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US5243143A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Solder snap bar

Assignee: Hewlett Packard Development Co LP
•
Filing: 1990-11-13
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Granted: 1993-09-07
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Expires: 2010-11-13
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Abstract

Abstract Improved printed circuit boards and methods of soldering them are provided in which a snap bar is provided on the conductor side of a printed circuit board for reducing defects, such as bridging, during soldering. This and other provided process and design techniques, such as lead lengths, orientation, mask finish, and the location of the leads on the board, have significantly reduced reworking and defective components and are especially effective when applied to 50 mil connector products.

Inventors

  • 👤 David B. Throop
  • 👤 Duane L. Sevy

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 14:37
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K1/00; H05K1/02; H05K1/11; H05K1/115; H05K1/116; H05K3/00; H05K3/30; H05K3/32; H05K3/34; H05K3/3465; H05K3/3468; H05K2201/00; H05K2201/09; H05K2201/09209; H05K2201/09654; H05K2201/09781; H05K2203/00; H05K2203/04; H05K2203/046; H05K3/3447

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim 93 words
A printed circuit board, comprising: an array of insular solder pads, each of said solder pads contacting a lead wire disposed through an opening in said board; a snap bar having a surface area substantially larger than one of said solder pads for drawing an amount of molten solder away from a plurality of said solder pads substantially by capillary attraction during the soldering of said board, sand snap bar having its exposed surface spaced at least about 0.0311 in. (0.076 cm) away from said array of solder pads on said circuit board.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 93 words
A printed circuit board, comprising: an array of insular solder pads, each of said solder pads contacting a lead wire disposed through an opening in said board; a snap bar having a surface area substantially larger than one of said solder pads for drawing an amount of molten solder away from a plurality of said solder pads substantially by capillary attraction during the soldering of said board, sand snap bar having its exposed surface spaced at least about 0.0311 in. (0.076 cm) away from said array of solder pads on said circuit board.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
The printed circuit board of claim 1, wherein said array comprises a row of substantially equally spaced solder pads.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 26 words
The printed circuit board of claim 2, wherein said snap bar comprises a plated surface disposed substantially equidistant from each insular solder pad of said row.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 21 words
The printed circuit board of claim 1, wherein said array comprises two substantially parallel rows of substantially equally spaced solder pads.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 37 words
The printed circuit board of claim 4, wherein said snap bar comprises a plated surface of said circuit board disposed substantially equidistant from a pair of solder pads at one end of said two substantially parallel rows.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 28 words
The printed circuit board of claim 5, wherein said snap bar is disposed at least 0.030 in (0.076 cm) from said end of said two substantially parallel rows.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 24 words
The printed circuit board of claim 1, wherein said snap bar and said solder pads comprise discrete plated portions of said printed circuit board.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 17 words
The printed circuit board of claim 7, wherein said discrete plated portions comprise a tinned copper surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 28 words
The printed circuit board of claim 1, wherein said snap bar has a surface area of at least twice that of a closest solder pad in said array.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 20 words
The printed circuit board of claim 1, wherein said lead wire protrudes about 0.015 in (0.0381 cm) from said board.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 25 words
The printed circuit board of claim 1, wherein said array of insular solder pads is disposed in a center region of said printed circuit board.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 22 words
The printed circuit board of claim 1, wherein said lead wire protrudes about 0.008-0.023 in (0.020-0.058 cm) from said printed circuit board.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 120 words
A printed circuit board comprising an array of component leads disposed within insular solder pads, said board comprising at least two substantially parallel rows of substantially equally spaced pads with corresponding first and second row ends; and a snap bar comprising a discrete plated portion of said printed circuit board substantially equidistantly disposed at least about 0.030 in (0.076 cm) from at least a plurality of said solder pads in said parallel rows for drawing an amount of molten solder away from said plurality of solder pads substantially by capillary attraction during the soldering of said board, said snap bar having a capillary surface area of at least about twice that of a first of said plurality of solder pads.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 120 words
A printed circuit board comprising an array of component leads disposed within insular solder pads, said board comprising at least two substantially parallel rows of substantially equally spaced pads with corresponding first and second row ends; and a snap bar comprising a discrete plated portion of said printed circuit board substantially equidistantly disposed at least about 0.030 in (0.076 cm) from at least a plurality of said solder pads in said parallel rows for drawing an amount of molten solder away from said plurality of solder pads substantially by capillary attraction during the soldering of said board, said snap bar having a capillary surface area of at least about twice that of a first of said plurality of solder pads.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 49 words
A printed circuit board, comprising an array of insular solder pads, each of said solder pads contacting a lead wire disposed through an opening in said board and protruding therefrom about 0.15 in (0.381 cm) for receiving molten solder substantially by capillary attraction during the soldering of said board.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 49 words
A printed circuit board, comprising an array of insular solder pads, each of said solder pads contacting a lead wire disposed through an opening in said board and protruding therefrom about 0.15 in (0.381 cm) for receiving molten solder substantially by capillary attraction during the soldering of said board.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 21 words
The printed circuit board of claim 14, wherein said leads are disposed in a center region of said printed circuit board.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4339784A Cited
US4914259A Cited
US4835345A Cited
US4987475A Cited
US4882839A Cited
JPH01289197A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1996-09-06 1997-03-08 1997-09-07 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2000-09-06 2001-03-08 2001-09-07 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2004-09-06 2005-03-08 2005-09-07 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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