Abstract: A vacuum pickup tool (11), capable of picking up components (26) having a wide range in size and weight, comprises a body (12) having shaft (14) extending therefrom. The end of the shaft furthest from the body has an orifice (18) surrounded by a sealing surface (22) adapted for contact with a planar surface (24) on the component to form a substantially airtight seal therewith. A sleeve (30), having a rim (32) at the end thereof, is slidably carried by the shaft for movement thereon between a first and second position. At the first position of the sleeve, the sealing surface (22) at the end of the shaft extends beyond the rim (32) so that the sealing surface may contact the component, enabling a vacuum to be drawn over a first sized vacuum area on the surface of the component when the vacuum is drawn through the orifice.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for engaging a printed circuit board (12) positioned in rough alignment therewith comprises a housing (14) having a bore (16) which is partially tapered (20). Loosely mounted within the bore is a sleeve (24) having a tapered portion (30) complementary to the tapered portion (20) of the bore. A pin (36) is spring-biased within the sleve and extends therefrom beyond the housing for insertion into a tooling hole (76) in the printed circuit board upon movement of the sleeve into the bore in the housing. While the tapered portion (30) on the sleeve remains spaced from the tapered section (20) of the bore, the pin is capable of limited lateral movement about the axis of the bore which virtually eliminates wedging or sticking thereof in the tooling hole. Once the sleeve is fully inserted into the housing, the tapered portion on the sleeve nests with the tapered section of the bore, rigidly locking the pin in place.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for engaging a printed circuit board (12) positioned in rough alignment therewith comprises an housing (14) having a bore (16) which is partially tapered (20). Loosely mounted within the bore is a sleeve (24) having a tapered portion (30) complementary to the tapered portion (20) of the bore. A pin (36) is spring-biased within the sleeve and extends therefrom beyond the housing for insertion into a tooling hole (76) in the printed circuit board upon movement of the sleeve into the bore in the housing. While the tapered portion (30) on the sleeve remains spaced from the tapered section (20) of the bore, the pin is capable of limited lateral movement about the axis of the bore which virtually eliminates wedging or sticking thereof in the tooling hole. Once the sleeve is fully inserted into the housing, the tapered portion on the sleeve nests with the tapered section of the bore, rigidly locking the pin in place.