Apparatus for achieving printed circuit board planarity
AssigneeSGS-Thomson Microelectronics S.A.
InventorsMichael J. Hundt, Krishnan Kelappan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
According to the present invention, a system for placing surface mount components on a planar PCB has a placement apparatus which picks up a surface mount component to be placed on the PCB and moves it along the x and y axes to the desired PCB component location. The placement apparatus then moves a predetermined vertical distance towards the PCB. Next, a contact apparatus of the system having a spring bias force moves in a vertical direction towards the PCB until it makes contact with the PCB at a location in close proximity to the PCB component location. The contact apparatus has a spring bias force which holds the PCB planar at the PCB component location so that the surface mount component may be placed on the PCB.
Claims16
A system for achieving printed circuit board (PCB) planarity during the placement of surface mount components, comprising:
- a planar base plate which provides a planar reference for the system;
- a PCB which is placed on the planar base plate;
- a placement apparatus which places a surface mount component at a PCB component location, defined by x and y planar coordinates;
- and
- a vertical contact apparatus, which is attached to the placement apparatus, that makes contact with the PCB at a PCB contact location and ensures that the PCB component location and the PCB contact location are planar by employing a spring bias force against the PCB at the PCB contact location.
A system for achieving printed circuit board (PCB) planarity during the placement of surface mount components, comprising:
- a planar base plate which provides a planar reference for the system;
- a panel, having a plurality of PCBs, which is placed on the planar base plate;
- a placement apparatus which places a surface mount component at a PCB component location, defined by x and y planar coordinates on one of the PCBs;
- and
- a vertical contact apparatus, which is attached to the placement apparatus, that makes contact with the PCB at a PCB contact location and ensures that the PCB component location and the PCB contact location are planar by employing a spring bias force against the PCB at the PCB contact location.
A method of placing surface mount components on a planar printed circuit board (PCB), comprising the steps of:
- placing the PCB on a planar base plate which provides a planar reference;
- picking up a surface mount component with a placement apparatus;
- moving the placement apparatus along the x and y axes to a PCB component location, defined by x and y planar coordinates;
- moving the placement apparatus a predetermined vertical distance along the z axis towards the PCB;
- moving a contact apparatus, having a spring bias force, a vertical direction along the z axis until contact is made with the PCB at a PCB contact location;
- and
- placing the surface mount component on the PCB at the PCB component location.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.