Patent Description:
The invention particularly relates to a line type soldering system providing automatic performance of soldering work by means of controlling parameters such as heat, time etc. needed for said operation, allowing movement of soldered material in a manner integrated with line and connection topology where it will be used and allowing customization for line and connection topology.

Connection of two metals not having connection by help of a filling material having low melting point is called soldering. Today, there are various systems and embodiments for sake of soldering in industrial term. At present, automatic soldering systems located on a fixed profile are used. In such systems, firstly the material to be soldered is soldered on said fixed profile and then soldered material is carried on the line having related connection topology and is located in the related place in the topology. The necessity of movement constantly between the line and soldering machine slows down the process and therefore causes loss of time. On the other hand, this situation causes lost of work force for the operator. Thus the efficiency of the process decreases. On the line systems located on a moving mechanism, the operator is required to locate the material soldered into related place on the topology by means of trying to integrate on the line. For that reason, the operator needs to locate the material soldered during the time it passes in front of the line into related place on the connection topology. The operator goes to soldering machine and stock the material he solders and then needs to locate it into proper places after going to the line. All of these processes not only increases use of work force but also causes time and efficiency loss.

During the preliminary search of the related art, the patent numbered <CIT> was found. The invention mentioned in said document relates to field of joining systems without welding such as hard soldering and soft soldering and particularly metal joining system using non-silver or low silver filling metals. However, said invention does not disclose any technical development for soldering for industrial purposes and placement in the related line.

The patent document numbered <CIT> (describing the preamble of claim <NUM>) shows an automatic soldering machine for soldering wires, each exposing at least one core wire and electronic components with at least one soldering portion respectively. The automatic soldering machine comprises an equipment, a delivery mechanism, a plurality of clamps, a feeding mechanism, an insulation removing mechanism, a soldering mechanism, an unloading mechanism and a programmable control system. However, the offered structure not suitable for soldering wide and long materials.

The patent document numbered <CIT> discloses an automatic tin soldering machine used for welding electric wires. The automatic tin soldering machine is characterized by being composed of an electric cabinet, a workbench and an automatic tin conveying machine, the electric cabinet and the automatic tin conveying machine are arranged on the two sides of the workbench respectively, the electric cabinet is connected with a power source wire, a portal frame is arranged above the workbench and is provided with an air cylinder, the lower end of the air cylinder is connected with a welding gun, the air cylinder is connected with an air source through an air pipe, the automatic tin conveying machine outputs soldering tin harnesses, the harnesses penetrate through a through hole in the portal frame, the harnesses are arranged on the welding gun, and a control box is arranged on one side face of the workbench and is electrically connected with the electric cabinet. However, the offered structure not suitable for soldering wide and long materials.

As a result, due to above described disadvantages and inadequacy of existing solutions it has been necessary to make novelty and development in the related art.

The present invention relates to a line type soldering system meeting the needs mentioned above, eliminating all disadvantages and providing some additional advantages in order to make easier for the disable to get on/off vehicles.

Main purpose of the invention is to provide a line type soldering system wherein required parameters of soldering procedures are automatically controlled. Thus the difficulties during and after soldering process are minimized and more stable soldering is provided.

Another purpose of the invention is to disclose a line type soldering system facilitating integration of material soldered as a result of soldering into connection topology of line type. Linear movement systems provided in said line type soldering system provides convenient placement of soldering unit for connection topology and thus provides saving in time and work force.

According to the present invention, a line type soldering system for use in soldering processes is defined in claim <NUM>.

The structural and characteristics features of the invention and all advantages will be understood better in detailed descriptions with the figures given below and with reference to the figures, and therefore, the assessment should be made taking into account the said figures and detailed explanations.

In this detailed description, the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in a manner not forming any restrictive effect and only for purpose of better understanding of the matter.

Line type soldering system (L) disclosed under the invention consists of an operator interface (<NUM>) automatically controls the soldering procedure, where the operator enters parameters required for soldering procedure and thus provides interaction between the operator and said line type soldering system (L). In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the operator interface (<NUM>) is in touch panel form.

The line type soldering system (L) comprises a transformer (<NUM>) to supply of energy needed. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, an adjustable variac transformer is used as transformer (<NUM>).

Processor (<NUM>) consists of integrated circuits controlling heat, time and required parameters of soldering procedure by means of performing certain logic and mathematical procedures electronically. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a programmable logic controller is used.

Electric board (<NUM>) is an embodiment whereon the processor (<NUM>) and a driver (<NUM>) are located. The electrical board (<NUM>) adjusts electric power supplied from the transformer (<NUM>) and transmits to the related components. Power transmission members (<NUM>) have a role in transmission of power to the related members. The power transmission members (<NUM>) are carried by at least one power transmission members support (<NUM>).

Main mechanism performing soldering in the line type soldering system (L) is soldering unit (<NUM>). The soldering unit (<NUM>) contains a moving clamp and a fixed clamp pressing the material to be soldered. The moving clamp is capable to move. Capability to move is provided by moving clamp piston. Thus the moving clamp keeps material to be soldered in a fixed position by approaching and leaving the fixed clamp and thus facilitates soldering operation. The soldering unit (<NUM>) contains system operating member (<NUM>) on it. The system operating member (<NUM>) is part that operates the soldering unit (<NUM>) and in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the system operating member (<NUM>) may be soldering wire arm and hand switch or switches such as electro-mechanic process trigger.

In the line system soldering system (L) of the invention, a pneumatic control box (<NUM>) is used in order to convert the gas pressure into mechanic motion. Operation of all members driven by air, mainly compressing clamp system consists of moving clamp and fixed clamp in the soldering unit (<NUM>), is provided by the pneumatic control box (<NUM>). Valve group (<NUM>) and pressure regulator are located in the pneumatic control box (<NUM>). The valve group (<NUM>) controls the gas pressure provided through pneumatic control box (<NUM>) according to commands from the processor (<NUM>) and regulates gas passing. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pneumatic control box (<NUM>) comprises two valves namely, cooler valve and welding valve. The pressure regulator prevents fluctuations and non-balance in gas pressure coming from network and supplies gas to the system at fixed pressure.

The gas generated from melting of filling material used in soldering process must be removed from the environment. For this purpose the gas arising from melting is absorbed by filtered absorption line (<NUM>).

The line type soldering system (L) contains a support profile (<NUM>) with adjustable length under line type soldering system (L) in order to provide customization of soldering process for lines where soldering operation will be made.

At least one moving power transmission member support (<NUM>) different from power transmission members support (<NUM>) carrying the power transmission members (<NUM>) is also provided for transmission of power supplied from said transformer (<NUM>) to related parts. The moving power transmission members support (<NUM>) makes transmission without restrictions possible in order to provide power transmission to soldering unit (<NUM>) and other components need power.

Horizontal and vertical motion of the soldering unit (<NUM>) where soldering is performed is important for sensitive and quality soldering operation. Accordingly, the line soldering system (L) of the invention consists of vertical linear motion system (<NUM>) and horizontal linear motion system (<NUM>). When wished, horizontal and vertical motions are programmed by methods such as mechanical, electro-mechanical and/or pneumatic etc. and motions to desired positions automatically can be provided.

Vertical linear motion system (<NUM>) is located under the soldering unit (<NUM>) and consists of driving centre (<NUM>), motion transfer part (<NUM>), motion housing (<NUM>), motion guide (<NUM>) and trolley (<NUM>). Said vertical linear motion system (<NUM>) can be in different forms such as electronics, mechanical, manual, electrical driving etc. subject to features of line where soldering is made. Vertical linear motion system (<NUM>) contains a trolley (<NUM>) in form of sliding trolley under the soldering unit (<NUM>) in order to provide motion of soldering unit (<NUM>). Motion of the soldering unit (<NUM>) is provided as a result of motion of the trolley (<NUM>). Motion guide (<NUM>) is in the form of path guiding motion of said trolley (<NUM>). Motion guide (<NUM>) in the vertical linear motion system (<NUM>) embodiment can be rail and/or oiled system. In order to facilitate motion of said trolley (<NUM>) on motion guide (<NUM>), motion housing (<NUM>) is provided on the motion guide (<NUM>) surface. Said motion housing (<NUM>) reduces friction during motion and provides conduct of motion with the least loss. Bearing, sliding, rolling member, magnetic featured motion housing (<NUM>) may be used in the invention. The driving needed for vertical linear motion is provided by means of driving centre (<NUM>) provided in vertical linear motion system (<NUM>). The invention may use AC and DC type engines (servo, step, asynchrony and similar) pneumatic driving, magnetic driving, manual driving engines. The driving obtained from said driving centre (<NUM>) is converted into motion by the motion transfer part (<NUM>). In a preferred embodiment of the invention, spindle is used as motion transfer part (<NUM>). Alternative to spindle, the invention may also use timing belt toothed rack and / or manual systems.

Horizontal linear motion system (<NUM>) allowing motion on horizontal axis consists of motion housing (<NUM>), motion guide (<NUM>), arm profile (<NUM>), shock absorber (<NUM>) and moving support (<NUM>). Said horizontal linear motion system (<NUM>) can be electronic and/or mechanic subject to conditions of line where soldering will be made. Horizontal linear motion system (<NUM>) also provides right-left motion of arm profile (<NUM>). Horizontal linear motion system (<NUM>) is located on a carrier profile (<NUM>) in skeleton form. In this context, transformer (<NUM>) and electrical board (<NUM>) are also located on the carrier profile (<NUM>). Horizontal linear motion system (<NUM>) consists of motion housing (<NUM>) and motion guide (<NUM>) just same as vertical linear motion system (<NUM>). Bearing, sliding, rolling member, magnetic characteristic moving housing (<NUM>), rail and/or lubricated system as moving guide (<NUM>) can be used in the invention. Said horizontal linear moving system (<NUM>) consists of arm profile (<NUM>) sloped as per purpose of easier integration into line and connection topology. Said arm profile (<NUM>) contains soldering unit (<NUM>), driving centre (<NUM>), pneumatic control box (<NUM>), operator interface (<NUM>), filtered absorption pipe (<NUM>), moving power transfer members. Horizontal linear motion system (<NUM>) consists of shock absorber (<NUM>) in order to prevent the vibrations that might occur in horizontal linear motion and to minimize the produced shock.

Friction reducing part (<NUM>) is a component located under the arm profile (<NUM>) in order to reduce friction and provide easy horizontal linear motion. A preferred embodiment of the invention consists of at least a tire as friction reducing part (<NUM>).

The invention also consists of a motion control member (<NUM>) providing command and control of vertical linear motion system (<NUM>) and horizontal linear motion system (<NUM>) providing motion.

Further an illumination unit (<NUM>) is provided in order to provide illumination of the place where soldering operation will be performed. Any kind of lightning can be used in the invention as per requirements of the invention and a preferred embodiment of the invention consists of LED. Said illumination unit (<NUM>) is located in the clamp section of the soldering unit (<NUM>).

Line type soldering system (L) consists of a system stopping member (<NUM>) stopping the system immediately when the line type soldering system (L) requires urgent closing down.

Operation status of line type soldering system (L) is indicated by an indicator (<NUM>). In a preferred embodiment of the invention the indicator (<NUM>) is mounted on a profile located on the line where soldering unit (<NUM>) is. Said indicator (<NUM>) consists of double yellow-red signal lamp and red indicates that system stopped and yellow means that system is in running status. Electric switch (<NUM>) is the member switching on/off the electric current supplied to line type soldering system (L).

A location changing unit (<NUM>) is designed to play the said soldering unit (<NUM>) as per need. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, location changing unit (<NUM>) is in disk form. Soldering unit (<NUM>) is mounted to location changing unit (<NUM>) which is in disk form and moves together with location changing unit (<NUM>). Motion of the location changing unit (<NUM>) is provided by adjustment lever (<NUM>). Adjustment lever (<NUM>) located on the location changing unit (<NUM>) preferably in disk form can be controlled by more than one type of system automatically or manually. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the adjustment lever (<NUM>) is pin.

A reader (<NUM>) serves to read soldering control factors programmed in the processor (<NUM>) and to recall the related data chain in the processor (<NUM>) as required by the product input. Thus automatic soldering operation is possible. The data chain matching process can be made manually or by help of smart data recognition systems (QR reader, barcode, RFID etc.) In a preferred embodiment of the invention, barcode reader is used as reader (<NUM>).

The invention consists of AC or OC type engine driver (<NUM>) providing motion of the soldering unit (<NUM>) in order to provide control of said driving centre (<NUM>) by the processor (<NUM>).

Control of compressing air regulated by valve group (<NUM>) and pressure regulator, generation of compressed air, moving and fixed clamp motions is provided by means of a compressor (<NUM>) provided in the invention.

The operation principle of the line type soldering system (L) of the invention is as follows:
Upon turning the electric switch (<NUM>), the current obtained from electric board (<NUM>) is adjusted and transmitted to the related members by help of power transmission members (<NUM>). Product and related database in the processor are matched by means of the reader (<NUM>) and the factors of the soldering operation that can be determined by the processor (<NUM>) are assigned. Parameters required for soldering are put into estimation and adjustment is made by variac adjustment system provided on the transformer (<NUM>). The parameters that can be determined by the operator are determined and selected from operator interface (<NUM>).

Two different linear motion systems are designed in order to move the soldered material to the placement point on the line. Soldering unit (<NUM>) is moved vertically by vertical linear motion system (<NUM>) and horizontally by horizontal linear motion system (<NUM>). In a preferred embodiment of the invention, in order to go to the related part of the line where the operator works, the operator moves horizontal linear motion system (<NUM>) by help of handle located on the arm profile (<NUM>) which is motion control member (<NUM>) and moves arm profile (<NUM>) located on soldering unit (<NUM>) on linear trolley (<NUM>) system by help of bearing which is moving housing (<NUM>) on the rail which is motion guide (<NUM>). During this action the friction reducing member (<NUM>) helps horizontal linear motion system (<NUM>). The shocks, vibrations that might occur on rail during motion are minimized by the shock absorber (<NUM>).

Claim 1:
A line type soldering system (L) for use in soldering processes, comprising;
• at least one transformer (<NUM>) configured to supply the required energy,
• at least one processor (<NUM>) configured to control required parameters such as heat, time during soldering operation,
the line type soldering system (L) being characterised by the following:
• a soldering unit (<NUM>) configured to conduct soldering operation and comprises; ∘ a compressing clamp system consisting of a moving clamp, a fixed clamp, a moving clamp piston, wherein the moving clamp configured to be moved by the moving clamp piston, so that the the moving clamp keeps material to be soldered in a fixed position by approaching and leaving the fixed clamp and thus facilitates soldering operation ∘ a system operating member (<NUM>) on the soldering unit configured to operate the soldering unit (<NUM>)
• a pneumatic control box (<NUM>) configured to convert the air pressure into mechanic motion and providing operation of at least the compressing clamp system consisting of the moving clamp and the fixed clamp of the soldering unit, the pneumatic control box (<NUM>) containing a pressure regulator regulating pressure,
• a valve group (<NUM>) for controlling the gas pressure provided through the pneumatic control box (<NUM>) according to commands from the processor (<NUM>) and regulates gas passing in order to convert gas pressure into mechanic motion,
• a vertical linear motion system (<NUM>) wherein the soldering unit (<NUM>) is located, and consisting of a driving centre (<NUM>) providing driving required to vertical linear motion, a motion transfer part (<NUM>) providing linear motion by the driving taken from the driving centre (<NUM>),
• a horizontal linear motion system (<NUM>) containing an arm profile (<NUM>) whereon the soldering unit (<NUM>) is located and which is sloped to provide integration to line and for proper connection topology.