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:
Jun. 02, 1992
Filed:
Dec. 12, 1990
Glenn S Thayer, Boise, ID (US);
William C Layer, Boise, ID (US);
Micron Technology, Inc., Boise, ID (US);
Abstract
The inventive apparatus automatically processes symmetrical supply tubes used in the storage and handling of semiconductor integrated circuit packages, IC. Unlike prior art methods which rely on the asymmetrical quality of the A-tube, the invention processes symmetrical, rectangular tubes to a point where the contents are discharged to a desired orientation. The invention operates to manipulate the symmetrical supply tubes from a gravity bin to a standing position wherein each tube is at rest on one of its two narrow sides. The tubes are then singulated, moved, and tilted to a position where the leading ICs are discharged to a short distance outside the tube. The IC are held on side in either a lead left or lead right position and are sensed to determine their orientation. Upon determination of the lead left or lead right orientation, the sort block is appropriately placed and the IC are released. The IC are reoriented as they stream through one of two geometrically shaped voids of the sort block onto a part track.