Pick and Place Cap Orthogonal Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
During the pick and place operation in electronic device manufacturing, components without a suitable surface for the vacuum head require a cap for attachment, which must be easily assembled and disassembled, especially when the circuit board layout restricts removal directions.
Innovation Solution
A pick and place cap designed with a longitudinal top wall, opposing side walls, and a front wall, featuring a middle section offset relative to side sections and a plurality of spaced apart ribs, allowing assembly and disassembly along orthogonal directions (x and z) to facilitate the picking and placing of connectors with first and second engaging features for secure attachment and removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a cap is attached to a connector to enable vacuum head attachment during pick and place operation, then the connector can be picked and placed, but the cap must be removed after placement which may be difficult when circuit board layout restricts removal directions
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is designed with multiple disengagement directions by providing opposing side walls with engaging features that can disengage from the connector along different directions (x-direction and z-direction). This segmentation of disengagement paths allows the cap to be removed from various directions depending on circuit board layout constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap structure transitions from a single-direction removal design to multi-directional removal by adding opposing side walls with engaging features. This enables disengagement along both the x-direction (lateral) and z-direction (vertical), adding dimensional flexibility to accommodate different circuit board layouts.
2Reliability
If the cap is designed with engaging features for secure attachment, then the connector is securely held during pick and place, but the cap may be difficult to remove
Solution Approach 1:
The engaging features between the cap and connector are designed to be dynamic rather than fixed. The side walls with engaging features can engage securely in one direction while allowing easy disengagement in another direction, creating a dynamic attachment system that adapts to different operational phases (attachment vs. removal).
Solution Approach 2:
The cap design inverts the traditional locking mechanism by making the engaging features removable from the sides rather than requiring removal from the top. This inversion allows the cap to be securely attached from above while enabling easy removal from the sides, reversing the conventional approach to cap-connector engagement.
3Ease of manufacture
If the cap structure is simplified for easy manufacture, then production cost is reduced, but the cap may not provide sufficient engagement with the connector
Solution Approach 1:
The cap is segmented into simple geometric components (top wall, front wall, side walls, and ribs) that can be easily manufactured using standard molding techniques. Each segment serves a specific engagement function, maintaining reliability while simplifying the overall manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap employs local quality by concentrating engagement features at specific locations (side walls with engaging features, ribs extending downward) rather than distributing complexity throughout the entire structure. This allows simple overall geometry with localized functional features that ensure reliable engagement.
Data Source
AI summary
A pick and place cap is configured to facilitate picking and placing a connector when the cap is assembled to the connector. The cap includes a top wall having a first engaging feature for engaging a back side of the connector, and opposing side walls each having a second engaging feature for engaging a bottom portion of the connector. The cap is configured to be assembled to and unassembled from the connector along each of two mutually orthogonal directions.