Self aligning tray and carrier apparatus
A carrier tray has a plurality of rectangular shaped carrier tray pockets, each pocket for holding a corresponding component tray. Two adjacent first sides of each carrier tray pocket include reference surfaces for accurately positioning two sides of a component tray that is positioned in the carrier tray pocket. Two adjacent second sides of each carrier pocket each include at least one protrusion from each side, the protrusions for compressing resilient members on sides of a component tray that is inserted in the carrier tray pocket, wherein the resilient members are for the purpose of urging the component tray against the reference surfaces of the carrier tray pocket.
This application is related to U.S. application entitled “Standard Tray Carrier For Aligning Trays” filed on the same date as this application, bearing attorney reference 067810/0300803, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to trays for use in carrying components such as semiconductor devices, and more particularly to a carrier tray and component tray combination configured to self-align component trays in a carrier tray so as to assure accurate component pocket locations.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor devices such as integrated circuits (ICs) are typically conveyed in component pockets in trays prior to being installed in a final product. ICs may be placed in and removed from a tray by means of automated IC handling equipment. Calibration of such equipment requires knowledge of the dimensions of the tray and relative positions of the component pockets in the tray. In order to aid in the design and use of this automated equipment, standard tray sizes have been established for some applications. One such set of standards is the Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC) standards, which set tray outline dimensions.
A commonly used JEDEC standard tray for example, has overall dimensions of 322.6 mm by 135.9 mm by 7.62 mm. This large size tray could contain a large quantity of component pockets. It is often desirable to use smaller trays for carrying smaller quantities of components, but the smaller trays may have dimensions that are in conflict with a JEDEC standard to which an automated handling machine is calibrated. For example,
A typical prior art bare die component tray 10 with a plurality of component pockets 11 is shown in
It is an advantage of this invention to provide a component tray and carrier tray apparatus with facility for a plurality of component trays, that provides precision location of component tray pockets.
It is another advantage of this invention to provide a component tray and carrier tray apparatus that positions a plurality of component trays so as to make the center-to-center distance between all component tray pockets an integer multiple of a given center-to-center component tray pocket spacing.
It is another advantage of this invention to provide a combination component tray and carrier tray apparatus that positions a plurality of component trays so as to facilitate precision calibration of tray handling equipment.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a carrier tray has a plurality of rectangular shaped carrier tray pockets, each pocket for holding a corresponding component tray. Two adjacent first sides of each carrier tray pocket include reference surfaces for accurately positioning two sides of a component tray that is positioned in the carrier tray pocket. Two adjacent second sides of each carrier pocket each include at least one protrusion from each side, the protrusions for compressing resilient members on sides of a component tray that is inserted in the carrier tray pocket, wherein the resilient members are for the purpose of urging the component tray against the reference surfaces of the carrier tray pocket.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe above and other features and advantages of the present invention are further described in the detailed description which follows, with reference to the drawings by way of non-limiting exemplary embodiments of the present invention, wherein like reference numerals represent similar parts of the present invention throughout several views and wherein:
While the present invention will be described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modifications, various changes and substitutions are intended, and it will be appreciated that in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described with respect to the preferred embodiments set forth herein.
Referring now to
Referring now to
An alternative embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in
As a still further alternate embodiment, the distances S2 and S3 from the carrier tray sides 72 and 74 to the component tray pockets 70 are also dimensioned to be accurate, known distances allowing precision calibration of automated equipment.
Further alternative constructions of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the present disclosure. For example, referring again to
Although the carrier tray pockets 16 of
The carrier tray 14 of
The present invention also includes other resilient member configurations attached to or integral with the component tray 20 that will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the present disclosure. For example, a separately constructed flat or curved elongated resilient element can be attached to a component tray similar to component tray 20. For example,
As a still further alternate embodiment, in reference for example to
Installation and removal of a component tray from a carrier tray pocket can be accomplished in a number of ways that will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Referring to
While the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modifications, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure, and it will be appreciated that in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
Claims
1. A component tray and carrier tray combination for holding components comprising:
- a plurality of component trays;
- a carrier tray having a first plurality of carrier tray pockets, wherein each carrier tray pocket is adapted to hold one of the plurality of component trays and includes;
- first and second non-parallel carrier tray side walls, wherein said first and second carrier tray side walls include at least one first and one second reference surface respectively for positioning one of the plurality of component trays in said carrier tray pocket; and
- first and second compression members;
- wherein each said component tray is configured for placement in one of said plurality of carrier tray pockets, each of said component trays including:
- a plurality of component pockets each adapted to hold one of the components therein;
- first and second component tray sides for contract with said first and second reference surfaces respectively upon placement in a said carrier tray pocket; and
- wherein said component tray further includes second and third component tray sides, wherein said second and third component tray sides each have a resilient member, and wherein said component tray is configured so that when one component tray is placed in one carrier tray pocket, said compression members compress said resilient members to force said first and second component tray sides in contact with said first and second reference surfaces respectively.
2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein each said components is one of a semiconductor device and an integrated circuit.
3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said resilient members are an integral part of said component tray
4. An apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein each resilient member is an elongated resilient structure positioned on one of said second and third tray sides.
5. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one reference surface is a plurality of protruding portions extending outward from a recessed portion of a said wall.
6. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said component pockets on a component tray are spaced apart by a center to center spacing of a first distance, and wherein said component trays are separated by partitioning walls in said carrier tray, and wherein said partitioning walls are dimensioned so as to maintain a center to center spacing of component pockets between trays equal to an integer multiple of said first distance.
7. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said first and second compression members include first and second walls with first and second protrusions respectively.
8. A component tray and carrier tray combination apparatus for holding a plurality of components, the apparatus comprising:
- a component tray having a plurality of component pockets, each component pocket adapted to holding one of the plurality of components, said component tray including
- first and second component tray orthogonal sides;
- third and fourth component tray orthogonal sides having first and second resilient members respectively;
- a carrier tray having a first plurality of carrier tray pockets, wherein each said carrier tray pocket is for holding a component tray and includes
- first and second orthogonally positioned reference surfaces for assisting in positioning corresponding said first and second sides of said component tray; and
- first and second compression members adapted to force said first and second sides of said component tray against said first and second reference apparatus when said component tray is installed in one of said carrier tray pockets.
9. An apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein said resilient members are an integral part of said component tray.
10. An apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein said component pockets on a component tray are spaced apart by a center to center spacing of a first distance, and said carrier tray is configured so that when a plurality of component trays are positioned in said carrier tray, said component trays are separated by a second distance dimensioned so as to maintain a center to center spacing of component pockets between trays equal to an integer multiple of said first distance.
11. A component tray and carrier tray combination apparatus for holding a plurality of components, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of component trays each having a plurality of component pockets each adapted to one of the plurality of components, first and second component tray orthogonal sides, and third and fourth component tray orthogonal sides, and an attached resilient member; and
- a carrier tray having a plurality of carrier tray pockets, said pockets including: a first reference surface for locating said first component tray side when said component tray is placed in said carrier tray pocket; a second reference surface for locating said second side of said component tray placed in said carrier tray pocket; and a compression member against which said resilient member is compressed upon placing one of said component trays in one of said carrier tray pockets, said compression member and said resilient member being adapted to force said first side and said second side against said first and second reference surfaces, respectively.
12. An apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein said first and second reference surfaces and include a protrusion from first and second non-parallel walls respectively.
13. An apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein said resilient member includes a first resilient elongated member attached to said first component tray side, and a second resilient elongated member attached to said second component tray side.
14. An apparatus as recited in claim 11 wherein each said carrier pocket further includes third and fourth non-parallel walls.
15. An apparatus as recited in claim 14 wherein said compression member includes first and second protrusions extending from said third and fourth walls respectively.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 6, 2003
Publication Date: Apr 7, 2005
Inventors: James Pylant (Temecula, CA), Bond Srioudom (Temecula, CA), Scott Bradley (Carlsbad, CA)
Application Number: 10/680,702