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:
Apr. 16, 1996
Filed:
May. 13, 1993
Keith M Easton, Plano, TX (US);
Cedric Kentzler, Plano, TX (US);
Richard W Simpson, Jr, Sherman, TX (US);
Cybex Technologies Corp., Richardson, TX (US);
Abstract
Apparatus for automatically placing a lid on a component package and then securing the lid with a clip. The apparatus includes a programmable robot arm having a gripping assembly, an inspection station, a first conveyor for conveying a boat along a path between a first position and a second position, a pick arm for removing a first lid from a lid feeder station, a second conveyor for reciprocating the pick arm between first and second positions to thereby transfer the first lid from the lid feeder station to the inspection station, and a camera located at the inspection station for inspecting the first lid. The apparatus further includes a rotary actuator arm and a mechanism for reciprocating the rotary actuator arm into contact with a first lid bottom surface following inspection of the first lid and for releasing the pick arm. A control program selectively controls the robot arm (i) to move the gripper assembly to the clip feeder station and to pick up a first clip during inspection of the first lid, (ii) to move the gripper assembly along with the first clip to the inspection station and to pick up the first lid following inspection of the first lid, and (iii) to move the gripper assembly along with the first clip and the first lid from the inspection station to a predetermined assembly position located along the path.