Inerted IR soldering system

Claim 2

A gas curtain arrangement for providing a gas seal across a tunnel comprising means adjacent one wall of the tunnel for providing a first gas curtain and means adjacent an opposite wall of the tunnel for providing a second gas curtain, the curtains not being aligned but being angled to intersect each other within the tunnel.

Claim 3

A gas arrangement for providing a gas seal across an access of a process tunnel of an inert gas soldering machine comprising means adjacent a top wall of the tunnel for providing a first inert gas curtain and means adjacent the bottom wall of the tunnel for providing a second inert gas curtain, the curtains being angled so that they converge towards the access and intersect with each other within the tunnel.

Claim 4

A gas arrangement for providing a gas seal across an access of a process tunnel of an inert gas soldering machine comprising means adjacent a top wall of the tunnel for providing a first inert gas curtain and means adjacent the bottom wall of the tunnel for providing a second inert gas curtain, the curtains being angled so that they converge towards the access and intersect with each other within the tunnel.

Claim 5

A gas curtain arrangement according to claim 2 in which the first curtain emanates from a point directly above the point at which the second curtain emanates.

Claim 6

A gas curtain arrangement according to claim 3 in which third and fourth inert gas curtains are provided spaced from the first and second gas curtains, the third and fourth gas curtains being identical in configuration to the first and second gas curtains.

Claim 7

A gas curtain arrangement according to claim 2 in which the angles of each gas curtain may be varied as desired.

Claim 8

A gas curtain arrangement according to claim 5, in which each gas curtain is derived from a pivotable and clampable pipe.

Claim 9

A gas curtain arrangement according to claim 6 in which the pipe is located in the tunnel adjacent a wall thereof and sealably engages the adjacent tunnel wall.

Claim 10

A machine for reflow soldering components on printed circuit boards, comprising a conveyor for the printed circuit boards, a housing through which the conveyor passes, sealing means provided at entry and exit ends of the conveyor with respect to the housing, means for introducing an inert gas into the housing, aperture heating panels disposed in the housing above the conveyor, fan means located in the housing for forcing inert gas through the apertured heating panels onto the conveyor, the fan means having a fan shaft protruding through a wall of the housing for connection to a drive means, and a gas seal provided at the location where the fans shaft protrudes through the wall of the housing to prevent ingress of ambient air into the housing, the sealing means at entry and exit ends of the conveyor each comprising a gas curtain arrangement including first and second inert gas curtains, arranged on the opposite sides of the conveyor, the curtains being angled so that they converge towards one of the entry and exit and intersect with each other.

Claim 11

A machine for reflow soldering components on printed circuit boards, comprising a conveyor for the printed circuit boards, a housing through which the conveyor passes, sealing means provided at entry and exit ends of the conveyor with respect to the housing, means for introducing an inert gas into the housing, aperture heating panels disposed in the housing above the conveyor, fan means located in the housing for forcing inert gas through the apertured heating panels onto the conveyor, the fan means having a fan shaft protruding through a wall of the housing for connection to a drive means, and a gas seal provided at the location where the fans shaft protrudes through the wall of the housing to prevent ingress of ambient air into the housing, the sealing means at entry and exit ends of the conveyor each comprising a gas curtain arrangement including first and second inert gas curtains, arranged on the opposite sides of the conveyor, the curtains being angled so that they converge towards one of the entry and exit and intersect with each other.

Claim 12

A gas curtain arrangement for providing a gas curtain across a tunnel comprising a first pipe having a slot extending across one wall of the tunnel and located proximate the one wall, means for supplying gas under pressure to the first pipe whereby a first gas curtain extends from the slot across the tunnel to another wall of the tunnel opposite the one wall, and means for securing the first pipe at different desired angular positions such that the angle of the gas curtain with respect to a cross-sectional plane through the tunnel may be varied as desired.

Claim 13

A gas curtain arrangement for providing a gas curtain across a tunnel comprising a first pipe having a slot extending across one wall of the tunnel and located proximate the one wall, means for supplying gas under pressure to the first pipe whereby a first gas curtain extends from the slot across the tunnel to another wall of the tunnel opposite the one wall, and means for securing the first pipe at different desired angular positions such that the angle of the gas curtain with respect to a cross-sectional plane through the tunnel may be varied as desired.

Claim 14

A gas curtain arrangement according to claim 9 comprising a second pipe having a slot extending across another wall of the tunnel opposite the one wall and located proximate the other wall, means for supplying gas under pressure to the second pipe whereby a second gas curtain extends across the tunnel to intersect the first gas curtain and means for securing the second pipe at different desired angular positions such that the angle of the second gas curtain with respect to a cross-sectional plane through the tunnel may be varied as desired.

Claim 15

A gas curtain according to claim 10 in which the slot of the first pipe is located adjacent a top wall of the tunnel and the slot of the second pipe is located adjacent a bottom wall of the tunnel, the two slots being substantially in alignment.

Claim 16

A gas curtain arrangement as claimed in claim 11 in which the first and second pipes are pivotally mounted and the means for securing are clamping means.

Claim 17

A gas curtain arrangment as claimed in claim 12, in which, in addition to the first and second pipes there are provided third and fourth pipes identically configured and positioned as regards the first and second pipes except that the third and fourth pipes are displaced along the tunnel from the first and second pipes.

Claim 18

A gas curtain arrangement for providing a gas seal across a tunnel comprising a blower, first and second ducts mutually spaced along the tunnel and a third duct located at a position between the first and second ducts, the three ducts communicating with the blower such that gas is blown down the first and second ducts to form first and second gas curtains and gas from the curtains is drawn up through the third duct and recirculated to the first and second ducts.

Claim 19

A gas curtain arrangement for providing a gas seal across a tunnel comprising a blower, first and second ducts mutually spaced along the tunnel and a third duct located at a position between the first and second ducts, the three ducts communicating with the blower such that gas is blown down the first and second ducts to form first and second gas curtains and gas from the curtains is drawn up through the third duct and recirculated to the first and second ducts.

Claim 20

A gas curtain arrangement for providing a gas seal across an access of a process tunnel of an inert gas soldering maching comprising means adjacent a top wall of the tunnel for providing a first inert gas curtain and means adjacent the bottom wall of the tunnel for providing a second inert gas curtain, the curtains being angled so that they converge towards the access and intersect with each other, the angles of each gas curtain may be varied as desired, each gas curtain is derived from a pivotable and clampable pipe, the pipe located in an inert gas chamber adjacent the tunnel, and the pipe having a slotted portion projecting through a slot in a tunnel wall.

Claim 21

A gas curtain arrangement for providing a gas seal across an access of a process tunnel of an inert gas soldering maching comprising means adjacent a top wall of the tunnel for providing a first inert gas curtain and means adjacent the bottom wall of the tunnel for providing a second inert gas curtain, the curtains being angled so that they converge towards the access and intersect with each other, the angles of each gas curtain may be varied as desired, each gas curtain is derived from a pivotable and clampable pipe, the pipe located in an inert gas chamber adjacent the tunnel, and the pipe having a slotted portion projecting through a slot in a tunnel wall.

Claim 22

A gas curtain arrangement for providing a gas seal across a tunnel comprising means adjacent one wall of the tunnel for providing a first gas curtain and means adjacent an opposite wall of the tunnel for providing a second gas curtain, the curtains not being aligned but being angled to intersect each other, a first exhaust duct provided on the one wall of the tunnel and a second exhaust duct provided on the opposite wall of the tunnel, the ducts being spaced from the means for providing the first and second gas curtains in the direction of inclination of the curtains such that after the curtains intersect the gas passes through the exhaust ducts.

Claim 23

A gas curtain arrangement for providing a gas seal across a tunnel comprising means adjacent one wall of the tunnel for providing a first gas curtain and means adjacent an opposite wall of the tunnel for providing a second gas curtain, the curtains not being aligned but being angled to intersect each other, a first exhaust duct provided on the one wall of the tunnel and a second exhaust duct provided on the opposite wall of the tunnel, the ducts being spaced from the means for providing the first and second gas curtains in the direction of inclination of the curtains such that after the curtains intersect the gas passes through the exhaust ducts.

Claim 24

A gas curtain arrangement according to claim 16 further comprising means adjacent the one wall for providing a third gas curtain and means adjacent the opposite wall for providing a fourth gas curtain, the first exhaust duct being located between the first and third gas curtains and the second exhaust duct being located between the second and fourth gas curtains, and the third and fourth gas curtains being angled in a direction opposite that of the first and second gas curtains.