Patent ID: 7981178

Claim:
A reflow apparatus for solder joining electronic components to a substrate, the apparatus comprising: a reflow chamber; a conveyor to convey a substrate within the chamber; at least one heating element to provide heat to reflow solder on the substrate; and at least one system to remove contaminants generated from the reflow solder, the at least one system being coupled with the chamber for passage of a vapor stream from the reflow chamber through the system, the at least one system comprising a contaminant collection unit in fluid communication with the vapor stream, the contaminant collection unit including a housing having a chamber, an inlet in fluid communication with the chamber, the arrangement being such that the vapor stream enters the chamber through the inlet, an outlet in fluid communication with the chamber, the arrangement being such that the vapor stream exits the chamber through the outlet and directed back to the reflow chamber, a coil disposed in the chamber, the coil having an inlet and an outlet, a gas delivery tube connected to the inlet and the outlet of the coil to selectively deliver cooled gas to the coil, a heating element coupled to the gas delivery tube at the outlet of the coil to selectively heat the gas that is introduced in the coil when selectively introducing gas into the coil through the outlet rather than the inlet, and a collection container positioned under the coil, wherein the coil is configured to receive cooled gas therein, the arrangement being such that when introducing cooled gas in the coil, contaminants in the vapor stream condense on the coil, and when ceasing the introduction of cooled gas in the coil, and activating the heating element to deliver warmed gas through the outlet to the coil, contaminants in the vapor stream are released from the coil and collected in the collection container.