Apparatus for single side spray processing of printed circuit boards

Claim 3

An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said cover means comprises a relatively continuous belt.

Claim 4

An apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said belt is comprised of a deformable reactive spray resistant material.

Claim 5

An apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said belt is comprised of reinforced polyvinylchloride.

Claim 6

An apparatus as in claim 2 further comprising means for moving said belt relative to said conveyor table means.

Claim 7

An apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said conveyor table means comprises conveyor rollers and a drive means for transporting articles on said table means which is also connected to said means for moving said belt such that said belt and said conveyor rollers can move at the substantially same speed.

Claim 8

An apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said belt comprises sprocket holes for feeding said belt.

Claim 9

An apparatus as in claim 2 further comprising a belt feeding reel and a belt rewind reel.

Claim 10

An apparatus as in claim 2 further comprising means for removing reactive spray from said belt.

Claim 11

An apparatus as in claim 2 further comprising tension means for applying tension to said belt to allow for said belt to be in relatively taut contact with an article.

Claim 12

An apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said belt is substantially as large as said conveyor table means.

Claim 13

A system for chemically treating an article comprising an apparatus as in claim 1, a flipper means for flipping an article having had one side thereof treated, and means for reintroducing a flipped article into said apparatus for treating an article's second side.

Claim 14

A horizontal circuit board etching machine comprising: support means having a top for supporting a circuit board thereon, said support means top having aperture means therethrough for passage of etching fluid; spray means located under said support means top for upwardly spraying etching fluid through said aperture means onto a bottom side of a circuit board on said support means top; and cover means for covering a top side of a circuit board being sprayed, said cover means comprising a deformable belt of material resistant to etching fluid corrosion, said belt and said support means top being suitably orientated to sandwich a circuit board therebetween such that etching fluid can be sprayed onto a bottom side of a circuit board, said support means and said cover means can cooperate to substantially prevent a circuit board from being moved by etching fluid sprayed thereon, and said cover means can substantially prevent etching fluid from contacting a top side of a circuit board as its bottom side is being sprayed.

Claim 15

A horizontal circuit board etching machine comprising: support means having a top for supporting a circuit board thereon, said support means top having aperture means therethrough for passage of etching fluid; spray means located under said support means top for upwardly spraying etching fluid through said aperture means onto a bottom side of a circuit board on said support means top; and cover means for covering a top side of a circuit board being sprayed, said cover means comprising a deformable belt of material resistant to etching fluid corrosion, said belt and said support means top being suitably orientated to sandwich a circuit board therebetween such that etching fluid can be sprayed onto a bottom side of a circuit board, said support means and said cover means can cooperate to substantially prevent a circuit board from being moved by etching fluid sprayed thereon, and said cover means can substantially prevent etching fluid from contacting a top side of a circuit board as its bottom side is being sprayed.

Claim 16

A machine as in claim 13 further comprising means for applying tension to said belt to allow said belt to be in relatively taut contact with a circuit board.

Claim 17

A machine as in claim 13 wherein said belt is a relatively continuous movable belt.

Claim 18

A machine as in claim 13 further comprising means for removing etching fluid from said belt.

Claim 19

A machine as in claim 13 wherein said belt is comprised of a substantially impervious and resilient material.

Claim 20

A cover system for use with a horizontal double side etching apparatus having an etching chamber with a conveyor table and a bottom etchant sprayer for etching printed circuit boards, the cover system comprising: means for covering top sides of boards in an etching chamber comprising a belt of flexible, deformable, resilient material resistant to etching fluid corrosion; means for supporting said belt against top sides of circuit boards located on a conveyor table; and means for positioning and maintaining said belt tautly against circuit boards on a conveyor table such that circuit boards can be relatively fixedly but movably sandwiched between said belt and a conveyor table whereby the cover system can prevent etching fluid from contacting top sides of circuit boards as bottom sides of circuit boards are being sprayed and can prevent circuit boards from being dislodged from a conveyor table.

Claim 21

A cover system for use with a horizontal double side etching apparatus having an etching chamber with a conveyor table and a bottom etchant sprayer for etching printed circuit boards, the cover system comprising: means for covering top sides of boards in an etching chamber comprising a belt of flexible, deformable, resilient material resistant to etching fluid corrosion; means for supporting said belt against top sides of circuit boards located on a conveyor table; and means for positioning and maintaining said belt tautly against circuit boards on a conveyor table such that circuit boards can be relatively fixedly but movably sandwiched between said belt and a conveyor table whereby the cover system can prevent etching fluid from contacting top sides of circuit boards as bottom sides of circuit boards are being sprayed and can prevent circuit boards from being dislodged from a conveyor table.

Claim 22

A system as in claim 18 further comprising means for moving said belt in registry with movement of circuit boards on a conveyor table.

Claim 23

An article holding system for use with an article treating apparatus for spraying a reactive spray against a side of a relatively planar article, the reactive spray being sprayed in a relatively vertically upward direction against an article, the holding system comprising: support means having a top for movably supporting an article thereon, said support means top having substantially vertically orientated aperture means therethrough for passage of reactive spray therethrough; and cover means located above said support means, said cover means comprising a movably belt of material resistant to reactive spray corrosion, said belt and said support means top being suitably orientated to sandwich an article to be sprayed therebetween such that reactive spray can be sprayed through said aperture means onto a bottom side of an article sandwiched between said support means top and said belt and said support means and cover means can cooperate to maintain an article being sprayed in a relatively fixed vertical position without substantial risk of reactive spray dislodging an article from its sandwiched configuration.

Claim 24

An article holding system for use with an article treating apparatus for spraying a reactive spray against a side of a relatively planar article, the reactive spray being sprayed in a relatively vertically upward direction against an article, the holding system comprising: support means having a top for movably supporting an article thereon, said support means top having substantially vertically orientated aperture means therethrough for passage of reactive spray therethrough; and cover means located above said support means, said cover means comprising a movably belt of material resistant to reactive spray corrosion, said belt and said support means top being suitably orientated to sandwich an article to be sprayed therebetween such that reactive spray can be sprayed through said aperture means onto a bottom side of an article sandwiched between said support means top and said belt and said support means and cover means can cooperate to maintain an article being sprayed in a relatively fixed vertical position without substantial risk of reactive spray dislodging an article from its sandwiched configuration.

Claim 25

A system as in claim 20 wherein said belt is suitably sized and shaped to cover substantially the entire length and width of said top.