Electrical connector pick-up station

Abstract

An electrical connector pick-up station for use, for example, with a pick and place robot having a pick-up head for picking up electrical connectors and for placing them on a circuit board, comprises a base, upon which is mounted for tilting movement about a horizontal axis, a support frame for a magazine containing a supply of electrical connectors. A support surface for the magazine is provided nearest one end of the upper side of the frame and a connector locating comb is provided at the opposite end of the frame. Between the magazine support surface and the comb are ribs for guiding connectors from the magazine towards the comb. The ribs are spaced from the comb and the connectors are arranged to be guided between the ribs and the comb by guide slots in which terminal tails depending from the connectors engage. For loading the comb with connectors, the frame is tilted to a position in which the magazine is above the comb so that connectors from the magazine slide from the magazine and between the ribs to engage between the teeth of the comb whereby clamps are operated to hold the connectors whilst the frame is lowered to a horizontal pick-up position in which the connectors can be picked up by the robot pick-up head and in which position the clamps release the connectors.