Patent ID: 6863170

Claim:
A method of conveying a printed circuit board in a printed circuit board conveying system wherein said conveying system comprises: a pair of conveyor rails positioned to engage opposite lateral edge portions of a printed circuit board and configured to convey said printed circuit board along a conveyor path; and a printed circuit board support assembly positioned to support said printed circuit board between said lateral edge portions, said printed circuit board support assembly comprising a support base defining a support surface and at least one recess formed therein, said recess defining an opening on said support surface; and a spacer defining an upper spacer surface and an opposite spacer surface, wherein said upper spacer surface is sized and configured to support and engage said printed circuit board, said spacer includes at least one projection extending from said opposite spacer surface, and said projection and said recess formed in said support base are sized to enable extension of said projection into said recess and to limit movement of said spacer relative to a plane parallel to said support surface; and wherein said method comprises: selecting said spacer from a plurality of spacers as a function of its thickness and a thickness profile of said printed circuit board engaged by said pair of conveyor rails, wherein said plurality of spacers define a range of respective thickness dimensions between respective ones of said upper spacer surfaces and corresponding ones of said opposite spacer surfaces; installing said selected spacer by extending said projection into said recess; and engaging said upper spacer surface of said selected spacer with said printed circuit board.