Universal pick and place head for handling components of any shape

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017166407-A1
Application number	US-201514969707-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 15, 2015
Priority date	Dec 15, 2015
Publication date	Jun 15, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A pick and place machine includes a frame to adjustably mount, in three dimensions, a plurality of vacuum nozzles over a component to be picked according to a first embodiment a multi-head PnP mechanism may be simple and flexible to train for a wide variety of component and package shapes and sizes. Multiple PnP nozzles are staggered independently in three axes. According to a second embodiment, a PnP mechanism uses an array of self-learning nozzles that adapt by adjusting the z height of individual nozzles to the shape of the object to be picked.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A pick and place mechanism comprising:
a plurality of vacuum nozzles; a frame to mount said nozzles over a component to enable the nozzles to be variably positioned in three dimensions.

2 . The mechanism of claim 1 wherein said nozzles include differently sized pickup heads.

3 . The mechanism of claim 1 wherein said nozzles are lockable at an adjustable height over said component.

4 . The mechanism of claim 3 , said nozzles to be locked at different heights above said component.

5 . The mechanism of claim 4 including a slotted cam on each nozzle to adjust the height of each nozzle over said component.

6 . The mechanism of claim 1 , said frame including a plurality of parallel rails to mount said nozzles.

7 . The mechanism of claim 6 , said nozzles slidably positionable along said rails.

8 . The mechanism of claim 1 including said nozzles being vertically adjustable relative to said component.

9 . The mechanism of claim 8 , said nozzles that contact said component being locked.

10 . The mechanism of claim 8 , said nozzles that do not contact said component being retracted.

11 . The mechanism of claim 1 including a regular matrix of nozzles including rows and columns of regularly spaced nozzles.

12 . A method comprising:
mounting pick and place mechanism nozzles on a frame over a component so that said nozzles may be variably positioned in three dimensions; lowering the nozzles onto the component to be picked; and allowing said nozzles to automatically accommodate for the vertical height of the component.

13 . The method of claim 12 including mounting differently sized pickup heads on said frame.

14 . The method of claim 12 including locking said nozzles at an adjustable height over said component.

15 . The method of claim 14 including locking said nozzles at different heights above said component.

16 . The method of claim 15 including using a slotted cam on each nozzle to adjust the height of each nozzle over said component.

17 . The method of claim 12 including providing a plurality of parallel rails to mount said nozzles.

18 . The method of claim 17 including mounting said nozzle to be slidably positionable along said rails.

19 . The method of claim 12 including mounting said nozzles to be vertically adjustable relative to said component.

20 . The method of claim 19 including locking nozzles that contact said component.

21 . The method of claim 19 including retracting nozzles that do not contact said component.

22 . The method of claim 12 using a regular matrix of nozzles including rows and columns of nozzles.

Assignees

• Intel Corp

Inventors

• Singh Kumar Abhishek
• Malatkar Pramod
• Heppner Joshua D
• Yao Jimin

Classifications

• B65G47/918

  with at least two picking-up heads · CPC title

• B25J15/0616 Primary

  with vacuum · CPC title

• H05K13/041

  having multiple pick-up tools · CPC title

• B65G47/91 Primary

  incorporating pneumatic, e.g. suction, grippers · CPC title

• H05K13/0409

  Sucking devices · CPC title