Automatic component placer and placer head
AssigneeIsmeca, SA
InventorsMaurice Jeanmairet, Raymond Stauffer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In order that lowering of the transfer tube of the head may take place properly, motors and linkages enter into action. A particular arrangement of a pivot of one lever, comprising a notch on the pivot and an aperture in a bearing piece, brings about a compulsory first phase of lowering and a containable end of lowering. The proper adjustments are simpler, annoyances due to inertia are eliminated. An automatic arrangement allows the release force to be regulated. Centering jaws are actuated radially by a similar motor-operated control arrangement. The machine is especially suitable for producing electronic circuits.
Claims22
An automatic machine for placing components of various shapes on substrates, comprising:
- at least one component feed location,
- substrate-supporting means,
- at least one placer head for translatory movements within a space extending above said component feed locations and said substrate-supporting means, and
- head translation control and driving means for successively positioning said head above and facing each of said feed locations and supporting means,
- said head comprising:
- a lowerable transfer tube having a free lower end substantially directed toward said feed locations and supporting means,
- a controlled component-pickup tip arranged at said free lower end, and
- dipping control means for driving and operating said transfer tube and said pickup tip for dipping movements, to withdraw a said component from a said feed location and to put this said component on a substrate disposed on said supporting means,
- wherein said dipping control means comprise:
- dipping driving means provided with an element selectively driven for effecting reciprocations and
- transmission means arranged for a partly compulsory and partly elastically retainable transmission of said reciprocation of said element to said transfer tube,
- said transmission means comprising:
- a transmission mode selecting device responsive to said reciprocation for determining (and deciding) a compulsory transmission mode and an elastically retainable transmission mode of said transmission means, and thereby defining said dipping in a first phase, of compulsory lowering of said transfer tube, and in a second phase, of elastically conditioned lowering of said transfer tube, said second phase taking place at the lower end-of-course of said dipping movements of said transfer tube and pickup tip, and
- releasing force determining means for establishing and calibrating an elastic release force for said second phase of dipping.
A placer head for a machine for placing components of various shapes on substrates used in the manufacture of electronic circuits, said components being presented in at least one feed location of the machine, the substrate being presented on supporting means of the machine,
- said head comprising:
- a lowerable suction tube capable of dipping movement toward feed locations and supporting means,
- dipping control means for driving and operating said suction tube for dipping movements, to withdraw a said component from a feed location and to place said component on said substrate,
- said dipping control means comprising:
- dipping driving means provided with an element driven for effecting reciprocations and
- transmission means arranged for a partly compulsory and partly elastically retainable transmission of said reciprocations of said element to said suction tube
- said transmission means comprising:
- a transmission mode selecting device responsive to said reciprocation for determining (and deciding) a compulsory transmission mode and an elastically retainable transmission mode of said transmission means, and thereby defining said dipping in a first phase, of compulsory lowering of said transfer tube, and in a second phase, of elastically conditioned lowering of said transfer tube, said second phase taking place at the lower end-of-course of said dipping movements of said transfer tube and pickup tip, and
- releasing force determining means for establishing and calibrating an elastic release force for said second phase of dipping.
The placer head of cliam 18, wherein said transmission means comprise a three-point lever pivoting on an axis constituting one of said three points, another point being connected to the reciprocated element, and the last point being kinematically connected to an element for axial movement of said transfer tube, said device responsive to said reciprocation being disposed on the axis of said lever and comprising a pivot having a notched cross-section configuration with a notch extending over less than 180.degree., accommodated in a bearing which is open or greatly widened, on a certain sector (FIGS. 4a and 4b), in such a way that depending upon the relative angular position of said pivot and of said bearing, which position is modified when said lever pivots, said pivot is compulsorily centered in said bearing or is released for movement perpendicular to its axis, so that the release thus allowed to the first point of said lever renders the transmission from the second point to the third point non-compulsory, whereas the compulsory centered maintenance of said pivot in said bearing renders said transmission compulsory.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.