Apparatus and method for etching printed circuit board

• US 6,179,954 B1
• Filed: 04/21/1999
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Ishida, Kouichi, Kawana, Eishiro
• Primary Examiner(s): DANG, THI D
• Application Number:
  US09/295,519
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 156/345, 216/92, 134/122.R, 134/72, 134/124, 134/131, 134/199
• US Class Current: 156/345.21
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/20 Arrangements of several outlets along elongated bodies, e.g. perforated pipes or troughs, e.g. spray booms spray booms for agricultural uses A01M7/0071; spray bars for treating roads E01C19/176; Outlet elements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/04 for sequential operation or multiple outlets
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/122 responsive to presence or shape of target B05B12/124 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 13/0207 the work being an elongated body, e.g. wire or pipe B05B13/0436, B05B13/0463 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 14/40 for use in spray booths
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 9/0406 with several pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 9/0423 for supplying liquid or other fluent material to several spraying apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: C23F 1/08 Apparatus, e.g. for photomechanical printing surfaces photo- mechanical reproduction G03F
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/068 Apparatus for etching printed circuits

Abstract

An etching apparatus for etching a printed circuit board includes a transport mechanism for horizontally transporting a printed circuit board in a transporting direction so that a height of the printed circuit board during etching is kept at a transport position, a plurality of upper spray nozzles for injecting an etchant to a top surface of the printed circuit board transported by the transport mechanism, and a plurality of lower spray nozzles for injecting an etchant to a bottom surface of the printed circuit board. In the etching apparatus, a flow rate of the etchant injected to the top surface of the printed circuit board is made greater than a flow rate of the etchant injected to the bottom surface of the printed circuit board by an arrangement of the upper spray nozzles and the lower spray nozzles.

Claims

1. An apparatus for etching a printed circuit board, comprising:

transporting means for horizontally transporting a printed circuit board in a transporting direction so that a height of said printed circuit board during etching is kept at a transport position;

a plurality of upper spray nozzles for injecting an etchant to a top surface of said printed circuit board transported by said transport means;

a plurality of lower spray nozzles for injecting an etchant to a bottom surface of said printed circuit board; and

a plurality of ejecting passages for ejecting the etchant, injected to the top surface of the printed circuit board by the upper spray nozzles, away from the printed circuit board in transverse directions perpendicular to the transporting direction of the printed circuit board, wherein the ejecting passages are arranged at portions of the transport means in which no pressure rollers are provided at locations corresponding to the ejecting passages.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said transport means comprises a plurality of longitudinally arranged transport rollers which are rotated to transport the printed circuit board in the transporting direction in contact with the bottom surface of the printed circuit board, and a plurality of longitudinally arranged pressure rollers which are opposed to said transport rollers and exert pressure onto the printed circuit board against said transport rollers in contact with the top surface of the printed circuit board, and

wherein said ejecting passages are arranged at portions of said transport means where only transport rollers corresponding to said portions are arranged and no pressure rollers opposed to said transport rollers are arranged.