초록 ▼

The apparatus is for feeding semi-conductor devices to and from process machines. The apparatus includes a main frame 3 having a loading station 1 and an unloading station 2 each of which has a docking station for receiving carts 5. The carts are lifted by a jacking arrangement 40 into operative eng

The apparatus is for feeding semi-conductor devices to and from process machines. The apparatus includes a main frame 3 having a loading station 1 and an unloading station 2 each of which has a docking station for receiving carts 5. The carts are lifted by a jacking arrangement 40 into operative engagement with a loading or unloading system, 6 or 7 respectively, the loading/unloading means being movable relative to the main frame 3 when engaged by the cart, the movement of the loading means being detected by a fibre optic control system which initiates a signal to terminate lifting. In this way, a loading station of the cart is accurately aligned in three mutually perpendicular axes with the loading/unloading means to ensure reliable transfer of components from the carrier in the cart and a transfer conveyor by which the components are transferred to a machine for a processing operation or are transferred from the machine into an empty cart.

대표청구항 ▼

1. Apparatus for loading components into a machine, including, a main frame, a docking station in said main frame, a mobile storage device for said components in the form of a cart moveable into and out of said docking station in said main frame, loading means to transfer said components from the

1. Apparatus for loading components into a machine, including, a main frame, a docking station in said main frame, a mobile storage device for said components in the form of a cart moveable into and out of said docking station in said main frame, loading means to transfer said components from the cart to said machine, mounting means for movably mounting the loading means on said main frame, means to bring the loading means and the cart into a cooperative relationship by relative movement therebetween, at least part of the loading means being movable relative to the main frame during said relative movement to align the cart with the loading means in two mutually perpendicular axes, a plurality of component carriers in the cart, each component carrier being adapted to hold a plurality of said components, each cart having a loading station, and the apparatus having drive means for selectively moving each carrier to said loading station to enable the components in the carrier to be transferred by said loading means from the cart to the machine, the loading means including control means responsive to the position of a carrier in the loading station for controlling the drive means to align the carrier in the loading station with said loading means in an axis perpendicular to said two mutually perpendicular axes. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive means includes at least one endless drive chain or belt on which the component carriers are removably mounted in spaced parallel relationship. 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the drive means further comprises a carrier transport motor for moving the component carriers in the cart successively to the loading station, motor mounting means for mounting said carrier transport motor on the main frame, and clutch means engageable when the cart is docked in the docking station to connect the carrier transport motor with said drive means on the cart through which said endless chain or belt is driven by the motor to move the component carriers. 4. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein each component carrier is adapted to store linearly a plurality of components and has a base and a guide path defined by guide elements along which the components are movable, the guide elements including two pairs of opposed edge faces laterally spaced in a first plane, each pair having two edge faces a predetermined distance apart in a second plane normal to the first plane to thereby restrain movement of components positioned therebetween in the second plane, a third pair of opposed faces being spaced at a predetermined distance apart in the said first plane, to thereby restrain movement of the components in the first plane. 5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said base comprises spaced base elements formed of aluminium to which the guide elements are secured, the guide elements being formed of stainless steel. 6. Apparatus according to claim 3, in which the cart has a shutter at its loading station biased to a position to block movement of the components out of the cart, the shutter engaging with said loading means when the cart is brought into said cooperative relationship therewith to be moved thereby to a position in which the components can be transferred from the cart. 7. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the docking station has a latch arrangement engageable by the cart when docked to initiate said relative movement between the cart and the loading means, the apparatus further including lifting means for lifting a cart in the docking station into said cooperative relationship with the loading means, the loading means having switch means adapted to terminate said lifting when the loading means is moved relative to the main frame by a predetermined amount by the rising cart engaging herewith. 8. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said control means includes a fibre optice system having a light signal emitted and light signal receiver, and reflector means on each component carrier to reflect a light signal from the emitter onto the receiver when the component carrier is aligned with the loading means, said control means being responsive to reception of said light signal by the receiver to stop the carrier transport motor. 9. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the loading means comprises an endless belt carrying at least one resiliently mounted finger adapted to engage the components in a component carrier in the loading station to transfer the components from the carrier onto a transfer conveyor for transfer to the machine. 10. Apparatus according to claim 9 including detection means for detecting and counting components transferred to the transfer conveyor wherein the detection means comprises a counter, a light source on one side of the path of components onto the transfer conveyor and a light sensitive device on an opposite side, the passage of a component past the detection means interrupting light from the source to the light sensitive device to thereby trigger the counter. 11. Apparatus for loading components into and unloading components from a machine, including, a main frame, first and second docking stations in said main frame, mobile storage device for said components each in the form of a cart moveable into and out of said docking stations in said main frame, loading means at each station to transfer said components from the cart to said machine and from the machine to the cart respectively, mounting means for movably mounting the loading means on said main frame, means at each docking station to bring the loading means and the cart into a cooperative relationship by relative movement therebetween, at least part of the loading means being movable relative to the main frame during said relative movement to align the cart with the loading means in two mutually perpendicular axes, a plurality of component carriers in each cart, each component carrier being adapted to hold a plurality of said components, each cart having a loading station, and the apparatus having at each station a drive means for selectively moving each carrier to said loading station to enable the components in the carrier to be transferred by said loading means from one of the carts to the machine and from the machine into an empty carrier in the other cart, the loading means including control means responsive to the position of a carrier in the loading station for controlling the drive means to align the carrier in the loading station with said loading means in an axis perpendicular to said two mutually perpendicular axes.