Monolithic Sprung Carrier Tooling for Rotation-Free Board Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sprung carriers used for securing workpieces like semiconductor boards and circuit boards experience unwanted rotation and lifting due to torsional movement, leading to alignment errors and increased processing time and cost, especially in complex setups where multiple boards are mounted.
Innovation Solution
A tooling system with a monolithic spring section comprising a shuttle and at least three elongate deformable arms, arranged in parallel to constrain movement and prevent rotation, ensuring secure engagement and alignment of workpieces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a single spring leg is used to engage the workpiece, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but unwanted rotation and lifting occur causing alignment errors
Solution Approach 1:
The single spring leg is divided into multiple deformable arms (at least three) that are arranged radially around the shuttle axis. This segmentation prevents rotation by distributing the engagement forces around the axis, while each arm independently provides the necessary spring action for accommodating workpiece variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The deformable arms are positioned asymmetrically around the shuttle axis at different angular positions rather than symmetrically. This asymmetric arrangement ensures that the combined spring forces from multiple arms constrain the shuttle to move only along the axis, eliminating rotational movement while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
2Manufacturing precision
If the spring leg is made more rigid to prevent rotation, then alignment accuracy improves, but the ability to accommodate manufacturing variation and thermal expansion is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses flexible deformable arms that can dynamically adjust their deflection to accommodate manufacturing variations and thermal expansion in workpieces. The arms provide controlled spring action that maintains alignment accuracy while adapting to different workpiece dimensions and thermal conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The deformable arms are designed with specific geometric parameters (length, thickness, cross-section) that optimize their spring characteristics. By carefully selecting these parameters, the system achieves both rigidity for alignment accuracy and flexibility for accommodating workpiece variations and thermal effects.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple spring legs are added to prevent rotation, then alignment accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple deformable arms are merged into a single integrated tooling unit that shares a common shuttle and mounting structure. This combining approach achieves the rotational constraint benefits of multiple engagement points while avoiding the complexity of separate spring leg assemblies, as all arms work together as one coordinated system.
Solution Approach 2:
The deformable arms serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide spring action for accommodating workpiece variations, constrain the shuttle to prevent rotation, and maintain alignment accuracy. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components for each function, reducing overall device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively eliminates unwanted rotation and lifting, ensuring accurate alignment and secure mounting of workpieces, reducing processing time and equipment costs by providing a robust and reliable clamping mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
the deformable arms are elongate, with their major arm axes arranged in parallel, to constrain movement of the shuttle to a translation along a movement axis orthogonal to the arm axes
Data Source
Figure 1A~3
Figure 2
Figure 4
AI summary
Tooling (11) to be used with a carrier for a workpiece such as a circuit board, the tooling for engaging with the workpiece, has a body and a spring section formed as a monolithic structure from a resilient material. At least three deformable arms (15A-D) connect a movable shuttle (14) to the body, the arms being configured to enable constrained movement of the shuttle relative to the body.