HEAT TRANSFER DEVICE FOR PRODUCING A SOLDERED CONNECTION OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS

Abstract

A heat transfer device for thermal coupling of a component to be soldered, having a heat source and/or a heat sink in a soldering machine, with at least one base plate which is designed to be in thermal contact at least with the heat source and/or the heat sink. The base plate has a plurality of contact units having a respective contact surface, where the contact surfaces are thermally contactable to the components. The contact units are designed in such a way that the relative distances between the contact surfaces and the surface of the base plate facing the component are changeable. A soldering device, in particular a vacuumable soldering device, is provided having at least one such heat transfer device.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. A heat transfer device for thermal coupling of a component to be soldered, having a heat source and/or a heat sink in a soldering machine, in particular in a vacuum soldering machine, with a heat source and/or a heat sink and with at least one base plate which is in thermally conductive contact at least with the heat source and/or the heat sink, where the base plate comprises at least two, in particular a plurality, of contact units having a respective contact surface, where the contact surfaces are thermally contactable to the component, where the contact units are designed in such a way that the relative distances between the contact surfaces and the surface of the base plate facing the component are changeable, and where the distance between the base plate and the component is changeable, wherein the contact units are designed in such a way that the relative distances between the contact surfaces and the surface of the base plate facing the component are changeable depending on a change in the contact pressure with which the base plate is pressed against the component caused by a change in the distance between the base plate and the component.

16. The heat transfer device according to claim 15, wherein the contact units are held repositionably in recesses that are provided in the base plate, where in particular the contact units can be repositioned into a retracted position in which the contact surfaces of the contact units are flush with the surface of the base plate facing the component.

17. The heat transfer device according to claim 15, wherein the contact units are formed of an elastic and thermally conductive material, in particular a metal paste, an epoxy resin incorporating metal particles, and/or a conductive elastomer material, that is provided on the side of the base plate facing the component to be soldered.

18. The heat transfer device according to claim 15, wherein a respective contact unit comprises a contact pin having the contact surface and adjustable relative to the base plate.

19. The heat transfer device according to claim 18, wherein an elastic and thermally conductive material, in particular an epoxy resin incorporating metal particles and/or a conductive elastomer material, is applied to an end face of the contact pin.

20. The heat transfer device according to claim 18, wherein the contact pins are spring-mounted.

21. The heat transfer device according to claim 20, wherein a respective contact pin comprises a thermally conductive sleeve, closed on one side, whose closed end face faces the component to be soldered, and in that a spring, in particular a helical spring, is housed in the sleeve, said spring protruding, at least when in an uncompressed state, partially out of the open end face of the sleeve and is thermally in contact with the sleeve, where, in particular a thermally conductive stud is held in an interior of the spring at its free end that protrudes from the sleeve, said stud being thermally connected to the spring, wherein advantageously an end face at the end of the stud is flush with the end face of the free end of the spring or protrudes out of the spring, or in that a respective contact pin has a thermally conductive stud, whose end face faces the component to be soldered, and in that at the stud a spring, in particular a helical spring, is held on a spring tab of the stud, where in particular the spring rests, preferably together with other contact pins, on a contact plate at the side facing away from the spring tab, and where the stud has a radial projection at the seat of the spring tab, which, when the spring is in the uncompressed state, rests on a radial constriction of the recess of the base plate.

22. The heat transfer device according to claim 15, wherein the contact pins are mechanically, pneumatically, hydraulically or electromagnetically adjustable.

23. The heat transfer device according to claim 18, wherein the contact pins are arranged in at least one group, each comprising a plurality of contact pins, where, in an uncompressed state, in particular the distances of the contact surfaces of the contact pins of a group to the base plate decrease from the inside to the outside in relation to the positions of the contact pins in the group.

24. The heat transfer device according to claim 15, wherein the base plate is curved on its side facing the component to be soldered, and in particular is designed with a form that is complementary to the component to be soldered.

25. A soldering machine, in particular a vacuum soldering machine, with at least one heat transfer device according to claim 15, and with a component holder, in which at least one component to be soldered is fixable, wherein the component holder and the base plate are repositionable relative to one another in such a way that as a result the contact surfaces of the contact units can optionally make thermally conductive contact with the component to be soldered, and the relative distances between the contact surfaces and the surface of the base plate, facing the component are changeable.

26. The soldering machine according to claim 25, wherein the component holder comprises a carrier plate as a support for the component to be soldered and a pressing device which is designed to press at least the component to be soldered against the carrier plate, in particular with spring loading, where the carrier plate has at least one passageway through which the contact units pass in order to establish thermal contact between the contact surfaces of the contact units and the component to be soldered.

27. The soldering machine according to claim 25, wherein the component holder and the base plate are repositionable relative to one another, where the component holder and/or the heat transfer device are designed in such a way that as the component holder and the base plate approach one another, a force is exerted by the contact units to the component to be soldered, so that the component to be soldered is lifted from the support plate.

28. The soldering machine according to claim 25, wherein the component holder has at least one heat storage strip which can make thermally conductive contact with the component to be soldered, in particular with an edge region of the component, where in particular the pressing device is designed to press the heat storage strip with spring loading onto the component to be soldered.

29. The heat transfer device according to claim 16, wherein the contact units are formed of an elastic and thermally conductive material, in particular a metal paste, an epoxy resin incorporating metal particles, and/or a conductive elastomer material, that is provided on the side of the base plate facing the component to be soldered.

30. The heat transfer device according to claim 16, wherein a respective contact unit comprises a contact pin having the contact surface and adjustable relative to the base plate.

31. The heat transfer device according to claim 17, wherein a respective contact unit comprises a contact pin having the contact surface and adjustable relative to the base plate.

32. The heat transfer device according to claim 19, wherein the contact pins are spring-mounted.

33. The heat transfer device according to claim 16, wherein the contact pins are mechanically, pneumatically, hydraulically or electromagnetically adjustable.

34. The heat transfer device according to claim 17, wherein the contact pins are mechanically, pneumatically, hydraulically or electromagnetically adjustable.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0049] Further advantageous embodiments of the invention emerge from the description and the drawings.

[0050] The invention is described below on the basis of exemplary embodiments, with reference to the drawings. The drawing shows in

[0051] FIG. 1 a perspective views of a base plate with a plurality of contact units according to one exemplary embodiment;

[0052] FIG. 2 a plan views of a contact unit according to a further exemplary embodiment;

[0053] FIG. 3 a perspective sectional views of a heat transfer device with a contact unit according to FIG. 2, with alternative embodiments of a contact unit;

[0054] FIG. 4 a group of contact units according to a further exemplary embodiment, viewed from the side and from above;

[0055] FIG. 5 detailed views of the contact surface of a contact unit according to one exemplary embodiment of the invention;

[0056] FIG. 6 a plan view and a perspective view of a carrier plate according to one exemplary embodiment of the invention;

[0057] FIG. 7 a perspective view of a base plate according to one exemplary embodiment of the invention;

[0058] FIG. 8 a perspective view and a plan view of a base plate according to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention;

[0059] FIG. 9 a variety of perspective views of a component to be soldered and heat storage strips;

[0060] FIG. 10 plan and sectional views of a component holder and heat transfer device according to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention; and

[0061] FIG. 11 perspective views and a sectional view of a component holder and a heat transfer device according to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0062] A heat transfer device 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprises a rectangular base plate 12 which can be brought into thermal contact with a heat source or a heat sink. Six contact units 14, also rectangular and consisting of a thermally conductive elastic material, for example of epoxy resin incorporating metal particles, or of other thermally conductive elastomer materials, are arranged on a surface of the base plate 12. The base plate 12 can be brought into contact with a component carrier, not illustrated, or directly with the component, so that the contact units 14 attached to the base plate 12 initially contact those regions of the component carrier in which a high accumulation of solder is present and which specifically are to be cooled.

[0063] FIG. 2 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a contact unit, which can be designed as a sprung contact pin 16, as shown in FIG. 3a or 3b. The contact pin 16 comprises, in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 3a, a cylindrical, thermally conductive sleeve 18 of copper, closed on one side, in which a spring 20, for example a helical spring, is mounted. The sleeve 18 comprises a section of solid material which serves to provide a high thermal capacity for accepting/releasing and storing thermal energy, and a blind hole section to accept a spring 20. The thermal heat capacity of the sleeve 18 is dimensioned in such a way that it is alone sufficient to establish a required temperature gradient when contacting the component surface. The closed end face of the sleeve 18 constitutes a contact surface 24 which can be brought into thermal contact with a component to be soldered. In the uncompressed state illustrated in FIG. 2, the spring 20 protrudes partially out of the open end face of the sleeve 18, and is in thermal contact with the sleeve 18. Inside the spring 20, a thermally conductive stud 22 is held at the free end of the spring 20 protruding from the sleeve 18, and is also thermally connected to the spring 20. An end face of the stud 22 is flush with the end face of the free end of the spring 20.

[0064] FIG. 3a shows a heat transfer device 110 according to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, comprising a plurality of contact pins 16 according to FIG. 2, where only one of these contact pins 16 is shown in the sectional view of FIG. 3a. The heat transfer device 110 comprises a base plate 112 which has a hole or recess 30 passing right through, in which the contact pin 16 is held. A cooling plate 48 is provided as a heat sink underneath the base plate 112. Instead of the cooling plate 48, a heating plate can also be provided as a heat source, or another plate which can optionally be operated as a heat source or as a heat sink. The contact pin 16 rests with the free end of the spring 20 on the cooling plate 48, the stud 22 being in thermal contact with the cooling plate 48, or it can be fastened to the cooling plate 48. The sleeve 18 protrudes from the upper face of the base plate 112, and extends through a passage 32 of a carrier plate 26. The function of the carrier plate 26 will be explained in more detail below.

[0065] The contact surface 24 of the sleeve 18 is in thermal contact with a component carrier or with a bottom plate 28, where further components to be soldered thereto can be arranged on the bottom plate 28. These further components can, for example, be high-current semiconductor components that can be used as half or full bridges for the rectification or inversion of electrical energy. The semiconductor components can be arranged on a ceramic substrate that has a metallised surface on which conductive tracks form electrical connections.

[0066] As can clearly be seen in FIG. 3a, the sleeve 18 can be retracted entirely into the base plate 112 against the spring force exerted by the spring 20, so that the contact surface 24 is practically flush with the other side of the base plate 112. The pin 16 stands on the stud 22. If the base plate 112 moves even closer to the carrier plate 26, the components and the bottom plate 28 could be lifted out of the carrier plates 26.

[0067] As an alternative to FIG. 3a, FIG. 3b represents a further embodiment of a heat transfer device 310 with a plurality of contact units 314. Multiple contact units are brought together to form groups that rest on a common contact plate 321. Each contact unit 314 comprises a contact pin 316 which comprises a thermally conductive stud 319. The stud 319 has a contact surface 324 and a spring tab 322 located axially opposite to it. A contact spring 320 is mounted on the spring tab 323, and rests against the contact plate 321. The contact pin 316 is held in a recess 330 of a base plate 312. The recess 330 has a region 327 that is radially constricted in the direction of the component, and the stud 319 has a radial projection 325 which, in the uncompressed state, rests against the constricted region 327 of the recess 330. The spring movement of the contact pin 316 is thus defined by the position of the radial constriction 327 of the recess 330, the length of the spring tab 323 and the position of the contact plate 321. The contact plate 321 can thermally make contact with a heating or cooling plate arranged underneath the base plate 312. A thermal decoupling, or a different temperature between the contact unit 314 and the base plate 312, can thus be achieved. The contact units 314 can be preassembled on a common contact plate 321, and inserted into a base plate 312, these being individually adaptable to solder processes.

[0068] A cooling medium or, in a configuration as a heating plate, a heating medium, can flow through the cooling plate 48 in order to bring about the desired cooling or heating effect. The heating plate can also comprise an electrical resistance heating conductor, and be electrically heated. A cooling medium, which can be gaseous or liquid, can nevertheless flow through a cooling plate, or said plate can comprise an electrical cooling element, for example a Peltier element.

[0069] FIG. 4 shows a group of contact units according to a further exemplary embodiment, which are designed as contact pins 116 with different lengths. The construction of the contact pins 116 corresponds to that of the contact pins 16 of FIG. 2, where sleeves 118 of the contact pins 116 have different lengths. The lengths of the springs 120 of the contact pins 116 can be adapted to the different lengths of the contact pins 116. Thermally conductive studs 122 can be provided at the free ends of the springs 120 that protrude out of the sleeves 118.

[0070] The group of contact pins 116 forms a circular unit, in which the lengths of the contact pins 116 decrease from the centre of the circle to the outside, so that the upper side of the group of contact pins 116 exhibits a conical contour. The contact pins 116 can nevertheless be of the same length, and the lengths of the springs 120 vary correspondingly. As this group of contact pins 116 approaches a component, a central region of the component is contacted and cooled first of all. As the approach continues, the contacted region grows continuously. A finely stepped control of the temperature gradient can be achieved in this way, so that a spatially and temporally precise cooling of the components to be soldered can be achieved.

[0071] In accordance with exemplary variations, the contact areas 24 of the contact pins 16 (FIG. 2) or 116 (FIG. 4) can in particular be designed elastic and/or curved.

[0072] FIG. 5 shows a contact unit 114 according to a further exemplary embodiment, which, similarly to the contact units 14 of the heat transfer device of FIG. 1, can be arranged on a base plate (not illustrated). The contact unit 114 consists of an elastic and thermally conductive material, and, when in an uncompressed state, has an elliptically shaped contact surface 124. As the result of an approach of the base plate to a component carrier or to a bottom plate 128, only a small region of a contact surface 124 of the contact unit 114 initially comes into thermal contact with the bottom plate 128. As the approach continues, the contact unit 114 deforms, so that the region of the contact surface 124 that is in contact with the bottom plate 128 increases continuously.

[0073] A soldering machine 200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. The soldering machine 200 comprises a heat transfer device 110 (see FIG. 3a or FIG. 3b) as well as a component holder 36 in which the components to be soldered can be fixed. The components to be soldered comprise a bottom plate 28 as a component carrier, as well as further components 46 that are to be soldered to the bottom plate 28. The bottom plate 28 has six solder fields 50, arranged in a row, on which the components 46 are arranged. Solder, for example in the form of solder paste or stamped solder elements known as solder preforms, can be provided between the components 46 and the bottom plate 28 in a fluxless process. Alternatively, a carrier frame 38 with integrated, small-area receptacles for the components to be soldered, or with correspondingly small bottom plates, can be used instead of the bottom plate 28, or the bottom plate 28, or a plurality of bottom plates, can be suspended from a pressing frame 40 by means of pins, i.e. positioned in a floating manner.

[0074] FIG. 7 shows the base plate 112 of the heat transfer device 110. The base plate 112 comprises six groups of contact pins 16, where each group comprises six concentrically arranged contact pins 16. The arrangement of the groups of contact pins 16 is matched to the arrangement of the solder fields 50 of the bottom plate 28.

[0075] The component holder 36 comprises a carrier frame 38 in which the carrier plate 26 is held. The bottom plate 28 is placed on the carrier plate 26. The component holder 36 further comprises a pressing frame 40 which comprises a large number of spring-mounted pressure pins 42. The pressing frame 40 can be fixed in position on the carrier frame 38 by means of latches 44 arranged on the carrier frame 38.

[0076] As can be seen particularly in FIG. 6, the carrier plate 26 has passages 32 that are aligned with the contact pins 16, so that the contact pins 16 can come into thermal contact with the bottom plate 28 through these passages 32 of the carrier plate 26.

[0077] Heat storage strips 34 can be arranged at the edge regions of the bottom plate 28, and these can be continuous or—as illustrated—divided. The heat storage strips 34 have locating pins 52 and locating holes 54 which serve to align or to fasten the heat storage strips 34 to the bottom plate 28 or to the pressing frame 40. The heat storage strips 34 serve to provide a local increase in the heat storage capacity, thereby compensating for an increased temperature loss of the bottom plate 28 at its edge regions or forming a temperature gradient over the base plate, so that the edge regions cool down more slowly. As a result of this temperature gradient, the solder in the middle of the bottom plate 28 which is still liquid cools down first during the cooling process and solidifies, whereas the solder in the region further outside is still liquid, and can flow inwards from there in order to prevent the formation of cavities or cracks. At the end of the cooling process, the solder in the edge regions of the bottom plate 28 has also reached its solidification point.

[0078] As can be seen clearly particularly in FIGS. 10b and 11c, the bottom plate 28 is pre-curved, in order to compensate for stresses arising as a result of the soldering process. The aim is that, after the soldering process is complete and cooling has occurred, the bottom plate 28 is flat, which is achieved by a different coefficient of thermal expansion of the components to be soldered which, when cooling from the curved shape, distort into a planar alignment in a manner similar to a bimetal strip.

[0079] In order to ensure a good thermal contact between the carrier plate 26 and the bottom plate 28, the carrier plate 26 is provided with a convex milling or recess 56, whose curvature is designed to be complementary to the curvature of the plate 28 (see in particular FIGS. 6a and 11b). The side of the carrier plate 26 opposite to the recess 56 is, like the upper side of the base plate 112, also preferably flat, in order to ensure a full-area contact between these plates.

[0080] When the bottom plate 28 is inserted into the component holder 36 and the pressing frame 40 is fastened by means of the latches 44 to the carrier frame 38, the bottom plate 28 is pressed by means of the pressure pins 42 against the carrier plate 26, where the pressing force is at least partially transmitted indirectly through the components 46 and the heat transfer strips 34, which are thus also pressed against the bottom plate 28.

[0081] As the heat transfer device 110 approaches the carrier plate 26, at first only the contact pins 16 come into thermal contact with the bottom plate 28, so that a local cooling in the region of the contact pins 16 is achieved. As the approach continues, the distance between the contact surfaces 24 of the contact pins 16 and the base plate 112 decreases, so that finally the contact pins 16 are to a large extent held in the recesses 30 of the base plate 112, and finally a full-area contact is established between the heat transfer device 110 and the carrier plate 26, and hence also with the bottom plate 28 that is in thermal contact with the carrier plate 26, in order to achieve a large-area cooling of the bottom plate 28. As the heat transfer device 110 approaches the carrier plate 26, it is possible for the bottom plate 28 to be lifted out of the carrier plate 26.

[0082] In order to interrupt the thermal contact between the carrier plate 26 and the bottom plate 28, it is possible for the latches 44 to be partially or fully released, so that the pressing force exerted by the pressure pins 42 is reduced or even removed. Alternatively, the pressing force of the pressure pins 42 can be selected such that as the heat transfer device 110 approaches the carrier plate 26, the bottom plate 28 is lifted as soon as the contact pins 16 are fully retracted and the base plate 112 is moved further against the carrier plate 26. As the heat transfer device 110 approaches the component holder 36, the bottom plate 28 is lifted by the contact pins 16 from the carrier plate 26, since from now on the opposing force that compresses the springs 20 of the contact pins 16 is absent, or at least is so small that the contact pins 16 only enter slightly, if at all, the recesses 30. Due to the absence of thermal contact of the bottom plate 28 with the carrier plate 26, a more precisely controlled cooling, or a steeper temperature gradient, is possible in the region of the places that are contacted by the contact pins 16.

[0083] FIG. 8 shows a heat transfer device 210 according to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention. The heat transfer device 210 comprises a rectangular base plate 212, on the upper face of which a large number of schematically illustrated contact units 214 are arranged. The contact units 214 can correspond to the contact pins 16 (FIGS. 2 and 3) or to the contact units 114 (FIG. 5) formed of elastic material. The area density with which the contact units 214 are arranged on the base plate 212 is maximum along the edges of the base plate 212, and decreases inwards, i.e. the spacing between the contact units 214 increases from the outside to the inside. An inner region of the base plate 212 is free from contact units 214.

[0084] A heat transfer device 210 of this type can advantageously be employed as a heating plate or a heat source, in order to prevent a temperature gradient on a bottom plate (not illustrated) in thermal contact with the heat transfer device 210 during the heating process. The aim here is to prevent a temperature gradient that occurs naturally. As a rule, a heated body in a colder environment is cooler at the edge regions than in the centre, in this case the edges of the carrier plate 26 or bottom plate 28. Due to the higher heat transfer at the edge, this temperature drop can be counteracted, and in this way a greater homogeneity of the heat distribution achieved when heating. As a rule this has little effect on the cooling process.

[0085] When cooling a bottom plate 28 (FIG. 9) provided with heat storage strips 34 using a heat transfer device 10 according to FIG. 1, the six rectangular contact units 14 can contact central regions of the bottom plate 28, while components arranged on the bottom plate are connected to the bottom plate 28 through the heat storage strips 34 arranged at the edge. At an initial temperature of about 280° C., a cooling to about 200° C. can be achieved by selective cooling in the region of the contact units 14, while in the outer regions, and in particular at the heat storage strips 34, the temperature is between about 5° C. to 20° C. higher. After a considerable time, the individual components have cooled to a temperature below 100° C., whereas the edge region, in particular the heat storage strips 34, can still have a significantly higher temperature. In this temperature range, the control of the gradient is no longer significant, in addition to which the temperature difference between the central and edge regions falls as the absolute temperature falls. As a result of this, soldered connections cool and solidify from the inside towards the outside, and thus no mechanical stresses can occur and any cavities or cracks that arise can be filled by an inflow of still-hot solder from the outside. A significantly improved quality in solder connections can be achieved through this.

[0086] It appears advantageous to use contact units 214 that are arranged at the edge of the components to be heated or of the bottom plate 28, 128 for heating. Contact units 14, 114, or contact pins 16, 116, can be arranged at the central regions of the component or of the bottom plate 28 that are wetted by solder for cooling.

[0087] Advantageously, the contact units 214 of the base plate 212 for heating, and the contact units 14, 114 or contact pins 16, 116 of the base plate 12, 112 for cooling, can be arranged in a complementary manner with respect to the component or of the bottom plate 28, 128.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0088] 10, 110, 210, 310 Heat transfer device [0089] 12, 112, 212. 312 Base plate [0090] 14, 114, 214, 314 Contact unit [0091] 16, 116, 316 Contact pin [0092] 18, 118 Sleeve [0093] 319 Stud [0094] 20, 120, 320 Spring [0095] 321 Contact plate [0096] 22, 122 Stud [0097] 323 Spring tab [0098] 24, 124, 324 Contact surface [0099] 325 Radial stud projection [0100] 26 Carrier plate [0101] 327 Radial recess constriction [0102] 28, 128 Bottom plate [0103] 30, 330 Recess [0104] 32 Passage [0105] 34 Heat transfer strip [0106] 36 Component holder [0107] 38 Carrier frame [0108] 40 Pressing frame [0109] 42 Pressure pin [0110] 44 Latch [0111] 46 Component [0112] 48 Cooling plate [0113] 50 Solder field [0114] 52 Locating pin [0115] 54 Locating hole [0116] 56 Recess [0117] 200 Soldering machine