US3710477A — Parts dispenser and positioner

Claim 1

Independent Claim 126 words

In combination, a parts dispensing upright endless bucket conveyor having a plurality of spaced parts holding buckets each of said buckets being adapted to hold different kinds of parts, a dispensing station at which said parts are to be dispensed, said conveyor including indexing means for moving said buckets in sequence to said station, a support surface for holding a workpiece on which the parts are to be mounted, an indicating device for illuminating different locations on said workpiece upon which different of said parts are to be mounted and means controlled by said conveyor and connected to said indicating device for selectively illuminating different ones of said locations on said workpiece corresponding to the parts cOntained in the particular bucket positioned at said dispensing station.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 126 words

In combination, a parts dispensing upright endless bucket conveyor having a plurality of spaced parts holding buckets each of said buckets being adapted to hold different kinds of parts, a dispensing station at which said parts are to be dispensed, said conveyor including indexing means for moving said buckets in sequence to said station, a support surface for holding a workpiece on which the parts are to be mounted, an indicating device for illuminating different locations on said workpiece upon which different of said parts are to be mounted and means controlled by said conveyor and connected to said indicating device for selectively illuminating different ones of said locations on said workpiece corresponding to the parts cOntained in the particular bucket positioned at said dispensing station.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 82 words

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said indicating device comprises a support fixture for supporting the workpiece, a light source, a plurality of optical elements each capable of transmitting light from said source to a selected location on said workpiece whereby said location is illuminated, an apertured shutter intermediate the optical elements and the light source, and means controlled by said conveyor for moving the shutter in accordance with conveyor movement whereby light is transmitted to only those elements adjacent the aperture.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 115 words

Apparatus for use in the assembly of printed circuits and like articles comprising a parts dispensing upright endless bucket conveyor for dispensing a plurality of different kinds of parts including a plurality of part holding buckets and means for sequentially indexing the buckets to a dispensing station, a device positioned adjacent said dispensing station for supporting a board on which the parts are to be mounted, optical means including a plurality of light transmitting elements for selectively illuminating local areas on said board where parts are to be mounted, and synchronizing means controlled by said conveyor for selectively illuminating different ones of said light transmitting elements in accordance with the bucket at said dispensing station.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 115 words

Apparatus for use in the assembly of printed circuits and like articles comprising a parts dispensing upright endless bucket conveyor for dispensing a plurality of different kinds of parts including a plurality of part holding buckets and means for sequentially indexing the buckets to a dispensing station, a device positioned adjacent said dispensing station for supporting a board on which the parts are to be mounted, optical means including a plurality of light transmitting elements for selectively illuminating local areas on said board where parts are to be mounted, and synchronizing means controlled by said conveyor for selectively illuminating different ones of said light transmitting elements in accordance with the bucket at said dispensing station.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 116 words

Apparatus for use in the manufacture of printed circuits comprising a support fixture on which a circuit board can be mounted, a plurality of optical elements establishing light paths to a plurality of locations on a board mounted on said support fixture, said locations being positions at which different parts are to be mounted, a source of light for illuminating all of said optical elements, an apertured shutter device intermediate the optical elements and the source of light for blocking the path of light to all elements except elements adjacent the shutter aperture and means for moving said shutter device relative to said light source and said optical elements whereby selected of said elements are illuminated.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 116 words

Apparatus for use in the manufacture of printed circuits comprising a support fixture on which a circuit board can be mounted, a plurality of optical elements establishing light paths to a plurality of locations on a board mounted on said support fixture, said locations being positions at which different parts are to be mounted, a source of light for illuminating all of said optical elements, an apertured shutter device intermediate the optical elements and the source of light for blocking the path of light to all elements except elements adjacent the shutter aperture and means for moving said shutter device relative to said light source and said optical elements whereby selected of said elements are illuminated.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 79 words

Apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising an upright endless bucket conveyor including a plurality of spaced buckets each capable of holding different kinds of circuit elements and means for sequential indexing of said buckets to a dispensing station, said apparatus further comprising means for synchronizing the movement of said shutter with movement of said buckets whereby only locations are illuminated on said board at which the parts in the bucket at the dispensing stations are to be mounted.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 124 words

Apparatus according to claim 4 for use in the assembly of boards having openings at the points where parts are to be mounted, a master board on said support fixture mounted directly beneath the board being assembled, said optical elements terminating in openings in the master board in registry with the openings in the board being assembled, the other ends of said optical elements being arranged in bundles, the bundles being arranged in a circular pattern, said shutter device being mounted for rotation on an axis passing through the center of the circular pattern in which the bundles are arranged, with the aperture in the shutter being radially spaced from the center so that it is aligned with the bundled ends of the elements.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 29 words

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein certain of said optical elements are differently colored whereby light of different colors is transmitted to different locations on a board being assembled.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 34 words

Apparatus according to claim 1 including means on said conveyor for tiltably mounting said buckets and a camming device adjacent said dispensing station for tilting the bucket when it is indexed to the station.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 31 words

Apparatus according to claim 8 further including a switch at said dispensing station said switch being operable by a bucket to stop the conveyor when the bucket reaches the dispensing station.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-01-16	1976-07-17	1977-01-16	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-01-16	1980-07-17	1981-01-16	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-01-16	1984-07-17	1985-01-16	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Parts dispenser and positioner

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag