Zenith Electronics Corporation

Egil Sorlie

Carl Campisi

David C Kilinskis

Peter C Skerlos

A system and method for automatically storing bar coded elements such as containers for electronic components in storage bins such as drawers in a cabinet and for providing access to only the drawer containing a desired element substantially eliminates human error and increases reliability in the handling and processing of these elements and reduces the cost of inventory management and control. The storage and retrieval system includes a bar code reader coupled to a controller which, in turn, is coupled to a plurality of storage cabinets. Each storage cabinet includes a plurality of drawers each coupled to the controller via the combination of an electrical interface and a mechanical drive. Reading of the bar code on an element or on an apparatus into which the elements are deposited for processing or installation into the controller automatically opens a drawer associated with that particular component. Following either deposit of the coded element into the drawer or its removal therefrom, the drawer is manually closed by an operator and remains locked to prevent unauthorized or erroneous access to the contents of the drawer until that code is again read into the controller. Access to a given drawer is prevented so long as any other drawer is open and only that drawer associated with a given coded element is open following reading of the bar code thereon in eliminating the possibility of element handling errors.

Automatic storage and retrieval system and method

An electronic component matching system operates in conjunction with a component transport arrangement wherein a component-carrying supply tape from which components are removed for positioning upon a circuit board in a matched manner is linearly displaced. The components are thus sequentially moved to a pick-up point whereupon a predetermined number N of components having similar operating characteristics are incorporated in the same circuit. As the component-carrying supply tape is displaced toward the component pick-up point, an electro-optical sensor detects the presence or absence of components on the supply tape and provides this information to a microcomputer controller. The stationary sensor is positioned in spaced relation from the pick-up point along the component-carrying supply tape displacement path to allow for the detection of the predetermined number of components between the sensor and the pick-up point to ensure that a matched set of N components is available on the tape for incorporation in the same circuit. If the sensor determines that less than N components are present between the sensor and the pick-up point, the microcomputer advances the supply tape to the next group of matched components to prevent components from different matched groups having different operating characteristics from being incorporated in the same circuit. This system is particularly adapted for the automatic positioning of components such as transistors and diodes having matched operating characteristics for incorporation in the same circuit.

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Roselle, IL, United States of America

Egil Sorlie