US 5,964,631 A · Method and apparatus of inserting support pins into a cathode ray tube panel

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided whereby a shadow mask support pin can be forced into a cathode ray tube panel without having to use any panel support post. Three or four support pads are utilized to support the bottom edge of the skirt portion of the panel. Each of the support pads may be elevationally moved by a drive unit. First through fourth distance sensors serve to detect the height of corner points on the interior surface of the panel face portion. A control device is adapted to control the operation of the drive unit in a manner that the corner points are brought into a predetermined reference plane before the support pin insertion proceeds. A fifth distance sensor may be further employed to detect the height of a center point.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A method of inserting a support pin into a cathode ray tube panel with a face portion and a skirt portion, comprising:

supporting the skirt portion of the panel at a plurality of support points;
measuring the height of corner points on the interior surface of the panel face portion;
determining whether the respective corner point lies in a predetermined reference plane;
changing the height of the support points to bring the corner points into the reference plane, when at least one of the corner points is determined to be out of the reference plane;
and
causing the support pin to be inserted into the skirt portion of the cathode ray tube panel.

3 more elements

An apparatus of inserting a support pin into a cathode ray tube panel with a face portion and a skirt portion, comprising:

a generally horizontal table;
a plurality of support pads mounted on the table for height-adjustably supporting the skirt portion of the panel;
drive means for causing the support pads to move in a generally vertical direction;
first to fourth distance sensors provided on the table for detecting the height of four corner points on the interior surface of the panel face portion;
control means for determining whether the respective corner point lies in a predetermined reference plane and for energizing the drive means to bring the corner points into the reference plane when at least one of the corner points is determined to be out of the reference plane;
and
means for causing the support pin to be forced into the skirt portion of the panel.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus of inserting support pins into a cathode ray tube panel

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus of inserting support pins into a cathode ray tube panel

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14