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:
Aug. 24, 2004
Filed:
Jun. 18, 2001
Joseph Patrick Tracy, South Haven, MN (US);
Mark T. Girard, South Haven, MN (US);
Ryan A. Jurgenson, Hutchinson, MN (US);
Roger Rhea Livermore, Hutchinson, MN (US);
David Richard Swift, Glencoe, MN (US);
Applied Kinetics, Inc., Hutchinson, MN (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides an assembly apparatus employing at least a robotic or automated assembly apparatus to manipulate the components to be assembled and at least a first vision alignment system to align the components prior to their assembly. An adhesive dispense system is provided to connect, attach or otherwise adhere the components together. In a method in accord with the present invention for assembling components, a source of the components is provided is located relative to a global reference system. The components held by the source are then located relative to the global reference system based upon the determined location of the source. An adhesive is dispensed onto a first of the components and a second component is manipulated into an initial attachment position relative to the first component. The components are imaged by a local imaging system to establish their position relative to each other and the second component is moved into a desired attachment position and then moved into engagement with the adhesive and the first component. The adhesive may then be at least partially cured if desired.