Article dispensing – With lock – latch – or seal for container and/or support
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-12
2001-08-21
Bratlie, Steven A. (Department: 3652)
Article dispensing
With lock, latch, or seal for container and/or support
C222S174000, C222S197000, C222S287000, C414S403000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276563
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to bulk feeding devices used in the automated installation of printed circuit board components. In particular, the invention relates to a verification and lockout apparatus for a circuit component bulk feeder.
The ability to automate the selection and installation of surface-mounted electronic components to printed circuit board has improved the efficiency and speed of solid-state manufacturing. In modern circuit-building operations, bulk components are fed individually and automatically to surface-mounting machinery. The mounting machinery orients the components relative to the boards and installs them onto the boards. Separate or concurrent operations may then be implemented to solder or otherwise fuse the components to circuit vias on the boards.
Modern circuit mounting machinery typically operates very rapidly, and component installation operations can install several thousand component parts in a matter of minutes. These machines will often rapidly deplete component containers which are used to supply a bulk quantity of components to the installation machinery. This rapid depletion requires machine operators to constantly monitor the status of the machine supplies and change supply containers frequently.
In these mounting machines, bulk quantities surface-mount components are often supplied from cartridges or cassettes. Typically, the cassettes are installed using a common slidable interface with a feeder apparatus. The feeder apparatus transfers individual circuit parts from the inside of the bulk cassette to the mounting machinery. The bulk feeders are individually pre-configured to feed a particular kind of part to the mounting apparatus.
If a cassette containing one type of part is mistakenly installed onto a feeder configured to feed a different type of part, the feeder may malfunction and become jammed or damaged due to differences in the size or shape of the particular component part. More catastrophically, incorrect parts may be installed in an improper position on the circuit board, thereby rendering the board inoperable. This may result in wasted boards and components. At a minimum, the installation of an improper cassette can cause production lines to shut down and the overall efficiency of the board-mounting operation to decrease.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a bulk circuit component feeder is provided including a lockout apparatus for preventing the installation of an improper cassette to the feeder. The invention may be embodied in a bulk feeder for delivering components contained within a cassette. The feeder comprises a feeder housing defining a component cassette receiving area. The receiving area includes a cassette mounting means for registration with the cassette, and the housing further defines an opening for receiving components from the cassette. A gate slidable within the cassette receiving area interfaces with the mounting means. The gate is slidable to cover the opening in a closed position and uncover the opening in an open position upon the attachment of the cassette to the housing. A spring is positioned to bias the gate toward the closed position, and a biased and releasable latch is engagable with the gate for preventing sliding of the gate toward the open position.
In another aspect of the invention, a bulk circuit component feeder is provided that includes a feeder housing and a cassette receiving area on the housing. The receiving area includes a pair of spaced apart sidewalls adapted to receive the cassette therebetween, and a gate slidably mounted therein. The gate is being slidably displaceable by a portion of the cassette from a closed position to an open position during insertion of the cassette into the receiving area. A spring is positioned to bias the gate toward the closed position and a plunger extends from the housing to selectively prevent the slidable displacement of the gate by the cassette, thereby preventing the insertion of the cassette into the receiving area.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a method is provided supplying a plurality of circuit components for installation to a circuit board. The method includes the steps of providing a bulk cassette containing a plurality of circuit components, providing at least one bulk component feeder for delivering the components to a component mounting device, scanning the identification means on the cassette to determine the type of bulk components in the bulk cassette, and releasing the latch based on the determination to allow the gate to uncover the opening. The feeder includes a housing defining a mounting means for registration with the cassette and an opening for receiving components from the cassette, a gate mounted on the housing to slidably cover the opening, and a latch releasably engageable with the gate to prevent the sliding of the gate.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. The invention, together with further objects and attendant advantages, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4846345 (1989-07-01), Hamuro et al.
patent: 4889229 (1989-12-01), Yamamoto et al.
patent: 4982587 (1991-01-01), Tzou
patent: 5402216 (1995-03-01), Komaki et al.
patent: 5588318 (1996-12-01), Osborne
patent: 5934505 (1999-08-01), Shimada
patent: 6094953 (2000-08-01), Evans
patent: 6161676 (2000-12-01), Takahashi et al.
Alexander, II Andrew D.
Arnold, Jr. Richard W.
Garza Richardo
McGovern James L.
Pomeroy Michael J.
Bratlie Steven A.
King John J.
Motorola Inc.
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