IP Library Granted Patent US 12701687
Granted Patent B2
US 12701687 · App. 18/512,236 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Substrate pickup tool, substrate assembly station and substrate installation method

Inventor: chieh-hsiang Lin (New Taipei City, TW)
Assignee: WISTRON CORP.
H05K13/0069B25J15/0047B65G47/90
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12701687
App. No.
18/512,236
Granted
Aug 4, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A substrate pickup tool is used to pick up a substrate provided with a through hole. The substrate pickup tool includes a gripper frame and a flexible gripper. The flexible gripper includes an annular mount portion and a plurality of claw portions. The annular mount portion is mounted on the gripper frame, the claw portions are connected to the annular mount portion and each has an outer contact surface. The flexible gripper is used to correspond to the through hole of the substrate, and the claw portions are driven to move relative to the annular mount portion for pressing against an inner wall surface of the through hole via the outer contact surface of each of the claw portions.

Claims (38)

1 . A substrate pickup tool, used to pick up a substrate provided with a through hole, the substrate pickup tool comprising:

a gripper frame; and

a flexible gripper, comprising an annular mount portion and a plurality of claw portions, wherein the annular mount portion is mounted on the gripper frame, the plurality of claw portions are connected to the annular mount portion and each has an outer contact surface, the flexible gripper is used to correspond to the through hole of the substrate;

wherein the flexible gripper is provided with a chamber which is surrounded and formed by an inner wall surface of the flexible gripper; a central axis of the flexible gripper passes through the chamber, the annular mount portion, and a pipe joint; and the chamber is configured for gas to pass therethrough to force the plurality of claw portions to move relative to the annular mount portion for pressing against an inner wall surface of the through hole via the outer contact surface of each of the plurality of claw portions,

wherein the annular mount portion has an end surface facing away from the chamber in an axial direction, and the plurality of claw portions are entirely located outside the chamber and connected to the end surface of the annular mount portion.

2 . The substrate pickup tool according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of claw portions comprises an inclined part and a straight part, the inclined part is connected to the annular mount portion, the straight part is connected to the inclined part, and the straight part is at an angle to the inclined part.

3 . The substrate pickup tool according to claim 2 , wherein the inclined part is provided with at least one evasive inclined surface.

4 . The substrate pickup tool according to claim 2 , wherein a thickness of the inclined part gradually decreases from one side of the inclined part located farther away from the straight part toward another side of the inclined part located closer to the straight part.

5 . A substrate assembly station, used to install a substrate having a through hole onto an assembling part, the substrate assembly station comprising:

a support device, comprising a support surface and a carrier, wherein the support surface and the carrier are used to support the substrate and the assembling part, respectively;

a transfer mechanism, disposed on the support device and provided with a movable portion movable relative to the support device; and

a substrate pickup tool, comprising:

a gripper frame, disposed on the movable portion of the transfer mechanism; and

a flexible gripper, comprising an annular mount portion and a plurality of claw portions, wherein the annular mount portion is mounted on the gripper frame, the plurality of claw portions are connected to the annular mount portion and each has an outer contact surface, the flexible gripper is used to correspond to the through hole of the substrate;

wherein the flexible gripper is provided with a chamber which is surrounded and formed by an inner wall surface of the flexible gripper; a central axis of the flexible gripper passes through the chamber, the annular mount portion, and a pipe joint; and the chamber is configured for gas to pass therethrough to force the plurality of claw portions to move relative to the annular mount portion and press against an inner wall surface of the through hole via the outer contact surface of each of the plurality of claw portions for picking up the substrate and moving the substrate onto the assembling part via the transfer mechanism,

wherein the annular mount portion has an end surface facing away from the chamber in an axial direction, and the plurality of claw portions are entirely located outside the chamber and connected to the end surface of the annular mount portion.

6 . The substrate assembly station according to claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of claw portions comprises an inclined part and a straight part, the inclined part is connected to the annular mount portion, the straight part is connected to the inclined part, and the straight part is at an angle to the inclined part.

7 . The substrate assembly station according to claim 6 , wherein the inclined part is provided with at least one evasive inclined surface.

8 . The substrate assembly station according to claim 6 , wherein a thickness of the inclined part gradually decreases from one side of the inclined part located farther away from the straight part toward another side of the inclined part located closer to the straight part.

9 . The substrate assembly station according to claim 5 , wherein the transfer mechanism is a robotic arm.

10 . The substrate assembly station according to claim 5 , wherein the support device comprises a support frame and a conveyor, the support surface is located at the support frame, and the carrier is located at the conveyor.

11 . The substrate assembly station according to claim 5 , further comprising a first image capturing device, wherein the first image capturing device is disposed on the support device.

12 . The substrate assembly station according to claim 11 , further comprising a second image capturing device, wherein the second image capturing device is disposed on the movable portion of the transfer mechanism.

13 . A substrate installation method, comprising:

holding a substrate via at least one outer contact surface of a flexible gripper of a substrate pickup tool;

lifting up the substrate pickup tool; and

moving the substrate pickup tool to stack the substrate onto an assembling part;

wherein the step of holding the substrate via the at least one outer contact surface of the flexible gripper of the substrate pickup tool comprises:

inserting the flexible gripper of the substrate pickup tool into a through hole of the substrate; and

allowing gas to pass through a chamber of the flexible gripper to expand a plurality of claw portions of the flexible gripper toward an inner wall surface of the through hole to press against the inner wall surface of the through hole via outer contact surfaces of the plurality of claw portions for holding the substrate, wherein a central axis of the flexible gripper passes through the chamber of the flexible gripper, an annular mount portion of the flexible gripper, and a pipe joint,

wherein the annular mount portion has an end surface facing away from the chamber in an axial direction, and the plurality of claw portions are entirely located outside the chamber and connected to the end surface of the annular mount portion.

14 . The substrate installation method according to claim 13 , wherein the step of lifting up the substrate pickup tool comprises lifting up the substrate pickup tool via a transfer mechanism.

15 . The substrate installation method according to claim 13 , before the step of moving the substrate pickup tool to stack the substrate onto the assembling part, further comprising:

conveying the assembling part via a conveyor.

16 . The substrate installation method according to claim 13 , before the step of moving the substrate pickup tool to stack the substrate onto the assembling part, further comprising:

capturing the substrate via a first image capturing device located on a support device.

17 . The substrate installation method according to claim 16 , before the step of moving the substrate pickup tool to stack the substrate onto the assembling part, further comprising:

capturing the assembling part via a second image capturing device located on a transfer mechanism for aligning the substrate with the assembling part.