Blade assembly cover

Abstract

A gang blade assembly which controls the trajectory of detritus from a bail grid array substrate dicing operation is described. The assembly includes a cover which partially encases a hub with a plurality of blades. A brush is mounted on the cover to disrupt an air flow created by rotation of the hub and blades. The brush extends beneath the cover and has bristles which contact the hub. The bristles also serve to clear the hub of any detritus produced during dicing. More than one brush may be mounted on the cover.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:  
     
         1 . A blade assembly, comprising: 
 a blade device, comprising: 
 a hub; and  
 at least one blade on said hub;  
   a cover partially encasing said blade device; and    a brush mounted on said cover and extending toward said hub.    
     
     
         2 . The blade assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said hub is generally circular in profile.  
     
     
         3 . The blade assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said brush includes bristles which contact said hub tangentially.  
     
     
         4 . The blade assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said brush includes bristles which contact said hub perpendicular to a surface of the hub.  
     
     
         5 . The blade assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said brush extends across all the blades on said hub.  
     
     
         6 . The blade assembly of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of blades spaced apart from each other on said hub.  
     
     
         7 . The blade assembly of  claim 1 , comprising a water nozzle directed toward said at least one blade.  
     
     
         8 . The blade assembly of  claim 7 , comprising a shield mounted on a leading side of said cover.  
     
     
         9 . The blade assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a bracket, wherein said brush is mounted on said bracket.  
     
     
         10 . The blade assembly of  claim 9  further comprising a deflector mounted on said bracket.  
     
     
         11 . The blade assembly of  claim 10  wherein said deflector extends above said cover.  
     
     
         12 . The blade assembly of  claim 11  wherein said deflector extends below said cover.  
     
     
         13 . The blade assembly of  claim 9  wherein said cover includes a trailing side, said bracket being mounted on said trailing side.  
     
     
         14 . The blade assembly of  claim 13  wherein said cover includes a leading side.  
     
     
         15 . The blade assembly of  claim 14  wherein said cover includes a top side extending between said trailing and leading sides.  
     
     
         16 . The blade assembly of  claim 15  wherein said top side is arched.  
     
     
         17 . A blade assembly, comprising: 
 a blade device, comprising: 
 a hub; and  
 at least one blade on said hub;  
   a cover partially encasing said blade device; and    first and second brushes mounted on said cover and extending toward said hub.    
     
     
         18 . The blade assembly of  claim 17 , further comprising first and second brackets, said first brush being mounted on said first bracket and said second brush being mounted on said second bracket.  
     
     
         19 . The blade assembly of  claim 18 , wherein said cover includes a leading side and a trailing side, said first bracket being mounted on said trailing side and said second bracket being mounted on said leading side.  
     
     
         20 . The blade assembly of  claim 19 , wherein said cover includes a top side extending between said trailing and leading sides.  
     
     
         21 . The blade assembly of  claim 20 , wherein said top side is arched.  
     
     
         22 . The blade assembly of  claim 17 , comprising a plurality of blades spaced apart from each other on said hub.  
     
     
         23 . The blade assembly of  claim 22 , wherein said first and second brushes extend across all the blades on said hub.  
     
     
         24 . The blade assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the blade assembly is a substrate dicing blade assembly having substrate dicing blades.  
     
     
         25 . The blade assembly of  claim 17 , comprising a water nozzle directed toward said at least one blade.  
     
     
         26 . The blade assembly of  claim 25 , comprising a shield mounted on a leading side of said cover.  
     
     
         27 . A cover assembly for use with a gang blade assembly, comprising: 
 a cover having a leading side and a top side;    at least one bracket mounted on said cover; and    at least one brush mounted on said at least one bracket, wherein said at least one brush comprises bristles which extend under said top side toward said leading side.    
     
     
         28 . The cover assembly of  claim 27 , further comprising a deflector mounted on said at least one bracket.  
     
     
         29 . The cover assembly of  claim 28 , wherein said deflector extends above said cover.  
     
     
         30 . The cover assembly of  claim 28 , wherein said deflector extends below said cover.  
     
     
         31 . The cover assembly of  claim 27 , wherein said cover includes a trailing side, said at least one bracket being mounted on said trailing side.  
     
     
         32 . The cover assembly of  claim 31 , comprising first and second brackets, said first bracket being mounted on said trailing side and said second bracket being mounted on said leading side.  
     
     
         33 . The cover assembly of  claim 32 , comprising first and second brushes, said first brush being mounted on said first bracket and said second brush being mounted on said second bracket.  
     
     
         34 . The cover assembly of  claim 27 , wherein said top side is arched.  
     
     
         35 . The cover assembly of  claim 27 , comprising a water nozzle directed under said cover.  
     
     
         36 . The blade assembly of  claim 35 , comprising a shield mounted on said leading side of said cover.  
     
     
         37 . A method of controlling the trajectory of detritus during a substrate dicing operation, said method comprising: 
 placing a protective cover at least partially around the periphery of a blade assembly that includes a hub and at least one blade;    rotating the hub and the at least one blade;    dicing a ball grid array substrate with the rotating blade, said dicing producing detritus; and    disrupting an air flow caused by said rotating.    
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , comprising disrupting the air flow with an element placed in the air flow path.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , comprising disrupting the air flow with a brush placed in the air flow path.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the brush is mounted on a flange of the protective cover.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the brush is in further contact with the hub.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the brush contacts the hub tangentially.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the brush contacts the hub perpendicular to a surface of the hub.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the brush is mounted to project in a direction which is perpendicular to a tangent of the flange at a point of contact of the brush with the flange.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising deflecting the detritus.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein said deflecting is accomplished with a deflector attached to the flange.