Chip structure

Abstract: A chip structure (20) includes a chip body (21); and a pair of L-shaped reinforcing brackets (23, 24), with a vertical leg (25) attached to either side of the chip body and a horizontal leg (28) provided with an abutment face (29).

Description: Field of the Invention The present invention relates to chips, such as sockets and plugs, housed within a stick which is to be mounted on a stick feeder. Description of the Prior Art Chip mounting machines are used to mount chips, such as sockets and plugs, on boards. The chip mounting machines include stick feeders. The stick feeders feed a number of sticks each housing a number of chips, such as sockets or plugs, to the next process station. Figs. 9-12 show two types of conventional chips; a socket chip 1 and a plug chip 2 which are disclosed in JP-A (1990) 216776. In Figs. 9 and 10, the socket chip 1 includes a socket body 3 which has a pair of positioning projections 4 extending downwardly from the bottom surface 3a and a pair of L-shaped reinforcing brackets 5 and 6 on opposite sides. Each reinforcing bracket 5 or 6 has an engagement hole 8 on the vertical leg 7 for engagement with an engaging projection 9 of the socket body 3, thereby attaching the reinforcing bracket 5 or 6 to the socket body 3. The horizontal leg 10 of the reinforcing bracket 5 or 6 is parallel to the bottom surface 3a. Similarly, as Figs. 11 and 12 show, the plug chip 2 includes a plug body 11 which has a pair of positioning projections 4 and a pair of reinforcing brackets 5 and 6. As Fig. 13 shows, a number of chips 12, such as socket,chips 1 or plug chips 2, are aligned in a line within a stick 13 such that the edges 10a of the adjacent horizontal legs 10 are brought into contact with each other. As Fig. 8 shows, the stick 13 is obliquely mounted on a stick feeder 14 for feeding the chips 12 one by one from the lowest one without breaking the contact between the adjacent horizontal legs 10. As Fig. 14 shows, however, the adjacent horizontal legs 10 can overlap because of vibrations, etc., making the assembling robot fail to accurately position the chips 12 on the board. Summary of the Invention Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a chip structure which enables an assembling robot to accurately position it on a board. According to the invention there is provided a chip structure which includes a chip body; and a pair of L-shaped reinforcing brackets, with a vertical leg attached to either side of said chip body and a horizontal leg provided with an abutment face. The chips slide down within a stick which is obliquely mounted on a stick feeder, with the adjacent abutment faces abutting on each other so that the adjacent horizontal legs of the chips do not overlap because of vibrations, etc. The other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a socket chip according to an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the socket chip of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a reinforcing bracket useful for the socket chip of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a plug chip according to an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the plug chip of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a stick which houses a number of chips according to the invention; Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a series of chips in contact with each other; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a stick feeder; Fig. 9 is a top plan view of a conventional socket chip; Fig. 10 is a side elevational view of the conventional socket chip of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a top plan view of a conventional plug chip; Fig. 12 is a side elevational view of a conventional plug chip of Fig. 11; Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a stick which houses a number of the conventional chips; and Fig. 14 is a schematic diagram showing a series of the conventional chips with their reinforcing legs overlapping. Description of the Preferred Embodiment In Figs. 1 and 2, a socket chip 20 includes a socket body 21 which has a pair of positioning projections 22 extending downwardly from the bottom surface 21a and a pair of reinforcing brackets 23 and 24 on opposite sides. As Fig. 3 shows, each bracket 23 or 24 is made by bending a plate at the middle by 90 degrees and providing on a vertical leg 25 an engagement hole 27 which extends upwardly from the bending portion 26 and bending the front end of the horizontal leg 28 upwardly at right angles, forming a abutment face 29. A pair of engagement projections 30 are provided on opposite sides of the socket body 21 for engagement with the engagement holes 27 of the brackets 23 and 24, thereby attaching the brackets 23 and 24 to the socket body 21. The horizontal legs 28 of the brackets 23 and 24 are parallel to the bottom surface 21a and perpendicular to the abutment faces 29. Similarly, as Figs. 4 and 5 show, the plug chip 31 has a pair of positioning projects 22 and a pair of reinforcing brackets 23 and 24. As Figs. 6 and 7 show, a number of socket or plug chips 33 are aligned in a line within a stick 34 such that the abutment faces 29 of the adjacent chips 33 are brought into contact with each other. As Fig. 8 shows, the stick 34 is obliquely mounted on the stick feeder 14 so that the chips 33 are fed one by one from the lowest one. The abutment faces 29 are so high that the horizontal legs 28 are prevented from overlapping the adjacent horizontal legs 28, thereby assuring accurate positioning of the chips 33 on the board by the assembling robot. As has been described above, according to the invention, abutment faces are provided for the horizontal legs of reinforcing brackets for chips so that the respective chips are moved in the stick with their abutment faces abutting on each other. As a result, the horizontal legs of the adjacent chips are prevented from overlapping because of vibrations, etc., thereby assuring accurate positioning of the chips on the board by the assembling robot.

Claims: A chip structure comprising: a chip body (21); and a pair of L-shaped reinforcing brackets (23,24) with a vertical leg (25) attached to either side of the chip body, characterized in that abutment faces (29) are formed at the free ends of the horizontal legs (28) of the respective bracket wherein said abutment faces (29) are formed by an upwardly bent part of the free end of the bracket.

Inventors: AKIYAMA KOICHI, AKIYAMA, KOICHI
Applicants: HIROSE ELECTRIC CO LTD, HIROSE ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: H05K13
IPC codes: H05K13, B65D85