Universal matrix tray for electronic devices
A tray having three dimensionally adjustable sized pockets for holding a plurality of electronic components. A rectangular tray base has a cavity with a flat bottom, and four sides configured with wall notches for receiving and captivating ends of elongated transverse and longitudinal dividers. Each divider has a plurality of notches spaced along a length. The notches are configured to allow each transverse divider to interlock with a plurality of longitudinal dividers to form a rectangular array. The array is positioned in the tray base cavity, forming a plurality of rectangular pockets. The lengths and widths of the pockets are adjustable by selecting a particular divider notch for intersection of each longitudinal and lateral divider. A rectangular top frame of selected thickness is positioned over the wall notches to retain the dividers, and to define a height of each pocket upon placing a lid over the tray.
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The present invention relates generally to trays for storing, transporting and processing electronic devices and more particularly to a tray that has adjustable sized component pockets.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ARTMost trays, including JEDEC sized trays, are hard tooled, meaning that a separate tool is required for each different tray size or configuration. The design and manufacture of such a hard tooled tray is both costly and time consuming. For example, it may take several weeks to build tooling for injection molding a tray. Once a tray is constructed, it is only useable for one size of component. Present tray designs are not capable of properly storing a mixture of component sizes.
SUMMARYIt is an advantage of this invention in that it provides a custom component tray that can be quickly assembled from stock parts.
It is a further advantage of this invention in that it provides a tray that can be adjusted to fit a desired component size.
It is a still further advantage of this invention in that it provides an adjustable tray that can simultaneously accommodate different sizes of electronic components.
In one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a tray having three dimensionally adjustable sized pockets for holding electronic components. A plastic injection molded rectangular tray base has a cavity with a flat bottom and a four sided wall configured with wall notches for receiving and captivating ends of elongated lateral and longitudinal dividers. Both the lateral and longitudinal dividers have a plurality of notches spaced along a length of each divider and extending substantially half way through. The notches are configured to allow each lateral divider to interlock with a plurality of longitudinal dividers, to form a rectangular array with a plurality of rectangular four sided enclosures. The array is positioned in the tray base cavity, and each of the four sided enclosures and the bottom of the cavity form a pocket. The length and width of a pocket is adjustable by selecting particular divider notches for intersection of longitudinal and transverse dividers. A rectangular top frame approximating the contour of the wall, and of a selected thickness is positioned over the top of the wall to cover the wall notches for retaining the dividers with the frame height selected to define the height of the pockets for limiting movement of a component in a pocket upon placing a lid over the tray.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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.
An embodiment of the adjustable tray of the present invention is shown in the perspective view of
The installation of a plurality of longitudinal and lateral dividers 28 and 30 in the cavity 14 results in the formation of a plurality of pockets 36. In another embodiment, only one set of opposing walls have wall notches 26. For example, if end walls 22 and 24 have notches, side walls 18 and 20 in this embodiment do not have notches. Similarly, when side walls 18 and 20 have notches, end walls 22 and 24 do not have notches. In this alternate embodiment, the notches in one set of opposing walls and in the dividers adequately retain the desired matrix of pockets 36. The size of a pocket 36 is determined by the particular selection of notches 32 and 34 for intersection between the lateral and longitudinal dividers. For example, if a particular one of dividers 30 such as item number 38 is positioned so as to engage with the row of notches 34 located closer to end wall 24 as indicated by line 40, the pockets 42 would be smaller, and pockets 44 would be larger. The longitudinal dividers 28 can similarly be moved to any available lines of notches 32 to enlargen or reduce the size of particular rows of pockets.
With the dividers 28 and 30 installed to form the pocket dimensions in longitudinal and transverse directions as required, a frame 46 is secured with fasteners 48 over the wall notches 26. The frame 46 completes the captivation of end portions of the dividers, securing the dividers in position. The height 50 of the frame 46 is selected/designed to achieve a required pocket 16 height. The pockets are therefore adjustable, according to the above description of the tray, in the three dimensions of length, width and height.
The frame 46 is secured to sidewalls 18, 20 or end walls 22, 24, or both side walls 18, 20 and end walls 22, 24. Although screws are shown as fasteners 48 in
A further alternate embodiment is illustrated in
As a still further alternate embodiment of the present invention, the trays as described above in reference to
Another tray embodiment 100 of the present invention is shown in
The present invention includes other designs of dividers, as well as the designs described above.
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 tray for holding semiconductor components comprising:
- a tray base including a bottom support structure; a wall including first and second opposing side walls, and first and second opposing end walls, said wall extending from said bottom support structure to form a cavity in said tray base, said wall having a wall top and wall notches formed on a side of said wall facing inward to said cavity;
- a plurality of lateral dividers for placement in said cavity, each lateral divider having a plurality of lateral divider notches and having end portions for placement in selected wall notches;
- a plurality of longitudinal dividers for placement in said cavity, each having a plurality of longitudinal divider notches configured for engagement with lateral divider notches to form a matrix of pockets upon placement of said lateral and longitudinal dividers in said cavity; and
- a frame placed on said wall top and attached to said base for captivating said lateral and longitudinal dividers in said wall notches.
2. A tray for holding semiconductor components comprising:
- a tray base, said base having a tray bottom and a wall structure forming a cavity in said tray base;
- an adjustable matrix of dividers wherein said dividers can be positioned to adjust sizing of a plurality of pockets formed by said tray bottom and said dividers; and
- a frame for captivating said dividers in said cavity.
3. A tray as recited in claim 2 wherein said wall structure includes
- first and second opposing side walls; and
- first and second opposing end walls.
4. A tray as recited in claim 3 wherein said dividers include
- a plurality of longitudinal dividers each having a plurality of longitudinal divider notches; and
- a plurality of lateral dividers each having a plurality of lateral divider notches for engaging with corresponding said longitudinal divider notches.
5. A tray as recited in claim 4 wherein each of two opposing walls include a plurality of wall notches for captivating ends of corresponding dividers.
6. A tray as recited in claim 2 wherein said frame includes a frame height selected to limit movement of a component in a pocket when a tray cover is placed over said tray.
7. A tray as recited in claim 3 wherein each of two opposing walls include a plurality of wall notches for captivating ends of corresponding dividers.
8. A tray as recited in claim 7 wherein a plurality of said dividers are configured as meandering wire.
9. A tray as recited in claim 7 wherein each said divider includes first and second opposing end portions that are narrowed for insertion in said wall notches.
10. A tray as recited in claim 9 wherein said dividers include
- a plurality of longitudinal dividers, each having a plurality of elongated longitudinal divider notches; and
- a plurality of lateral dividers, each having a plurality of elongated lateral divider notches,
- wherein said lateral and longitudinal notches are configured to provide clearance for continuous movement of a lateral divider relative to a longitudinal divider within a length of a said notch.
11. A tray as recited in claim 3 wherein said dividers include
- at least one section divider, each section divider for partitioning off sections in said cavity;
- a plurality of longitudinal dividers configured for each said section; and
- a plurality of lateral dividers configured for each said section.
12. A tray as recited in claim 11 wherein said walls have a plurality of wall notches for captivating end portions of said lateral, longitudinal and section dividers, and said section dividers have a plurality of section divider notches on two sides for captivating end portions of lateral and longitudinal dividers in two sections.
13. A tray recited in claim 11 wherein each of two opposing walls include a plurality of wall notches for captivating ends of corresponding dividers.
14. A tray as recited in claim 1 wherein each said lateral and longitudinal divider has a reduced width portion on each of two opposing ends for placement in said wall notches, for achieving a finer adjustment of position of said dividers.
15. A tray as recited in claim 13 wherein said lateral and longitudinal divider notches are each elongated to provide continuous movement of said dividers relative to each other at a point of crossover of a lateral and longitudinal divider, for the purpose of accommodating smaller incremental position selection from one wall notch to another.
16. A tray as recited in claim 1 further comprising at least one section divider for dividing said cavity into sections, whereby said lateral and longitudinal dividers in one section are independently adjustable relative to adjustment of lateral and longitudinal dividers in another section.
17. A tray as recited in claim 1 wherein a plurality of said longitudinal and lateral dividers are formed as a meandering wire, and wherein said divider notches are defined by space between downward and upward excursions of said wire.
18. A tray as recited in claim 2 further comprising a cover plate for placement within an inner perimeter of said frame.
19. A tray as recited in claim 18 further comprising a spacer for placement over said cover plate.
20. A tray as recited in claim 19 further compressing a tray cover.
21. A tray as recited in claim 20 wherein end spacer and said cover plate are attached to an underside of said tray cover.
22. A tray as recited in claim 21 wherein said tray cover is a second tray placed on said tray.
23. A method of adjusting a tray for holding semiconductor components, said tray including a tray base having a cavity with a bottom and a wall structure including first and second opposing side walls and first and second opposing end walls, said wall structure extending from said bottom, wherein said cavity is divided into a matrix of pockets, the method comprising:
- inserting at least one first divider within said cavity;
- placing at least one second divider transverse to said first divider within the cavity by interlocking the second divider with the first divider to form a matrix of pockets; and
- attaching a frame to said tray base for retaining said dividers in said cavity.
24. The method of claim 23 further comprising placing a tray cover on said tray.
25. The method of claim 23 wherein said matrix of pockets includes pockets of different sizes.
26. The method of claim 24 further comprising placing a cover plate within an inner perimeter of said frame.
27. The method of claim 26 further comprising providing a spacer on said cover plate.
28. The method of claim 27 wherein said spacer is configured so that said spacer is in contact with an underside portion of said tray cover.
29. The method of claim 28 wherein said spacer and cover plate are attached to an underside of said tray cover.
30. The method of claim 28 wherein said tray cover is a second tray stacked on said tray.
31. The method of claim 23, wherein a said first divider is repositioned to adjust at least one pocket size within the matrix of pockets.
32. The method of claim 23 wherein a said second divider is repositioned to adjust at least one pocket size within the matrix of pockets.
33. The method of claim 23, wherein a said first divider and a said second divider are repositioned to adjust at least one pocket size within the matrix of pockets.
34. The method of claim 24, wherein said tray cover is a second tray that is placed on said tray.
35. The method of claim 23, comprising securing end portions of said first divider to said wall structure with notches in said opposing end walls.
36. The method of claim 35, further comprising securing end portions of said second dividers to said wall structure with notches in said opposing side walls.
37. A tray comprising:
- a tray configured for holding semiconductor components including
- a tray base, said base having a tray bottom and a wall structure forming a cavity in said tray base; and
- an adjustable matrix of dividers for placement in said cavity, wherein said divider can be positioned to adjust a size of a plurality of pockets for holding semiconductors, said pockets formed by said tray bottom and said dividers.
38. A tray as recited in claim 37 wherein said wall structure includes
- first and second opposing side walls;
- first and second opposing end walls; and
- wherein said dividers include a plurality of longitudinal dividers each having a plurality of longitudinal divider notches;
- a plurality of lateral dividers each having a plurality of lateral divider notches for engaging with corresponding said longitudinal divider notches, and
- wherein each of said opposing walls include a plurality of wall notches for captivating ends of corresponding dividers.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 23, 2003
Publication Date: Jun 23, 2005
Applicant:
Inventor: Robert White (Tracy, CA)
Application Number: 10/746,203