Systems, devices and methods related to spray-painting fluid path for manufacture of radio-frequency modules

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9555425-B2
Application number	US-201314023850-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2013
Priority date	Sep 13, 2012
Publication date	Jan 31, 2017
Grant date	Jan 31, 2017

Abstract

During fabrication of shielded radio-frequency modules where costly metallic paint is sprayed to form a conductive layer, it is desirable to reduce the amount of paint being utilized, and to reduce the likelihood of accumulation of metal particles along various paths. A closed recirculation system can be provided to yield such desirable features, and can include a reservoir for holding a volume of metallic paint, a spray apparatus for spraying metallic paint received from the reservoir, and a recirculator for recirculating the metallic paint that is not sprayed back to the reservoir. In some embodiments, the spray apparatus can be implemented so as to have reduced dimensions, and include a mechanism for switching between a spray mode and a recirculate mode. Such a spray apparatus can reduce the amount of paint being utilized, and also reduce accumulation of metal particles in the spray apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A painting system for fabricating electronic modules, the system comprising:
a reservoir implemented to hold a volume of metallic paint; and
a spray apparatus coupled to the reservoir, the spray apparatus including a chamber that defines an input port implemented to receive metallic paint from the reservoir, an output port implemented to allow spray-application of the metallic paint when in a spray mode, and a return port implemented to allow return of the metallic paint back to the reservoir when not in the spray mode, the input port and the return port being positioned at a substantially common height in the chamber to accommodate a reduced vertical dimension of the chamber and to promote a desired flow of the metallic paint between the input port and the return port.

2. The painting system of claim 1 further comprising a recirculator coupled to the return port of the chamber and implemented to recirculate the metallic paint back to the reservoir.

3. The painting system of claim 2 wherein the recirculator includes a peristaltic pump.

4. The painting system of claim 1 wherein the spray apparatus further includes a selector implemented to allow the spray apparatus to switch between the spray and recirculate modes.

5. The painting system of claim 4 wherein the chamber has a cylindrical shape such that the output port is positioned on a floor of the cylinder and each of the input port and the return port is defined on a wall of the cylinder.

6. The painting system of claim 5 wherein the substantially common height of the input port and the return port allows the cylinder to have a reduced or minimum height.

7. The painting system of claim 6 wherein the cylinder includes a ceiling, the ceiling including a sealing mechanism configured to inhibit passage of metallic paint through the ceiling.

8. The painting system of claim 7 wherein the reduced or minimum height of the cylinder allows the sealing mechanism to be positioned closer to the output port to thereby reduce the amount of features where flakes from the metallic paint are likely to accumulate.

9. The painting system of claim 1 wherein the spray apparatus further includes a nozzle assembly implemented to receive the metallic paint through the output port and generate an output spray.

10. The painting system of claim 9 wherein the nozzle assembly includes a gas port for receiving pressurized gas to facilitate atomization of the output spray.

11. A chamber for a spray apparatus, the chamber comprising:
an input port implemented to allow receiving of paint having a relatively quick settling property;
an output port implemented to allow spray-application of the paint from the chamber; and
a return port implemented to allow removal of the paint that is not sprayed, the return port positioned relative to the input port to reduce the volume of the chamber and to reduce the likelihood of accumulation of paint particles within the chamber, the chamber defining a volume, the output port being positioned at a floor of the volume, the input and return ports being positioned at a side wall of the volume, and the input and return ports being positioned at approximately the same height from the floor.

12. The chamber of claim 11 wherein the paint particles include metallic flakes.

13. The chamber of claim 11 wherein the volume includes a cylindrical volume.

14. The chamber of claim 13 wherein the positions of the input and return ports allow reduction of minimization of a length of the cylindrical volume.

15. The chamber of claim 13 wherein the input and return ports are positioned so that an azimuthal angle between the input port and the return port is in a range of approximately 60 to 120 degrees.

16. A spray apparatus comprising:
a chamber configured to receive paint, the chamber including a first cap, a second cap, and a side wall between the first cap and the second cap;
an input port defined by the side wall of the chamber, the input port configured to provide an input path for the paint;
a return port defined by the side wall of the chamber, the return port configured to provide a recirculation exit path for the paint, the input port and the return port positioned at approximately the same distance from the first cap;
an output port defined by the first cap, the output port configured to provide a spray exit path for the paint, the output port having a valve seating surface; and
a valve pin having a tip dimensioned to mate with the valve seating surface of the output port to substantially seal the output port when the spray apparatus is in a recirculation mode, the valve pin configured to retract away from the valve seating surface to open the output port when the spray apparatus is in a spray mode.

17. The spray apparatus of claim 16 wherein the valve pin extends through the second cap, the valve pin including an air piston configured to receive pressurized air to allow the valve pin to be retracted.

18. The spray apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a return spring assembly coupled to the valve pin, the return spring assembly configured to allow the valve pin to return to the seated position when the application of pressurized air ceases.

19. The spray apparatus of claim 18 wherein the second cap includes a seal configured to allow the retracting and return motions of the valve pin while inhibiting passage of paint from the chamber through the second cap.

20. The spray apparatus of claim 18 further comprising an adjustment device coupled to the valve pin, the adjustment device configured to adjust a travel distance of the retracting motion of the valve pin.

Assignees

• Skyworks Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Read Matthew Sean

Classifications

• B05B12/081

  responsive to the weight of a reservoir or container for liquid or other fluent material; responsive to level or volume of liquid or other fluent material in a reservoir or container · CPC title

• H05K2203/1344

  Spraying small metal particles or droplets of molten metal · CPC title

• B05B7/04

  with arrangements for mixing liquids or other fluent materials before discharge (mixing in general B01F, e.g. B01F25/00; mixing valves F16K11/00) · CPC title

• B05B7/06

  with {at least} one outlet orifice surrounding another approximately in the same plane · CPC title

• B05B7/0815

  with at least one gas jet intersecting a jet constituted by a liquid or a mixture containing a liquid for controlling the shape of the latter · CPC title