Surface mount assembly system with integral label feeder

Abstract

The present invention is a method and apparatus conveying a roll of liner stock bearing removably adhered components such as labels. The liner is pulled through the feeder by a capstan drive having opposed fluted nip rollers driven by a stepper motor. Advance of the stepper motor is controlled by a programmable electronic controller. The linered labels are led through a tensioner and around an acute-angle peeler edge which separates the labels from the liner. The peeling action advances a label onto a platform comprising a bed of rollers having an inherently low-adherence surface. Preferably the rollers are undercut to form circumferential ridges and reduce the surface area in contact with the label adhesive and to minimize adherence thereto. When peeling of a label is completed, the label has been advanced onto the roller bed to precisely the proper location for acquisition by a pick-and-place machine. The presence of a label on the platform is confirmed by a sensor that signals the controller to stop further liner advance. The signal also serves to reset the feeder for advance of the next label after the first label is picked from the roller bed.

1 . An assembly system, including: 
 a substrate to be populated with at least one component and at least one label on a surface thereof;    first and second feeding machines; and    a pick and place assembly machine, operatively connected to said first and second feeding machines wherein the first feeding machine feeds labels and the second feeding machine feeds components, and where the label and component are picked up and placed onto the substrate by the pick and place assembly machine.    
   
   
       2 . The assembly system of  claim 1  wherein the first feeding machine comprises: 
 a label liner path;    a label supply;    a label separator within the label liner path for peeling the label from a label liner;    a drive nip to engage and draw the label liner over said label separator; and    a platform for receiving a peeled label and presenting said peeled label for subsequent pick-up by the pick and place assembly machine.    
   
   
       3 . The assembly system of  claim 2  wherein the label is an adhesive-backed label, and where the platform includes rollers supporting an adhesive side of the label thereon.  
   
   
       4 . The assembly system of  claim 1  wherein the first feeding machine feeds pre-printed labels.  
   
   
       5 . The assembly system of  claim 1  wherein the first feeding machine prints on the labels.  
   
   
       6 . The assembly system of  claim 1  wherein the second feeding machine comprises: 
 a tape path;    a component tape; and    a drive for moving the component tape along the tape path, wherein the pick and place machine picks up said component.    
   
   
       7 . A method for feeding components and labels to a substrate, including: 
 providing the substrate to accept components and labels thereon;    presenting a label on a first feeding machine;    presenting a component on a second feeding machine;    retrieving the label from the first feeding machine by a pick and place assembly system;    placing the label on the substrate with the pick and place assembly system;    retrieving the component from the second feeding machine by the pick and place assembly system; and    placing the component on the substrate with the pick and place assembly system.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  further including the loading the first feeding machine with pre-printed labels.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7  further including printing on the label prior to presenting the label for retrieval.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7  further including advancing of labels within the first feeding machine in response to a signal from a label sensor.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 7  further including the loading of components onto the second feeding machine.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 7  further including separately retrieving the labels and the components with a vacuum nozzle on said pick and place assembly system.  
   
   
       13 . A method for assembling a circuit board including; 
 providing a circuit board to accept components and labels thereon;    presenting a label for retrieval at a respective label pick-up location on the first feeding machine, wherein the labels are sequentially separated from a liner, advanced to a platform and positioned at the label pick-up location;    retrieving the label from the label pick-up location of the first feeding machine;    placing the label on a surface of the circuit board;    presenting a component for retrieval at a respective component pick-up location on the second feeding machine;    retrieving the component from the second feeding machine; and    placing the component on the surface of the circuit board.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  further including loading the first feeding machine with pre-printed labels.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  further including printing on the label prior to presenting the label for retrieval.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13  further including the advancement and indexing of labels within the first feeding machine in response to a signal from a label sensor.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13  further including the loading of components onto the second feeding machine.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13  further including separately retrieving the labels and the components with a vacuum nozzle on said pick and place machine.