| Patent Number |
Title Of Patent |
Date Issued |
| RE33641 |
Method and apparatus for proper registration of mating parts |
July 16, 1991 |
| The invention is directed to a method and apparatus for handling a component having a body and one or more members protruding therefrom, such that the protruding members are put in proper, mating registration with corresponding holes of a substrate or the like. The components are handled |
| RE31530 |
Multiple lead cut and clinch mechanism |
March 6, 1984 |
| An electronic component lead cutting and clinching mechanism having means for operating substantially simultaneously on a plurality of aligned leads. The cutting edges are angularly oriented to align with the component leads and raised to a position adjacent the undersurface of the w |
| 7428326 |
Method for improving reliability in a component placement machine by vacuum nozzle inspection |
September 23, 2008 |
| The present invention features a method whereby each vacuum nozzle in a multi-spindle component placement machine is inspected placement cycle. This process also allows for updating calibration of the nozzle position as well as immediate feedback regarding the condition of the vacuum |
| 7281339 |
Encoder system |
October 16, 2007 |
| A structure and associated method to accurately read an encoder tape in an encoder system. The encoder system comprises, a read head, a shoe structure adjacent the read head, and an encoder tape. The encoder tape is adapted to be read by the read head. The shoe structure is adapted to |
| 7267382 |
Low maintenance vacuum generation |
September 11, 2007 |
| The present invention features a system to generate vacuum for picking up and holding a component in a component placement machine wherein the arrangement of the elements comprising the system prevents the flow of foreign matter back through the system. One arrangement locates a venturi |
| 7146717 |
Component rejection station |
December 12, 2006 |
| The present invention features a method and apparatus wherein a component in a component placement machine is rejected during the placement cycle and subsequently retained in a component rejection station. A component is imaged and the image processed using an automated vision system. Th |
| 7089074 |
Host feeder setup validation |
August 8, 2006 |
| The present invention features a method and apparatus for feeder setup validation on a component placement machine. Provided are a host computer in communication with a feeder setup station operable with a feeder identifier for identifying a feeder and a component identifier for iden |
| 7042177 |
Method and system for electronic braking of an electric motor having no permanent magnets |
May 9, 2006 |
| System for braking either linear or rotary electric motor having no permanent magnets comprising at least one servo amplifier and an electronic circuit for generating a pulsed control signal for controlling the braking of the motor. The electronic circuit of the present invention may |
| 7040137 |
Method for improving pick reliability in a component placement machine |
May 9, 2006 |
| The present invention features a method whereby the vacuum nozzle of each extendable vacuum spindle in a multi-head component placement machine may be calibrated during component pick/place cycles. Calibration of each vacuum nozzle ensures accurate location of the vacuum nozzle over a |
| 6267020 |
Drive mechanism for variable center distance component insertion machine |
July 31, 2001 |
| A drive mechanism for a variable center distance component insertion machine having a pair of component insertion tooling assemblies mounted adjacent each other so as to be laterally adjustable inwardly and outwardly relative to each other. Each tooling assembly has a gear rack mount |
| 6260261 |
Straddle-mount assembly tool and method |
July 17, 2001 |
| An assembly tool for attaching components such as connector plugs or receptacles to a printed circuit board includes a printed circuit board support plate and a sliding member. The sliding member is movable between a first position and a second position relative to the support plate. A |
| 6247581 |
Adjustable length conveyor |
June 19, 2001 |
| An adjustable conveyor for conveying a printed circuit board includes a frame, a first track including a first conveyor belt, a second track including a second conveyor belt, wherein the first track and the second track are mounted on the frame so that the first track and the second |
| 6161443 |
Drive and actuation mechanism for a component insertion machine |
December 19, 2000 |
| A drive and actuation mechanism for a component insertion machine having a lead screw mounted to a housing by a ball nut and a spline nut so as to be movable longitudinally and rotationally. The lead screw has a hollow shaft in which a push rod is disposed. An arm support is mounted to t |
| 6160620 |
Optical contact sensor |
December 12, 2000 |
| An optical sensor for use on an electronic component placement machine. A spindle tip on a placement head for the machine holds the electronic component to be placed on a printed circuit board by means of, for example, a vacuum. A spindle driver housing is mounted surrounding the spi |
| 6078114 |
Method and apparatus for vibration reduction/control in a variable reluctance linear motor |
June 20, 2000 |
| A variable reluctance linear motor has a stator and an armature mounted so as to be movable along the length of the stator. Armature bearings are mounted to the armature via mechanical vibration dampers and contact the stator so that vibrations in the stator are transmitted to the bearin |
| 6041964 |
Method and apparatus for supplying components |
March 28, 2000 |
| A method and apparatus for supplying components wherein a plurality of components are placed on a first end of a track. The components are urged towards a second end of the track with a component stop slidingly mounted at the second end of the track. The urging of the components is d |
| 5912542 |
Variable load inductance compensation for motor drive circuits |
June 15, 1999 |
| The apparatus includes a motor control circuit including an amplifier with an inductance compensation circuit responsive to a motor, such as a switched reluctance motor, having inductance variations. The inductance compensation circuit includes at least two inductance compensation values |
| 5852869 |
Method and apparatus for supplying and placing components |
December 29, 1998 |
| A method and apparatus for automatically supplying surface mount chip components from a bulk feeder and placing the chip components on a substrate. The apparatus includes a base frame, a substrate feeding mechanism, a placement head, and a placement head positioning system. The subst |
| 5828195 |
Method and apparatus for electronic braking of an electric motor having no permanent magnets |
October 27, 1998 |
| Apparatus for braking either a linear or rotary electric motor having no permanent magnets comprising at least one position sensor for outputting an electrical characteristic representative of motor position and an electronic circuit for generating a pulsed control signal for controlling |
| 5739846 |
Method of inspecting component placement accuracy for each first selected circuit board to be as |
April 14, 1998 |
| An improved method for inspecting assembled circuit boards utilizes an existing programmable placement machine having an associated downward looking camera, illumination source, and monitor. After assembling a first circuit board of a series with electrical components according to a |
| 5699934 |
Dispenser and method for dispensing viscous fluids |
December 23, 1997 |
| A dispenser includes a viscous fluid feed cavity and dispense cavity with an intermediate passageway therebetween and a diaphragm mounted for reciprocatory movement so positioned that during the dispensing process, the movable diaphragm is moved between a first position wherein the p |
| 5699448 |
Split field optics for locating multiple components |
December 16, 1997 |
| An apparatus and method is provided for capturing component location information through the use of fiber optic conduits. In various embodiments, an image of a component attached to a translatable and rotatable spindle is captured and transmitted along a fiber optic conduit to a came |
| 5694482 |
System and method for locating solder bumps on semiconductor chips or chip carriers |
December 2, 1997 |
| An automated vision system for identifying patterns, such as the solder bump patterns or leads of electronic components. The system is capable of correctly identifying the deviations of an imaged pattern from the nominal location of a reference pattern even if the imaged features are dis |
| 5649356 |
Method and apparatus for supplying and placing components |
July 22, 1997 |
| A method and apparatus for automatically supplying surface mount chip components from a bulk feeder and placing the chip components on a substrate. The apparatus includes a base frame, a substrate feeding mechanism, a placement head, and a placement head positioning system. The subst |
| 5621294 |
Apparatus and method for force compensation in a variable reluctance motor |
April 15, 1997 |
| A controller for force compensation in a variable reluctance motor includes a sensor coupled to the variable reluctance motor for obtaining instantaneous motor position data and a controller coupled to the sensor for receiving the instantaneous motor position data and desired force c |
| 5456510 |
Vacuum nozzle with a push-off device |
October 10, 1995 |
| An apparatus including a vacuum nozzle including an elongated inner bore that defines an elongated vacuum conduit that is coaxial with the inner bore; a nozzle tip connected to the end of the vacuum nozzle and adjacent the vacuum conduit; a reciprocally movable sleeve located within the |
| 5452824 |
Method and apparatus for dispensing fluid dots |
September 26, 1995 |
| A fluid dispensing station includes a pneumatic clamp for easy and secure mating and un-mating of a supply syringe to the dispensing nozzle from which dots of fluid are selectively dispensed according to displacement of a plunger of the syringe. A syringe cover seals the distal end of th |
| 5432423 |
Electronic damping system |
July 11, 1995 |
| An electronic damping system is disclosed which dampens mechanical resonant vibrations of a gantry beam end. The system includes a secondary velocity feedback loop in addition to the main servo motor-tach velocity loop. The resonant velocity of the beam is sensed from the movement of the |
| 5317374 |
Method and apparatus for measuring a distance to an object from dual two dimensional images ther |
May 31, 1994 |
| A prismatic viewing plate is situated across the focal axis between an object and an imaging device such as a camera capable of acquiring only a two dimensional image of the object. A characteristic of the prismatic plate is that it presents dual images of the object to the imaging devic |
| 5120191 |
Stack unloader for molded carrier ring components |
June 9, 1992 |
| Molded carrier ring-type electrical components are unloaded from a shipping tube by providing the bottom of an escapement mechanism with a substantially flat surface to which the "coin stack" arrangement of components falls during loading of the stack into the escapement. This flat s |
| 5105528 |
Method and apparatus for supplying and changing tips of a pick and place vacuum spindle |
April 21, 1992 |
| A vacuum spindle for picking and placing components is operatively associated with a turret assembly which carries a supply of various component engaging tips for the spindle in corresponding holes or chambers of the turret. During picking and placing of the components, the spindle e |
| 5070916 |
Apparatus for processing a molded carrier ring device |
December 10, 1991 |
| An apparatus is provided for receiving a molded carrier ring package and removing the electronic component from the surrounding ring while cutting and forming the leads of the component. The shear provides that leads on two opposite sides of a rectangulopiped component are cut just prior |
| 5068509 |
High frequency thermode driven device employing one-turn-secondary transformers |
November 26, 1991 |
| A high frequency thermode-driven device for use in hotbar soldering has a unitary metal support frame which is used for the secondaries of four individual transformers. The support frame also serves as the structural member to which the transformer and thermodes themselves are fastened. |
| 5051555 |
Hot-bar suspension system |
September 24, 1991 |
| Compensation is made for inherent lateral shifting of portions of a pivoted working surface along a work surface, when the pivot point of the working surface is maintained on a line of feed into contact with said work surface, during relative pivoting of said working surface into conform |
| 5040291 |
Multi-spindle pick and place method and apparatus |
August 20, 1991 |
| A multi-spindle pick and place head is moveable in X and Y in order to pick up a group of components simultaneously, one component per spindle, at a pick station and to transport them to a placement station at which the components are placed simultaneously on corresponding placement site |
| 5035316 |
Isolating a first component to be pickup from other components on a vibratory feeder |
July 30, 1991 |
| The component at the pick-up station of a vibratory feeder is isolated from the remaining components on the feeder by backing the remaining components away from the component to be picked up in preparation for removal of the component from the feeder at the pick-up station. A shutter can |
| 5029383 |
Articulating tip for pick and place head |
July 9, 1991 |
| This pick and place device and method for arranging components on a printed circuit board utilizes a placement head having an articulated, compliant tip for facilitating proper alignment of the component lead plane on the substrate, for example, in a fine pitch component placement machin |
| 5023544 |
Extended input and testing of electrical components for onsertion machines |
June 11, 1991 |
| The invention comprises an extended input system by which additional component supply stations are located out of reach of the pick and place heads of a machine for handling surface mountable components and are selectively addressable by a supply shuttle which fetches individual comp |
| 5020959 |
Adjustable shutter for containment of electrical components in tape feeders |
June 4, 1991 |
| A feeder mechanism for a pick-and-place machine with an adjustable shutter mechanism is disclosed. The components are contained within pockets formed in a reeled tape. The shutter mechanism includes a pair of spring blades that cover the pocket, but are spread apart by the vacuum tip whe |
| 4988935 |
Advanced digital motion control |
January 29, 1991 |
| Advanced digital motion control is a multi-axis incremental position control system which includes a digital processor and memory, servo motor actuator with tachometer feedback, velocity servo power amplifier, position feedback device, position feedback signal converter, and digital |
| 4969552 |
Method and apparatus for inverting printed circuit boards |
November 13, 1990 |
| The device flips substrates or passes them through without flipping, selectively, and the substrate can enter either end and exit either end of the device, as desired depending on how it is assembled. The spacing between channels which restrain opposite edges of the substrate is adju |
| 4938087 |
Zero backlash positioning system for a movable linear axis |
July 3, 1990 |
| A linear axis (cantilevered beam) is longitudinally displaceable relative to its support which, in turn, is displaceable laterally along an overhead frame so as to provide X-Y positioning for pick and place spindles and similar tools which are attached to the beam. A particular structura |
| 4917561 |
Feeder cassette for a component processing unit |
April 17, 1990 |
| The present invention is directed to a feeder cassette for feeding electronic components into a component processing unit. The cassette includes an assembly body having a plurality of slots formed on opposing interior sides thereof to form channels within the assembly body. The chann |
| 4887778 |
Feeder drive assembly and replaceable section for tape supplying and cover peeling |
December 19, 1989 |
| A cassette-like supply and peel assembly of a tape feeder, comprising the support and guide for an electrical component supply tape and the mechanism for peeling a cover from the tape, is removably interconnectable with a drive assembly which provides motive power to the peeler and s |
| 4887351 |
Pick and place nozzle with concentric grooves |
December 19, 1989 |
| The present device is directed to a nozzle tip for the head of a pick and place device for arranging electronic components as desired on a substrate. The tip permits both first and second vacuum areas to be selectively generated, thus facilitating the pick-up of components of widely |
| 4872258 |
Pick and place method and apparatus |
October 10, 1989 |
| A turret assembly is movable in X and Y and a turret of the assembly is rotatable to position a selected one of a plurality of spindles at a transfer station of the turret. The selected spindle is telescopic to pick a component from a supply point and to place the component at a placemen |
| 4869393 |
Method and apparatus for peeling a covering tape from a component supply tape |
September 26, 1989 |
| A top cover is peeled from a component supply tape by passing the cover around a guide surface and in a peeling direction generally reverse to the feeding direction of the supply tape while moving the guide surface in the peeling direction in order to minimize the tension necessary to ac |
| 4840268 |
Adjustable width chain conveyor |
June 20, 1989 |
| An adjustable width chain conveyor is disclosed. The conveyor includes angled supports having inclined slide portions on which the chain can slide inwardly or outwardly to accommodate variations in the effective width of products or to compensate for misalignment of conveyor components |
| 4838452 |
Shutter system for electrical component supply tape feeder |
June 13, 1989 |
| A component supply tape is stepped to present each pocket at a component pick-up area, and a top cover of the tape is peeled back so that each pocket is opened in turn. A shutter is positioned over the pick-up area prior to tape movement so that the pocket is covered by the shutter as th |
| 4814621 |
Lead detection by variable pressure lead-contacting optical interposers |
March 21, 1989 |
| Presence, absence, and adequacy of length of component leads are detectable by engaging each lead with a corresponding interposer and monitoring the amount of displacement of each interposer or plunger in response to the lead. Each plunger is provided with an optic fiber for guiding and |
