Apparatuses, systems and methods for applying protective coatings to electronic device assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11060183-B2
Application number	US-201313849790-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2013
Priority date	Mar 23, 2012
Publication date	Jul 13, 2021
Grant date	Jul 13, 2021

Abstract

A coating apparatus may be configured to concurrently receive and waterproof a large number of electronic device assemblies. The coating apparatus may include a track for transporting the electronic device assemblies into an application station. The application station may have a cubic shape, and include an entry door and an opposite exit door. The entry and exit doors may enable the introduction of substrates into the application station, as well as their removal from the application station. In addition, the entry and exit doors may enable isolation of the application station from an exterior environment and, thus, provide control over the conditions under which a moisture resistant material is applied to the substrates. Methods for making electronic devices and other substrates resistant to moisture are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An apparatus for applying a moisture resistant coating to a plurality of at least partially assembled electronic devices, comprising:
a frame having a length and a width configured to fit along an assembly line for assembling components of electronic devices without blocking aisles adjacent to each side of the assembly line;
a pre-treatment station comprising a de-gas chamber;
a vaporization chamber comprising an isolatable material receptacle within the vaporization chamber with an isolation valve between the material receptacle and a remainder of the vaporization chamber, the material receptacle for receiving precursor material, wherein the precursor material is a dimer of a paracyclophane in a solid state, wherein the isolation valve is configured to maintain pressure and temperature in a remainder of the vaporization chamber while precursor material is introduced into the material receptacle, wherein the remainder of the vaporization chamber comprises a majority volume of the vaporization chamber and the isolatable material receptacle comprises a minority volume of the vaporization chamber, wherein the vaporization chamber further comprises one or more baffles configured to distribute the precursor material evenly as it is vaporized;
a first temperature control element associated with the material receptacle of the vaporization chamber;
a second temperature control element associated with an interior surface of the vaporization chamber;
a pyrolysis chamber;
a stop valve between the pyrolysis chamber and the vaporization chamber and a control valve between the stop valve and the pyrolysis chamber, wherein the control valve is a throttling valve;
an application station comprising a deposition chamber configured to deposit a moisture resistant coating comprising a parylene coating, the application station configured to receive the plurality of at least partially assembled electronic devices and to apply the moisture resistant coating to the plurality of at least partially assembled electronic devices simultaneously, the application station including an entry door and an exit door on an opposite side of the application station from the entry door, wherein the vaporization chamber and the pyrolysis chamber are positioned at a higher elevation than the pre-treatment station and the application station;
a first vacuum pump coupled to the application station and a second vacuum pump associated with and dedicated for use with the vaporization chamber;
a second stop valve between the pyrolysis chamber and the application station and a second control valve between the second stop valve and the application station, wherein the second control valve is a throttling valve, wherein the valves are configured to enable uninterrupted operation of the pyrolysis chamber while at least one of the entry door and the exit door of the application station is open;
a track carried by the frame and oriented along the length of the frame and positioned to pass through the interior of the pre-treatment station and through the interior of the application station through the entry door and the exit door;
at least one rack configured to hold and transport a plurality of at least partially assembled electronic devices along the track into and through the pre-treatment station while the at least partially assembled electronic devices are disposed on the at least one rack, from the pre-treatment station and into and through the application station while the at least partially assembled electronic devices are disposed on the at least one rack and from the application station;
a processing element programmed to receive data from one or more sensors within the apparatus and further programmed to control operation of one or more components of the apparatus based on the data received; and
a cart for carrying the at least one rack.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vaporization chamber comprises more than one baffle configured to distribute the precursor material evenly.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein each rack of the plurality of racks includes a plurality of spaced apart layers, each layer of the plurality configured to receive a plurality of at least partially assembled electronic devices.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the application station includes a rotating platen for rotating a pallet and a plurality of at least partially assembled electronic devices carried by the pallet as a moisture resistant coating is deposited onto the plurality of at least partially assembled electronic devices.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pyrolysis chamber is in selective communication with the vaporization chamber and the application station.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the pyrolysis chamber is positioned over the application station.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
a valving system associated with at least one of the pyrolysis chamber and the application station.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the valving system includes:
a valve for at least partially controlling a flow of material to the application station.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the valving system is configured to enable continuous operation of at least one of the vaporization chamber and the pyrolysis chamber.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the valving system is configured to enable uninterrupted operation of the pyrolysis chamber while at least one of the entry door and the exit door of the application station is open.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the valving system is configured to maintain a temperature of the pyrolysis chamber while the vaporization chamber is open.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the valving system includes at least one of:
a valve between the vaporization chamber and the pyrolysis chamber for isolating the vaporization chamber from the pyrolysis chamber; and
a valve between the pyrolysis chamber and the application station for isolating the pyrolysis chamber from the application station.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the valving system further includes:
a valve positioned to at least partially control a flow of material into the application station.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the pre-treatment station and the application station are spaced apart from one another.

15. An apparatus for applying a protective coating to a plurality of at least partially assembled electronic devices, comprising:
a frame having a width configured to fit along an assembly line for assembling components of electronic devices without blocking aisles adjacent to each side of the assembly line;
a supply system including:
a vaporization chamber comprising an isolatable receptacle within the vaporization chamber with an isolation valve between the receptacle and a remainder of the vaporization chamber, the receptacle for receiving at least one precursor material, wherein the at least one precursor material is a dimer of a paracyclophane in a solid state, wherein the isolation valve is configured to maintain pressure and temperature in a remainder of the vaporization chamber while precursor material is introduced into the receptacle, wherein the remainder of the vaporization chamber comprises a majority volume of the vaporization chamber and the isolatable material receptacle comprises a minority volume of the vaporization chamber, wherein the vaporization chamber further comprises one or more baffles configured to distribute the precursor material evenly as it is vaporized;
a first temperature control element for controlling a temperature of the recept

Assignees

• Hzo Inc

Inventors

• Cox Dana
• Sorenson Max
• Naylor James Kent

Classifications

• H10P72/3314 Primary

  Continuous loading and unloading into and out of a processing chamber, e.g. transporting belts within processing chambers · CPC title

• H10P72/0448

  Apparatus for applying a liquid, a resin, an ink or the like · CPC title

• B05D1/60 Primary

  Deposition of organic layers from vapour phase (vapour phase deposition in general C23C14/00, C23C16/00) · CPC title

• C23C16/02 Primary

  Pretreatment of the material to be coated (C23C16/04 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01L21/6776

  Electricity · mapped topic