Video probe aligning of object to be acted upon
AssigneeMPM Corporation
InventorGary T. Freeman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An aligning system includes an object to be acted upon at predetermined locations, such as a circuit board to receive solder paste. There is a device, such as a stencil, characterized by the pattern for acting upon the object. A video probe is arranged to look at both the device and the object for providing image signals representative of both. A comparator compares the image signals to provide an error signal representative of misalignment between the device and object. A positioner responsive to the error signal relatively positions the device and object to reduce the error. An operator causes the device to operate upon the object at the predetermined locations.
Claims14
Aligning apparatus comprising,
- an object to be acted upon at predetermined locations defining a pattern,
- a device characterized by said pattern for acting upon said object,
- a video probe arranged to look at both said device and said object for providing image signals representative of both,
- means for comparing both image signals to obtain an error signal representative of misalignment between the device and object,
- means responsive to said error signal for [relatively positioning] translating and rotating said device [and said object] to reduce said error,
- and means for operating upon said object with said device upon said predetermined locations.
Aligning apparatus in accordance with claim [8] 5 wherein said movable probe support comprises a main clamp supporting said video probe substantially at its center of gravity and further comprising,
- ball-and-cone pieces and reference balls,
- said fixed base comprising a vertical bracket carrying one of said reference balls and said ball-and-cone pieces,
- said main clamp carrying the other of said reference balls and ball-and-cone pieces arranged so that engagement of said ball-and-cone pieces with mating reference balls defines a reference position of said video probe.
A method of aligning an object to be acted upon at predetermined locations defining a pattern with a device characterized by said pattern for acting upon said object which method includes the steps of,
- positioning a video probe to look at first one of said device and said object and then the other for providing image signals representative of both,
- comparing both said image signals to provide an error signal representative of misalignment between said device and object,
- [relatively positioning] translating and rotating said device [and said object] while sensing said error signal to reduce said error,
- and operating upon said object with said device upon said predetermined locations with said object and said device then being in alignment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.