Patent ID: 8348138

Claim:
A method of distributing heated air within a reflow soldering oven of the type comprising a reflow oven chamber assembly including a chamber housing, at least one heating element disposed in the chamber housing, and at least one compression box assembly disposed in the chamber housing, the at least one compression box assembly including a compression box housing having four sides, each having an intake port formed therein, an intake duct disposed in the compression box, the intake duct having four sides, each side having an inlet opening formed therein, the inlet openings being aligned to and in fluid communication with respective intake ports of the compression box housing, and an outlet opening, a diffuser plate disposed entirely above the intake duct, and a pressure equalizing plate positioned between the intake duct and the diffuser plate, the pressure equalizing plate extending from one end of the intake duct to an opposite end of the intake duct to bisect the compression box housing; drawing heated air into the compression box housing from the reflow oven chamber through the at least one intake port and into the at least one inlet opening of the intake duct; and exhausting air out of the outlet opening of the intake duct to the diffuser plate.