Abstract:
A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SOLDERING ELECTRICAL LEADS TO TERMINALS OF A MAGNETIC CORE AND COIL ASSEMBLY. THE METHOD INCLUDES THE STEP OF MOVING A CORE AND COIL ASSEMBLY PAST A FLOW OF SOLDER TO SOLDER THE LEADS AND TERMINALS. PREDETERMINED LENGTHS OF LEADS ARE POSITIONED ADJACENT TO TERMINAL PADS ON THE ASSEMBLY. WITH THE LEADS HELD IN PLACE, THE TERMINALS AND LEADS ARE WETTED AS AT LEAST THE ENDS OF THE LEADS TRAVERSE THE CREST OF A CASCADE OF SOLDER. THE DIRECTION OF THE SOLDER FLOW IS CONTROLLED SO THAT SOLDER WILL NOT CONTACT THE CORE AND COIL. IN THE APPARATUS, A RAIL OF A CONVEYOR BOTH SUPPORTS THE TERMINAL PADS AND GAUGES THE LENGTH OF LEAD INSERTED IN THE TERMINALS. THE CONVEYOR INCLUDES A TROUGH ALONG WHICH THE FREE ENDS OF THE LEADS MAY SLIDE. THE CONVEYOR MOVES THE ASSEMBLY ALONG A SOLDER EMITTING ORIFICE. AS THE TERMINALS TRANSVERSE THE ORIFICE AT LEAST THE ENDS OF THE LEADS CONTACT THE FLOW OF SOLDER TO WET THE ENDS OF THE LEADS AND ADJACENT PORTIONS OF THE TERMINALS WITH MOLTEN SOLDER.