U.S. patent application number 09/742388 was filed with the patent office on 2001-04-26 for electronic component mounting apparatus for exchanging support blocks which support circuit boards.
Invention is credited to Inutsuka, Ryoji, Nagai, Yoshiyuki, Nakano, Tomoyuki, Ohe, Kunio, Sakon, Hideo.
Application Number | 20010000366 09/742388 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18220169 |
Filed Date | 2001-04-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010000366 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Inutsuka, Ryoji ; et
al. |
April 26, 2001 |
Electronic component mounting apparatus for exchanging support
blocks which support circuit boards
Abstract
An electronic component mounting apparatus is provided with a
plurality of support blocks for supporting boards. A support block
is automatically selected from among the plurality of support
blocks and exchanged in accordance with the switching of the kind
of boards to be supported by the support block, so that the time
required for switching the kind of boards is reduced, thereby
improving the productivity.
Inventors: |
Inutsuka, Ryoji; (Osaka-shi,
JP) ; Ohe, Kunio; (Hirakata-shi, JP) ; Nakano,
Tomoyuki; (Kofu-shi, JP) ; Nagai, Yoshiyuki;
(Toyonaka-shi, JP) ; Sakon, Hideo; (Takatsuki-shi,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WENDEROTH, LIND & PONACK, L.L.P.
2033 K STREET N. W. SUITE 800
WASHINGTON
DC
20006
US
|
Family ID: |
18220169 |
Appl. No.: |
09/742388 |
Filed: |
December 22, 2000 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
09742388 |
Dec 22, 2000 |
|
|
|
09335737 |
Jun 18, 1999 |
|
|
|
09335737 |
Jun 18, 1999 |
|
|
|
08761077 |
Dec 17, 1996 |
|
|
|
5937513 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
29/760 ;
269/55 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 29/53265 20150115;
H05K 13/0061 20130101; Y10T 29/53178 20150115; H05K 13/0857
20180801; Y10S 269/903 20130101; Y10T 29/4913 20150115; H05K
13/0069 20130101; Y10T 29/49133 20150115; Y10T 29/53961
20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
29/760 ; 29;
269/55 |
International
Class: |
B23P 019/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 18, 1995 |
JP |
7-329322 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An electronic component mounting apparatus comprising: a
plurality of support blocks one of which supports a board when
mounting an electronic component, wherein a support block among the
plurality of support blocks is automatically selected and exchanged
in accordance with switching of a kind of boards.
2. An electronic component mounting apparatus according to claim 1,
further comprising: a storing device for storing the plurality of
support blocks; and a support block moving device for selecting one
of the support blocks stored in the storing device in accordance
with the switching of the kind of boards and moving the selected
support block from the storing device to a position where the board
is supported by the selected support block.
3. An electronic component mounting apparatus according to claim 2,
wherein the support block moving device upward moves the support
block to support the board when the electronic component is mounted
on the board, and downward moves the support block to stop
supporting the board.
4. An electronic component mounting apparatus according to claim 2,
wherein the support blocks are different in positions of pins for
supporting the boards.
5. An electronic component mounting apparatus according to claim 1,
further comprising a single support block driving device for upward
moving the support block to support the board when the electronic
component is mounted on the board, downward moving the support
block to stop supporting the board, and exchanging the support
block with another support block.
6. An electronic component mounting apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the support blocks are different in positions of pins for
supporting the boards.
Description
SPECIFICATION
1. This is a divisional application of Ser. No. 08/761,077, filed
Dec. 17, 1996.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
2. The present invention relates to an electronic component
mounting apparatus and method for mounting electronic components on
boards to thereby produce electronic circuit boards, and more
particularly, to an electronic component mounting apparatus
equipped with an exchange device for exchanging support blocks
which support the boards, and an electronic component mounting
method of exchanging support blocks supporting the boards.
3. A conventional system will be described with reference to FIGS.
5A and 5B.
4. FIGS. 5A and 5B are enlarged sectional views of an essential
portion of a support block in a conventional electronic component
mounting apparatus. In FIGS. 5A and 5B, a board 14 to which
electronic components, etc. are mounted is positioned at a
predetermined position over a support block 16 by a transfer belt
device 15. The support block 16 is then raised and the board 14 is
held on support pins 17 provided in the support block 16. After
this, electronic components, etc. are mounted to the board 14.
5. Setting positions of the support pins in the support block are
selected depending on the desired characteristics of rear faces of
boards to be produced. In switching the kind of boards in the
conventional mounting apparatus, therefore, the support blocks
should be changed in accordance with the desired characteristics of
the rear faces of the boards, which requires additional processing
time. In the case where the volume of production is relatively low
and there are a wide variety of kinds of products, namely, boards
to be made, this exchange of support blocks inconveniently
deteriorates the productivity.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
6. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an
electronic component mounting apparatus and method which shorten a
time required for switching the kinds of boards to be produced and
enhance the working efficiency of the facilities, thereby improving
the productivity.
7. In accomplishing these and other objects, according to a first
aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic
component mounting apparatus comprising:
8. a plurality of support blocks one of which supports a board when
mounting an electronic component, wherein a support block is
automatically selected from among the plurality of support blocks
and exchanged in accordance with the switching of the kind of
boards to be supported by the support block.
9. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is
provided an electronic component mounting apparatus according to
the first aspect of the present invention, further comprising: a
storing device for storing the plurality of support blocks; and a
support block moving device for selecting one of the support blocks
stored in the storing device in accordance with the switching of
the kind of boards and moving the selected support block from the
storing device to a position where the board is supported by the
selected support block.
10. According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is
provided an electronic component mounting apparatus according to
the first aspect of the present invention, further comprising a
single support block driving device for upwardly moving the support
block to support the board when the electronic component is mounted
on the board, downwardly moving the support block to stop
supporting the board, and exchanging the support block with another
support block.
11. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is
provided an electronic component mounting apparatus according to
the second aspect of the present invention, wherein the support
block moving device moves the support block upward to support the
board when the electronic component is mounted on the board, and
moves the support block downward to stop supporting the board.
12. According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is
provided an electronic component mounting method comprising:
13. selecting one of a plurality of support blocks in
correspondence with a kind of board to be supported, based on data
indicating relationships between kinds of boards and the support
blocks corresponding to the kinds of boards; and
14. exchanging a present support block with the selected support
block.
15. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is
provided an electronic component mounting method according to the
fifth aspect of the present invention, further comprising, before
selecting the support block, inputting the data indicating the
relationship between the kinds of boards and the support blocks
corresponding to the kinds of boards.
16. According to seventh and eighth aspects of the present
invention, there is provided an electronic component mounting
method according to the fifth and sixth aspects of the present
invention, further comprising displaying an error when the selected
support block is not stored in a support block storing device.
17. According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is
provided an electronic component mounting apparatus according to
the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the support
blocks are different with respect to the positions of pins provided
for supporting the boards.
18. According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is
provided an electronic component mounting apparatus according to
the second aspect of the present invention, wherein the support
blocks are different with respect to the positions of pins provided
for supporting the boards.
19. According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, there
is provided an electronic component mounting method according to
the fifth aspect of the present invention, wherein the support
blocks are different with respect to the positions of pins provided
for supporting the boards.
20. According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, there
is provided an electronic component mounting method according to
the sixth aspect of the present invention, wherein the support
blocks are different with respect to the positions of pins provided
for supporting the boards.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
21. These and other aspects and features of the present invention
will become clear from the following description taken in
conjunction with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference
to the accompanying drawings, in which:
22. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an electronic component
mounting apparatus for carrying out an electronic component
mounting method, according to one embodiment of the present
invention;
23. FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the
apparatus for explaining the embodiment of the present
invention;
24. FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a method;
25. FIGS. 4A and 4B are views showing different clamp mechanisms
between a cylinder and a board of the apparatus; and
26. FIGS. 5A and 5B are enlarged sectional views of an essential
portion of a support block of an electronic component mounting
apparatus in the prior art.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
27. Before the description of the present invention proceeds, it is
to be noted that like parts are designated by like reference
numerals throughout the accompanying drawings.
28. Hereinbelow, one embodiment of the present invention will be
described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 schematically
shows an electronic component mounting apparatus according to one
embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged
sectional view of a portion explanatory of a support block exchange
device of the apparatus in the present invention. First, a mounting
process for electronic components will be discussed with reference
to FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, a head part 1 having a suction nozzle for
holding an electronic component is positioned by an XY robot 2
movable in X and Y directions perpendicularly to each other. The
head part 1 draws a predetermined electronic component from a
component feed part 3 and holds the component by suction, and the
component is then positioned over a component recognition camera 4.
A posture of the component held by suction is detected on the basis
of an image obtained by the recognition camera 4. A shifting amount
of the head part 1 when holding the electronic component is
corrected based on the data obtained with respect to the posture.
The head part 1 is consequently positioned at a predetermined
position on a board 5, so that the electronic component is
accurately mounted to the predetermined position on the board
5.
29. Now, take-in and take-out processes for the board 5 according
to the embodiment will be explained with reference to FIG. 2.
30. FIG. 2 shows: a transfer belt device 6 for transferring the
board 5; support pins 7 disposed on each of a plurality of
plate-shaped support blocks 8; a motor 9 for driving up and down a
support block holding table 10 holding the support block 8; a rack
11, serving as a support block storing device, provided at one side
of the holding table 10 for storing a plurality of support blocks 8
with support pins 7 arranged in different manners; a clamp part 12
for exchanging the support blocks 8; and a cylinder 13 for driving
the clamp part 12.
31. The motor 9 rotates a driving pulley 9a which is connected to a
pair of pulleys 9d by a belt 9b so as to rotate the pulleys 9d
together with the rotation of the driving pulley 9a. A pair of
driving shafts 9c has the pulleys 9d fixed to the lower ends
thereof and nuts 10a fixed to the holding table 10 and engaged with
the driving shafts 9c so that the driving shafts 9c rotate with
respect to the engaged nuts 10a to move the holding table 10 upward
and downward. Thus, when the motor 9 rotates the driving pulley 9a
in both directions, the pulleys 9d are rotated by the belt 9b so as
to rotate the driving shafts 9c in both directions to move the
holding table 10 upward and downward. The holding table 10 has a
pair of guide rails 10c for guiding the support block 8 on the
holding table 10 in a direction perpendicular to the transport
direction of the board 5 as transported by the transfer belt device
6. Thus, a support block moving device is constituted by the motor
9, the driving pulley 9a, the belt 9b, the driving shafts 9c, the
pulleys 9d, the holding table 10, the clamp portion 12, and the
cylinder 13.
32. The cylinder 13 has a piston rod 13a with the clamp part 12 at
its end. The clamp part 12 clamps the support block 8 on the
holding table 10 so as to position the support block 8 thereon
without any movement. One example of the clamp part 12 is shown
FIG. 4A. This clamp part includes a rotatable plate 13b fixed to
the end of the piston rod 13a and a pair of positioning pins 8a
fixed on the support block 8. When the holding table 10 with no
support block 8 thereon is caused to face the support block 8 in
one slot of the rack 11 and the piston rod 13a of the cylinder 13
is rotated clockwise from a removal position shown by dotted lines
to an engaging position shown by solid lines, the positioning pins
8a of the support block 8 are inserted into and engaged with holes
13c of the rotatable plate 13b, and the piston rod 13a is forward
moved so as to move forward the support block 8 from the slot of
the rack 11 to a predetermined position of the holding table 10
while guided by the rails 10c. Conversely, when the holding table
10 with the support table 8 thereon is caused to face a vacant slot
of the rack 11, the piston rod 13a is moved backward and then the
support block 8 is moved from the predetermined position of the
holding table 10 while guided by the rails 10c to the vacant slot
of the rack. Then, the support block 8 is stored in the slot, the
piston rod 13a of the cylinder 13 is rotated counterclockwise from
the engaging position to the removal position and then, the
positioning pins 8a of the support block 8 are removed and
disengaged from the holes 13c of the rotatable plate 13b.
33. Another example of the clamp part 12 is shown in FIG. 4B. In
FIG. 4B, the cylinder 13 has a U-shaped piston rod 13e and a
T-shaped clamp portion 13f at its end. The support block 8 has a
T-shaped recess 8b into which the T-shaped clamp portion 13f can be
engaged. Thus, when the support block 8 is moved from the slot of
the rack 11 to the holding table 10, the U-shaped piston rod 13e is
rotated to engage the T-shaped clamp portion 13f into the T-shaped
recess 8b of the support block 8.
34. The apparatus further comprises a controller 100 for
controlling the exchange of the support blocks 8, an input device
101 such as a key board for inputting instructions into the
controller 100 therethrough, a display 104 for displaying an error
when the selected support block 8 is not stored in the rack 11, and
sensors 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d, located at slots of the rack
11, for detecting presence of the support block 8 at each slot in
the rack 11 to input such information into the controller 100. The
controller 100 is connected to the input device 101, the display
104, the sensors 102a-102d, the motor 9, the cylinder 13, and a
board detection sensor 90 so that the controller 100 controls
operations of the cylinder 13 and the motor 9 based on the input
information from the input device 101, the sensors 102a-102d, and
the board detection sensor 90. Reference numeral 110 denotes a pair
of stoppers for positioning the support block 8 at the
predetermined position on the holding table 10 by contacting the
side surface of the support block 8 with the stoppers 110.
35. Instead of the provision of the sensors 102a-102d, there can be
provided a sensor 103 located at the side surface of the support
block holding table 10 which faces the slots of the rack 11 so as
to detect presence of the support block 8 at each slot of the rack
11. In this case, when the support block holding table 10 moves
downward and upward, the sensor 103 detects the presence of the
support block 8 at each slot of the rack 11 to input such
information into the controller 100.
36. First, a board 5 where the electronic component is to be
mounted is transferred by the transfer belt device 6 to a position
above the support block 8 having the plurality of support pins 7.
At this time, when it is detected by the board detection sensor 90
or the like that the board 5 has reached a predetermined position
above the support block 8, the holding table 10 is raised to a
predetermined position by the motor 9 based on the control
operation of the controller 100 to hold the board 5 on the support
pins 7 of the support block 8. Then, the electronic components are
mounted on the board 5 held by the support block 8, and, upon
completion of the mounting, based on the control operation of the
controller 100, the holding table 10 is lowered to a predetermined
position by the motor 9. The board 5 having the mounted electronic
components is taken out by the transfer belt device 6.
37. An operation for exchanging support blocks 8 corresponding to
the switching of the kind of boards 5 based on the control
operation of the controller 100, will be discussed below. When the
kind of boards 5 is changed, the support block 8 should match the
switched board 5. That is, the support pins 7 on the support block
8 should be arranged to conform to the switched board 5. The
storing rack 11 stores the support blocks 8 corresponding to a
plurality of kinds of boards 5. In order to exchange the support
blocks 8 (i.e. in order to exchange a selected support block for a
support block which had been in use), the holding table 10 is
positioned by the motor 9 relative to a vacant slot in the storing
rack 11, and the support block 8 currently used is clamped by the
clamp part 12 arranged over the holding table 10 and moved to the
vacant slot of the rack 11 by the cylinder 13 as described above.
After the support block 8 is accommodated in the vacant slot, the
clamp part 12 is released and the holding table 10 is positioned by
the motor 9 to a position in the rack 11 of the support block 8 to
be used next. The support block 8 to be used next is clamped by the
clamp part 12 and set at the predetermined position on the holding
table 10 by the cylinder 13. The holding table 10, after exchanging
the support blocks 8, is raised again by the motor 9 when the
exchange operation is finished.
38. The support blocks 8 can be automatically exchanged if the
support blocks 8 corresponding to the kinds of boards 5 are
preliminarily designated and input in mounting programs stored in
the controller 100 of the apparatus. The mounting program
corresponding to the kind of boards 5 is selected, to thereby
automatically select and exchange the corresponding support block
8. The exchange operation may also be carried out simply through
the input device 101 such as a key input, without inputting of a
mounting program.
39. That is, in such a case, the electronic component mounting
method according to the embodiment is executed in accordance with
the flow chart shown in FIG. 3. First, at step S1, data indicating
the relationship between the kinds of boards 5 and the support
blocks 8 corresponding to the kinds of boards 5 is input into the
controller 100 through the input device 100. At step S2, by the
controller 100, one of support blocks 8 in correspondence with a
kind of board 5 to be supported is selected based on the input data
indicating the relationship. At step S3, it is decided by the
controller 100 whether or not the selected support block 8 is
stored in the rack 11. If the selected support block 8 is not
stored in the rack 11, an error is displayed on the display 104 at
step S5. When the selected support block 8 is stored in the rack
11, the moving amount of the holding table 10 is determined in
accordance with the number of the slot where the selected support
block 8 is stored in the rack 11 and the number of a vacant slot
where the support block 8 placed on the holding table 10 will be
stored. At step S4, the holding table 10 is driven by the motor 9
based on the determined moving amount and the present support block
8 on the holding table 10 is caused to face the vacant slot of the
rack 11 to move the support block 11 into the vacant slot. Then,
the holding table 10 is moved to face the selected support block 8
stored in the slot of the rack 11 and the selected support block 8
is taken out from the slot.
40. As is described hereinabove, in the electronic component
mounting apparatus according to the embodiment of the present
invention, the plurality of support blocks for supporting the
boards when mounting the electronic components, etc. thereon are
provided. The support block corresponding to the kind of boards is
automatically selected among the plurality of support blocks when
the kind of boards is changed. Accordingly, the switching time for
switching the kind of boards is reduced and the working efficiency
of the facilities is enhanced, thus improving the productivity for
mounting the electronic components. The plurality of support blocks
provided in the electronic component mounting apparatus are stored
in the storing device set at one side of the support block moving
device. When the support blocks are to be exchanged, the current
support block is stored in a vacant slot of the storing device, and
the support block to be used next is fed from the storing device.
The up-and-down movement of the support block when the electronic
components are mounted on the board is carried out by the same
driving device as when the support block is moved up and down to be
exchanged. The driving arrangement can thus be simplified.
41. The electronic component mounting apparatus can include a
process for inputting data of the support blocks corresponding to
the kinds of boards to be produced, a process for selecting the
corresponding support block based on the input data, and a process
for exchanging the present support block with the selected support
block, whereby the required support block can be automatically
exchanged on the basis of the selection of a mounting program
corresponding to the kind of boards.
42. Although the present invention has been fully described in
connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to
the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes
and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
Such changes and modifications are to be understood as included
within the scope of the present invention as defined by the
appended claims unless they depart therefrom.
* * * * *