DE4127156A1 - Soldering iron - includes temp. measuring, monitoring and adjusting device incorporated into grip - Google Patents

Abstract

Soldening iron is heated by hot air or an electrically heated body and the switch device (4) for adjusting the soldering iron temperature; in a display unit (5) for monitoring the temp; a control electronic unit for measuring, monitoring, adjusting and showing the temperature and a heating current regulator are incorporated in the hand grip (3). USE/ADVANTAGE - Precision soldering or desoldering. The operator can respond immediately to temp. changes without requiring any external ancillary equipment. The operator can respond quickly to maintain an optical temp. during soldering. The display unit is an LED or LCD unit which gives the temperature and other data in numberical bar graph form. The data exchange between the soldering iron and a computer takes place over a separate cable integrated into the mains cable but with a separate plus connecting into the mains supply. The mains cable (6) is connected to the mains supply via an interface circuit (7).

Description

The invention relates to a soldering iron or a Desoldering device, hot air operated or equipped with a Soldering tip or desoldering tip, caused by a in the heating current circular radiator is heated to which one electronic switching device is switched, which the Temperature of the (des) soldering tip determined, monitored, regulates and displays and is connected to manually operated nenden switching elements with which the temperature of the solder peak is set.

Soldering irons with temperature controllers have been around for a long time knows, as well as at which the temperature is set can be (see EP 03 15 974 A1). With the well-known solder station is a two-part device: one Part consists of a soldering iron that contains other part the control and monitoring circuit of the soldering iron, which processes the signals from the temperature probe of the soldering tip works, controls the temperature of the radiator and the Communication with a local network takes over. These second device, connected via corresponding lines with the soldering iron, usually has a micro processor for control and monitoring, possibly a tempe display and controls for setting the target temperature, as well as via a corresponding alarm signal if the set temperature falls below or exceeds softening.

The applicant has noticed that

• 1) to change the soldering tip temperature, this change in the known device only at the central command and Registration unit (central computer) who made that can; the soldering station works independently not provided; with other versions this is only on the second device, which the control and Monitoring circuit includes, possible;
• 2) the solderer has no direct control over whether the required soldering tip temperature is reached, because only if the duration of the shortfall or shortfall exceeds one  an alarm is triggered;
• 3) the known soldering station consists of two devices: Soldering iron and switching device - just this point requires more effort in production and increases the Cost of the device.

Based on the status of Technology is the first object of the invention, a soldering station of the type described above to improve that all for identifying, controlling, Monitoring and setting of the soldering tip temperature Find the necessary elements in a soldering iron. This eliminates the need for additional equipment to which the soldering iron must be connected in order to to be operational.

Another task is to be the respective Be display soldering tip temperature continuously, as well as - on Requirement - the set target temperature of the solder top.

The invention also aims to be a soldering device create the type in which the temperature setting made easily by the solderer himself accidentally, without the possibility to operate the temperature setting switches so that the temperature setting is inadvertently changed.

It is also the responsibility of the invention that for the the electronics necessary low voltage no separate Voltage source is necessary, but from the existing one Mains voltage can be derived; this circuit too is integrated in the soldering iron handle.

Another object of the invention is a connection to a centrally positioned device Control, monitoring and regulation of several connected ner soldering stations to create, which only over the for the Be drove the soldering necessary lines (for the Power supply to the heating element). With this Connections are possible to monitor the soldering itself especially in the aerospace industry, i.e. in the field of high security technology, have shown as necessary.

Starting from a soldering device with electronically controlled  temperature detection and control of the soldering tip solved the objects according to the invention in that the Control and circuit electronics, consisting of one Microprocessor, RAM, (EE) PROM, power circuit etc., in Inside the soldering iron handle is housed and the display temperature controls on the Soldering device handle are attached.

The display element, in an advantageous embodiment LCD or LED display, has the soldering iron according to the invention a double function: it shows the in normal soldering operation current soldering tip temperature (actual temperature) on, on the new soldering tip temperature to be set (Target temperature). In operation, the solderer therefore has the Possibility to see on the device itself whether the target temperature temperature of the tip is reached. It comes after soldering to fall below the required temperature, making the subsequent solderings possibly unclean he can wait until the set temperature is reached again and then continue with the soldering. A particular advantage of the soldering iron according to the invention lies in the fact that during soldering in a simple way the target and actual temperature of the soldering tip from the solderer read out and adapted to current needs can.

Furthermore, there is an advantageous embodiment of the Invention the possibility that the display element directly mounted on the circuit board and by a recess handle or by means of a transparent part of the Handle can be read out.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the Invention there is a possibility that once the Target temperature or the target temperature range above or is undershot by means of a built-in Speaker of the soldering iron gives a warning tone to the solderer to the outside of the tolerance range to draw attention to the soldering temperature.

The task of setting the temperature according to the Er invention is achieved in that actuating buttons when Soldering iron according to the invention three, provided on the handle  with the help of which the temperature and display type can be set: an operating button can be used for the Switch from operating to setting mode; a white third for the temperature increase setting, the third for setting the lowering of the temperature. To one Change the setting of the target temperature, two actuation buttons must therefore be pressed; this prevents accidental adjustment of the target temperature maturity.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention Actuation button for changing from operating to settings mode and for setting the new target temperature after the Invention from a combination of pushing and pushing. In order to change the temperature, the control button first from the locked position to a second Be brought into place, where then by pressing down this button the temperature change (e.g. Increase) can be made; into a third Locking the temperature in the same way z. B. be lowered. One advantage of this invention is therein see that accidental temperature settings far can be excluded, which is therefore safe of soldering and improves soldering. You can also turn the temperature setting on with one hand easiest way to be made.

It is particularly advantageous to use this switching device not to be galvanically connected to the control electronics, but contactless with one or more optical Equip sensor elements, with either the Refle xions ability of an outer surface of the switching device be is used (only when the switching device is printed the emitted light from an optical sensor element so reflected that it is from a corresponding Light sensor can be collected and processed); or a light element built into the switching device for A light beam is emitted only in printed form Light state and can thus activate a light sensor.

There is also the possibility of switching direction with a magnet that only through  Is pressed down into the position in which a corresponding one reacting to magnetic fields Element a switching process is triggered.

Another advantage of the soldering iron according to the invention is that the control of the power supply the radiator with the help of an electronic switch mentes, a triac or thyristor, is provided. Thereby, that the control in the half-wave bundle method in Zero crossing is performed, the need is eliminated an interference suppression.

It is also particularly advantageous to use the electro African components such as microprocessor, RAM, (E) EPROM, Diffe rial amplifier, etc. directly from the power supply of the radiator. This eliminates the need speed of a separate power supply, such as. B. one Battery or a transformer with electronic Rectifier circuit that has the required voltage for the electronic components from the power supply of the Radiator transformed down.

Another advantage of the soldering iron according to the invention is that in a simple way with the help of tax electronics an interface to an outside of the solder piston-mounted central unit can be provided that the temperature of the individual soldering stations or solder piston constantly queries, records or changes. The About Carrying the corresponding data from or to the soldering iron can be directly connected to the soldering iron via a special connection be realized. Thus, the invention Soldering iron directly on a local network Central computer can be connected.

In an advantageous embodiment, an additional direction are provided on one side Interface to the local area network (LAN) and the span power supply, and on the other hand over the power cord is connected to the soldering iron. The data exchange between soldering iron electronics and add-on The device is made via the power cord of the soldering iron. In in this case is an additional line with whose help the data to be transferred are to be transported,  not necessary, which turns out to be very advantageous. This allows a normal power cord to connect the Soldering iron can be used for power supply. Except the soldering iron can also be used in single operation will.

This additional device filters the data with the Measured and control values coming from the soldering device, from and transmits them to a central computer via a LAN. Furthermore, the central computer can send messages about Temperature settings in the same way as before wrote to tell the individual soldering devices.

Further details and advantages of the invention who explained in more detail below with reference to drawings tert.

Show it:

Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a soldering device according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view of a soldering device with a LAN connection according to the invention;

Fig. 3 is a partially sectioned side view of the soldering iron handle;

Fig. 4 schematically shows a block diagram of an embodiment of the invention.

A soldering iron with a soldering tip 1 and its stem tube 2 is shown schematically. The stem tube 2 contains the receiving device for the soldering tip 1 , a heating element 38 with the lines 13 and a temperature sensor 37 with the lines 12 . The controls - switch 4 and a temperature display 5 - are attached to the outside of handle 3 . In normal soldering operation, the temperature display 5 continuously shows the current soldering tip temperature, either (alpha-) numerically or as a bar graph. The bar graph provides the solderer with direct information as to whether the set temperature has been reached, exceeded or fallen below, without having to know the set temperature setting. Thus, the solderer can get a quick overview of the current soldering situation at a glance.

The soldering device is supplied via mains cable 6 with the necessary voltage for the control of the radiator 38 . Terminal 39 connects the power cable to the electronics on circuit board 10 . On this circuit board 10 all the necessary circuits for temperature control are brought to and integrated in the handle 3 of the soldering iron.

The temperature display is controlled by the microprocessor 25 via line 11 . The microprocessor 25 receives the current temperature from the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 34 via line 33 . This ADC 34 is connected via line 35 , a differential amplifier 36 and lines 12 to a temperature sensor 37 which supplies the input variable for the current soldering tip temperature. Instead of the temperature sensor 37 , the resistance of the heating body 38 can be taken as a measure of the current soldering tip temperature.

With the aid of a program, stored in the PROM 29 , with the temporarily stored temperature profile of the last few minutes, stored in RAM 27 and with the transmitted data from the temperature sensor, the microprocessor 25 calculates the current soldering tip temperature. By comparison with the target value, stored in the EEPROM 31 , it is determined how the electronic switch 23 , which regulates the current flow to the radiator 38 , must be set. If the target temperature is undershot, the switch 23 must supply the radiator 38 with correspondingly more assets; if the target temperature is exceeded, the supplied assets must be throttled.

The circuit breaker 23 , connected via line 24 to the microprocessor, consists of semiconductor elements, triacs or thyristors, which switch the voltage to the radiator in accordance with the calculated conditions using the half-wave bundle method at zero crossing.

The setpoint temperature, ie the temperature which the soldering tip must have in operation in order to carry out correct soldering, can be set by two methods: directly via the switches 4 which are attached to the handle; and indirectly via the setting of the central computer that is connected to the local area network (LAN).

The switches 4 are used for setting the temperature and for switching the temperature display 5 from the actual temperature to the set temperature, in a more advantageous embodiment also for switching the temperature display type: e.g. B. (alpha-) numeric or as a bar graph.

In the example shown, the switch 4 consists of three actuating elements: an element for switching from the actual temperature to the target temperature in the display element 5 ; one element for increasing (+) and one element for lowering (-) the target temperature. The increase or decrease can be done in single steps, but also in steps of five or ten, depending on the degree of accuracy desired. In order to change the target temperature in the illustrated case match must be pushed with the actuation of the switching element 4 to a temperature change is provided for the actuating element 4 at the same time. The actuation of two elements at the same time largely precludes the temperature from being accidentally adjusted.

Instead of three different actuators 4 can also be used an actuator 4, which has sliding and printing capabilities. In order to change the target temperature, the actuating element 4 must first be brought out of the operating position by moving it into the setting mode. Then can be achieved by a further shift and pressing the element 4 that the target temperature is increased. To lower the target temperature, the actuating element 4 must be brought into a further sliding position, where the target temperature can also be adjusted by pressing. With this method, too, the accidental adjustment of the target temperature is largely excluded. Another advantage results from the fact that the temperature setting can be carried out with one hand, which makes operation much easier.

To support the temperature control, a zero-crossing detector circuit 19 is to be provided, the data of which are communicated via line 20 to the microprocessor 25 . This circuit is connected via line 18 to the voltage supply to the radiator and tells the microprocessor 25 when the AC voltage has become zero. This information is necessary so that the microprocessor 25 can determine the correct point in time for the voltage switching for the circuit breaker 23 .

The microprocessor 25 and the peripheral elements (RAM 27 , PROM 29 , EEPROM 31 , LAN circuit 16 , ADW 34 , differential amplifier 36 and display 5 ) are supplied directly, via voltage supply circuit 22 , with the necessary voltage, never. This solution eliminates the need for a separate power supply, which contributes to cost reduction and easier handling of the device.

Circuit 16 is also provided, which can exchange data bidirectionally with a local network. This requires an interface circuit 7 which feeds the data coming from the central LAN computer into the power cord 6 of the soldering iron. The data of the line 15 are filtered out by the circuit 16 and fed to the microprocessor 25 via line 17 . This data can include a new set temperature setting. Conversely, the microprocessor can feed its target and actual temperatures via circuit 16 in the power cable 6 , via lines 14 , 15 . The interface circuit 7 receives the data and forwards it to the central computer via the LAN. This means that every workstation or soldering process can be monitored, controlled and adjusted from a central location. It is conceivable that the desired temperature setting is manually prohibited or permitted by the central computer.

If the soldering iron is operated without LAN, the interface circuit 7 is omitted. The soldering iron is then operated via mains cable 6 directly on the mains.

Drawing legend

1 soldering tip
2 stem tube
3 soldering iron handle
4 switches
5 temperature display
6 power cords
7 Connection part soldering iron with LAN or network
8 power cords
9 LAN connector
10 PCB with - hint - components
11 Line to the display element
12 Line to / from the temperature sensor
13 Line to / from the heating element
14 Line to the circuit breaker
15 line
16 LAN connection circuit
17 line
18 management
19 zero crossing detector
20 line
21 line
22 power supply circuit
23 Circuit breakers for radiators
24 line
25 microprocessor
26 line
27 RAM
28 line
29 PROM
30 line
31 EEPROM
32 line
33 line
34 analog-digital converters
35 line
36 differential amplifiers
37 temperature sensor
38 radiators
39 clamping point

Claims (4)

1. Soldering iron or desoldering device, hot air operated or having a soldering tip or desoldering tip which can be heated by a heating element in the heating circuit, to which an electronically controlled switching device is connected, which determines, regulates, adjusts and displays the temperature of the soldering tip, characterized in that the actuating elements ( 4 ) for setting the soldering tip temperature, that the display ( 5 ) and that the associated control electronics for temperature measurement, temperature monitoring, temperature setting, temperature display and heating current circuit control in one part of the soldering or lying lying in hand Desoldering device ( 3 ) are included. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the - as LED or LCD - executed display ( 5 ) is mounted in a housing ( 3 ) designed as a handle, which displays the temperature and other information (alpha-) numerically or as a bar graph . 3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the Data exchange between (des) soldering device and a rake ner over a local network by means of separate Lei that can also be integrated in the power cord, and a separate connector that connects to the local network is closed, takes place. 4. Device according to claims 1 and 3, characterized in that the data exchange with the computer by means of the network cable ( 6 ) and at the end of the network cable via an interface circuit ( 7 ) which connects to a local area network is carried out.