Universal Instruments Corporation

Henry J Soth

Michael D Snyder

Douglas A Biesecker

Phillip A Ragard

Richard F Porterfield

Roy M Whiting

James E York

Jack A Kinback

John A Kukowski

William H Gay

Bruce W LeRoy

Christopher J Scarinzi

A vacuum spindle for picking and placing components is operatively associated with a turret assembly which carries a supply of various component engaging tips for the spindle in corresponding holes or chambers of the turret. During picking and placing of the components, the spindle extends through the turret chamber from which the tip of the spindle was acquired. In order to exchange tips, the spindle is retracted to a first position at which the tip may be relocked in its chamber of the turret and then to a second position which is sufficient for the turret to be rotated for coaxial alignment of the spindle with another chamber and tip. Then, the replacement tip is acquired by extending the spindle into engagement with the tip and unlocking it from its chamber of the turret. Thus, various tips for the spindle may be interchanged after placement of a component and while the spindle is being repositioned in X and Y to the next pick-up site without the need to stop at an intermediate location.

Method and apparatus for supplying and changing tips of a pick and place

A feeder mechanism for a pick-and-place machine with an adjustable shutter mechanism is disclosed. The components are contained within pockets formed in a reeled tape. The shutter mechanism includes a pair of spring blades that cover the pocket, but are spread apart by the vacuum tip when the spindle is lowered. In this way, the shutter can maintain the component in the proper position for pick-up while allowing the vacuum spindle to access the component, which, in turn, maintains proper attitude of component while the blades are retracted.

Adjustable shutter for containment of electrical components in tape

A cassette-like supply and peel assembly of a tape feeder, comprising the support and guide for an electrical component supply tape and the mechanism for peeling a cover from the tape, is removably interconnectable with a drive assembly which provides motive power to the peeler and stepwise feeding of the tape. The length of the feeding steps is adjustable according to the center-to-center distances between components, which can vary from tape to tape. An operator can adjust the step length from the rear of the feeder by varying one limit of a stroking length of the feeder.

Feeder drive assembly and replaceable section for tape supplying and

A top cover is peeled from a component supply tape by passing the cover around a guide surface and in a peeling direction generally reverse to the feeding direction of the supply tape while moving the guide surface in the peeling direction in order to minimize the tension necessary to accomplish the peeling.

Method and apparatus for peeling a covering tape from a component supply

Presence, absence, and adequacy of length of component leads are detectable by engaging each lead with a corresponding interposer and monitoring the amount of displacement of each interposer or plunger in response to the lead. Each plunger is provided with an optic fiber for guiding and directing a light beam from a transmitter to a receiver of a sensor when a lead is missing or too short. The lead engaging portion of the plunger is interchangeable to accommodate different lengths of leads and heights of cut and clinch anvils. For DIP components, each half of the inventive device receives all of the leads on one side of the component, with an individual piston for each lead. Thus, mirror image devices may be used for oppositely spaced rows of leads of a DIP, with the spacing between the mirrored halves of the device being adjustable according to the center-to-center (CTC) spacing between leads on opposite sides of the component body. Each plunger of one of the mirror halves is simultaneously engaged by a fluid common to the remaining pistons thereof for extension, as well as retraction, of the lead engaging portions.

Lead detection by variable pressure lead-contacting optical interposers

Pressures applied to a component for pickup and placement thereof are each selectable, according to introduction of gas under pressure into a piston and cylinder configuration defined by a tool, such as a vacuum spindle, telescopically supported in a tool holder. An actuator with closed loop velocity and displacement control moves the tool holder to and fro along a longitudinal axis according to a known programmable controller. Thus, compression of the gas and relative displacement between the tool and holder allows controlled pick and place pressures to be varied and monitored programmably. The pressurized gas also acts to prevent dirt contamination of the bearing surface between the tool and holder and consequent impairment of telescoping and rotational movements therebetween.

Method and apparatus for controlling component pickup and placement

A component lead tip protruding from a hole of a circuit board is split and displaced in order to attach the component to the circuit board. Trimming of the lead to a preferred length generally simultaneously with the splitting is also possible.

Method and apparatus for attaching components to substrates

Under the direction of a controller, taped axial lead components are sequentially advanced to a forming area at which the components are severed from the taped ends of their leads, formed into a hairpin-type configuration, and positively driven into engagement with conveyor-mounted carrier clips for subsequent handling by radial lead apparatus.

Device for hairpin-type forming of axial lead components

The present invention involves a method and apparatus for feeding axial lead components directly from a sequencer to an insertion head, while eliminating direct supplying of components to the insert head via a prededicated inventory such as reeled tapes or films having components attached thereto in a predetermined sequence. Preferably, an endless chain conveyor carries the components to the insert head in chain clips which positively retain the leads thereof while allowing centering of the bodies and electrical function testing of the components just prior to insertion of the leads into corresponding holes of a circuit board. Direct supply from a sequencer having a series of individually and programmably controlled dispenser heads provides for quick and flexible variation of an input sequence without manual intervention.

Axial-lead component sequencing and inserting apparatus

Under direction of a machine controller, conveyor mounted clips sequentially present electrical components to an unload station while holding the components by their leads, and the components are centered relative to a loader assembly by lateral displacement of the clip relative to a loader axis. Thereafter, a loader assembly clamps the leads of the component and transfers the component to a load station and into engagement with the jaws of an insertion head. The loader assembly is then actuated to drive the leads of the component into the jaws of the insertion head for subsequent insertion of the leads into holes of a printed circuit board. The component, gripped in the jaws of the insert head, is oriented about an insert axis, according to a controller and prior to insertion. Having inserted a component into a circuit board, the tooling assembly of the insertion head is designed to withdraw from the inserted component with a minimal amount of clearance needed between the inserted component and a previously inserted component.

Method and apparatus for high speed transfer and insertion of electrical

An improved head assembly, for an electronic component lead cutting and clinching mechanism, having an improved construction for detection of lead absence or presence incorporating pivotal anvils which complete electrical circuits during the cutting and/or clinching of the component leads. The pivotal anvils cooperate with pivotal cutter-former arms which are actuated by a reciprocable driver. The driver includes a receiving and orienting tip for aligning the scrap portions of the leads for evacuation from the head assembly. Adjustable eccentric pins allow adjustment of the anvils for manufacturing tolerance corrections and for lead receiving orifice corrections.

Cut and clinch head assembly

An apparatus for sequentially feeding axial lead electrical components to a first plane, severing surplus lead material, bending one lead so that said component and said other lead are perpendicular to the first plane, preforming the end of the other lead into an L-shape, bending the remaining section of the one lead to be perpendicular to the first plane and inserting the leads into holes in a circuit board.

Growing community of inventors

Brackney, PA, United States of America

Henry J Soth