Metal working – Means to assemble or disassemble – Including means to relatively position plural work parts
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-03
2001-08-21
Watson, Robert C. (Department: 3723)
Metal working
Means to assemble or disassemble
Including means to relatively position plural work parts
C029S283000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276038
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to manufacture of IC (integrated circuit) packages, and more particularly, to a mechanism for gripping a plug of an IC package container such as a tube such that the tube may be forcibly pulled away from the plug for removal of the plug from the tube.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Referring to
FIG. 1
, during manufacture of IC (integrated circuit) packages, the IC packages are transported in an IC package container such as an IC package tube
102
. Plugs are wedged into the ends of the IC package tube
102
including a first plug
104
at one end of the tube
102
and a second plug
106
at the other end of the tube
102
. (The portion of the plugs
104
and
106
inside the tube
102
is shown by dashed lines in
FIG. 1.
) The tube
102
may be comprised of steel or plastic, and such tubes are known to one of ordinary skill in the art of IC package manufacture.
During manufacture of IC packages, the IC packages are transferred from one tube to another tube such as from a tube comprised of steel to a tube comprised of plastic or vice versa. Thus, any of the plugs
104
and
106
may be removed from the tube
102
such that IC packages may be added to or removed from the tube
102
. Referring to
FIG. 2
, for removal of the plug
106
from the tube
102
, for example, a tweezer
110
is used in the prior art by an operator to manually grip the plug
106
such that the tube
102
and the plug
106
may be pulled away from each other.
However, the operator typically must grip the tweezer
110
with much force such that the tube
102
and the plug
106
may be pulled away from each other. During manufacture of a high quantity of IC packages, such repeated use of the tweezer
110
for removal of the plugs from a high quantity of tubes in the prior art may result in hand fatigue and even hand pain for the operator. In addition, if the tweezer
110
slips during use for gripping a plug, the sharp edges of the tweezer
110
may injure the operator.
Thus, a mechanism for tightly gripping the plug of an IC package tube is desired such that the tube and the plug may be pulled away from each other during manufacture of a high quantity of IC packages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, in a general aspect of the present invention, an apparatus and method for gripping a plug of an IC package container includes pincher vises that move towards each other for gripping the plug such that the IC package container may be pulled away from the plug.
In a general aspect of the present invention, a first pincher vise is at a gripping position when the first pincher vise is gripping the plug and is at a freeing position when the first pincher vise is not gripping the plug. A second pincher vise is at a gripping position when the second pincher vise is gripping the plug and is at a freeing position when the second pincher vise is not gripping the plug. A pushing rod is coupled to the first pincher vise and the second pincher vise, and a motion translation mechanism moves the first pincher vise and the second pincher vise to the gripping position when the pushing rod is pushed down, and moves the first pincher vise and the second pincher vise to the freeing position when the pushing rod is no longer pushed down after the IC package container has been pulled away from the plug.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the motion translation mechanism includes driving rods and toggle beams coupled to the pincher vises and the pushing rod. A first driving rod has a top end and a bottom end, and the top end of the first driving rod is disposed through the first pincher vise at a first rod position of the first pincher vise. A first pivot is disposed through the first pincher vise at a first pivot location of the first pincher vise. A movement of the first driving rod correspondingly moves a portion of the first pincher vise at the first rod position of the first pincher vise such that the first pincher vise rotates about the first pivot that is fixed at the first pivot location of the first pincher vise. The first driving rod moves to an extended position such that the first pincher vise rotates about the first pivot toward the gripping position, and to an unextended position such that the first pincher vise rotates about the first pivot toward the freeing position.
In addition, a second driving rod has a top end and a bottom end, and the top end of the second driving rod is disposed through the second pincher vise at a second rod position of the second pincher vise. A second pivot is disposed through the second pincher vise at a second pivot location of the second pincher vise. A movement of the second driving rod correspondingly moves a portion of the second pincher vise at the second rod position of the second pincher vise such that the second pincher vise rotates about the second pivot that is fixed at the second pivot location of the second pincher vise. The second driving rod moves to an extended position such that the second pincher vise rotates about the second pivot toward the gripping position, and to an unextended position such that the second pincher vise rotates about the second pivot toward the freeing position.
Furthermore, a first toggle beam has an outward end and a center end, and the outward end of the first toggle beam is coupled to the bottom end of the first driving rod. A second toggle beam has an outward end and a center end, and the outward end of the second toggle beam is coupled to the bottom end of the second driving rod. The pushing rod is coupled to the center end of the first toggle beam and to the center end of the second toggle beam. The first driving rod and the second driving rod are at the unextended position such that the first pincher vise and the second pincher vise are at the freeing position when the pushing rod is not pushed down. The pushing rod is pushed down such that the first toggle beam moves the first driving rod to the extended position to move the first pincher vise to the gripping position, and such that the second toggle beam moves the second driving rod to the extended position to move the second pincher vise to the gripping position.
The present invention may be used to particular advantage when a magnetic solenoid is coupled to the pushing rod for providing an added downward force on the pushing rod when the pushing rod is pushed down. In that case, a switch, coupled to the magnetic solenoid and disposed to contact the pushing rod, is turned on when the pushing rod is pushed down to turn on the magnetic solenoid for providing the added downward force on the pushing rod, and is turned off when the pushing rod moves back up to turn off the magnetic solenoid.
In this manner, the pincher vises grip the plug of the IC package container such as a tube such that the operator does not grip the plug as the operator pulls the IC package container away from the plug. During manufacture of a high quantity of IC packages, the operator is saved from the hand fatigue and hand pain of using a tweezer to repeatedly grip plugs of a high quantity of IC package tubes in the prior art.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by considering the following detailed description of the invention which is presented with the attached drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4294444 (1981-10-01), Horton
Boochakorn Sa-Nguan
Jirawongsapiwat Phontara
Theppornpitak Jhakkrit
Advanced Micro Devices , Inc.
Choi Monica H.
Watson Robert C.
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