Douglas B Green

US Patent:

59673656, Oct 19, 1999

Filed:

Aug 1, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/904602

Inventors:

Robert M. Bogursky - Encinitas CA
Giuseppe Bianca - Temecula CA
Douglas Green - Spencerport NY
John Hover - Hilton NY
Richard Howe - Brockport NY
Scott Proctor - Brockport NY

Assignee:

Autosplice Systems, Inc. - San Diego CA

International Classification:

G07F 1100

US Classification:

221 74

Abstract:

A feeder for a pick and place machine used in connection with the mounting of small discrete parts such as electrical and mechanical components comprises a frame and mechanisms connected to the frame for advancing a carrier tape product from a supply reel. The carrier tape product preferably includes a pair of spaced apart continuous parallel carrier tapes having a series of longitudinally spaced parts with opposite sides molded over adjacent inner side edges of corresponding ones of the carrier tapes so that each part bridges the two carrier tapes. The feeder further comprises a separation station mounted to the frame for receiving the carrier tape from the supply reel. Mechanisms in the separation station are provided for exerting a sufficient force between a part in the separation station and the carrier tape to physically separate the part from the carrier tape without substantially displacing the part from a predetermined location on the separation station so as to impair the ability of the head of a pick and place machine to pick up the part. Preferably the force is exerted by preventing the inner side edges of the tapes from moving upwardly, by restraining the outer side edges of the tapes from inward movement toward the part, and by deflecting the intermediate portions of the tapes upwardly, causing the inner side edges of the tapes to break away from the part.