Component location device and method for surface-mount printed circuit boards

A method of accurately positioning electrical circuit components having mounting feet on printed circuit boards having mounting pads arranged in an array matching the array of feet on said component, each pad having an outer peripheral outline,

• said method comprising the steps of:
• (a) providing a solder stencil having holes therethrough in a pre-determined array matching the array of said mounting pads with at least one hold matching the array of pads on said circuit board and having an inner peripheral outline which corresponds to the outer peripheral outline of said pad,
• (b) orienting said stencil in a pre-determined relationship with said array of pads,
• (c) orienting said component by placing at least one of said feet of said component in said hole so that said foot falls within the inner peripheral outline of said hole, and
• (d) contacting said pads and said feet with one another while maintaining said orientation of said component.

A device for placing electrical circuit components accurately on surface-mount pads on printed circuit boards, said device comprising, in combination,

• at least one support member having spaced apart surface areas, one for supporting printed circuit boards, and the other for supporting a component alignment pattern member, said pattern member having at least one hole matching the pattern of a group of said mounting pads on said printed circuit board, and
• motive means for separating from one another said pattern member and a component located with its contact feet in said hole, and for moving said component and said one surface area relative to one another to bring said feet of said component into contact with said pads,
• said motive means including drive means for moving said support member laterally back and forth to bring said one area and said other area to an operating station in alternating sequence,
• pick-up means at said operating station to pick up circuit components from said other area and place them down in said one area, and limit means for limiting movement of said support member at each end of its travel,
• said limit means including at least one micrometer adjustable to determine the stopping point of said support member.

A device for placing electrical circuit components accurately on surface-mount pads on printed circuit boards, said device comprising, in combination,

• at least one support member having spaced apart surface areas, one for supporting printed circuit boards, and the other for supporting a component alignment pattern member, said pattern member having at least one hole matching the pattern of a group of said mounting pads on said printed circuit board, and
• motive means for separating from one another said pattern member and a component located with its contact feet in said hole, and for moving said component and said one surface area relative to one another to bring said feet of said component into contact with said pads,
• said motive means including drive means for moving said support member laterally back and forth to bring said one area and said other area to an operating station in alternating sequence,
• pick-up means at said operating station to pick up circuit components from said other area and place them down in said one area, and limit means for limiting the movement of said support member at each end of its travel,
• said pick-up means a vertically movable member supporting at least one vacuum pick-up head, and controllable vacuum means for selectively applying and removing a vacuum source to said pick-up head,
• said device further including a base plate, an erect lifting frame secured to said base plate and extending above it, a plurality of vertical guide rods extending from said base plate, said vertically movable member comprising a pick-up head support mounted to slide on said vertical guide rods, a plurality of horizontal guide rods mounted on said base plate, said support member being mounted to slide on said horizontal guide rods, said pick-up means including further drive means mounted on said lifting frame for raising and lowering said vertically movable member, said limit means including two micrometers, one at each end of said support means to provide adjustable end stops.