Device for soldering a series of connectors and a method of use

• US 6,065,666 A
• Filed: 04/03/1998
• Issued: 05/23/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology plc (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Technology plc (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Backlund, David D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Heinrich, Samuel M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Knapp, Jeffrey T.
• Application Number:
  US09/054,655
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 228/51, 228/55, 228/180.21, 219/85.16
• US Class Current: 228/180.21
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/36 Electric or electronic devices
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 3/0392 the heat being generated by contact resistance

Abstract

A soldering member includes an elongated heating element for soldering a series of connectors. The elongated heating element of the soldering member is flexibly supported via a rigid base for adjusting the orientation of the heating element to align with a series of connectors rigidly supported for soldering. A method of using the soldering member is also described.

Claims

1. A soldering member comprising:

an elongated heating element adapted to couple to a power source to heat an extent of the elongated heating element for soldering a series of connectors;

a rigid base for supporting the elongated heating element; and

means for coupling the elongated heating element to the rigid base.

2. A method of soldering a series of rigidly supported connectors via a soldering member including an elongated heating element defining a soldering axis, comprising steps of:

(a) flexibly supporting the heating element to adjust the orientation of the soldering axis;

(b) positioning the heating element to contact the series of connectors while aligning the soldering axis with a support axis of the rigidly supported connectors;

(c) heating the heating element to solder the series of connectors; and

(d) removing the heating element from the series of soldered connectors.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the positioning step includes continually moving the heating element toward the series of connectors after the heating element contacts the series of connectors to reorientate the flexibly supported elongated heating element to align with the support axis of a series of connectors.

4. A soldering member comprising:

an elongated heating element adapted to couple to a power source to heat an extent of the elongated heating element for soldering a series of connectors;

a rigid base for supporting said elongated heating element; and

a flexibly coupling member which adjusts orientation of the elongated heating element relative to the rigid base.

5. The soldering member of claim 4 wherein the flexibly coupling member comprises a spring member operably coupled to said rigid base and said elongated heating element.

6. The soldering member of claim 4 wherein the rigid base includes rigid conductor members supported in spaced parallel relation and operably coupled to the heating element and adapted to couple to the power source.

7. The soldering member of claim 4 wherein a length dimension of the elongated heating element corresponds to a length dimension of a series of connectors to be soldered in a single application.

8. The soldering member of claim 4 wherein the elongated heating element includes a planar heating surface.

9. The soldering member of claim 8 wherein a thickness dimension of the planar heating surface is sized proportional to a thickness dimension of a series of connectors to be soldered.

10. The soldering member of claim 4 wherein the flexible coupling member includes spaced arms operably coupled to the rigid base, the spaced arms including flexibly coupled arm portions, one of said arm portions being coupled to the rigid base and the other of said arm portions being coupled to the heating element to define the flexible coupling member.

11. The soldering member of claim 10 wherein the heating element includes opposed ends and the arms are coupled to opposed ends.

12. The soldering member of claim 10 wherein said flexibly coupled arm portions form a "V"-shaped member.

13. The soldering member of claim 10 wherein the spaced arms are coupled to a power source to form a portion of a heating circuit for the heating element.

14. The soldering member of claim 10 including a rigid stem portion, the arms are coupled to the stem portion, the arms and stem portion being coupled to a power source to form a portion of a heating circuit for heating the heating element.

15. The soldering member of claim 14 including a plurality of stem portions.