Patent Application
20180050407
The present disclosure relates to the field of mechanical tools; in particular, an apparatus for holding objects for soldering.
Soldering is a process in which two or more items (usually metal) are joined together by melting and putting a filler metal (solder) into the joint, the filler metal having a lower melting point than the adjoining metal. Soldering differs from welding in that soldering does not involve melting the work pieces. Soldering can be a very delicate and difficult process. The person applying the solder must hold the substrates steady and together in order to apply the solder. Maintaining the substrates in a steady position while soldering is imperative to administering the correct amount of solder in the correct location. Applications such as printed circuit board soldering require positioning the board at certain angles in order to apply the solder accurately.
Various prior art solutions exist to assist with securing an object in a stationary location for soldering. Prior art solutions consist of vices, clamps, adhesives and the like. For optimal soldering, a device must hold the object to be soldered in place, yet enable a range of motion for positioning the object at various angles and positions according to the required placement of the solder on that object. While prior art solutions are effective in securing an object for soldering in a stationary position, these solutions fail to provide for a truly multi-positioned soldering tool.
Through applied effort, ingenuity, and innovation, Applicant has identified a number of deficiencies and problems with soldering devices. Applicant has developed a solution that is embodied by the present invention, which is described in detail below.
The following presents a simplified summary of some embodiments of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some embodiments of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
An object of the present disclosure is a gooseneck flexible steel arm that can easily be manipulated into a position to attach and hold various substrates. These flexible arms will maintain their position until configured differently.
An object of the present disclosure is a gooseneck flexible steel arm with a magnetic bottom that can be slideably positioned on a base.
An embodiment of the present disclosure is a soldering apparatus comprising a base constructed of a ferrous metal, the base being substantially planar in shape and having a magnet-receiving surface; and a plurality of arms magnetically coupled to the magnet-receiving surface, each arm in the plurality of arms having a base portion containing a magnet, a bendable arm portion, and an attachment portion.
A specific embodiment of the present disclosure includes a soldering apparatus comprising a base constructed of a ferrous metal, the base being substantially planar in shape and having a magnet-receiving surface; a first set of arms having a base portion containing a magnet, a bendable arm portion, and an attachment portion; and a second set of arms having a base portion containing a magnet, a bendable arm portion, and an attachment portion.
A specific embodiment of the present disclosure includes a soldering apparatus comprising a base constructed of a ferrous metal, the base being substantially planar in shape and having a magnet-receiving surface; and at least one arm having a base portion containing a magnet, a bendable arm portion, and an attachment portion.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the more pertinent and important features of the present invention so that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood and so that the present contribution to the art can be more fully appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the disclosed specific methods and structures may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Exemplary embodiments are described herein to provide a detailed description of the present disclosure. Variations of these embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art. Moreover, certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. For example, the words “right,” “left,” “top,” “bottom,” “upper,” “lower,” “inner” and “outer” designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The word “a” is defined to mean “at least one.” The terminology includes the words above specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for a soldering tool. Embodiments of the present disclosure solve problems associated with prior art soldering devices that hold substrates in a manner that is inflexible and/or not optimal for precision soldering. The prior art is generally made up of devices that utilize a vice to hold the soldering substrate. These devices are inflexible and do not provide an adequate range of motion for repositioning the substrate at various angles. Embodiments of the present disclosure seek to overcome the deficiencies in the prior art, and provide a more flexible and varyingly adjustable holding device for soldering.
According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the problem of limited adjustability with attachment devices for soldering is solved by utilizing a flexible steel arm. The steel arm is capable of bearing weight while maintaining a flexible range of motion. The flexible arms have an attached alligator clip at the proximal tip used to hold the substrate in position. Soldering requires that the substrates be held in a stationary position as the solder is applied. The strong flexible arms are capable of holding the substrate immobile while allowing the user to conveniently reposition the substrate for optimal soldering.
According to various embodiments of the present disclosure, the problem of limited adjustability with attachment devices for soldering is further solved by a magnet in the base of the flexible arm coupled to a planar metal base. The magnet is attracted to the ferrous metal of the soldering tool base. This attraction allows the flexible arms to be moved and repositioned at any point on the surface of base. The movable flexible arms allow the user to position the substrate at various angles providing better accuracy and optimal soldering position.
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The present disclosure includes that contained in the appended claims as well as that of the foregoing description. Although this invention has been described in its exemplary forms with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of has been made only by way of example and numerous changes in the details of construction and combination and arrangement of parts may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
