Interface device with a releasable mount
AssigneeUI Holding Co.
InventorsPeter Davis, Dean Tarrant
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In recapitulation, the present invention is a method and apparatus for the reliable removal and installation of a component feeding system, such as a direct die feeder, within a printed circuit board or similar assembly machine such as those used in the assembly of printed circuit boards. The invention employs a docking channel operatively affixed to the assembly machine, where the docking channel includes at least a pair of parallel grooves into which alignment rails on the component feeder may be inserted. In this way, the position of the component feeder may be controlled. The docking channel may further include stops, safety locks, alignment pins and a transport device to facilitate easy removal and exchange of component feeders on an assembly machine.
Claims18
A releasable, sliding mount for connecting a component feeding system to an assembly machine in a repeatable manner, comprising:
- a feeder platform attached to the assembly machine;
- a docking channel operatively affixed to the feeder platform, said docking channel including a pair of parallel grooves therein;
- a positioning member associated with the docking channel;
- and
- a plurality of rollers affixed to the component feeding system, whereby upon insertion of the component feeding system into the docking channel, said rollers are received by said grooves within the docking channel.
A mounting device for connecting a plurality of component feeding systems to an assembly machine in a repeatable manner, comprising:
- a feeder platform attached to the assembly machine;
- a plurality of docking channels operatively affixed to the feeder platform, each of said plurality of docking channels being separated by a common vertical member, said common vertical member having longitudinal grooves extending along opposite sides thereof;
- a positioning member associated with each of the docking channels;
- a plurality of roller alignment rails affixed to each of the component feeding systems, wherein said roller alignment rails are received by said longitudinal grooves upon insertion of the component feeding systems into the docking channels.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.