Handling: hand and hoist-line implements – Utilizing fluid pressure – Venturi effect
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-12
2003-03-04
Kramer, Dean J. (Department: 3652)
Handling: hand and hoist-line implements
Utilizing fluid pressure
Venturi effect
C029S743000, C901S040000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06527322
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric-component holding head which sucks and holds an electric component by applying negative pressure thereto, and particularly to a filter which is provided in a negative-pressure passage of the head and removes foreign matters present in air supplied through the passage.
2. Discussion of Related Art
There is known an electric-component holding head including a holder member which holds a suction nozzle for sucking and holding an electric component and which is provided by a plurality of members such that the holder member can be disassembled into those members. A filter is provided in a negative-pressure passage which is defined by the plurality of members. The filter removes foreign matters present in the air which passes through the filter when the suction nozzle sucks the electric component. When the filter becomes dirty, it is replaced with a new one, or is cleaned. To this end, the holder member is disassembled into the plurality of members, so that the dirty filter is replaced with a new one, or is cleaned. Then, the plurality of members are assembled again into the holder member, such that the new filter or the cleaned filter is accommodated in the holder member.
However, it is cumbersome to disassemble and re-assemble the holder member each time the filter is replaced with a new one or is cleaned. In addition, a person cannot see, from outside the holding head, to what degree the filter is dirty. For example, in the case where the filter is replaced with a new one at a predetermined period, the filter which is not so dirty and can be used further may be replaced with a new one, which leads to lowering the running cost of the holding head, or the filter which is so dirty and cannot be used any more may be used further uselessly. That is, it is difficult to determine a timing when the filter is replaced with a new one or is cleaned.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an electric-component holding head which has each of the following features. Those features are described, like claims, in respective paragraphs, and those paragraphs are given respective numbers. Any feature that includes another feature shall do so by referring to the number given to the latter feature. However, the following features and the appropriate combinations thereof are just examples to which the technical features, and the combinations thereof, described in the specification are by no means limited. In addition, in the case where one feature recites a plurality of items, it is not essentially required that all of those items be simultaneously employed. That is, it is possible to select and employ only a portion (one, two, . . . , but not all) of those items.
(1) According to a first feature of the present invention, there is provided an electric-component holding head, comprising a holder member including a nozzle-hold portion which holds a suction nozzle, and having a negative-pressure passage through which a negative pressure is supplied to the suction nozzle so that the suction nozzle holds an electric component by applying the negative pressure thereto; a filter which is provided in the negative-pressure passage and removes foreign matters present in an air passing through the filter; the holder member having an outer surface and a filter-insert hole which has an opening in the outer surface and communicates between the outer surface and the negative-pressure passage so that the filter is inserted from outside the holder member via the filter-insert hole into the negative-pressure passage; and a closure member which closes the opening of the filter-insert hole.
The closure member may be attached to the holder member in such a manner that the closure member is pivotable relative to the holder member and accordingly is opened and closed by being pivoted or rotated by an operator, or in a different manner that the closure member is detachable from the holder member. It is preferred that the filter and the closure member be connected to each other as recited in the following feature (2), but it is not essentially required. For example, it is possible to draw out the filter after the closure member is detached or opened.
The nozzle-hold portion may be one which holds a single suction nozzle, or one which holds a plurality of suction nozzles.
Before the filter is removed from the filter-insert hole, the closure member is operated to open the opening of the hole. After the filter is removed through the filter-insert hole, the old filter is replaced with a new one, or is cleaned. After the new or cleaned filter is inserted in the filter-insert hole, the closure member is operated to close the opening of the hole. Thus, the replacing or cleaning of the filter can be done outside the holder member. Therefore, even if the holder member may be one which is obtained by assembling a plurality of constituent members, an operator can easily replace or clean the filter, without needing to disassemble those constituent members. In addition, the holder member may be one which cannot be disassembled, because the replacing or cleaning of the filter can be done outside the holder member. Thus, the present electric-component holding head can employ the holder member which cannot be disassembled and which has the negative-pressure passage in which the filter is provided to remove foreign matters included in the air passing through the passage.
(2) According to a second feature of the present invention that includes the first feature (1), the closure member includes a closure portion which closes the opening of the filter-insert hole, and a filter-hold portion which holds the filter.
The present holding head assures that the attaching of the filter to the holder member and the closing of the opening of the filter-insert hole with the closure member are simultaneously done, and that the detaching of the filter from the holder member and the opening of the filter-insert hole with the closure member are simultaneously done. Thus, the replacing or cleaning of the filter can be easily carried out.
(3) According to a third feature of the present invention that includes the first or second feature (1) or (2), the holder member further includes a first engaging portion, the closure member includes a second engaging portion which engages the first engaging portion of the holder member and thereby fixes the closure member to the holder member, and the head further comprises an elastic member which provides an elastic force with which the first and second engaging portions are kept in engagement with each other.
For example, the second engaging portion of the closure member may be provided by an engaging member which is attached to the closure member such that the engaging member is pivotable relative to the closure member. In this case, the elastic member may be provided by a spring member which biases the engaging member in a direction to keep the engagement of the first engaging portion and the engaging member. According to the sixth feature (6), described later, the easily deformable portions function as not only an attaching device which attaches the second engaging portion to the base portion of the closure member such that the second engaging portion is pivotable, but also as the elastic member.
Since the engagement of the first and second engaging portions is kept with the elastic force, the closure member is prevented from falling off the holder member, while continuing to close the opening of the filter-insert hole.
(4) According to a fourth feature of the present invention that includes the third feature (3), the second engaging portion of the closure member comprises a pair of arms which extend toward the holder member and have respective engaging claws at respective free end portions thereof.
(5) According to a fifth feature of the present invention that includes the fourth feature (4), the closure member further includes at least one operable portion which is operable to move at least one of the pa
Fuji Machine Mfg. Co. Ltd.
Kramer Dean J.
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
LandOfFree
Electric-component holding head does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Electric-component holding head, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Electric-component holding head will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3016222