| US 7,455,209 B2 | ||
| Filling device and method for filling balls in the apertures of a ball-receiving element | ||
| Francis Bourrières, Montauban (France); and Clément Kaiser, Montauban (France) | ||
| Assigned to Novatec SA, Mountauban (France) | ||
| Filed on Aug. 11, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/637,497. | ||
| Application 10/637497 is a division of application No. 09/936734, filed on Dec. 20, 2001, granted, now 6,604,673. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. 99 03284 (FR), filed on Mar. 17, 1999; and application No. 99 11349 (FR), filed on Sep. 10, 1999. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2004/0035908 A1, Feb. 26, 2004 | ||
| Int. Cl. B23K 37/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 228—41 [228/246] | 29 Claims |
| 1. A filling device for filling balls in an array of apertures in a ball-receiving element, the filling device comprising:
a housing laterally movable over the ball-receiving element, the housing together with the ball-receiving element defining
a chamber for containing a supply of balls and including an opening at a lower surface thereof at which a layer of balls is
presented on the ball-receiving element; and
distribution means disposed within the housing for causing circulation of the balls contained in the chamber over at least
a region of the opening in the housing.
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