Patent ID: 7506792

Claim:
A solder sphere placement apparatus, said placement apparatus comprising: a solder sphere pattern plate fabricated of a foil having a thickness less than a diameter of a solder sphere contacting the solder sphere pattern plate, said solder sphere pattern plate comprising a plurality of pattern apertures; a solder sphere placement backing plate, said solder sphere placement backing plate comprising a plurality of solder sphere backing aperture patterns; wherein said solder sphere backing aperture patterns comprise a solder sphere backing aperture with at least one solder sphere backing rib spanning across said backing aperture pattern creating a plurality of backing airflow apertures; a solder sphere placement head comprising a vacuum conduit located through said placement head and a vacuum chamber for disbursing vacuum about a pattern of placement apertures; and said solder sphere pattern plate is laminated to said solder sphere placement backing plate and the laminated plates are fastened to said solder sphere placement head.