Electronic component orientation for assembly to circuit boards

Abstract

Loading a component carrier strip carrying a series of discrete components to be assembled onto circuit boards is accomplished by first inserting a free end of the component carrier strip into a slot defined by a housing (e.g., a blind slot). Then, with the component carrier strip positioned in the slot, a physical orientation of a component marking that indicates polarity is indicated to a component placement machine, e.g., by manipulating a switch, or scanning a barcode. Thereafter, the component carrier strip is removed from the slot and loaded into the component placement machine, e.g., by splicing a leading edge of the component carrier strip onto a trailing edge of a previously loaded component carrier strip.

1 . A method of loading a component carrier strip carrying a series of discrete components to be assembled onto circuit boards, the method comprising:
 inserting a free end of the component carrier strip into a slot defined by a housing;   with the component carrier strip positioned in the slot, indicating to a component placement machine a physical orientation of a component marking that indicates polarity; and then removing the carrier strip from the slot and loading the component carrier strip into the component placement machine.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein inserting the free end of the component carrier strip into the slot comprises inserting the free end of the component carrier strip into a blind slot. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein indicating to the component placement machine the physical orientation of the component marking comprises manipulating a switch to provide an indication of the physical orientation of the component marking that indicates polarity. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein indicating to the component placement machine the physical orientation of the component marking comprises scanning a barcode to provide an indication of the physical orientation of the component marking that indicates polarity. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein loading the component carrier strip into the component placement machine comprises splicing a leading edge of the component carrier strip onto a trailing edge of a second component carrier strip. 
   
   
       6 . A polarity indicating apparatus comprising:
 a housing defining a slot sized to receive a free end of a carrier strip carrying a series of discrete electronic components for assembly onto circuit boards, the slot of a length to span a distal one of the electronic components carried by the strip; and   multiple visual component orientation indicators, each corresponding to a visual orientation of an electronic component within the slot and also corresponding to one of a discrete set of component orientation inputs available to an operator of an electronic component placement machine associated with the polarity indicating apparatus.   
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  further comprising at least one manipulable switch operable to provide the input from the operator reflecting the orientation of the polarity mark with respect to the slot. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the slot comprises a blind slot. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the input is provided to a component placement machine. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the input is provided to a hand-held device. 
   
   
       11 . A method of loading a component carrier strip carrying a series of discrete axial components to be assembled onto circuit boards, the method comprising:
 loading a component carrier strip into a component placement machine; and   with the component carrier strip positioned on the component placement machine, indicating to the component placement machine a physical orientation of a component marking that indicates polarity.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein indicating to the component placement machine the physical orientation of the component marking comprises manipulating a switch to provide an indication of the physical orientation of the component marking that indicates polarity. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein indicating to the component placement machine the physical orientation of the component marking comprises initiating a cycle-stop to provide an indication of the physical orientation of the component marking that indicates polarity. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein indicating to the component placement machine the physical orientation of the component marking comprises scanning a barcode to provide an indication of the physical orientation of the component marking that indicates polarity. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein loading the component carrier strip into the component placement machine comprises splicing a leading edge of the component carrier strip onto a trailing edge of a second component carrier strip.