Continuous carrier to smt pins

Abstract

A plurality of discrete SMT pins are carried in bandoleer fashion. Each SMT pin has a base formed on its underside with solder flux vapor venting channels and a shaft with a longitudinal axis connected to the base. A consecutive series of identical pin holding segments are arranged in side-by-side or end-to-end fashion to provide a flexible strip windable about a reel. The strip is continuously injection molded of plastic as a plurality of strings each made up of a predetermined number of part holding segments with a forward portion of each string, except for leading string of the strip, being molded over a trailing portion of a preceding string. Each pin holding segment has a receptacle formed by a pair of opposing resilient fingers for frictionally removably holding a shaft of a corresponding SMT pin so that the pin can be inserted and removed in a direction substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of its shaft. Each pin holding segment is configured as a substantially rectangular body spaced from and parallel to an adjacent pin holding segment. At least one shoulder of each body provides a drive surface for engagement by a drive member or sprocket of a feeder for advancing the strip in an automatic pick and place machine.