Patent US5131535A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5131535A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Electrical device transport medium
Assignee: SYM-TEK Inc OF MINNESOTA
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Filing: 1991-03-07
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Granted: 1992-07-21
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Expires: 2011-03-07
Abstract
Abstract A transport medium for orderly, in-process transportation of assembled electrical devices during backend processing. A carrier tray is comprised of a plurality of carrier units held in coplanar relationship by a frame. Preferably the carrier units are polyethersulfone inserts latchable into a coordinate matrix of carrier unit holes defined by a metallic sheet. Each carrier unit carries one or more electrical devices in device seats which expose a top and a bottom of each device sufficiently to eliminate any necessity for removing the devices from the medium during all backend processing. Each carrier unit has a standardized perimeter but a core which is adapted to a particular device size and form, and there can be as many different carrier units as there are different device forms and sizes, but all carrier units fit into a standard carrier unit hole. The frames and carrier units are robotically manipulable. Each tray, each carrier unit and each device in a carrier unit are uniquely identifiable by a combination of bar code indicia on the frame and a series of indexing holes along the frame perimeter and centered on each line of carrier units.
Inventors
- 👤 Bruce O'Connor
- 👤 Steve Swendrowski
- 👤 Thomas Toth
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 11:50
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K13/00; H05K13/0084; H10; H10P; H10P72/00; H10P72/70; H10P72/74; H10P72/741
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
119 words
A transport medium for in-process transportation of electrical devices comprising: (a) a plurality of carrier units for carrying at least one electrical device each, each carried electrical device being sufficiently exposed to enable processing of it while it is being carried in its respective carrier unit, (b) means for holding the plurality of carrier units in a generally coplanar relationship throughout the processing, the carrier units being held in fixed relation across the plane of said coplanar relationship but having a range normal to the plane within which the plurality of carrier units can freely travel, (c) means operable within the range of carrier unit travel for selectively conforming the plane of said coplanar relationship to a reference plane.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
119 words
A transport medium for in-process transportation of electrical devices comprising: (a) a plurality of carrier units for carrying at least one electrical device each, each carried electrical device being sufficiently exposed to enable processing of it while it is being carried in its respective carrier unit, (b) means for holding the plurality of carrier units in a generally coplanar relationship throughout the processing, the carrier units being held in fixed relation across the plane of said coplanar relationship but having a range normal to the plane within which the plurality of carrier units can freely travel, (c) means operable within the range of carrier unit travel for selectively conforming the plane of said coplanar relationship to a reference plane.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The transport medium according to claim 1 further comprising means integral with each carrier unit for exposing for processing the top and bottom of each electrical device carried by said each carrier unit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The transport medium according to claim 1 wherein the means for holding the carrier units holds said carrier units uniformly oriented.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
66 words
The transport medium according to claim 1 wherein the means for holding the carrier units comprises: (a) a tray, (b) a plurality of generally coplanar sockets defined by the tray in which the carrier units are disposed, (c) means for securing the carrier units in their respective sockets but allowing the carrier units to freely travel within a range normal to the plane of the sockets.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
105 words
The transport medium according to claim 4 wherein the means for securing the carrier units in their respective sockets comprises: (a) a plurality of elongated prongs projecting from a base of each carrier unit, each prong having a resiliently and radially collapsible barbed end, and (b) a plurality of corresponding catch holes defined by the tray, the size of each catch hole being less than the size of the uncollapsed barbed end of a corresponding prong but being large enough to allow passage therethrough of the collapsed barbed end so as to catch the barbed ends when the prong is inserted into the catch hole.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The transport medium according to claim 4 wherein the means for selectively conforming the plane of the coplanar relationship to a reference plane comprises means projecting to a uniform extent from each carrier unit for abutting against a reference surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
The transport medium according to claim 4 wherein the carrier unit sockets are coordinately disposed to enable the carrier units disposed therein to be uniquely identifiable by a set of coordinates, and further comprising an indexing means for use by a process machine in locating each individual carrier unit according to its coordinates.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
The transport medium according to claim 1 wherein each carrier unit further comprises: (a) a perimeter which is uniform with the perimeters of the other carrier units, and (b) a core which is specially adapted to a particular electrical device size and form.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
86 words
The transport medium according to claim 8 wherein the core further comprises: (a) at least one electrical device seat in which an electrical device can be seated, (b) means for aligning a processing probe with each electrical device seated in the carrier unit, and (c) web means affixed to the carrier unit perimeter for holding said at least one electrical device seat and the means for aligning a processing probe in fixed relation to the core, any plurality of device seats being fixed in coplanar relationship.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
73 words
The transport medium according to claim 9 wherein each electrical device seat comprises: (a) a seat sleeve conforming to a marginal size and form of an electrical device which is seatable therein, (b) a stop means intruding into the seat sleeve for limiting the depth at which the electrical device is seated, and (c) a plurality of resiliently retractable hook means operatively opposed to the stop means for grasping the electrical device therebetween.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
165 words
A transport medium for in-process transportation of electrical devices each having a set of electrical contacts, said medium comprising: (a) a plurality of carrier units for carrying at least one electrical device each, the set of electrical contacts of each carried electrical device being sufficiently exposed to enable electrical parameter testing of the electrical device while it is being carried in its respective carrier unit, (b) means for holding the plurality of carrier units in a generally coplanar relationship throughout the processing with the exposures of the electrical contacts of the carried electrical devices being common to one face of the plane of said coplanar relationship, the carrier units being held in fixed relation across the plane but having a range normal to the plane within which the plurality of carrier units can freely travel, (c) means operable within the range of carrier unit travel for selectively conforming the face of the plane common to the contacts of the electrical devices to a reference plane.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
165 words
A transport medium for in-process transportation of electrical devices each having a set of electrical contacts, said medium comprising: (a) a plurality of carrier units for carrying at least one electrical device each, the set of electrical contacts of each carried electrical device being sufficiently exposed to enable electrical parameter testing of the electrical device while it is being carried in its respective carrier unit, (b) means for holding the plurality of carrier units in a generally coplanar relationship throughout the processing with the exposures of the electrical contacts of the carried electrical devices being common to one face of the plane of said coplanar relationship, the carrier units being held in fixed relation across the plane but having a range normal to the plane within which the plurality of carrier units can freely travel, (c) means operable within the range of carrier unit travel for selectively conforming the face of the plane common to the contacts of the electrical devices to a reference plane.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
66 words
The transport medium according to claim 11 wherein the means for holding the carrier units comprises: (a) a tray, (b) a plurality of generally coplanar sockets defined by the tray in which the carrier units are disposed, (c) means for securing the carrier units in their respective sockets but allowing the carrier units to freely travel within a range normal to the plane of the sockets.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
105 words
The transport medium according to claim 12 wherein the means for securing the carrier units in their respective sockets comprises: (a) a plurality of elongated prongs projecting from a base of each carrier unit, each prong having a resiliently and radially collapsible barbed end, and (b) a plurality of corresponding catch holes defined by the tray, the size of each catch hole being less than the size of the uncollapsed barbed end of a corresponding prong but being large enough to allow passage therethrough of the collapsed barbed end so as to catch the barbed ends when the prong is inserted into the catch hole.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
40 words
The transport medium according to claim 12 wherein the means for selectively conforming the plane of the coplanar relationship to a reference plane comprises means projecting to a uniform extent from each carrier unit for abutting against a reference surface.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
53 words
The transport medium according to claim 12 wherein the carrier unit sockets are coordinately disposed to enable the carrier units disposed therein to be uniquely identifiable by a set of coordinates, and further comprising an indexing means for use by a process machine in locating each individual carrier unit according to its coordinates.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
43 words
The transport medium according to claim 11 wherein each carrier unit further comprises: (a) a perimeter which is uniform with the perimeters of the other carrier units, and (b) a core which is specially adapted to a particular electrical device size and form.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
86 words
The transport medium according to claim 16 wherein the core further comprises: (a) at least one electrical device seat in which an electrical device can be seated, (b) means for aligning a processing probe with each electrical device seated in the carrier unit, and (c) web means affixed to the carrier unit perimeter for holding said at least one electrical device seat and the means for aligning a processing probe in fixed relation to the core, any plurality of device seats being fixed in coplanar relationship.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
73 words
The transport medium according to claim 17 wherein each electrical device seat comprises: (a) a seat sleeve conforming to a marginal size and form of an electrical device which is seatable therein, (b) a stop means intruding into the seat sleeve for limiting the depth at which the electrical device is seated, and (c) a plurality of resiliently retractable hook means operatively opposed to the stop means for grasping the electrical device therebetween.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-07-21 | 1996-01-20 | 1996-07-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-07-21 | 2000-01-20 | 2000-07-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-07-21 | 2004-01-20 | 2004-07-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |