Illinois Tool Works Inc.

William A Losiewicz

Kenneth J King

Patsy Anthony Mattero

James J Lynch

Bruce C Seaton

Thomas C Prentice

Matthew F Schumacher

Scott A Reid

Daniel Mariano

Joan N Schopf

Blake T Monjar

Zhuoyun Li

Weidong Wang

A stencil printer includes a frame, a stencil, a support assembly, and a print head, and a print head assembly supported by the print head gantry in such a manner that the print head assembly is configured to traverse the stencil during print strokes. The support assembly supports the electronic substrate in a print position beneath the stencil. The print head assembly includes a print head a squeegee blade assembly configured to roll solder paste along the stencil. The stencil printer further includes a cover coupled to the frame to enclose operating components of the stencil printer, including the stencil, the support assembly, the print head gantry and the print head assembly. The cover includes an elongate opening formed therein and a movable door configured to selectively close the elongate opening. The elongate opening is sized to enable the stencil and/or a tooling tray to pass through.

Stencil printer cover

A dual function tooling tray for a stencil printer includes a perimeter frame, a first frame member spaced from a first side of the perimeter frame, a second frame member spaced from a second side of the perimeter frame, and a third frame member extending between and secured to the first frame member and the second frame member. The third frame member is configured to support at least one squeegee blade assembly. The tooling tray further includes a first support secured to the first frame member and a second support secured to the second frame member. The first support and the second support are configured to support a tooling plate. The tooling tray further includes a third support secured to the first frame member and a fourth support secured to the second frame member. The third support and the fourth support are configured to support a tooling plate.

Method for replacing items in a stencil printer using a dual function tooling tray

A system is provided to align a movable cart to an assembly apparatus. The assembly apparatus has at least one item of a plurality of items for replacement within the assembly apparatus. The assembly apparatus includes a docking station. The movable cart is configured to receive a used item and/or provide a new item to the assembly apparatus. The movable cart includes an interface configured to dock within the docking station of the assembly apparatus. The system includes a sensor associated with one of the assembly apparatus and the movable cart and a laser associated with the other of the assembly apparatus and the movable cart. The sensor and the laser are configured to align the movable cart with the assembly apparatus after an initial docking of the movable cart within the docking station of the assembly apparatus.

System and method for aligning a movable cart to an assembly apparatus

A stencil printer is configured to print an assembly material on an electronic substrate. The stencil printer includes a frame, a stencil coupled to the frame, a support assembly coupled to the frame, and a print head gantry coupled to the frame. The print head gantry includes an elongate beam that rides along rails provided on the frame and a print head assembly supported by the print head gantry in such a manner that the print head assembly is configured to traverse the stencil during print strokes. The print head assembly includes a print head having a squeegee blade assembly configured to roll solder paste along the stencil. The stencil printer further includes a solder paste bead recovery system configured to remove a bead of solder paste from a top surface of the stencil and to deposit the bead of solder paste onto a new replacement stencil.

Solder paste bead recovery system and method

An apparatus includes a frame, a unit coupled to the frame and configured to deposit material on the electronic substrate, and a substrate support assembly coupled to the frame. The substrate support assembly is configured to support the electronic substrate. The substrate support assembly includes a worktable and a fixed support secured to the worktable. The fixed support extends from a first edge of the worktable to a second edge of the worktable. The substrate assembly further includes an adjustable support releasably secured to the worktable. The adjustable support extends from the first edge to the second edge and spaced from the fixed support. The substrate assembly further includes at least one guide mechanism configured to releasably secure the adjustable support in place on the worktable.

Automatic adjustable H-tower support block system for stencil printer

A dual function tooling tray having a movable center section includes a perimeter frame having four sides, a first frame member spaced from a first side of the perimeter frame, and a second frame member spaced from a second side of the perimeter frame. The first side and the second side of the perimeter frame are parallel with one another. The tooling tray further includes a third frame member extending between and secured to the first frame member and the second frame member. The third frame member is configured to support at least one squeegee blade. The third frame member is configured be to be moved from a first position from the first frame member and the second frame member and installed in a second position on the first frame member and the second frame member, with the second position being spaced from the first position.

Dual function tooling tray having movable center section for stencil printer

A movable cart includes a housing configured to move along a horizontal surface and a plurality of shelves supported by the housing Each shelf of the plurality of shelves is configured to move between a retracted in which the shelf is positioned within the housing and an extended position in which the shelf extends from the housing. The movable cart further includes a sensing system configured to determine whether each shelf of the plurality of shelves is in the retracted position and a type of item supported by the shelf. Other aspects of the movable cart are further disclosed.

Systems and methods for improving reliability of replacing items in a stencil printer

A squeegee drip collection system is configured to receive assembly material from at least one squeegee blade of the print head assembly. The squeegee drip collection system includes a paste shield coupled to the print head gantry and configured to be moved between a retracted position in which the paste shield is spaced from the at least one squeegee blade and an extended position in which the paste shield is positioned under the at least one squeegee blade. The squeegee drip collection system further includes a paste shield removal assembly configured to uncouple the paste shield from the print head gantry and to remove the paste shield.

Squeegee drip collection system for stencil printer

Dual function tooling tray for stencil printer

A stencil printer includes a frame, a stencil coupled to the frame, and a support assembly coupled to the frame, with the support assembly including tooling configured to support the electronic substrate in a print position beneath the stencil. The stencil printer further includes a print head assembly coupled to the frame in such a manner that the print head assembly is configured to traverse the stencil during print strokes. The print head assembly includes a squeegee blade assembly and at least one paste cartridge to deposit solder paste on the stencil. The stencil printer further includes an end effector configured to pick up and release items from a tooling tray. The stencil printer further includes a movable cart configured to interface with the stencil printer to deliver changeover and/or replacement items within a stencil printer.

Multi-functional print head for a stencil printer

A paste dispensing transfer system of a stencil printer is configured to print an assembly material on an electronic substrate. The transfer system includes a paste cartridge mechanism coupled to a print head assembly of the stencil printer, and a rotary indexing mechanism coupled to a frame of the stencil printer. The paste dispensing transfer system is configured to transfer a used paste cartridge from the print head assembly to the rotary indexing mechanism supported by the frame and to transfer a new paste cartridge from the rotary indexing mechanism to the print head assembly.

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Douglas, MA, United States of America

William A Losiewicz