WO2007108880A2

WO2007108880A2 - Tray for component packaging

Info

Publication number: WO2007108880A2
Application number: PCT/US2007/004203
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ronald P. Holler
Original assignee: Fci Americas Technology, Inc.; Fci
Priority date: 2006-03-16
Filing date: 2007-02-15
Publication date: 2007-09-27
Also published as: US20070215517A1; WO2007108880A3; TW200740665A

Abstract

A tray (1) for component packaging that allows components (50) having varying heights to beautomatically removed from the tray.

Description

TRAY FOR COMPONENT PACKAGING

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] Generally, the invention relates to trays for component packaging. More particularly, the invention relates to a packaging tray constructed in multiple parts to accommodate varying lift travel available for removing components from the tray. This technology is particularly suited, but by no means limited, for holding surface mount components designed to be applied to a mounting surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Surface mount components may be applied to printed circuit boards through automated equipment. This equipment is typically referred to as pick and placement equipment and may be fully automated requiring components to be packaged with the means for automated handling. f0003] Trays are one common type of packaging used for automated handling of components. There exists a problem as components get larger that some placement equipment have limitations on the amount of travel available to lift a component out of a tray. Also, in order to improve component placement time, it is desirable to reduce the lift travel required to remove a component from the tray. In addition, problems exists in that certain automated handling equipment can not handle trays having different size pockets for holding components having varying heights due to limited available lift travel. It is desirable to have a standard component packing tray having a standard lift travel that may be used with a plurality of automated component handling systems.

[0004] Trays for the storage and transportation of multiple pin grid array (PGA) integrated circuit components are known. The approach disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,103,976, for example, includes a tray having a lattice of framework defining discrete storage pocket areas. Each storage pocket area includes a base support spanning a portion of the framework and upstanding ribs that engage the integrated circuit component. Depending pins of the integrated circuit components lie between individual upstanding ribs. In addition, providing a spacer tray for stacking multiple storage trays having integrated circuits is also known. U.S. Patent No. 5,335,771 , for example, discloses a system for storing integrated circuits in a stacked relationship comprising integrated circuit storage trays and spacer trays. Each integrated circuit storage tray has a storage pocket area for containing an integrated circuit. When portions of the integrated circuit protrude beyond the overall profile of the storage tray, a spacer tray can be interposed between adjacent storage trays. The spacer tray elevates an adjacent storage tray to clear the protruding portions of the integrated circuit. The integrated circuit storage trays disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,103,976 and U.S. Patent No. 5,335,771, however, do not address multiple pick and place equipment needs concerning the height of the product stored in each individual storage pocket.

[0005] In another approach, disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,957,293, a dual- purpose tray is provided for packing and shipping of semiconductor integrated circuit devices, such as a plurality of ceramic substrates and/or ceramic ball grid array (BGA) packages. Individual pockets on the tray are defined by a bottom wall and side walls. Each pocket includes stand-offs and semi-circular depressed support members. When trays are stacked, the stand-offs and support members act as a retention mechanism that functions to retain and hold devices in the pocket and prevent the devices from being displaced from the pockets. The trays disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,957,293 require a common tray design for all trays used in the industry by many manufacturers and do not address multiple pick and place equipment needs concerning the height of the product stored in each individual storage pocket.

[00061 In yet another approach, disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication US 2005/0133404 Al, a tray having three dimensionally adjustable sized pockets for holding a plurality of electronic components is provided. Interlocking longitudinal and transverse dividers are positioned in a tray base cavity to form a rectangular array having a plurality of rectangular pockets. The lengths and widths of the pockets are adjustable by selecting a particular divider notch for intersection of each longitudinal and transverse divider. A rectangular top frame of selected thickness is positioned over the wall notches to retain the dividers, and to define a height of each pocket upon placing a lid over the tray. This approach also fails to address the concerns relating to multiple pick and place requirements on height of parts found in all or most existing pick and place equipment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] In general, one aspect of the present invention is to use a component packaging tray constructed in multiple pieces to accommodate varying lift travel available to lift components having different heights out of the tray and onto a mounting surface of, for example, a printed circuit board.

[00081 Constructing the packaging tray in multiple parts allows the packaging tray to be loaded in the placement equipment with or without the spacer tray, thereby accommodating varying lift travel of the placement equipment.

[0009] This design makes it possible for placement equipment with limited available lift travel to operate by having the tray constructed in multiple components. A base that holds the part and is design to allow a part to be lifted out of the based with the lift available on the placement equipment and a spacer tray that extends from the base up around the part to protect the part and to make it possible for the trays to be stacked on top of one another.

[0010] The component packaging tray preferably minimizes the vertical lift travel required to remove a component from the tray. The tray for component packaging addresses multiple pick and place equipment needs concerning the height of the product stored in each individual storage pocket. The tray for component packaging preferably fits a plurality of pick and place systems.

[0011] For equipment with limited lift travel the spacer tray can be removed and the tray can be introduced to the placement equipment. When the spacer tray is removed, the lift travel required to remove the component from the tray is reduced/minimized. Reduced lift travel helps improve placement time and efficiencies.

[0012] The tray can be used with the spacer tray in place for equipment with no lift travel inadequacies. The tray with the spacer tray left in place during the removal process may also be used for equipment that require that over sized (height) components be substantially flush with the top surface of the tray for the removal system to function properly. [0013] According to another aspect of the invention, a tray for component packaging includes a multi-piece design and construction including a base tray and a spacer tray. The base tray includes a bottom portion, a peripheral wall extending around and upward from the bottom portion, one or more interior walls extending upward from the bottom portion and extending between opposite walls of the peripheral wall, a plurality of pockets on the base tray, and open ends of the pockets defined by distal ends of one of more of the peripheral wall and one or more of the interior walls. The spacer tray includes a top portion, a peripheral wall extending around and downward from the top portion, one or more beams extending between opposite walls of the peripheral wall, and a plurality of openings defined by one or more of the peripheral wall and the beams. The spacer tray openings correspond to and are aligned over the open ends of the base tray pockets.

[0014] The base tray may have a standard height that is less than a height of a component that may be disposed in the pocket. The spacer tray may have a height that is determined by the height of the components that is disposed in the pockets.

[0015] In one currently preferred embodiment, the packaging tray comprises a base tray having a relatively shallow pocket for receiving and holding an electrical connector, such as a Gig-array electrical connector. The height of the electrical connector may be greater than the height of the pocket in the base tray. A spacer tray may be disposed over the base tray and acts to extend the pocket to cover and protect the electrical connector. The packaging tray may be used to accommodate automatic handling of the electrical connectors for placement on a mounting surface, such as for example, a printed circuit board.

[0016] Another aspect of the invention includes a method of accounting for limited lift travel by providing a tray having a base tray and a removable spacer tray that may be left in place for use with automated removal equipment with sufficient lift travel for components stored in the tray, and that may be removed for use with automated removal equipment with insufficient lift travel for components stored in the tray.

[0017] Additional features and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments that proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The invention is best understood from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing. Included in the drawings are the following Figures that show various exemplary embodiments and various features of the present invention:

[0019] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary tray for component packaging;

[0020] Figure 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of a pocket of Figure 1 holding an exemplary component and showing the engagement of the base tray and the spacer tray;

[0021] Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the pocket holding the component of Figure 2 showing the spacer tray removed and the reduced lift travel required to remove the component from the pocket;

[0022] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of another exemplary tray for component packaging;

[0023] Figure 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the pocket of Figure 4 holding another exemplary component and showing the engagement of the base tray and the spacer tray;

[0024] Figure 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the pocket holding the component of Figure 5 showing the spacer tray removed and the reduced lift travel required to remove the component from the pocket;

[0025] Figure 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of the pocket holding the component of Figure 5 and showing an exemplary pick and place system;

[0026] Figure 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of the pocket holding the component of Figure 7 showing the spacer tray removed and the reduced lift travel required to remove the component from the pocket;

[0027| Figure 9 is an exploded view illustrating the trays for component packaging being stackable; and

[0028] Figure 10 shows an exemplary pick and place tray rack. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0029] The present invention is directed to trays for component packaging. The packaging tray 1 may be constructed in multiple pieces to accommodate varying lift travel available to lift components 50 having different heights out of the packaging tray 1. This multiple part design makes it possible for handling and/or placement equipment 70 with limited available lift travel to operate by having a removable spacer tray 30 disposed over a base tray 10. The base tray 10 holds the component 50 and is designed and constructed to reduce and/or minimize the lift travel required to lift the component out of the base tray 10. The spacer tray 30 extends from the base tray 10 up and around the component 50 to protect the component 50 and to allow trays 1 to be stacked on top of one another.

[0030] This concept of a multi-piece packaging tray 1 applies to applications wherein lift travel available may be inadequate to lift the component from the tray 1. This concept of a multi-piece packaging tray 1 also applies to applications that use handling and/or placement equipment 70 that may have sufficient lift travel, but wherein the application desires improved assembly or manufacturing time. Component assembly or manufacturing time may be improved by removing the spacer tray 30 from the base tray 10 thereby reducing the lift travel and hence reducing the time required to lift the component 50 from the packaging tray 1. The multi-piece packaging tray 1 may also find use in applications that may require placement of different height components but that have equipment having a set or standard lift travel. The base tray 10 can have a set or standard height and the removable spacer tray 30 can be used to account for the varying component height. Also, the multi-piece packaging tray 1 can be used for applications having placement equipment 70 that operates by sensing the top of the tray 1. The spacer tray 30 may be sized to be flush or slightly above the top of the component 50.

[0031] Various embodiments of a tray for component packaging 1 are shown and described, including a packaging tray 1 having a relatively low or short component 50, as shown in Figures 1-3, and a packaging tray 1 having a relatively high or tall component 50, as shown in Figures 4-6. As shown, the packaging tray 1 has an overall height Hl that includes a combination of the assembled base tray 10 and spacer tray 30. The height Hl of the assembled packaging tray 1 is preferably sufficient to cover a component 50 contained within the packaging tray 1.

[0032] The base tray 10 may include a base tray height H2 and the spacer tray 30 may include a spacer tray height H3. In certain embodiments, the base tray height H2 may include a set or constant height and the spacer tray height H3 may include a variable height. As shown in Figures 2 and 5, the height of the spacer tray H3 may varying depending on the height of the component 50 held in the packaging tray 1. The spacer tray 30 may have a height H3 that generally corresponds to the height of the component 50 contained with the tray 1 - i.e., when the spacer tray 30 is installed on the base tray 10 the top of the spacer tray 30 preferably covers the components stored in the packaging tray 1. Generally, for embodiments having a base tray having a constant height H2, the height of the spacer tray H3 increases as the height of components 50 contained within the packaging tray 1 increases.

[0033] For example, the component 50 shown in Figures 4-6 is taller than the component 50 shown in Figures 1-3. In the illustrated embodiments, the height of the base tray H2 in Figures 1-6 is substantially the same, but the height of the spacer tray H3 in Figures 4-6 is greater than the height of the spacer tray H3 in Figures 1-3.

[0034] The base tray 10 holds one or more components 50. The spacer tray 30 extends from the base tray 10 to cover the component 50. As such, the spacer tray 30 extends the effective height of the tray 1 to cover and protect the component 50 during, for example, shipment and storage. As shown in Figures 2 and 5, the spacer tray 30 in combination with the base tray 10 includes lift travel LTl that varies as the height of the components 50 stored in the packaging tray 1 varies. As the height of the component 50 increases, the height of the spacer tray 30 increases, and hence the height of the lift travel LTl increases. Lift travel LTl is the distance that the component 50 seated within the base tray 10 must be lifted in order to clear the top portion 31 of the spacer tray 30.

[0035| During removal/placement of the component 50, the spacer tray 30 may be removed from the base tray 10 thereby reducing the effective lift travel required to remove the component 50 since the component 50 only has to clear the height of the base tray 10 (see Figures 3 and 6) and not the combined height of the base tray 10 and the spacer tray 30 (see Figures 2 and 5). [0036] As shown in Figure 3 and 6, the base tray 10 includes a relatively low base tray lift travel LT2 - i.e., the base tray lift travel required to remove a component with the spacer tray 30 removed is generally less than the height of the component 50. The base tray 10 may include a standard or set base tray lift travel LT2 that is substantially the same regardless of the height of the various components 50 that may be stored in the packaging tray 1. Having a set and relatively low base tray lift travel LT2 provides a packaging tray 1 that helps facilitate standardization and minimization of lift travel between different pick and place systems 70. The base tray lift travel LT2 is the distance that the component 50 seated within the base tray 10 must be lifted in order to clear the top portion 11 of the base tray 10. Depending on the particular component to be packaged and the particular application, the base tray 10 may include a standard size, and/or a series of standard sizes, and/or non-standard sizes.

[0037] For placement equipment 70 with no lift travel inadequacies, the packaging tray 1, including the combination of the base tray 10 and the spacer tray 30 holding the components 50, may be introduced to the placement equipment 70, as shown in Figure 7. For placement equipment 70 with limited available lift travel, the spacer tray 30 can be removed before the packaging tray 1 is introduced to the placement equipment 70. As such, the packaging tray 1, including the base tray 10 holding the components 50, may be introduced in to the placement equipment 70, as shown in Figure 8.

[0038] The tray for component packaging 1 also provides value for use in pick and place systems 70 having time constraints and/or systems seeking improved efficiencies. A greater lift travel generally increases the component removal/placement time. The packaging tray 1 with a removable spacer tray 30 that has been removed prior to insertion of the tray 1 in to a placement system 70 reduces the effective lift travel resulting in a reduced lift travel and an improved component removal/placement time (assuming a constant speed). This helps provide manufacturing and cost benefits.

10039] The tray for component packaging 1 may address multiple pick and place equipment needs concerning the height of the product or component 50 stored in the packaging tray 1. The packaging tray 1 preferably fits a plurality of pick and place systems 70 and minimizes and/or reduces the vertical lift travel required to remove a component from the tray 1 to a height that is less than the height of the component 50. [0040] Figures 1-6 show an exemplary tray 1 for component packaging. As shown, the multi-piece tray 1 includes a base tray 10 and a spacer tray 30. Figures 1-6 also show a component 50 stored in packaging tray 1.

[0041] As shown in Figures 1-6, the base tray 10 includes a bottom portion 11 and a peripheral wall 12. As shown, the peripheral wall 12 may extend around the perimeter of the bottom portion 11 and may extend generally upward from the bottom portion 11. Interior walls 13 extend generally upward from the bottom portion 11. As shown, the interior wall 13 may include one or more longitudinal walls 13a and/or one or more transverse walls 13b that extend between opposite sides of the peripheral wall 12.

[0042] A plurality of pockets 14 may be formed by the peripheral wall 12 and/or interior walls 13. The pockets 14 include an open end 15 formed by the distal ends of the peripheral wall 12 and/or the interior walls 13. The plurality of open ends 15 of the pockets 14 may form an array.

[0043] The pocket or cavity 14 preferably includes features that facilitate receiving, storing, and removing components 50. For example, the pockets 14 may include a chamfered edge 16. The pocket 14 may also include an orientation feature 17. For example, the orientation features may include lugs 17 that help ensure that the component 50 is properly oriented and positioned in the pocket 14. The pocket 14 may also include cut-outs 18 in one or more interior walls 13 to facilitate manual removal of a component 50 from pocket 14. The pockets 14 may include a shelf 19a and a recess 19b. As shown, the shelf 19a contacts and engages a bottom 52 of the housing 51 of the component 50 and the recess 19b receives, for example, contacts 55 extending from the component. In the illustrated embodiment, the recess 19b may receive solder balls/tails 55 extending from of an electrical connector 50 stored in pocket 14.

[0044] The pockets 14 may also include part positioning features 25. The part positioning features 25 are shown at the corner areas of each pocket 14. The part positioning features 25 provide point contact of the component 50 within each pocket 14 for improved positioning of the component 50 in pocket 14. The part positioning features 25 help ensure more accurate positioning of component 50 and reduce the potential of bowing and/or warping of the tray 1 or component 50. The part positioning features 25 may be formed as a build up of material on the peripheral wall 12 and/or interior walls 13 proximate the corner area of each pocket 14 and/or as a cutout of material in the center region of each wall of each pocket 14.

[0045] As shown, the bottom portion 1 1 of the pockets 14 are shown as solid bottoms. Forming the bottom portion 11 of the pockets 14 as a solid piece helps to protect the component 50 contained within the pocket 14 from damage and/or contamination. For example, if the component 50 is an electrical connector, a pocket 14 having a solid bottom portion 11 helps protect the solder balls 55 from damage and/or dirt. In another embodiment (not shown), openings may be formed in the bottom portion of each pocket. Forming openings in the bottom portion of each pocket may result in material and cost savings.

[0046] In one embodiment, the base tray 10 is tooled to IDEC Specification 95-1. Preferably, the base tray 10 is formed of a plastic, although other suitable materials may be used.

[0047] As shown, the spacer tray 30 includes a top portion 31 and a peripheral wall 32. Preferably, the top portion 31 is flush with or slightly above the top of a component 50 seated in a pocket 14. As shown, the peripheral wall 32 of the spacer tray 30 may extend around the perimeter of the top portion 31 and extend generally downward from the top portion 31. As shown, interior beams 33 extend between opposite sides of the peripheral wall 32. The beams 33 may include one or more longitudinal beams 33a and/or one or more transverse beams 33b. In an alternate embodiment (not shown), the interior beams 33 of the spacer tray 30 may include interior walls that extend generally downward from the top portion 31.

[0048] A plurality of openings 34 may be formed by the peripheral wall 32 and/or interior beams 33 of the spacer tray 30. The openings 34 of the spacer tray 30 preferably correspond to and are positioned above to the open ends 15 of the pockets 14. The plurality of openings 34 may form an array corresponding to the array formed by the open ends 15 of the pockets 14.

[0049] As shown in the Figures, the component 50 may include a housing 51 having a bottom 52, a top 53, sidewalls 54. The bottom 52 may contact and be supported by the bottom portion 11 of the base tray 10. As shown, the component 50 may sit on a shelf 19a formed in the bottom portion 11 of the base tray 10. The component 50 may include contact terminal ends, such as solder balls/tails 55 that extend into a recess 19b in the bottom portion 11. The side walls contact and engage the part positioning feature 25 on the pocket 14. The component 50 may also include a pick-up cap 56.

[0050] The component 50 may include an orientation feature 57 that corresponds to the orientation feature 17 in pocket 14 of packaging tray 1. For example, the component housing 51 may include a cavity 57 for receiving lug 17. In addition, the side walls 54 of component 50 may contact the chamfered edge 16 of pocket 14 to facilitate insertion and removal of the component 50 in to and out of pocket 14.

[0051] The tray 1 for component packaging is particularly suited, but by no means limited, for holding surface mount technology (SMT) products designed to be applied to a mounting surface. For example, the tray for component packaging 1 may hold an electrical connector, chips, integrated circuits, ball grid array (BGA), and the like designed to be applied to printed circuit boards (PCB). In one embodiment, the component may include a Gig-Array electrical connector manufactured by FCI, Inc. In an exemplary Gig-Array electrical connector, the component height may vary between about 10mm and about 35 mm. Although a single component 50 is shown in Figures 1- 6, it should be appreciated that the packaging tray 1 may contain multiple components.

[0052] The components stored in tray 1 may include various stack-height options to enable the component to address various component requirements, such as clearance, airflow, slot spacing, etc. that may be unique to the component's chassis design. Applications that may benefit from the multi-piece packaging tray 1 include electronics, servers, communications, telecommunications, switching equipment, networking equipment, computer systems, and the like.

[0053] As shown in the Figures, the base tray 10 includes a base tray height H2, which preferably includes a relatively shallow base pocket having a pocket height 14a. For example, as shown in the Figures the pocket height 14a in base tray 10 is preferably less than the height of the component 50 that may be stored within the base tray 10. The height of the base pocket 14a is measured from the lowermost portion to an uppermost portion of the base pocket.

[0054] The height of the spacer tray H3 preferably varies based on the height of the component that is stored in the packaging tray 1. Preferably, the spacer tray 30 includes a spacer pocket having a pocket height 14b. In embodiments wherein the packaging tray 1 includes components having a relatively low height, such as the exemplary embodiment shown in Figures 1-3, the packaging tray 1 may include a spacer tray 30 having a relatively low peripheral wall 32 and having a relatively low spacer tray height 14b. Alternatively, in embodiments wherein the packaging tray 1 includes components having a relatively high height, such as the exemplary embodiment shown in Figures 4-6, the packaging tray 1 may include a spacer tray 30 having a relatively high peripheral wall 32 and having a relatively high spacer tray height 14b.

[0055] When the spacer tray 30 is stacked on the base tray 10, the combination of the base pocket height 14a and the spacer pocket height 14b form an overall pocket height 14c. The overall pocket height 14c is preferably sufficient to receive and cover the component 50 received within the pocket 14. The top of the overall pocket height 14c is preferably flush or slightly above the top 53 of the component 50 seated in the pocket 14.

[0056] The lift travel height LTl or LT2 is substantially equal to the distance from the lowest most portion of the component 50 to the top of pocket 14. The top of pocket 14 can include the top of the spacer plate 30 (represented by LTl) or, in embodiments wherein the spacer tray 30 is removed, the top of the base tray 10 (represented by LT2). The lift travel height LT1/LT2 is the distance from the lowermost portion of the component (i.e., solder balls 55) to the top portion of either the spacer tray 30, such as shown in Figure 7, and/or the base tray 10, such as shown in Figure 8.

[0057] In the embodiment shown in Figure 7, wherein the packaging tray 1 — including the base tray 10 and the spacer tray 30 — is inserted in to a placement system 70, the lift travel LTl required to remove the component from the packaging tray 1 must clear the top of the spacer tray 30. In the embodiment shown in Figure 8, wherein the packaging tray 1 — including the base tray 10 — is inserted in to a placement system 70, the lift travel LT2 required to remove the component from the packaging tray 1 only has to clear the top of the base tray 10.

[0058] As shown in Figures 1-6, the packaging tray 1 preferably includes an engagement mechanism for holding the spacer tray 30 with respect to the base tray 10. Preferably, the engagement mechanism is disposed between the base tray 10 and the spacer tray 30 and helps to orient and hold the spacer tray 30 with respect to the base tray 10 in the vertical and horizontal direction.

[0059] As shown, the engagement mechanism may include a shelf or seat 20 on the base tray and a corresponding shelf or seat 40 on the spacer tray. As shown in the exemplary embodiment, the base tray shelf 20 is formed on an upper, outer portion of the peripheral wall 12 and includes a vertical portion 20a and a horizontal portion 20b that contact and engage a corresponding vertical portion 40a and horizontal portion 40b on a lower, inner portion of the spacer tray shelf 40. The engagement of the horizontal portions 20b and 40b help to maintain the vertical engagement between the base tray 10 and the spacer tray 30, and vertical portions 20a and 40a help to maintain the horizontal engagement between the base tray 10 and the spacer tray 30.

[0060] Preferably, the base tray 10 and the spacer tray 30 are constructed to make it possible for multiple trays to be stacked vertically one on top of another. Figure 9 illustrates that multiple trays 1 may be stacked together. When multiple trays 1 are stacked together, the bottom of the above tray may function as a lid to hold in place the components in the below adjacent tray.

[0061] In addition to the engagement mechanism between the base tray 10 and the spacer tray 30 of individual trays Ia, Ib, another engagement mechanism may be provided between adjacent trays Ia, Ib. For example, an engagement mechanism may be provide between the spacer tray 30a of a first tray 1 a and the based tray 10b of an adjoining tray Ib that may be stacked on top of tray Ia. This second engagement mechanism facilitates stacking of tray Ib on top on tray Ia. As shown, the engagement mechanism may be disposed between the spacer tray 30a and base tray 10b and helps to stack, orient, and hold trays Ia and Ib with respect to one another.

[0062] Preferably, the second engagement mechanism between adjoining trays Ia, Ib holds adjoining trays with respect to one another in the vertical and horizontal direction. As shown, the second engagement mechanism between trays Ia and Ib may include a shelf or seat 21 on the upper, outer portion of spacer tray 30a and a corresponding shelf or seat 41 on the lower, inner portion of base tray 10b. As shown, the spacer shelf 21 on spacer tray 30a includes a vertical portion 21a and a horizontal portion 21b that contact and engage corresponding vertical portion 41a and horizontal portion 41b on the base tray 10b. The engagement of the horizontal portions 21b and 41b help to maintain the vertical engagement between tray Ia and tray Ib₃ and vertical portions 21a and 41a help to maintain the horizontal engagement between tray Ia and tray Ib.

[0063] Pick and place systems are designed to perform repetitive picking and placing tasks in production or laboratory facilities, and are usually employed for their precision and cost effectiveness and can be used with the present invention to remove the component 50 from tray 1. Preferably, the trays for component packaging 1 may be used with a variety of pick and place systems to satisfy a particular application. Pick and place machines may offer efficiency and precision, resulting in an increase in output as well as long-term savings. In one preferred embodiment, the pick and place system includes an electrical connector placement platform that offers a combination of high-speed placement, repeatability, scalability, and flexibility.

[0064] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, an exemplary pick and place system 70 may include a pneumatic pick and place system. In a pneumatic pick and place system, vacuum suction may be fluidly connected to a pick and place head for controlling the lift and placement of the part. A pick and place head may include a vacuum or gripper nozzle. One manner in which equipment used to pick the component 50 out of the tray 1 and place the component 50 on a suitable mounting surface (not shown) may operate is to sense the top of the tray and/or the component when performing a placement operation. The tray for component packaging 1 helps to accomplish this by providing a spacer tray that is flush with or slightly above the component. A pneumatic pick and place system may include a motion envelope and a cycle time to lift and place the part. Preferably, cycle time is minimized to improve the efficiency of the pick and place system and reduce costs. The tray for component packaging 1 helps to accomplish this by providing a multi-piece tray having a spacer tray 30 that can be removed to reduce/minimize the lift travel required to remove the part from the packaging tray 1.

[0065] In addition, some applications preferred that the same pick and place system can be used to a variety of components. For example, it may be desirable that the same piece of pick and place equipment is suitable for use with components, such as electrical connectors, having varying heights. The tray having a spacer tray that may be removed from a base tray prior to the removal of the component helps achieve improved placement rates of components having different heights.

[0066] A tray feeder or loader system 80 may be provided to delivery trays to the pick and place system. For example, as shown in Figure 10 a magazine 81 may be provided having shelves 82 for receiving and holding trays 1. Preferably, the trays 1 include a feature for registration of the trays within the feeder system 80 and also within the pick and place system 70 to help ensure accurate placement of trays and hence accurate picking of parts from the tray. For example, the tray 1 may include at least one cut-out or angled corner to help ensure proper orientation and positioning of the tray 1 within the tray feeder system 80 and/or pick and place system 70. The other corners of the tray may include radius corners.

[0067] While systems and methods have been described and illustrated with reference to specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that modification and variations may be made without departing from the principles described above and set forth in the following claims. Accordingly, reference should be made to the following claims as describing the scope of disclosed embodiments.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A tray for component packaging comprising: a base tray having a base tray height that is less than a height of a component contained within said base tray; a spacer tray mounted on top of said base tray, said spacer tray having a spacer tray height; an overall tray height comprising at least a portion of said base tray height and at least a portion of said spacer tray height, wherein said overall height extends flush with or above a top of said component contained with in said tray; wherein said component may be removed from said tray either with said spacer tray removed from said base tray and/or with said spacer tray in place on said base tray.

2. The tray of claim 1 , wherein said spacer tray is removable and is removed from said base tray prior to removal of said component from said base tray, wherein said removal of said spacer tray reduces an effective lift travel required to remove said component from said base tray.

3. The tray of claim 1, wherein said spacer tray is left in place on said base tray during removal of said component from said base tray, wherein a top surface of said spacer tray is used as a reference for removal of said component from said tray.

4. The tray of claim 1, wherein said base tray further comprises: a bottom portion; a periphery wall extending around and generally upward from said bottom portion; one or more interior walls extending generally upward from said bottom portion and extending between opposite walls of said periphery wall; a plurality of base pockets formed by one or more of said periphery wall and/or said one or more interior walls, each of said base pockets comprises a base pocket height; an open end of each pocket defined by distal ends of one and/or more of said periphery wall and said one or more interior walls; wherein said spacer tray further comprises: a top portion; a periphery wall extending around and generally downward from said top portion; one or more beams extending between opposite walls of said spacer tray periphery wall; a plurality of spacer pockets formed by one or more of said spacer tray periphery wall and/or said one or more beams, each of said spacer pocket comprising a spacer pocket height; and a pocket comprising said base pocket and said spacer pocket, said pocket having an overall pocket height comprising at least a portion of said base pocket height and at least a portion of said spacer pocket height; wherein said overall pocket height is flush and/or slightly above a top of said component seated in said pocket.

5. The tray of claim 4, wherein said spacer tray further comprises a plurality of openings defined by one or more of said spacer tray periphery wall and/or said beams, wherein said spacer tray openings correspond to and are aligned over said open ends of said based tray pockets, wherein said spacer tray openings are sized to allow removal of said component from said pocket.

6. The tray of claim 1 , wherein said spacer tray is adapted to be left in place for use with automated component removal systems having adequate vertical lift travel available to clear a top of said spacer tray, wherein one of said components may be lifted from said pocket and removed from said tray through an opening in said spacer tray; and wherein said spacer tray is adapted to be removed from said base tray for use with automated component removal systems having inadequate vertical lift travel available to clear a top of said spacer tray but that do have adequate vertical lift travel available to clear a top of said base tray once said spacer tray has been removed from said base tray, wherein one of said components may be lifted from said base pocket and removed from said base tray.

7. The tray of claim 1, wherein said base tray comprises base pockets having standard base pocket sizes and wherein said spacer tray comprises spacer pockets having varying spacer pocket sizes, wherein said varying spacer pocket sizes provide for storage of different height components within said tray and allows said tray to be used with automated pick and place systems having varying vertical lift travel.

8. The tray of claim 1, wherein multiple trays may be stacked one on top on another, wherein a bottom portion of said base tray of a vertically upward successive tray stacked on top of a spacer tray of a vertically downward successive tray covers over openings in a top portion of said spacer tray upon which said vertically upward successive base tray is stacked.

9. The tray of claim 8, wherein said trays further comprise an engagement mechanism disposed between adjacent trays for holding said trays with respect to one another in both a vertical and horizontal direction.

10. The tray of claim 1, wherein said tray further comprises a component orientation feature in said base pocket, wherein said orientation feature of said base pocket are aligned with corresponding orientation feature on said component to be stored in said pocket to ensure proper orientation of one of said components within each of said pockets.

11. The tray of claim 1, wherein said base tray further comprises: a recess in a bottom portion of said base pocket; and a shelf formed around a perimeter of said recess; wherein terminal ends extending from a housing of said component may extend into said recess and said component housing may engage said shelve.

12. The tray of claim 1, wherein said tray further comprises: component positioning features located in corner areas of each of said pockets; wherein said component positioning features provide point contact of said component within said pocket for improved positioning of one of said components within each of said pockets.

13. The tray of claim 1, wherein said tray further comprises an engagement mechanism disposed between said base tray and said spacer tray for holding said spacer tray and said base tray with respect to one another in both a vertical and horizontal direction, wherein said engagement mechanism further comprises: a base tray shelf formed on an upper, outer portion of said base tray peripheral wall, said base tray shelf comprising a vertical portion and a horizontal portion; and a spacer tray shelf formed on a lower, inner portion of said spacer tray peripheral wall, said spacer tray shelf comprising a corresponding vertical portion and horizontal portion that contacts and engages said base tray vertical and horizontal portions.

14. The tray of claim 1, wherein said component further comprises a surface mount technology component designed to be applied to a mounting surface.

15. A multiple part packaging tray comprising: a base tray having a plurality of pockets, wherein each pocket is adapted to receive and for hold a component; a spacer tray mounted on top of said base tray, wherein a top of said spacer tray is substantially flush with a top of said component, wherein said spacer tray covers and protects said components when said spacer tray is mounted on said base tray; wherein spacer tray is adapted to be either: removed from said base tray during removal of said components from said multiple part packaging tray, wherein removal of said spacer tray accommodates varying lift travel available for removing components having different heights out of said multiple part packaging tray, wherein removal of said spacer tray reduces an effective lift travel required to remove said components from said base tray; or left in place on said base tray during removal of said components from said multiple part packaging tray, wherein said spacer tray accommodates location of said components by reference to said spacer tray.

16. The multiple part packaging tray of claim 15, wherein said base tray height is minimized with respect to a height of said components to reduce vertical lift travel required to lift and remove said components from said base tray.

17. The multiple part packaging tray of claim 15, wherein said base tray further comprises: a standard height of a base pocket that is less than a height of said component; a recess in a bottom of each base pocket, wherein each recess provides a clearance between a bottom portion of said component and said bottom of said recess; said spacer tray further comprises: a height of said spacer tray that varies based on a height of said components packaged in said tray; wherein said spacer tray height is sufficient to ensure that a top surface of said spacer tray is slightly above a top of said components in said pockets.

18. The multiple part packaging tray of claim 15, further comprising: a plurality of pockets in said tray, wherein each pocket holds one component; a plurality of openings in a top portion of said spacer tray, wherein said openings correspond and are aligned above said pockets; wherein components may be removed through said openings in said spacer tray while said spacer tray is mounted on said base tray.

19. The multiple part packaging tray of claim 18, further comprising a plurality of multiple part packaging trays staked one on top of another, wherein each vertically successive base tray covers said openings in an adjacent spacer tray upon which said base tray is stacked.

20. A method of packaging a surface mount component designed to be applied to a mounting surface, said method comprising: providing a base tray having a plurality of base pockets for receiving a component, wherein said base tray pockets comprise a base pocket height that is less than a height of said components to be stored in said base pockets; mounting a spacer tray on top of said base tray to cover said components, wherein said spacer tray comprises a top surface that is flush with or slightly above a top of said components; providing openings in said top surface of said spacer tray, wherein said openings are sized to allow removal of said components from said pockets; wherein said method of packaging addresses multiple pick and place equipment needs by: removing said spacer tray prior to placement of said packaging tray in said pick and place equipment, wherein removing of said spacer tray reduces an effective vertical lift travel required to remove said component from said base tray; and/or leaving said spacer tray in place on said base tray during placement of said packaging tray in said pick and place equipment, wherein leaving said spacer tray in place provides a reference point for said pick and place equipment to located said components to be removed.