Thermally Conductive Sheet Feeder Using Emboss Carrier Tape
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for feeding thermally conductive sheets into automatic mounting equipment are inefficient due to the need for large space and varying distances, leading to increased risk of sheet drop-off and manual handling bottlenecks, especially when using vacuum nozzles.
Innovation Solution
A thermally conductive sheet feeder utilizing an emboss carrier tape with pockets for each sheet, protected by a cover film and rolled up in a reel-like form, allows for simplified and efficient feeding by a vacuum nozzle, reducing the risk of sheet movement and drop-off through fixed positioning and regular nozzle movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If thermally conductive sheets are set out in a plane on a substrate or resin tray for feeding, then the sheets can be taken up one by one by a vacuum nozzle, but a very large space is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing multiple thermally conductive sheets vertically stacked within a single pocket of the carrier tape, similar to nested dolls. This allows numerous sheets to be contained in a compact reel-like structure rather than spread out in a large plane, dramatically reducing the space required for sheet storage and feeding operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional planar arrangement of sheets on a substrate to a three-dimensional vertical stacking arrangement within carrier tape pockets. By utilizing the vertical dimension for sheet stacking and rolling the carrier tape into a reel, the system compresses the space requirement from a large horizontal area to a compact cylindrical form factor.
2Quantity of substance
If a large number of thermally conductive sheets are set out in a plane, then more sheets are available for mounting, but the distance to the mounting site becomes so long that the risk to drop the sheet from the nozzle increases
Solution Approach 1:
By nesting multiple sheets vertically within the carrier tape pockets rather than spreading them horizontally, the patent maintains a large quantity of sheets available for mounting while keeping the horizontal distance from the sheet source to the mounting site short. The reel-like structure allows the carrier tape to be positioned close to the mounting location throughout the feeding process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a dynamic feeding system where the carrier tape is fed incrementally toward the mounting site as sheets are removed. This dynamic approach maintains a consistently short distance between the current sheet and the mounting location, unlike static planar arrangements where sheets progressively farther from the mounting site increase drop risk.
3Ease of manufacture
If manual adhesion method is used for mounting thermally conductive sheets, then the sheets can be mounted, but the work is extremely inefficient and becomes a bottleneck of the product assembly line
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical adhesion operations with an automated vacuum-based picking system. The vacuum nozzle automatically grasps sheets from the carrier tape and places them on the substrate, eliminating manual labor and dramatically increasing mounting efficiency. This substitution of manual mechanical operations with automated pneumatic control is the core solution to the productivity bottleneck.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier tape design with pockets that hold individual sheets enables the system to be self-servicing during the mounting process. The structured presentation of sheets in the carrier tape allows the automated vacuum nozzle to independently pick and place sheets without human intervention, making the mounting process self-contained and highly efficient.
4Reliability
If grease or flexible sheet is inserted between chip and heat sink for thermal conduction, then thermal conduction is realized, but handling and control are difficult and require very long time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a disposable carrier tape that pre-presents thermally conductive sheets in a structured format. Each sheet is individually held in a pocket, ready for immediate pickup and application. This eliminates the need for time-consuming manual manipulation of grease or flexible sheets, as the carrier tape system provides ready-to-use conductive elements that can be rapidly deployed by the automated vacuum picking system.
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
This solution enables more efficient and reliable automatic mounting of thermally conductive sheets by allowing multiple sheets to be arranged without spreading them, reducing the risk of failure and improving productivity by maintaining consistent nozzle movement and positioning.
Implementation Method 1
a sucking force is applied to a bottom surface of the pocket by means of a vacuum nozzle (7)
Data Source
AI summary
Provided by the present invention are a thermally conductive sheet feeder and a method for feeding a thermally conductive sheet, which are a thermally conductive sheet feeder and a method for feeding a thermally conductive sheet using an emboss carrier tape, wherein the emboss carrier tape provided on its surface with a plurality of pockets, each having one thermally conductive sheet accommodated therein, and a cover film to protect surface of the emboss carrier tape are rolled up in a reel-like form.