Micron Technology Incorporated

Siemens Industry, Inc.

Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc.

Korber Supply Chain LLC

Lelan D Warren

Warren M Farnworth

David R Hembree

John O Jacobson

Robert J Folaron

Jay C Nelson

Jennifer L Folaron

Alan G Wood

James M Wark

Luiz Carlos Harres

Homer L Dickerson

James Moody Pippin

Peter Berdelle-Hilge

Tamas Eger

Edwin Bland

Nico Meintker

A tote accumulator includes stack retaining latches that are configured to be acted on by a cam and follower mechanism and additionally by a holding mechanism. The cam and follower mechanism is configured to act on the stack retaining latches when the stack of totes is moved vertically by a lifting member, to move the stack retaining latches into an active dwell wherein the stack retaining latches are engaged with the stack of totes. The holding mechanism is configured to be activated to extend the active dwell after the cam and follower mechanism ceases to act on the stack retaining latches. The active dwell is extended even further by a mechanical interlocking feature between the latches and the totes. In various implementations, the design of the cam and follower arrangement and the activation timing of the holding mechanism may be adapted to execute a stacking or an unstacking operation.

Automatic tote accumulator with cam-actuated stack retaining latch

Methods and tools for opening polyfilm-wrapped packages. A tool includes a rubbing surface and a motor configured to move the rubbing surface. The tool includes a power source connected to supply power to the rubbing surface. The rubbing surface is applied to the polyfilm wrapping while being moved to create an opening in the polyfilm wrapping caused at least in part by friction heat. The opening is created without damaging contents of the package.

Film-wrapped bundle opener

A sorting system for postal mail has a plurality of input sections capable of operating in parallel, each including a feeder that takes in mail pieces one at a time and a scanner that scans each mail piece for destination indicia. The system further includes a plurality of stackers each comprising at least one row of pockets in which mail is stacked, and a routing section or switch network effective to route mail in accordance with a sort scheme from any input section to any pocket of a stacker. The routing section uses diverts and merges so that mail can be conveyed to each stacker in accordance with a sort scheme implemented by a control system.

Multi-machine mail sorting system

A pickoff system for removal of mail pieces one at a time from the end of a stack includes a pickoff belt mechanism positioned to frictionally engage an outer surface of a mail piece at the end of the stack and transport it transversely to a thickness direction of the stack, which mechanism includes one or more belts mounted on rollers and driven by a drive motor. A sensor is positioned to determine mail piece movement speed as it is being transported by the pickoff belt mechanism, and a measurement device determines belt movement speed during operation of the pickoff belt mechanism. A system is provided for reducing or stopping slipping of the mail piece relative to the belt during transport by the belt pickoff mechanism. A controller is connected to the sensor and the belt movement speed measurement device. The controller is configured to compare the belt movement speed and the mail piece movement speed during operation, and when mail piece movement speed is slower than belt movement speed, indicating slipping of the mail piece relative to the belt of the pickoff belt mechanism, the controller actuates the means for stopping slipping of the mail piece relative to the belt.

Pickoff mechanism for mail feeder

A conveyor stop assembly for stopping objects traveling along a conveying path includes a magnetically attractable stop member pivotally mounted for movement out of the conveying path when contacted by an object traveling along the conveying path and an electromagnet that generates an electromagnetic field that acts on the stop member to hold the stop member in the conveying path and stop an object traveling along the conveying path when the electromagnet is energized.

Electromagnetic conveyor stop

A method and apparatus of assembling and disassembling semiconductor dice to be tested from the components of a temporary test package. A computer-controlled vision system is employed to align the dice with the temporary test package bases, and an automated robot arm system is employed to retrieve and assemble the dice with the various package components. The invention has particular utility in the burn-in and other pre-packaging testing of dice to establish known good dice (KGD).

Apparatus for automatically positioning electronic dice within component packages

Method for automatically positioning electronic die within component packages

A method for positioning a semiconductor die within a temporary package, including forming a representation of at least a portion of a semiconductor die, moving the semiconductor die to a location proximate a temporary package, and comparing the representation of the at least a portion of the semiconductor die to a representation of at least a portion of the temporary package. The compared representations are then used to define movement of a die moving assembly, in order to move the die to place the semiconductor die and the temporary package into a desired relationship to one another. A restraining device is then secured to the temporary package to retain the semiconductor die in the desired relationship to the temporary package.

Method for positioning a semiconductor die within a temporary package

Method and apparatus for automatically positioning electronic dice within component packages

Method and apparatus for automatically positioning electronic dice with

An apparatus for automatically positioning electronic dice within temporary packages to enable continuity testing between the dice bond pads and the temporary package electrical interconnects is provided. The apparatus includes a robot having a programmable robot arm with a gripper assembly, die and lid feeder stations, a die inverter, and a plurality of cameras. The cameras take several pictures of the die and temporary packages to precisely align the die bond pads with the temporary package electrical interconnects. A predetermined assembly position is located along a conveyor that conveys a carrier between a first position, corresponding to an inlet, and a second position, corresponding to an outlet. The die, a restraining device and temporary package are assembled at the predetermined assembly position and tested for continuity therebetween. The apparatus further includes a fifth camera which locates the die at a wafer handler. The apparatus has a control mechanism including a microprocessor and program routines that selectively control the robot arm (i) to move the gripper assembly to the lid feeder station to pick up a lid, (ii) to move the gripper assembly along with the lid to pick up the die, (iii) to move the gripper assembly along with the lid and the die to a position to be photographed by the fine die camera, and (iv) to move the lid and the die to the predetermined assembly position located along the conveyor. The method and apparatus may also be used for disassembly.

Method and apparatus for automatically positioning electronic dice

A method and apparatus of assembling and disassembling semiconductor dice to be tested from the components of a temporary test package. A computer-controlled vision system is employed to align the dice with the temporary test package bases, and an automated robot arm system is employed to retrieve and assemble the dice with the various package components. The invention has particular utility in the burn-in and other pre-packaging testing of die to establish known good dice (KGD).

Growing community of inventors

Dallas, TX, United States of America

Lelan D Warren