Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
165 words
A method of applying bonding agents to pad sites in the manufacture of electronic circuits using a bonding agent injection head comprising: applying a permanent mask with cavity openings around conductive pads on a carrier; positioning an injection head in contact with a surface of the mask, said injection head comprising a wiping guide, a blade which cooperates with the wiping guide to form an elongate nozzle slit, and an evacuation path in the injection head; applying pressure to a bonding agent in the injection head; moving the injection head over the surface of the mask and filling cavity openings with the bonding agent, wherein the evacuation path in the injection head is located ahead of the nozzle slit in a direction of travel of the injection head across the mask to let air out of the cavity openings as the cavity openings are filled with the bonding agent; and removing the injection head from the surface of the mask upon filling the cavity openings.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
165 words
A method of applying bonding agents to pad sites in the manufacture of electronic circuits using a bonding agent injection head comprising: applying a permanent mask with cavity openings around conductive pads on a carrier; positioning an injection head in contact with a surface of the mask, said injection head comprising a wiping guide, a blade which cooperates with the wiping guide to form an elongate nozzle slit, and an evacuation path in the injection head; applying pressure to a bonding agent in the injection head; moving the injection head over the surface of the mask and filling cavity openings with the bonding agent, wherein the evacuation path in the injection head is located ahead of the nozzle slit in a direction of travel of the injection head across the mask to let air out of the cavity openings as the cavity openings are filled with the bonding agent; and removing the injection head from the surface of the mask upon filling the cavity openings.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method recited in claim 1 wherein the bonding agent is a solder paste, further comprising the step of applying infrared radiation to filled cavity openings to evaporate a paste flux and reflow solder to form solder balls within the cavity openings and projecting above the mask.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method recited in claim 1 wherein the bonding agent is an electrically conductive adhesive, further comprising the steps of: applying a stencil to the surface of the mask prior to contacting the mask with said injection head; removing the stencil from the mask after the conductive adhesive has been applied; and drying the conductive adhesive filling the cavity openings.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising drawing a vacuum through the evacuation path during the filling of the cavity openings with the bonding agent.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the evacuation path is positioned closer to the nozzle slit than a width of the cavity openings, thereby allowing air to escape from the cavity openings as the cavity openings are filled with the bonding agent.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the wiping guide has a greater width than the blade, and the wiping guide being selected from the group consisting of a rigid lip and a flexible lip.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
212 words
A method of applying solder paste mixtures to pad sites in the manufacture of electronic circuits using a paste injection head comprising the steps of: applying a mask to a carrier, said mask having cavities at chip pad application sites on the carrier; lowering said paste injection head to contact a surface of the mask, said paste injection head comprising a wiping guide, a blade which cooperates with the wiping guide to form an elongate nozzle slit, and an evacuation path in the paste injection head; applying pressure to a solder paste in the injection head on one side of a cavity; moving the paste injection head across the cavity so as to deposit solder paste in the cavity, wherein the evacuation path in the paste injection head is located ahead of the nozzle slit in a direction of travel of the paste injection head across the mask to let air out of the cavity as the cavity is filled with the solder paste; and releasing pressure when the paste injection head contacts an opposite side of the cavity; retracting the paste injection head; and heating the carder to evaporate a paste flux and reflow solder deposited in the cavity to form solder balls within the cavity and projecting above the mask.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
212 words
A method of applying solder paste mixtures to pad sites in the manufacture of electronic circuits using a paste injection head comprising the steps of: applying a mask to a carrier, said mask having cavities at chip pad application sites on the carrier; lowering said paste injection head to contact a surface of the mask, said paste injection head comprising a wiping guide, a blade which cooperates with the wiping guide to form an elongate nozzle slit, and an evacuation path in the paste injection head; applying pressure to a solder paste in the injection head on one side of a cavity; moving the paste injection head across the cavity so as to deposit solder paste in the cavity, wherein the evacuation path in the paste injection head is located ahead of the nozzle slit in a direction of travel of the paste injection head across the mask to let air out of the cavity as the cavity is filled with the solder paste; and releasing pressure when the paste injection head contacts an opposite side of the cavity; retracting the paste injection head; and heating the carder to evaporate a paste flux and reflow solder deposited in the cavity to form solder balls within the cavity and projecting above the mask.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 7, further comprising drawing a vacuum through the evacuation path during the filling of the cavity with solder paste.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 7, wherein the evacuation path is positioned closer to the nozzle slit than a width of the cavity, thereby allowing air to escape from the cavity as the cavity is filled with the solder paste.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 7, wherein the wiping guide has a greater width than the blade, and the wiping guide being selected from the group consisting of a rigid lip and a flexible lip.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
183 words
A method of applying an electrically conductive adhesive to pad sites in the manufacture of electronic circuits comprising: applying a permanent mask with cavities around conductive pads on a carrier; said conductive pads defining chip pad attachment sites; contacting a stencil to the permanent mask, said stencil having holes congruent with cavities in said permanent mask; depositing a volume of electrically conductive adhesive through the stencil with an injection head to fill cavities to a level of the stencil, said injection head comprising a wiping guide, a blade which cooperates with the wiping guide to form an elongate nozzle slit, and an evacuation path in the injection head said depositing comprising moving the injection head across the cavities so as to deposit the conductive adhesive in the cavities, wherein the evacuation path in the injection head is located ahead of the nozzle slit in a direction of travel of the injection head across the stencil to let air out of the cavities as the cavities are filled with the conductive adhesive; removing the stencil from the mask; and curing the electrically conductive adhesive.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
183 words
A method of applying an electrically conductive adhesive to pad sites in the manufacture of electronic circuits comprising: applying a permanent mask with cavities around conductive pads on a carrier; said conductive pads defining chip pad attachment sites; contacting a stencil to the permanent mask, said stencil having holes congruent with cavities in said permanent mask; depositing a volume of electrically conductive adhesive through the stencil with an injection head to fill cavities to a level of the stencil, said injection head comprising a wiping guide, a blade which cooperates with the wiping guide to form an elongate nozzle slit, and an evacuation path in the injection head said depositing comprising moving the injection head across the cavities so as to deposit the conductive adhesive in the cavities, wherein the evacuation path in the injection head is located ahead of the nozzle slit in a direction of travel of the injection head across the stencil to let air out of the cavities as the cavities are filled with the conductive adhesive; removing the stencil from the mask; and curing the electrically conductive adhesive.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 11, further comprising drawing a vacuum through the evacuation path during the depositing of the electrically conductive adhesive through the stencil to fill the cavities.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 11, wherein the evacuation path is positioned closer to the nozzle slit than a width of the cavities, thereby allowing air to escape from the cavities as the cavities are filled with the electrically conductive adhesive.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 11, wherein the wiping guide has a greater width than the blade, and the wiping guide being selected from the group consisting of a rigid lip and a flexible lip.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
203 words
A process for making a circuit board, comprising the steps of: producing a board having a wiring pattern including copper contacts on at least one surface; coating the board with a mask; photo-lithographically forming blind holes through the mask at the copper contacts; providing an elongate dispensing nozzle containing a bonding agent in paste form, said providing the elongate dispensing nozzle comprising the steps of: providing a wiping guide, providing a blade which cooperates with the wiping guide to form an elongate nozzle slit, and providing an evacuation path in the dispensing nozzle; moving the dispensing nozzle into contact with the mask adjacent to the blind holes; pressurizing the bonding agent paste inside the dispensing nozzle; moving the dispensing nozzle across the mask over the blind holes in a direction generally perpendicular to the elongate direction of the nozzle slit wherein the evacuation path in the dispensing nozzle is located ahead of the nozzle slit in the direction of travel of the dispensing nozzle across the mask to let air out of the blind holes as the blind holes are filled with the bonding agent paste; and depressuring the bonding agent paste within the nozzle; and moving the nozzle away from the board.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
203 words
A process for making a circuit board, comprising the steps of: producing a board having a wiring pattern including copper contacts on at least one surface; coating the board with a mask; photo-lithographically forming blind holes through the mask at the copper contacts; providing an elongate dispensing nozzle containing a bonding agent in paste form, said providing the elongate dispensing nozzle comprising the steps of: providing a wiping guide, providing a blade which cooperates with the wiping guide to form an elongate nozzle slit, and providing an evacuation path in the dispensing nozzle; moving the dispensing nozzle into contact with the mask adjacent to the blind holes; pressurizing the bonding agent paste inside the dispensing nozzle; moving the dispensing nozzle across the mask over the blind holes in a direction generally perpendicular to the elongate direction of the nozzle slit wherein the evacuation path in the dispensing nozzle is located ahead of the nozzle slit in the direction of travel of the dispensing nozzle across the mask to let air out of the blind holes as the blind holes are filled with the bonding agent paste; and depressuring the bonding agent paste within the nozzle; and moving the nozzle away from the board.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
72 words
The process as in claim 15 further comprising the steps of: placing a stencil, with through holes that match the positions of the blind holes of the mask, over the mask before placing the nozzle against the mask; holding the stencil in position relative to the mask as the nozzle moves over a surface of the stencil; and removing the stencil after all said blind holes are filled with bonding agent paste.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process as recited in claim 15 wherein said bonding agent paste is a solder paste.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process as recited in claim 15 wherein said bonding agent paste is an electrically conducting adhesive paste.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 15, further comprising drawing a vacuum through the evacuation path during the filling of the blind holes with the bonding agent paste.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 15, wherein the evacuation path is positioned closer to the nozzle slit than a width of the blind holes, thereby allowing air to escape from the blind holes as the blind holes are filled with the bonding agent paste.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 15, wherein the wiping guide has a greater width than the blade, and the wiping guide being selected from the group consisting of a rigid lip and a flexible lip.