Robert John Larkin

US Patent:

20060131360, Jun 22, 2006

Filed:

Nov 29, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/290942

Inventors:

Thomas Durston - Reno NV, US
Robert Larkin - Reno NV, US
James Parsons - Reno NV, US
Andrew Devey - Reno NV, US
Alexander Prokop - Reno NV, US

International Classification:

A47J 36/02

US Classification:

228101000

Abstract:

A thermal attach and detach method and system for surface-mounted components (SMCs) employs a planar-heater which generates heat in response to an electrical current. The heater's resistance varies with its temperature, and the resistance is read to determine heater and SMC temperature. A means of gripping an SMC is provided such that the device's I/O contacts are heated by thermal conduction from the planar-heater through and/or along the SMC's side-walls. An electrical current is provided to the planar-heater such that heat sufficient to attach/detach the I/O contacts to or from a PCB is generated. The method enables the gripping, heating, resistance monitoring and SMC temperature measuring to occur simultaneously. Several means of gripping an SMC are described, including vacuum, mechanical, adhesive and magnetic. A method which employs a heating element to heat a substrate on which SMCs may be mounted is also described.