EP2812914A1 - A device for sorting components - Google Patents

A device for sorting components

Info

Publication number
EP2812914A1
EP2812914A1 EP12737821.4A EP12737821A EP2812914A1 EP 2812914 A1 EP2812914 A1 EP 2812914A1 EP 12737821 A EP12737821 A EP 12737821A EP 2812914 A1 EP2812914 A1 EP 2812914A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
component
conveyor
bin
components
category
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP12737821.4A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Philippe Roy
Philippe VIVERGE
Gérard Grau
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Ismeca Semiconductor Holding SA
Original Assignee
Ismeca Semiconductor Holding SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Ismeca Semiconductor Holding SA filed Critical Ismeca Semiconductor Holding SA
Publication of EP2812914A1 publication Critical patent/EP2812914A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/67005—Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/67242—Apparatus for monitoring, sorting or marking
    • H01L21/67271—Sorting devices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C5/00—Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
    • B07C5/34—Sorting according to other particular properties
    • B07C5/344—Sorting according to other particular properties according to electric or electromagnetic properties
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C5/00—Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
    • B07C5/36—Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a device for sorting components, in particular, but not exclusively, to a device for sorting components into independent bins and enabling reallocation of components to another bin when necessary.
  • Electrical components which are manufactured using the same process usually attain slightly varying electrical characteristics due to process variability. It is necessary to sort these electrical components so that electrical components with the same characteristics are grouped. This is particularly the case for electrical components such as LEDs; due to process variation, individual LEDs, made by the same process, may for example exhibit different lighting characteristics; for example due to an LED may emit light in a different direction to another LED made by the same process. In this case it is necessary to sort the LEDs so that LEDs which emit light in the same direction are grouped together.
  • WO 0127976 discloses a semiconductor device processing and sorting apparatus. Semiconductor devices are sorted into one of a plurality of groups according to their test results. It includes switching keys respectively associated with the sorting guideways, each switching key comprising a blowing means operated at the moment the IC approaches the desired sorting guideway and adapted to provide air flow carrying the IC from the receiving guideway to this sorting guideway and into the carrier tubes located within the guideway.
  • switching keys respectively associated with the sorting guideways, each switching key comprising a blowing means operated at the moment the IC approaches the desired sorting guideway and adapted to provide air flow carrying the IC from the receiving guideway to this sorting guideway and into the carrier tubes located within the guideway.
  • the system must be interrupted to remove the filled tube using a discharge means. The necessary interruption of the sorting process when a carrier tube is full makes the solution provided in WO 0127976 inefficient.
  • a device for sorting components comprising, a conveyor which is configured to receive components from a turret; two or more bins positioned along the conveyor, wherein the two or more bins are
  • a displacement means which is configured such that it is operable to displace components from the conveyor; a controller, which can be arranged in operable communication with a identification means for categorising a component according to one or more characteristics of said component, wherein the controller is operable to allocate a component category to each of the two or more bins, wherein, using the categorization of the components provided by the identification means, the controller controls the displacement means so that the displacement means operates to displace each component from the conveyor into bins to which a corresponding component category has been allocated, so that each component can be sorted into a bin which was allocated to the category of the component, wherein the controller is further operable to reallocate a component category of a first bin to second bin, when the first bin is full.
  • a first bin becomes full of a particular category of component
  • that category of component is reallocated to a second bin; accordingly the sorting process can continue eventhough the first bin is full.
  • the bins are independent of one another the first bin can be removed without requiring the removal of the other bins.
  • the reallocation of component citatory to other bins enables the sorting process to continue even when a bin has become full with components of a particular category, and the provision of independent bins enables the removal of a full bin without having to disrupt the other bins and without having to interrupt the sorting process.
  • the device of the present invention thus provides for a more efficient sorting process.
  • a further advantage of the present invention is that it can sort components at higher speeds compared to prior art sorting devices, as in the present invention the components can be sorted in parallel.
  • the bins may be arranged such that they are visible to a user when the device is in use.
  • each of the conveyor; the two or more bins positioned along the conveyor; and the displacement means are each arranged such that they are visible to a user when the device is in use. This ensures that a user can visually monitor the operation of the device for sorting components.
  • the controller may also be visible to a user when the device is in use.
  • Each of the two or more bins may further comprise a means for detecting when a bin is full.
  • each of the two or more bins may further comprise a sensor.
  • the means for detecting when a bin is full, or the sensor, may be operably connected to the controller.
  • the displacement means may be a blower.
  • the blower may be configured to blow air across the surface of the conveyor.
  • the blower may be configured to blow air across the surface of the conveyor such that it engages a component on the conveyor.
  • the blower may be configured to blow air across the surface of the conveyor at selected positions along the conveyor.
  • the blower may be configured to blow air across the surface of the conveyor at selected times.
  • the air may be blown at a speed which is sufficient to enable displacement of a component from the conveyor.
  • the displacement means may take any other suitable form, for example the displacement means may be a mechanical pusher.
  • the controller may comprise a Radio Frequency (RF) identification means.
  • the device may further comprise an identification means for categorising a component according to one or more characteristics of said component.
  • the identification means for categorising a component may be provided by a processing station which is in operable communication with the turret.
  • the identification means may be operable to categorize LED components according to one or more characteristics of the LED
  • the identification means may be operable to categorize LED components according to the characteristics of the light which is emitted by the LED components. More preferably, the
  • identification means may be operable to categorize LED components according to at least one of; the shape; direction; colour; intensity of light which is emitted by the LED components.
  • the conveyor may further comprise two or more cups which are suitable for receiving components.
  • the cups will stabilise the components on the conveyor and minimise the component becoming inadvertently displaced from the conveyor.
  • Each of the two or more cups may comprise a first and second opening. If the displacement means is a blower for example, air blown by the blower can enter the cup through the first opening and the component can be blown out of the cup, into a
  • the cup will facilitate
  • the conveyor may take any suitable shape aspect of design.
  • the conveyor may be a closed loop conveyor.
  • conveyor comprises a conveyor belt.
  • the conveyor belt may be between 0.1 -10m long.
  • the conveyor belt is 1 m long.
  • the device for sorting components may further comprise a detector, which is configured to detect the presence of a component on the conveyor which has not been displaced from the conveyor into a bin.
  • the detector is positioned along the conveyor, after the two or more bins, such that the detector can detect the presence of a component on the conveyor which has not been displaced from the conveyor into a bin.
  • the detector may be configured to generate an alarm when a component on the conveyor which has not been displaced from the conveyor into a bin has been detected.
  • the detector will comprise an optical laser sensor which is operable to detect the presence of a component.
  • an assembly comprising a turret which comprising a one or more component handling heads; one or more processing stations in operable communication with the turret so that the one or more processing stations can receive components from the turret; a device for sorting components according to any one of claims 1 -10, wherein the device for sorting components is arranged in operable communication with the turret so that the device for sorting components can receive components from the turret.
  • a method of sorting components comprising the steps of;
  • the method of sorting components may comprise the steps of; categorizing a component according to characteristics of the component; transferring a component from a turret to a conveyor; allocating the component category of said component to a bin which is positioned along the conveyor; displacing the component of, from the conveyor, into the bin to which the component category of said component has been allocated, so that each component can be sorted; reallocating a component category of the bin to which the component category of said component has been allocated, to second bin when the bin is full [0018]
  • the method of sorting components may comprise the steps of; categorizing a component according to characteristics of the component; transferring a component from a turret to a conveyor; allocating a component category to a bin which is positioned along the conveyor;
  • Components transferred from the turret to a conveyor may be positioned in two or more cups on the conveyor.
  • the two or more cups may comprise a first and second opening.
  • the method may comprise the step of receiving components from the turret into a cup through the first opening.
  • the method may further comprise the step of displacing components from the conveyor into a bin through the second opening.
  • the method may further comprise the step of detecting the presence of a component on the conveyor which has not been displaced from the conveyor into a bin.
  • the method may further comprise the step of generating an alarm when a component on the conveyor which has not been displaced from the conveyor into a bin has been detected.
  • Figure 1 provides a perspective view of a device for sorting components, according to the present invention.
  • Figure 1 provides a perspective view of a device 1 for sorting components, according to the present invention.
  • the device 1 forms part of a component handling process assembly 2.
  • a turret 7, which does not form part of the device 1 is shown.
  • the various processing stations 12, 13, M are located at a periphery of the turret 7.
  • the turret 7 rotates step-wise to transport components 5 between the various processing stations 12, 13, 14 of the component handling process assembly 2.
  • the turret 7 comprises component handling heads 25 which hold components 5 so that the components 5 can be transported between processing stations 12, 13, 14 in the component handling process assembly 2.
  • the device 1 forms a final processing station in the component handling process assembly 2;by the time the components 5 have reached the device 1 at the final processing station the components 5 will have been processed by the various
  • the device 1 will then sort the components 5.
  • the device 1 comprises a conveyor 3 which is in the form of a conveyor belt 3.
  • the conveyor belt 3 in this particular example has a length of 1 meter. It should be understood that the conveyor 3 may take any other suitable form and may have any suitable length.
  • the conveyor 3 is configured to receive components 5 from the turret 7.
  • the conveyor 3 further comprises a plurality of cups 17 each of which is suitable for receiving a component 5 from the turret 7.
  • the cups 17 stabilise the components 5 on the conveyor 3 and minimise the chances of a component 5 becoming inadvertently displaced from the conveyor 3 as the conveyor 3 moves.
  • Each of the plurality of cups 17 comprises a first 21 and second 19 opening.
  • the device 1 further comprises a plurality of bins 9 which are positioned along the periphery of conveyor 3, but not, in this particular example, On' the conveyor 3.
  • the bins 9 are suitable for holding a plurality of components 5.
  • the bins 9 are removable from the device 1 .
  • Each of the bins 9 are independent of one another, allowing a bin 9 to be removed from the device 1 independently of the other bins 9.
  • Each of the bins comprise a sensor 27 which detects when a bin 9 is full of components 5.
  • a displacement means in the form of a blower 1 1 is provided.
  • the blower 1 1 is configured to blow air across the surface of the conveyor 3 at selected positions along the conveyor 3 and at selected times.
  • the blowerl 1 is configured such that air blown across the surface of the conveyor 3 can engage a component 5 which lies within a cup 17 on the conveyor 3.
  • the air blown by the blower 1 1 can be blown at a speed which is sufficient to enable displacement of a component 5 out of the cup 17, off the conveyor 3, and into a bin 9 which is positioned along the periphery of the conveyor 3.
  • the device 1 further comprises a controller 1 5 which preferably is in the form of an RF identification sensor 15.
  • the controller 1 5 is in communication with an identification means 13 which processes the components to identify characteristics of the components 5 and to categorise components 5 according to one or more of their characteristics. For example, if the components in question are LED components,
  • the identification means 13 may be operable to categorize the LED components according to the characteristics of the light which is emitted by the LED components. More preferably, the identification means 13 may be operable to categorize the LED components according to at least one of; the shape; direction; colour; intensity of light which is emitted by the LED components.
  • the identification means 13 in this particular example is provided by one of the processing station 12, 13, 14 i.e. one of the processing stations processes the components to identify characteristics of the components 5 and to categorise components 5 according to one or more of their characteristics.
  • the controller 1 5 is also in communication with the sensors 27 in each of the bins 9. Thus, the controller 1 5 can obtain from the
  • identification means 13 information regarding the category of a
  • the controller 1 5 is operable to obtain the category of a component 5 which is being delivered from the turret 7 to the device 1 , from the identification means 13, either before the component 5 is dropped onto the conveyor 3 from the turret 7, or else immediately after the component 5 has been dropped onto the conveyor 3.
  • the controller 15 is operable to allocate a component category to each of the plurality of bins 9. Using the categorization of the
  • the controller 1 5 further controls the blower 1 1 to blow air across the conveyor 3 when a component 5 has move along the conveyor 3 so that it is adjacent a bin 9 to which a corresponding component category has been allocated, so that each component 5 is sorted into a bin 9 which has been allocated to the category of the component.
  • the controller 1 5 is configured to be in operable communication with the blower 1 1 so that the operation of the blower can be controlled by the controller 1 5.
  • the controller 15 is also configured to be in operable communication with the sensors 27 in each bin 9, so that the controller 1 5 is informed by the sensors 27 when a bin 9 is full of components 5.
  • the controller 1 5 is further operable to reallocate a component category of a first bin to second bin when the first bin is full.
  • the device 1 further comprises a detector 23, which is configured to detect the presence of a component 5 on the conveyor 3 which has travelled along the conveyor 3 but which has failed to be displaced from the conveyor 5 into a bin 9.
  • the detector comprises an optical laser sensor which is operable to detect the presence of a component.
  • the detector 23 is positioned along the conveyor 3, after the plurality of bins 9 such that the detector 23 can detect the presence of a component 5 on the conveyor 3 which has not been displaced from the conveyor 3 into a bin 9.
  • the detector 23 is configured to generate an alarm, for example a sound alarm, when a component 5 on the conveyor which has not been displaced from the conveyor 3 into a bin 9 is detected.
  • the controller 1 5 may further be operably connected to the detector 23; in this case when the detector 23 detects that a component has failed to be displaced from the conveyor 3 into a bin 9, the detector 23 may inform the controller 1 5 and the controller 1 5 may stop the operation of the device 1 .
  • the turret 3 rotates step-wise to transport the component 5 between the various processing stations 12, 13, 14 which are at the periphery of the turret 7.
  • the components 5 are delivered by the turret 7 to the device 1 where they are sorted according to their component category which has already been determined by identification means 13.
  • the identification means 13 forms one of the processing stations 12,13,14 at the periphery of the turret 7.
  • the identification means 13 categorizes components 5 according to identified characteristics of the components 5. For example, if the components in question are LED components, the identification means 13 may categorize the LED components according to at least one of; the shape; direction; colour; intensity of light which is emitted by the LED components.
  • the device 1 receives a component 5 from the turret 7 into the cups 17 on the conveyor 3.
  • the rotating speed of the conveyor 3 and the turret 7 is synchronized so that handling heads 1 5 which hold components 5 on the turret 7 are aligned directly above an empty cup 17 on the conveyor 3, upon each step-wise rotation of the turret 7.
  • the controller 1 5 comprises a means to detect when a
  • the controller 1 5 operates to obtain the category of the delivered component 5 from the identification means 13. .
  • the controller 1 5 then allocates one of the plurality of bins 9 to receive components which are of this category, provided that a bin 9 has not already been assigned this category.
  • the speed of the conveyor 3 may be either a predefined fixed speed or may be adjustable by the controller 1 5. In the later case the controller will be in operable communication with the motor which controls the conveyor 3. Either way the controller 1 5 will also be provided with information relating to the speed of the conveyor 3.
  • the controller 1 5 can determine the exact moment when the component 5 will have been moved by the conveyor 3 to be adjacent the bin 9 which has been allocated that category of component.
  • the controller 15 operates the blower 1 1 to blow air across the conveyor 3 at this precise moment thus ensuring that the component 5 is blown into the allocated bin 9.
  • each of the conveyor 3; the bins 9;and the blower 1 1 are each arranged such that they are visible to a user when the device 1 is in use. This ensures that a user can visually monitor the operation of the device 1 .
  • the controller 15 may also be visible to a user when the device is in use.
  • the sensor 27 within the bin 9 signals to the controller 15 that the bin 9 is full.
  • the controller 1 5 reallocates the category of components which was assigned to that full bin 9 to another empty bin 9.
  • the controller 1 5 controls the blower 1 1 to blow air at a different point along the conveyor 3 so that components 5 are displaced from the conveyor 3 into the newly allocated empty bin 9.
  • the sorting process can continue even though a bin 9 within the device 1 has become full.
  • the full bin 9 can be removed without requiring the removal of the other bins 9; the provision of independent bins enables the removal of a full bin without having to disrupt the other bins and without having to interrupt the sorting process.
  • the device of the present invention thus provides for a more efficient sorting process.
  • a further advantage of the present invention is that it can sort components at higher speeds compared to prior art sorting devices, as in the present invention the components can be sorted in parallel. This means that two or more components can be sorted simultaneously into bins; for example, if two (or more) components of different categories are opposite bins which have been allocated to the category of the component, then the displacement means can operate to simultaneously displace each of the components from the conveyor into the bins to which a corresponding component category has been allocated, so that each component is sorted, simultaneously, into a bin which corresponds to the category of that component.
  • a component 5 fails to become displaced from the conveyor 3 (i.e. if a component fails to be displaced from the cup 17) and into a bin 9 which has been allocated to receive that category of component
  • the detector 23 will detect the presence of a component 5 on the conveyor 3 (in the cup 17) at the end of the conveyor 3, which has travelled along the conveyor 3 but which has failed to be displaced from the conveyor 3 into a bin 9.
  • the detector 23 is configured to generate an alarm, for example a sound alarm upon detection of the component 5.
  • the detector 23 may also initiate the controller 1 5 to shut down the device 1 before a component 5 can be dropped from the turret 3 into the cup 17 which contains the component 5 which was not displaced into a bin 9.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Sorting Of Articles (AREA)
  • Branching, Merging, And Special Transfer Between Conveyors (AREA)
  • Specific Conveyance Elements (AREA)

Abstract

According to the present invention there is provided a device for sorting components, the device comprising, a conveyor which is configured to receive components from a turret; two or more bins positioned along the conveyor, wherein the two or more bins are independent of one another; a displacement means, which is configured such that it is operable to displace components from the conveyor; a controller, which can be arranged in operable communication with a identification means for categorising a component according to one or more characteristics of said component, wherein the controller is operable to allocate a component category to each of the two or more bins,wherein, using the categorization of the components provided by the identification means, the controller controls the displacement means so that the displacement means operates to displace each component from the conveyor into bins to which a corresponding component category has been allocated, so that each component can be sorted into a bin which was allocated to the category of the component,wherein the controller is further operable to reallocate a component category of a first bin to second bin, when the first bin is full. There is further provided a corresponding method of sorting and an assembly.

Description

A Device for Sorting Components
Field of the invention
[0001] The present invention relates to a device for sorting components, in particular, but not exclusively, to a device for sorting components into independent bins and enabling reallocation of components to another bin when necessary.
Description of related art
[0002] Electrical components which are manufactured using the same process usually attain slightly varying electrical characteristics due to process variability. It is necessary to sort these electrical components so that electrical components with the same characteristics are grouped. This is particularly the case for electrical components such as LEDs; due to process variation, individual LEDs, made by the same process, may for example exhibit different lighting characteristics; for example due to an LED may emit light in a different direction to another LED made by the same process. In this case it is necessary to sort the LEDs so that LEDs which emit light in the same direction are grouped together.
[0003] Existing solutions for sorting electrical components involve testing the LEDS and then using flexible holder to dispatching the tested components into a plurality of cups in a tray which is located under a turret. Each of the plurality of cups in the tray is allocated to hold a LED with emits light in a particular direction (i.e. electrical components which has a particular characteristic). Disadvantageously, when a single cup in the tray is full of a particular type of LED, the system must be stopped; the whole tray removed; the single cup emptied; and the tray replaced before the system is restarted. Existing solutions are grossly inefficient as the sorting process must be interrupted every time a single cup in the tray becomes full; removal of the tray is required even though all the other bins in the tray may not be full. [0004] WO 0127976 discloses a semiconductor device processing and sorting apparatus. Semiconductor devices are sorted into one of a plurality of groups according to their test results. It includes switching keys respectively associated with the sorting guideways, each switching key comprising a blowing means operated at the moment the IC approaches the desired sorting guideway and adapted to provide air flow carrying the IC from the receiving guideway to this sorting guideway and into the carrier tubes located within the guideway. However, there is no means for reallocating tested components to different guideways when the carrier tubes in the guideways are full. Accordingly, when a tube, in a guideway is full, the system must be interrupted to remove the filled tube using a discharge means. The necessary interruption of the sorting process when a carrier tube is full makes the solution provided in WO 0127976 inefficient.
[0005] It is an aim of the present invention to obviate or mitigate one or more of the aforementioned disadvantages. Brief summary of the invention
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a device for sorting components, the device comprising, a conveyor which is configured to receive components from a turret; two or more bins positioned along the conveyor, wherein the two or more bins are
independent of one another; a displacement means, which is configured such that it is operable to displace components from the conveyor; a controller, which can be arranged in operable communication with a identification means for categorising a component according to one or more characteristics of said component, wherein the controller is operable to allocate a component category to each of the two or more bins, wherein, using the categorization of the components provided by the identification means, the controller controls the displacement means so that the displacement means operates to displace each component from the conveyor into bins to which a corresponding component category has been allocated, so that each component can be sorted into a bin which was allocated to the category of the component, wherein the controller is further operable to reallocate a component category of a first bin to second bin, when the first bin is full.
[0006] Advantageously when a first bin becomes full of a particular category of component, that category of component is reallocated to a second bin; accordingly the sorting process can continue eventhough the first bin is full. As the bins are independent of one another the first bin can be removed without requiring the removal of the other bins. Thus, the reallocation of component citatory to other bins enables the sorting process to continue even when a bin has become full with components of a particular category, and the provision of independent bins enables the removal of a full bin without having to disrupt the other bins and without having to interrupt the sorting process. The device of the present invention thus provides for a more efficient sorting process.
[0007] A further advantage of the present invention is that it can sort components at higher speeds compared to prior art sorting devices, as in the present invention the components can be sorted in parallel. This means that two or more components can be sorted simultaneously into bins; for example, if two (or more) components of different categories are opposite bins which have been allocated to the category of the component, then the displacement means can operate to simultaneously displace each of the components from the conveyor into the bins to which a corresponding component category has been allocated, so that each component is sorted, simultaneously, into a bin which corresponds to the category of that component.
[0008] The bins may be arranged such that they are visible to a user when the device is in use. Preferably, each of the conveyor; the two or more bins positioned along the conveyor; and the displacement means, are each arranged such that they are visible to a user when the device is in use. This ensures that a user can visually monitor the operation of the device for sorting components. The controller may also be visible to a user when the device is in use.
[0009] Each of the two or more bins may further comprise a means for detecting when a bin is full. For example, each of the two or more bins may further comprise a sensor. The means for detecting when a bin is full, or the sensor, may be operably connected to the controller.
[0010] The displacement means may be a blower. The blower may be configured to blow air across the surface of the conveyor. The blower may be configured to blow air across the surface of the conveyor such that it engages a component on the conveyor. The blower may be configured to blow air across the surface of the conveyor at selected positions along the conveyor. The blower may be configured to blow air across the surface of the conveyor at selected times. The air may be blown at a speed which is sufficient to enable displacement of a component from the conveyor. The displacement means may take any other suitable form, for example the displacement means may be a mechanical pusher.
[0011] The controller may comprise a Radio Frequency (RF) identification means. [0012] The device may further comprise an identification means for categorising a component according to one or more characteristics of said component. The identification means for categorising a component may be provided by a processing station which is in operable communication with the turret. The identification means may be operable to categorize LED components according to one or more characteristics of the LED
component. Preferably, the identification means may be operable to categorize LED components according to the characteristics of the light which is emitted by the LED components. More preferably, the
identification means may be operable to categorize LED components according to at least one of; the shape; direction; colour; intensity of light which is emitted by the LED components.
[0013] The conveyor may further comprise two or more cups which are suitable for receiving components. The cups will stabilise the components on the conveyor and minimise the component becoming inadvertently displaced from the conveyor. Each of the two or more cups may comprise a first and second opening. If the displacement means is a blower for example, air blown by the blower can enter the cup through the first opening and the component can be blown out of the cup, into a
corresponding bin, via the second opening. The cup will facilitate
channelling of air towards the component and consequently less air pressure is required to displace the component from the conveyor into a bin, furthermore the displacement of component from the conveyor will be more reliable. [0014] The conveyor may take any suitable shape aspect of design. The conveyor may be a closed loop conveyor. Preferably conveyor comprises a conveyor belt. The conveyor belt may be between 0.1 -10m long. Preferably the conveyor belt is 1 m long. [0015] The device for sorting components may further comprise a detector, which is configured to detect the presence of a component on the conveyor which has not been displaced from the conveyor into a bin.
Preferably, the detector is positioned along the conveyor, after the two or more bins, such that the detector can detect the presence of a component on the conveyor which has not been displaced from the conveyor into a bin. The detector may be configured to generate an alarm when a component on the conveyor which has not been displaced from the conveyor into a bin has been detected. Preferably, the detector will comprise an optical laser sensor which is operable to detect the presence of a component.
[0016] According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an assembly comprising a turret which comprising a one or more component handling heads; one or more processing stations in operable communication with the turret so that the one or more processing stations can receive components from the turret; a device for sorting components according to any one of claims 1 -10, wherein the device for sorting components is arranged in operable communication with the turret so that the device for sorting components can receive components from the turret.
[0017] According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided A method of sorting components, comprising the steps of;
categorizing a component according to characteristics of the component; transferring the component from a turret to a conveyor; allocating the component category of said component to a bin which is positioned along the conveyor; displacing the component of, from the conveyor, into the bin to which the component category of said component has been allocated, so that each component can be sorted; reallocating a component category of the bin to which the component category of said component has been allocated, to second bin when the bin is full [0018] The method of sorting components, may comprise the steps of; categorizing a component according to characteristics of the component; transferring a component from a turret to a conveyor; allocating a component category to a bin which is positioned along the conveyor;
displacing a component of a particular category, from the conveyor, into a bin to which a corresponding component category has been allocated, so that each component can be sorted into a bin which has been allocated to the category of the component, reallocating a component category of a first bin to second bin when the first bin is full. [0019] Components transferred from the turret to a conveyor may be positioned in two or more cups on the conveyor. The two or more cups may comprise a first and second opening. The method may comprise the step of receiving components from the turret into a cup through the first opening. The method may further comprise the step of displacing components from the conveyor into a bin through the second opening.
[0020] The method may further comprise the step of detecting the presence of a component on the conveyor which has not been displaced from the conveyor into a bin. The method may further comprise the step of generating an alarm when a component on the conveyor which has not been displaced from the conveyor into a bin has been detected.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0021] An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which, Figure 1 provides a perspective view of a device for sorting components, according to the present invention. Detailed Description of possible embodiments of the Invention
[0022] Figure 1 provides a perspective view of a device 1 for sorting components, according to the present invention. The device 1 forms part of a component handling process assembly 2.
[0023] A turret 7, which does not form part of the device 1 , is shown. The turret 7, the device 1 and various processing stations 12, 13, 14 (only three shown) together form component handling process assembly 2. The various processing stations 12, 13, M are located at a periphery of the turret 7. The turret 7 rotates step-wise to transport components 5 between the various processing stations 12, 13, 14 of the component handling process assembly 2. The turret 7 comprises component handling heads 25 which hold components 5 so that the components 5 can be transported between processing stations 12, 13, 14 in the component handling process assembly 2. In the example shown in figure 1, the device 1 forms a final processing station in the component handling process assembly 2;by the time the components 5 have reached the device 1 at the final processing station the components 5 will have been processed by the various
processing stations 12, 13, 14 ; the device 1 will then sort the components 5.
[0024] The device 1 comprises a conveyor 3 which is in the form of a conveyor belt 3. The conveyor belt 3 in this particular example has a length of 1 meter. It should be understood that the conveyor 3 may take any other suitable form and may have any suitable length. The conveyor 3 is configured to receive components 5 from the turret 7. [0025] The conveyor 3 further comprises a plurality of cups 17 each of which is suitable for receiving a component 5 from the turret 7. The cups 17 stabilise the components 5 on the conveyor 3 and minimise the chances of a component 5 becoming inadvertently displaced from the conveyor 3 as the conveyor 3 moves. Each of the plurality of cups 17 comprises a first 21 and second 19 opening.
[0026] The device 1 further comprises a plurality of bins 9 which are positioned along the periphery of conveyor 3, but not, in this particular example, On' the conveyor 3. The bins 9 are suitable for holding a plurality of components 5. The bins 9 are removable from the device 1 . Each of the bins 9 are independent of one another, allowing a bin 9 to be removed from the device 1 independently of the other bins 9. Each of the bins comprise a sensor 27 which detects when a bin 9 is full of components 5.
[0027] A displacement means in the form of a blower 1 1 is provided. The blower 1 1 is configured to blow air across the surface of the conveyor 3 at selected positions along the conveyor 3 and at selected times. The blowerl 1 is configured such that air blown across the surface of the conveyor 3 can engage a component 5 which lies within a cup 17 on the conveyor 3. The air blown by the blower 1 1 can be blown at a speed which is sufficient to enable displacement of a component 5 out of the cup 17, off the conveyor 3, and into a bin 9 which is positioned along the periphery of the conveyor 3.
[0028] The device 1 further comprises a controller 1 5 which preferably is in the form of an RF identification sensor 15. The controller 1 5 is in communication with an identification means 13 which processes the components to identify characteristics of the components 5 and to categorise components 5 according to one or more of their characteristics. For example, if the components in question are LED components,
preferably, the identification means 13 may be operable to categorize the LED components according to the characteristics of the light which is emitted by the LED components. More preferably, the identification means 13 may be operable to categorize the LED components according to at least one of; the shape; direction; colour; intensity of light which is emitted by the LED components. The identification means 13 in this particular example is provided by one of the processing station 12, 13, 14 i.e. one of the processing stations processes the components to identify characteristics of the components 5 and to categorise components 5 according to one or more of their characteristics.
[0029] The controller 1 5 is also in communication with the sensors 27 in each of the bins 9. Thus, the controller 1 5 can obtain from the
identification means 13 information regarding the category of a
component 5 which being delivered from the turret 7 to the device 1 , and it can also can obtain information relating to the bins 9 and how full, or empty, a particular bin 9 is. [0030] The controller 1 5 is operable to obtain the category of a component 5 which is being delivered from the turret 7 to the device 1 , from the identification means 13, either before the component 5 is dropped onto the conveyor 3 from the turret 7, or else immediately after the component 5 has been dropped onto the conveyor 3.
[0031] The controller 15 is operable to allocate a component category to each of the plurality of bins 9. Using the categorization of the
components provided by the identification means 13, the controller 1 5 further controls the blower 1 1 to blow air across the conveyor 3 when a component 5 has move along the conveyor 3 so that it is adjacent a bin 9 to which a corresponding component category has been allocated, so that each component 5 is sorted into a bin 9 which has been allocated to the category of the component. The controller 1 5 is configured to be in operable communication with the blower 1 1 so that the operation of the blower can be controlled by the controller 1 5. The controller 15 is also configured to be in operable communication with the sensors 27 in each bin 9, so that the controller 1 5 is informed by the sensors 27 when a bin 9 is full of components 5. The controller 1 5 is further operable to reallocate a component category of a first bin to second bin when the first bin is full. [0032] The device 1 further comprises a detector 23, which is configured to detect the presence of a component 5 on the conveyor 3 which has travelled along the conveyor 3 but which has failed to be displaced from the conveyor 5 into a bin 9. Typically, the detector comprises an optical laser sensor which is operable to detect the presence of a component. In this particular example the detector 23 is positioned along the conveyor 3, after the plurality of bins 9 such that the detector 23 can detect the presence of a component 5 on the conveyor 3 which has not been displaced from the conveyor 3 into a bin 9. The detector 23 is configured to generate an alarm, for example a sound alarm, when a component 5 on the conveyor which has not been displaced from the conveyor 3 into a bin 9 is detected. The controller 1 5 may further be operably connected to the detector 23; in this case when the detector 23 detects that a component has failed to be displaced from the conveyor 3 into a bin 9, the detector 23 may inform the controller 1 5 and the controller 1 5 may stop the operation of the device 1 .
[0033] During operation, the turret 3 rotates step-wise to transport the component 5 between the various processing stations 12, 13, 14 which are at the periphery of the turret 7. At the final processing station, which is formed by device 1 , the components 5 are delivered by the turret 7 to the device 1 where they are sorted according to their component category which has already been determined by identification means 13. As previously discussed, in this particular example the identification means 13 forms one of the processing stations 12,13,14 at the periphery of the turret 7. The identification means 13 categorizes components 5 according to identified characteristics of the components 5. For example, if the components in question are LED components, the identification means 13 may categorize the LED components according to at least one of; the shape; direction; colour; intensity of light which is emitted by the LED components.
[0034] The device 1 receives a component 5 from the turret 7 into the cups 17 on the conveyor 3. The rotating speed of the conveyor 3 and the turret 7 is synchronized so that handling heads 1 5 which hold components 5 on the turret 7 are aligned directly above an empty cup 17 on the conveyor 3, upon each step-wise rotation of the turret 7.
[0035] The controller 1 5 comprises a means to detect when a
component 5 has been delivered on the conveyor 3 from the turret 7. Just before the component 5 is dropped onto the conveyor 3, or alternatively, immediately after a component 5 has been received into a cup 17 on the conveyor 3, the controller 1 5 operates to obtain the category of the delivered component 5 from the identification means 13. . The controller 1 5 then allocates one of the plurality of bins 9 to receive components which are of this category, provided that a bin 9 has not already been assigned this category.
[0036] The speed of the conveyor 3 may be either a predefined fixed speed or may be adjustable by the controller 1 5. In the later case the controller will be in operable communication with the motor which controls the conveyor 3. Either way the controller 1 5 will also be provided with information relating to the speed of the conveyor 3.
[0037] Knowing the speed at which the conveyor 3 rotates; knowing the time at which the component 5 was received onto the conveyor 3; knowing which category the component 5 belongs and knowing which bin 9 has been allocated to receive that category of components, the controller 1 5 can determine the exact moment when the component 5 will have been moved by the conveyor 3 to be adjacent the bin 9 which has been allocated that category of component. The controller 15 operates the blower 1 1 to blow air across the conveyor 3 at this precise moment thus ensuring that the component 5 is blown into the allocated bin 9.
[0038] Air blown by the blower 1 1 is received into the cup 17 via the first opening 21 in the cup 17. The cup 17 will channel the air towards the component 5 within the cup 17 so that the component 5 will be displaced into the bin 9. The component 5 can exit the cup 17, into the bin 9, via the second opening 19. [0039] Preferably, each of the conveyor 3; the bins 9;and the blower 1 1 , are each arranged such that they are visible to a user when the device 1 is in use. This ensures that a user can visually monitor the operation of the device 1 . The controller 15 may also be visible to a user when the device is in use.
[0040] When a bin 9 becomes full of components 5, the sensor 27 within the bin 9 signals to the controller 15 that the bin 9 is full. The controller 1 5 reallocates the category of components which was assigned to that full bin 9 to another empty bin 9. In this case the controller 1 5 controls the blower 1 1 to blow air at a different point along the conveyor 3 so that components 5 are displaced from the conveyor 3 into the newly allocated empty bin 9. Advantageously, using the present invention, when a bin 9 becomes full of a particular category of component 5, that category of component is simply reallocated to another bin 9; accordingly the sorting process can continue even though a bin 9 within the device 1 has become full. As the bins 9 are independent of one another, the full bin 9 can be removed without requiring the removal of the other bins 9; the provision of independent bins enables the removal of a full bin without having to disrupt the other bins and without having to interrupt the sorting process. The device of the present invention thus provides for a more efficient sorting process.
[0041] A further advantage of the present invention is that it can sort components at higher speeds compared to prior art sorting devices, as in the present invention the components can be sorted in parallel. This means that two or more components can be sorted simultaneously into bins; for example, if two (or more) components of different categories are opposite bins which have been allocated to the category of the component, then the displacement means can operate to simultaneously displace each of the components from the conveyor into the bins to which a corresponding component category has been allocated, so that each component is sorted, simultaneously, into a bin which corresponds to the category of that component.
[0042] If a component 5 fails to become displaced from the conveyor 3 (i.e. if a component fails to be displaced from the cup 17) and into a bin 9 which has been allocated to receive that category of component, the detector 23 will detect the presence of a component 5 on the conveyor 3 (in the cup 17) at the end of the conveyor 3, which has travelled along the conveyor 3 but which has failed to be displaced from the conveyor 3 into a bin 9. The detector 23 is configured to generate an alarm, for example a sound alarm upon detection of the component 5. The detector 23 may also initiate the controller 1 5 to shut down the device 1 before a component 5 can be dropped from the turret 3 into the cup 17 which contains the component 5 which was not displaced into a bin 9.
[0043] Various modifications and variations to the described
embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiment.

Claims

Claims
A device for sorting components, the device comprising,
a conveyor which is configured to receive components from a turret;
two or more bins positioned along the conveyor, wherein the two or more bins are independent of one another;
a displacement means, which is configured such that it is operable to displace components from the conveyor;
a controller, which can be arranged in operable
communication with an identification means suitable for
categorising a component according to one or more characteristics of said component, wherein the controller is operable to allocate a component category to each of the two or more bins,
wherein, using the categorization of the components provided by the identification means, the controller controls the displacement means so that the displacement means operates to displace each component from the conveyor into bins to which a corresponding component category has been allocated, so that each component can be sorted into a bin which was allocated to the category of the component,
wherein the controller is further operable to reallocate a component category of a first bin to second bin, when the first bin is full.
The device according to claim 1 wherein, each of the two or more bins further comprise a means for detecting when a bin is full.
3. The device according to claim 1 or 2 wherein, the displacement
means is a blower.
4. The device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein, the controller comprises a Radio Frequency identification means.
5. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an identification means operable to categorize
components according to one or more characteristics of the components.
6. The device according to claim 5, wherein, the identification means is be operable to categorize LED components according to
characteristics of light emitted by the LED components.
7. The device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein, the conveyor further comprises one or more cups each of which is suitable for receiving a component.
8. The device according to claim 6 wherein, each of the one or more cups comprise a first and second opening.
9. The device according to any one of the preceding claims further
comprising, a detector which is configured to detect the presence of a component on the conveyor which has not been displaced from the conveyor into a bin.
10. The device according to claim 9 wherein, the controller is configured to stop operation of the device when the detector detects the presence of a component on the conveyor which has not been displaced from the conveyor into a bin.
1 1 .An assembly comprising,
a turret which comprising a one or more component handling heads;
one or more processing stations in operable communication with the turret so that the one or more processing stations can receive components from the turret;
a device for sorting components according to any one of claims 1 -10, wherein the device for sorting components is arranged in operable communication with the turret so that the device for sorting components can receive components from the turret.
12. A method of sorting components, comprising the steps of;
categorizing a component according to characteristics of the component;
transferring the component from a turret to a conveyor;
allocating the component category of said component to a bin which is positioned along the conveyor;
displacing the component of, from the conveyor, into the bin to which the component category of said component has been allocated, so that each component can be sorted,
reallocating a component category of the bin to which the component category of said component has been allocated, to second bin when the bin is full.
13. The method according to claim 12 wherein, components transferred from the turret to a conveyor are positioned in cups on the conveyor.
14.The method according to claim 13 wherein, the components are
displaced from the conveyor into a bin by blowing air through a first opening in the cup to displace the component out of the cup via a second opening in the cup and into a bin. 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 1 -14, further comprising the step of detecting the presence of a component on the conveyor which has not been displaced from the conveyor into a bin.
EP12737821.4A 2012-02-07 2012-07-23 A device for sorting components Withdrawn EP2812914A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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CH1612012 2012-02-07
PCT/EP2012/064437 WO2013117246A1 (en) 2012-02-07 2012-07-23 A device for sorting components

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TW201332867A (en) 2013-08-16

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