Patent ID: 7703197

Claim:
A method of producing a removed item originally soldered to a printed circuit board, the printed circuit board readily absorbing infrared energy at a certain set of wavelengths, said method comprising the steps of: transporting said printed circuit board containing the soldered item to be removed from a printed circuit board entry port to a printed circuit board exit port of an apparatus configured to remove said item; controlling a travel speed of said printed circuit board; heating a solder of the item to be removed, by applying to the printed circuit board containing the soldered item to be removed, infrared radiation at one or more selected wavelengths different from the certain wavelengths that are readily absorbed by said printed circuit board, the one or more selected wavelengths applied being readily absorbed by the solder and having sufficient energy to melt the solder of the item to be removed, the one or more selected wavelengths applied being not readily absorbed by the printed circuit board, such that the printed circuit board exits the exit port of the apparatus at a temperature that can be grasped with a bare hand; applying mechanical forces to the printed circuit board having the melting solder of the item to be removed situated between said printed circuit board entry port and said printed circuit board exit port of said apparatus; controlling an amplitude of the mechanical forces applied to the printed circuit board; catching at least one item that becomes disconnected from the printed circuit board; and transporting to a first collection location said disconnected item under the influence of gravity; whereby said printed circuit board bearing said item soldered thereto is separated from said item when said printed circuit board bearing said item is transported from said entry port to said exit port under the steps of being heated and having mechanical forces applied thereto, wherein the step of transporting the printed circuit board from the printed circuit board entry port to the printed circuit board exit port of the apparatus is completed in approximately 8-12 seconds.