Electronic assembly pallet

• US 5,741,985 A
• Filed: 07/10/1996
• Issued: 04/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PFI Vacuum Forming, Inc.
• Original Assignee: PFI Vacuum Forming, Inc.
• Inventors: Gaete, Jorge Robinson
• Primary Examiner(s): Chilcot, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Noori, Max H.
• Application Number:
  US08/677,496
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 73/1 R, 73/866.1, 73/865.9, 198/349, 198/345.3
• US Class Current: 73/865.9
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 1/0009 Energy-transferring means or control lines for movable machine parts; Control panels or boxes; Control parts control handles for driving or feeding mechanisms B23Q5/54
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 7/1426 with work holders not rigidly fixed to the transport devices B23Q7/005, B23Q7/035 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/01 Subjecting similar articles in turn to test, e.g. "go/no-go" tests in mass production; Testing objects at points as they pass through a testing station testing of cables continuously passing the testing apparatus G01R31/59; testing dielectric strength or breakdown voltage G01R31/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/2849 Environmental or reliability testing, e.g. burn-in or validation tests of individual semiconductors G01R31/2642; of printed circuits boards G01R31/2817; of IC's G01R31/2855

Abstract

A pallet is provided with electrical signal and power connections so that burn-in and other quality assurance testing can be completed without removing the product unit from the pallet. The pallet is also fitted with a memory device that retains inventory and testing information related to the product unit placed on the pallet. The memory device can be read by, or written to, a router at various locations along the assembly process. The router can access the inventory and testing information about the product unit and can write unit-specific instructions to the memory device to redirect the product unit for subsequent unit-specific production operations. The pallet is also provided with electrical, fluid, and gas connections in order to facilitate testing of the product units placed on the pallet.

Claims

1. A pallet comprising:

a base, said base having a top and a bottom, said top of said base having a pocket for placing articles onto said pallet, said base further having at least one side;

guiding means for guiding said pallet along a predetermined path on an assembly line, said guiding means attached to each of said sides of said base;

tracking means for determining the location of said pallet along said assembly line, said tracking means embedded within said base; and

testing means for testing articles on said pallet, said testing means comprises a fluid container and two fluid connection fittings, said fluid container and said fluid fittings constructed and arranged to contain and to transfer a fluid, said fluid used to test said article placed on said pallet.

2. A pallet comprising:

a base, said base having a top and a bottom, said top of said base having a pocket for placing articles onto said pallet, said base further having at least one side;

guiding means for guiding said pallet along a predetermined path on an assembly line, said guiding means attached to each of said sides of said base;

tracking means for determining the location of said pallet along said assembly line, said tracking means embedded within said base; and

testing means for testing articles on said pallet, said testing means comprises a gas container and two gas connection fittings, said gas container and said gas fittings constructed and arranged to contain and to transfer a gas, said gas used to test said article placed on said pallet.

3. A pallet comprising:

a base, said base having a top and a bottom, said top of said base having a pocket for placing articles onto said pallet, said base further having at least one side;

guiding means for guiding said pallet along a predetermined path on an assembly line, said guiding means attached to each of said sides of said base;

tracking means for determining the location of said pallet along said assembly line, said tracking means embedded within said base, said tracking means comprises a storage memory, a wiring harness, a read terminal, and a write terminal, said tracking means used to receive, to store, and to transmit signals relating to the location and production operations for said pallet; and

testing means for testing articles on said pallet.

4. A pallet comprising:

a base, said base having a top and a bottom, said top of said base having a pocket for placing articles onto said pallet, said base further having at least one side;

guiding means for guiding said pallet along a predetermined path on an assembly line, said guiding means attached to each of said sides of said base;

tracking means for determining the location of said pallet along said assembly line, said tracking means embedded within said base, said tracking means comprises;

a memory, said memory used to store signals relating to the inventory of contents on said pallet,

a reader, said reader used to read signals from a reader terminal into said memory, and

a writer, said writer used to write signals from said memory to a writer terminal;

a wiring harness, said wiring harness having a read wire and a write wire, said read wire connecting said reader terminal to said memory, said writer wire connecting said writer terminal to said memory; and

testing means for testing articles on said pallet;

wherein a router on an assembly line can access said reader terminal on said pallet and read present location and inventory signals from said memory, said router can also access said writer terminal to write signals related to future location of said pallet to said memory so that said pallet will be directed to a certain location according to said signals stored in said memory.

5. A pallet comprising:

a base, said base having a top, a bottom, and at least one side, said top of said base having a pocket for securing a personal computer onto said pallet, said personal computer having connection terminals for components within said personal computer;

at least one base terminal connection embedded in said base for connecting said components of said personal computer to sufficient power sources and test signals so that said personal computer can be burned-in while said personal computer is secured on said pallet;

a memory, said memory used to store signals relating to the inventory and burn-in results of said components of said personal computer secured on said pallet;

a reader, said reader used to read signals from a reader terminal into said memory;

a writer, said writer used to write signals from said memory to a writer terminal; and

a wiring harness, said wiring harness having at least one read wire and at least one write wire, said read wire connecting said reader terminal to said memory, said writer wire connecting said writer terminal to said memory wherein a router on an assembly line can access said reader terminal on said pallet and read the present location, inventory information, and burn-in results from said memory, said router can also access said writer terminal to write future location information to said memory so that said pallet will be directed to a certain location according to said signals stored in said memory.