Patent ID: 6188052
Filing Date: 2001-02-13
Classification: B23K,H05K,Y10T

Abstract:
An apparatus for inductively soldering electronic components to a PCB in a automatic robotic fashion, comprising:(a) a pick-and-place machine having a work-holder, and(b) a matrix inductor attached to the work-holder of said pick-and-place machine to act as its new work-holder, said matrix inductor comprising a multiplicity of inductor cells, and(c) a radio-frequency generator having a power output, and(d) a switching device for selectively connecting said power output of said radio-frequency generator to any of said multiplicity of inductor cells of said matrix inductor according to a pick-and-place cycle executed by said pick-and-place machine, and(e) a feedback controller connected to said radio-frequency generator and said switching device, during each subsequent pick-and-place cycle obtains specific data identifying said pick-and-place cycle and uses said data to drive or instruct said switching device to selectively connect the power output of said radio-frequency generator to any of said multiplicity of inductor cells of said matrix inductor in a predetermined electrical connection and at a predetermined time for a predetermined time duration whereby in operation, after a PCB is placed on said matrix inductor only the joints being soldered during each subsequent pick-and-place cycle are heated while the body of the electronic component being soldered, components already soldered and the dielectric material of the PCB and its interconnecting traces all remain relatively cold.