Interlocking Tray for Small Electronic Components
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current trays fail to effectively hold and maintain the position and orientation of electronic components with small dimensions and low weight, leading to issues during transportation and handling, such as axial rotation, ejection, and difficulty in pick-up by automatic machines.
Innovation Solution
A containment and transportation tray with a bearing body and frame structure, featuring first and second holding structures with protrusions and grooves that facilitate secure alignment and containment of components, preventing movement and damage, and allowing for easy pick-up and placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional trays are used for electronic components, then components can be transported and stored, but small and light components cannot be securely held and maintain their position and orientation
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is divided into multiple pockets, each specifically designed to hold a single electronic component. Each pocket contains positioning structures (protrusions and grooves) that segment the holding space to precisely accommodate small components, preventing them from moving or rotating during transportation.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray employs localized holding structures within each pocket, including protrusions on the tray bottom and corresponding grooves on the component or vice versa. These local features are specifically designed to match the geometry of small electronic components, providing secure retention without requiring the entire tray to be complex.
2Ease of operation
If components are placed loosely in pockets, then pick and place machines can easily access them, but components rotate axially and move during transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning structures utilize asymmetric geometries where protrusions and grooves are shaped to accommodate components in specific orientations. The asymmetric design allows components to be easily inserted from the top while preventing rotation or displacement during transportation, as the component can only be held in the correct orientation.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray is pre-designed with positioning structures (protrusions and grooves) that automatically guide and orient components during placement. This preliminary action of pre-configuring the tray geometry ensures components are correctly positioned and secured before transportation begins, eliminating the need for additional securing steps.
3Productivity
If trays are stacked for transportation, then space efficiency is improved, but low weight components are ejected by air flows during detachment
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple trays are stacked vertically with each tray nested within the frame of the tray above it. The positioning structures of upper trays extend downward to engage with components on lower trays, creating a nested configuration that secures components across multiple tray levels during transportation and stacking.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning structures (protrusions and grooves) create a cushioning effect by providing mechanical interlocking before detachment occurs. This pre-configured geometric coupling prevents components from being ejected by air flows during tray separation, as the component is already mechanically secured by the interlocking features.
4Ease of manufacture
If pockets have standard geometries, then manufacturing is simplified, but small components slip into interstices and cannot be picked up
Solution Approach 1:
Each pocket is segmented into specific zones with protrusions and grooves that are optimized for small component retention. This segmentation allows the tray to be manufactured with standardized features while each pocket maintains precise geometry for component positioning, balancing manufacturability with precision requirements.
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.