Apparatus for the treatment of board-like articles, particularly printed circuit boards

Claim 2

Apparatus for treating board-like articles with a fluid treatment medium, comprising: conveying means for conveying said articles on a substantially horizontal conveying path in a conveying direction through a surface treatment area; restricted surface area treatment means situated adjacent to the conveying path including: applicator means situated in said surface treatment area for applying said fluid treatment medium to a restricted surface area of the articles that is limited by boundaries, and suction means for removing said fluid treatment medium from said articles near at least one of said boundaries by suction; wherein said restricted surface area treatment means define an operating width adjustable with at least one variable cover to accommodate an overall width extension of the restricted surface area; and wherein at least one of said covers is a belt, said covers being drivingly adjustable in opposite directions.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said suction means have at least one suction opening facing the surface treatment area.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said article defines an entire width extension between lateral edges thereof, said restricted surface area extending substantially over said entire width extension.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said restricted surface area treatment means restrict said restricted surface area at one instant in time to a predetermined partial length section of an article being treated, said partial length section being substantially shorter than an overall length extension of the article being treated and parallel to said conveying direction.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said applicator means and said suction means are arranged in at least one common casing.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said casing incorporates at least one sealing element for sealingly engaging an article being treated.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein on a side of the article being treated remote from said at least one sealing element, supporting means are provided for supporting the article towards sealing engagement substantially over an overall width extension of said restricted surface area treatment means.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein means are provided for establishing a negative pressure substantially over an overall extension of said restricted surface area.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said restricted surface area treatment means have at least one brush element bridging a gap associated with at least one of said boundaries.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said restricted surface area treatment means comprise at least one squeezing roller.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the articles define opposite extended article surfaces, at least one of said restricted surface area treatment means being arranged for operating on both sides of the articles.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said conveying path defines a substantially horizontal conveying plane, with at least one of said restricted surface area treatment means being arranged below said conveying plane to provide an evacuatable space extending below said conveying plane.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein at least one of said restricted surface area treatment means is provided on either side of a conveying plane defined by said conveying path, with at least two of said restricted surface area treatment means being displaced with respect to each other in the conveying direction.

Claim 15

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein control means are provided for positively adjusting said operating width, at least one sensor being provided for detecting a position and a width extension of an article being treated, said control means generating adjusting signals for varying said operating width as a function of sensor signals provided by said at least one sensor.

Claim 16

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the articles comprise electronic printed circuit boards.

Claim 17

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the treatment medium contains at least one of a cleaning liquid, an etching liquid, a metallizing liquid and a rinsing liquid.

Claim 18

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said applicator means comprise at least one of a spray nozzle, a swell nozzle and a stationary wave creating means for applying the treatment medium to said articles.

Claim 19

Apparatus for treating board-like articles with a fluid treatment medium, comprising: conveying means for conveying said articles on a substantially horizontal conveying path in a conveying direction through a surface treatment area; and restricted surface area treatment means situated adjacent to the conveying path including: applicator means situated in said surface treatment area for applying said fluid treatment medium to a restricted surface area of the articles that is limited by boundaries, and suction means for removing said fluid treatment medium from said articles near at least one of said boundaries by suction; wherein said restricted surface area treatment means define an operating width adjustable with at least one variable cover to accommodate an overall width extension of the restricted surface area, said variable cover comprising at least one flexible, liquid-tight belt for variably at least partly covering at least one fluid passage opening of said restricted surface area treatment means, said belt having an elongated, window-shaped opening defining an overlapping area common with said fluid passage opening, and wherein means are provided for varying said overlapping area.

Claim 20

Apparatus for treating board-like articles with a fluid treatment medium, comprising: conveying means for conveying said articles on a substantially horizontal conveying path in a conveying direction through a surface treatment area; and restricted surface area treatment means situated adjacent to the conveying path including: applicator means situated in said surface treatment area for applying said fluid treatment medium to a restricted surface area of the articles that is limited by boundaries, and suction means for removing said fluid treatment medium from said articles near at least one of said boundaries by suction; wherein said restricted surface area treatment means define an operating width adjustable with at least one variable cover to accommodate an overall width extension of the restricted surface area, said variable cover comprising at least one flexible, liquid-tight belt for variably at least partly covering at least one fluid passage opening of said restricted surface area treatment means, said belt having an elongated, window-shaped opening defining an overlapping area common with said fluid passage opening, and wherein means are provided for varying said overlapping area.

Claim 21

Apparatus for treating board-like articles with a fluid treatment medium, comprising: conveying means for conveying said articles on a substantially horizontal conveying path in a conveying direction through a surface treatment area; and restricted surface area treatment means situated adjacent to the conveying path including: applicator means situated in said surface treatment area for applying said fluid treatment medium to a restricted surface area of the articles that is limited by boundaries, and suction means for removing said fluid treatment medium from said articles near at least one of said boundaries by suction; wherein said restricted surface area treatment means define an operating width adjustable with at least one variable cover to accommodate an overall width extension of the restricted surface area, said restricted surface area being bounded by two opposed covers having through openings commonly defining a window-like opening bounded substantially over its entire perimeter by said covers.

Claim 22

Apparatus for treating board-like articles with a fluid treatment medium, comprising: conveying means for conveying said articles on a substantially horizontal conveying path in a conveying direction through a surface treatment area; and restricted surface area treatment means situated adjacent to the conveying path including: applicator means situated in said surface treatment area for applying said fluid treatment medium to a restricted surface area of the articles that is limited by boundaries, and suction means for removing said fluid treatment medium from said articles near at least one of said boundaries by suction; wherein said restricted surface area treatment means define an operating width adjustable with at least one variable cover to accommodate an overall width extension of the restricted surface area, said restricted surface area being bounded by two opposed covers having through openings commonly defining a window-like opening bounded substantially over its entire perimeter by said covers.

Claim 23

Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein at least one of said covers is a belt, said covers being drivingly adjustable in opposite directions.