Electronic component assembly apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for inserting different size modules, each having more than two leads emerging from a first side of the module, into holes in a circuit board, including: a number of positionable magazines, each magazine retaining a stack of essentially identically dimensioned modules positioned with their leads parallel with each other and also with lines perpendicular through the circuit board holes; an indexable slide, having a number of interchangeable apertures, each aperture associated with a different magazine and corresponding in size to two dimensions of a module in the associated magazine; a loading driver, in line with the corresponding magazine and aperture for exerting a positive force on the end of one stack of modules to force a module at the other end of the stack out of the magazine and through the associated aperture in the indexable slide; a movable guide, adjacent the side of the indexable slide away from the magazines and supported adjacent a top side of the circuit board, positionable to contact at least one side of a module forced out of a magazine; a plurality of anvils, mounted in an indexable anvil supported adjacent a bottom side of the circuit board, positionable to present a selected anvil, in line with the movable guide, having dimensions corresponding to dimensions of the module forced out of the magazine; and means for relatively moving the module and anvil support toward each other to place module leads into circuit board holes and crimp less than all of the module leads against the board bottom.

Claim 5

A combination for inserting selected ones of a number of differently dimensioned components into selected ones of a plurality of circuit board locations, each component having more than two leads, depending perpendicularly from a first side of the component along a single line, intended for insertion into a like quantity of holes defining the component location in the board, with the first side of the component adjacent a first surface of the board; a support for holding the periphery of the board; a component guide assembly adjacent the first surface of the board defining a three-sided opening for contacting a second and third side of one component at a time with the remaining side of the opening spaced from a fourth side of the component; a lead bending member adjacent the other surface of the board aligned with the guide for contacting two outer leads of aforesaid one component; a number of component retainers, Each capable of holding a plurality of identically dimensioned components with their alternate fifth and sixth sides juxtaposed and all their leads pointing in one direction; and motive means connected to the board support, component guide, lead bending member and component retainers for aligning all aforesaid elements relative to a selected board location and operable to place one component from a selected retainer between the guide and member and relatively move the component and lead bending member to insert the selected component in the selected board location.

Claim 6

A combination for inserting selected ones of a number of differently dimensioned components into selected ones of a plurality of circuit board locations, each component having more than two leads, depending perpendicularly from a first side of the component along a single line, intended for insertion into a like quantity of holes defining the component location in the board, with the first side of the component adjacent a first surface of the board; a support for holding the periphery of the board; a component guide assembly adjacent the first surface of the board defining a three-sided opening for contacting a second and third side of one component at a time with the remaining side of the opening spaced from a fourth side of the component; a lead bending member adjacent the other surface of the board aligned with the guide for contacting two outer leads of aforesaid one component; a number of component retainers, Each capable of holding a plurality of identically dimensioned components with their alternate fifth and sixth sides juxtaposed and all their leads pointing in one direction; and motive means connected to the board support, component guide, lead bending member and component retainers for aligning all aforesaid elements relative to a selected board location and operable to place one component from a selected retainer between the guide and member and relatively move the component and lead bending member to insert the selected component in the selected board location.

Claim 7

Automatic apparatus for removing different width modules from storage magazines and fixedly inserting them in preselected positions on a circuit board, comprising: a plurality of parallel elongated magazines, each retaining a number of multipin modules, all the modules being oriented with their pins perpendicular to the magazine lengths, and each magazine having a width which is a function of the module width stored therein; a magazine retaining plate, having a plurality of elongated apertures each capable of receiving one magazine and each including an adjustable mechanism for varying the aperture width to receive different width modules; a loading driver, operable at one end of one magazine at a time to urge modules on the magazine in a forward direction and thus release one module at a time from the opposite end of the magazine; an indexing driver, connected to the retaining plate, for moving the magazines on the retaining plate relative to the driver to place one magazine at a time in an operating position with respect to the loading driver; a movable guide on a first side of the circuit board, for receiving one module at a time from the magazine in the operating position, adjustable to accommodate different width modules by contacting at least one outer module surface with at least one guide inner surface; a plurality of anvils on a second side of the circuit board, at least one for each module width, mounted on the pin side of the modules received by the guide, selectable one at a time to correspond to the particular width of the module in the guide, all the anvils having one edge in line with each other and another edge aligned with one of the guide inner surfaces when the guide is adjusted to accommodate the module width corresponding to the anvil; insertion means, on the first side of the circuit board, for driving the module in the guide toward the selected anvil; and an anvil driver, for driving the selected anvil toward aforesaid module.

Claim 8

Automatic apparatus for removing different width modules from storage magazines and fixedly inserting them in preselected positions on a circuit board, comprising: a plurality of parallel elongated magazines, each retaining a number of multipin modules, all the modules being oriented with their pins perpendicular to the magazine lengths, and each magazine having a width which is a function of the module width stored therein; a magazine retaining plate, having a plurality of elongated apertures each capable of receiving one magazine and each including an adjustable mechanism for varying the aperture width to receive different width modules; a loading driver, operable at one end of one magazine at a time to urge modules on the magazine in a forward direction and thus release one module at a time from the opposite end of the magazine; an indexing driver, connected to the retaining plate, for moving the magazines on the retaining plate relative to the driver to place one magazine at a time in an operating position with respect to the loading driver; a movable guide on a first side of the circuit board, for receiving one module at a time from the magazine in the operating position, adjustable to accommodate different width modules by contacting at least one outer module surface with at least one guide inner surface; a plurality of anvils on a second side of the circuit board, at least one for each module width, mounted on the pin side of the modules received by the guide, selectable one at a time to correspond to the particular width of the module in the guide, all the anvils having one edge in line with each other and another edge aligned with one of the guide inner surfaces when the guide is adjusted to accommodate the module width corresponding to the anvil; insertion means, on the first side of the circuit board, for driving the module in the guide toward the selected anvil; and an anvil driver, for driving the selected anvil toward aforesaid module.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the anvil includes two sloped edges for forcing the outer pins of the module in the guide out of their normal alignment.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the anvil edges slope outward to force the outer pin ends away from each other.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising: an indexable slide, having a number of interchangeable apertures, eaCh aperture associated with a different magazine and corresponding in size to two dimensions of a module in the associated magazine; and a loading driver, in line with the corresponding magazine and aperture for exerting a positive force on the end of one stack of modules to force a module at the other end of the stack out of the magazine and through the associated aperture in the indexable slide.

Claim 14

The device of claim 9 wherein there are also provided: motive means associated with the retainers for aligning a selected component retainer with the insertion drive and a selected anvil; and loading means connectable to the selected component urging a single component from the selected retainer between the drive and selected anvil.

Claim 15

The device of claim 10 wherein the leads of the component are crimped at an acute angle against a side of the board.