Pick-and-place tool for vacuum and magnetic coupling

A pick-and-place apparatus for picking and placing an item including a ferrous content and having a top shape, said pick-and-place apparatus comprising:

• a central magnetic base having a hole, a bottom shape, and an outer edge, said bottom shape shaped to conform substantially to said top shape of said item;
• a vacuum coupler including a vertical member and a vacuum cup, said vertical member inserted through said hole of said central magnetic base, said vacuum coupler capable of being positioned in a retracted position and an extended position, said vacuum coupler substantially disposed within said hole when said vacuum coupler is in the retracted position, said vacuum cup positioned outside of said hole when said vacuum coupler is in the extended position;
• and
• a guiding body attached to said outer edge of said central magnetic base, said guiding body inwardly tapering for guiding and positioning said item accurately to said central magnetic base and said vacuum coupler.

A pick-and-place apparatus for picking and placing a first item having a ferrous content, said first item having a first top shape, said pick-and-place apparatus comprising:

• a central magnetic base having a hole and an outer edge;
• a vacuum coupler including a vertical member and a vacuum cup, said vertical member inserted through said hole of said central magnetic base, said vacuum coupler capable of being positioned in a retracted position and an extended position, said vacuum coupler substantially disposed within said hole when said vacuum coupler is in the retracted position, said vacuum cup positioned outside of said hole when said vacuum coupler is in the extended position;
• and
• a first guiding body defining a first cavity, said first guiding body attached to said outer edge of said central magnetic base, said first cavity shaped to conform substantially to said first top shape of said first item and tapering inwardly, said first guiding body for guiding and positioning said first item accurately to said central magnetic base and said vacuum coupler.

A pick-and-place tool, comprising:

• a base;
• a first vacuum cup, said first vacuum cup carried with said base;
• a permanent magnet, said permanent magnet carried with said base and disposed outside of said first vacuum cup;
• and
• a movable member, said movable member movably connected to said base and connected to one of said said permanent magnet and said first vacuum cup, said movable member operative to move to a first position where a first vacuum pick-up area of said first vacuum cup is substantially coplanar with at least a portion of a magnetic pick-up area of said permanent magnet, said movable member operative to move to a second position where the first vacuum pick-up area is substantially noncoplanar with the at least a portion of the magnetic pick-up area and located further away from said base than the at least a portion of the magnet pick-up area, said movable member operative to move from the first position such that no substantial movement of said first vacuum cup occurs in a direction parallel to the first vacuum pick-up area.