Multiple Station Assembly Apparatus Patents (Class 29/742)
  • Patent number: 11950369
    Abstract: A work system includes a mounting system which mounts a component on a board and an unmanned conveyance system having an unmanned conveyance vehicle. The unmanned conveyance system includes a first notifier which notifies the mounting system of an arrival notification indicating that the unmanned conveyance vehicle arrives at a position where separating the feeder carriage from the base starts, and a first processor which causes the unmanned conveyance vehicle to travel in a direction away from the base upon receiving, from the mounting system, a release notification indicating that a connection of the feeder carriage is released. The mounting system includes a second processor which causes the connection mechanism to release the connection of the feeder carriage upon receiving the arrival notification, and a second notifier which notifies the unmanned conveyance system of the release notification upon being informed of completion of the release operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsushi Ohori, Takashi Uchino, Hiroki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11910840
    Abstract: A manufacturing machine for producing disposable cartridges for electronic cigarettes can have a manufacturing drum supporting at least one group of seats, each adapted to receive a component of the disposable cartridge; and a feeding unit which feeds the components of the disposable cartridges to the seats. Each seat has a housing through channel crossing the manufacturing drum from side-to-side to contain a component and a pair of opposite jaws mounted in the housing channel and movable between a gripping position, in which they engage a component arranged in the housing channel and a transfer position, in which they do not engage the component. Each pair of jaws has two teeth arranged at the top and projecting from the corresponding jaws towards the center of the seat, so that the two teeth hold the component inside the seat at the top when the two jaws are in the gripping position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: G.D SOCIETA' PER AZIONI
    Inventors: Francesco Milandri, Andrea Dondini, Enrico Medina, Luca Lanzarini, Luca Federici, Stefano Serafini, Daniele Grosso
  • Patent number: 11784158
    Abstract: A producing apparatus and a pre-bonding device are provided. The pre-bonding device includes a dispensing mechanism and a die-placing mechanism that is arranged adjacent to the dispensing mechanism. The dispensing mechanism is configured to form a plurality of adhesives onto a plurality of carriers, respectively. The die-placing mechanism includes a plurality of catchers configured to respectively hold a plurality of chips and a correction unit that is configured to adjust a relative position of the chips. The catchers are configured to synchronously place the chips adjusted by the correction unit onto the adhesives, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: GALLANT MICRO. MACHINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tun-Chih Shih, Liang-Yin Huang, Ee-Sun Lim
  • Patent number: 11749541
    Abstract: This bonding apparatus is provided with: a tape feeder module which takes out an electronic component from a carrier tape and transfers the electronic component thus taken out; a die supply module which has a die pick-up mechanism for picking up a semiconductor die from a semiconductor wafer bonded to a dicing sheet by pushing up the semiconductor die and which transfers the semiconductor die thus picked up; and a bonding module which arranges, on a circuit substrate, the semiconductor die supplied by the die supply module and/or the electronic component supplied by the tape feeder module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: SHINKAWA LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeyuki Sekiguchi, Yuji Eguchi, Kohei Seyama
  • Patent number: 10784663
    Abstract: An apparatus for removing an inner sheathing of electrical conductors of a preferably multi-core cable comprises at least one holding arrangement/clamping device for axial and rotational clamping of the cable and a cutter assembly (1, 21) that can be rotated about the cable longitudinal axis, to the cutters of which a force can be applied in the direction of the cable axis. The at least one cutter (24, 26) comprises a contact surface (26) provided for placing on the surface of the inner sheathing and directly adjacent thereto a cutting edge (24), which protrudes beyond this contact surface (26).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: SCHLEUNIGER AG
    Inventors: Carmelo Messina, Jörg Furrer, Klemens Imholz, Roman Widmer
  • Patent number: 10529880
    Abstract: A solar panel factory system and process for manufacturing a frame-less epoxy-resin encapsulated solar power panel by encapsulating solar cell modules on a phenolic resin sheet beneath a polycarbonate panel using an optically-transparent epoxy-resin material. During solar panel manufacture, an optically transparent epoxy-resin coating is applied over an array of photo-voltaic (PV) solar cell modules mounted on the sheet of phenolic resin, and supported in a layer of adhesive coating is applied as a liquid with a viscosity and a thickness such that the thickness of the layer of adhesive coating is substantially equal to the thickness of the PV solar cell modules, and cured to a sufficient hardness. The epoxy-resin coating applied over the array of PV solar cell modules, and the cured layer of adhesive coating, reinforce the strength of the sheet of phenolic resin, particularly around the perimeter of the frame-less epoxy-resin encapsulated solar power panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: NATIONAL MECHANICAL GROUP CORP.
    Inventor: Nicholas B. Campanella
  • Patent number: 10522701
    Abstract: A solar panel factory system and process for manufacturing a frame-less epoxy-resin encapsulated solar panel by encapsulating solar cell modules within optically-transparent epoxy-resin material coating phenolic resin support sheets. During solar panel manufacture, an optically transparent epoxy-resin coating is applied over an array of photo-voltaic (PV) solar cell modules mounted on a sheet of phenolic resin, and supported in a layer of adhesive coating is applied as a liquid with a viscosity and a thickness such that the thickness of the layer of adhesive coating is substantially equal to the thickness of the PV solar cell modules, and cured to a sufficient hardness. The epoxy-resin coating applied over the array of PV solar cell modules, and the cured layer of adhesive coating, reinforce the strength of the sheet of phenolic resin, particularly around the perimeter of the sheet of phenolic resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: NATIONAL MECHANICAL GROUP CORP.
    Inventor: Nicholas B. Campanella
  • Publication number: 20150135528
    Abstract: A device for the production of cable sensors that each have at least one sensor and a cable trimmed to a variably pre-definable length includes at least two processing units, and at least one conveying unit. The processing units are configured to load and cut a cable blank, and are further configured to sequentially convey the cable blank along a pre-defined motion track. At least one deflection unit is positioned between adjacent processing units. Each deflection unit includes at least one deflection element that is in contact with or is configured to contact the cable blank. A displacement unit is assigned to and is configured to modify a position of the deflection element in order to influence a length of the motion track of the cable blank so as to obtain variable lengths of cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Christiane Buchmann, Mirko Scheer, Cord von Hoersten, Andreas Fink
  • Patent number: 9032612
    Abstract: A mounting head 16 includes shaft members 23 respectively provided with suction nozzles 22, rotation driving motors 24 for individually conducting rotary movements of the shaft members 23, and vertical movement driving motors 25 which are arranged in a staggered arrangement in an opposite direction to a staggered arrangement of the shaft members 23, and adapted to individually conduct vertical movements of the shaft members 23. The rotation driving motors 24 directly drive the shaft members 23, and the vertical movement driving motors 25 move the shaft members 23 up and down, together with the rotation driving motors 24.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinji Yamamoto, Yutaka Kinoshita, Nobuhiro Nakai, Hiroyuki Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 9015929
    Abstract: An apparatus for inserting a preformed electrical bar conductor into a twisting device of the conductor, the apparatus comprising: a supply device that arranges the preformed bar conductor into a supply direction (X-X), the preformed bar conductor having two rectilinear arms that are parallel to each other and connected to each other by a curved portion; a transfer device that draws the conductor from the supply device into a grip position in which the conductor is arranged along the supply direction (X-X) and rotates it 90 degrees into an insertion position in which the conductor is arranged along an insertion direction (Y-Y), perpendicular to the supply direction (X-X) and parallel to a pocket on the twisting device; and an insertion device that inserts the conductor into the twisting device, the insertion device equipped with thrust means that move the conductor along the insertion direction (Y-Y) until the conductor is at least partially inserted in the pocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Tecnomatic S.p.A.
    Inventor: Sante Guercioni
  • Publication number: 20150107088
    Abstract: A component mounting system includes a component mounting line including series-connected component mounting machines. In the component mounting system, workers execute jobs for equipment operation of the component mounting line. The component mounting system includes: a skill level storage unit which stores worker data in which a worker ID for identifying each of the workers is associated with a skill level of the corresponding worker for execution of each of the jobs; a history data storage unit which stores execution results of the jobs executed by the workers as job history data for each of the workers; and a worker data update unit which updates the skill level of each of the workers in the worker data based on a result of determination extracted from the job history data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Hiroki SAGARA, Takuya YAMAZAKI, Hirokazu TAKEHARA
  • Publication number: 20150082625
    Abstract: An electronic device manufacturing system may include a mainframe to which one or more process chambers of different size may be coupled. A different number of process chambers may be coupled to each facet (i.e., side wall) of the mainframe. The process chambers coupled to one facet may be of a different size than process chambers coupled to other facets. For example, one process chamber of a first size may be coupled to a first facet, two process chambers each of a second size different than the first size may be coupled to a second facet, and three process chambers each of a third size different than the first and second sizes may be coupled to a third facet. Other configurations are possible. The mainframe may have a square or rectangular shape. Methods of assembling an electronic device manufacturing system are also provided, as are other aspects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Michael Robert Rice, Jeffrey C. Hudgens
  • Publication number: 20150052744
    Abstract: A method for decreasing the number of assembly workstations, the method comprising the steps of providing a first workstation at a first location, supplied with power from a first power source; providing a product to the first workstation and supplying the product with power from the first power source; providing a second workstation at a second location, supplied with power from a second power source; transporting a product from the first workstation to the second workstation including disconnecting the first power source from the product in order to transport the product; connecting the product to the second power supply at the second workstation; the method further comprising the steps of: prior to supplying the product with power from the first power source placing the product in a device capable of supplying the product with power from a battery; disconnecting the first power source from the device; supplying the product from the battery, so that the product remains supplied with power between the discon
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventor: Maciej SKRZYPCZAK
  • Patent number: 8925188
    Abstract: A mounting apparatus includes a stage device on which an installation substrate and a component are placed, a suction head provided vertically above the stage device, the suction unit moving in a direction perpendicular to the stage device, a contact attached to the suction head that comes into contact with an electrode of the component, a camera provided vertically above the suction head, the camera moving in a direction perpendicular to the suction head, and a control unit that controls operation of the stage device, operation of the suction head, application of electricity to the contact, and operation of the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Toru Nishino, Kazuyuki Ikura
  • Patent number: 8863373
    Abstract: An application and development apparatus has a plurality of vertically stacked blocks directed to coating film formation on a substrate. This plurality of blocks includes first processing units, a first substrate transportation region, and a first transportation unit for transporting substrates between the first processing units within the first transportation region. A development process block also is vertically stacked with the blocks directed to coating film formation to constitute a layered block as the process block. The development process block also includes second processing units and a second transportation unit for transporting substrates between the second processing units within the second transportation region. The application and development apparatus further has a shelf-type delivery stage group, a vertical transportation unit and a substrate inspection unit such that a substrate input into the inspection unit passes through the delivery stage group from the vertical transportation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Nobuaki Matsuoka, Shinichi Hayashi, Yasushi Hayashida, Yoshitaka Hara
  • Patent number: 8844124
    Abstract: An electronic component mounting system and method is disclosed that can provide accurate operation instruction to a machine operator. The electronic component mounting system comprises a plurality of machines interlinked in series. A main screen, making up an operation instruction screen, is displayed on a display panel belonging to an operation target machine to be operated by the machine operator while a first sub-screen and a second sub-screen of the operation instruction screen are respectively displayed on display panels belonging to two adjacent machines placed adjacently on both sides of the operation target machine among the plurality of machines. Thus, even when a unit device has a small width such that a size restriction is imposed a display panel, accurate operation instruction, with a sufficient amount of information, can be provided by displaying the operation instruction screen on multiple display panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Itose, Kenichiro Ishimoto, Yoshiaki Awata, Hideki Sumi
  • Patent number: 8796064
    Abstract: A method for producing thin-film solar modules, comprising the following steps: providing flexible thin-film solar cells as separate segments in a container or on a web wound up to a roll, the flexible thin-film solar cells bearing with a first side against the web, wherein each of the flexible thin-film solar cells is designed to have a first electric pole and a second electric pole; transferring the flexible thin-film solar cells from the web to a first film web such that the first pole of a first flexible thin-film solar cell is positioned next to the second pole of a second thin-film solar cell; and applying electrically conductive contact strips to the first and second poles of the flexible thin-film solar cells in longitudinal and/or transverse direction relative to the conveying direction of the first film web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Muehlbauer AG
    Inventor: Volker Brod
  • Patent number: 8793867
    Abstract: A head nozzle unit includes a pair of motion guides located parallel to each other, a pair of movable blocks disposed on the pair of motion guides and movable independently of each other, a guide member transversely connected to the pair of motion guides via the pair of movable blocks, a pair of head nozzle parts disposed on opposite lateral surfaces of the guide member, the pair of head nozzle parts movable independently of each other and operable to pick up and mount electronic parts, and a driver that moves the pair of movable blocks in cooperation with one another and that moves the pair of head nozzle parts in predetermined directions. Further, an apparatus and method for mounting electronic parts includes the head nozzle unit. The pair of head nozzle parts alternately and sequentially performs a series of mounting processes of picking up the electronic parts and mounting the picked up electronic parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Techwin Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tae-Young Lee, Boo-Goan Choi
  • Patent number: 8782875
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a component mounting apparatus which includes a plurality of substrate conveying lanes and which efficiently controls the order of carrying in of substrates, thereby capable of improving productivity, and also is to provide a substrate conveyance method in the component mounting apparatus. In a configuration which includes: component supplying units (20A, 20B) positioned lateral to conveyor lines including conveyors (10A, 10B, 10C, 10D) arranged in parallel; and a substrate distributing unit (M3B) configured to distribute substrates (13) delivered from an upstream apparatus, in the case where a substrate request signal (R) is output for a plurality of conveyors, a new substrate (13) is carried in from the substrate distributing unit (M3B) into conveyors (10A, 10D) which are closest to the component supplying units (20A, 20B) among the conveyors (10A, 10B, 10C, 10D).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takeyuki Kawase, Yoshiyuki Kitagawa, Shuzo Yagi
  • Patent number: 8739393
    Abstract: It is an object to provide an electronic component mounting method that makes it possible to assure stable pickup operation even when a dimensional error attributable to a difference in production lot exists in electronic components or carrier tapes. During electronic component mounting adopting a tape splicing technique for splicing a carrier tape 15 already loaded on a tape feeder to a newly loaded carrier tape 15A, when an optical sensor 30 has detected a joint J between the already-loaded carrier tape 15 and the newly-loaded carrier tape 15A, a height measurement device 12 performs measurement of a component pickup height targeted for components P housed in the carrier tape 15A in connection with the tape feeder for which the joint J has been detected. Component pickup height data showing a target lowering height to which pickup nozzles 10a are to be lowered are updated on the basis of the measurement result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Yamamoto, Yasuyuki Ishitani
  • Patent number: 8720045
    Abstract: A component mounting device which is provided with a transport unit which has a transport region and transports a substrate in the transport region; a plurality of supply regions which are lined up along the transport direction of the substrate due to the transport unit and are able to supply each component; a control unit which sets a mounting region which is a region where the component is mounted in the transport region of the transport unit according to the disposing of the supply region of the component which is necessary for the substrate out of the plurality of supply regions; and a mounting unit which takes out the component which is necessary for the substrate from at least one supply region out of the plurality of supply regions and performs mounting the component on the substrate in the mounting region which has been set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8707548
    Abstract: An electronic component mounting apparatus includes a head unit, component supply device, camera unit, and controller controlling the head unit and component supply device. The component supply device has a holder holding electronic component accommodating tapes, each having storage cells arranged in a row, the storage cells storing electronic components, and a feeder forwarding the electronic component accommodating tapes and moving the storage cells to a suction area where the electronic component can be suctioned by the nozzle. The camera unit is fixed to a head support, and captures an image of the suction area. The controller analyzes the image of the suction area obtained by the camera unit. When the controller determines that a portion of the electronic component accommodating tape in the suction area is a spliced portion based on a result of the analysis, the controller determines that the electronic component accommodating tape is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Juki Corporation
    Inventor: Tomotaka Abe
  • Patent number: 8689435
    Abstract: A mounting system including: a storage that stores plural formats for each substrate including divisional information of a mounting apparatus indicating which of plural mounting apparatuses that divisionally mount plural electronic components on a substrate mounts what electronic component on the substrate and information on a deviation amount of an electronic component indicating how much each of the electronic components mounted on the substrate and inspected by an inspection apparatus is deviated from its regular position; and a controller that changes, according to a change of an assignment of mounting, the divisional information in a format corresponding to the substrate for which the assignment has been changed, and controls the mounting apparatus that has mounted the electronic component and has been specified from the mounting apparatuses to mount the electronic component on the substrate after correcting a deviation amount based on the information on a deviation amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Shinya Nishida
  • Patent number: 8646170
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for automatically joining components of photovoltaic elements are disclosed. The apparatus includes: a) at least two manufacturing lines and at least two assembly bridges for joining the substrates, films and glass panes, b) a stacking device for film feeding and a conveyor belt for feeding the glass panes, c) devices for centering and suctioning the films and the glass plates, d) devices for transporting and fixing the film transport frame and the glass transport frame e) devices for lowering the films and the glass plates from the respective transport frames, and f) devices for further transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Grenzebach Maschinenbau GmbH
    Inventor: Helmut Weigl
  • Patent number: 8646676
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an electronic component mounting system and an electronic component mounting method which can execute component mounting work on a plurality of boards simultaneously, concurrently and efficiently so that high productivity and responsiveness to production of many items can be achieved consistently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhide Nagao
  • Patent number: 8635766
    Abstract: A component supplying apparatus which is appended to the electronic component working apparatus, for supplying electronic components to the electronic component working apparatus is provided. The component supplying apparatus includes a component storing section which stores the electronic components, and movement range regulator. The movement range regulator allows the component storing section to move between a supply position P1 which is set for supplying the electronic components and a retracted position P2 to which the component storing section is retracted for the purpose of maintenance of the electronic component working apparatus. In addition, the movement range regulator regulates the range of relative movement of the component storing section with respect to the electronic component working apparatus to a movement amount L4 that is previously established.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Hanamura, Manabu Ihara
  • Patent number: 8555487
    Abstract: Provided are an imaging device production system, an imaging device inspection system, and an imaging device inspection method. The imaging device production system includes a assembling process for assembling each components constituting an imaging device, an inspection process in which the imaging device assembled in he assembling process is continuously transferred without being stopped except for emergency when two inspection tasks adjacent to and different from each other are performed, and a packaging for packaging the imaging device which passes through the inspection tasks to confirm quality of the imaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Myeong-Woo Kim, Jin-Sang Ah, Jae-Hyun Kim
  • Publication number: 20130267101
    Abstract: Kits, devices, and methods are provided for increasing a retaining force on a first device configured to mate with a second device to establish an electrical connection between the first and second devices. The first device can be, for example, a plug-type electrical connector (15), and the second device can be, for example, a receptacle connector. Magnets (100) can be mounted on or proximate one of the connector (15) and receptacle (16), and a ferromagnetic element in the form of a plate member (14) can be mounted on or proximate the other of the connector (15) and receptacle (16) so that magnetic attraction between the magnetic elements (100) and the ferromagnetic element (14) urges the connector (15) toward the receptacle (16) when the connector (15) and the receptacle (16) are mated. Existing electrical connectors can thus be retrofit so as to increase the retaining force thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: HARRIS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Richard Furness, Wojciech Mysliwiec
  • Publication number: 20130239406
    Abstract: Machine and insolation method for panels for turning a panel and successively insolating its first and second faces. According to the invention, this machine comprises at least one first insolation station (10), and a panel turner (30), having a first face and a second face, the latter comprising a prehension device (53, 54), configured to grip a panel (90), a displacement device, configured to displace the prehension device at least between the first and second insolation stations (10, 20), and a pivoting device, configured to pivot the prehension device (53, 54) and in this way have the panel (90) pivot about a pivoting axis (A) parallel to said panel (90), the turner (30) being configured so that it can grip the panel (90) by any one of its faces and release the panel (90) also by any one of its faces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: ALTIX
    Inventor: Christophe COUSIN
  • Patent number: 8505189
    Abstract: A manufacturing apparatus for a backlight unit includes a feed mechanism, a testing mechanism, and an attachment mechanism. The feed mechanism arranges a plurality of light-emitting diodes in a row. The testing mechanism tests the light-emitting diodes. The attachment mechanism positions the light-emitting diodes to a circuit board. The attachment mechanism comprises a support assembly and a laminating device, in which the support assembly receives the light-emitting diodes tested by the at least one testing unit, the support assembly is opposite to the circuit board, and the laminating device laminates the light-emitting diodes to the circuit board. A method for manufacturing the backlight unit is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignees: Innocom Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Chimei InnoLux Corporation
    Inventors: Gang-Tao Gu, Zhong-Hai Xiao, Min-Cheng Wang
  • Publication number: 20130174410
    Abstract: A system for assembling electronic devices includes at least one coating element for applying a moisture-resistant coating to surfaces of a device under assembly, or an electronic device under assembly. As components and one or more moisture-resistant coatings are added to the electronic device under assembly to form a finished electronic device, at least one surface on which the coating resides and, thus, at least a portion of the coating itself, is located internally within the finished electronic device. Methods for assembling electronic devices that include internally confined moisture-resistant coatings are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: HZO, INC.
    Inventors: Blake Stevens, Max Sorenson, Marc Chason
  • Patent number: 8468687
    Abstract: In a component mounting apparatus, a picking member picks components and mounts them on a board through movements of a plurality of moving members driven by motors. The apparatus is provided with a regenerative electric power control section for controlling regenerative electric power produced by regenerating a motion energy when each of the motors is decelerated; power supply sections for the motors each for exchanging electric power with the regenerative electric power control section; and a control section. When two moving members are moved, the control section begins to start and accelerate one of the two moving members in synchronized relation with a timing of beginning to decelerate and stop the other moving member and controls the regenerative electric power control section to utilize a regenerative electric power which is obtained from the motor driving the other moving member, in starting the motor which drives the one moving member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Machine Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Fujita
  • Patent number: 8464421
    Abstract: A substrate conveyor track is provided with first to fourth conveyors. Two conveyors situated on both sides of the substrate conveyor track, and the other two conveyors situated at the center of the same. There is enabled selection of any one from a small substrate mounting mode for giving a single substrate conveyance width to the four conveyors and mounting electronic components on four small substrates having the single width; a large substrate mounting mode for actuating all movable conveyors to the center of the substrate conveyor track and mounting electronic components on two large substrates by the two conveyors; and a large-small-substrates mounting mode for bringing the two conveyors on one side of the substrate conveyor track, among the four conveyors, into the small substrate mounting mode and bringing one of the conveyors on the other side of the track into the large substrate mounting mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shuzo Yagi, Takeyuki Kawase, Yoshiyuki Kitagawa, Naoto Kohketsu, Nobuhiro Nakai
  • Patent number: 8448331
    Abstract: A component mounting apparatus includes: two heads equipped with plural nozzles for suctioning and mounting a component; a memory holding at least one of information on maximum speed and maximum acceleration; an operation determining unit determining whether an operation after a suctioning operation of any one of heads is a suctioning operation or not; a speed/acceleration calculating unit calculating at least one of speed and acceleration at the time of axial movement by using at least one of the maximum speed and the maximum acceleration for the suction, if it is determined that the operation after the suctioning operation is the suctioning operation; a control signal generating unit generating a control signal; and a driving unit performing movement from the suction operation to a component suction position of the subsequent nozzle in accordance with the control signal when the suctioning operation by the subsequent nozzle is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Baba
  • Patent number: 8424195
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor package includes an index rail transferring a lead frame in forward and backward directions, the lead frame having a first surface and a second surface that is opposite to the first surface, a loader portion connected to an end portion of the index rail and supplying the lead frame to the index rail, a frame driving portion connected to the opposite end portion of the end portion of the index rail and rotating the lead frame around a normal to the first surface, and a die attach portion attaching a semiconductor chip on the lead frame supplied to the index rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: STS Semiconductor & Telecommunications Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sun Ha Hwang
  • Publication number: 20130095578
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention may provide a system for the production of photovoltaic modules that comprises at least a first work line having a plurality of positioning stations in which a series of first processing operations are performed and a second work line consisting of at least a positioning station in which at least a second processing operation is performed. The process sequence may include, for example, printing a layer material used to form one or more electric contacts on a base layer, and then positioning photovoltaic cells and various layers of insulating material in a desired orientation over the base layer to form a photovoltaic module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Inventors: Andrea Baccini, Marco Gajotto, Thomas Micheletti, Diego Tonini, John Telle, Marco Maiolini, Andrea Sartoretto
  • Patent number: 8402639
    Abstract: It is an object to provide an electronic component mounting system capable of concurrently, efficiently subjecting a plurality of substrates to component mounting operation and accomplishing both high productivity and a capability of addressing production of multiple products. An electronic component mounting system is configured by arranging, on an upstream side of a component loading unit having a plurality of substrate conveyance mechanisms, a screen printer M2 having a plurality of individual printing mechanisms and a coating and inspection machine M4 that applies a coat of a resin for use in boding an electronic component and that inspects a coated state. The coating and inspection machine M4 is equipped with a coating head 15 that performs operation for coating substrates conveyed by substrate conveyance mechanisms 12A and 12B from the screen printer M2 with the resin and an inspection head 16 that performs pre-coating inspection and post-coating inspection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhide Nagao
  • Patent number: 8397376
    Abstract: A smart card processing system for processing a plurality of smart card portions on a smart card panel substantially simultaneously. The system may include a transfer member for moving card panels. Smart card panels may be loaded into an input magazine capable of elevating the panels with respect to a processing station. A transfer member may transport smart card panels from the input magazine to the processing station wherein one or more pre-personalization operations may be conducted. The transfer member may also be operative to move the smart card panels from the processing station to a marking station such that defective smart portions may be marked. The transfer may also move panels from the marking station to an output magazine. The output magazine may lower the smart card panels with respect to the marking station to accommodate more initiated smart card panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: CPI Card Group—Colorado, Inc.
    Inventors: Guy S. Meeker, Francisco Pezzuti, Bryan Kingston
  • Patent number: 8387233
    Abstract: A circuit board assembling system includes a circuit board whereon a slot is formed. The circuit board includes a first region and a second region. The circuit board assembling system further includes a component placement machine, a positioning rod, wherein a first width of the unadjusted positioning rod is larger than a width of the slot so that the unadjusted positioning rod can not pass through the slot, a conveying device for driving the circuit board to a positioning point in a first direction and driving the circuit board to an assembling position in a second direction, and a control unit for controlling the conveying device to drive the circuit board to the assembling position in the second direction and controlling the component placement machine to assemble a first component set and a second component set on the first region and the second region respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Wistron Corporation
    Inventors: Jun-Min Yang, Hao-Chun Hsieh, Hsin-Lun Tsai, Chia-Hsien Lee
  • Publication number: 20130052773
    Abstract: A method for producing thin-film solar modules, comprising the following steps: providing flexible thin-film solar cells as separate segments in a container or on a web wound up to a roll, the flexible thin-film solar cells bearing with a first side against the web, wherein each of the flexible thin-film solar cells is designed to have a first electric pole and a second electric pole; transferring the flexible thin-film solar cells from the web to a first film web such that the first pole of a first flexible thin-film solar cell is positioned next to the second pole of a second thin-film solar cell; and applying electrically conductive contact strips to the first and second poles of the flexible thin-film solar cells in longitudinal and/or transverse direction relative to the conveying direction of the first film web.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: MUEHLBAUER AG
    Inventor: Volker Brod
  • Patent number: 8365385
    Abstract: There is provided a work processing apparatus including a plurality of work conveyance lines on which works are to be moved, a stopping unit to stop a work in a predetermined processing position on each of the work conveyance lines, a processing unit to make a desired process on the work stopped by the stopping unit, and a moving unit to move the processing unit between the work conveyance lines. Works are sequentially processed on the plurality of work conveyance lines. While a work is being processed in the processing position on one of the work conveyance lines, another work can be carried in to the other work conveyance line. Therefore, immediately after a work is completely processed on the one work conveyance line, processing of another work can be started. As a result, the production rate is higher and the apparatus can be designed smaller in size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Musashi Engineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Kazumasa Ikushima
  • Patent number: 8333010
    Abstract: In an electronic component mounting apparatus that is used in an electronic component mounting line for producing a mounted substrate by mounting electronic components on a substrate and that subjects the substrate to predetermined operation, a working unit attachment section 30 is provided within a range of movement of a working head, such as a loading head and a paste coating head, wherein a nozzle stocker 9 and a paste trial coating unit 10 can be removably attached as a working unit for performing specific additional operation appropriate for working function of the working head. The nozzle stoker 9 and the paste trial coating unit 10 are attached to the working unit attachment section 30 according to the type of working head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yuzuru Inaba, Osamu Okuda, Yuji Tanaka, Tetsutaro Hachimura
  • Patent number: 8302291
    Abstract: A component mounting system including mounting machines along a direction of conveying a circuit board; a feeder mount base in each of the mounting machines; a feeder removably mounted on the feeder mount base of each of the mounting machines; a mounting head in each of the mounting machines, the mounting head sucking a component supplied from the feeder for mounting on the circuit board; a moving mechanism in each of the mounting machines, the moving mechanism configured to removably mount and move the mounting head; an inspection camera unit configured to image an inspection target part of the circuit board; and an inspection image processing unit mounted, replaceably with the feeder, on the feeder mount base where the inspection camera unit is mounted, the inspection image processing unit processing an image signal output from the inspection camera unit to inspect the inspection target part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Machine Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Ao, Tomohiko Hattori
  • Publication number: 20120246929
    Abstract: A component mounting device which is provided with a transport unit which has a transport region and transports a substrate in the transport region; a plurality of supply regions which are lined up along the transport direction of the substrate due to the transport unit and are able to supply each component; a control unit which sets a mounting region which is a region where the component is mounted in the transport region of the transport unit according to the disposing of the supply region of the component which is necessary for the substrate out of the plurality of supply regions; and a mounting unit which takes out the component which is necessary for the substrate from at least one supply region out of the plurality of supply regions and performs mounting the component on the substrate in the mounting region which has been set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeshi Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20120186052
    Abstract: A system produces devices that include a semiconductor part and a non-semiconductor part. A front end is configured to receive a semiconductor part and to process the semiconductor part. A back end is configured to receive the processed semiconductor part and to assemble the processed semiconductor part and a non-semiconductor part into a device. A transfer device is configured to automatically handle the semiconductor part in the front end and to automatically transfer the processed semiconductor part to the back end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Inventors: Oskar Neuhoff, Tobias Gamon, Norbert Martin Haueis, Dirk Pikorz, Michael Wolfgang Larisch, Franz Reithner
  • Patent number: 8225496
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a system that can be used to form a photovoltaic device, or solar cell, using processing modules that are adapted to perform one or more steps in the solar cell formation process. The automated solar cell fab is generally an arrangement of automated processing modules and automation equipment that is used to form solar cell devices. The automated solar fab will thus generally comprise a substrate receiving module that is adapted to receive a substrate, one or more absorbing layer deposition cluster tools having at least one processing chamber that is adapted to deposit a silicon-containing layer on a surface of the substrate, one or more back contact deposition chambers, one or more material removal chambers, a solar cell encapsulation device, an autoclave module, an automated junction box attaching module, and one or more quality assurance modules that are adapted to test and qualify the completely formed solar cell device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Z. Bachrach, Yong-Kee Chae, Soo Young Choi, Nicholas G. J. De Vries, Yacov Elgar, Eric A. Englhardt, Michel R. Frei, Charles Gay, Parris Hawkins, Choi (Gene) Ho, James Craig Hunter, Penchala N. Kankanala, Liwei Li, Wing Hoo (Hendrick) Lo, Danny Cam Toan Lu, Fang Mei, Stephen P. Murphy, Srujal (Steve) Patel, Matthew J. B. Saunders, Asaf Schlezinger, Shuran Sheng, Tzay-Fa (Jeff) Su, Jeffrey S. Sullivan, David Tanner, Teresa Trowbridge, Brice Walker, John M. White, Tae K. Won
  • Publication number: 20120180983
    Abstract: The present invention generally provides a cluster tool for processing a substrate. In one embodiment, the cluster tool comprises at least one processing rack, which comprises a first plurality of substrate processing chambers that are positioned adjacent to each other and aligned in a first direction, a second plurality of substrate processing chambers that are positioned adjacent to each other and adjacent to at least one of the first plurality of substrate processing chambers, the second plurality of substrate processing chambers being positioned in a second direction relative to the first direction, a first shuttle robot movable in the first direction for moving substrates between each of the first plurality of substrate processing chambers, and a second shuttle robot movable in the second direction for moving substrates between each of the second plurality of substrate processing chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Inventors: TETSUYA ISHIKAWA, RICK J. ROBERTS, HELEN R. ARMER, LEON VOLFOVSKI, JAY D. PINSON, MICHAEL RICE, DAVID H. QUACH, MOHSEN S. SALEK, ROBERT LOWRANCE, JOHN A. BACKER, WILLIAM TYLER WEAVER, CHARLES CARLSON, CHONGYANG WANG, JEFFREY HUDGENS, HARALD HERCHEN, BRIAN LUE
  • Patent number: 8215005
    Abstract: A chip mounting system in which a whole system can be compact including a transfer stage and a tool holding member between a chip feeding section and a substrate holding section. In the chip mounting system, a transfer stage is disposed between a chip feeding stage and a substrate holding stage. A pick-up head and a mounting head are provided movably in a Y-axis direction in which the chip feeding stage and the substrate holding stage are aligned. A movable table which is movable in an X-axis direction, which intersects the Y-axis direction at right angles, is provided in a overwrapping movable region of the chip feeding stage and the substrate holding stage. The transfer stage and a tool holding member, which holds at least one of replacement tools for a pick-up tool and a mounting tool, are provided on the movable table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Tsutomu Hiraki
  • Publication number: 20120171786
    Abstract: Apparatus (1) for manufacturing solar cell matrices includes several stringers (2) for forming strings from solar cells, a lay-up and interconnection station (5) for arranging and interconnecting the strings to form a solar cell matrix, and a transportation system (3) for transferring the strings from the stringers (2) to the lay-up and interconnection station (5), wherein the stringers (2) are arranged perpendicular to the direction of flow of the transportation system (3), or in an acute angle to an axis perpendicular to the direction of flow of the transportation system (3). Furthermore, a process for operating such apparatus (1), wherein the several stringers (2) are controlled such that collision between different strings is avoided in the transportation system (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: SOMONT GMBH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Risch, Bernd Hirzler, Martin Schultis, Gerhard Knoll
  • Publication number: 20120129292
    Abstract: A carrier assembly for temporary accommodation of one or more solar cell laminates while the solar laminates are conveyed through a lamination plant. The solar cell laminate comprises a solar cell layer of silicon material, an upper and a lower encapsulating layer of EVA material covering the top and bottom of the solar cell layer, an upper and lower protective layer covering the upper and lower encapsulating layer, respectively. The encapsulating layer has a specific melting temperature and a specific curing temperature; the melting temperature is lower than the curing temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventor: Yakov Safir