Method and apparatus for component assembly using continuous selection
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsAshley N. Saulsbury, Nicholas I. Reid
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A manufacturing process for providing an assembly formed of a first piece and a best fitted second piece is described. The manufacturing process is carried out by performing at least the following operations: receiving the first piece characterized in accordance with at least a first attribute, selecting the best fitted second piece from a buffer, the selecting based in part upon a best matching value of a second attribute in relation to the first attribute, replacing the selected best fitted second piece with another second piece such that the number of second pieces in the buffer remains about the same, and forming the assembly the first part and the second part to form the assembly.
Claims20
A manufacturing process of forming an electronic device by pairing a first part comprising an array of electronic components with a matching second part from a group of second parts, the manufacturing process comprising:
- during a pick operation:
- analyze each of the electronic components to determine attribute values of the first part using a first determining apparatus;
- comparing the attribute values of the first part with a corresponding attribute values of the group of second parts, the group of second parts having a continuous distribution of attribute values;
- based upon the comparing, selecting one of the group of second parts corresponding to a match, the selecting in accordance with a difference between the attribute values of the first part and corresponding attribute values of the second part being within a design tolerance range;
- and
- during a place operation:
- mating the first part and the selected second part.
An assembly system, comprising
- an evaluator configured to evaluate a first part and provide (i) attribute data that includes an attribute value and (ii) geometric data corresponding to at least a size and a shape of the first part;
- a data store configured to receive the attribute data and the geometric data for the first part and store the attribute data and the geometric data for subsequent processing;
- an attribute value difference value generator that provides an attribute difference value in accordance with a difference between the attribute value of the first part and at an attribute value of least one of a number of second parts, the second parts having a continuous distribution of attribute values;
- a selector unit that selects at least one of the second parts in accordance with an attribute value difference being within a design tolerance range;
- and
- an assembly unit that assembles the first part and the selected second part.
Non-transient computer readable medium for storing instructions executable by a processor in an assembly system for assembling an electronic part, comprising:
- computer code for evaluating a first part and provide attribute data;
- computer code for generating a difference value corresponding to a difference between the attribute value of the first part and at an attribute value of least one of a number of second parts, the second parts having a continuous distribution of attribute values;
- and
- selecting at least one of the second parts in accordance with an attribute value difference being within a design tolerance range.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.