US 11,884,497 B2
Component reel picking
Yuen-Foo Michael Kou, Andover, MA (US); and Min Chieh Chang, Taipei (TW)
Assigned to Accu-Assembly Incorporated, Andover, MA (US); and Ascentex Industry Corporation, Taipei (TW)
Appl. No. 17/054,721
Filed by ACCU-ASSEMBLY INCORPORATED, Andover, MA (US); and ASCENTEX INDUSTRY CORPORATION, Taipei (TW)
PCT Filed Dec. 31, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/069063
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Nov. 11, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/142488, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 9, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/787,632, filed on Jan. 2, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0245975 A1, Aug. 12, 2021
Int. Cl. B65G 59/02 (2006.01); H05K 13/02 (2006.01)
CPC B65G 59/02 (2013.01) [H05K 13/021 (2013.01)] 39 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of picking a top component reel from a stack of component reels, the method comprising:
lowering a picking arm over a rod extending through the stack of component reels to above a top component reel of the stack, the picking arm comprising a gripper positioned such that, with the picking arm lowered, the rod extends through the gripper of the picking arm;
aligning the rod with respect to the picking arm, the aligning comprising moving the rod with respect to the picking arm, the moving comprising moving the rod with a movable portion of the picking arm;
with the rod aligned, inserting a portion of the gripper into a hole defined in the top component reel;
actuating the gripper to engage opposing inner surfaces of the top component reel at the hole of the top component reel; and
with the gripper engaging the opposing inner surfaces, raising the picking arm to lift the top component reel from the stack of component reels.