Machine including LED-based UV radiation sources to process coatings

• US 9,090,114 B1
• Filed: 09/08/2010
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brian A. Stumm, Eric Sari
• Original Assignee: Brian A. Stumm, Eric Sari
• Inventors: Sari, Eric, Stumm, Brian A
• Primary Examiner(s): Berman, Jack
• Assistant Examiner(s): McCormack, Jason
• Application Number:
  US12/877,231
• Time in Patent Office: 1,784 Days
• Field of Search: 250/492.1, 250/492.2, 250/492.3, 250/365, 250/461.1, 250/453.11, 250/454.11, 118/667, 118/641
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/0209 Multistage baking
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/0263 with IR heaters
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/067 Curing or cross-linking the coating
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 7/0045 using protective coatings or film forming compositions cured by mechanical wave energy, e.g. ultrasonics, cured by electromagnetic radiation or waves, e.g. ultraviolet radiation, electron beams, or cured by magnetic or electric fields, e.g. electric discharge, plasma
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09872 Insulating conformal coating foil encapsulation H05K2203/1311
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0776 Uses of liquids not otherwise provided for in H05K2203/0759 - H05K2203/0773
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/111 Preheating, e.g. before soldering
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1545 Continuous processing, i.e. involving rolls moving a band-like or solid carrier along a continuous production path
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/163 Monitoring a manufacturing process
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/0091 Apparatus for coating printed circuits using liquid non-metallic coating compositions
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/287 Photosensitive compositions

Abstract

A machine includes a conveyor configured to receive and convey a circuit assembly treated with a UV curable coating material; a UV zone that includes one or more LED-based UV radiation sources; a heating zone; and a controller configured to control heating of a circuit assembly treated with a UV curable coating material in the heating zone to achieve a target temperature of the treated electronic assembly prior to the UV zone. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A machine comprising:

a conveyor that defines a product path disposed in a gas space, the conveyor configured to receive and convey a circuit assembly treated with a UV curable coating material along the product path;

a UV zone that comprises one or more LED-based UV radiation sources and at least one passage that isolates flow of gas associated with temperature control of the LED-based UV radiation sources from flow of gas to the gas space of the product path;

a heating zone; and

a controller configured to control heating of a circuit assembly treated with a UV curable coating material in the heating zone to achieve a target temperature of the treated circuit assembly prior to the UV zone and configured to control a temperature associated with the one or more LED-based UV radiation sources to control wavelength of emitted UV radiation wherein the temperature associated with the one or more LED-based UV radiation sources is less than the target temperature.

2. The machine of claim 1, the controller configured to control distance between the one or more LED-based UV radiation sources and the conveyor.

3. The machine of claim 1, the controller configured to control depth of penetration of UV radiation with respect to a UV curable coating material in the UV zone by control of temperature in the heating zone.

4. The machine of claim 1, the controller configured to control surface tackiness of a UV curable coating material by control of temperature in a post-UV heating zone.

5. The machine of claim 1 further comprising a humidifier configured to humidify at least one zone.

6. The machine of claim 5, the controller configured to control humidity to assist curing of a UV curable coating material.

7. The machine of claim 1 further comprising a cooling zone.

14. The machine of claim 1, the controller configured to control heating of a circuit assembly treated with a UV curable coating material in the heating zone based at least in part on a maximum thermal rise rate for the circuit assembly.

15. The machine of claim 1, the controller configured to control heating of a circuit assembly treated with a UV curable coating material in the heating zone based at least in part on a recommended temperature for the UV curable coating material.

16. The machine of claim 1, the controller configured to control heating of a circuit assembly treated with a UV curable coating material in the heating zone based at least in part on a maximum thermal rise rate for the circuit assembly and based at least in part on a recommended temperature for the UV curable coating material.

8. A method comprising:

conveying a product treated with a UV curable coating material along a product path disposed in a gas space;

exposing the treated product to IR radiation to heat the treated product wherein the exposing comprises exposing to achieve a target temperature for the UV curable coating material prior to conveying the treated product below one or more LED-based UV radiation sources;

emitting UV radiation by supplying current to the one or more LED-based UV radiation sources and controlling a temperature associated with the one or more LED-based UV radiation sources to control wavelength of emitted UV radiation wherein the temperature associated with the one or more LED-based UV radiation sources is less than the target temperature and wherein the controlling the temperature comprises flowing gas in at least one passage that isolates the flow of the gas to the LED-based UV radiation sources from the gas space of the product path;

exposing the treated product to the emitted UV radiation; and

further exposing the treated product to one or more of IR radiation to promote curing of the UV curable coating material and humidity to promote curing of the UV curable coating material.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the exposing the treated product to the emitted UV radiation comprises conveying the treated product below the one or more LED-based UV radiation sources.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising adjusting a height between the one or more LED-based UV radiation sources and conveyed, treated product.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising displaying a graphical user interface and receiving an instruction via the graphical user interface, the instruction for adjusting one or more of the conveying, the exposing the treated product to IR radiation, the emitting UV radiation, the exposing the treated product to the emitted UV radiation, and the exposing the treated product to one or more of IR radiation to promote curing of the UV curable coating material and humidity to promote curing of the UV curable coating material.

17. The method of claim 8 wherein the exposing the treated product to IR radiation to heat the treated product accounts for a maximum thermal rise rate for the product.

18. The method of claim 8 wherein the exposing the treated product to IR radiation to heat the treated product accounts for a maximum thermal rise rate for the product and the target temperature for the UV curable coating material.

12. A controller comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

control circuitry configured to control current delivered to one or more LED-based UV radiation sources, configured to control, based at least in part on a target temperature of a UV curable coating material, power delivered to at least one heat source and speed of a conveyor wherein the conveyor defines a product path in a gas space, and configured to control a temperature associated with the one or more LED-based UV radiation sources to control wavelength of emitted UV radiation wherein the temperature associated with the one or more LED-based UV radiation sources is less than the target temperature and wherein control of the temperature comprises flowing gas to the one or more LED-based UV radiation sources in at least one passage that isolates the flowing gas from the gas space of the product path.

13. The controller of claim 12, the control circuitry configured to control humidity.

19. The controller of claim 12, the control circuitry configured to control, based at least in part on a maximum thermal rise rate of a circuit assembly, power delivered to at least one heat source for heating the circuit assembly and speed of a conveyor for conveying the circuit assembly.