Soldering Nozzle Cleaning via Acoustic Cavitation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing soldering nozzle cleaning methods are inadequate in removing dross completely and often damage the nozzle, while using activators can contaminate the solder bath and affect solder quality.
Innovation Solution
A method using sound or ultrasound to remove contaminants from the soldering nozzle, particularly by bringing a sound source into contact with the solder wave to effectively clean the nozzle without using additional cleaning agents, allowing for continuous operation and minimal disruption to the soldering process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If mechanical cleaning methods are used to remove dross from the soldering nozzle, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the nozzle is damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical cleaning methods (brushes, needles, scrapers) with an acoustic cleaning system that uses sound waves to remove dross. The acoustic source generates sound waves that propagate through the solder wave to the nozzle surface, creating vibrations that detach contaminants without mechanical contact, thus preventing nozzle damage while achieving effective cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the solder wave as an intermediary medium to transmit acoustic energy to the nozzle. The sound source does not directly contact the nozzle; instead, sound waves travel through the solder wave, which acts as a coupling medium to deliver acoustic energy to the nozzle surface for contaminant removal.
2Manufacturing precision
If activators are used to clean the nozzle, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the solder bath is contaminated and solder quality is affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical cleaning methods (activators) with an acoustic cleaning system. Instead of using chemical substances that can contaminate the solder bath, the invention uses sound waves to mechanically detach dross through vibration, eliminating chemical contamination while maintaining cleaning effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning system uses the existing solder wave and acoustic energy to clean the nozzle without requiring additional cleaning agents. The system is self-sufficient, using the solder bath's own movement and the applied acoustic field to achieve cleaning, thereby preventing introduction of foreign contaminants.
3Manufacturing precision
If the soldering nozzle is cleaned frequently to maintain quality, then soldering quality is improved, but production downtime increases
Solution Approach 1:
The acoustic cleaning system is designed to operate continuously or at frequent intervals without interrupting the soldering process. The sound source can be activated during idle periods or between soldering operations, maintaining nozzle cleanliness and soldering quality while minimizing disruption to production flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The non-contact acoustic cleaning method eliminates the need to stop the soldering process for manual cleaning operations. The system can clean the nozzle in-situ without requiring disassembly or interruption of the solder wave flow, thus maintaining production continuity while ensuring consistent cleaning quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method completely removes unwanted contamination from the nozzle surface without damaging it, ensuring continuous soldering operations with improved quality and reduced downtime for cleaning.
Implementation Method 1
contaminants, in particular undesirable oxides, are removed from the soldering nozzle by means of sound of any frequency from a sound source
Implementation Method 2
The sound source is brought into contact with the solder wave 5 in order to transmit the sound waves in the direction of the soldering nozzle 3, in particular to the outer surface
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~7
AI summary
The invention relates to a method and a device for cleaning a soldering nozzle and to a soldering device. Impurities on the soldering nozzle are removed by ultrasounds of an ultrasonic source leading to a thorough and simple cleaning.