U.S. patent application number 10/594938 was filed with the patent office on 2007-09-13 for device for separating and positioning module bridges.
Invention is credited to Dieter Bergmann, Doris Kies, Wolfram Kunze, Volker Ponitz.
Application Number | 20070209125 10/594938 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34964668 |
Filed Date | 2007-09-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070209125 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kunze; Wolfram ; et
al. |
September 13, 2007 |
Device for Separating and Positioning Module Bridges
Abstract
The invention relates to a device for separating module bridges
arranged in a module bridge strip and for positioning the separated
module bridges on a support element, comprising a dividing device
for dividing the module bridge strip in the edge regions thereof
between in each case two module bridges, and a placement wheel for
separately receiving the separated module bridges on its peripheral
edge side, for transporting the same at interposer edges in a
slip-free manner, and for depositing the module bridges onto the
moving support element after a rotational movement of the placement
wheel has been carried out about an axis oriented parallel to the
module bridge plane, once an accelerated movement has been
performed and synchronism has been achieved between the module
bridges and the support element in order to prevent slip
movements.
Inventors: |
Kunze; Wolfram; (Gorlitz,
DE) ; Kies; Doris; (Dresden, DE) ; Ponitz;
Volker; (Dresden, DE) ; Bergmann; Dieter;
(Dresden, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NEEDLE & ROSENBERG, P.C.
SUITE 1000
999 PEACHTREE STREET
ATLANTA
GA
30309-3915
US
|
Family ID: |
34964668 |
Appl. No.: |
10/594938 |
Filed: |
March 24, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
March 24, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP05/51353 |
371 Date: |
November 3, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
14/2.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L 21/67132
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
014/002.4 |
International
Class: |
E01D 21/00 20060101
E01D021/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 1, 2004 |
DE |
10 2004 015 994.7 |
Claims
1. Device for separating module bridges arranged in a module bridge
strip or module bridge set and for positioning the separated module
bridges on a support element, characterised by a dividing device
for dividing the module bridge strip in the edge regions thereof
between in each case two module bridges, and a placement wheel for
separately receiving and transporting in a slip-free manner the
separated module bridges on its peripheral edge side and for
depositing the module bridges onto the moving support element after
a rotational movement of the placement wheel has been carried out
about an axis oriented parallel to the module bridge plane.
2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the placement
wheel has, on its peripheral edge side, spring-loaded holding
elements which are spaced apart from one another and are provided
for holding and carrying individual module bridges on the
peripheral edge side.
3. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the placement
wheel has, on its peripheral edge side, a width dimension which
corresponds to a length dimension of a module bridge.
4. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the placement
wheel has, on its peripheral edge side, at least in the region in
which the module bridges are received, between a web arranged on
the left side and on the right side, recesses for receiving
components arranged on the module bridges.
5. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the dividing
device has a cutting blade or cutting rollers which can be
displaced perpendicular to the plane of the module bridge strip and
is/are provided for cutting through the module bridge strip in the
edge regions thereof.
6. Device according to claim 5, characterised in that the dividing
device is connected to a feed unit for feeding the module bridge
strip to the cutting blade.
7. Device according to claim 6, characterised in that the dividing
device has a pressure ram for pressing the module bridge strip
against a surface of the feed unit during a dividing operation.
8. Device according to claim 6, characterised in that the feed unit
has guide elements for laterally guiding the module bridge
strip.
9. Device according to claim 6, characterised in that the feed unit
has form-fitting elements for engaging in through-apertures of the
module bridge strip.
10. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the dividing
device can be tilted with respect to the placement wheel during a
dividing operation.
11. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that a brake
device which bears against part of the peripheral edge side of the
placement wheel and is provided for braking the rotating placement
wheel is arranged between the dividing device and the support
element.
12. Device according to claim 11, characterised in that the
placement wheel, under the effect of the brake device and a motor,
can be accelerated to a rotational speed at which the
circumferential speed corresponds to a speed of the moving support
element.
13. Device according to claim 11, characterised in that the brake
device includes a heating element for heating contact adhesive
points on the module bridges.
14. Device according to claim 11, characterised in that the brake
device has, on a brake shoe which bears against the peripheral edge
side of the placement wheel, guide elements for laterally guiding
the module bridges during the rotational movement of the placement
wheel.
15. Device according to claim 14, characterised in that the brake
shoe has two brake linings running along the edge, against which
two pressing elements of complementary shape press, said pressing
elements being arranged on the peripheral edge side, wherein the
module bridges are arranged between the pressing elements and the
brake linings.
16. Device according to claim 1, characterised by a counter-roller
which is arranged on a side of the support element opposite the
placement wheel and is provided for fixing the module bridges on
the support element.
17. Device according to claim 1, characterised by a perforation
device for perforating the module bridge strip in such a way that
the module bridges are separated from one another with the
exception of the edge region of the module bridge strip, in order
to minimise a cutting force of the dividing device.
18. Device according to claim 17, characterised in that the
perforation device is suitable for creating defined interposer
edges for transporting the separated interposers in a slip-free and
precise manner.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a device for separating module
bridges arranged in a module bridge strip or module bridge set and
for positioning the separated module bridges on a support element,
according to the preamble of claim 1.
[0002] Module bridges, which are arranged in rows as interposers in
the form of an interposer strip or module bridge strip, have until
now been cut by means of a dividing device in such a way that the
module bridges are cut out separately from the module bridge strip.
The module bridges are then positioned above a stationary support
element by means of a further device and deposited individually
onto the stationary support element by means of a downward
displacement movement of this device. Alternatively, the
positioning device can be kept above the support element without
any downward movement, while the support movement is moved towards
the stationary module bridges by means of an upward displacement
movement.
[0003] Once a module bridge has been deposited on the support
element, the support element is moved further in its running
direction by a predefined distance, so as to be able to receive
another module bridge at a new location.
[0004] Such devices require that the support element is kept
stationary while a module bridge is deposited thereon. Because of
this, the throughput of a placement device which includes such
devices is reduced. Moreover, the separate arrangement of the
dividing device and of the positioning device requires that the
module bridge has to be aligned each time a separated module bridge
is picked up by the positioning device.
[0005] Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to
provide a device for separating module bridges from a module bridge
strip and then positioning them with respect to a support element,
which allows a higher throughput during a module bridge placement
operation.
[0006] This object is achieved according to the features of Claim
1.
[0007] One essential aspect of the invention is that, in a device
for separating module bridges arranged in a module bridge strip or
module bridge set and for positioning the separated module bridges
on a support element, there is a dividing device for dividing the
module bridge strip in the edge regions thereof between in each
case two module bridges, and a placement wheel for separately
receiving the separated module bridges on its peripheral edge side,
wherein the placement wheel is provided for depositing the module
bridges onto the moving support element after a rotational movement
of the placement wheel has been carried out about an axis oriented
parallel to the module bridge plane. By virtue of such a device,
module bridge strips which are perforated in such a way that they
continue to have holding webs only in their edge regions between
the module bridges can be cut in a continuous operating procedure
in order to separate the module bridges and then can be deposited
by the placement wheel, the rotational speed of which is adapted to
a speed of the support element, onto the moving support element,
which may for example be designed in a belt-like manner. Such an
equipping of the support element therefore does not require the
support element to be kept stationary for the positioning of the
module bridge, which results in an increased throughput of a
placement device.
[0008] Since the perforated module bridge strip has
through-apertures, preferably holes, between the module bridges
which serve for the engagement of pins or webs, for transporting
the module bridge strip to a feed unit for feeding it to the
dividing device, a precise alignment of the module bridge strip in
the region of a cutting blade can be achieved. In this way, there
is no need for a detection camera, which has until now been
customary, for aligning the module bridge strip and the
subsequently separated module bridges.
[0009] According to one preferred embodiment, the placement wheel
has, on its peripheral edge side, preferably spring-loaded holding
elements which are spaced apart from one another and are designed
as carriers and are provided for holding individual module bridges
on the peripheral edge side. These holding elements also serve to
align the separated module bridges on the placement wheel and with
respect to the support element, on which they are ultimately
deposited.
[0010] The placement wheel has, on its peripheral edge side, a
width dimension which corresponds to a length dimension of a module
bridge, so that, by means of additional guide elements which are
arranged on a brake shoe of a brake device which is of
complementary shape to the peripheral edge side of the placement
wheel and bears against the latter, lateral guidance and
simultaneous alignment of the module bridges is possible during the
rotational movement of the placement wheel.
[0011] Preferably, the placement wheel is designed in such a way
that it has, on its peripheral edge side, at least in the region in
which the module bridges are received, between a web arranged on
the left side and on the right side, recesses for receiving
components arranged on the module bridges. Damage to the components
when the module bridges are placed on the peripheral edge side is
thus prevented.
[0012] The dividing device includes the cutting blade which can be
displaced perpendicular to the plane of the module bridge strip and
is provided for cutting through the module bridge strip in the edge
regions thereof, once it has been fed little by little by the feed
unit to the cutting blade, being fed in each case by a distance
corresponding to the width of one module bridge.
[0013] In order to permit a clean cut by means of the cutting blade
without displacing the module bridge strip, the dividing device has
a pressure ram for pressing the module bridge strip against a
surface of the feed unit.
[0014] Furthermore, the feed unit may have guide elements for
laterally guiding the module bridge strip.
[0015] Once the cutting blade has cut through the module bridge
strip, the entire dividing device is tilted with respect to the
placement wheel during a further forward movement of the cutting
blade, so that a gap is created between the remaining module bridge
strip and the separated module bridge which is picked up by the
placement wheel.
[0016] The brake device with the brake shoe which bears against
part of the peripheral edge side of the placement wheel and is
provided for braking the rotating placement wheel is arranged
between the dividing device and the support element. The brake
device, in collaboration with a motor which drives the placement
wheel, ensures that the placement wheel, after it has picked up a
module bridge, is accelerated to the rotational speed at which the
circumferential speed corresponds to the speed of the continuously
moving support element.
[0017] The brake device is additionally equipped with a heating
element for heating contact adhesive points on the module bridges
which are arranged on the placement wheel, so that an adhesive
arranged on the module bridges is activated in order then to enter
into an adhesive bond with the support element.
[0018] The brake shoe preferably has two brake linings running
along the edge, against which two pressing elements of
complementary shape press, said pressing elements being arranged on
the peripheral edge side of the placement wheel, wherein the module
bridges are arranged between the pressing elements and the brake
linings. A reliable additional fixing of the module bridges located
on the placement wheel is thus possible during the rotational
movement of said wheel.
[0019] In order to fix the individual module bridges on the support
element, a counter-roller is arranged on the side of the support
element opposite the placement wheel and presses against the
placement wheel with the support element and module bridge arranged
therebetween.
[0020] Further advantageous embodiments emerge from the dependent
claims.
[0021] Advantages and expedient features will become apparent from
the following description in conjunction with the drawing. In the
drawing:
[0022] FIG. 1 shows, in a perspective view, an already perforated
interposer strip for use in a device according to the
invention;
[0023] FIG. 2 shows, in a perspective view, a device for separating
and positioning module bridges according to one embodiment of the
invention;
[0024] FIG. 3 shows, in a plan view, the device shown in FIG. 2
according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0025] FIG. 4 shows, in a perspective view, a placement wheel with
a brake device for the device according to the invention;
[0026] FIG. 5 shows, in a perspective view, a brake device with an
interposer strip for the device according to the invention;
[0027] FIG. 6 shows, in a perspective view, a device according to
another embodiment of the invention.
[0028] FIG. 1 shows, in a perspective view, an interposer strip 1
as can be used in the device according to the invention. The
interposer strip 1 has interposers 2 arranged in a row, said
interposers having a length dimension 2a, wherein the interposers
have two contact adhesive surfaces 3 on the left and right side.
Components 4 are arranged between the contact adhesive surfaces
3.
[0029] Such a single-row interposer strip 1, which may also be
formed as a strip with multiple rows, is perforated in such a way
that it has perforation holes 6 between the interposer cutting and
transporting edges 5. In this way, holding webs 7 exist in the edge
region of the interposer strip 1, which holding webs hold the
individual interposers 2 together to form the interposer strip
1.
[0030] FIG. 2 shows, in a perspective view, the device according to
the invention. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the interposer strip 1
is moved little by little along a feed unit 8 with a surface 8a, by
means of webs 10 engaging in said strip, in the arrow direction 9
towards a cutting device 12. As soon as the interposer strip 1 has
moved the distance corresponding to one module bridge width, a
pressure ram presses against the interposer strip from above in
order to fix it during the cutting operation.
[0031] A displacement of a cutting blade 13 or of cutting rollers
then takes place, as shown by the double arrow 13a. The downwardly
moving cutting blade 13 cuts the projecting interposer from the
interposer strip 1. To this end, the cutting blade 13 is designed
in such a way that it cuts through only the holding webs 7 arranged
at the edge of the interposer strip 1. The rest of the strip
between the interposers has already been cut through during the
perforation operation. In this way, the cutting forces that have to
be applied are reduced.
[0032] The cutting blade 13 then continues to move downwards, while
the entire cutting device 12 is tilted with respect to the
placement wheel, in order in this way to create a gap between the
rest of the interposer strip and the interposer that has been cut
off.
[0033] The cutting blades are designed in such a way that the
cutting forces during the operation of cutting the holding webs 7
act inwards, that is to say towards the centre of the strip, so as
to prevent the formation of burs on the outer edge of the
interposer.
[0034] A placement wheel 14 picks up the separated interposers 2 on
its peripheral edge side 14a by means of carrier claws and rotates
about an axis 15.
[0035] The placement wheel 14 has a width which is smaller than the
intermediate space between the cutting blades, which are formed in
two parts, so that the cutting blades 13 are moved past the
placement wheel 14 on the right and left side thereof during the
cutting operation and the tilting operation.
[0036] FIG. 3 shows, in a plan view, the embodiment of the device
that was shown in FIG. 2. The placement wheel has, at predefined
sections of its peripheral edge side, carrier claws 16 which serve
to fix the interposers 2 on the placement wheel. Such carrier claws
are equipped with a spring element and serve to transfer the
separated interposers once they have been cut from the interposer
strip 1.
[0037] The width of the placement wheel 14 corresponds to a length
dimension 2a of an interposer, preferably to a length dimension of
the transporting edge 5.
[0038] The placement wheel 14 has two webs 18 and 19 which run
along the edge thereof and against which the interposers bear.
Arranged between these webs are recesses which serve to receive the
components arranged on the interposers.
[0039] The webs 18, 19 may be used as pressing elements for the
fixing of attachment points, which correspond to the adhesive
surfaces 3, to the moving support element.
[0040] FIG. 4 shows, in a perspective view, a placement wheel with
a brake device for the device according to the invention. The brake
device 20 has a brake shoe 21 which is of complementary shape to
the peripheral edge side 14a of the placement wheel 14. Also
installed in the brake device is a heating element 22 which, by
conducting or radiating heat, activates the adhesive surface 3 at
an attachment point 17 of the interposer 2.
[0041] As soon as the placement wheel 14 in conjunction with the
brake device 20 has reached a rotational speed which corresponds to
a speed of a support element 23, the interposer 2 is deposited on
the support element and fixed by means of a counter-roller 24 by
applying pressure and activating the adhesive surfaces.
[0042] FIG. 5 shows, in a perspective view, the brake device with
the interposer strip 1. The brake shoe 21 has brake linings 25 and
26 running along the left and right side, against which the
pressing elements 27 and 28 press, said pressing elements being
fixed to the placement wheel. The interposers 2 are clamped in an
aligned position between the pressing elements 27, 28 and the brake
linings 25, 26.
[0043] FIG. 6 shows, in a perspective view, a further embodiment of
the invention. As can be seen from this figure, the placement wheel
14 is coupled to a belt 29 which conveys the separated
interposers.
[0044] In order to fix the interposers on the moving support
element in a precise manner, accurate position determination in the
X and Y direction of the interposers is required. Such an alignment
is achieved by movement on defined edges of the interposer. For the
fixing in the Y direction, lateral guides are mounted on the brake
shoe 21. The individual interposer is transported in the X
direction by the carrier claw 16 on the placement wheel, wherein
the carrier claw must always bear against the defined transport
edge 5 of the interposer. Slipping of the interposer is prevented
by the pressing elements 27, 28 pressing the interposer against the
brake linings 25, 26.
[0045] The fixing of the individual interposers between the
counter-roller 24 and the placement wheel 14 takes place in such a
way that the pressure on the adhesive attachment points 17 and thus
a degree of pre-fixing is achieved by pushing the individual
interposer into a gap between the support element 23 bearing
against the counter-roller 24 and the webs 18, 19 of the placement
wheel 14. The gap is adjustable, as a result of which a pressing
force on the interposer is variable. It should be noted that the
interposer is pushed into the gap only once it has been accelerated
by means of the placement wheel. This prevents any slip between the
interposer and the support element 23.
[0046] All of the features disclosed in the application documents
are claimed as essential to the invention in so far as they are
novel with respect to the prior art either individually or in
combination with one another.
LIST OF REFERENCES
[0047] 1 interposer strip [0048] 2 interposer [0049] 2a length side
of the interposer [0050] 3 adhesive surfaces of the interposer
[0051] 4 component region of the interposer [0052] 5 transporting
edge of the interposer [0053] 6 perforation holes [0054] 7 holding
webs [0055] 8 feed unit [0056] 8a surface of the feed unit [0057] 9
transport direction of the interposer strip [0058] 10 webs,
form-fitting elements [0059] 11 pressure ram [0060] 12 cutting
device [0061] 13 cutting blades, cutting rollers [0062] 13a
displacement direction of the cutting blades [0063] 14 placement
wheel [0064] 14a peripheral edge side of the placement wheel [0065]
15 axis [0066] 16 carrier claw [0067] 17 attachment points of the
interposer [0068] 18, 19 webs of the placement wheel [0069] 20
brake device [0070] 21 brake shoe [0071] 22 heating element [0072]
23 support element [0073] 24 counter-roller [0074] 25, 26 brake
linings [0075] 27, 28 pressing elements [0076] 29 belt
* * * * *