Abstract:
An IC package discharge apparatus is constructed to include a machine base, the machine base having pitch-adjustable IC package carrier tube passages arrange din parallel for receiving IC package carrier tubes, a vibrator controlled to oscillate the machine base, a set of contact switches respectively installed in the IC package carrier tube passages and adapted to shut down the vibrator after removal of IC package carrier tubes from the IC package carrier tube passages, and a set of sensors respectively installed in the IC package carrier tube passages and adapted to count the number of IC packages passed into the IC package carrier tubes in the IC package carrier tube passages and to shut down the vibrator when every sensor counted up to a predetermined number.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a material discharge apparatus and, more specifically, to an IC package discharge apparatus for use in an IC package foundry for arranging examined IC packages in good order for further processing.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    During the fabrication of IC packages, the fabricated IC packages must be carried to an examination station and examined. Only qualified IC packages can be picked up and packed for sale or use. After examination, mechanical arms are operated to pick up qualified IC packages from the examination station to an IC package discharge apparatus, which automatically arranges loaded IC packages in good order into IC package carrier tubes for further packing. Conventional IC package discharge apparatus for this purpose commonly use a vibrator to force IC packages out of a collecting trough into IC package passages. However conventional IC package discharge apparatus are still not satisfactory in function. One drawback of conventional IC package discharge apparatus is their bulky size that requires much installation space. Another drawback of conventional IC package discharge apparatus is their low operational efficiency. During operation, the operator must manually control the vibrator.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    It is one object of the present invention to provide an IC package discharge apparatus, which is compact and requires less installation space.  
           [0004]    It is another object of the present invention to provide an IC package discharge apparatus, which smoothly loads qualified IC packages into IC package carrier tubes, and stops the loading operation of IC packages into IC package carrier tubes when all IC package carrier tubes are filled up with qualified IC package.  
           [0005]    To achieve these objects of the present invention, the IC package discharge apparatus comprises a machine base, said machine base comprising a plurality of IC package carrier tube passages extended in longitudinal direction and arranged in parallel, and a plurality of IC package passages extended in longitudinal direction in line with said IC package carrier tube passages respectively at a rear side for the loading of IC packages and disposed at a higher elevation than said IC package carrier tube passages; a vibrator controlled to oscillate the machine base back and forth in longitudinal direction; a plurality of contact switches respectively mounted in the IC package carrier tube passages and electrically connected to the vibrator, the contact switches each comprising a switching lever suspended in one of the IC package carrier tube passages and moved between a first position where the switching lever receives no pressure and the vibrator is off, and a second position where the switching lever is pressed by an IC package carrier tube and the vibrator is on; and a plurality of sensors respectively mounted in the IC package carrier tube passages and electrically connected to the vibrator and adapted to detect movement of IC packages through respective IC package carrier tubes loaded in the IC package carrier tube passages, to count the number of IC packages passing through respective IC package carrier tubes loaded in the IC package carrier tube passages, and to stop the vibrator from oscillating the machine base when all of the sensors counted up to a predetermined number. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an IC package discharge apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 is a top view of the IC package discharge apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3 is a right side view of the IC package discharge apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 4 is a front view of the IC package discharge apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 5 is a rear side view of the IC package discharge apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing showing the structure of the rear half of the IC package discharge apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]    Referring to FIGS. from  1  through  6 , an IC package discharge apparatus in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown comprised of a machine base  10 , a vibrator  20 , a plurality of contact switches  30 , a plurality of sensors  40 , and an auxiliary rack  50 .  
         [0013]    The machine base  10  comprises a plurality of fixed rails  11 , a first movable device  12 , a first lock  123 , a second movable device  14 , a second lock  143 , a third movable device  15 , a third lock  154 , and a top plate  17 . The fixed rails  11  are longitudinally fixedly mounted on the top near the rear side and arranged in parallel at an equal pitch. The first movable device  12  comprises a narrow elongated transverse base strip  121  horizontally slidably inserted through a respective transverse through hole (not shown) on each fixed rail  11 , and a plurality of longitudinal ribs  122  respectively protruded from the top of the transverse base strip  121  and alternatively spaced from one another by the fixed rails  11 . The fixed rails  11  define with the longitudinal ribs  122  a plurality of IC package passages  13  extended in longitudinal direction and arranged in parallel. By means of moving the first movable device  12  relative to the fixed rails  11 , the pitch of the IC package passages  13  is relatively adjusted. The first lock  123  is installed in one end, namely, the right side of the first movable device  12  for locking the first movable device  12 . The second movable device  14  is mounted on two sliding blocks at a transverse sliding track (not shown) on the top of the machine base  10  in front of the fixed rails  11  and the transverse base strip  121  for horizontal movement in transverse direction, comprising a narrow elongated transverse base strip  141  and a plurality of longitudinal teeth  142  perpendicularly forwardly extended from the transverse base strip  141  and arranged in parallel corresponding to the fixed rails  11 . The second lock  143  is installed in one end, namely, the right side of the second movable device  14  for locking the second movable device  14 . The third movable device  15  is mounted on another two sliding blocks at the aforesaid transverse sliding track for horizontal movement in transverse direction, comprising a transverse base strip  151  disposed in front of the transverse base strip  141  of the second movable device  14  at an equal elevation, a plurality of longitudinal teeth  152  perpendicularly backwardly extended from the transverse base strip  151  and alternatively spaced from one another by the longitudinal teeth  142  of the second movable device  14 , and a plurality of bearing rods  153  perpendicularly backwardly extended from the transverse base strip  151  and respectively formed integral with the teeth  152  at the right side. The bearing rods  153  and the transverse base strip  151  are disposed in a flush manner. The teeth  142  of the second movable device  14  define with the teeth  152  of the third movable device  15  a plurality of IC package carrier tube passages  16  extended in longitudinal direction and arranged in parallel, i.e., one tooth  142  of the second movable device  14  define with one tooth  152  of the third movable device  15  an IC package carrier tube passage  16 . When moving the second movable device  14  or the third movable device  15  horizontally in transverse direction, the pith of the IC package carrier tube passages  16  is relatively changed. The teeth  142  and  152  each have a beveled side edge extended to the respective front end such that each IC package carrier tube passage  60  has a tapered front end expanding forwards (see FIG. 2). IC package carrier tubes  60  are respectively inserted into the IC package carrier tube passages  16  from the rear side toward the front side. The bottom of the IC package carrier tube passages  16  (i.e., the top of the bearing rods  153 ) is lower than the bottom of the IC package passages  13 , and the elevational difference between the bottom of each IC package carrier tube passage  16  and the bottom of the IC package passages  13  is approximately equal to the wall thickness of the IC package carrier tubes  60 . The third lock  154  is installed in the left side of the third movable device  15  for locking the third movable device  15 . The top plate  17  is transversely mounted on the machine base  10  over the second movable device  14  and the third movable device  15 .  
         [0014]    The vibrator  20  is provided at the bottom side of the machine base  10 , and controlled to oscillate the machine base  10  alternatively forwards and backwards (because the structure and function of the vibrator  20  are of the known art not within the scope of the present invention, no further detailed description is necessary).  
         [0015]    The contact switches  30 , as shown in FIG. 6, are mounted in the machine base  10  at a bottom side corresponding to the IC package carrier tube passages  16 , and electrically connected to the vibrator  20 . Each contact switch  30  comprises a lever  31  extending upwards into one IC package carrier tube passage  16 , and a roller  32  pivoted to the free end of the lever  31 . Normally, the lever  31  receives no pressure and, is disposed in vertical, namely, the first position (see the real line shown in FIG. 6). When an IC package carrier tube  60  inserted into one IC package carrier tube passage  16 , the lever  31  is forced backwards and turned to a tilted position, namely, the second position (see the imaginary line shown in FIG. 6). When the lever  31  of the contact switch  30  moved the first position, it means that the corresponding IC package carrier tube passage  16  does not have an IC package carrier tube  60  inserted therein. One the contrary, when the lever  31  moved to the second position, it means that the corresponding IC package carrier tube passage  16  has an IC package carrier tube  60  inserted therein. When one contact switch  30  detected the corresponding IC package carrier tube passage  16  without an IC package carrier tube  60 , the contact switch  30  immediately provides a particular signal to the vibrator  20 , stopping the vibrator  20  from vibrating the machine base  10 .  
         [0016]    The sensors  40  are respectively mounted in the IC package carrier tube passages  16  within the machine base  10 , each comprised of an infrared emitter  41  and an infrared receiver  42 . As shown in FIG. 6, the infrared emitter  41  is provided in the middle of the bottom of one IC package carrier tube passage  16  and controlled to emit infrared light upwards, and the receiver  42  is suspended above the corresponding IC package carrier tube passage  16 , for example, installed in the top plate  17  corresponding to the infrared emitter  41  and electrically connected to the vibrator  20 . When IC packages  70  passed through the spaces between the infrared emitters  41  and infrared receivers  42  of the sensors  40 , the infrared light from the infrared emitters  41  are blocked (the aforesaid IC package carrier tubes  60  are made of transparent plastics that admits light), thereby causing the sensors  40  to start a respective counting circuit (not shown). When all counting circuits respectively counted up to a predetermined number, it means that all IC package passage tubes  60  have been filled up with a predetermined number of IC packages, and at this time the sensors  40  provide a signal to stop the vibrator  20  from vibrating the machine base  10 .  
         [0017]    The auxiliary rack  50  comprises two sector-like sideboards  51  bilaterally forwardly extended from the front side of the machine base  10  and arranged in parallel, each having a plurality of through holes  52  disposed at different elevations along the arch thereof, and a transverse rod  53  selectively connected between the through holes  52  of the sector-like sideboards  51  at the desired elevation.  
         [0018]    The above statement describes the structural features of the IC package discharge apparatus. Normally, the second movable device  14  is adjusted to the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and then locked, keeping the longitudinal teeth  142  aimed at the fixed rails  11  respectively. More specifically speaking, the left side of each longitudinal tooth  142  is biased to the right side in comparison with the left side of the corresponding fixed rail  11  (i.e., the right side of the IC package carrier tube passage  16  is biased to the right side in comparison with the right side of the corresponding IC package passage  13 ), and the difference therebetween is approximately equal to the wall thickness of the IC package carrier tubes  60 . Before use, the positions of the first movable device  12  and the third movable device  15  are adjusted to adjust the pitch of the IC package passages  13  and the pitch of the IC package carrier tube passages  16  subject to the width of the IC packages  70  to be packed and the width of the IC package carrier tubes  60  to be used (remark: the left side of each IC package carrier tube  16  is biased to the left in comparison with the left side of the corresponding IC package passage, and the difference therebetween is approximately equal to the wall thickness of the IC package carrier tubes  60 . When in use, IC package carrier tubes  60  are longitudinally mounted in the IC package discharge apparatus and stopped at the front side edge of the transverse base strip  121  of the first movable device  12  with the rear halves of the loaded IC package carrier tubes  60  respectively inserted into the IC package carrier tube passages  16  and retained in place by the longitudinal teeth  142 ; 152  and the front halves of the loaded IC package carrier tubes  60  passed under and peripherally disposed in contact with the transverse rod  53  (the elevation of the transverse rod  53  is adjustable).  
         [0019]    During operation, qualified IC packages are transferred from the examination station of the production line to the IC package passages  13  of the IC package discharge apparatus by mechanical arms, and the vibrator  20  is driven to oscillate the machine base  10  obliquely alternatively back and forth; thereby causing loaded IC packages  70  to be forced forwards and moved into the IC package carrier tubes  60 . The bottom sides of the IC package passages  13  is slightly higher than the bottom sides of the IC package carrier tube passages  16 , and the elevational difference is approximately equal to the wall thickness of the IC package carrier tubes  60 , so that the wall thickness of the IC package carrier tubes  60  does not hinder forward movement of the loaded IC packages  70  from the IC package passages  13  to the inside of the IC package carrier tubes  60 .  
         [0020]    When all the installed IC package carrier tubes  60  are filled up with IC packages  70 , the sensors  70  stop the vibrator  20  (the mechanical arms are stopped at the same time). At this time, the operator can remove the IC package carrier tubes  60  with the loaded IC packages  70 , and then insert hollow IC package carrier tubes  60  into the IC package carrier tube passages  16  again. When all IC package delivery passages  16  are respectively inserted with a respective IC package carrier tube  60 , the contact switches  30  immediately drive the vibrator  20  to oscillate the machine base  10  again (at the same time the mechanical arms are started to transfer IC packages from the examination station of the production line to the IC package passages of the IC package discharge apparatus).  
         [0021]    As indicated above, the IC package discharge apparatus of the present invention smoothly loads qualified IC packages into IC package carrier tubes and stops the loading operation of IC packages into IC package carrier tubes when all IC package carrier tubes are filled up with qualified IC packages, and forces qualified IC packages forwards again upon loading of new empty IC package carrier tubes. Therefore, the invention greatly improves the working efficiency in packing qualified IC packages. Further, the IC package discharge apparatus is compact, which requires less installation space.