Handling: hand and hoist-line implements – Hook – hoistline – or grab type – Locking device
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-04
2002-12-24
Cherry, Johnny D. (Department: 3652)
Handling: hand and hoist-line implements
Hook, hoistline, or grab type
Locking device
C294S119100, C901S037000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06497440
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gripper for parts having a different shape in a surface mount device, and in particular to an improved gripper for parts having a different shape which can easily pick up the parts, transfer the parts to a printed circuit board, and mount the parts on the printed circuit board when a surface mount device mounts the parts on the printed circuit board.
2. Description of the Background Art
A surface mount device is used to rapidly precisely mount a plurality of parts on a printed circuit board. A structure of the surface mount device for rapidly precisely mounting parts on the printed circuit board will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1
is a plan view illustrating the surface mount device. As shown therein, the surface mount device
10
includes an X-Y gantry
11
, a printed circuit board conveyor
12
, a module head
13
and a nozzle exchanger
14
.
The X-Y gantry
11
transfers the module head
13
in an X-Y axis direction. The module head
13
transferred by the X-Y gantry
11
in the X-Y axis direction transfers parts to a printed circuit board
1
. The printed circuit board
1
is transferred to a mounting operation position A by the printed circuit board conveyor
12
. When the printed circuit board
1
is transferred to the mounting operation position A by the printed circuit board conveyor
12
, the module head
13
sucks the parts, transfers the parts to the printed circuit board
1
, and mounts the parts on the printed circuit board
1
.
The module head
13
sucking the parts and transferring the sucked parts to the printed circuit board
1
includes a plurality of nozzle apparatuses
20
. A structure of the nozzle apparatus
20
will now be explained with reference to FIG.
2
. Referring to
FIG. 2
, the nozzle apparatus
20
includes a socket unit
21
and a holder unit
22
. The socket unit
21
includes a hollow shaft
21
a,
an assembly block
21
b,
a connection block
21
c,
a socket shaft
21
d
and an elastic member
21
e.
The holder unit
22
includes a holder
22
a
and a holder shaft
22
b.
The hollow shaft
21
a
of the socket unit
21
has a hollow, and the connection block
21
c
is installed by the assembly block
21
b
formed on the bottom surface of the hollow shaft
21
a.
The holder
22
a
of the holder unit
22
is moved to the inner portion of the connection block
21
c
moved by the assembly block
21
b.
The socket shaft
21
d
and the elastic member
21
e
are disposed on the bottom surface of the connection block
21
c
in order to firmly and removably support the holder
22
a
moved to the inner portion of the connection block
21
c.
The socket shaft
21
d
of the connection block
21
c
is supported at both side portions of the connection block
21
c
by the elastic member
21
e.
The socket shaft
21
d
supported by the elastic member
21
e
and moved to a slanted surface of the connection block
21
c
supports both side portions of the holder
22
a
of the holder unit
22
in movement. The holder shaft
22
b
is formed on the bottom surface of the holder
22
a
having its side portions supported by the socket shaft
21
d.
When the holder
22
a
is moved to the inner portion of the connection block
21
c,
a nozzle (not shown) is mounted on the holder shaft
22
b.
In this state, a component is adsorbed by the nozzle, transferred to the printed circuit board
1
, and mounted thereon. To replace the holder unit
22
, the socket unit
21
is moved to the nozzle exchanger (
14
in FIG.
1
), and rapidly moved in a vertical direction to pick up the holder unit
22
disposed at the nozzle exchanger
14
, thereby mounting and replacing the holder unit
22
. The nozzle (not shown) is mounted at the inner portion of the holder shaft
22
b
of the replaced holder unit
22
.
The nozzle in the conventional art is formed to pick up surface mounting parts having a constant shape and size and to mount the parts on the printed circuit board, and thus it is difficult to grip parts having a different shape and size.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a gripper for parts having a different shape which can pick up parts having a variable shape and size in a surface mount device, and mount the parts on a printed circuit board.
Another object of the present invention is to easily pick up parts having a different shape by providing a gripper for the parts, and easily mount the parts on a printed circuit board.
In order to achieve the above-described objects of the invention, there is provided a gripper for parts having a different shape comprising: a holder having one end mounted and moved in a socket unit, and having a penetration groove forming a passage of air flown through the socket unit; a piston mounted in the penetration groove, and lifted or lowered due to a pressure of the air flown through the penetration groove; a movement unit being installed at both side ends of the other end of the holder, and having a slanted surface to be horizontally moved in a direction of increasing or decreasing an interval by the piston lifted or lowered due to the air flown through the penetration groove; and a plurality of grip tips fixed to the movement unit, and engaged with the horizontal movement of the movement unit, for picking up or putting the parts.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3204997 (1965-09-01), De Vries
patent: 4593948 (1986-06-01), Borcea et al.
patent: 4607873 (1986-08-01), Nusbaumer et al.
patent: 4680523 (1987-07-01), Goumas et al.
patent: 5125708 (1992-06-01), Borcea et al.
patent: 5190334 (1993-03-01), Sawdon
patent: 5762391 (1998-06-01), Sumnitsch
patent: 5967581 (1999-10-01), Bertini
patent: 6012222 (2000-01-01), Asai et al.
patent: 6334641 (2002-01-01), Oh
patent: 2263618 (1974-07-01), None
patent: 3322142 (1984-12-01), None
patent: 4320071 (1994-01-01), None
Cherry Johnny D.
Fleshner & Kim LLP
Mirae Corporation
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