Patent ID: 6369359
Filing Date: 2002-04-09
Classification: B23K

Abstract:
A self-feeding soldering device comprising:a soldering assembly; a solder feed mechanism carried on the soldering assembly; and a solder system controller in controlling connection with the soldering assembly and the solder feed mechanism in a manner to cause the solder feed mechanism to feed solder to a site to be soldered; the soldering assembly including: a housing, an electrical resistance heater element housed within a high heat conductivity barrel supported by the housing, a detachable soldering tip having a barrel connecting end detachably connectable to an end of the high heat conductivity barrel; a solder dispensing surface having a solder dispensing opening in connection with a solder passageway formed through the soldering tip between a soldering tip solder insertion side opening and solder dispensing opening, a tip temperature sensor having a temperature sensing transducer mechanically connected to the soldering tip and having an insulated transducer output line extending from the temperature sensing transducer into connection with a temperature sensor input of the solder system controller, a heater element power supply having a power output in connection with the heater element, and a user selectable soldering iron tip temperature selector having an output in connection with a temperature select input of the solder system controllers; the solder system controller being programmed to control the heater element power supply in a manner such that the soldering iron tip is maintained at the selected temperature; the solder feed mechanism including: a first solder wire guide tube, a second wire guide tube, a spindle structure for rotatably supporting a spool of solder wire, and a variable speed motor driven solder wire pinch feed assembly having an output side; the variable speed solder wire pinch feed asseably including a freewheeling top resilient roller and a motor driven bottom resilient roller, the motor driven bottom resilient roller being coupled to a variable speed motor through a gear box including a slip clutch assembly; the operating speed of the variable speed motor being controlled by a trigger activated feed mechanism motor speed controller; the first solder wire guide tube having a first solder wire guide tube solder wire inlet and a first solder wire guide tube solder wire outlet end, the first solder wire guide tube solder wire inlet being positioned adjacent to the output side of the variable speed solder wire pinch feed assembly; the second solder wire guide tube having a second solder wire guide solder wire inlet opening and a second solder wire guide tuba solder wire outlet end; the second solder wire guide solder wire inlet opening being positioned apart from the first solder wire guide tube solder wire outlet end to form a thermal insulation gap between the first solder wire guide tube and the second solder wire guide tube; the second solder wire guide tube solder wire outlet end being in connection with the soldering tip solder insertion side opening of the soldering tip such that solder wire driven from the output side of the variable speed solder wire pinch feed assembly is forced through the first solder wire guide tube between the first solder wire guide tube solder wire inlet and the first solder wire guide tube solder wire outlet end, across the thermal insulation gap between the first solder wire guide tube and the second solder wire guide tube; through the second solder wire guide tube between the second solder wire guide solder wire inlet opening and the second solder wire guide tube solder wire outlet end; and through the soldering tip between the soldering tip solder insertion side opening and the solder dispensing opening onto a surface to be soldered.