Conveyors: fluid current – With means to control conveying fluid or movement of load in... – Control of conveying fluid
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-16
2001-04-03
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3651)
Conveyors: fluid current
With means to control conveying fluid or movement of load in...
Control of conveying fluid
C406S028000, C406S085000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06210079
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a feeder system and method for supplying electrical components to a pick up location. The invention is particularly useful for, but not necessarily limited to, supplying surface mountable electrical components, stored in hoppers, to pick up locations for subsequent mounting to a circuit board.
BACKGROUND ART
Component feeding is a well-known process in Surface Mounting Technology (SMT). In general, a feeder is used to sequentially supply surface mountable electrical components to a pick up location for subsequent placing, by a pick-and-place machine, onto a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) which is pre-printed with solder paste.
One form of feeder is a tape and reel feeder in which the electrical components are packaged on a tape that is wound onto a reel. The tape comprises individual pockets each containing one of the electrical components that are individually sealed in the pockets by a covering of thin film. In use, the film is removed when the tape enters the pick up location therefore leaving a pocket containing one of the electrical components in a position accessible by the pick-and-place machine. Unfortunately, the tape is substantially wider than the components located in the pockets thereby increasing the width of the feeder. Further, the reel and apparatus for removing the film also add to the width and overall size of the feeder.
Hopper feeders also known as bulk or tube feeders are an alternative to tape and reel feeders. Hopper feeders usually comprise a hopper in communication, along a downwardly sloping passage, with the pick up location. The downwardly sloping passage makes use of gravity for supplying the components to the pick up location. To further assist the supplying of the components to the pick up location a combination of gravity and air blasting has also been used. However, the components can sometimes be removed from the pick up location faster than they can be supplied especially when high speed carousel or rapid pick up robot arms are used for removing the components from the pick up location. This can result in an undesirable delay as it can reduce the efficiency of the pick-and-place machine which may have to wait for components to be delivered to the pick up location.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an aim of this invention to overcome or alleviate at least one of the problems associated with prior art feeder systems and methods for supplying components to a pick up location.
According to one aspect of this invention there is provided a feeder system for supplying electrical components to a pick-and-place machine, the feeder system comprising:
at least one component storage means with two or more storage outlets;
a pick up location;
a passage providing communication between said storage outlets and said pick up location;
a first fluid jet outlet associated with one or more of said storage outlets for providing fluid blasts to agitate components in said component storage means; and
a second fluid jet outlet associated with said passage for providing fluid blasts to propel said components located in said passage towards said pick up location.
Suitably, said first fluid jet outlet may be located to provide air blasts through at least a first and second one of said storage outlets.
Suitably, said first fluid jet outlet may be located in a wall of said passage.
Preferably, said second fluid jet outlet may be located in a wall of said passage.
Preferably, there may be pressurised air supply means operatively coupled to said first and second fluid jet outlets by respective valves.
Alternatively, there may be a third fluid jet outlet, wherein said first fluid jet outlet is located to provide air blasts through at least a first one of said storage outlets, and said third fluid jet outlet is located to provide air blasts through at a second one of said storage outlets.
Suitably, there may be a controller for selectively controlling said valves to alternately supply air blasts to said first and third fluid outlets.
Preferably, said passage may comprise an upwardly inclined portion which is upwardly inclined towards said pick up location.
Suitably, an end of said upwardly inclined portion may be directly coupled to said pick up location.
In an alternative form there may be an intermediate portion of said passage between said pick up location and said upwardly inclined portion.
Suitably, said intermediate portion may have a component supporting surface angled relative to a component supporting surface of said upwardly inclined portion.
The said component supporting surface of said intermediate portion may be substantially aligned in a horizontal plane.
Preferably, a component supporting surface of said pick up location can be angled relative to a component supporting surface of said upwardly inclined portion. The said component supporting surface of said pick up location may be substantially aligned in a horizontal plane.
Suitably, said passage may include a first portion providing communication between said storage means and upwardly inclined portion, wherein a length of said first portion is angled relative to said upwardly inclined portion.
Preferably, said storage means may be at least two hoppers, each hopper being associated with one of said storage outlets.
Suitably, each of said hoppers may comprise a first funnel portion for guiding components into a second funnel portion,
wherein said second funnel portion is adapted to receive said components such that a surface thereof is aligned to an alignment plane,
and wherein said second funnel portion is adapted to funnel said components into said hopper outlet.
According to another aspect of this invention there is provided a method for supplying electrical components to a pick-and-place machine by a feeder system having a component storage means with two or more storage outlets coupled by a passage to a pick up location, the method comprising the steps of:
providing air blasts to a first fluid jet outlet associated with said storage outlets to agitate said electrical components stored in said component storage means, the agitation thereof allowing for the possibility of one or more components to pass through said storage outlets and into said passage; and
supplying air blasts to a second fluid jet outlet associated with said passage thereby propelling said components located in said passage towards said pick up location.
According to another aspect of this invention there is provided a method for supplying electrical components to a pick-and-place machine by a feeder system having a component storage means with two or more storage outlets coupled by a passage to a pick up location, the method comprising the steps of:
providing air blasts to a first fluid jet outlet associated with a first one of said storage outlets to agitate said electrical components stored in said component storage means, the agitation thereof allowing for the possibility of one or more components to pass through said first one of said storage outlets and into said passage;
alternately supplying air blasts to third fluid jet outlet associated with a second one of said storage outlets to agitate said electrical components stored in said component storage means, the agitation thereof allowing for the possibility of one or more components to pass through said second one of said storage outlets and into said passage; and
supplying air blasts to a second fluid jet outlet associated with said passage thereby propelling said components located in said passage towards said pick up location.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1553476 (1925-09-01), Schuster
patent: 2806781 (1957-09-01), Shepherd et al.
patent: 4801044 (1989-01-01), Kubota et al.
patent: 5570812 (1996-11-01), Ando et al.
patent: 6024208 (2000-02-01), Chooi et al.
patent: 6039512 (2000-03-01), Chooi et al.
Lee Kam Wai
Lim Ka Tiek
Teoh Ping Chow
Dillon, Jr. Joe
Dorinski Dale W.
Ellis Christopher P.
Motorola Inc.
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