Feeder and method of supplying a continuous strip of surface mount

Abstract

A feeder and method are disclosed for individually dispensing surface-mount contacts in a strip of tab-connected contacts on a pick-and-place machine having a pick-up member and pick-up station actuator for actuating the feeder when the pick-and-place machine is ready for pick-up surface-mount contact oriented along a predetermined direction at the pick-up station. The strip of contacts are fed from a roll or spool and the end received within a guide, with the strip being advanced to position the end contact or connector to be mounted suspended beyond the guide. When the component is ready to be mounted, it is sheared or severed at a connecting tab from the strip to free it. The component is temporarily held in place while the freed component is moved towards the vacuum pick-up nozzle of the pick-and-place machine, and released at such time that the pick-up member of vacuum nozzle has sufficiently engaged the contact to enable it to pick up the contact and remove it from the pick-up station. A control circuit, using a PLC, obtains signals from a series of sensors to regulate the cycle of advancing and sensing the strip of contacts with a series of actuators in the form of solenoids, which cycle is commenced when a pick-up nozzle of a surface mounting machine is sensed at the pick-up station. The tension of the strip is regulated by the control circuit, and a collection system is provided to remove cut off fragments of connecting tabs or carrier strips from the pick-up station.