Component sheet and method of singulating

Abstract

A sheet of electronic components includes a plurality of electronic components. A plurality of connecting members mechanically connects the electronic components together. A first fiducial marker is located at a first predetermined location on the sheet and a second fiducial marker is located at a second predetermined location on the sheet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sheet of electronic components, the sheet comprising:
 a plurality of electronic components;   a plurality of connecting members that mechanically connect the electronic components together;   a first fiducial marker located at a first predetermined location on the sheet; and   a second fiducial marker located at a second predetermined location on the sheet.   
     
     
         2 . The sheet of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic components are resistors. 
     
     
         3 . The sheet of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic components are aligned in an array of parallel columns and parallel rows. 
     
     
         4 . The sheet of  claim 1 , wherein the first fiducial marker has a first orientation and the second fiducial marker has a second orientation. 
     
     
         5 . The sheet of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet includes:
 a first side with a first fiducial marker located proximate the first side;   a second side with a second fiducial marker located proximate the second side;   a third side with a third fiducial marker located proximate the third side; and   a fourth side with a fourth fiducial marker located proximate the fourth side.   
     
     
         6 . The sheet of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the first, second, third, and fourth fiducial markers have the same shape;   the first fiducial marker has a first orientation;   the second fiducial marker has a second orientation;   the third fiducial marker has a third orientation; and   the fourth fiducial marker has a fourth orientation.   
     
     
         7 . The sheet of claim I, wherein the sheet includes:
 a first corner with a first fiducial marker located proximate the first corner;   a second corner with a second fiducial marker located proximate the second corner;   a third corner with a third fiducial marker located proximate the third corner; and   a fourth corner with a fourth fiducial marker located proximate the fourth corner.   
     
     
         8 . The sheet of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first, second, third, and fourth fiducial markers have the same shape;   the first fiducial marker has a first orientation;   the second fiducial marker has a second orientation;   the third fiducial marker has a third orientation; and   the fourth fiducial marker has a fourth orientation.   
     
     
         9 . The sheet of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first fiducial marker and the second fiducial marker are etched into the sheet. 
     
     
         10 . The sheet of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first fiducial marker and the second fiducial marker are plated onto the sheet. 
     
     
         11 . The sheet of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first fiducial marker and the second fiducial marker are located on at least one of the components. 
     
     
         12 . A device for singulating components from a sheet of components, the device comprising:
 a singulating device for singulating individual components from the sheet of components;   an imaging system for imaging a plurality of fiducial markers located at predetermined locations on the sheet;   a processing component for determining the alignment of the sheet in response to imaging the plurality of fiducial markers; and   an aligning component for moving at least one of the singulating device and the sheet of components to achieve a predetermined orientation in response to determining the alignment of the sheet.   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the sheet of components has a plurality of corners and wherein at least one of the fiducial markers is located proximate at least one of the plurality of corners. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the sheet of components has a plurality of sides and wherein at least one of the fiducial markers is located proximate at least one of the plurality of sides. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the imaging system includes a component for determining the orientation of fiducial markers. 
     
     
         16 . A method of aligning a sheet of components with a singulating device, the method comprising:
 imaging a first fiducial marker located at a predetermined location on the sheet of components;   imaging a second fiducial marker located at a predetermined location on the sheet of components;   determining the orientation of the sheet of components in response to imaging the first fiducial marker and imaging the second fiducial marker; and   aligning at least one of the sheet of components and the singulating device in response to determining the orientation of the sheet of components.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising determining the orientation of at least one of the first fiducial marker and the second fiducial marker. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the sheet of components has a plurality of edges and at least one of the first fiducial marker and the second fiducial marker is located proximate at least one of the plurality of edges. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first fiducial marker and the second fiducial marker is located on a predetermined one of the components. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein determining the orientation of at least one of the sheet of components includes fitting an axis between an image of the first fiducial marker and the second fiducial marker and comparing the axis to an axis associated with the singulating device.