Arrangement for cleaning circuit cards particularly for removing soldering and resin remnants

• US 4,354,292 A
• Filed: 06/23/1980
• Issued: 10/19/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Storm, Dick E. A., Samuelsson, Kjell A., Telestad, Ake W.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBERTS JR, EDWARD
• Application Number:
  US06/162,113
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 15/21 C, 15/77, 15/3.13, 15/3.16, 15/3.18, 15/3.21, 15/30, 15/34, 15/40, 15/97 R, 15/100, 15/102, 15/21, 15/103.5
• US Class Current: 15/77
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0257 Brushing, e.g. cleaning the conductive pattern by brushing or wiping
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1518 Vertically held PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/26 Cleaning or polishing of the conductive pattern

Abstract

Arrangement for cleaning circuit cards particularly for removing soldering and resin remnants arising when soldering components on the card. The arrangement comprises a frame (FR) arranged in a container for a liquid cleaner. The frame carrying steering and driving wheels (DH) for two cleaning bands (T1, T2) running in a loop and in parallel with each other. The frame is provided with a guiding groove (R) for parallel guidance of the cleaning bands at such a distance from each other that it is possible to insert a circuit card between the bands. The bands are provided with bristles (B) of a determined height on their surfaces turned towards the cicuit card, in the chosen case 3 mm as a maximum, and the distance between the surface of the circuit card and the groove is such a way that the bristle fibres are bent at an angle of 45 degrees as a maximum when passing the card.

Claims

1. Apparatus for cleaning circuit cards to remove solder and resin remnants due to the soldering of components onto the cards, said apparatus comprising container means containing a cleaning liquid, a frame carrying first and second sets of guiding and driving wheels and respective first and second endless cleaning bands on said wheels driven thereby and immersed in said liquid along a portion of the travel thereof, said frame being provided with a guide groove located outside said liquid, said cleaning bands having respective lengths extending in confronting parallel relation in said guide groove and being driven in the same direction by said wheels in said groove, each said band including flexible bristles thereon extending from said band towards the bristles of the other band, said guide groove being outwardly open to permit insertion of a circuit card to be cleaned into said groove, the length of said bristles in relation to the size of said groove being such to cause said bristles of the confronting bands to be pressed against said card and undergo flexing as said bands travel along said card.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bristles have a projection length of 3 mm from said bands.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said bristles are bent at an angle of 45°

as a maximum when passing said card.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said frame includes two opposite inclined surfaces on which said first and second sets of wheels are mounted.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said guide groove has an entrance into which said lengths of said bands enter, said guide groove having bent edges at said entrance for guiding said lengths of said bands into said guide groove.

6. Apparatus, as claimed in claim 4 wherein said guide groove is located above the cleaning liquid and is upwardly open to permit the card to be cleaned to be inserted from above into said guide groove, said lengths of said bands extending horizontally in said guide groove in facing coplanar relation.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 comprising a raisable cover means for covering said container means, said cover means being provided with a slot which is in correspondence with said groove.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said groove is sized to limit the extent of insertion of the card into the frame.