 |
|
 |
| |
 |
Arrangement for mounting components on a carrier board and method of indicating mounting locations |
| RE32910 |
Arrangement for mounting components on a carrier board and method of indicating mounting locations
|
|
| Patent Drawings: | |
| Inventor: |
Stuckler |
| Date Issued: |
April 25, 1989 |
| Application: |
06/697,436 |
| Filed: |
February 1, 1985 |
| Inventors: |
Stuckler; Gerd (D8151 Osterwarngau, DE)
|
| Assignee: |
|
| Primary Examiner: |
Goldberg; Howard N. |
| Assistant Examiner: |
Cuda; Irene |
| Attorney Or Agent: |
Slehofer; Richard D. |
| U.S. Class: |
29/407.04; 29/407.1; 29/721; 29/741; 29/833 |
| Field Of Search: |
350/22; 350/30; 29/720; 29/721; 29/407; 29/740; 29/741; 29/833 |
| International Class: |
H05K 13/00 |
| U.S Patent Documents: |
2805471; 2906016; 3112354; 3377915; 3548493; 3564692; 3611544; 3619886; 3706134 |
| Foreign Patent Documents: |
1222687; 1588412; 1790024; 2459480; 2547750; 113156 |
| Other References: |
"NC Runs an Assembly Center", Schaffer, American Machinist, vol. 112, No. 11, May, 1968, pp. 125-127..
Numerically Controlled Assembly System, Ragen 75N, Programming Instructions, Ragan Precision Industries, Inc..
Numerically Controlled Assembly System, Ragen HL-36, Product Data, Ragen Precision Industries, Inc..
Numerically Controlled Assembly System, Ragen 150 N2, Product Data, Ragen Precision Industries, Inc..
"$67,784 Annual Savings with Ragen Assembly Systems", Reprint from Hughes News..
Universal Model 6232 Insert & Clinch Manual Assembly Machine..
Wire Wrapping Machines, Contact Systems..
"DYNA/CAM Series 1800", DYNA/Pert Div. of Emhart Machinery Group..
Blakell-Parfitt LS 210, Blakell-Parfitt Systems Corp., Electronic Packaging & Production..
Schlup IDAS 402, G. E. Schlup & Co. Brochure..
RGB/Elite Automatic Component Locator, "Ragen PCP 300 Assembly Center", Brochure of Hellerman Electric, Leaflet HE 311, Sep. 1969..
EPAC Automatic Component Locator, Model 101B, Electronic Production Automation Co., A Division of Gardiner Metal Co..
"Test System Simplifies Repair", Circuit Manufacturing, Nov. 1975, p. 35..
Ragen N/C Assembly Center, Electronics Packaging & Production, Oct. 1968..
"New Board Stuffer!", CS-600 Stuffer, Contact Systems, Inc.. |
|
| Abstract: |
The mounting locations for .[.separable.]. insertion of components on a printed circuit board are indicated by a projected luminous .[.spot which is moved sequentially and repeatedly between the several mounting spots for each component. The direction of movement of the luminous dot is changed in each mounting spot..]. dot which moves from one mounting spot to the next to indicate the array of mounting spots forming the mounting location. The movement is cyclically repeated in the same sequence to indicate to the installer the mounting location. Thereafter the luminous dot is moved to the next mounting location and the same cyclical and sequential scanning is repeated. The spot travels over the board in response to an element of the optical system in the projector being moved in a plane parallel to the board surface under control of a programmed unit. |
| Claim: |
I claim:
1. A method of indicating at least one mounting location .[.including.]. .Iadd.for a component, by identifying .Iaddend.a plurality of mounting spots spaced on a surface .Iadd.ontowhich the component is to be mounted, .Iaddend.which comprises:
(a) projecting a luminous dot on said surface;
(b) moving the projected dot .Iadd.continuously and without cessation of projection during such movement .Iaddend.sequentially .Iadd.among at least two said mounting spots; .Iaddend.and .[.repeatedly between the mounting spots to beindicated;.].
(c) .[.changing the direction of movement of said dot in each of said spots. .Iadd.cyclically repeating said sequential movement of said dot for indicating at least one said mounting location..Iaddend.
2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the movement of said dot is stopped in each of said spots for a dwell time of 0.05 to 1 second.
3. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the diameter of said dot is between 1 and 3 millimeters.
4. A method as set forth in claim 3, wherein the movement of said dot is stopped in each of said spots for a dwell time of 0.05 to 1 second.
5. A method as set forth in claim 3, wherein the luminous intensity of said dot is modulated cyclically during said dwell time.
6. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the luminous intensity of said dot is reduced during movement between said spots.
7. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein two of said mounting locations are to be indicated, said dot after said moving over the mounting spots of said one location being moved from said one location to the other location while maintaining aluminosity perceptible to the human eye. .Iadd.
8. A method of indicating at least one mounting location among a plurality of mounting spots spaced on a surface onto which the component is to be mounted which comprises:
(a) projecting a luminous dot on said surface;
(b) moving said projected dot continuously and without cessation of projection during such movement back and forth between two said mounting spots for indicating at least one said mounting location..Iaddend. .Iadd.
9. Arrangement for producing an indication of the location of a particular component for a support board to be equipped with electrical components whereby a circuit-board is positioned within a support and adjusted by adjusting means and wherebythe indication is obtained by superposition of a lightpoint and the support board whereby the lightpoint at least during a fraction of the indicating period can be displaced in such a way, that the time dependent changeable positions of the lightpointmark locations (terminals) on the support board to be connected electrically and whereby the lightpoint can be modulated with regard to its luminosity, the arrangement consisting of a moveable projector for producing a lightpoint, a drive for theprojector for moving the lightpoint along its path with terminal locations and/or changes of directions as well as a control unit for this drive being provided with a program memory for controlling the movement of the projector and an advance keycharacterized in that the program memory (38) for controlling the movement of the projector (10) is arranged;
for the repetitive movements of the lightpoint (14) on the support board (12) and moveable within its plane between points (terminals) (78-84) of the location (76) of particular circuit element to be placed said movement of the lightpoint beingcontinuous and without cessation of projection during such movement;
for emphasis of a particular connecting point (terminal) of this location (76) by modulation of the lightpoint (14) on this particular connecting point as well as; and
for switching the lightpoint from one location of a circuit element to be placed to the next and that on activation of the advance key (53) the control unit produces an advance of the lightpoint (14) from one location of circuit element to beplaced to the next..Iaddend. .Iadd.10. Arrangement for producing an indication of the location of a particular electronic component on a circuit board to be equipped with electrical components by identifying a plurality of mounting spots spaced on thecircuit board comprising the following steps:
positioning a circuit board within a support;
adjusting said circuit board within said support;
projecting a luminous dot on said circuit board;
moving the luminous dot continuously and without cessation of projection during such movement sequentially among at least two said mounting spots by having the luminous dot being produced from a moveable projector which has a drive attachedthereto for moving the luminous dot along its path;
said projector being guided by a control unit having a program memory for controlling the movement of said projector, said program memory being changeable by an advance key;
cyclically repeating said sequential movement of said dot for indicating at least one mounting location..Iaddend. .Iadd.11. A method for indicating at least one mounting location for a component, by identifying a plurality of mounting spotsspaced on a surface, which comprises:
projecting a luminous dot on said surface;
moving said projected luminous dot continuously and without cessation of projection during such movement sequentially among at least two said mounting spots;
modulating the luminous intensity of said luminous dot at one of said mounting spots; and
cyclically repeating said sequential movement and modulation of said dot for indicating at least one said mounting location..Iaddend. |
| Description: |
This invention relates to the assembly of circuitboards with separable components, and particularly to a method of indicating mounting locations for the components, wherein each location includes a plurality of mounting spots, and to an arrangement for mounting such components on circuit boards.
It is known to indicate mounting positions on a circuit board by means of a projected luminous arrow. The length and direction of the arrow in the known indicating method can be varied to indicate size and orientation of the component to bemounted. The arrow stands still and may not be detected easily in a brightly lit room and or among previously mounted components of the board.
An important object of the invention is the provision of a method which indicates a mounting location and the several spots of a mounting location in a manner more readily visible even under unfavorable lighting conditions.
Another object is the provision of a mounting arrangement capable of performing the method and of otherwise facilitating the mounting operation.
It has been observed that a moving luminous dot is more readily detected than stationary luminous indicia of equal luminosity, and as has been found that dimensions and orientation of a component to be mounted are readily indicated by thedistance over which the luminous dot travels.
The invention, in one of its more specific aspects, resides in a method of indicating at least one mounting location including a plurality of mounting spots spaced on a surface, which method comprises projecting a luminous dot on the surface,moving the projected dot sequentially and repeatedly between the mounting spots to be indicated, and changing the direction of movement of the dot in each of the spots.
In another aspect, the invention resides in an arrangement for mounting components on a surface of a carrier board in which the carrier board is secured on a support in a precisely defined position. A projector includes an optical system ofprojecting a luminous dot on the surface of a secured carrier board. Means are provided for moving an element of the optical system in a plane parallel to the surface of the board, and a control unit controls the movement of the optical element in apredetermined sequence.
Other features, additional objects, and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will readily be appreciated as the same becomes better understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodimentwhen considered in connection with the appended drawing in which:
FIG. 1 illustrates a projector of the invention projecting luminous indicia on a circuit board and an associated control system in fragmentary perspective view, partly in section, and by conventional symbols;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of elements of the projector of FIG. 1 and of an associated component supply unit; and
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the supply unit of FIG. 2 without a portion of its housing but with associated drive elements connected to the control system of FIG. 1.
Referring initially to FIG. 1, there is shown a projector 10on whose baseboard 11 a carrier board 12 for electrical components, such as a printed circuit board is precisely positioned by means of four, threaded, locating pins 13. A luminous dot 14 having a diameter of preferably 2.3 mm, but generally 1 to 3 mmdiameter, is projected by the optical system of the projector 10 whose externally visible parts include a lamp housing 16 mounted on the baseboard 11 by means of a bracket 15 and a column, not shown, and a lens barrel 18 independently mounted as willpresently be described.
The optical system of the projector 10 includes a point light source 20, such as an incandescent electric lamp, a condenser lens 22, an aperture plate 24, and an objective lens system 26. A portion of the housing 15 spherically curved about theaperture in the plate 24 is movably received in a circular opening of the bracket 15 so as to provide a universal joint for tilting movement of the housing 16 in all directions. The beam of light from the lamp 20 is confined in a flaring tube 28 fixedlyattached to the housing 16 and received with ample radial clearance in an axially overlapping cylindrical tube 30 attached to the lens barrel 18.
The barrel may be moved in a plane parallel to the surface of the circuit board 12 by two electric stepper motors 32 and associated worm gears, the worms being journaled at right angles to each other in the supporting structure of the projectorand carrying the lens barrel 18. Only one motor 32 is shown in the drawing together with a control counter 34 which incidates the position of the spot 14 in the direction of the X-axis, the movement of the lens barrel 18 in the direction of the Y-axisbeing caused by another, identical motor obscured in the view of FIG. 1, and equipped with a counter.
Conductors 33,35 connect the motors to the operating unit 40 of a control system 36 also including a program storage unit 38 and a programming unit 42. A lever 44 mounted on the programming unit 42 for pivotal manual movement about twoperpendicularly intersecting axes permits the spot 14 to be shifted by the operating unit 40 and the connected motors 32 to a desired location on the surface of the circuit board 12, and the location as indicated on the counters 34, may then be enteredin the program storage unit 38 by pressing a key 46.
The program storage unit 38 may be provided with interchangeable programs, preferably based on CMOS semi-conductor storage and may have a capacity of 4 to 32,000 bits, the larger number being adequate for indicating the location of up to 700components.
The operating unit 40 includes a non-illustrated comparator which is fed actual location signals from the counters 34 and nominal location signals from the storage unit 38 to produce an error signal which actuates the motors 32 in the necessarymanner to minimize the difference.
After entry of coded information on two spots 50,52 spaced apart a distance a in the X direction by means of the lever 44 and the key 46, as described above, additional, equally spaced spots 54,56 may be entered in the storage unit 38 by manuallyentering the spot 54, and thereafter pressing one of four direct-setting keys 48, whereupon the spot 56 is entered automatically. The control system 36 is normally line-operated, but may be provided with a back-up battery for protection against linefailure.
Adjusting keys 51 in the operating unit 40 permit adjusting the unit for inaccurate positioning of the circuit board 12 on the projector baseboard 11. A stepping key 53 on the operating unit 40 causes the dot 14 to be shifted to the nextmounting location.
As is shown in FIG. 2, the baseboard 11 of the projector 10, not otherwise illustrated in FIG. 2, is fastened centrally to the rectangular cover 92 of a supply unit 58 for the components to be mounted on the baseboard 12. The supply unit isshown in FIG. 3 without much of its housing which encloses 16 elongated bings or receptacles longitudinally divided into the three equal compartments 61. The bins 60 travel on caster-mounted carriers, not shown, in rectangular, loop-shaped paths havingsections extending in the direction of arrows 62 transversely to the common direction of elongation of the bins 60 and the unit 58, and longitudinal sections in the direction of arrows 64. The bins 60 are moved on the bottom wall 66 of the housing inthe direction of the arrows 64 by engagement with dogs 67 on a drive chain 68 which envelops the paths of the bins 60. The bins are moved transversely away from the chain 68 by projections 72 on two-armed rockers 70 pivotally mounted on the bottom wall66 and engaging ribs 74 on the underside of each bin carrier between the nonillustrated casters. A 180.degree. turn of a rocker 70 shifts a bin 60 away from the chain 68 by its own width, thereby further shifting the farthest one of a column of threepreviously shifted bins into the path of the chain 68.
The chain 68 travels in a rectangular loop over four guide pulleys of which at least one is driven by a reversible motor 69 through a unidirectional clutch 73. The eight rockers 70 are driven by the same motor 69 through another unidirectionalclutch 71. The motor 69 is energized intermittently, and its direction of rotation is controlled by the operating unit 40 in a synchronization with the motors 32. When the motor 69 rotates forward the chain 68 is driven until the four bins 60 engagedby the dogs 67 in the position of FIG. 3 advance by approximately 1/3 of a bin length, and they are aligned in the direction of the arrows 62 with respective horizontal stacks of three bins after the next step in the same direction. When the motor 69 isenergized to rotate backward, only the clutch 71 transmits motion to the rockers 70 which are turned 180.degree. and shift the leading four bins of the respective stacks into positions of engagement with the chain 68.
As is seen in FIG. 2, an opening 94 in the cover 92 gives access to one compartment of a bin 60 stopped thereunder during its movement in the direction of an arrow 64 to present to an operator the component needed for mounting in one location ofthe board 12, the several terminals of the component being attached to respective receiving terminals in the several mounting stops at the location indicated. When the operator next pushes the key 53, the access opening 94 is temporarily closed by asafety cover 96 in a known manner, not specifically illustrated, while the bin 60 advances by the length of one compartment, and the lens barrel 18 is shifted to indicate the next mounting location. As soon as the chain 68 stops, the cover 96 givesaccess to a supply of the component to be mounted at the newly indicated location.
A hinged door 98 in the cover 92 permits the contents of the bins 60 to be replenished as may be needed, or to be replaced by other components if different circuit boards are to be assembled. The program no longer suitable for the differentassembly operation may be replaced quickly in the unit 38 in a manner known in itself. A read-out 90 on the operating unit 40 may indicate the serial number of the bin compartment 61 aligned with the access opening 94 and may also be utilized forsignaling approaching exhaustion of the component supply in the aligned bin.
While the luminous dot 14 indicates the mounting spots 50,52 for the two terminals of a component, such as a resistor or capacitor, it is caused by the program stored in the unit 38 to move back and forth between the two spots. It has been foundadvantageous to stop the dot at each point of reversal for a period of not less than 0.05 nor more than one second, a dwell time of approximately 0.2 seconds being usually long enough to identify the mounting spot safely without slowing the operator. Visibility of the dot is increased by varying its luminous intensity during the dwell times as by alternatingly turning it on and off. The speed of dot travel between the spots 50,52 may be selected at will. A traveling speed as high as 30 cm/sec. isentirely feasible. Preferably, the dot should scan all mounting spots of the location ofr a component within 0.4 to one second, the actual travel time depending less on the distance of the individual spots than on the number of spots. Four spots 78,80, 82, 84 may be scanned sequentially in repeated cycles nearer the upper limit of one second than two spots associated with the same mounting location. During travel from one spot to the other within the same mounting location, the dot may be turnedoff completely. When traveling from the spots 78-84 to a spot 86 at another mounting location, the dot should preferably be bright enough to be visible to the operator. For the comfort of the operator, the dot should travel not faster thanapproximately 30 cm/sec. to guide the eyes of the operator without conscious effort.
When the distance traveled by the dot 14 exceeds a certain maximum value, the correspondingly moved lens barrel 18 causes the cylindrical tube 30 to engage a flaring skirt at the free end of the tube 28 and thereby to tilt the lamp housing 16 atabout the aperture in the plate 24 to maintain adequate luminosity of the dot 14 without impairing the sharp definition of the dot. The tube 30 and tube 28 thus constitute a lost-motion coupling which does not become effective as long as the objectivemoves within a relatively narrow range. The light source thus does not participate in the quick and short movements of the lens barrel while the dot travels between the several spots of a mounting location, and the life of its filament is greatlylengthened thereby.
It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates to a preferred embodiment, and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for the purpose of the disclosurewhich do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention set forth in the appended claims.
* * * * * |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
| |
Randomly Featured Patents |
|
