COMPONENT INSERTION SYSTEM

• US 3,722,062 A
• Filed: 11/04/1971
• Issued: 03/27/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hashem M. Gharaibeh
• Original Assignee: Hashem M. Gharaibeh
• Inventors: Gharaibeh, Hashem M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eager, Thomas H.
• Application Number:
  US05/195,769
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 29/23B,23R,23P,28C
• US Class Current: 29/703
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/0495 having a plurality of work-stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53013 Computer input
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53026 with randomly actuated stopping or disabling means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53065 with means to fasten by deformation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53174 Means to fasten electrical component to wiring board, base, or substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53187 Multiple station assembly apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53365 Multiple station assembly apparatus

Abstract

An indexing conveyor transfers circuit boards between spaced insertion stations at which alignment pins clamp the circuit boards to fixed reference positions. A component insertion head and a clinch mechanism are horizontally driven about two axes to a programmed insertion position, and then are vertically driven to perform an insertion operation. After each insertion station inserts a plurality of different components at different programmed positions, the alignment pins are withdrawn and the conveyor is indexed. The index conveyor and all insertion stations are controlled by a time-shared computer which stores, for each insertion station, a separate program comprising sets of numerical control movement commands.

Claims

1. A component insertion system for inserting components in component carriers, comprising:

a plurality of component insertion head means each movable to a plurality of different component insertion positions in a plane skewed to an insertion axis along which each head means is further movable to perform an insertion operation;

conveyor means for transferring the carriers between said head means to positions which intersect said insertion axes, said conveyor means forming a work holder for the carriers during an insertion operation;

control means for automatically moving each head means through a programmed series of movements in said plane to said different positions, each completion of movement to a different position resulting in an insertion operation; and

index means effective after said programmed series of movements has been completed for indexing said conveyor means to transfer said carriers to adjacent head means.

2. The component insertion system of claim 1 wherein said control means includes for each head means a motor means for moving the associated head means through said series of movements in the plane and program means for storing data defining said series of movements in the plane, and sequence means for controlling each motor means in response to the data stored in the program means corresponding to the head means.

3. The component insertion system of claim 2 wherein said index means includes means responsive only after all of the data stored in all of said program means has completed controlling the associated head means for indexing said conveyor means.

4. The component insertion system of claim 2 wherein each head means has associated therewith motor means comprising a first motor device for driving a member along a first axis in said plane, head mounting means for mounting the head means to said member, clinch means for fastening inserted components to said carriers, clinch mounting means for mounting said clinch means to said member, a second motor device for effectively moving said member along a second axis skewed to said first axis and located in said plane, and said program means stores first motor data and second motor data for controlling said first motor device and said second motor device, respectively.

5. The component insertion system of claim 4 wherein said first motor device is secured on a movable table means, first gear means for connecting said member to said first motor means for movement relative to said table means, said second motor device is secured on a base means, second gear means for driving said table means by said second motor device to effectively move said member along said second axis, said conveyor means includes elongated channel means for transferring spaced carriers between said head means, frame means for locating said elongated channel means in a fixed position to form said work holder during said insertion operation, said frame means and said base means fixed with respect to each other.

6. The component insertion system of claim 1 wherein said conveyor means includes adjustable means movable to different positions to adapt said conveyor means to different carriers, said control means includes set-up program means containing data indicating a desired position for said adjustable means, and set-up motor means controlled by said set-up program means for automatically moving said adjustable means to the position indicated by the data.

7. The component insertion system of claim 6 wherein said conveyor means includes first elongated rail means and second eLongated rail means for defining therebetween a carrier channel for holding component carriers therein, said adjustable means comprises means for relatively moving said rail means to alter the width of said carrier channel, and said set-up motor means drives said relatively moving means to vary the width of the carrier channel.

8. A component insertion system for inserting components in component carriers, comprising:

a plurality of component insertion stations each including a component insertion head means having supply means for storing a recurring series of components and clinch means for fastening the components inserted by the head means, insertion control means for moving the head means and the clinch means along an insertion axis, and motor means for moving the head means and the clinch means in a plane skewed to said insertion axis;

conveyor means including elongated channel means for holding spaced carriers therein and located to intersect the insertion axis of each of said plurality of insertion stations, line drive means for transferring the carriers held in said channel means between said plurality of insertion stations;

a plurality of program means each associated with one of said insertion stations, each program means being capable of defining a plurality of distinct positions corresponding to different locations at which the series of components are to be inserted on each carrier;

a plurality of station control means each associated with one of said insertion stations for operating said motor means and said insertion control means;

link means for individually coupling the distinct positions defined by each program means to the station control means associated with the same insertion station for operating said motor means and then said insertion control means; and

index means responsive to completion of the insertions defined by said plurality of program means for actuating said line drive means to transfer the carriers to the next insertion station.

9. The component insertion system of claim 8 wherein said conveyor means includes belt means extending along said elongated channel means and having extension means for abutting the spaced carriers to transfer the carriers with movement of the belt means, said line drive means moving said belt means when actuated by said index means.

10. The component insertion system of claim 9 wherein said conveyor means includes alignment pin means insertable in apertures in said carriers, alignment control means for moving said alignment pin means between an alignment position and a transfer position spaced therefrom, said index means actuating the alignment control means to move the pins to the alignment position after the line drive means has transferred the carriers to the adjacent insertion station.

11. The component insertion system of claim 8 wherein said elongated channel means comprises a pair of spaced rail means defining therebetween a channel for holding said spaced carriers, a plurality of adjustment means located at spaced positions along said elongated channel means for relatively moving said pair of rail means to change the width of the channel defined thereby, common drive means for simultaneously controlling each of said adjustment means to relatively move said rail means, rail motor means for driving said common drive means under control of width data, and set-up means for supplying width data to said rail motor means when a carrier of different width is to be transferred by said conveyor means.

12. The component insertion system of claim 11 wherein said common drive means comprises shaft means rotatable by said rail motor means to different rotational positions corresponding to different widths for said channel, each of said adjustment means comprises screw means rotatable to linearly move at least one of said rail means, and gear means for rotating said screw means by rotation of said shaft means.

13. The component insertion system of claim 8 wherein said link means includes time-shared computer means with storage means for storing said plurality of program means, data communications means for connecting said computer means with each of said station control means, and sequence means for individually distributing via said data communications means the distinct positions defined by each program means to the associated station control means.

14. The component insertion system of claim 13 wherein said conveyor means includes adjustment means movable to different positions to adapt said elongated channel means to different carriers, set-up drive means for moving said adjustment means under control of set-up data, said storage means further stores set-up routine means containing said set-up data, and said sequence means causes the set-up data to be communicated to said set-up drive means.

15. The component insertion system of claim 13 wherein said component insertion stations include sensing switch means for detecting the actual occurrence of a programmed operation, status means for storing status data defined by said sensing switch means, said computer means includes analysis means for decoding the status data from said status means and system sequence means responsive when the decoded status data indicates an error for disabling subsequent distribution of the distinct positions defined by the program means.

16. A component insertion machine for inserting components in a component carrier, comprising:

component insertion head means having supply means for storing a plurality of components which are to be inserted in said carrier and means movable along an insertion axis for inserting in said carrier an individual component from said supply means;

clinch means for fastening to said carrier the individual component inserted by said movable means;

frame means;

member means movable with respect to said frame means for mounting said insertion head means and said clinch means;

means for holding said carrier in a fixed position relative to said frame means, said fixed position being located between said head means and clinch means;

first motor means for producing a first movement under control of a first electrical signal;

first gear means coupled between said first motor means and said member means for moving said member means along a firxt axis skewed with respect to said insertion axis;

second motor means for producing a second movement under control of a second electrical signal;

second gear means effectively coupled between said second motor means and said member means for moving said member means along a second axis skewed with respect to both said first axis and said insertion axis, said first axis and said second axis defining a plane parallel to the orientation of the carrier by said holding means;

means for establishing a plurality of sets of first electrical signals and second electrical signals, each set of said signals defining a position in said plane at which one of said components is to be inserted; and

means for repeatedly coupling each set of said signals from said establishing means to said first and second motor means to drive said head means and clinch means to said positions, said movable means being actuated when said head means and clinch means are located at said positions, whereby said machine automatically inserts a series of components in the same carrier.

17. The component insertion machine of claim 16 wherein said first gear means comprises means responsive to rotational movement for transversely moving said member relative to said first motor means, table means mounted for movement relative to said frame means, means mounting said first motor means to said table means, means mounting said second motor means to said frame means, and said second gear means comprises means responsive to rotational movement for transversely moving said table means relative to said second motor means.

18. The component insertion machine of claim 17 wherein said esTablishing means comprises time-shared computer means for generating said electrical signals, first storage means for storing the first electrical signals for controlling said first motor means, second storage means for storing the second electrical signals for controlling said second motor means, and said repeatedly coupling means comprises data link means for coupling the signals from said computer means to said first and second storage means.

19. The component insertion machine of claim 16 wherein said holding means comprise conveyor means for holding a plurality of spaced carriers therein, conveyor drive means for indexing the spaced carriers to a position which intersects insertion axis, and sequence means responsive after completion of indexing by said conveyor drive means for enabling said establishing means to generate the same sets of signals in order to insert said series of components in a different carrier.