Self-Aligning Pick and Place Collet for Tape and Reel Machine
AssigneeAvago Technologies ECBU IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
InventorsHong Sia Tan, Chee Mang Wong, Yik Loong Leong
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Various embodiments of methods and devices are provided for a self-aligning pick and place collet having proximal and distal ends configured for use with a tape and reel machine. A suction area is located at a distal end of the collet. A pick and place collet contact area is located adjacent to and outwardly from the suction area, and comprises tapered sidewalls that depend downwardly and outwardly away from the outer periphery of the suction area. The tapered sidewalls and the outer periphery of the suction area are configured and dimensioned to cause an electronic device to substantially self-align and center itself with respect to the collet when engaged thereby.
Claims25
A self-aligning pick and place collet having proximal and distal ends configured for use with a tape and reel machine, comprising:
- a vacuum aperture disposed between the proximal and distal ends of the collet and configured to pull a vacuum through a distal portion thereof;
- a suction area located at the distal end of the collet, the suction area being contiguous with and adjoining the distal portion of the vacuum aperture and defining a first outer periphery, the suction area being substantially perpendicular to an imaginary axis of the vacuum aperture, and
- a pick and place collet contact area located adjacent to and outwardly from the suction area, the pick and place collet contact area comprising tapered sidewalls that depend downwardly and outwardly away from the first outer periphery of the suction area;
- wherein the distal end of the collet and the suction area are configured to permit the suction area to be placed over a top surface of an electronic device, and the tapered sidewalls and the first outer periphery of the suction area are configured and dimensioned to cause the electronic device to substantially self-align and center itself with respect to the collet after the distal end of the collet has been placed over the electronic device and portions of the tapered sidewalls have engaged a second outer periphery of the top surface of the electronic device, the collet being configured to permit the electronic device to be picked up after the vacuum has been applied through the vacuum aperture thereto.
A tape and reel machine for picking and placing electronic devices, comprising:
- a self-aligning pick and place collet having proximal and distal ends configured for use with the tape and reel machine;
- a vacuum aperture disposed between the proximal and distal ends of the collet and configured to pull a vacuum through a distal portion thereof;
- a suction area located at the distal end of the collet, the suction area being contiguous with and adjoining the distal portion of the vacuum aperture and defining a first outer periphery, the suction area being substantially perpendicular to an imaginary axis of the vacuum aperture, and
- a pick and place collet contact area located adjacent to and outwardly from the suction area, the pick and place collet contact area comprising tapered sidewalls that depend downwardly and outwardly away from the first outer periphery of the suction area;
- wherein the distal end of the collet and the suction area are configured to permit the suction area to be placed over a top surface of one of the electronic devices, and the tapered sidewalls and the first outer periphery of the suction area are configured and dimensioned to cause the electronic device to substantially self-align and center itself with respect to the collet after the distal end of the collet has been placed over the electronic device and portions of the tapered sidewalls have engaged a second outer periphery of the top surface of the electronic device, the collet being configured to permit the electronic device to be picked up after the vacuum has been applied through the vacuum aperture thereto.
A method of picking and placing electronic devices with a tape and reel machine, comprising:
- placing a self-aligning pick and place collet having proximal and distal ends over a selected one of the electronic devices disposed on a reel;
- causing the collet to move downwardly and engage portions of the selected electronic device such that tapered sidewalls of a pick and place collet contact area located adjacent to and outwardly from a suction area disposed at a distal end of the collet, where the tapered sidewalls depend downwardly and outwardly away from a first outer periphery of the suction area, cause the selected electronic device to substantially self-align and center itself with respect to the collet, and picking the selected electronic device up with the collet after a vacuum has been applied through a vacuum aperture located in the collet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.