The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 13, 1988
Filed:
Aug. 19, 1987
Steven F Wright, Glen Ellyn, IL (US);
Joseph Wolyn, Gurnee, IL (US);
Molex Incorporated, Lisle, IL (US);
Abstract
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for discharging serial arrays of solid components contained in a three dimensional matrix of feeding positions, into a delivery track, one serial array at a time. The matrix of feeding positions is comprised of trays each having a row of component containing channels. The trays are stacked one on top of another, and loaded in a box-like container. The container is lowered, presenting one tray at a time to a plurality of funnel-shaped discharge openings. A shuttle, capable of selectively blocking the discharge openings, is aligned with one opening at a time, and is operative to receive a serial array of components contained in a channel aligned with that opening. Upon receiving the components, the shuttle returns to a home position in alignment with the delivery track, whereupon it discharges the components into the track. The shuttle is indexed along a row of channels, one channel at a time, until the tray is emptied. Thereafter, an adjacent tray containing another row of channels is brought into alignment with the funnel-shaped apertures. The indexing of the shuttle and the trays is repeated until the entire matrix of components is unloaded into the delivery track.