Means To Apply Vacuum Directly To Position Or Hold Work Part Patents (Class 29/743)
  • Patent number: 6539622
    Abstract: An electronic components mounting device has a plurality of feeder bases attached with tape feeders thereon, and a guide rail and a cylinder for drawing each of the feeder bases independently to a position for replenishing electronic components. When an electronic component runs out of the storage, only the feeder base that is carrying the relevant tape feeder gone out of the stock is drawn to a place for parts replenishment; in the mean time, the mounting actions keep on going by making use of tape feeders attached on other feeder base. Machine stop times can be decreased with the mounting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wataru Hidese, Yusuke Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6536101
    Abstract: A foil applicator for particle board and the like has a stack of foils positioned above the transport path for the boards and provided with a suction feeder which delivers the foils to a platform from which the foils are fed by belt feeders to the upper surface of the board. At the upstream of the stack, a further platform is provided and receives foil sheets from the stack and feeds those foil sheets to a suction belt inverter which delivers the sheets in an inverted form to the conveyor for application to the top or bottom of the board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: G. Siempelkamp GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Guido Schrömges, Heinz-Dieter Schmitz, Ralf Püschel
  • Publication number: 20030041450
    Abstract: A component pick and place head includes a frame; a pick-up head mounted on the frame; the pick-up head being movable from a first position in which a component is picked-up by the pick-up head to a second position in which a position of the component that has been picked up by the pick-up head is ascertained; the pick-up head being actuatable from a retracted configuration to an extended configuration for picking up the component; a first actuator for actuating the pick-up head at the first position from the retracted configuration to the extended configuration; and a second actuator at the second position for actuating the pick-up head at the second position from the retracted configuration to the extended configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2001
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Inventor: Koenraad Alexander Gieskes
  • Patent number: 6527322
    Abstract: An electric-component holding head, including a holder member including a nozzle-hold portion which holds a suction nozzle, and having a negative-pressure passage through which a negative pressure is supplied to the suction nozzle so that the suction nozzle holds an electric component by applying the negative pressure thereto, a filter which is provided in the negative-pressure passage and removes foreign matters present in an air passing through the filter, the holder member having an outer surface and a filter-insert hole which has an opening in the outer surface and communicates between the outer surface and the negative-pressure passage so that the filter is inserted from outside the holder member via the filter-insert hole into the negative-pressure passage, and a closure member which closes the opening of the filter-insert hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Fuji Machine Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinsuke Suhara
  • Patent number: 6526652
    Abstract: An apparatus for automatically resetting a printed-wiring-board supporting device including a supporting table and at least one supporting member which is set on a supporting surface of the supporting table to support a back surface of a printed wiring board, the apparatus including a storing device in which the supporting member is stored, a holding head which holds the supporting member, a moving device which moves the holding head relative to each of the supporting table and the storing device, and a control device which controls, according to prescribed control information, the moving device so that the holding head takes the supporting member from a storing position in the storing device and sets the supporting member at a setting position on the supporting surface of the supporting table, and takes the supporting member from the setting position and stores the supporting member at the storing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Fuji Machine Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeyoshi Isogai, Kimihiko Yasuda, Noriaki Iwaki, Minoru Yoriki
  • Patent number: 6526651
    Abstract: There is disclosed a printed circuit transferring apparatus of a surface mounter, enabling to accurately control the positions where the electronic components are to be mounted on the printed circuit board (PCB), to make it possible the work at arbitrary positions, and to further provide an easy compensation for any errors possibly occurring in mounting the electronic components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Mirae Corporation
    Inventor: Ji Hyun Hwang
  • Publication number: 20030033034
    Abstract: Transfer of liquid crystal panels to next processes is carried out with the panels placed on transfer arms (6) and held by suction pads (12). A small suction force can be sufficient, and a suction irregularity is prevented. Transfer arms are arranged at the lower side of liquid crystal panels, thus not obstructing the liquid crystal panels. In arranging the liquid crystal panels to an image pickup device (111), a panel hold device (112) is controlled to drive to position panel marks to a bonding height position with negating a deflection amount of the liquid crystal panels, and furthermore a component hold device is controlled to drive to position component marks to the bonding height position and to mount electronic components to the liquid crystal panels at the bonding height position. Thus, an accuracy for mounting electronic components can be improved in comparison with the conventional art.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2002
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Inventors: Shinjiro Tsuji, Tomotaka Nishimoto, Takahiko Murata, Masayuki Ida
  • Publication number: 20030029032
    Abstract: An electronic parts mount apparatus for taking out semiconductor chips from a semiconductor wafer held on a wafer hold section by a transfer head comprising a plurality of suction nozzles and transporting and mounting the semiconductor chips to and on a board has a parts recognition camera disposed in a manner that it can advance to and retreat from the wafer hold section for picking up an image of the semiconductor wafer. A parts mounting step for mounting a plurality of semiconductor chips on the board by the transfer head and an image picking up step for picking up a plurality of semiconductor chips to be next taken out by the parts recognition camera are performed concurrently. Thereby, the number of electronic parts per mount turn can be increased, the tact time can be shortened, and the electronic parts can be efficiently taken out and mounted on the board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2002
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Haji, Wataru Hidese
  • Publication number: 20030029029
    Abstract: A pick-up tool for the mounting of semiconductor chips onto a substrate has a suction device which consists of a plate made out of a dimensionally stable material one surface of which has structures made of hardened adhesive. The material for the plate is, for example, aluminum, a carbon fiber composite material or a dimensionally stable plastic. A suitable material for the structure is, for example, an adhesive which has Teflon® as the filing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Inventor: Rene Josef Ulrich
  • Patent number: 6516517
    Abstract: Fluid bearings, vacuum chucks and methods for producing these devices. One example of a method for forming a fluid bearing includes forming a plate having a face surface and a bonding surface, coupling a first side of a body to the bonding surface, placing the face surface of the plate against a predetermined surface, and generating a pressure difference to conform the face surface to the predetermined surface. One example of a fluid bearing of the invention includes a plate support and a flexible bearing plate having a bonding surface which is attached to the plate support with an adhesive which is flexible before hardening. The flexible bearing plate conforms to a predetermined surface during a portion of the time that the adhesive hardens. Examples of vacuum chucks, and methods for forming vacuum chucks, and other aspects of the invention are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Inventor: Marek Zywno
  • Patent number: 6513233
    Abstract: The component handling tool (14) is moved linearly up and down on a moving mechanism (11) by feedback control of a linear motor (16) for performing pickup and mounting actions of components (3). The linear motor is controlled to effect a downward movement of the component handling tool for bringing the component handling tool or the component held thereby closer to the component or to a mounting object, and upon detecting changes in control information when contact is made with the component or the mounting object, control of the linear motor is switched to a pressing operation, whereby the holding or mounting of the component in a prescribed pressed condition is accomplished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Nakao, Noriaki Yoshida, Takeshi Takeda
  • Patent number: 6513236
    Abstract: Bump components mounted on a circuit board on a supporting substrate is covered with a flexible separation wall. A pressure difference is provided between the inner and outer sides of the separation wall and thus the bump components are pressed against the circuit board. When heating is carried out in this state, the bump components and the circuit board are connected with a conductive adhesive or solder. During the heating, the circuit board is not deformed. Therefore, a bump-component mounted body can be manufactured with high yield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahide Tsukamoto
  • Publication number: 20030014862
    Abstract: Method of mounting an electric component on a component-mounting surface such that the electric component held by a suction nozzle under a negative pressure is forced onto the component-mounting surface, with termination of application of the negative pressure to the suction nozzle, and the suction nozzle is then moved away from the component-mounting surface, the method comprising the steps of: initiating application of a positive pressure to a passage communicating with the suction nozzle, before the electric component is forced onto the component-mounting surface; maintaining the application of the positive pressure to the passage, until the suction nozzle is spaced apart from the electric component by at least 0.4 mm; and then exposing the passage to the atmosphere. Also disclosed is an electric-component mounting system arranged to practice the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2002
    Publication date: January 23, 2003
    Applicant: FUJI MACHINE MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinsuke Suhara, Yukio Ueno, Akiyoshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6507997
    Abstract: A method of mounting an electric component on a circuit substrate, including the steps of moving one of a suction nozzle and an electric-component supplying device toward the other of the nozzle and the supplying device, so that the nozzle applies a suction to the component supplied by the supplying device and thereby receives the component, moving one of the nozzle and the substrate toward the other of the nozzle and the substrate, so that the nozzle mounts the component on the substrate, taking an image of at least a portion of the component held by the nozzle, as seen in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the nozzle, in a state in which the nozzle takes a known position in the axial direction, determining, based on image data representing the taken image, a position of a mounted surface of the electric component that is opposite to a sucked surface of the component sucked by the nozzle, and controlling, based on the determined position, a movement of the nozzle toward one or each of the sup
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: Fuji Machine Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayoshi Kawai, Shinsuke Suhara, Yusuke Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 6507996
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for positioning electronic circuits arranged on a foil (2), such as chips (1), on a circuit card (11), ceramic substrate or the like, using the flip-chip method. The chips (1) are lifted from the foil (2) by needles (4) located under said foil and are further picked up by a needle with a suction cup (3) or by a suction cup that rotates said chips (1) by 180°. The chips are then received by another needle with a suction cup (10) and positioned on the circuit card (11) for direct connection of the contact lines. The needles (4) used for lifting the chips (1) as well as the needle with the suction cup (3) for receiving said chips (1) are capable of synchronous and mainly rectilinear or vertical displacement. The needle with the suction cup (3) is placed in a us holder (5) which is mounted in an arm (6) so as to be capable of movement, wherein said arm is driven by a drive organ (9) in order to carry out the 180° rotation movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: Datacon Semiconductor Equipment GmbH
    Inventor: Karl Schweitzer
  • Patent number: 6505395
    Abstract: An apparatus which reduces the surface area with which a carrier film adheres to a die, including a plate member including laterally-spaced supports. Preferably, the apparatus also includes a vacuum source operatively connected to the plate member. Upon placement of a carrier film having an array of semiconductor dice adhered thereto onto the plate member, the dice are proximate the supports. The vacuum pulls air from the spaces between the supports, which partially releases the carrier film from the bottom surface of at least some of the dice. The apparatus may also include a die removal mechanism such as a vacuum collet type die pick-up mechanism, an extendable member die plunge-up mechanism, or a combination thereof. The present invention also includes a method for reducing the surface area with which a carrier film adheres to a die to facilitate removal thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Warren M. Farnworth, Rockwell Smith
  • Patent number: 6505397
    Abstract: A die holding mechanism comprising a connecting wire receiving shaft which is movable up and down, a pair of die holding levers which have die holding sections for holding the die and are installed so that these levers are free to open and close, and opening-and-closing levers that open and close the die holding levers. A die formed with connecting wires on its upper surface is pushed up by a die push-up device and the wires of the die come into contact with the connecting wire receiving shaft of the die holding mechanism. When the connecting wire receiving shaft is raised by a given amount by the upward movement of the die, the die holding levers are closed so that the die holding sections of the die holding levers are positioned beneath the undersurface of the die. Afterward, the push-up needles of the die push-up device are lowered, resulting in that the die is held by the die holding levers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Shinkawa
    Inventors: Tsutomu Mimata, Osamu Kakutani
  • Patent number: 6503356
    Abstract: Exact transfer of electronic element main bodies, held by virtue of an adhesive property provided by an adhesive surface, is provided from a first holder to a second holder. A plurality of through holes are formed in the first holder, so that a pressing force provided by a pusher member can be applied through the through holes to the electronic element main bodies bonded on an adhesive surface of the first holder. Meanwhile, the first holder is separated from the electronic element main bodies which are at the same time bonded on to an adhesive surface of the second holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoki Sakai, Jiro Todoroki
  • Patent number: 6497037
    Abstract: There is provided a production line having a plurality of mounting apparatus of electronic components in which the overall production efficiency is sustained by an alternation scheme when a mounting apparatus has a long cycle time due to a high malfunction rate. At a predetermined timing, the rate of unsuccessful pick-up procedure for an electronic component is compared to a predetermined value. If the rate is higher than the value, CPU finds out if the mounting apparatus 2, or 3 is available as an alternate. When the alternate is the apparatus 2, CPU 10 changes the command parameter of the particular mounting procedure, stored in RAM 12, from “M” to “S”, and stops mounting the same component. In the mean time, the mounting apparatus 2 accepts the alternate request from the apparatus 1, changes the command parameter as required, and mounts the same component on a print circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshihiro Kawahara
  • Publication number: 20020189083
    Abstract: A transformer of a switching power-supply circuit is placed and mounted nearly in the middle area of a circuit board. The transformer is of a low-profile type, and a broad and flat upper surface of the transformer functions as a suction surface for a suction nozzle. When a surface-mount type switching power-supply unit is mounted in a mother board, firstly, the upper surface of the above transformer is held by the suction nozzle, the surface-mount type switching power-supply unit is transferred to a target mounting area on the mother board by the suction nozzle, and the surface-mount type switching power-supply unit is surface mounted in the mother board. Because it is not required to provide a nozzle suction surface for the suction nozzle's exclusive use, transfer molding is not needed, and accordingly a low-profile and low-cost surface-mount type switching power-supply unit can be facilitated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Applicant: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadehiko Matsumoto, Takayoshi Nishiyama, Jun Nagai
  • Patent number: 6490784
    Abstract: An automatic electronic component-mounting apparatus is provided. A nut member is slidably arranged between a pair of rails. A head-lifting/lowering member is lowered and lifted with respect to the main block via the pair of rails and the nut member. A mounting head is attached to the head-lifting/lowering member. The head-lifting/lowering member is lowered and lifted to cause the mounting head to pick up an electronic chip component and then mount the electronic chip component on a printed circuit board. The head-lifting/lowering member is formed of a metal-ceramic composite material produced by combining a ceramic reinforcing material with a metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Kano, Yoshinao Usui, Takahiro Nagata
  • Publication number: 20020178578
    Abstract: The component suction device includes a suction nozzle (10) for sucking and holding a component (20), a nozzle turning device (25) for holding the suction nozzle and turning the suction nozzle, and a nozzle up-and-down device (26) which is located upward of the nozzle turning device and which is connected to the suction nozzle to serve for moving up and down the suction nozzle along an axial direction of the suction nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Inventors: Kenji Okamoto, Akira Kabeshita, Hideo Sakon, Yoichi Makino, Ken Takano
  • Patent number: 6484393
    Abstract: A method of electrically connecting an electronic component to the flexible printed wiring board may comprise the steps of: Providing an air permeable platen having a substantially flat front surface and a back surface; placing the flexible printed wiring board on the front surface of the platen; lowering the pressure at the back surface of the platen; and electrically connecting the electronic component to the flexible printed wiring board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Alex B. Chan
  • Patent number: 6481099
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a transfer type circuit board fabricating system including a conveyor device for transferring circuit boards in a predetermined transfer direction through a component placing device for placing electronic components on the circuit boards. The conveyor device includes a pair of conveying surfaces for conveying the circuit boards and a pair of board supports for supporting one of the circuit boards. Each board support extends between and is supported by the pair of conveying surfaces. A table having a surface is situated below both the pair of conveying surfaces and the pair of board supports. A pair of deflection shields extend from and at an acute angle with respect to the surface of the table to terminate at an edge. Each edge is flush with and adjacent to one of the conveying surfaces and is also beneath the pair of board supports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Larry W. McWilliams
  • Patent number: 6474710
    Abstract: Mounting apparatus for electronic parts includes a mounting head and a suction-operated gripping mechanism for selectively gripping an object positioned adjacent one side of the gripping mechanism. A suction-operated attaching mechanism is also provided for selectively and removably attaching the gripping mechanism to the mounting head, whereby the gripping mechanism is removable from the mounting head and is hence replaceable. The mounting apparatus also has a viewing mechanism, including a camera, for viewing an object gripped by the gripping mechanism. The viewing mechanism is located on an opposite side of the gripping mechanism. The gripping mechanism has a light-transmitting portion positioned in such a manner that an object gripped by the gripping mechanism can be viewed by the camera through the gripping mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignee: Lilogix, Inc.
    Inventors: Zvi Bendat, Miroslaw Sokol
  • Publication number: 20020157246
    Abstract: A part mounting apparatus mounts a part, such as a film electronic part, accurately and efficiently on a substrate, such as a glass substrate. A measuring device (21) moves along the edges of a glass substrate (31) and measures the distance between the measuring device (21) and the glass substrate (31) at predetermined positions. The measuring device (21) gives measured data to a controller (22). The controller (22) determines the state of deformation of the glass substrate (31) on the basis of the measured data and controls suctions to be applied by suction pads (12) included in a substrate conveying unit (10) to the glass substrate (31) on the basis of the measured data. The glass substrate (31) being conveyed by the substrate conveying unit (10) receives downward suctions of the suction pads (12) and upward reaction forces of props (13).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Inventor: Shinichi Ogimoto
  • Publication number: 20020157245
    Abstract: A part mounting apparatus and a part mounting method are capable of accurately mounting a plurality of film electronic parts of different types respectively having different sizes on a glass substrate. When carrying a small film electronic part having a small width by a vacuum holding mechanism (10), a cylinder actuator (16) mounted on a support plate (11) is retracted to retract a drive cam (17). Thus a movable vacuum holding block (13) is raised by springs (15) to hold the film electronic part (32a, 32b) only by a fixed vacuum holding block (12). When carrying a large film electronic part having a big width by the vacuum holding mechanism (10), the cylinder actuator (16) is stretched out to advance the drive cam (17) to its working position. Consequently, the movable vacuum block (13) is depressed through a roller (19) by the drive cam (17), and both the fixed vacuum holding block (12) and the movable vacuum holding block (13) are used for holding the film electronic part (32c, 32d) by suction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Inventor: Shinichi Ogimoto
  • Patent number: 6467158
    Abstract: A component feeder including a rotary mechanism 31 which is mounted on a turning mechanism 17 for turning the suction nozzle 3 and causes the suction nozzle 3 to rotate around its axis line A, a detector 7 for detecting an amount of displacement the component 2 in rotating direction around the axis line A of the suction nozzle 3, and a controller 32 which controls the suction nozzle 3 such as to rotate at a necessary angle around its axis line A before picking up the component 2 in accordance with displacement of the component 2 in rotating direction around the axis line A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kiyomura, Shinji Kanayama, Nobuya Matsumura, Kenji Takahashi, Hiroshi Nasu
  • Patent number: 6467824
    Abstract: A pick and place system is provided with an actuator is responsive to the connection to an air power source to move to a pick-up position. The actuator moves a fork-type link which in turn moves a probe to compliantly move to pick up a micro device upon connection to the air power source. A replaceable precisor precisely aligns the micro device relative to the probe and a floating seal disposed around the probe and resting on the replaceable precisor seals the probe to the replaceable precisor. A system control, connectable to the electrical power source, is connected to the pneumatic and supply valves for selectively, electrically actuating the pneumatic and supply valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: Data I/O Corporation
    Inventors: Lev M. Bolotin, Bryan D. Powell, Rossen Atanassov Rachkov
  • Publication number: 20020148109
    Abstract: An electronic component mounting apparatus has a pair of guides, a beam traveling along the guides and a mounting head placed on the beam. A first linear motor moves the beam along the guides, and a second linear motor moves the mounting head along the beam. A thermal insulating portion placed between the beam and the guides thermally insulates the two components from each other. Thermal conduction portions are placed on the fixed elements of the first and second linear motors. This configuration assures an accurate operation of the mounting apparatus by eliminating thermal deformations of their components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2002
    Publication date: October 17, 2002
    Inventors: Hisayoshi Kashitani, Katsuyuki Seto, Yoshiharu Fukushima
  • Publication number: 20020148108
    Abstract: The invention provides a mounting apparatus with a beam which is free from adverse effect on its performance due to thermal distortion and misalignment of its guide rails, on which the beam for mounting operation travels. One end of the beam is rotatably supported on a slide, which moves along the guide rails. Another end of the beam is also rotatably supported on another slider through a moving element. The slider and the mounting element move along the guide rail. The moving element moves in a direction perpendicular to the guide rails.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2002
    Publication date: October 17, 2002
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Seto, Yoshiharu Fukushima
  • Publication number: 20020135191
    Abstract: A pick and place system is provided with an actuator is responsive to the connection to an air power source to move to a pick-up position. The actuator moves a fork-type link which in turn moves a probe to compliantly move to pick up a micro device upon connection to the air power source. A replaceable precisor precisely aligns the micro device relative to the probe and a floating seal disposed around the probe and resting on the replaceable precisor seals the probe to the replaceable precisor. A system control, connectable to the electrical power source, is connected to the pneumatic and supply valves for selectively, electrically actuating the pneumatic and supply valves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2001
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Inventors: Lev M. Bolotin, Bryan D. Powell, Rossen Atanassov Rachkov
  • Publication number: 20020133937
    Abstract: In an electronics packaging system (1) including a printer (3), placing unit (4) and reflow unit (5), a printed wiring board (2) is carried while being kept in upright position. The printed wiring board (2) has solder printed on lands thereof at the same time, electronic parts (10) placed on the lands at the same time, and the electronic parts (10) solder to the lands at the same time. Thus, the system (1) can be designed more compact, and package electronic parts in a shorter time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2002
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Mochida, Katsumi Togasaki, Katsumi Morita, Yusuke Masutani, Hiroji Kameda, Noboru Sekiguchi, Minoru Shimada, Toshio Toyama, Akihiro Koga, Mitsuo Inoue, Kazuhiro Abe, Tetsuya Yonemoto, Kenji Ishihara, Syunji Aoki, Fumio Matsumoto, Takanori Arai, Hisashi Naoshima
  • Publication number: 20020124393
    Abstract: An electric-component mounting system including: nozzle holders each carrying suction nozzles and rotatable to bring selected one of the suction nozzles; a turning device to turn the nozzle holders about a common axis of turning, for stopping each nozzle holder at predetermined working positions including nozzle-selecting, component-receiving and component-mounting positions; a holder rotating device which includes an engaging member engageable with and disengageable from an engaging portion of each nozzle holder, and which is disposed at the nozzle-selecting position, to rotate the nozzle holder, with the engaging member engaging the engaging portion; and an engaging-and-disengaging device to move the engaging member for engagement and disengagement with and from the engaging portion, and wherein each nozzle holder receives an electric component at the selected suction nozzle when each nozzle holder is located at the component-receiving position, and mounts the electric-component onto a circuit substrate whi
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2002
    Publication date: September 12, 2002
    Applicant: FUJI MACHINE MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinsuke Suhara, Yusuke Tsuchiya, Takayuki Mizuno
  • Publication number: 20020124399
    Abstract: An electronic component holding head, an electronic component mounting apparatus using same, and a method for mounting an electronic component, are provided for use in mounting an electronic component having a positioning mark formed on a film member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2002
    Publication date: September 12, 2002
    Applicant: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinichi Ogimoto
  • Patent number: 6446331
    Abstract: An electronic component mounting apparatus and an electronic component mounting method are provided which improve the productivity by reducing the cycle time. The electronic component mounting method includes the steps of a) picking up an electronic component from a first supplying section or a second supplying section respectively disposed on each side of a substrate, b) recognizing the electronic component by a recognition section, and c) moving and mounting the electronic component on the substrate. Frequently used electronic components are stored in both of the first and second supplying sections. The electronic components are picked up from the first supplying section and mounted on the substrate in the normal operating conditions. When the electronic components stored in the first supplying section run out, the same kind of components are provided by the second supplying section to continue the mounting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoyuki Horigome
  • Patent number: 6446333
    Abstract: A component mounting method for picking up components with a mounting head having multiple suction nozzles, and mounting these components on a mounting target after recognition. Components picked up integrally move against a component recognizer disposed on a movement route of the head for scanning and recognizing each component. During scanning, the slowest speed in scanning speeds required for recognizing each component is used. This eliminates a approaching time needed for switching speed during scanning of each component, thus reducing the total recognition time to improve mounting efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kashiwagi, Kazuhide Nagao
  • Patent number: 6438822
    Abstract: A method of examining a position of at least one board-support pin which is positioned on a board-support base for supporting a printed-circuit board under a back surface thereof, the method including the steps of taking an image of the board-support pin, at a position opposed to a free end of the pin, judging whether the position of the board-support pin is appropriate, based on the taken image, and producing judgment information indicative of a result of the judgment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Assignee: Fuji Machine Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomohiko Hattori
  • Publication number: 20020112346
    Abstract: A component mounting apparatus have a pair of component supply sections, and first and second mounting head sections. Each of the first and second head sections has a rotary member driven about a horizontal axis, component suction nozzles attached to the rotary member, driving mechanisms for rotating corresponding component suction nozzle, and a recognition section for recognizing components sucked by the component suction nozzle. Each of the first and second mounting head section performs successive suction, recognition, posture adjustment, and mounting of the components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2002
    Publication date: August 22, 2002
    Inventors: Kanji Hata, Noriaki Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20020108238
    Abstract: A semiconductor device mounting jig capable of holding a flexible tape substrate or other board flat and stable, provided with a holding plate having a flat mounting board holding surface integrally formed at an opening of a plate support having a hollow portion inside and having the opening communicated with the hollow portion or fit in the opening of the plate support through an O-ring, suction holes penetrating through the holding plate at the mounting board holding surface, and a suction means for applying suction at the suction holes from the opposite side to the mounting board holding surface such as applying suction at the hollow portion of the plate support, the mounting board being placed on the mounting board holding surface to cover the suction holes and the suction means applying suction to the hollow portion to hold and fix the mounting board by suction, and a method of mounting a semiconductor device using the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2002
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Inventor: Kazuya Ohta
  • Publication number: 20020108239
    Abstract: A method of detecting a position of a rotation axis of a suction nozzle of an electric-component mounting apparatus, the suction nozzle holding, by suction, an electric component, and being rotated about the rotation axis thereof to rotate the electric component held thereby, so that the electric component rotated is mounted on a component-mounting surface of a circuit substrate, the method including the step of detecting, on a position-detecting plane including the component-mounting surface of the circuit substrate, the position of the rotation axis of the suction nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2002
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Applicant: Fuji Machine Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeyoshi Isogai, Kimihiko Yasuda, Noriaki Iwaki, Hiroshi Katsumi
  • Publication number: 20020092157
    Abstract: According to the present invention, a control device and a circuit board moving device controlled in operation by the control device for holding a circuit board are provided, whereby the circuit board moving device is moved to bring a component mount position on the circuit board closest to a recognition device after the circuit board moving device is moved to bring the component mount position closest to a component feed position. In the state, a circuit board mark formed on the circuit board is detected, thereby recognizing a position of the circuit board. A transfer distance for the component by a component hold device from the recognition device to the component mount position is thus shortened, enabling high-speed mounting with higher accuracy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Publication date: July 18, 2002
    Inventors: Noriaki Yoshida, Makoto Sueki, Koji Odera, Yoshihiro Yoshida, Osamu Okuda, Naoyuki Kitamura, Akira Kabeshita
  • Publication number: 20020088113
    Abstract: Index head in a semiconductor device test handler for mounting semiconductor device in a test socket at a test site, wherein a force pressing down a semiconductor device is accurately controlled by means of a force transducer fitted to a head holder, a precise temperature control of the semiconductor device is made by direct heat transfer to a picked up semiconductor device from an electric heater fitted to the head, and a smooth alignment is made by a compliance part even if there is an alignment error between the index head and/or the test socket, thereby permitting a faster operation of the index head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Publication date: July 11, 2002
    Applicant: Mirae Corporation
    Inventor: Hyun Joo Hwang
  • Publication number: 20020083579
    Abstract: An electric-component mounting system including a component-holding device for holding an electric component, a board-supporting device for supporting a printed-wiring board on which the electric component is mounted, a first relative-movement device operable to move the component-holding device and the board-supporting device relative to each other in a first direction parallel to a surface of the board supported by the board-supporting device, a second relative-movement device operable to move the component-holding device and the board-supporting device relative to each other in a second direction which intersects the surface of the board; and a control device including a positioning portion operable to select one of a plurality of different control targets which is used for the first relative-movement device to establish a predetermined relative position between the component-holding device and the board-supporting device, and wherein the positioning portion selects one of the different control targets, de
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Publication date: July 4, 2002
    Applicant: Fuji Machine Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinsuke Suhara, Toshiya Ito, Hirokazu Koike
  • Publication number: 20020083584
    Abstract: An electric-component holding apparatus including a component holder which holds an electric component and includes an engaging portion, a holder-holding member to which the component holder is detachably attached, a lock member which consists of a substantially rigid body, and which is supported by the holder-holding member such that the lock member is movable relative to the holder-holding member, and is engaged with the engaging portion of the component holder to lock the component holder to the holder-holding member, and a locked-state maintaining device which includes an operable member and an elastic member and which maintains, owing to an elastic force of the elastic member, a locked state in which the lock member is engaged with the engaging portion of the component holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Publication date: July 4, 2002
    Applicant: FUJI MACHINE MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeyoshi Isogai, Hiroshi Katsumi, Hisashi Kojima, Masato Ando, Tetsuo Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20020083583
    Abstract: A device for handling components (i.e. chips) is described. The device utilizes a conveyor belt that has crowns or recesses in a frame configuration into which singled semiconductor chips can be inserted. The conveyor belt has openings or holes between the chip positions that are large enough that the chips can be transported through the openings. It is possible to move the inserted chips by an adapted pick-and-place system, by purely vertical movements, into planes above and below the conveyor belt, in which the chips can be further processed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Publication date: July 4, 2002
    Inventor: Wilhelm Schindler
  • Publication number: 20020073536
    Abstract: A component mounting apparatus includes a board transfer section for carrying in one of circuit boards to a component mounting position and carrying out the circuit board after component-mounting, a component feed section for feeding to a specified position a component to be mounted onto the circuit board, a component mounting section for loading a suction nozzle matching the component to be mounted, sucking up the-component from the component feed section and moving the component to the mounting position, and mounting the component to a specified site of the circuit board, a controller for controlling operations of the individual sections to execute a productional operation of component-mounting onto the circuit boards, and a remaining-component discarding device for performing an operation of discarding a component which remains at the suction nozzle during a time period for which the component-mounting operation by the component mounting section is kept halted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Inventors: Osamu Okuda, Hiroshi Uchiyama, Hiroshi Furuya, Yoshihiro Mimura
  • Patent number: 6408224
    Abstract: In a rotary articulated robot having at least a plurality of offset rotary joints in which a drive arm and driven arm are driven in rotation about an offset rotary axis inclined with respect to the arm axis, a hollow rotary shaft that is driven in rotation by a motor is arranged rotatably, being inclined, at the leading end of the arm of either the drive arm or driven arm while a rotor member to which turning effort from the hollow shaft is transmitted is fixed at the base of the other arm, said hollow rotary shaft and said rotor member constituting a high reduction ratio transmission/torque increasing mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: National Aerospace Laboratory of Science Technology Agency
    Inventors: Osamu Okamoto, Teruomi Nakaya, Heihachiro Kamimura, Isao Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20020069517
    Abstract: There is provided a circuit board fixing table having a structure in which no vibration or shock is applied to a transport motor when a circuit board is fixed and an electronic component mounting apparatus utilizing the circuit board fixing table and capable of mounting electronic components without causing operational failures during transportation. A circuit board fixing table for transporting a circuit board placed on transport belts to a predetermined position and fixing it with an elevating fixing device, the table having a transport motor provided separately from a support member for the transport belts for driving the transport belts and power transmission mechanisms A and B for transmitting a driving force of the transport motor to the transport belts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Izumi Miura, Hirofumi Obara, Naoto Mimura, Kazuyuki Nakano
  • Publication number: 20020069518
    Abstract: The present invention provides a tray for holding components having first and second sides, wherein the first side has at least one first component receptacle for engaging said component; and the second side has at least one component engaging member, and further wherein the first component receptacle and the component engaging member are aligned such that when multiples of the tray are stacked upon each other the first component receptacle and the component engaging member will cooperate to restrain the motion of the component relative to the tray. In such an embodiment the component will have first and second engagement surfaces and the first component receptacle will engage the first component engagement surface and the component engaging member will engage the second component engagement surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2002
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Inventors: Mark T. Girard, Ryan A. Jurgenson, Roger R. Livermore, Susan June Livermore, David R. Swift, Joseph P. Tracy