Electronic Component Tray Structure for Stable Positioning and Pick-Up
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current trays are inadequate for holding and maintaining the position and orientation of extremely small and lightweight electronic components, such as LGA or BGA devices, during transportation and handling, leading to issues like axial rotation, flipping, and difficulty in pick-up by automatic machines.
Innovation Solution
A containment and transportation tray with specially designed holding structures, including first and second protrusions on opposite faces of the tray, which facilitate self-alignment and containment of components, and grippers for easy handling, ensuring secure positioning and orientation without damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional trays with simple pockets are used, then the tray structure remains simple and easy to manufacture, but the components cannot be securely held and maintain their position and orientation
Solution Approach 1:
The holding structure is segmented into multiple functional elements: vertical walls for containment, protrusions for positioning, and grooves for orientation. Each segment performs a specific function to collectively secure the component, resolving the contradiction by breaking down the complex holding requirement into manageable structural segments.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the pocket have different geometric properties tailored to specific needs: vertical walls at the base for containment, protrusions at specific locations for positioning, and grooves for orientation. This local differentiation of structural quality allows secure holding without requiring complex overall design.
2Reliability
If the tray pockets are made larger to accommodate small components, then components can be easily inserted, but components experience play and cannot be securely held
Solution Approach 1:
The pocket geometry is pre-designed with specific features (vertical walls, protrusions, grooves) that automatically guide and secure the component during insertion. The component is preliminarily oriented by the grooves and then secured by the protrusions, eliminating the need for precise manual positioning while ensuring secure containment.
Solution Approach 2:
The component itself interacts with the pocket features to achieve proper positioning: the component's edges engage with the grooves for orientation, and its corners or features engage with the protrusions for positioning. The structure serves itself by using the component's geometry to achieve secure placement without additional mechanisms.
3Weight of moving object
If lightweight components are used to reduce overall weight, then the device meets weight requirements, but components are easily displaced by air flows during tray detachment
Solution Approach 1:
The vertical walls and protrusions create mechanical counter-forces that oppose the displacement caused by air flows. The structural features provide reaction forces that balance the aerodynamic forces acting on lightweight components during tray detachment, preventing displacement despite low component weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The rounded corners and curved surfaces of the protrusions and grooves create smooth guidance paths that prevent abrupt movements of lightweight components. The curved geometry helps maintain component stability by providing continuous contact surfaces that resist displacement forces during tray separation.
4Reliability
If components are tightly fitted in pockets to prevent movement, then positioning is secure, but automatic pick and place machines cannot easily grip the components
Solution Approach 1:
The holding structure applies partial constraints: vertical walls and protrusions secure the component's position and orientation, while leaving the top surface and sides accessible for gripping. The excessive containment is provided only where needed for stability, while maintaining openness for automated manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The pocket structure is segmented to provide different functions in different zones: lower portions with vertical walls for secure containment, middle portions with protrusions for positioning, and upper portions with open access for gripping. This segmentation allows simultaneous achievement of secure positioning and easy automated pick-up.
Data Source
AI summary
Tray for containing electronic components formed by a bearing body, substantially planar, having a first and a second face. First holding structures extend from the first face of the bearing body and second holding structures extend from the second face of the bearing body. Each second holding structure is aligned with a respective first holding structure in a vertical direction perpendicular to the first and the second faces of the bearing body. Each first holding structure is formed by first protrusions mutually spaced by first spaces and arranged along a first closed line; each second holding structure is formed by second protrusions mutually spaced by second spaces and arranged along a second closed line. Each second protrusion is aligned, in parallel with the vertical direction, with the first spaces and each first protrusion is aligned, in parallel with the vertical direction, with the second spaces.