Circuit Board Shielding with Gap Closure for Sharp Heat Boundaries

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing shielding devices for circuit boards during tempering in ovens fail to prevent heat transfer through gaps, leading to undesired transition areas between hard and soft regions, resulting in energy inefficiency and lack of sharp demarcation between high-strength and soft areas.

Innovation Solution

The shielding device employs adjustable closure bodies that can be transversely moved to close gaps between screens and the circuit board, ensuring minimal heat transfer and precise shielding, with closure bodies designed to approach each other in a working position to form a gap or lie face-to-face, preventing heat from reaching the covered area.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a gap is provided between the shielding parts and the circuit board to avoid contact, then the shielding device is simple and easy to manufacture, but heat transfers through the gap creating undesired transition areas

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshielding device simplicityVSAvoidtemperature distribution precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The shielding device employs adjustable closure bodies that can be moved between an initial position (gap formed) and a working position (gap closed). This dynamic adjustment allows the system to achieve both ease of manufacture in the initial state and precise temperature control in the working state, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Manufacturing precision

If closure bodies are moved to close the gap between screens and circuit board, then heat transfer is minimized and sharp demarcation is achieved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemperature distribution precisionVSAvoidshielding device structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The shielding device is segmented into modular components: shielding parts, screens, and adjustable closure bodies. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently while maintaining overall system precision, reducing the complexity burden of the adjustable mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The closure bodies are designed to be adjustable rather than fixed, allowing the system to achieve precise temperature control only when needed (in the working position). This dynamic approach minimizes the impact of added complexity by activating the precision mechanism only during the actual shielding process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Loss of energy

If the covered area is shielded effectively with minimal heat transfer, then energy consumption is reduced, but the shielding device becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat loss to covered areaVSAvoidshielding device structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The adjustable closure bodies enable the shielding device to achieve effective heat blocking only when in the working position, minimizing energy loss during the actual tempering process. The dynamic nature of the closure bodies allows the system to maintain simplicity during loading/unloading while achieving energy efficiency during operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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

This configuration significantly reduces the formation of medium-strength transition areas, allows for quicker cooling, and results in substantial energy savings by minimizing the dwell time in the furnace.

Implementation Method 1

the covered partial area of the circuit board being shielded by the shielding device against further heat application

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal radiation: Thermal Radiation

Implementation Method 2

part of the heat reaches the covered area through the gap between the shielding parts and through the gap between the screens and the circuit board

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

part of the heat reaches the covered area through the gap between the shielding parts and through the gap between the screens and the circuit board

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat convection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP4190922A1Shielding device for circuit boards
Publication Date: 2023.06.07 GEDIA GEBR DINGERKUS
  • EP4190922A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4190922A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4190922A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Shielding device (1) for covering a partial area of ​​a circuit board (2), wherein the shielding device (1) comprises a first shielding part (3) with a first aperture (4) and a second shielding part (5) arranged opposite it with a second aperture (6), wherein an area of ​​a circuit board (2) is arranged between the apertures (4, 6) which is partially covered by the apertures (4, 6), wherein the covered partial area of ​​the circuit board (2) is shielded against heat exposure and the uncovered area of ​​the circuit board (2) is heated to austenitizing temperature, wherein the first and the second shielding parts (3, 5) are arranged at a distance from each other and a gap (7, 7') is formed between the apertures (4, 6) and the circuit board (2), wherein the shielding device (1) comprises two shutter bodies (8, 9) which are spaced apart from each other and from the circuit board (2) in a starting position and are approached each other in a working position.so that the locking elements (8, 9) are approached in a first sub-area (10) of the circuit board (2) and lie against each other in a second sub-area (11) which is arranged next to the circuit board (2).