Overview:

The pocket tape feeder is an expandable feeder capable of feeding very large format EIA pocket tapes.

Process Description:

Parts are loaded into tubes at the part supplier and delivered to the system in tight-fitting corrugate boxes. The tubes are extracted an inserted into the tube carousel. Because the shipping box is tight fitting, no plugs or caps are required to ship the product, and need not be removed.

Each tube is held in the carousel in a precision spring loaded slot.  The slot is designed such that the tube rests on thin ledges which prevent the tube from dropping through the carousel, but do not obstruct passage of the parts.

Once in the carousel, the stack of parts in each tube is allowed to drop onto a slide plate. When the active tube is emptied, the carousel rotates, and the "on-deck" tube is positioned over the drop chute.  The stack of parts in the on-deck tube descend into the drop chute, and feeding continues until the stack is clear.

In the drop chute, the parts remain stacked until the singulation mechanism feeds the active part off the bottom of the stack in a "pez-like" motion. The fed or dropped to the pick nest as necessary.