Component alignment apparatuses and methods

• US 6,895,661 B1
• Filed: 12/17/1999
• Issued: 05/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Gamel, Darryl, Hines, Kreg W.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANG, RICK KILTAE
• Application Number:
  US09/466,521
• Time in Patent Office: 1,985 Days
• Field of Search: 297/40, 297/41, 297/39, 297/12, 297/21, 298/33, 298/34, 298/32, 298/36, 356/394, 356/375, 356/399, 356/237, 382/145, 198/395, 198/464.4
• US Class Current: 29/740
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0269 for visual or optical inspection
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/022 with orientation of the elements
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09918 Optically detected marks used for aligning tool relative to the PCB, e.g. for mounting of components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10689 Leaded Integrated Circuit [IC] package, e.g. dual-in-line [DIL]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0195 Tool for a process not provided for in H05K3/00, e.g. tool for handling objects using suction, for deforming objects, for applying local pressure
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/166 Alignment or registration; Control of registration
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/303 Surface mounted components, e.g. affixing before soldering, aligning means, spacing means H05K3/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49004 including measuring or testing of device or component part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49131 by utilizing optical sighting device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49133 with component orienting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49137 Different components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49144 by metal fusion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53022 with means to test work or product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53052 including position sensor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53091 for work-holder for assembly or disassembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53174 Means to fasten electrical component to wiring board, base, or substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53178 Chip component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53183 : Multilead component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53261 : Means to align and advance work part

Abstract

A component transfer apparatus is provided. The component transfer apparatus comprises a pick and place machine having a component feed source and a movable pick head having access to the component feed source. A component alignment detector is directed toward the component feed source and a controller is coupled to the component alignment detector. The controller contains instructions which, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to compare the detected component alignment with a known component alignment.

Claims

1. A component transfer system for transferring at least one electrical component to be placed on a substrate, wherein the component has a superficial fiducial marker on a surface of the component and wherein the fiducial marker indicates an orientation of a plurality of leads protruding from the component, said component transfer system comprising:

a component feed source supporting the at least one component;

a component transfer mechanism oriented to retrieve the at least one component from the component feed source and place a retrieved component in a transferred area such that the fiducial marker on said component is visible for detection prior to retrieval from said component feed source and placement of said retrieved component on the substrate;

an optical fiducial marker detector oriented to detect the fiducial marker on said component prior to retrieval from said component feed source and placement of said retrieved component on the substrate, said optical fiducial marker detector generating alignment data for said retrieved component in response to detection of the fiducial marker on said component, said alignment data representing lead orientations for said component; and

a controller coupled to said fiducial marker detector for receiving said alignment data therefrom for said retrieved component and containing instructions which, when executed, cause said controller to compare said alignment data for said retrieved component to desired alignment data indicative of desired lead orientations, said controller sending realignment signals to said component transfer mechanism for said retrieved component wherein the alignment data therefore differs from said desired alignment data to cause said component transfer mechanism to realign said retrieved component when the alignment data therefore differs from the desired alignment data.

2. The component transfer system of claim 1 wherein the component transfer mechanism comprises a pick and place machine.

3. The component transfer system of claim 2 wherein said pick and place machine comprises:

a pick spindle having a plurality of placement heads; and

a placement spindle having a plurality of placement heads.

4. The component transfer system of claim 1 wherein said component feed source comprises a continuous track of trays operably supported by continuous tape reels.

5. The component transfer system of claim 1 wherein said component feed source comprises a source of components and at least one serial feed track extending from said component feed source to said component transfer mechanism.

6. A component transfer system for transferring at least one electrical component to be placed on a substrate, wherein the component has a superficial fiducial marker on a surface of the component and wherein the fiducial marker indicates an orientation of a plurality of leads protruding from the component, said component transfer system comprising:

a component feed source supporting the at least one component;

a component transfer mechanism oriented to retrieve the at least one component from the component feed source and place a retrieved component in a transferred area such that the fiducial marker on said component is visible for detection prior to retrieval from said component feed source and placement of said retrieved component on a substrate;

an optical fiducial marker detector oriented to detect the detectable location of the fiducial marker on said component prior to retrieval from said component feed source and placement of said retrieved component on a substrate, said optical fiducial marker detector generating alignment data for said retrieved component in response to detection of the fiducial marker on said component, said alignment data representing lead orientations for said component; and

a controller coupled to said fiducial marker detector for receiving said alignment data therefrom for said retrieved component and containing instructions which, when executed, cause said controller to compare said alignment data for said retrieved component to desired alignment data indicative of desired lead orientations, said controller sending realignment signals to said component transfer mechanism for said retrieved component wherein the alignment data therefore differs from said desired alignment data to cause said component transfer mechanism to move said retrieved component to a discard area when the alignment data therefore differs from the desired alignment data.

7. The component transfer system of claim 6 wherein the component transfer mechanism comprises a pick and place machine.

8. The component transfer system of claim 7 wherein said pick and place machine comprises:

a pick spindle having a plurality of placement heads; and

a placement spindle having a plurality of placement heads.

9. A component transfer system comprising:

a plurality of electrical components for placement on one or more substrates, each component having two sides that are substantially parallel to each other and that each have an equivalent number of leads protruding therefrom, and wherein each component has a first marker on a surface of the component and wherein the first marker superficially alters a physical appearance of the component to indicate a predetermined orientation of the leads, said plurality of components supported in a component feed source;

a pick and place machine oriented to retrieve a component from the feed source and place a retrieved component in a transfer area such that the fiducial marker is visible for detection prior to retrieval from said component feed source and placement of said retrieved component on a substrate;

an optical marker detector oriented to detect the marker on the component prior to retrieval from said component feed source and placement of said retrieved component on a substrate, said optical fiducial marker detector generating alignment data for said retrieved component in response to detection of the fiducial marker on said component, said alignment data indicative of the position of the marker within the transfer area and representing lead orientations for said component; and

a controller in communication with said marker detector for receiving said alignment data therefrom and containing instructions which, when executed by the controller, cause the controller to compare the alignment data received from the marker detector and compare it to predetermined alignment data to ascertain whether the retrieved component is correctly aligned within the transfer area.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a continuous serial track extending from said component feed source to said pick and place machine.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of component trays serially disposed along the continuous serial track.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein each component has a second marker on the surface of the component, wherein the second marker indicates the predetermined location of the leads.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the marker detector is directed toward the feed source and has a signal output associated with the predetermined orientation of the leads.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the pick and place machine comprises:

a pick spindle having a plurality of pick heads; and

a placement spindle having a plurality of placement heads.