Universal Instruments Corporation

Delaware Capital Formation, Inc.

Stanley W Janisiewicz

Michael D Snyder

Douglas A Biesecker

Robert H Holmes

Edward J Lovell

Koenraad Alexander Gieskes

Peter Joseph Dionne

Weibley J Dean

Koen Alexander Gieskes

Richard F Porterfield

Michael M Levie

John A Kukowski

Giacinto Vallone

Gary R Thomas

Andrew J Czebiniak

Emery L Rose

Maynard J Hills

Gerald B Hemmelgarn

Steven Pert

Wayne A Glidden

Joseph F Kolcun

A dual lane board handling apparatus includes a first zone including first and second parallel pairs of rails extending in a first direction; a second zone including third and fourth parallel pairs of rails extending in the first direction; first tracks supporting the first and second pairs of rails so that the first and second pairs of rails can move on the first tracks in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a drive for moving the first pair of rails on the first tracks in the second direction such that the first pair of rails can be selectively moved between a first orientation wherein it is in alignment with the fourth pair of rails and a second orientation wherein it is in alignment with the third pair of rails; a drive for moving the second pair of rails in the second direction; and belts on the first, second, third, and fourth pairs of rails for conveying boards along the rails in the first direction.

Dual lane conveying apparatus

A dispenser includes a viscous fluid feed cavity and dispense cavity with an intermediate passageway therebetween and a diaphragm mounted for reciprocatory movement so positioned that during the dispensing process, the movable diaphragm is moved between a first position wherein the passageway is opened, a second position to close the passageway, and a third position to affect viscous fluid dispensing through an outlet coupled to the dispensing cavity. A diaphragm position sensor is provided for determining the relative position of the movable portion of the diaphragm, the sensor being functionally coupled to the diaphragm actuator, such that the diaphragm actuator is controllable in accordance with the relative position of the diaphragm to insure accurate control of micro quantities of viscous fluid dispensed from the dispenser.

Dispenser and method for dispensing viscous fluids

A multi-spindle pick and place head is moveable in X and Y in order to pick up a group of components simultaneously, one component per spindle, at a pick station and to transport them to a placement station at which the components are placed simultaneously on corresponding placement sites of a printed circuit board. Each spindle or the whole head is moveable in Z, as required. Each component may be 'SCOT' processed (e.g., squared, centered, oriented and/or tested) while on the spindle and during transport to the placement site. In another embodiment, two multi-spindle heads may operate in parallel, along with a separate 'SCOT' station intermediate of the pick and place stations, such that one head transports a group of components from the pick station to the 'SCOT' station for processing and the other head transports at least part of that group of processed components from the 'SCOT' station to the placement station. In both of these embodiments, each spindle may be further translatable in X and Y, relative to the head of the multi-spindle head, in order to compensate for discrepancies between 'nominal' and 'actual' patterns of pick and/or placement sites. Vision systems common to the industry may be located at the pick station, place station, 'SCOT' station, and/or on the moveable head, as required.

Multi-spindle pick and place method and apparatus

The invention comprises an extended input system by which additional component supply stations are located out of reach of the pick and place heads of a machine for handling surface mountable components and are selectively addressable by a supply shuttle which fetches individual components and delivers each component selectively to a test pocket or a utility pocket of a transfer assembly, from which the components are retrievable by a pick and place head of the onserter. In a preferred embodiment, the transfer assembly provides a second shuttle on which the utility and test pockets are mounted for movement back and forth between the supply shuttle unload station to a pick-up station of the head, and the component testing occurs during transit of the transfer shuttle.

Extended input and testing of electrical components for onsertion

The present invention involves a method and apparatus for sequencing leadless and leaded surface mountable components, feeding them directly from a sequencer to chip placement heads, and placing them at selected locations on a circuit board. The chip carriers of an endless chain conveyor carry each component of the sequence of components to a chip placement head. Direct supply from a sequencer having the chip carriers and a series of individual programmably controlled dispenser heads provides for quick and flexible variation of the input sequence without manual intervention. A plurality of the chip placement heads are mounted on a turret assembly to facilitate continuous unloading of the chip carriers and orienting, centering, and squaring of the components prior to placement on a circuit board.

Method and apparatus for handling leaded and leadless surface mountable

A component is centered and oriented on a pick and place head by positive closing of pivotal fingers onto the component which is supported on a vacuum tube, and subsequent placement pressure is sensed and controlled. Rapid automated changing of component-engaging tips of the centering fingers is also provided.

Pick and place method and apparatus for handling electrical components

Electrical components of various sizes and shapes are appropriately accommodated and positioned at a gauging station, at which lead straightening and testing of electrical functioning of each component is performed. An alternate embodiment provides for distinguishing between acceptable and unacceptable components by differentiating between component lead tips and a contrasting background, through use of an optical scanner.

Gauging method and apparatus for components having leads

Constant supply of electronic components to a processing station is effected by a reservoir and component supply tubes indexed to sequentially unload into the reservoir automatically, as the need arises. Plural component supply tubes are mounted in a cartridge assembly at each station of a multistation processing machine. Upon command of a controller and in response to a low part sensor of a reservoir at each station, the cartridge is indexed to the next tube in order to unload the components of that tube into the reservoir. Each station includes a separate indexing mechanism for each respective cartridge, and a carriage is translated to a position adjacent the indexing mechanism of each station, upon command, in order to effect such indexing.

Indexed feed of electronic component supply tubes

An apparatus is provided for trimming and forming the leads of multi-lead electronic components such as dual in-line package (DIP) components, wherein component leads extending through the holes of a circuit board are trimmed and formed on the underside thereof, with the presence or absence of each lead being detected after trimming and during forming thereof.

Cut and clinch head for trimming, forming and detecting lead presence

A method and apparatus are provided to form leads of components prior to insertion into a printed circuit board while, at the same time, straightening bent leads and testing the electronic functioning of each component through the use of a controller which electronically simulates the operating mode of the component. The orientation of the component is also tested.

Method and apparatus for straightening leads and verifying the

An apparatus is provided for individually selecting a number of dual in-line (DIP) components and sequentially inserting them into a printed circuit board. The apparatus has a basic mode of operation, under a program control, and comprises a shuttle assembly and a component insertion assembly. In operation, the shuttle assembly transfers a component from a selected one of a plurality of magazines to an unload station. At the unload station, the shuttle assembly loads the insertion assembly which rotates to a vertical position for insertion of the component in a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board is mounted on an X-Y positioning system controlled by a tape reader or a computer which also determines the automatic sequencing of the shuttle assembly.

Multi-module dip transfer and insertion machine

Two or four lead DIP components are stored in a generally vertical, adjustable chute for gravity feed during lateral removal of a single component by a coacting shuttle tooling clamp arm from the bottom of the supply. Individual component removal is facilitated by a spring biased plunger for blocking removal of the bottom-most component until the coacting clamp arm raises the plunger against the action of the spring biasing.

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Endwell, NY, United States of America

Stanley W Janisiewicz