Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US5938038?dq=6,049,612
Timestamp: 2014-07-24 15:26:41
Document Index: 65988604

Matched Legal Cases: ['art. 2', 'arts 40', 'arts 40', 'art 40', 'art 40', 'art 40', 'art 40']

Patent US5938038 - Parts carrier strip and apparatus for assembling parts in such a strip - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign in<nobr>Advanced Patent Search</nobr>PatentsA parts carrier strip includes a wall portion defining an aperture wherein the wall portion includes a tab portion which is deflectable to permit the tab portion to be placed in a recess in a part to be carried by the strip. Also disclosed is an apparatus for assembling parts in such a strip....http://www.google.com/patents/US5938038?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US5938038 - Parts carrier strip and apparatus for assembling parts in such a stripAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS5938038 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 08/692,009Publication dateAug 17, 1999Filing dateAug 2, 1996Priority dateAug 2, 1996Fee statusLapsedAlso published asUS6247227Publication number08692009, 692009, US 5938038 A, US 5938038A, US-A-5938038, US5938038 A, US5938038AInventorsFrank J. ZibernaOriginal AssigneeDial Tool Industries, Inc.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (48), Non-Patent Citations (5), Referenced by (1), Classifications (8), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetParts carrier strip and apparatus for assembling parts in such a stripUS 5938038 AAbstract A parts carrier strip includes a wall portion defining an aperture wherein the wall portion includes a tab portion which is deflectable to permit the tab portion to be placed in a recess in a part to be carried by the strip. Also disclosed is an apparatus for assembling parts in such a strip.
I claim: 1. A parts carrier, comprising:a flexible member which can be flattened into a planar strip and having a plurality of part-receiving apertures extending fully through the member wherein each aperture is defined by four wall portions, each wall portion including at least two tab portions, each tab portion being resiliently deflectable from an undeflected position while the flexible member is flattened to permit placement of a preformed part in a part-receiving aperture, each tab portion thereafter substantially returning to the undeflected position to releasably engage a recess in the part. 2. The parts carrier of claim 1, in combination with a part disposed in one of the apertures.
3. The parts carrier of claim 1, wherein the tab portions are coplanar.
4. The parts carrier of claim 1, wherein each aperture is rectangular.
5. The parts carrier of claim 1, wherein the flexible member further includes a series of positioning holes.
6. The parts carrier of claim 1, wherein the flexible member further includes first and second series of marginal positioning holes disposed on first and second sides, respectively, of the apertures.
7. The parts carrier of claim 6, wherein each series of marginal positioning holes includes a first set of spaced holes each of a first size and a second set of spaced holes interspersed between the first set of spaced holes and each of a second size smaller than the first size.
8. The parts carrier of claim 6, wherein the apertures and the positioning holes are regularly spaced.
9. A combination, comprising:a flexible planar strip having a plurality of part-receiving apertures extending fully through the strip, the plurality of apertures being disposed along a length of the strip between side edges thereof, wherein each aperture is defined by four wall portions, each wall portion including including two tab portions which are deflectable when the strip is flattened to releasably engage a recess in a part, the strip further including first and second series of positioning holes adjacent the apertures, a first series of positioning holes being disposed between the apertures and one of the side edges, a second series of positioning holes being disposed between the apertures and another of the side edges, the apertures and the series of positioning holes being spaced regularly along the strip length, each of the first and second series of positioning holes further including a first set of holes having a first size and further having a second set of spaced holes interspersed between the first set of spaced holes, the second set of holes having a second size smaller than the first size; and a plurality of parts disposed in the plurality of apertures, each part having a recess which receives one of the tab portions. 10. The combination of claim 9, wherein each aperture is rectangular.
11. A part carrier, comprising:a resilient flexible member capable of being flattened into a planar strip, the member including a plurality of part receiving apertures spaced at intervals along a length of the member; each of the part receiving apertures being generally rectangular and having a plurality of linear sidewalls, each of the sidewalls including at least one resiliently deflectable tab, each of the tabs being adapted for resilient movement between an undeflected position and a deflected position; and a part adapted for placement in each of the apertures, the part having four lateral side portions, each of the side portions having a recess adapted for releasable engagement by an adjacent one of the tabs; wherein each of the tabs are adapted to shift from an undeflected position to a deflected position in response to movement of the part into the corresponding aperture, and further are adapted to shift to an undeflected position when the part is secured in the aperture, each of the tabs further being adapted to resiliently return to the undeflected position in response to removal of the part from the aperture. Description
TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates generally to the supply of parts, and more particularly to a carrier strip for carrying parts and an apparatus for assembling parts therein.
BACKGROUND ART Many machines for trimming workpieces from a supply of workpieces are known. These machines include conventional punch presses in which a reciprocating cutting punch or die sequentially contacts a supply feedstock to separate a workpiece therefrom. Other machines may include trimming machines which trim an individual part or workpiece from a connecting member interconnecting a plurality of such workpieces, such as a strip or other carrier item. In these machines, the supply feedstock may consist of a coil of sheet metal in which individual workpieces have been previously stamped and formed. Yet other machines, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,512,438, utilize a strip of feedstock which is fed into the punch press and acted upon thereby to form the feedstock into a predetermined configuration along the entire length thereof. Individual workpieces are subsequently trimmed from the feedstock as a further finishing step.
Many of the workpieces or parts used in such automated production lines are delicate in nature because they are stamped and formed from thin sheet metal prior to being presented to an automated assembly device. The stamping and forming of the workpiece typically occurs away from the automated production line. Robotic assemblers utilize "carrier strips," "carrier tapes" or trays to feed parts thereto. One such type of carrier tape is known as "debossed tape and reel" and consists of a plastic carrier tape with a plurality of recessed pockets or openings formed therein along the longitudinal extent of the tape. A part is placed in each of the pockets and a plastic sealing tape or bonding tape is adhesively applied to the carrier tape, thereby sealing the parts in respective pockets. The carrier tape is fed into a robotic assembler and the seal tape is peeled away and the part removed and installed. Both the seal tape and the carrier tape are then discharged to waste by the robot. Examples of such constructions are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,712,675 and 4,781,953. However, human insertion of the parts into the pockets is often required and the two-part nature of the debossed tape is expensive. Additionally, a specific orientation of the parts in the pocket must also be maintained for pick-up by the robot loader.
Another type of carrier type is known by the tradename of "GPAX" and is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,583,641 and 4,757,895. In a GPAX-type structure, a carrier tape is provided with a plurality of holes and intervening slots punched into it along the longitudinal extent thereof. The holes are adapted to engage legs or stubs of each electrical part to insure proper and secure positioning of the part on the tape. A plastic bonding tape overlays the carrier tape and parts and is pressed or stitched into the carrier tape between adjacent parts. This bonding tape offers protection to the parts and retains the parts in place on the carrier tape. This type of carrier tape construction shares certain disadvantages with the debossed tape and reel construction previously described. For example, the assembled tapes are composed of multiple pieces and thus increases the amount of waste generated by the process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the present invention, a parts carrier comprises a flexible member which can be flattened into a planar strip and having a plurality of part-receiving apertures extending fully therethrough. Each aperture is defined by walls including a tab portion which is resiliently deflectable from an undeflected position while the flexible member is flattened to permit placement of a preformed part in a part-receiving aperture, and which thereafter returns to substantially the undeflected position to releasably engage a recess in the part. Preferably, the tab portions are coplanar and the walls defining each aperture may include four portions wherein each wall portion may include two tab portions. Still further in accordance with the preferred embodiment, each aperture may be rectangular.
Also, the flexible member may include a series of positioning holes. In accordance with a specific embodiment, first and second series of marginal positioning holes are disposed on first and second sides, respectively, of the apertures. In addition, each series of marginal positioning holes may include a first set of spaced holes each of a first size and a second set of spaced holes interspersed between the first set of spaced holes and each of a second size smaller than the first size. Also, the apertures and the positioning holes may be regularly spaced.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a combination includes a flexible planar strip having a plurality of part-receiving apertures extending fully through the strip wherein each aperture is defined by walls including tab portions which are deflectable when the strip is flattened to releasably engage a recess in a part. The strip further includes a series of positioning holes adjacent the apertures. A plurality of parts are disposed in the plurality of apertures wherein each part has a recess which receives one of the tab portions.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the lines 3--3 of FIG. 2 when the die is fully open;
FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view taken generally along the lines 5--5 of FIG. 2 when the die is fully closed; and
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIG. 1, a die 10 forms parts in a metal strip 12 and assembles the parts into a parts carrier strip 14 fabricated of plastic or other suitable flexible material. The metal strip 12 is fed in the direction of an arrow 16 into a space between lower and intermediate die portions 18, 20, respectively. The die 10 further includes an upper portion 22 which is slidably connected to the intermediate die portion 20. The die portions, 18, 20 and 22 are interconnected by guides (not shown) which allow reciprocating movement of the intermediate die portion 20 and the upper die portion 22 relative to the lower die portion 18.
As seen in FIG. 2, the carrier strip 14 is generally planar and includes a plurality of part-receiving apertures 26. Preferably, although not necessarily, each aperture 26 is generally rectangular and, more particularly, is generally square. In the illustrated embodiment, each aperture 26 includes four wall portions 28a-28d and each wall portion 28a-28d includes two planar tab portions 30 which are spaced from one another near outer ends of the wall portions 28a-28d. If necessary or desirable, the number and/or placement of tab portions 30 may be varied in dependence upon the size and shape of the part to be carried in the aperture 26.
Referring again to FIG. 1, the die 10 includes a series of forming stations (not shown) which sequentially stamp the metal strip 12 into parts 40, three of which 40-1. 40-2 and 40-3 are shown in FIG. 2. The parts 40-1 and 40-2 are connected to the balance of the strip 12 by arms 42 which remain after punching of the metal strip 12. As seen in FIG. 3, each part, for example the part 40-2, includes four downwardly depending walls 44, each of which includes a pair of recesses in the form of holes 46. The spacing between the holes 46 is equal to the spacing between the tabs 30 of the wall portions 28a-28d defining the apertures 26. The metal strip 12 may further include positioning holes 48, if desired.
FIGS. 2 and 6 illustrate an assembly station 50 at which the metal strip 12 and the carrier strip 14 are fed along paths that extend transversely, and preferably perpendicularly, to each other. More particularly, with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the metal strip 12 is fed by a feeder (not shown) and is guided along a path by spring-loaded stock lifter guides 52 each of which, as seen in FIG. 3, includes a channel 54 therein. During operation of the die 10, the metal strip 12 is moved to a position such that a part 40, for example the part 40-2, is moved to the position shown in FIG. 2. Accurate placement of the part 40-2 at such location is assured by the placement of guides (not shown) into holes 48 upstream of the locations shown in FIG. 2. The plastic carrier strip 40 is similarly moved by the feeding device 24 such that an aperture 26 is placed in the position shown in FIG. 2. Accurate positioning of the carrier strip 14 is assured by pilots 56 which, as noted in greater detail below, lower into certain ones of the marginal positioning holes 32 and 34.
In addition to the foregoing, no secondary labor is required to load parts onto the carrier strip or otherwise perform a finishing operation thereon. Labor costs are low and packaging costs are held to a minimum since no adhesive, cover strips, etc . . . are used.
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