阅读说明：本技术 部件卷轴拾取 (Component reel pickup ) 是由 顾元复 张杰铭 于 2019-12-31 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种从部件卷轴堆叠中拾取顶部部件卷轴的方法包括将拾取臂降低到延伸穿过部件卷轴堆叠至堆叠中的顶部部件卷轴上方的杆之上,该臂包括多个对准突出部和夹持器,该夹持器定位成使得随着拾取臂降低,杆延伸穿过夹持器并位于拾取臂的对准突出部之间。该方法包括致动对准突出部以接合杆并相对于拾取臂对准杆,将夹持器的一部分插入到顶部部件卷轴的孔中,致动夹持器以在顶部部件卷轴的孔处接合顶部部件卷轴的相对内表面,并且随着夹持器接合,抬起拾取臂以从部件卷轴堆叠中提升顶部部件卷轴。(A method of picking a top component reel from a stack of component reels includes lowering a pick arm over a rod extending through the stack of component reels above the top component reel in the stack, the arm including a plurality of alignment tabs and a gripper positioned such that as the pick arm is lowered, the rod extends through the gripper and is located between the alignment tabs of the pick arm. The method includes actuating the alignment tab to engage the lever and align the lever relative to the picker arm, inserting a portion of the gripper into the hole of the top component spool, actuating the gripper to engage an opposing inner surface of the top component spool at the hole of the top component spool, and raising the picker arm to lift the top component spool from the stack of component spools as the gripper engages.)

1. A method of picking a top component reel from a stack of component reels, the method comprising:

lowering a pick arm over a rod extending through the component reel stack above a top component reel in the stack, the arm comprising a gripper positioned such that as the pick arm is lowered, the rod extends through the gripper of the pick arm;

aligning the lever relative to the pick arm;

inserting a portion of the gripper into a hole defined in the top member spool with the rod aligned;

actuating the gripper to engage an opposing inner surface of the top component spool at the aperture of the top component spool; and

as the gripper engages the opposing inner surface, the pick arm is raised to lift the top component spool from the stack of component spools.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the arm further comprises a plurality of projections positioned such that the rod extends through the projections as the pick arm is lowered, and wherein aligning the lever comprises actuating the projections to engage the rod and align the lever relative to the pick arm.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the protrusion comprises a gripping protrusion of the gripper.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein aligning the rod comprises actuating the grip tabs to dispose the grip tabs substantially within respective longitudinal grooves of the rod to align the rod by engagement of the grooves.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein inserting a portion of the gripper into the hole of the top component spool comprises continuing to lower the pick arm to insert the gripping protrusion into the hole of the top component spool as the gripping protrusion is disposed substantially within the corresponding longitudinal groove of the rod.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the gripper comprises two opposing jaws, each jaw comprising a gripping protrusion arranged to fit substantially within a respective longitudinal groove of the rod, and wherein actuating the gripper comprises expanding a gap between the jaws such that each gripping protrusion moves from a respective groove of the rod to engage a respective one of the opposing inner surfaces.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the stem includes a minimum web thickness measured between the bases of the longitudinal grooves of less than about 40% of the stem diameter.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the protrusion comprises an alignment protrusion disposed between the gripper and the pick arm.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the alignment tab comprises a first pair of opposing parallel tabs disposed above a second pair of opposing parallel tabs, and wherein the first pair of tabs extend in a direction perpendicular to the second pair of tabs.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein actuating the alignment tab to align the rod comprises moving at least one of two opposing tabs to reduce a gap between the two opposing tabs.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the alignment protrusion comprises a roller.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the gripper comprises two opposing jaws, each jaw comprising an arcuate gripping protrusion, and wherein actuating the gripper comprises expanding a gap between the jaws such that each gripping protrusion engages a respective one of the opposing inner surfaces.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising, prior to inserting the portion of the gripper into the hole of the top member spool, actuating two jaws to reduce a gap between two respective gripping protrusions to surround the rod with a gripping protrusion.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the pick arm includes an aperture configured to receive the rod when the pick arm is lowered over the rod.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein actuating the tab includes aligning the lever relative to a hole of the pick arm.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the rod extends through an alignment hole of the stack of component reels.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the rod extends through a central bore of the stack of component reels.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the hole of the top member spool comprises a central hole.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein inserting a portion of the gripper into the hole of the top component spool comprises continuing to lower the pick arm to insert a portion of the gripper into the hole of the top component spool.

20. A method of picking a top component reel from a stack of component reels, the method comprising:

lowering a pick arm over a rod defining a longitudinal groove and extending through the component reel stacked above a top component reel in the stack, the arm including a gripper positioned such that as the pick arm is lowered, the rod extends through the gripper of the pick arm;

positioning a portion of the holder substantially within the groove;

inserting a portion of the holder into the hole of the top member spool by moving the portion of the holder along the groove;

actuating the gripper to engage an opposing inner surface of the top component spool at the aperture of the top component spool; and

as the gripper engages the opposing inner surface, the pick arm is raised to lift the top component spool from the stack of component spools.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the clamp includes two opposing jaws, each jaw including a clamping tab, and wherein positioning a portion of the clamp substantially within the groove includes positioning a clamping tab substantially within a groove of the rod.

22. A component reel pick-up system comprising:

a base configured to support a vertical stack of component spools;

a rod extending from the base and positioned to extend through aligned holes of a vertical stack of component reels supported on the base; and

a component reel pick up assembly comprising:

a controllably movable pick arm;

a plurality of projections carried by the picker arm, the projections being spaced apart to receive the lever therebetween when the picker arm is lowered over the distal end of the lever, the projections being actuatable to engage opposite sides of the lever to align the arm and lever as the picker arm is lowered; and

a spool gripper carried by the pick arm and comprising two parts configured to receive the rod therebetween as the arm is lowered, the spool gripper being operable to separate the parts to receive the rod, then to narrow a gap between the parts to insert the parts into a top spool in a vertical stack of spools supported on the base, and then to expand the gap to grip an opposing surface of the top spool such that subsequent lifting of the arm lifts the top spool from the stack.

23. The component reel pickup system of claim 22, wherein the lever includes two opposing grooves, each groove configured to receive a respective one of the two portions of the reel holder.

24. The component reel pickup system of claim 23, wherein the rod includes a minimum web thickness measured between the bases of the longitudinal grooves of less than about 40% of the rod diameter.

25. The component reel pickup system of claim 22, wherein the plurality of projections comprise gripping projections of the reel gripper.

26. The component reel pickup system of claim 25, wherein the two portions of the reel gripper include two gripping protrusions arranged to fit substantially within respective grooves of the lever, and wherein the reel gripper is operable to expand a gap between the gripping protrusions such that each of the two gripping protrusions moves away from the respective groove to engage a respective one of the opposing surfaces of the top reel.

27. The component reel pickup system of claim 22, wherein the projections include two sets of opposing alignment projections disposed between the reel gripper and the pick arm, a first set of alignment projections disposed above a second set of alignment projections, the first set of alignment projections extending in a direction perpendicular to the second set of alignment projections such that when the projections receive the rod, the rod extends between each set of projections.

28. The component reel pickup system of claim 27, wherein the alignment tab comprises a roller.

29. The component reel pickup system of claim 22, wherein the reel gripper comprises two opposing jaws, each jaw comprising one of two portions of the reel gripper, and wherein the reel gripper is operable to expand a gap between the jaws such that each of the two portions engages a respective one of the opposing surfaces of the top reel.

30. The component reel pickup system of claim 22, wherein the pickup arm includes an aperture configured to receive the rod when the pickup arm is lowered over the distal end of the rod.

31. The component reel pickup system of claim 30, wherein the tab is actuatable to align the lever relative to a hole of the pickup arm.

32. The component reel pickup system of claim 22, wherein the rod extends through a central aperture of the vertical stack of component reels.

33. The component reel pickup system of claim 22, wherein the hole of the top reel comprises a central hole.

34. The component reel pickup system of claim 22, wherein the rod is between 6 millimeters and 8 millimeters in diameter.

35. A component reel pick-up system comprising:

a base configured to support a vertical stack of component spools;

a rod extending from the base and positioned to extend through aligned holes of a vertical stack of component reels supported on the base; and

a component reel pick up assembly comprising:

a controllably movable pick arm; and

a spool holder carried by a pick arm, comprising:

a plurality of fingers spaced apart to receive the bar therebetween as the arm is lowered, the fingers controllably moving to engage opposite sides of the bar to align the bar with the pick arm; and

opposed gripping tabs extending downwardly and movable between a closed position in which the tabs fit within the central bore of the top spool in the vertical stack on either side of the lever and an open position in which the outer surface of the tabs grip the top spool within the central bore to lift the top spool from the stack with the pick arm.

36. The component reel pickup system of claim 35, wherein the pickup arm includes an aperture configured to receive the rod when the pickup arm is lowered over the distal end of the rod.

37. The component reel pickup system of claim 36, wherein the fingers are actuatable to align the lever relative to a hole of the pickup arm.

38. The component reel pickup system of claim 35, wherein the fingers include two sets of opposing fingers disposed on a same plane to receive the lever therebetween, each set of fingers including two pivotable fingers connected to a common pivot configured to pivot about the pivot in opposite directions to align the lever.

39. The component reel pickup system of claim 38, wherein the grip tab moves to the closed position when the finger pivots to align the lever.

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to a method of picking up stored objects, and more particularly to picking up component reels from a stack of component reels.

Background

Finding items stored in a large stack of items can present a number of challenges. In some cases, items must be quickly picked from the stack in order to supply the items during the manufacturing process. Retrieving items from a stack can be challenging, especially considering that each item may have a different size and may be misaligned within the stack. Methods and systems for improving the process of picking up component reels are sought.

Disclosure of Invention

One aspect of the invention features a method of picking a top component reel from a stack of component reels. The method includes lowering a picker arm over a rod extending through the component reel stacked above a top component reel in the stack, wherein the arm includes a gripper positioned such that as the picker arm is lowered, the rod extends through the gripper of the picker arm. The rod is aligned relative to the pick arm and then, with the rod aligned, a portion of the gripper is inserted into a hole defined in the top component spool. The gripper is actuated to engage an opposing inner surface of the top component spool at the aperture of the top component spool, and as the gripper engages the opposing inner surface, the pick-up arm is raised to lift the top component spool from the stack of component spools.

In some embodiments, the arm further comprises a plurality of projections positioned such that the rod extends through the projections as the pick arm is lowered. The alignment rod includes an actuation tab to engage the rod and align the rod relative to the pick arm.

In some examples, the protrusion is a gripping protrusion of the gripper. In some examples, aligning the rod includes actuating the grip tabs to dispose the grip tabs substantially within respective longitudinal grooves of the rod to align the rod through engagement of the grooves. In some examples, inserting a portion of the gripper into the hole of the top component spool comprises continuing to lower the pick arm to insert the gripping protrusion into the hole of the top component spool as the gripping protrusion is substantially disposed within the corresponding longitudinal groove of the rod.

In some cases, the gripper includes two opposing jaws, each jaw having a gripping protrusion arranged to fit substantially within a respective longitudinal groove of the rod, and actuating the gripper includes expanding a gap between the jaws such that each gripping protrusion moves from a respective groove of the rod to engage a respective one of the opposing inner surfaces.

In some cases, the stem has a minimum web thickness measured between the bases of the longitudinal grooves of less than about 40% of the stem diameter.

In the following case, the projection is an alignment projection positioned between the gripper and the pick-up arm. In some embodiments, the alignment tab comprises a first pair of opposing parallel tabs disposed above a second pair of opposing parallel tabs, wherein the first pair of tabs extends in a direction perpendicular to the second pair of tabs. In some arrangements, actuating the alignment tab to align the rod includes moving at least one of the two opposing tabs to reduce a gap between the two opposing tabs. In one example, the alignment protrusion comprises a roller. In another embodiment, the gripper comprises two opposing jaws, each jaw comprising an arcuate gripping protrusion, and actuating the gripper comprises expanding a gap between the jaws such that each gripping protrusion engages a respective one of the opposing inner surfaces. In some cases, prior to inserting a portion of the gripper into the hole of the top member spool, the two jaws are actuated to reduce the gap between the two respective gripping protrusions, thereby enclosing the rod with the gripping protrusions.

In some examples, the pick arm defines an aperture configured to receive the rod when the pick arm is lowered over the rod. In some cases, the actuation tab includes an aperture alignment rod relative to the pick arm.

In other embodiments, the rod extends through an alignment hole of the component spool stack.

In some cases, the rod extends through a central hole of the stack of component reels.

In some cases, the hole of the top member spool is a central hole.

In various embodiments, inserting a portion of the gripper into the hole of the top component spool comprises continuing to lower the pick arm to insert a portion of the gripper into the hole of the top component spool.

Another aspect of the invention features a method of picking a top component reel from a stack of component reels. The method includes lowering a picker arm over a bar defining a longitudinal groove. The rod extends through the component spool stack above the top component spool in the stack. The arm comprises a gripper positioned such that the rod extends through the gripper of the pick arm as the pick arm is lowered. The method also includes positioning a portion of the holder substantially within the groove. The method also includes inserting a portion of the holder into the hole of the top member spool by moving the portion of the holder along the groove. The method also includes actuating the gripper to engage an opposing inner surface of the top component spool at the aperture of the top component spool, and then lifting the pick arm to lift the top component spool from the stack of component spools as the gripper engages the opposing inner surface.

In some embodiments, the gripper comprises two opposing jaws, each jaw having a gripping protrusion. In such embodiments, positioning a portion of the clamp substantially within the groove includes positioning the clamping tab substantially within the groove of the rod.

Another aspect of the invention features a component reel picking system that includes a base, a lever, and a component reel picking assembly. The base is configured to support a vertical stack of component reels, and the rod extends from the base and is positioned to extend through aligned holes of the vertical stack of component reels supported on the base. The component reel pick-up assembly comprises: a controllably movable pick arm; a plurality of projections carried by the pick arm, the projections being spaced apart to receive the rod therebetween when the pick arm is lowered over the distal end of the rod. The tabs are actuatable to engage opposite sides of the lever to align the arm and lever as the pick arm is lowered. The component reel pick assembly also includes a reel gripper carried by the pick arm that includes two portions configured to receive the rod therebetween as the arm is lowered. The reel gripper is operable to separate the portions to receive the rod, then to narrow the gap between the portions to insert the portions into a top reel in a vertical stack of reels supported on the base, and then to expand the gap to grip the opposite surface of the top reel such that subsequent lifting of the arm lifts the top reel from the stack.

In some cases, the lever defines two opposing grooves, each groove configured to receive a respective one of the two portions of the spool holder. In some examples, the stem has a minimum web thickness measured between the bases of the longitudinal grooves of less than about 40% of the stem diameter.

In some examples, the plurality of projections are gripping projections of the spool gripper. In some cases, the two portions of the spool holder include two gripping protrusions arranged to fit substantially within respective grooves of the rod, and the spool holder is operable to expand the gap between the gripping protrusions such that each of the two gripping protrusions moves away from the respective groove to engage a respective one of the opposing surfaces of the top spool.

In some embodiments, the protrusions include two sets of opposing alignment protrusions disposed between the spool holder and the pick-up arm. The first set of alignment tabs is disposed over the second set of alignment tabs, and the first set of alignment tabs extends in a direction perpendicular to the second set of alignment tabs such that when the tabs receive the rod, the rod extends between each set of tabs. In some arrangements, the alignment protrusion comprises a roller. In some cases, the spool holder includes two opposing jaws, each jaw including one of the two portions of the spool holder. The spool gripper is operable to enlarge the gap between the jaws such that each of the two portions engages a respective one of the opposing surfaces of the top spool.

In some embodiments, the pick arm defines an aperture configured to receive the rod when the pick arm is lowered over the distal end of the rod. In some cases, the tab may be actuatable to align the rod relative to the aperture of the pick arm.

In some embodiments, the rod extends through a central bore of the vertical stack of component reels.

In some cases, the hole of the top member spool is a central hole.

In some cases, the outer diameter of the stem is between 6 millimeters and 8 millimeters.

Another aspect of the invention features a component reel picking system that includes a base, a lever, and a component reel picking assembly. The base is configured to support a vertical stack of component reels, and a rod extends from the base and is positioned to extend through aligned holes of the vertical stack of component reels supported on the base. The component reel take-up assembly includes a controllably movable take-up arm and a reel holder carried by the take-up arm. The reel gripper includes a plurality of fingers spaced apart to receive the rod therebetween as the arm is lowered. The fingers are controllably moved to engage opposite sides of the bar to align the bar with the pick arm. The spool gripper also includes opposed gripping tabs that extend downwardly and are movable between a closed position in which the tabs fit within the central bore of the top spool in the vertical stack on either side of the rod, and an open position in which the outer surfaces of the tabs grip the top spool within the central bore to lift the top spool from the stack with the pick-up arm.

In some cases, the pick arm includes an aperture configured to receive the rod when the pick arm is lowered over the distal end of the rod. In some examples, the fingers may be actuated to align the rods relative to the apertures of the pick arm.

In many embodiments, the fingers include two sets of opposing fingers disposed on the same plane to receive the lever between the two sets of fingers, each set of fingers including two pivotable fingers connected to a common pivot that are configured to pivot in opposite directions about the pivot to align the lever.

In some cases, the grip tab moves to the closed position when the finger pivots to align the lever.

In some arrangements, the outer diameter of the rod is between 6 mm and 8 mm.

Aspects of the present invention improve the process of picking a top component reel from a stack of component reels by simplifying the steps and equipment required, and automating the steps to improve operational efficiency. The system of the present invention features a moving arm that helps align the rod extending through the stack of component reels and, using the same moving arm, inserts the gripping tab of the arm into the hole of the top component reel to grasp and pick up the top component reel. These features improve the reliability of the pick-up system by improving the chances that the moving arm will grip and pick up the top component spool.

The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

Drawings

Fig. 1-4 are sequential perspective views of a component reel pickup system picking up a top component reel from a stack of component reels.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the closed component reel holder.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the component reel holder opened.

Fig. 6A is a cross-sectional view of an alignment tab actuated to align a rod.

Fig. 7 is a top view of the gripper and alignment tab in an open position.

FIG. 8 is a top view of the gripper and alignment tab of FIG. 7 in a closed position to align the rod.

Fig. 9 is a top view of a gripper with alignment fingers in an open position.

FIG. 10 is a top view of the gripper of FIG. 9 with the alignment fingers in a closed position to align the rods.

Fig. 11-14 are sequential cross-sectional views of a gripper and alignment tab actuated to pick up a top component spool.

Fig. 15 is a top view of a holder according to various embodiments.

Fig. 16 is a top view of the gripper of fig. 15 in a closed position.

Fig. 17-20 are sequential cross-sectional views of a gripper actuated to pick up a top component spool according to various embodiments.

Fig. 21 is a perspective view of a component reel pickup system according to an exemplary embodiment.

Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.

Detailed Description

Referring to fig. 1, a method and apparatus 10 for picking a top component reel 24 from a stack of component reels includes a picking assembly 12 and a stack 22 of component reels 23 supported on a base 20. The component reel pick-up system 10 is part of a storage system in a Surface Mount Technology (SMT) facility. Component reels (also known as tape reels) are used in the production of electronic circuits, in which electronic components from the tape reel are placed directly onto the surface of a printed circuit board. The number of SMT boards requires many different components and the specific list of components will vary as each board design is produced. This requires the manufacturer to maintain and manage an inventory of hundreds, if not thousands, of different reels. Furthermore, when switching from one run to the next, part of the reel must typically be retrieved from and returned to inventory. Automating and improving the process of picking up component reels from a stack of component reels may increase operational efficiency and reduce manufacturing costs. The present invention aims to improve the process of picking up a top component reel from a stack of component reels.

A stack 22 of component reels 23 is supported on the base 20. A rod 26 extends from the base 20 through an aligned central hole 28 of the component spool 23 to prevent the stack 22 from tipping or falling. The rod 26 extends through the stack 22 above the top member spool 24 to expose the distal end of the rod. The rod 26 may be a thin metal rod having a diameter of about one-half the diameter of the central bore 28. The component spools 23 may have different sizes (e.g., different diameters) and each may have a central bore 28 of a different diameter. For example, the diameter of the central hole 28 of each component reel 23 is between 10 mm and 15 mm, and the diameter of the rod 26 is between 5 mm and 8 mm. The rod 26 is susceptible to bending over time which may result in misalignment of the stacked component spools 23 or may result in the rod resting on the surface of the bore 28 of the spool 24. Such bending and misalignment can present challenges when the pick arm is lowered to pick up the top component spool, and can prevent the gripper of the arm from engaging the central bore 28 to pick up the spool. As discussed further below, the use of an actuatable alignment tab or gripper to align the rod 26 may improve the process of picking up the top component spool from the stack.

Fig. 1-4 sequentially illustrate a method of picking a top component spool 24 from a stack 22 using a spool picking assembly 12. With particular reference to FIG. 1, the spool picking assembly 12 includes an automatically movable arm 14 that is controllable to pick a top component spool 24 from a stack 22. The mechanism (not shown) that moves the arm 14 may have a memory that stores information including the position of the stack 22 and the position of the central hole 28 of the top component spool 24, and may use such information to position the arm 14 in substantially the same position each time the arm picks up a top component spool. By positioning the arm in a predetermined position, the arm has a datum point by which the rod 26 is aligned. The spool pick arm 14 carries a plurality of projections 16 (e.g., alignment projections) and a spool gripper 18. As discussed in further detail below with reference to fig. 2, the pick arm 14 has an aperture 30 for receiving the rod 26 when the arm 14 is lowered to pick the top component spool 24 from the stack 22. The pick arm 14 may be moved to position the gripper 18 and the projection 16 over the rod 26 and lower the gripper 18 toward the stack 22 to pick up the top component spool 24.

Fig. 1 shows the alignment tabs 16 and grippers 18 in an exploded view to illustrate the arrangement of each alignment tab relative to the pick arm 14. The alignment tab 16 may be an alignment roller that is movable to engage opposite sides of the lever 26 to align the lever 26 relative to the arm 14. An alignment tab 16 is disposed between the arm 14 and the gripper 18. The alignment tabs 16 include a first set 15 of spaced apart opposing tabs and a second set 17 of spaced apart opposing tabs located below the first set 15 of tabs. Each set of projections comprises two projections parallel to each other which are operable to increase or decrease the gap between the projections. The second set 17 of projections extends perpendicular to the first set 15 of projections, each arranged to leave a gap between opposing projections to receive the rod 26 when the arm 14 is lowered over the rod 26. Referring also to fig. 2, when the picker arm 14 is lowered over the distal end 32 of the rod 26, the tab 16 receives the rod 26 therebetween. The pick arm aperture 30 is aligned with the gap between the projections 16 to receive the rod 26 when the pick arm 14 is lowered over the rod. The tab 16 may be actuated to engage the rod 26 to align the rod 26 relative to the aperture 30 of the arm 14. In some cases, when the rod 26 is aligned, the component spool stack 22 is also aligned relative to the gripper 18 to receive a portion of the gripper as the arm is further lowered toward the stack.

The spool gripper 18 moves independently of the alignment tab 16 to pick up the top component spool 24. As discussed in further detail with reference to fig. 5 and 6, the spool gripper 18 includes two portions (as shown in fig. 5) configured to receive the rod therebetween when the arm is lowered. When the picker arm 14 is lowered over the rod 26, the spool gripper 18 is operable to separate the two portions to receive the rod. In some examples, when alignment tab 16 aligns with rod 26, the rod moves top component spool 24 by contacting its central hole 28 and aligning the hole relative to gripper 18, which allows the gripper to pick up top component spool 24. Referring now to fig. 3, after the lever 26 is aligned, the pick arm 14 is lowered further toward the top component spool 24. As the arm 14 is lowered, the alignment roller 16 rolls about the rod 26 to maintain alignment of the rod 26 as the arm is lowered. Once the gripper 18 is proximate the top member spool 24, the gripper 18 is actuated to reduce the gap between the two portions, thereby inserting a portion of the gripper 18 into a central bore (not shown) of the top spool 24. After the gripper 18 is inserted into the central bore, the gripper 18 is actuated to engage the opposing surface of the bore of the top component spool 24. With the surface of the top spool 24 engaged, the arm 14 may be lifted to pick up the top component spool 24, as shown in FIG. 4.

Referring to fig. 5 and 6, the spool holder 18 includes two jaws 40 of symmetrical shape that are movable to increase or decrease the gap between the jaws. Each jaw 40 has an arcuate gripping projection 44 configured to fit between the rod and the wall of the central bore with the central bore of the component reel (as shown in fig. 1). The gripping protrusions 44 have a roughened outer surface 45 that allows the gripping protrusions to securely grip the walls of the central bore. For example, the outer surface 45 may be threaded or coated. In some cases, the outer surface 45 may include a rubber surface that prevents the spool from slipping. As shown in fig. 5, when the jaws 40 are brought together to reduce the gap between the jaws, the gripping protrusions 44 come together to form a cylindrical housing 50 having an inner diameter "ID" of between 6 mm and 8 mm and an outer diameter "OD" of between 11 mm and 13 mm. As discussed in further detail below with reference to fig. 11-14, the gripping tab 44 is sized such that when the jaws 40 are brought together, the housing 50 closely surrounds the rod to allow the housing 50 to be inserted into the hole of the top component spool. Referring also to fig. 6A, when the lever is aligned by the alignment tab, the hole 28 of the top spool 24 may terminate in an offset position, wherein a surface of the hole is in contact with a side of the lever 26. To pick up the top spool 24, the gripping tab 44 must be inserted between the rod 26 and the hole 28. As shown in fig. 6, in this case, the gripping tab 44 has a chamfered end 46 that allows the gripper 18 to insert the tab 44 into the hole by first bringing the surface of the rod into contact with the tab 44 and then moving the tab 44 along the rod to insert the distal end of the gripping tab 44 between the hole and the rod. After the projection 44 is inserted into the hole of the top spool, the gripper 18 may be actuated to expand the gap between the jaws 40 to engage the hole of the top spool on the opposite side of the hole.

Fig. 7 and 8 show how the registration roller 16 moves to register the rod 26. Each pair 15 and 17 of registration rollers is arranged on a different horizontal plane (not shown) with roller 15 on top of roller 17. The top rollers 15 move in the same direction as the jaws 40 to reduce the gap between the top rollers 15. The bottom rollers 17 are moved in a direction perpendicular to the movement of the jaws 40 to reduce the gap between the bottom rollers 17. Each pair of rollers may be actuated simultaneously to center the rod relative to a pick arm (not shown), or they may be actuated individually to align the rods as desired. The registration rollers 16 may register the rod 26 before the gripper 18 is actuated. The grippers 18 can be actuated after the grippers and rollers have been lowered towards the top member spool. In some examples, the pick arm includes only the bottom roller 17 to align the bar 26 in a direction perpendicular to the jaw 40. In this arrangement, the bottom roller 17 will position the rod 26 along the path of the grip tabs 44 such that at least one of the grip tabs 44 will engage one side of the rod 26 to align the rod in the direction of the spool gripper 18.

Fig. 9 and 10 show different examples of the reel holder 18 a. The spool gripper 18a includes two gripping projections 56 and two sets of pivotable fingers 54, the fingers 54 being spaced apart to receive the rod 26 therebetween when the arm is lowered. Each set of fingers is movable like a scissors with one finger 54 disposed on top of the other and both fingers 56 connected to and pivotable about a common pivot 51. Fingers 54 pivot about their respective pivots 51 in opposite directions to align lever 26. As shown in fig. 10, each set of fingers may also be moved toward each other (e.g., in a translational motion) to reduce the gap between the gripping protrusions 56. The two sets of fingers are disposed on the same plane such that each finger 54 engages the opposite side of the bar at the same height within the height of the bar to align the bar with the pick arm. In some examples, fingers 54 may also be pivotable rollers similar to the rollers in fig. 7. The gripping tab 56, similar to the gripping tab in fig. 5, extends downwardly (e.g., toward the hole 28) and is arranged to engage the opposite inner surface of the central hole of the top spool. When the rods 26 are aligned, the gripping tabs 56 come together into a closed position, wherein the tabs 56 fit within the central aperture 28 of the top spool. The gripping tab 56 can then be actuated to an open position, wherein the outer surface of the tab grips the top spool within the central bore 28 to lift the top spool from the stack with the pick arm. In some examples, fingers 54 are configured to move in a parallel motion, rather than about a pivot, similar to the registration roller movement in fig. 7 and 8.

Fig. 11-14 are sequential cross-sectional views of a method of picking up a top component reel 24 from a stack of component reels. For simplicity, the pick arm carrying the roller 16 and gripper 18 is not shown. Referring to fig. 11, after the rod 26 has been aligned by the roller 16, the roller 16 and spool gripper 18 are lowered toward the top component spool 24. When the gripper 18 and roller 16 move downward, the gripper 18 is in an open position to receive the rod 26 between the two jaws 40. Referring to fig. 12, the jaws 40 of the gripper 18 come together to enclose the rod 26. When the jaws are brought together, the gripping protrusion 44 surrounds the rod 26, allowing the gripper 18 to be lowered further to insert the gripping protrusion 44 into the hole 28. When the holder 18 is in the closed position and inserted into the aperture 28, the projection 44 may leave a gap between the outer surface of the projection 44 and the surface of the aperture 28. As shown in fig. 13, the gripper 18 is actuated to expand the gap between the jaws 40 so that the gripping projections 44 engage the opposing surfaces of the aperture 28. As shown in fig. 14, after gripper 18 engages top spool 24 through its central hole, gripper 18 picks up top component spool 24 from stack 22 as gripper 18 and alignment tab 16 are lifted from the stack of component spools.

Fig. 15 and 16 show different examples of the reel holder 18 b. The spool clamp 18b includes two opposing jaws 40a, each having a tab 64 (e.g., a clamping tab) extending downwardly from one end of the jaw. In some embodiments, a thicker bar 26a may be used than the bar described with reference to fig. 1-14, such that the bar remains generally straight or aligned, allowing the gripper 18b to pick up the component reel without having to substantially align the bar (e.g., a gripper 18b without alignment tabs or pivotable fingers may be used). The stem 26a defines longitudinal grooves 72 on opposite sides for receiving the gripping tabs 64 of each jaw 40 a. The stem 26a may have a minimum web thickness "t" measured between the bases of the grooves of less than about 40% of the outer diameter of the stem (e.g., about 34% of the stem diameter). To pick up the reel, the arm carrying the gripper 18b (see fig. 1-4) may first be positioned so as to substantially align the gripping projection 64 with the recess 72. For example, the arm may be moved to a predetermined position and/or location such that the projection 64 is substantially aligned with the recess 72 before the arm is lowered onto the rod 26 a. The stability of the lever 26 allows the jaw 40a to quickly align with the groove 72 when the jaw is actuated to move toward the lever 26 a. The gripping tab 64, similar to the gripping tab in fig. 5, extends downward (e.g., toward the hole 28) and is arranged to engage the central hole of the top spool. The grip tab 64 is configured to fit substantially within the groove. When the jaws 40a are actuated toward the lever, the gripping tabs 64 come together into a closed position in which the tabs 64 are substantially disposed within the grooves 72. The tab 64 may also align the rod 26a relative to the arm by engaging the rod through the groove 72 as the jaws are moved toward each other. As shown in fig. 16, with the gripping tab 64 positioned within the groove 72, the jaw 40a may be lowered toward the top component spool to insert the gripping tab 64 into the hole 28 of the top component spool. Once the jaw 40a has been lowered, the gripping tab 64 may be actuated to an open position wherein the outer surface 74 of the tab 64 grips the top spool within the central bore 28 to lift the top spool from the stack with the pick arm.

Fig. 17-20 are sequential sectional views of a method of picking up the top component spool 24 using the spool gripper 18b in fig. 15 and 16. For simplicity, the pick arm carrying gripper 18b and the mechanism to move the gripper are not shown. Referring to fig. 17 and 18, after the picker arm positions spool gripper 18b over top component spool 24, as gripper 18b moves downward, spool gripper 18b lowers to an open position to receive rod 26a between two jaws 40 a. Jaws 40a of spool gripper 18b come together to position gripping protrusions 64 within corresponding grooves 72 of lever 26 a. After the gripping tab 64 is located within the groove 72, the jaw 40a is further lowered to insert the gripping tab 64 into the aperture 28, as shown in FIG. 19. When the jaw 40a is lowered, the gripping tab 64 remains generally located within the groove 72 for insertion into the aperture 28. When the projection 64 is inserted into the aperture 28, the projection 64 may leave a small gap between the outer surface of the projection 64 and the surface of the aperture 28. The grippers 18b are actuated to expand the gap between the jaws 40a so that the gripping projections 64 engage the opposing inner surfaces of the aperture 28. As shown in fig. 20, after gripper 18b engages top reel 24 through its central hole, gripper 18b picks up top component reel 24 from stack 22 as gripper 18b is lifted from the component reel stack.

Fig. 21 shows an exemplary embodiment of a reel pick-up system using the reel gripper of fig. 15-20. The spool pick-up system includes a pick-up arm 12 carrying a disk 80, the disk 80 supporting a mechanism to move the spool gripper 18 b. Arm 14 can move in translation and rotation to move spool holder 18b toward and away from rod 26a and to align the spool holder with the rod or to align the rod with the spool holder. The arm 14 defines a hole 30, and the hole 30 receives the rod 26a when the arm is lowered toward the component spool 24. The plate 80 is attached to the arm 14 by mechanical fasteners 86. The discs support linear actuators 82 on each side of the arm 14. A linear actuator 82 is attached to the plate 80 by mechanical fasteners and is actuatable to move the jaw 40a toward and away from the stem 26 a. For example, each linear actuator 82 may have a cylinder attached to a respective jaw 40a located at one distal end of the cylinder. The linear actuator may extend or retract its cylinder in a direction generally parallel to the length of the arm 14 to move its respective jaw 40a in the same direction.

Although a number of examples have been described for purposes of illustration, the foregoing description is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the scope of the appended claims. Other examples and modifications are and will occur to those skilled in the art within the scope of the appended claims.