Assembling components having mating faces
First Claim
1. A method of assembling at least one first component having an external surface opposite a mating face to at least one second component having a mating face complementary with and joinable to the mating face of the first component, comprising:
- establishing at least one assembly station on an upwardly extending, leading edge portion of a base, said base being inclined therefrom in a given direction sufficiently that a first component, supported with its mating face upturned and its external surface in contact with the base, and a second component, supported with its mating face in contact with the upturned mating face of the first component, readily slide relative to each other and the base within said assembly station by the force of gravity;
supporting on and inclining with the base, a first plate having along a leading edge substantially parallel to the leading edge of the base, at least one first opening containing first reference means for stopping sliding of, and thereby positioning the first component on the base in said assembly station;
disposing over and inclining with the first plate, a second plate having along a leading edge substantially parallel to the leading edges of the base and the first plate at least one second opening containing second reference means for stopping sliding of, and thereby positioning the second component on the first component with a desired registration of respective mating faces in said assembly station;
guidably delivering into at least the first opening in the first plate, a first component with its external surface in contact with the inclined base such that said first component slides to and is stopped by the first reference means and becomes thereby positioned within said assembly station; and
guidably delivering into at least the second opening in the second plate, a second component with its mating face in contact with the mating face of the first component such that said second component slides to and is stopped by the second reference means and becomes thereby positioned upon the first component to form an assembly ready for bonding.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Components such as lids (9) and electronic chip carriers (10) are assembled by registering respective mating faces of each component. An array of assembly stations (75) are formed on an upwardly extending edge (67) of a base (66) having a special inclination. For example, a lid (9) is supported with its mating face upturned and a carrier (10) is supported with its mating face downturned upon the upturned face of the lid (9) on the base (66). The inclination causes the components to slide relative to each other and the base in a given direction within each station (75). A plate (92) overlies a plate (72), supported on and inclined with the base (66). Plate (72) has an opening (74) and plate (92) has an overlying opening (94) to each station (75). The openings (74) and (94) have respective reference edges for stopping sliding of, and thereby positioning an upturned lid (9) and a downturned carrier ( 10) thereupon with a desired registration. A shuttle mechanism (80) reciprocates plate (72) with the openings (74) to and from a magazine (78) to guidably deliver an inverted lid (9) into each station (75). Another magazine (90) is moved to and inclined with the base (66) and guidably delivers an inverted carrier (10) on top of each lid (9) in each station (75). Magazine (90) is moved away and a group clamp (125) is utilized to grasp a resulting array of assembled components for transfer to a subsequent operation.
13 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of assembling at least one first component having an external surface opposite a mating face to at least one second component having a mating face complementary with and joinable to the mating face of the first component, comprising:
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establishing at least one assembly station on an upwardly extending, leading edge portion of a base, said base being inclined therefrom in a given direction sufficiently that a first component, supported with its mating face upturned and its external surface in contact with the base, and a second component, supported with its mating face in contact with the upturned mating face of the first component, readily slide relative to each other and the base within said assembly station by the force of gravity; supporting on and inclining with the base, a first plate having along a leading edge substantially parallel to the leading edge of the base, at least one first opening containing first reference means for stopping sliding of, and thereby positioning the first component on the base in said assembly station; disposing over and inclining with the first plate, a second plate having along a leading edge substantially parallel to the leading edges of the base and the first plate at least one second opening containing second reference means for stopping sliding of, and thereby positioning the second component on the first component with a desired registration of respective mating faces in said assembly station; guidably delivering into at least the first opening in the first plate, a first component with its external surface in contact with the inclined base such that said first component slides to and is stopped by the first reference means and becomes thereby positioned within said assembly station; and guidably delivering into at least the second opening in the second plate, a second component with its mating face in contact with the mating face of the first component such that said second component slides to and is stopped by the second reference means and becomes thereby positioned upon the first component to form an assembly ready for bonding. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. Apparatus for assembling at least one first component having an external surface opposite a mating face to at least one second component having a mating face complementary with and joinable to the mating face of the first component, comprising:
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at least one assembly station formed on an upwardly extending, leading edge portion of a base, said base being inclined therefrom in a given direction sufficiently that a first component, supported with its mating face upturned and its external surface in contact with the base, and a second component, supported with its mating face in contact with the upturned mating face of the first component, will readily slide relative to each other and the base within said assembly station by the force of gravity; a first plate, supported on and inclined with the base, and having along a leading edge substantially parallel to the leading edge of the base, at least one first opening containing first reference means for stopping sliding of, and thereby positioning the first component on the base in said assembly station; a second plate, disposed over and inclined with the first plate, and having along a leading edge substantialy parallel to the leading edges of the base and the first plate, at least one second opening containing second reference means for stopping sliding of, and thereby positioning the second component on the first component with a desired registration of respective mating faces in said assembly station; means for guidably delivering into at least the first opening in the first plate, a first component with its external surface in contact with the inclined base such that said first component slides to and is stopped by the first reference means and becomes thereby positioned within said assembly station; and means for guidably delivering into at least the second opening in the second plate, a second component with its mating face in contact with the mating face of the first component such that said second component slides to and is stopped by the second reference means and becomes thereby positioned upon the first component to form an assembly ready for bonding. - View Dependent Claims (11, 17, 18)
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12. Apparatus as in clam 11 wherein the means for guidably delivering a first component, further comprise:
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a first magazine having a plurality of first tubes in an array disposed downgrade from the leading edge of, and substantially perpendicular to the first plate, each such first tube being adapted to hold therein a single column of first components having external surfaces facing downward such that the weight of the column presses the external surface of a leading first component against the first plate; said first plate having along its leading edge, a plurality of first openings in an array corresponding to the first tubes and the assembly stations; and means for reciprocating the first plate relative to the base to move each respective first opening along a path between a respective station and an associated first tube, each first opening passing under a first tube such that a leading first component falls into and is captured by said first opening and is moved by the first plate to said respective assembly station. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification