than an outer diameter of solder balls to be aligned, said second through-holes being open at positions of said upper plate corresponding to said first through-holes in said lower plate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus for aligning solder balls according to claim 7, wherein the lower plate and the upper plate comprise glass.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus for aligning solder balls according to claim 7, wherein the lower plate and the upper plate comprise photosensitive glass.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus for aligning solder balls according to claim 7, wherein the lower plate and the upper plate comprise ceramics.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-10-02 | 1993-04-03 | 1993-10-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-10-02 | 1997-04-03 | 1997-10-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-10-02 | 2001-04-03 | 2001-10-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |