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. 21, 1998
Filed:
Jan. 11, 1997
Vahid Kazem-Goudarzi, Sunrise, FL (US);
Alex Marron, Plantation, FL (US);
Val Jean Hillman, Plantation, FL (US);
Motorola, Inc., Schaumburg, IL (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for detecting whether a vacuum nozzle on a high speed component placement machine is obstructed. A vacuum nozzle (10) has a hollow tube with a vacuum port (25) and an opening (12) at one end. A plastic light guide is connected to the vacuum nozzle such that one portion of the light guide is exposed to be illuminated (50) by a remote light source (30). The light guide transmits light to illuminate the opening (12) from the interior of the vacuum nozzle. The amount of light exiting the illuminated opening is measured (55) by a remotely located light detector (35). A decision (60) is made as to whether the opening is obstructed by comparing the measured illuminated opening to a predetermined standard.