Portion-wise filling of a reservoir with bulk components

Abstract

A magazine ( 200 ) is described for portion-wise receiving individualized bulk electronic components ( 298 ). The magazine ( 200 ) comprises (a) a receiving structure ( 110 ) which comprises multiple closable receiving cavities ( 112, 112 a ), which are arranged along a longitudinal axis ( 100 a ) of the receiving structure ( 110 ); (b) a cover structure ( 120 ) which is arranged at an upper side of the receiving structure ( 110 ), displaceable along the longitudinal axis ( 100 a ), so that in a closed position of the cover structure ( 120 ) all receiving cavities ( 112, 112 a ) are covered and in one opening position of multiple opening positions at least one receiving cavity ( 112 ) is free; and (c) a closure foil ( 225 ) which encompasses the cover structure ( 120 ) along the longitudinal axis ( 100 a ) in the form of a closed tape, wherein at least a part of the closure foil ( 225 ) is releasably connected to the receiving structure ( 110 ). Further, a device ( 430 ) is described for portion-wise transferring components ( 298 ) from one such magazine ( 200 ) into a reservoir ( 490 ) for a component supply device. Further, a method is described for portion-wise transferring components from one such magazine ( 200 ) into the one such reservoir ( 490 ).

1 . A magazine for portion-wise receiving individualized bulk electronic components, the magazine comprising:
 a receiving structure which comprises a plurality of closable receiving cavities arranged along a longitudinal axis of the receiving structure;   a cover structure which is arranged at an upper side of the receiving structure and is displaceable along the longitudinal axis, so that in a closed position of the cover structure, all receiving cavities are covered, and, in an opening position of multiple opening positions, at least one receiving cavity is free; and   a closure foil which, in the form of a closed belt, surrounds the cover structure along the longitudinal axis wherein at least a part of the closure foil is releasably connected to the receiving structure.   
     
     
         2 . The magazine according to  claim 1 , wherein along the longitudinal axis two opposite end parts of the closure foil are connected to each other. 
     
     
         3 . The magazine according to  claim 1 , wherein in a starting condition of the magazine, the closure foil outside the receiving cavities is releasably adhered to the upper side of the receiving structure in a planar manner. 
     
     
         4 . The magazine according to  claim 1 , wherein the receiving structure and the cover structure have at least approximately the same length along the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         5 . The magazine according to  claim 1 , wherein the receiving structure and the cover structure at both their side edges each have contours which are complementary to each other, and which are in engagement with each other perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         6 . The magazine according to  claim 5 , wherein one of the two contours is a planar edge area of the receiving structure or the cover structure which is folded over preferably 180° perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the other one of the two contours is a flat planar edge area of the cover structure or the receiving structure, wherein the folded planar edge area engages the flat planar edge area. 
     
     
         7 . The magazine according to  claim 1 , wherein the receiving structure and/or the cover structure comprises a marking, which is indicative for a type of component. 
     
     
         8 . The magazine according to  claim 1 , wherein a non-central receiving cavity of the plurality of receiving cavities has a different shape and/or a different size in comparison to at least one of the other receiving cavities. 
     
     
         9 . A device for portion-wise transferring individualized bulk electronic components
 (i) from a magazine which has multiple closable receiving cavities along a longitudinal axis, in each of which a plurality of electronic components are stored, particularly from a magazine according to  claim 1 ,   (ii) into a reservoir for a component supply device for providing individualized components, particularly for providing individualized electronic components for the purpose of automatic assembly of component carriers in an placement machine by means of vibration, the device comprising:   a frame;   a holding device mounted on the frame for holding the reservoir stationary, wherein the reservoir is orientated in such a manner that a filling opening of the reservoir is located on the upper side with respect to gravity; and   a magazine receiving device mounted on the frame for receiving the magazine in such orientation that components which are located in a receiving cavity fall down into the filling opening under influence of gravity upon opening of the receiving cavity.   
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a turning device which connects the magazine receiving device with the frame and which is formed such that the magazine receiving device is movable between a receiving position and a withdrawal position, wherein
 (i) in the receiving position, the magazine can be inserted into the magazine receiving device in an orientation in which openings of the receiving cavities are on top, and 
 (ii) in the withdrawal position, the received magazine has a turned orientation particularly around 180°. 
   
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a holding-down device which is arranged on the turning device and movable between an opening position and a closing position and which is designed in the opening position, to allow insertion of the magazine into the magazine receiving device and in the closing position, to hold the magazine in the magazine receiving device.   
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a displacing device which is adapted to displace at least one receiving structure of the magazine along the longitudinal axis in order to sequentially open the receiving cavities.   
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 12 , wherein the displacing device comprises a driver element that is displaceable with respect to frame parallel to the longitudinal axis, which driver element is in engagement with a carrier element of the turning device that is displaceable along the longitudinal axis wherein the carrier element is configured to hold the receiving structure of the magazine. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 13 , wherein the driver element and an engagement element of the carrier element are in engagement independently from the position of the turning device. 
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a blocking mechanism that is formed such that a displacing of the carrier element by means of the displacing device is exclusively possible when the magazine receiving device is in the withdrawal position.   
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 an operational condition determination system which preferably is mounted on the frame and which is designed to recognize at least one of the following conditions:
 (a) a marking is arranged on the magazine, indicating that the components in the magazine are of the same type as the components that are to be transferred into the reservoir; 
 (b) the magazine receiving device is in the receiving position; 
 (c) the magazine receiving device is in the withdrawal position; 
 (d) the holding-down device is in the opening position; 
 (e) the holding-down device is in the closing position. 
   
     
     
         17 . The device according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a reservoir determination system which is preferably mounted on the frame and which is arranged to recognize at least one of the following conditions:
 (a) a reservoir is held by the holding device; 
 (b) the reservoir held by the holding device is in a predetermined position; and 
 (c) the reservoir held by the holding device comprises a marking indicative that the reservoir is a predetermined reservoir. 
   
     
     
         18 . The device according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 an actuator which is mounted on the frame and which is positioned and adapted such that a shutter of a reservoir held by the holding device can be displaced between a first position and a second position, wherein   in the first position the reservoir is opened, so that the reservoir can be filled with components, and in the second position the reservoir is closed, so that no components can enter the reservoir or can exit it.   
     
     
         19 . The device according to  claim 18 , wherein the holding device cooperates with the actuator and is configured such that inserting the reservoir into the holding device and withdrawing the reservoir from the holding device is possible only when the shutter of the reservoir is in the second position. 
     
     
         20 . A method for portion-wise transferring individualized bulk electronic components
 (i) from a magazine for portion-wise receiving individualized bulk electronic components, the magazine comprising:
 a receiving structure which comprises a plurality of closable receiving cavities arranged along a longitudinal axis of the receiving structure; 
 a cover structure which is arranged at an upper side of the receiving structure and is displaceable along the longitudinal axis, so that in a closed position of the cover structure, all receiving cavities are covered, and, in an opening position of multiple opening positions, at least one receiving cavity is free; and 
 a closure foil which, in the form of a closed belt, surrounds the cover structure along the longitudinal axis wherein at least a part of the closure foil is releasably connected to the receiving structure; 
   (ii) into a reservoir for a component supply device while using a device according to  claim 9 , the method comprising:
 attaching the reservoir to the holding device; 
 receiving the magazine at the magazine receiving device; and 
 displacing the receiving structure of the magazine relative to the cover structure of the magazine, so that one receiving cavity of the plurality of receiving cavities is opened; 
 transferring components from the at least partially opened receiving cavity into the reservoir under gravity. 
   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , further comprising:
 moving the magazine receiving device together with the received magazine from a receiving position into a withdrawal position, wherein the received magazine in the receiving position is in an upright orientation and in the withdrawal position in a turned orientation, particularly in an orientation turned around 180°,   wherein displacing the receiving structure relative to the cover structure is performed in the turned orientation of the magazine.