Method for generating continuous stream of liquid metal droplets
First Claim
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1. A method for generating a continuous stream of liquid metal droplets comprising:
- producing a continuous stream of liquid metal droplets; and
selectively directing said stream of liquid metal droplets in a first dimension and a second dimension, said selectively directing comprising;
raster scanning said stream of liquid metal droplets; and
blanking selectively said stream of liquid metal droplets.
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Abstract
A solder jet apparatus is disclosed The solder jet apparatus is a continuous mode solder jet that includes a blanking system and raster scan system. The use of the raster scan and blanking systems allows for a continuous stream of solder to be placed anywhere on the surface in any desired X-Y plane. This allows for greater accuracy as well as greater product throughput. Additionally, with the raster scan system, repairs to existing soldered surfaces can be quickly and easily performed using a map of the defects for directing the solder to the defects.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method for generating a continuous stream of liquid metal droplets comprising:
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producing a continuous stream of liquid metal droplets; and
selectively directing said stream of liquid metal droplets in a first dimension and a second dimension, said selectively directing comprising;
raster scanning said stream of liquid metal droplets; and
blanking selectively said stream of liquid metal droplets. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
heating a metal to a liquid state;
controlling a temperature of said metal in said liquid state to maintain said metal in said liquid state.
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3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said producing further comprises:
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inducing a pressure on a source of liquid metal; and
vibrating said liquid metal to cause said liquid metal droplets to be formed as said pressure is induced on said source of liquid metal.
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4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said pressure inducing is generated by a piezoelectric crystal driven by a given frequency to produce a desired pressure.
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5. The method according to claim 3, wherein said vibrating is generated by a piezoelectric crystal driven by a selected frequency to produce a given vibration frequency sufficient enough to form droplets having a diameter substantially in the range of 40 microns to 300 microns.
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6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said producing further comprises forming said liquid metal droplets having a substantially consistent diameter in the range of 40 microns to 300 microns.
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7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said raster scanning comprises electrically charging said liquid metal droplets.
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8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said raster scanning further comprises deflecting said electrically charged liquid metal droplets in said first dimension and said second dimension.
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9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said blanking comprises blanking when said stream of liquid metal droplets is positioned between an endpoint of a first line and a start point of a second line.
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10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said blanking further comprises:
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deflecting said stream of liquid metal droplets; and
catching said deflected stream of liquid droplets prior to being deposited on a selected surface.
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11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said selectively directing comprises programmably controlling a direction of said stream of liquid metal droplets.
Specification