Extraction of modular belt carriers of electronic components

Abstract

Replaceable component carriers ( 40 ) are adapted to be freely floating in belt apertures ( 74 ) and have alignment features ( 160 ), such as conical holes ( 170 ), mated to features ( 162 ), such as tapered pins ( 184 ), in processing stations to temporarily hold a carrier ( 40 ) and its components ( 10 ), such as resistors, in a fixed position during various processes, such as termination. The carriers ( 40 ) include a rigid substructure ( 50 ) and a more elastic coating ( 60 ) to provide receiving holes ( 46 ) that can be adapted to hold particular components ( 10 ). The carriers ( 40 ) can be replaced without removing the belt ( 72 ), whenever differently shaped holes ( 46 ) are desired or become too worn to reliably handle components ( 10 ), thereby reducing damage risk, replacement cost, and operational down time of the belt ( 72 ).

1 . An automated carrier extraction system for removing component carriers from a belt having carrier attachment features for association with belt-engagement features on the carriers and having drive features such that the belt is adapted to be moved by one or more belt translation mechanisms to pass through one or more electronic component processing stations, each carrier having multiple receiving holes, each receiving hole adapted to hold one of the electronic components, comprising: 
 a sensor for detecting information about a carrier; and    a disengagement actuator for suppressing the belt-engagement feature on a carrier to facilitate removal of the carrier from association with the belt.    
   
   
       2 . The automated carrier extraction system of  claim 1  in which the carrier attachment feature comprises a belt aperture and in which the carrier includes a body having perimeter dimensions that are smaller than corresponding dimensions of the belt aperture such that the body is adapted to sit within the belt aperture.  
   
   
       3 . The automated carrier extraction system of  claim 1  in which the carrier attachment feature comprises a belt aperture and in which the carrier includes a body having perimeter dimensions that are smaller than corresponding dimensions of the belt aperture such that the body is adapted to sit within the belt aperture and have some movement within a plane of the belt while being securely supported by the belt.  
   
   
       4 . The automated carrier extraction system of  claim 1  in which the carrier attachment feature comprises a belt aperture and in which the carrier comprises a flange connected to or integrated with a carrier body with top and bottom surfaces through which the receiving holes axially extend, the flange extending outwardly from the body and having a flange dimension adapted to overhang an internal edge of the belt, such that the flange contacts a surface of the belt when the carrier is engaged with the belt, and in which the belt-engagement feature of the carrier comprises a projection that is adapted in cooperation with the flange to engage the internal edge of the belt to brace the carrier within the belt.  
   
   
       5 . The automated carrier extraction system of  claim 1  in which the carrier comprises an information or identification tag, and the sensor is capable of detecting the number of times the carrier has passed through a processing station.  
   
   
       6 . The automated carrier extraction system of  claim 4  in which the projection has a surface that is parallel to the flange.  
   
   
       7 . The automated carrier extraction system of  claim 4  in which the projection comprises a nub.  
   
   
       8 . The automated carrier extraction system of  claim 4  in which the projection comprises a tab attached to or integrated with the body.  
   
   
       9 . The automated carrier extraction system of  claim 4  in which the projection comprises a tab attached to or integrated with the flange.  
   
   
       10 . The automated carrier extraction system of  claim 1  further comprising an alignment tool adapted to engage one or more alignment features on the carrier to facilitate precise alignment between the carrier and the disengagement actuator.  
   
   
       11 . A method for automated extraction of carriers from belts having carrier attachment features for association with belt-engagement features of the carriers and having drive features such that the belt is adapted to be moved by one or more belt translation mechanisms to pass through one or more electronic component processing stations, each carrier having multiple receiving holes, each receiving hole having a resilient edge that is adapted to resiliently hold one of the electronic components, comprising: 
 receiving information about a characteristic of a carrier; and    suppressing the belt-engagement feature on a carrier to facilitate removal of the carrier from association with the carrier attachment feature of the belt.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  in which the carrier comprises an information or identification tag, and the characteristic of the carrier comprises a value that indicates how many times the carrier has passed through a processing station.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11  in which the carrier attachment feature comprises a belt aperture and in which the carrier comprises a flange connected to or integrated with a carrier body with top and bottom surfaces through which the receiving holes axially extend, the flange extending outwardly from the body and having a flange dimension adapted to overhang an internal edge of the belt, such that the flange contacts a surface of the belt when the carrier is engaged with the belt, and in which the belt-engagement feature of the carrier comprises a projection that is adapted in cooperation with the flange to engage the internal edge of the belt to brace the carrier within the belt, further comprising: 
 suppressing the projection to facilitate removal of the body from the aperture; and    exerting a force in a direction from the bottom surface to the top surface to expel the carrier from the belt.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  in which the projection has a surface that is parallel to the flange.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  in which the projection comprises a nub.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13  in which the projection comprises a tab attached to or integrated with the body.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13  in which the projection comprises a tab attached to or integrated with the flange.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising employing a disengagement mechanism in cooperation with an alignment tool adapted that is to engage one or more alignment features on the carrier to facilitate precise alignment between the carrier and the disengagement mechanism.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  in which at least one of the alignment features is a hole.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18  in which at least one of the alignment features on the carrier is a tapered alignment hole that penetrates the carrier and has a larger outer dimension that tapers to a smaller inner dimension.