Automated component placement apparatus
AssigneeRobodyne Corporation
InventorJoseph Alvite
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automated component placement apparatus for use in populating circuit boards with electronic components. The apparatus includes a plurality of toolheads for picking up and placing components, a plurality of component feeders, a transport means to move PC boards between PC board assembly areas for placement of components, and a plurality of gantry systems for moving the toolheads between the component supply stations and PC board assembly areas. A plurality of programmable controllers actuates both the toolheads to grip or release components and the gantry systems to move the toolheads between the component supply stations and PC board assembly areas.
Claims9
An automated component placement apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of toolheads adapted to pick up and release components;
- a plurality of component feeder stations, each adapted to continuously supply components to allow the toolheads to pick up components for placement on PC boards;
- a plurality of PC board assembly areas for releasably receiving and supporting PC boards;
- a transport means for moving the PC boards between the PC board assembly areas;
- a plurality of gantry systems, each gantry system including a horizontal drive means and a generally horizontal linear track, the horizontal drive means for supporting and driving an associated one of the plurality of toolheads in a generally horizontal direction along the generally horizontal linear track between at least one of the plurality of component feeder stations and at least one of the plurality of PC board assembly areas;
- and
- a programmable controller means coupled to the plurality of toolheads and the plurality of gantry systems and for causing each of the plurality of toolheads to move from a position at at least one of the plurality of component feeder stations to at least one of the plurality of PC board assembly areas and for further causing each of the plurality of toolheads to pick up components at at least one of the plurality of component feeder stations and place the components at a desired location on the PC boards.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.