Classifying – separating – and assorting solids – Sorting special items – and certain methods and apparatus for... – Condition responsive means controls separating means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-18
2001-10-02
Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3653)
Classifying, separating, and assorting solids
Sorting special items, and certain methods and apparatus for...
Condition responsive means controls separating means
C209S571000, C209S933000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06297464
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to handling rejected microdevices for assembly lines and more particularly to handling rejected microdevices in a programmer/feeder.
BACKGROUND ART
In the past, programmable microdevices were programmed in a large, standalone programming system, which had a programmer handling system. The programmer handling system would pick up unprogrammed microdevices, place them in the programmers for programming, and remove them for placement on a carrier. The programmer handling systems would also place rejected microdevices, which did not meet specifications or which could not be programmed, into large reject bins appropriate to large programming systems. The programmed microdevices, which were not rejected, would be placed on the carrier and placed in an input feeder, which would be attached to an assembly line. The assembly line had its own assembly line handling system which would pick up the programmed microdevices and place them on printed circuit boards.
With the advent of the programmer/feeder where programming and feeding are performed in a single device, space is at a premium. Since a programmer/feeder must be placed on the assembly line in a space which was formerly only occupied by a feeder, it has become extremely difficult to find space for a reject handling system.
The old concept of the standalone programming system or the newer concept of using the assembly line handling system for placing rejected parts into a separate reject bin has been found to be extremely time-consuming and inefficient, because of the long movements required, however, heretofore there has been no other solution.
Ideally, a microdevice reject handling system would take up as little space as possible, require short reject movements, and allow easy removal of rejected parts. This ideal has been extremely difficult to achieve and has eluded those skilled in the art.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a microdevice reject handling system in a microdevice processing/feeder system. A robotic transport mechanism moves microdevices from the processing mechanism to the immediately adjacent feeder mechanism. The feeder mechanism has a dead space in which microdevices cannot be placed by the robotic transport system. The microdevice reject handling system is partially positioned in the feeder mechanism dead space for receiving rejected microdevices from the robotic transport mechanism and storing them beside the feeder mechanism. It includes a reject bin with a storage portion for storing rejected microdevices beside the feeder mechanism and rests on a bracket containing an optical sensor system for determining when the storage portion is full. This configuration allows for a microdevice reject handling system which is compact both in the lateral and depth-wise direction of the processing/feeder, requires short reject movements, and allows easy removal of rejected microdevices.
The present invention further provides a programmable microdevice reject handling system in a microdevice programmer/feeder system. A robotic transport mechanism moves microdevices from the programming mechanism to the immediately adjacent conveyor feeder mechanism. The conveyor feeder mechanism has a dead space in which microdevices cannot be placed by the robotic transport system. The microdevice reject handling system is partially positioned in the conveyor feeder mechanism dead space for receiving rejected microdevices from the robotic transport mechanism and storing them beside the conveyor feeder mechanism. It includes a reject bin with a storage portion for storing rejected microdevices beside the conveyor feeder mechanism and rests on a bracket containing an optical sensor system for determining when the storage portion is full. This configuration allows for a microdevice reject handling system which is compact both in the lateral and depth-wise direction of the programmer/feeder, requires short reject movements, and allows easy removal of rejected microdevices.
The above and additional advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3770123 (1973-11-01), Mraz
patent: 3910416 (1975-10-01), Payne
patent: 4747479 (1988-05-01), Herrman
patent: 5695071 (1997-12-01), Ross et al.
patent: 6111211 (2000-08-01), Dziedzic et al.
patent: 196 12 7813 A (1997-10-01), None
patent: 0 517 439 A (1992-12-01), None
Bernard Richard Alan
Bolotin Lev M.
Johnson Bradley Morris
Powell Bryan D.
Data I/O Corporation
Ishimaru Mikio
Rodriguez Joseph
Walsh Donald P.
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