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:
Dec. 17, 1991
Filed:
May. 17, 1990
Minoru Akagawa, Fremont, CA (US);
Intelmatec Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
A system can be formed for automatically loading and unloading items such as ICs into and from containers of different types having various configurations by providing a plurality of base units each of the same structure but having different item-handling modules attached thereto. The base units have a unistructurally cast planar top plate with a horizontal top surface, an arm which is horizontally supported above the top plate and a driving assembly which serves to move the arm in a horizontal first direction while the arm remains extended in a horizontal second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A holder member is mounted to the arm and slidable therealong in the second direction. A spline shaft is rotatably supported by the top plate that extends in the first direction. A belt is attached to the holder member on the arm and engages with the spline shaft in a power-communication relationship. The belt is slidable along the spline shaft such that, as the spline shaft rotates, the belt can pull the holder member in the second direction independently of the position or motion of the arm in the first direction. Different types of item-handling modules are attached to the individual units for particular loading and unloading operations.