Monitor for detecting the absence of an electronic component on a vacuum pickup
First Claim
1. An apparatus for sensing the absence of a component on at least one of a plurality of vacuum pickup devices, comprising:
- a vacuum source;
a body including a transparent portion having a plurality of cavities, each in communication with said vacuum source and a corresponding one of said vacuum pickup devices;
means included within each of said cavities, for indicating the absence or presence of said component on one of said vacuum pickup devices;
means for correlating said means for indicating with one of said plurality of vacuum pickup devices to determine which ones of said vacuum pickup devices do not have a component thereon; and
means for optically sensing a position of said indicating means when said component is absent from any of said plurality of vacuum pickup devices, and for generating an output signal based thereon.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system is provided for determining the presence, or absence of a component on the end of a vacuum pickup device. A monitor having a transparent body portion and plural air flow passageways is provided. An indicator is provided for each vacuum pickup device and contained within the air flow passageway intermediate a vacuum source and the vacuum pickup device. The position of the indicators within the flow passage is dependent upon the presence, or absence of a component on the end of the vacuum pickup device. With a component present on the pickup device, air flow through the passageway, due to the application of the vacuum source, is minimal and the indicator will be biased in a first direction. However, when a component is absent the pickup device, substantial air flow occurs through the passageway, thereby biasing the indicator in a second direction. In this manner, an operator can visually inspect the monitor of the present invention to determine if each vacuum pickup device has a component affixed thereto.
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Citations
5 Claims
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1. An apparatus for sensing the absence of a component on at least one of a plurality of vacuum pickup devices, comprising:
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a vacuum source; a body including a transparent portion having a plurality of cavities, each in communication with said vacuum source and a corresponding one of said vacuum pickup devices; means included within each of said cavities, for indicating the absence or presence of said component on one of said vacuum pickup devices; means for correlating said means for indicating with one of said plurality of vacuum pickup devices to determine which ones of said vacuum pickup devices do not have a component thereon; and means for optically sensing a position of said indicating means when said component is absent from any of said plurality of vacuum pickup devices, and for generating an output signal based thereon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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Specification