# US 6,293,408 B1 · Inspection handler apparatus and method

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- Number: US 6,293,408 B1
- Document ID: US6293408B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 09/142,338
- Filed: 1999-09-27
- Granted: 2001-09-25
- Earliest claimed: 1997-07-16
- Assignees: Robotic Vision Systems, Inc. (RVSI)
- Inventors: Merlin E. Behnke; Michael L. Schneider; Donald P. McGee; Robert G. Bertz; William Fusco, Jr.; Todd K. Pichler; Jon P. Ubert; Steven J. Bilodeau; Frank L. Jacovino
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6293408B1

## CPC

- H10P 72/3202: {Mechanical details, e.g. rollers or belts}
- B07C 5/02: Measures preceding sorting, e.g. arranging articles in a stream orientating {(sorting and transport of caps B67B3/06)}
- B07C 5/3422: {using video scanning devices, e.g. TV-cameras}
- B07C 5/36: Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution {(sorting according to destination B07C3/003, B07C3/02)}
- B65B 9/045: {for single articles, e.g. tablets}
- B65B 15/04: Attaching a series of articles, e.g. small electrical components, to a continuous web {(ammunition filling F42B)}
- H10P 72/0444: {Apparatus for wiring semiconductor or solid-state device}
- H10P 72/0478: {the substrates being processed being not semiconductor wafers, e.g. leadframes or chips}
- H10P 72/0616: {Monitoring of warpages, curvatures, damages, defects or the like}
- H10P 72/3212: {the substrates to be conveyed not being semiconductor wafers or large planar substrates, e.g. chips or lead frames}
- H10P 72/3314: {Continuous loading and unloading into and out of a processing chamber, e.g. transporting belts within processing chambers}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- B07C: POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING (specially adapted for a specific purpose covered by another class, see the relevant place, e.g. A43D33/06, B23Q7/12)
- B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00)

## Abstract

An apparatus for processing electronic circuit devices includes an infeed station, a first inspection station, an inverter station, a second inspection station, a sorting station, and an outfeed station. A linear transport mechanism having side edges transports a first work piece containing a plurality of electronic circuit devices through the stations along a linear path. The inverter station holds an empty second work piece above the transport mechanism in an inverted orientation. The inverter station also includes an elevator for lifting the first work piece vertically into an abutting relationship with the second work piece, and an inverting mechanism for inverting the first and second work pieces while maintaining them in the abutting relationship to position the electronic devices in the second work piece in the inverted orientation. The inverter station executes the work piece inverting action while maintaining the work pieces above the linear transport mechanism and between the side edges of the linear transport mechanism. Thus, the electronic circuit devices are inspected at the first inspection station in a first orientation in the first work piece, and are inspected at the second inspection station in an inverted orientation in the second work piece.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Apparatus comprising, in combination,
an infeed station,
an outfeed station,
first transport mechanism extending from said infeed station to said outfeed station for transporting a work piece along a horizontal path from said infeed station to said outfeed station,
a plurality of additional stations serially arranged along said path between said infeed and outfeed stations,
a control unit operative to activate selective ones of said stations to perform predetermined operations on said work piece and sequence said work piece through said stations under the influence of said transport mechanism in response to the initiation and completion of said predetermined operations in said stations,
one of said additional stations is a first inspection station positioned, said first inspection with reference to the movement of said work piece by said first transfer mechanism being located downstream of said infeed station,
an inverter station positioned downstream of said first inspection station,
a second inspection station positioned downstream of said inverter station,
a sorting station positioned downstream of said second inspection station,
said work piece having a top side to be inspected at said first inspection station and an underside to be inspected at said second inspection station, and
said inverter station includes an inversion unit for displacing said work piece vertically relative to said first transport mechanism and, when displaced vertically, turning said work piece to reverse the position of the top side and the underside of said work piece, said inversion unit returning said work piece to said first transport mechanism after it has been so turned.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said transport mechanism extends in a straight, linear direction so that said path is a straight, linear path.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said inversion mechanism displaces said work piece vertically above said path.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said carrier is a tray and said work piece comprises a plurality of units arranged in a predetermined manner in said tray for inspection at said first and second inspection stations.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said transport mechanism extends in a straight, linear direction so that said path is a straight, linear path.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said inversion mechanism displaces said work piece vertically above said path.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said inversion unit includes a frame for capturing and releasing a tray to be displaced by said inversion mechanism.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein
said frame includes a pair of relatively spaced side members between which a tray is positioned when in said inversion unit and also includes a plurality of clamp sets arranged on both of said side members, and
each clamp set includes a pair of vertically spaced clamp members and each clamp member is movable relative to said frame between a first position in engagement with a tray in said frame and a second position spaced from and out of engagement with a tray.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein
a first one of said clamp members of each set engages and holds a prepositioned tray in said frame as a carrier tray containing said units is being transported to said inversion station and the second of said clamp members of each clamp set engages said carrier tray when it is positioned in said inversion station, said prepositioned tray being empty of said units,
said trays having a predetermined thickness and the clamp members in each clamp set being spaced relative to said tray thickness to hold said prepositioned tray in engagement with said carrier tray,
said inversion mechanism rotates said frame and the trays held therein 180 degrees and transfers said units from said carrier tray to said prepositioned tray,
when said prepositioned tray is returned to said first transport mechanism said first one of said clamp members of each of said clamp sets releases said prepositioned tray for travel to said second inspection station, and
said second of said clamp members of each of said clamp sets maintains engagement of said carrier tray with said carrier tray replacing said prepositioned tray in said frame to function as said prepositioned tray as a subsequent carrier tray is transported to said inversion station.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein
said inversion mechanism includes a support fixture engaging said frame and including a second transport mechanism for raising and lowering said frame relative to said first transport mechanism and said path,
said prepositioned tray being held by said support fixture above said path as said carrier tray is being transported to said inversion station,
activating means at said inversion station responsive to the presence of said carrier tray in said inversion station to activate said second transport mechanism to lower said frame into engagement with said carrier tray and for engagement by said first one of said clamp members with said carrier tray and said activating means further operative in response to engagement of said clamp members with said tray to activate said second transport mechanism to raise said frame for rotation of said trays.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The combination of claim 10 wherein said first transport mechanism includes
elongated guide members arranged on opposite side of and parallel to said path and engageable with said carrier tray,
and drive members selectively engageable with said carrier tray when said carrier tray is engaged with said guide members to propel said tray along said guide members and said path.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said sorting station includes
a pick and place station downstream of said inversion station,
a tray station offset from said path,
a taper station offset from said path, and
selector means for selectively activating said pick and place assembly alternatively
to displace units to said tray station, and
to displace units to said taper station.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 including
a pick and place device in said sorting station operative to remove selected ones of said units from said carrier tray as it passes through said sorting station, and
third transport means for means for moving said pick and place device with the selected unit laterally of said path.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The apparatus of claim 13 including
a tray station at said pick and place station but spaced laterally of said path,
said tray station including a tray and a support for that tray, and
said third transport device moving said pick and place device laterally to said tray at said tray station after said pick and place device has selected a unit from said tray in said pick and place station for deposit of said selected unit in said tray at said tray station.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein
said clamp members of each set have a first position relative to said frame and in said first positing being engageable with a tray in said frame,
said clamp members have a second position displaced from said first position and in which they are not engageable with a tray in said frame, and
a sensor at said clamp members sensing the position of said clamp members and operatively connected to said second transport mechanism to disable said second transport mechanism if said clamp members are not in their first position.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said sensor includes
a light source,
a light receiving mechanism,
elongated light transmitting members extending from said light source to said clamp members and from said clamp members to said light receiving mechanism,
said clamp members including a channel there aligning with said light transmitting members when said clamp members are in said first position and out of alignment with said light transmitting members when said clamp members are in said second position,
said clamp members having light interrupting surfaces surrounding said channels and light interrupting surfaces being aligned with said light transmitting members when said clamp members are in said second position, and
said light receiving mechanism operatively connected to said second transport mechanism operative to disable said second transport mechanism when light is not transmitted thereto.

### Claim 17

A method of inspection comprising the steps of
introducing a plurality of units to be inspected into an input station,
transporting said units from said input station to a first inspection station along a generally horizontal path,
inspecting said units at said first inspection station,
transporting said units from said first inspection station to an inverter station,
moving said units at said inverter station vertically from said horizontal path to an inversion location directly above said path and rotating said units while said units are in said inversion location,
returning said inverted units to said horizontal path after said rotation,
transporting said units from said inverter station to a second inspection station,
transporting said units to a sorting station from said second inspection station, and
sorting said units at said sorting station based on the inspection conducted at said first and second inspection stations.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17 wherein the transport of said units through said stations is along a straight, linear path.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 including the steps of
said units being loaded into a carrier tray,
positioning a prepositioned tray in said inverter station prior to the transport of said carrier tray to said inverter station,
bringing said trays into engagement in said inversion location and rotating said trays simultaneously in said inversion location thereby transferring said units from said carrier tray to said prepositioned tray,
transporting said prepositioned tray to said path and leaving said carrier tray in said inverter station to then become a prepositioned tray to cooperate with a subsequent carrier tray transported to said inverter station, and
said prepositioned tray to which said units were transferred at said inverter station being transported through said second inspection station to said sorting station.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19 wherein said units are displaced vertically above said path.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20 wherein the path of movement of said carrier tray is a straight, linear path.

### Claim 22 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17 including
prepositioning a tray in said frame prior to an carrier tray containing said units being transported to said inversion station,
moving said prepositioned tray into engagement with said carrier tray when said carrier tray is in said inversion station,
displacing said prepositioned tray and carrier tray simultaneously above said path and rotating said trays to reverse the position of said tray so that one assumes the position of the other,
lowering said trays toward said path and positioning said prepositioned tray on said path, and
releasing said prepositioned tray for movement along said path to said second inspection station and raising said carrier tray above said path to the position vacated by the prepositioned trays.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22 wherein said inversion mechanism rotates said trays and the units therein 180 degrees to transfers said units from said carrier tray to said prepositioned tray.

### Claim 24 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22 wherein said carrier tray left in said inverter station is rotated after the transfer of said units.

### Claim 25 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19 wherein
said sorting station includes a pick and place device removing selected ones of said units from said carrier tray as it passes through said sorting station, and
said pick and place device selecting units and moving them laterally of said path.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25 including
positioning a tray adjacent said sorting station but spaced laterally of said path, and
moving said pick and place device laterally to said tray spaced laterally of said path after said pick and place device has selected a unit from said tray in said sorting station and depositing said selected unit in said laterally spaced tray.

### Claim 27

An apparatus for processing a work piece having first and second oppositely-facing surfaces, the apparatus comprising:
an infeed station;
an outfeed station;
a first tray adapted to bold the work piece;
a transport mechanism for transporting said first tray in a downstream direction from said infeed station to said outfeed station, said transport mechanism receiving said tray from said infeed station with the first surface of the work piece facing away from the transport mechanism;
a first inspection station positioned downstream of said infeed station, said first inspection station adapted to inspect the first surface of the work piece;
an inverter station positioned downstream of said first inspection station and including
a second tray substantially identical to said first tray and positioned in an upside-down orientation above said transport mechanism,
a plurality of clamp members movable to selectively engage and disengage said first and second trays and to lift said first tray into a sandwiched engagement with said second tray, and
an inversion mechanism rotating said clamp members and trays 180 degrees to transfer the work piece from said first tray to said second tray, wherein said second tray containing the work piece is returned to said transport mechanism by said clamp members and said first tray is held in an upside-down orientation above said transport mechanism; and
a second inspection station positioned downstream of said inverter station and upstream of said outfeed station, said second inspection station receiving the second tray on the transport mechanism to inspect the second surface of said work piece.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said transport mechanism includes first and second side edges extending the length of said transport mechanism within the inverter station, wherein first and second vertical planes include said first and second side edges, respectively, and wherein said first tray is lifted and said first and second trays are inverted between said first and second vertical planes.

### Claim 29 (depends on 27)

The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a sorting station positioned downstream of said second inspection station and upstream of said outfeed station.

### Claim 30 (depends on 27)

The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said inversion station includes a frame supporting said clamping members, said first and second trays having a predetermined thickness and the clamp members being spaced relative to said tray thickness to avoid interference between said clamp members when holding said first and second trays in sandwiched engagement with each other.

### Claim 31 (depends on 27)

The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said inversion mechanism includes a support fixture engaging said frame and an elevator for raising and lowering said frame relative to said transport mechanism, said second tray being held by said support fixture above said transport mechanism as said first tray is being transported to said inversion station, said apparatus further comprising activating means at said inversion station responsive to the presence of said first tray in said inversion station to activate said elevator to lower said frame into engagement with said first tray and for engagement by at least one of said clamp members with said first tray, said activating means further operative in response to engagement of said clamp members with said first tray to activate said elevator to raise said frame to sandwich said first and second trays together.