Carrier tape recycling apparatus and method of recycling carrier tape

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6502783
  • Patent Number
    6,502,783
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, August 15, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, January 7, 2003
    21 years ago
Abstract
A carrier tape recycling apparatus for receiving bare carrier tape from a manufacturing system and for winding the carrier tape onto a plurality of tape reels for reuse. The carrier tape recycling apparatus includes a reel drive mechanism configured to support and rotationally drive a plurality of tape reels such that bare carrier tape dispensed from the manufacturing system may be wound onto the tape reels. The reel drive mechanism provides a slip drive allowing each tape reel disposed in the recycling apparatus to rotate and receive carrier tape independent of other tape reels disposed in the recycling apparatus, so as to compensate for variation in the rate at which carrier tape is supplied to each tape reel disposed in the carrier tape recycling apparatus. The present invention also includes a method of using the recycling apparatus to recycle bare carrier tape dispensed from a manufacturing system.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates generally to the manufacture and assembly of electronic, mechanical, or electromechanical components comprised of various small devices such as bare semiconductor die, packaged semiconductor die, lead frames, other electronic devices, small mechanical parts, or any combination thereof More particularly, the present invention relates to the supply and handling of small devices on a carrier tape and, specifically, to an apparatus and method for recycling the carrier tape after removal of the devices carried thereon.




2. State of the Art




Electronic, mechanical, and electromechanical components are commonly manufactured using fully, or at least partially, automated manufacturing systems. Complex assemblies, such as, for example, multichip memory modules, motherboards, and other control modules, are often comprised of numerous—and, in some instances, dozens of—bare and/or packaged semiconductor die as well as other electronic devices such as resistors, capacitors, heat sinks, and LEDs. Further, the numerous parts or subassemblies that are incorporated into a complex electrical or mechanical component may be of greatly varying size and shape. Thus, for many applications, a critical facet of automated manufacturing is the supply and handling of discrete parts for assembly into a next-level component.




A common method for supplying and handling large numbers of discrete parts in automated manufacturing systems is to employ a carrier tape. Referring to

FIGS. 1 and 2

, a typical carrier tape


10


comprises a continuous tape


12


having one or more rows of pockets


14


disposed thereon. The pockets


14


are each configured to receive a particular part such as, for example, a bare semiconductor die, a packaged semiconductor die, a lead frame, an electronic device, or a small mechanical part. Each pocket


14


may include an aperture


15


for passage therethrough of a push-out pin for extracting a part resting within the pocket


14


. One or more raised portions


16


may be disposed in each pocket


14


for supporting a part resting therein. Disposed proximate each edge


13


of the continuous tape


12


is one or more rows of indexing holes


18


. The indexing holes


18


may be of any suitable shape, such as, for example, circular


18




a


or rectangular


18




b.






The configuration of the carrier tape


10


shown in

FIGS. 1 and 2

is only exemplary and numerous other carrier tape configurations are known in the art. For example, a carrier tape


10


may include multiple rows of pockets


14


, multiple rows of indexing holes


18


adjacent each edge


13


, or indexing holes


18


arranged along only one edge


13


. The carrier tape


10


may also include a protective covering (not shown) adhered to the top surface of the continuous tape


12


to protect parts disposed in the pockets


14


prior to extraction. Carrier tape


10


is conventionally manufactured from a variety of plastic materials, such as, for example, a polycarbonate material, as well as from metallic materials.




A common medium for storing, transporting, and handling a plurality of parts borne on a length of carrier tape


10


is a tape reel. A typical tape reel


20


is shown in

FIGS. 3 and 4

. The tape reel


20


includes a hub


22


extending between and attached to opposing side plates


24


. Each side plate


24


is disk-shaped and includes an outer circumferential edge


25


and an outer surface


26


. The tape reel


20


has a thickness


21


corresponding to the distance between the outer surfaces


26


of the opposing side plates


24


. Extending through the hub


22


and concentric with the axis of rotation


27


of the tape reel


20


is a shaft hole


28


configured for insertion of a shaft (not shown) therethrough to rotationally support the tape reel


20


. To facilitate rotation of a tape reel


20


, the shaft hole


28


may have a “key” shape, such as the three-prong shape shown in

FIG. 3

, enabling the tape reel


20


to be positively rotationally driven by a mating shaft. The tape reel


20


may further include a plurality of windows


29


disposed in the side plates


24


for viewing the quantity of carrier tape


10


wound on the hub


22


. The configuration of the tape reel


20


shown in

FIGS. 3 and 4

is only exemplary and other tape reel configurations are known in the art.




Automated manufacturing systems adapted for manipulating reels of carrier tape, and the parts disposed therein, are well-known in the art. Manufacturing systems adapted for removing parts from carrier tape


10


wound on a tape reel


20


generally include an extraction mechanism for removing the parts carried in the pockets


14


of the carrier tape


10


and a feed mechanism for feeding carrier tape


10


from a tape reel


20


to the extraction mechanism. A typical extraction mechanism includes an extraction head configured to remove a part from a pocket


14


of a carrier tape


10


, as well as a push-out pin to assist in the extraction. An extraction head may comprise a vacuum quill, a mechanical gripping mechanism, or any other suitable extraction device known in the art.




Extraction of the parts borne on a carrier tape


10


requires that the pockets


14


arranged in a row along the length of the carrier tape


10


be sequentially positioned into a target location underneath or proximate the extraction head. Further, removal of a part from its respective pocket


14


on the carrier tape


10


generally requires that the pocket


14


be substantially aligned with the extraction head. The feed mechanism sequentially feeds, or indexes, the pockets


14


on a length of carrier tape


10


relative to the extraction head and aligns an individual pocket


14


therewith, using the indexing holes


18


of the carrier tape


10


. A typical feed mechanism includes a plurality of indexing teeth—arranged, for example, around an outer circumferential edge of a feed wheel—configured to closely mate with the row or rows of indexing holes


18


of the carrier tape


10


. With one or more indexing teeth engaging each row of indexing holes


18


on a length of carrier tape


10


, feeding and alignment of the pockets


14


on the carrier tape


10


relative to an extraction head is effected by movement of the indexing teeth. Feeding of the carrier tape


10


to the extraction mechanism, and precise alignment of a pocket


14


on the carrier tape


10


relative thereto, can be achieved so long as a close mating relationship exists between the indexing teeth of the feed mechanism and the carrier tape indexing holes


18


. If the close mating fit between the indexing teeth and carrier tape indexing holes


18


is compromised—for example, by damage to the carrier tape indexing holes


18


—feeding and precise alignment of the carrier tape


10


relative to the extraction mechanism may no longer be possible.




After removal of the parts borne on a carrier tape, a typical automated manufacturing system feeds the emptied, or bare, carrier tape into a storage bin or receptacle. For some manufacturing systems, the bare carrier tape is simply allowed to collect on the floor of the manufacturing facility, presenting a potential safety hazard. The bare carrier tape is then disposed of as waste, resulting in a large quantity of plastic waste being discarded in landfills and other disposal sites, thereby creating an adverse environmental impact. As the manufacture and assembly of electronic, mechanical, and electromechanical components becomes increasingly automated—especially in the semiconductor and electronics industries—the amount of waste carrier tape disposed of will increase and, accordingly, the adverse environmental impact will grow.




Disposing of bare carrier tape as waste also increases manufacturing costs. A length of carrier tape is currently utilized only once during its lifetime; however, after removal of the parts borne on a length of carrier tape by an automated manufacturing system, the bare carrier tape may be essentially undamaged. It is believed that carrier tape may be reused so long as the integrity of the indexing holes of the carrier tape is maintained.




Accordingly, a need exists for an apparatus and method for retrieving carrier tape from a manufacturing system without damage to the carrier tape, enabling the carrier tape to be reused, and without adversely affecting operation of the manufacturing system.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




Embodiments of the present invention comprise a carrier tape recycling apparatus configured for receiving bare carrier tape from multiple feed lines of a manufacturing system and for winding the carrier tape onto a plurality of tape reels for reuse. The carrier tape recycling apparatus comprises a housing, or frame, supporting a reel drive mechanism. The reel drive mechanism supports and rotationally drives one or more tape reels such that bare carrier tape dispensed from a manufacturing system may be wound onto the tape reels. The reel drive mechanism provides a slip drive, allowing each tape reel disposed in the recycling apparatus to rotate—or, in some instances, cease rotating—and to receive carrier tape independent of the other tape reels disposed in the recycling apparatus. The slip drive, therefore, compensates for variation in carrier tape feed rate among multiple feed lines dispensing bare carrier tape from a manufacturing system, and the slip drive also prevents excessive tension from being imparted to the bare carrier tape as the carrier tape is wound onto a tape reel.




In an exemplary embodiment of the carrier tape recycling apparatus, the reel drive mechanism comprises one or more drive shafts and one or more guide shafts configured to cooperatively support and rotationally drive a plurality of tape reels. A tape reel disposed in the recycling apparatus is rotationally driven by frictional forces imparted to the outer circumferential edges of the tape reel by the outer circumferential surface, or drive surface, of the drive shaft or shafts in contact therewith. A plurality of guides disposed on the guide shaft or shafts provide lateral support for a tape reel disposed in the recycling apparatus while permitting the tape reel to rotate. The respective positions of the guide shaft or shafts and associated guides may be altered to configure the recycling apparatus for use with varying sizes and numbers of tape reels. The reel drive mechanism further includes a drive motor to rotationally drive the drive shafts and tape reels in contact therewith. A drive coupling mechanism, such as a belt and pulley mechanism, operably couples the drive motor to the drive shaft or shafts.




The present invention may include a method of using the carrier tape recycling apparatus to recycle bare carrier tape dispensed from a manufacturing system. In an exemplary embodiment, a carrier tape recycling apparatus according to the present invention is disposed proximate a manufacturing system dispensing bare carrier tape from one or more feed lines. The recycling apparatus is configured to support the desired number and size of tape reels. An end of the bare carrier tape being dispensed from each feed line is then secured to a hub of a tape reel. As bare carrier tape is dispensed from a feed line of the manufacturing system, the bare carrier tape is wound onto a tape reel as that tape reel is rotationally driven by the reel drive mechanism. If the manufacturing system halts the flow of carrier tape from a feed line, the slip drive provided by the reel drive mechanism allows a tape reel disposed in the recycling apparatus and receiving bare carrier tape from the halted feed line to cease rotation, or stall, while simultaneously allowing other tape reels disposed in the recycling apparatus to continue rotating and receiving bare carrier tape from the manufacturing system. When a tape reel is full of bare carrier tape, the full tape reel is removed from the recycling apparatus by simply lifting the full tape reel upwards out of the reel drive mechanism. An empty tape reel may then be inserted in place of the full tape reel.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS




While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming that which is regarded as the present invention, the features and advantages of this invention can be more readily ascertained from the following detailed description of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:





FIG. 1

is a plan view of a lengthwise section of conventional carrier tape;





FIG. 2

is a side elevation view of the lengthwise section of conventional carrier tape shown in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 3

is a front elevation view of a conventional tape reel for receiving a length of conventional carrier tape;





FIG. 4

is a side elevation view of the conventional tape reel for receiving a length of conventional carrier tape shown in

FIG. 3

;





FIG. 5

is a perspective view of a carrier tape recycling apparatus according to the present invention;





FIG. 6

is a perspective view of the carrier tape recycling apparatus of the present invention with a portion of the housing removed for clarity;





FIG. 7

is a perspective view of the carrier tape recycling apparatus of the present invention with the housing removed for clarity;





FIG. 8

is a perspective view of the carrier tape recycling apparatus of the present invention with a portion of the housing removed for clarity;





FIG. 9

is a perspective view of the carrier tape recycling apparatus of the present invention with a portion of the housing removed for clarity; and





FIG. 10

is a perspective view of the carrier tape recycling apparatus of the present invention.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




An exemplary embodiment of a carrier tape recycling apparatus


50


according to the present invention is shown in

FIGS. 5 through 10

. The recycling apparatus


50


is adapted to receive bare carrier tape


10


from multiple feed lines


90


of a manufacturing system (not shown in figures) and to wind the carrier tape


10


onto a plurality of tape reels


20


. The carrier tape


10


may be any suitable carrier tape configuration known in the art, such as, for example, the exemplary carrier tape


10


shown in

FIGS. 1 and 2

. Similarly, the tape reels


20


may be of any suitable configuration known in the art, such as, by way of example, the exemplary tape reel


20


shown in

FIGS. 3 and 4

. The recycling apparatus


50


may be configured for use with, and to receive bare carrier tape


10


from, any manufacturing system known in the art.




Referring to

FIG. 5

, the recycling apparatus


50


includes a housing


100


configured to support a reel drive mechanism


200


. The housing


100


may partially enclose the reel drive mechanism


200


to function as a safety shield for any moving parts of the reel drive mechanism


200


. The housing


100


may include a cover


180


(see

FIG. 10

) to provide additional shielding for the drive mechanism


200


. The housing


100


may further include a handle


105


to facilitate transportation of the recycling apparatus


50


. In an alternative embodiment, the housing


100


may simply be a frame structure configured to support—but not partially enclose—the drive mechanism


200


. Any suitable materials may be used to construct the housing


100


including, by way of example, ferrous metals such as stainless steel, nonferrous metals such as aluminum, and plastic materials.




The reel drive mechanism


200


is adapted to support and rotationally drive one or more tape reels


20


such that bare carrier tape


10


dispensed from multiple feed lines


90


of a manufacturing system may be wound onto the tape reels


20


for reuse. Although

FIGS. 5 through 10

show three tape reels


20


supported by the reel drive mechanism


200


, the reel drive mechanism


200


may be adapted to receive any suitable number of tape reels


20


as necessary.




Referring to

FIGS. 6 through 9

, the reel drive mechanism


200


includes one or more drive shafts


210


and one or more guide shafts


220


. The drive shafts


210


and guide shafts


220


are configured to cooperatively support and rotationally drive a plurality of tape reels


20


. Each drive shaft


210


is rotatably supported at opposing ends by bearings


212


, the bearings


212


being retained by the housing


100


at bearing supports


112


. Each tape reel


20


disposed in the recycling apparatus


50


rests, under the force of gravity, on the drive shafts


210


, such that the outer circumferential edges


25


of each tape reel


20


contact the outer circumferential surface


211


of a drive shaft


210


. The drive shaft or shafts


210


may be constructed of any suitable material such as, for example, steel or alloys thereof. Also, the outer circumferential surface, or drive surface,


211


of a drive shaft


210


may have a polished finish or any other suitable surface treatment or coating as known in the art.




The guide shafts


220


provide lateral support for a tape reel


20


disposed in the recycling apparatus


50


while permitting the tape reel


20


to rotate. Lateral support is provided by a plurality of guides


222


secured to each guide shaft


220


. The guides


222


are axially spaced along each guide shaft


220


at locations corresponding to a thickness


21


of the tape reels


20


, such that an outer surface


223


of at least one guide


222


on one guide shaft


220


is positioned adjacent the outer surface


26


of each disk-shaped side plate


24


on a tape reel


20


. In one embodiment of the invention in which there are two guide shafts


220


, as shown in

FIGS. 5 through 10

, a total of four guides


222


laterally support each tape reel


20


. Although the guides


222


are positioned on a guide shaft


220


such that an outer surface


223


of each guide


222


is at a location corresponding to an outer surface


26


of a tape reel


20


, the outer surface


223


of a guide


222


does not necessarily contact the outer surface


26


of the tape reel


20


. The guides


222


may be secured in place on a guide shaft


220


using any suitable fastener (not shown in figures) such as, for example, a set screw.




The opposing ends of a guide shaft


220


are secured to the housing


100


by adjustable couplings


224


. The adjustable couplings


224


allow the position of a guide shaft


220


to be adjusted relative to the drive shaft or shafts


210


in order to accommodate tape reels


20


of various sizes. For example, as the outside diameter of the tape reels


20


increases in size, the guide shafts


220


must be positioned increasingly outward of the drive shafts


210


. In one embodiment of the invention, as shown in

FIGS. 5

though


10


, an adjustable coupling


224


comprises a slide block


226


secured to an end of a guide shaft


220


configured to slidably mate with a corresponding slot


126


disposed in the housing


100


. Any suitable fastener


227


(see FIG.


8


), such as a set screw, may be used to secure the slide block


226


at a desired position within the slot


126


. To adapt the recycling apparatus


50


for use with a specific size tape reel


20


, the slide blocks


226


on the opposing ends of each guide shaft


220


are positioned and secured within their respective slot


126


on housing


100


such that the outer circumferential edges


25


of a tape reel


20


are proximate to, though not necessarily in contact with, the outer circumferential surface


221


of the guide shaft


220


.




The guide shaft or shafts


220


may be fabricated from any suitable material such as, by way of example, steel or alloys thereof. The outer circumferential surface


221


of a guide shaft


220


may include a polished finish, or any other suitable surface treatment or coating as known in the art, to reduce the frictional forces, or drag, imparted on a tape reel


20


by the guide shafts


220


. The guides


222


may also be fabricated from any suitable material such as, for example, a plastic material or a metallic material such as aluminum. Also, the guides


222


may include outer surfaces


223


having a polished finish, or any other suitable surface treatment or coating, to reduce frictional drag imparted on the tape reel


20


by the guides


222


.




It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that any suitable number and combination of drive shafts


210


and guide shafts


220


may be incorporated into a recycling apparatus


50


according to the present invention. For example, in one embodiment of the invention shown in

FIGS. 5 through 10

, the recycling apparatus


50


includes two drive shafts


210


and two guide shafts


220


. Alternatively, the recycling apparatus


50


may include, by way of example only, one drive shaft


210


and one guide shaft


220


, one drive shaft


210


and two guide shafts


220


, or two drive shafts


210


and one guide shaft


220


.




The reel drive mechanism


200


further includes a drive motor


230


operably coupled to the drive shaft or shafts


210


via a drive coupling mechanism


240


. The drive motor


230


may be any suitable rotary motor as known in the art, such as, for example, an electromagnetic motor, capable of rotating the tape reels


20


at a desired rotational speed. An exemplary rotational speed for the tape reels


20


is in the range of 1 to 15 revolutions per minute (rpm). As the rate at which a manufacturing system dispenses bare carrier tape


10


changes and, further, as the outer radius of a roll of carrier tape


10


wound around a hub


22


of a tape reel


20


increases, it may be necessary to alter the rotational speed of the tape reels


20


receiving carrier tape


10


from the manufacturing system and, hence, the rotational speed of the output shaft


232


of the drive motor


230


.




The rotational speed of the output shaft


232


of the drive motor


230


may be manually controlled using a voltage or current control device


236


(see

FIG. 9

) such as, for example, a potentiometer. Alternatively, closed-loop control circuitry may be employed to maintain the desired rotational speed of the tape reels


20


. As shown in

FIG. 7

, closed-loop control may be facilitated using a rotary sensor


248




a


to sense a rotational speed of one of the drive shafts


210


or using a rotary sensor


248




b


to sense a rotational speed of the output shaft


232


of the drive motor


230


. The rotary sensor


248




a,




248




b


may be any suitable rotary sensor known in the art, such as, for example, an optical encoder, a magnetic rotary encoder, or a brushless resolver.




In a further embodiment, the drive motor


230


may include an integral gear head


234


to provide a desired output torque at the output shaft


232


. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a desired torque at the output shaft


232


of drive motor


230


may be effected using a gear train (not shown in figures) associated with the drive coupling mechanism


240


.




The drive coupling mechanism


240


is configured to transmit rotation of the output shaft


232


of the drive motor


230


to the drive shaft or shafts


210


such that each drive shaft


210


(if more than one) rotates at substantially the same rotational speed. In one embodiment of the invention, as shown in

FIGS. 5 through 7

, the drive coupling mechanism


240


comprises a belt and pulley system. The belt and pulley system includes (see

FIG. 7

) a drive pulley


242


secured to the output shaft


232


of drive motor


230


and shaft pulleys


244


secured to the respective ends of drive shafts


210


. A belt


246


couples the drive pulley


242


to each shaft pulley


244


, which are of substantially equal diameter. Rotation of the output shaft


232


of drive motor


230


and attached drive pulley


242


is transmitted to the shaft pulleys


244


by belt


246


, and, because the shaft pulleys


244


are of equal diameter, the drive shafts


210


(if more than one) rotate at substantially the same speed. The belt


246


may be—and the drive pulley


242


and shaft pulleys


244


adapted for use with—any suitable belt configuration known in the art, such as, for example, a round belt, a flat belt, a V-belt, or a timing belt. Commercially available standard types and sizes of belts and pulleys are believed suitable for this purpose.




Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the drive coupling mechanism


240


may be any other suitable mechanism known in the art adapted to rotate the drive shaft or shafts


210


and, if more than one drive shaft


210


, to rotate the drive shafts


210


at substantially the same rotational speed. By way of example, the drive coupling mechanism


240


may comprise a chain and sprocket drive or, alternatively, a gear drive.




A unique feature of the recycling apparatus


50


is that the reel drive mechanism


200


provides a slip drive. The outer circumferential edges


25


of a tape reel


20


disposed in the recycling apparatus


50


rest against the outer circumferential surface, or cylindrical drive surface,


211


of each drive shaft


210


. As the drive shafts


210


are rotated by the drive coupling mechanism


240


and drive motor


230


, rotation of the drive shafts


210


is transmitted to the tape reel


20


via frictional forces existing between the cylindrical drive surface


211


of a drive shaft


210


and the outer circumferential edges, or cylindrical surfaces,


25


of the tape reel


20


. Because only frictional forces couple the drive shafts


210


to the tape reel


20


, the tape reel


20


is allowed to slip, or cease rotating, relative to the drive shafts


210


. The slip drive, therefore, allows all of the tape reels


20


disposed in the reel drive mechanism


200


of a recycling apparatus


50


to rotate, or to stall, independent of one another.




Providing independent rotation for all of the tape reels


20


disposed in a recycling apparatus


50


is a positive aspect of the present invention. As previously indicated, a manufacturing system may have multiple feed lines


90


dispensing bare carrier tape


10


therefrom. Each feed line


90


may be supplying a different part, and varying numbers of parts, to the manufacturing system. Each feed line


90


may dispense bare carrier tape


10


at a different rate and, further, one feed line


90


may be halted while other feed lines


90


continue to dispense bare carrier tape


10


. In sum, all of the tape reels


20


disposed in a recycling apparatus


50


may not rotate at precisely the same speed, receive bare carrier tape


10


at the same rate, or rotate simultaneously. The slip drive provided by reel drive mechanism


200


, however, enables each individual tape reel


20


disposed in a recycling apparatus


50


to rotate and receive carrier tape


10


independent of all other tape reels


20


disposed in the recycling apparatus


50


, thereby compensating for variation in carrier tape feed rates of multiple feed lines


90


dispensing bare carrier tape


10


from a manufacturing system. The slip drive provided by reel drive mechanism


200


also enables a single carrier tape recycling apparatus


50


according to the present invention to be used with, and to receive bare carrier tape


10


from, more than one manufacturing system.




The slip drive provided by the reel drive mechanism


200


also prevents excessive tension from being imparted to the bare carrier tape


10


being wound onto a tape reel


20


, as the outer circumferential edges


25


of a tape reel


20


may slide relative to the outer circumferential surface


211


of a drive shaft


210


. Excessive tension on the bare carrier tape


10


dispensing from a feed line


90


of a manufacturing system may disrupt operation of a feed mechanism indexing bare carrier tape


10


through that feed line


90


.




The carrier tape recycling apparatus


50


may also include a fan


250


positioned proximate a vent hole


150


in the housing


100


. Operation of the fan


250


circulates air around the reel drive mechanism


200


, thereby cooling the drive motor


230


and facilitating removal of any heat generated by the slip drive provided by reel drive mechanism


200


. The fan


250


may be any suitable fan known in the art capable of circulating a sufficient volume of air to achieve the desired cooling.




In another embodiment, the recycling apparatus


50


includes one or more sensors


260


(see

FIG. 8

) configured to measure a quantity of carrier tape


10


disposed on a tape reel


20


and/or to indicate when a tape reel


20


is full of carrier tape


10


. The sensor or sensors


260


may be electrically connected to a closed-loop control system for controlling the drive motor


230


, as described above, such that rotation of the drive motor output shaft


232


and, therefore, the drive shafts


210


may be stopped when a sensor


260


indicates that a tape reel


20


is full of carrier tape


10


. Any suitable sensor known in the art may be used to measure the quantity of carrier tape


10


wound on a tape reel


20


. Optical sensors as well as contact type proximity sensors are believed suitable for this purpose.




The present invention also encompasses a method of using the carrier tape recycling apparatus


50


to recycle bare carrier tape


10


dispensed from a manufacturing system. In an exemplary embodiment of a method of recycling carrier tape


10


according to the present invention, the recycling apparatus


50


is located proximate a manufacturing system having one or more feed lines


90


dispensing bare carrier tape


10


therefrom. The recycling apparatus


50


is fitted to support at least a number of tape reels


20


corresponding to the number of feed lines


90


dispensing bare carrier tape


10


from the manufacturing system. For example, as shown in

FIG. 5

, if three feed lines


90


are each dispensing bare carrier tape


10


from the manufacturing system, the recycling apparatus


50


must be configured to hold at least three tape reels


20


, although the recycling apparatus


50


may be configured to support multiple tape reels


20


for each feed line


90


. The recycling apparatus


50


must also be fitted for the specific size of tape reels


20


to be disposed therein.




To configure the reel drive mechanism


200


of a recycling apparatus


50


for use with a specific number and size of tape reels


20


, a suitable number of guides


222


are disposed on the guide shaft or shafts


220


. The guides


222


are axially positioned on, and secured to, a guide shaft


220


such that an outer surface


223


of a guide


222


lies adjacent the outer surface


26


of each disk-shaped side plate


24


of a tape reel


20


. For an embodiment in which three tape reels are supported in the reel drive mechanism


200


and the reel drive mechanism


200


includes two guide shafts


220


, as shown in

FIGS. 5 through 10

, each of the two guide shafts


220


includes two guides


222


to laterally support each tape reel


20


. Therefore, each of the three tape reels


20


is bracketed by outer surfaces


223


of four guides


222


. To adapt the recycling apparatus


50


to a specific diameter tape reel


20


, the guide shaft or shafts


220


are positioned relative to the drive shaft or shafts


210


such that the outer cylindrical surface


221


of each guide shaft


220


is proximate, but not necessarily contacting, the outer circumferential edges


25


of a tape reel


20


. The adjustable couplings


224


, as described above, are used to locate and secure a guide shaft


220


in the desired position.




At least one tape reel


20


corresponding to each feed line


90


is disposed in the reel drive mechanism


200


of the recycling apparatus


50


, which has been configured for receiving a specific size and number of tape reels


20


as described above. The bare carrier tape


10


of each feed line


90


is then secured to a hub


22


of a tape reel


20


such that, as the tape reel


20


rotates, the bare carrier tape


10


will wind onto the tape reel


20


. A piece of adhesive tape (not shown in figures) may be used to secure the end of a carrier tape


10


to the hub


22


of a tape reel


20


. To facilitate attachment of the end of a carrier tape


10


to the hub


22


of a tape reel


20


, the hub


22


may have an axial slot


31


(see

FIGS. 3 and 4

) configured to receive and secure therein the end of a carrier tape


10


. Alternatively, the hub


22


of a tape reel


20


may include a spring-biased clip


32


(see

FIGS. 3 and 4

) secured thereto, or formed thereon, configured to attach the end of a carrier tape


10


to the hub


22


.




The drive motor


230


may then be actuated to rotate the drive shaft or shafts


210


via drive coupling mechanism


240


and to rotate the tape reels


20


disposed in the reel drive mechanism


200


. As the manufacturing system dispenses bare carrier tape


10


, the bare carrier tape


10


is wound onto the hub


22


of a tape reel


20


by rotation of the tape reel


20


. If the manufacturing system halts the flow of carrier tape


10


from a feed line


90


, the slip drive provided by the reel drive mechanism


200


allows a tape reel


20


receiving bare carrier tape


10


from that feed line


90


to stall. However, the reel drive mechanism


200


will continue to rotationally drive other tape reels


20


disposed therein and receiving bare carrier tape


10


from the manufacturing system. Thus, the reel drive mechanism


200


providing a slip drive enables all of the tape reels


20


disposed in the recycling apparatus


50


to rotate independent of each other while, simultaneously, being driven by a single drive motor


230


.




When a tape reel


20


is full of bare carrier tape


10


, the full tape reel


20


is removed from the recycling apparatus


50


and an empty tape reel


20


inserted in its place, and the end of a carrier tape


10


is secured to the hub


22


of the empty tape reel


20


. The quantity of carrier tape


10


wound on a tape reel


20


may be sensed using sensors


260


, as described above, to indicate when a tape reel


20


is full. Because the reel drive mechanism


200


rotationally drives a tape reel


20


at its outer circumferential edges


25


and no shaft is inserted into the shaft hole


28


extending through the hub


22


of a tape reel


20


, a full tape reel


20


may simply be lifted out of the reel drive mechanism


200


and recycling apparatus


50


. Similarly, an empty tape reel


20


is inserted into the recycling apparatus


50


by simply placing the empty tape reel


20


between the corresponding guides


222


disposed on the guide shaft or shafts


220


such that the outer circumferential edges


25


of the empty tape reel


20


rest upon the cylindrical drive surfaces


211


of the drive shaft or shafts


210


.




Removal of a full tape reel


20


and insertion of a replacement tape reel


20


may require severing of the carrier tape


10


feeding the full tape reel


20


. If the supply reels feeding carrier tape


10


, and the parts borne thereon, to the manufacturing system are the same size as the tape reels


20


disposed in the carrier tape recycling apparatus


50


, severing of the bare carrier tape


10


is not necessary as there is a one-to-one ratio between the length of carrier tape


10


wound on a supply reel and the length of carrier tape


10


to be wound on a tape reel


20


disposed in the recycling apparatus


50


. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the supply reels providing carrier tape


10


to the manufacturing system may be identical to the tape reels


20


usable with the recycling apparatus


50


of the present invention.




To reuse a length of bare carrier tape


10


wound on a tape reel


20


using the carrier tape recycling apparatus


50


of the present invention, it may be necessary to splice together the lengths of bare carrier tape


10


from several tape reels


20


and to wind all of the carrier tape


10


from those tape reels


20


onto a single, larger tape reel for use with other manufacturing equipment, such as, for example, an apparatus for loading parts into the pockets


14


of the carrier tape


10


. For example, the carrier tape


10


from three tape reels


20


may be spliced together and wound onto a single tape reel, or master reel, for subsequent reuse.




An exemplary embodiment of a carrier tape recycling apparatus


50


according to the present invention having been described in detail, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the advantageous features of the carrier tape recycling apparatus


50


. The recycling apparatus


50


may be easily fitted for use with any suitable size of tape reel


20


. Similarly, the recycling apparatus


50


may be adapted for use with any desired number of tape reels


20


in order to accommodate manufacturing systems having multiple feed lines


90


dispensing bare carrier tape


10


to the recycling apparatus


50


. The carrier tape recycling apparatus


50


includes a reel drive mechanism


200


providing a slip drive, the slip drive allowing each tape reel


20


disposed in the reel drive mechanism


200


to rotate and receive carrier tape


10


independent of all other tape reels


20


disposed in the reel drive mechanism


200


. Further, the slip drive prevents excessive tension from being imparted to the carrier tape


10


. Also, the recycling apparatus


50


of the present invention provides for easy removal of tape reels


20


therefrom and for easy insertion of tape reels


20


therein.




Use of a carrier tape recycling apparatus


50


according to the present invention with a manufacturing system adapted to receive parts borne on carrier tape


10


enables bare carrier tape


10


dispensing from the manufacturing system to be recovered for subsequent recycling. The bare carrier tape


10


is conveniently wound onto one or more tape reels


20


for ease of reuse. It is believed that conventional carrier tape


10


may be reused three to five times, or more, prior to any noticeable degradation in integrity of the carrier tape indexing holes


18


. Thus, the carrier tape recycling apparatus


50


of the present invention provides a means for extending the useful life of carrier tape


10


, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and industrial waste.




The foregoing detailed description and accompanying drawings are only illustrative and not restrictive. They have been provided primarily for a clear and comprehensive understanding of the present invention and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom. Numerous additions, deletions, and modifications to the exemplary embodiment, as well as alternative arrangements, may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirt of the present invention and the scope of the appended claims.



Claims
  • 1. A carrier tape recycling apparatus for winding carrier tape onto at least one tape reel, said at least one tape reel having an axial thickness and including a hub extending between opposing disk-shaped side plates having outer circumferential edges, said carrier tape recycling apparatus comprising:a reel drive mechanism configured to rotationally drive said at least one tape reel; a housing configured to support said reel drive mechanism; at least two drive shafts, each of said at least two drive shafts having opposing ends supported by said housing on a first plane and an outer circumferential surface located for contact with said outer circumferential edges of said at least one tape reel; at least two guide shafts, each of said at least two guide shafts having opposing ends supported by said housing on a second plane above said first plane and an outer circumferential surface located to be in proximity to said outer circumferential edges of said at least one tape reel; and an adjustable coupling disposed at each of said opposing ends of said at least two guide shafts configured to secure said each of said opposing ends of said at least two guide shafts to said housing.
  • 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said reel drive mechanism comprises:a drive motor having an output shaft; and a drive coupling mechanism operably coupling said output shaft of said drive motor to at least one of said at least two drive shafts.
  • 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said drive coupling mechanism comprises:a drive pulley disposed on said output shaft of said drive motor; a shaft pulley disposed on at least one of said at least two drive shafts; and a belt coupling said drive pulley to said shaft pulley.
  • 4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said outer circumferential surface of each of said at least two guide shafts is located for contact with said outer circumferential edges of said at least one tape reel.
  • 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said adjustable coupling disposed at each of said opposing ends of said at least two guide shafts comprises:a slide block secured to one of said opposing ends of said at least two guide shafts; a slot disposed in said housing configured to slidably receive said slide block; and a fastener for securing said slide block in said slot.
  • 6. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:at least a first guide disposed on at least one of said at least two guide shafts configured to laterally support said at least one tape reel; and at least a second guide disposed on said at least one of said at least two guide shafts configured to laterally support said at least one tape reel, said at least a second guide having a surface spaced a distance from a surface of said at least a first guide, said distance substantially equal to said axial thickness of said at least one tape reel.
  • 7. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a speed control device associated with said drive motor.
  • 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said speed control device is selected from a group consisting of a voltage control device and a current control device.
  • 9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said speed control device comprises a closed-loop control system having at least one rotary sensor, said at least one rotary sensor configured to sense rotation of at least one of said output shaft of said drive motor and said at least two drive shafts.
  • 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said reel drive mechanism is configured to rotationally drive said at least one tape reel at a rotational speed of between about 1 and 15 rpm.
  • 11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor configured to measure a quantity of carrier tape wound on said at least one tape reel.
  • 12. An apparatus for recycling carrier tape, comprising:at least one tape reel configured for receiving a length of said carrier tape, said at least one tape reel having an axial thickness and including a hub extending between opposing disk-shaped side plates, each of said opposing side plates having an outer circumferential edge; a reel drive mechanism configured to receive said at least one tape reel and to rotationally drive said at least one tape reel at said outer circumferential edge of said each of said opposing side plates of said at least one tape reel; a frame configured to support said reel drive mechanism; at least two drive shafts, each of said at least two drive shafts having opposing ends supported by said frame on a first plane and an outer circumferential surface in contact with said outer circumferential edge of said each of said opposing side plates of said at least one tape reel; at least two guide shafts, each of said at least two guide shafts having opposing ends supported by said frame on a second plane above said first plane and an outer circumferential surface disposed proximate said outer circumferential edge of said each of said opposing side plates of said at least one tape reel; and an adjustable coupling disposed at each of said opposing ends of said at least two guide shafts configured to secure said each of said opposing ends of said at least two guide shafts to said frame.
  • 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said reel drive mechanism comprises:a drive motor having an output shaft; and a drive coupling mechanism operably coupling said output shaft of said drive motor to at least one of said at least two drive shafts.
  • 14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said adjustable coupling disposed at each of said opposing ends of said at least two guide shafts comprises:a slide block secured to one of said opposing ends of said at least two guide shafts; a slot disposed in said frame configured to slidably receive said slide block; and a fastening element for securing said slide block in said slot.
  • 15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:a first guide secured to at least one of said at least two guide shafts configured to laterally support said at least one tape reel; and a second guide secured to said at least one of said at least two guide shafts configured to laterally support said at least one tape reel, said second guide having a surface spaced a distance from a surface of said first guide, said distance substantially equal to said axial thickness of said at least one tape reel.
  • 16. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a speed control device associated with said drive motor.
  • 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said speed control device is manually operable.
  • 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said speed control device comprises a potentiometer.
  • 19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said speed control device comprises a closed-loop control system having at least one rotary sensor, said at least one rotary sensor configured to sense rotation of one of said output shaft of said drive motor and said at least two drive shafts.
  • 20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said reel drive mechanism is configured to rotationally drive said at least one tape reel at a rotational speed of between about 1 and 15 rpm.
  • 21. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising at least one sensor configured to measure a quantity of carrier tape on said at least one tape reel.
  • 22. An apparatus for receiving bare carrier tape from a manufacturing system dispensing bare carrier tape from a plurality of feed lines, said apparatus comprising:a plurality of tape reels, said plurality of tape reels including at least one tape reel for receiving bare carrier tape from each feed line of said plurality of feed lines dispensing bare carrier tape from said manufacturing system; a reel drive mechanism configured to rotate each tape reel of said plurality of tape reels independent of rotation of all other tape reels of said plurality of tape reels; a housing configured to support said reel drive mechanism; at least two drive shafts, each of said at least two drive shafts having opposing ends supported by said housing on a first plane and an outer circumferential surface located for contact with said outer circumferential edges of said at least one tape reel; at least two guide shafts, each of said at least two guide shafts having opposing ends supported by said housing on a second plane above said first plane and an outer circumferential surface located to be in proximity to an outer circumferential edge of said at least one tape reel; and an adjustable coupling disposed at each of said opposing ends of said at least two guide shafts configured to secure said each of said opposing ends of said at least two guide shafts to said housing.
  • 23. A method of recycling a length of bare carrier tape, comprising:attaching an end of said length of bare carrier tape to a hub of a tape reel; supporting an outer cylindrical surface of said tape reel between at least two guide shafts mounted on a first plane; imparting frictional forces to said outer cylindrical surface of said tape reel with at least two drive shafts mounted on a second plane below said first plane to rotate said tape reel and to wind said length of bare carrier tape around said hub of said tape reel; and sensing a quantity of bare carrier tape wound on said hub of said tape reel.
  • 24. A method of winding carrier tape onto a tape reel, comprising:securing an end of said carrier tape to a hub of said tape reel; adjusting at least two guide shafts extending transversely to said tape reel such that said at least two guide shafts support a circumferential edge of said tape reel; and rotating said tape reel with at least two drive shafts to wind said carrier tape around said hub of said tape reel.
  • 25. The method of claim 24, further comprising halting a supply of said carrier tape to said tape reel to stall said tape reel.
  • 26. A method of recycling carrier tape dispensed from a plurality of feed lines of a manufacturing system, comprising:securing an end of said carrier tape dispensing from one feed line of said plurality of feed lines to a hub of a first tape reel; securing an end of said carrier tape dispensing from at least one other feed line of said plurality of feed lines to a hub of another tape reel; supporting an outer cylindrical surface of said first tape reel and an outer cylindrical surface of said another tape reel between at least two guide shafts; imparting frictional forces to an outer cylindrical surface of said first tape reel with at least two drive shafts to rotate said first tape reel and to wind said carrier tape dispensing from said one feed line around said hub of said first tape reel; imparting frictional forces to an outer cylindrical surface of said another tape reel with said at least two drive shafts to rotate said another tape reel to wind said carrier tape dispensing from said at least one other feed line around said hub of said another tape reel; and sensing a quantity of carrier tape wound on at least one of said first tape reel and said another tape reel.
  • 27. The method of claim 26, further comprising stalling rotation of one of said first tape reel and said another tape reel by halting said dispensing of said carrier tape from one of said one feed line and said at least one other feed line.
  • 28. The method of claim 26, further comprising:stalling rotation of said first tape reel by halting said dispensing of said carrier tape from said one feed line; and rotating said another tape reel.
  • 29. A method of recycling carrier tape flowing from a plurality of feed lines of a manufacturing system, comprising:providing an apparatus having a reel drive mechanism configured to receive and rotationally drive a plurality of tape reels; disposing a plurality of tape reels in said reel drive mechanism; supporting an outer circular surface of each tape reel of said plurality of tape reels between at least two guide shafts on a first plane; contacting said outer circular surface of each tape reel of said plurality of tape reels against at least two drive surfaces of said reel drive mechanism, said at least two drive surfaces located on a second plane below said first plane; securing an end of carrier tape flowing from each feed line of said plurality of feed lines to one tape reel of said plurality of tape reels; rotating said at least two drive surfaces of said reel drive mechanism to impart frictional forces to said outer circular surface of said each tape reel and to rotate said each tape reel; and winding said carrier tape flowing from said each feed line onto a corresponding said one tape reel.
  • 30. The method of claim 29, further comprising stalling rotation of at least one tape reel of said plurality of tape reels by stopping flow of said carrier tape from a feed line of said plurality of feed lines supplying said carrier tape to said at least one tape reel.
  • 31. The method of claim 29, further comprising laterally supporting said each tape reel disposed in said reel drive mechanism.
  • 32. The method of claim 29, wherein said each tape reel has a diameter and an axial thickness, said method further comprising configuring said reel drive mechanism to receive tape reels having said diameter and said axial thickness.
  • 33. The method of claim 29, further comprising:winding said carrier tape onto said one tape reel of said plurality of tape reels until said one tape reel is full; lifting said one tape reel out of said reel drive mechanism; and inserting an empty tape reel to replace said one tape reel.
  • 34. The method of claim 29, further comprising:winding said carrier tape flowing from one feed line of said plurality of feed lines onto said one tape reel of said plurality of tape reels until said one tape reel is full; severing said carrier tape flowing from said one feed line; securing a severed end of said carrier tape flowing from said one feed line to another tape reel of said plurality of tape reels disposed in said reel drive mechanism.
  • 35. The method of claim 29, further comprising sensing a quantity of said carrier tape wound on at least one tape reel of said plurality of tape reels.
  • 36. The method of claim 29, further comprising:winding a first length of said carrier tape onto said one tape reel of said plurality of tape reels disposed in said reel drive mechanism; winding at least one other length of said carrier tape onto another tape reel of said plurality of tape reels disposed in said reel drive mechanism; removing said one tape reel and said another tape reel from said reel drive mechanism; and splicing an end of said first length of said carrier tape to an end of said at least one other length of said carrier tape to join said first length of said carrier tape and said at least one other length of said carrier tape and form a single continuous length of carrier tape.
  • 37. The method of claim 36, further comprising winding said single continuous length of carrier tape onto said one tape reel of said plurality of tape reels.
  • 38. The method of claim 29, further comprising manually altering a rotational speed of said at least two drive surfaces of said reel drive mechanism.
  • 39. The method of claim 29, further comprising maintaining a desired rotational speed of said at least two drive surfaces of said reel drive mechanism with a closed-loop control system.
  • 40. The method of claim 39, further comprising sensing a rotational speed of said at least two drive surfaces of said reel drive mechanism with a rotary sensor.
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