Component Drier

• US 5,636,446 A
• Filed: 06/22/1994
• Issued: 06/10/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Inventors: Mae, Masataka, Okane, Masaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Lopez, F. Daniel
• Application Number:
  US08/263,471
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 34/76, 34/210, 34/218, 34/195, 34/197, 34/406, 34/412, 34/468, 34/469
• US Class Current: 34/76
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 9/066 the products to be dried being disposed on one or more containers, which may have at least partly gas-previous walls, e.g. trays or shelves in a stack F26B9/003 takes precedence; in combination with duct systems F26B21/00

Abstract

A component drier for drying electronic components which are washed with solvent. The component drier includes a drying chamber, in which a vat having a bottom surface wall allowing passage of air and water is arranged. The vat stores components to be dried. Heated air is introduced into the drying chamber through an air inlet which is positioned above the vat. The air in the drying chamber is forcibly discharged through an air outlet which is positioned below the vat. Thus, a space under the vat has a sufficient negative pressure as compared with a space above the vat so that the air forcibly passes through clearances between the components downwardly from above the vat, thereby removing most part of the solvent moistening the components in the liquid state. A small quantity of liquid which is left on the components is subsequently efficiently vaporized by the heated air.

Claims

1. A component drier for drying a plurality of components being moistened with a liquid comprising:

a drying chamber comprising;

an enclosure having an inside and an outside;

a vat inside said enclosure, said vat being adapted to store components to be dried and having a bottom surface allowing passage of air and a liquid;

a rack, being adapted to support said vat for positioning the same in a vertical central portion of said drying chamber, said vertical central portion being located inside said chamber between an upper space above said rack and a lower space under said rack, said rack having a portion allowing passage of said air and said liquid after passage through said bottom surface of said vat;

an air inlet for passing air into said upper space of said enclosure and being positioned above said vat;

an air outlet for passing air out of said lower space of said enclosure being positioned below said vat; and

an openable/closable drain port being positioned below said vat and said air outlet;

a suction device being arranged adjacently to said drying chamber for forcibly sucking air from inside said drying chamber to the outside through said air outlet;

a heating device being arranged adjacently to said drying chamber for heating air being introduced into said drying chamber through said air inlet; and

a hood-like member being positioned above said air outlet for preventing said liquid dropping from said vat from entering said air outlet.

2. A component drier in accordance with claim 1, wherein said suction device is arranged for sucking liquid from said components.

3. A component drier for drying a plurality of components being moistened with a liquid comprising:

a drying chamber comprising;

an enclosure having an inside and an outside;

a vat inside said enclosure, said vat being adapted to store components to be dried and having a bottom surface allowing passage of air and a liquid;

a rack, being adapted to support said vat for positioning the same in a vertical central portion of said drying chamber, said vertical central portion being located inside said chamber between an upper space above said rack and a lower space under said rack, said rack having a portion allowing passage of said air and said liquid after passage through said bottom surface of said vat;

an air inlet for passing air into said upper space of said enclosure and being positioned above said vat;

an air outlet for passing air out of said lower space of said enclosure being positioned below said vat; and

an openable/closable drain port being positioned below said vat and said air outlet;

a suction device being arranged adjacently to said drying chamber for forcibly sucking air from inside said drying chamber to the outside through said air outlet and forcibly sucking liquid from said components; and

a hood-like member being positioned above said air outlet for preventing said liquid dropping from said vat from entering said air outlet.