Electronic component mounting apparatus and electronic component mounting method

A control unit of an electronic component mounting apparatus controls a component imaging unit so as to move an electronic component that is held by the holding unit, when the holding unit is moved in a direction, which is oblique to a conveyance direction of a substrate and is close to the substrate, by a movement mechanism unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electronic component mounting apparatus and an electronic component mounting method for mounting electronic components onto a substrate.

2. Description of the Related Art

Most electronic component mounting apparatuses that are used currently image electronic components held by a mounting head so as to recognize holding positions of the electronic components or the like, before the mounting head mounts the electronic components picked up from a part feeder on a substrate. In addition, when imaging the electronic components, lighting is applied to the electronic components. Furthermore, as a camera used for imaging the electronic components, a line camera or a 2D camera is used.

Although the line camera can be used to from small electronic components to large electronic components, lighting thereof is limited. That is, it is impossible to switch the method to apply lighting to the electronic components in the process of single mechanical scanning using the line camera. For this reason, in order to apply lightings of different forms to one electronic component to obtain an image, there is a need for two or more mechanical scanning. Furthermore, in order to image a large electronic component using the line camera, there is a need for a number of imaging elements capable of covering a maximum length of the electronic component. However, the greater the number of imaging elements, the longer a scanning time of the line camera. For this reason, when using the line camera also available for a large electronic component, it takes time for single mechanical scanning, and thus a speed of taking the image is limited. Furthermore, a constant speed scanning is essential, and there is a need to scan the line camera in a direction perpendicular to a line of the imaging elements owing to one-dimensional scanning.

A plurality of imaging elements of different sizes is prepared for a 2D sensor, and the imaging elements used for imaging are switched depending on the sizes of the electronic components. However, a head of the 2D sensor does not correspond to a configuration of a two line nozzle. In order to correspond to the configuration of the two line nozzle, there is a need to prepare two imaging elements for a small electronic component and one imaging element for a large electronic component. That is, it is necessary to achieve a camera constituted by three imaging elements on the same visual field. According to the configuration, if the imaging element for the large electronic component is achieved by the imaging element arranged in a line form, the scanning time becomes a problem, and if the imaging element for the large electronic component is achieved by the imaging element arranged in an area form, the cost thereof and a reading time of image data become a problem.

In the conventional art, in component inspection using a three-dimensional image such as in coplanarity inspection of leads of a QFP (Quad Flat Package) in the electronic component mounting apparatus, a type using a laser beam and a position detection element (PSD) described in Japanese Patent No. 3578588 has been mainly used. This type is basically different from the type using the camera for imaging the two-dimensional image in methods of the lighting and the imaging. For this reason, when adopting the type using the two-dimensional image, since both means for two-dimensional imaging and means for three-dimensional imaging have been provided in the electronic component mounting apparatus, there has been a great demerit in view of a size and costs of the electronic component mounting apparatus. Furthermore, essentially, in order to measure heights of the electronic components through the irradiation of the laser beam, although there is a need for a mechanical operation of the laser beam using a polygon mirror, the scanning time of the laser beam is limited. For this reason, it has been unsuitable to apply the type using the laser beam and the PSD to a production line for a chip component such as a resistor or a capacitor that is required to be mass-produced and speeded up, or a production line in which a strict takt time is required.

As other conventional arts, there are Japanese Patent No. 3336774, Japanese Patent No. 3318146, Japanese Patent No. 3341569, and Japanese Patent No. 3893184.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic component mounting apparatus and an electronic component mounting method capable of shortening a movement time of the electronic component mounted on the substrate.

According to the present invention, there is provided an electronic component mounting apparatus which includes a substrate conveyance mechanism unit configured to convey a substrate with an electronic component mounted thereon in a first direction; a component supply unit configured to supply the electronic component; a holding unit configured to hold the electronic component supplied from the component supply unit; a movement mechanism unit configured to move the holding unit; a component imaging unit configured to image the electronic component that is held by the holding unit; a control unit configured to control an imaging form of the electronic component by the component imaging unit; and a component recognition unit configured to recognize the electronic component based on an image that is imaged by the component imaging unit, wherein the component imaging unit has an area camera that includes at least one imaging element, and the control unit controls the component imaging unit so as to image the electronic component that is held by the holding unit when the holding unit is moved in a direction oblique to the first direction and close to the substrate by the movement mechanism unit.

According to the present invention, there is provided an electronic component mounting apparatus which includes a substrate conveyance mechanism unit configured to convey a substrate with an electronic component mounted thereon in a first direction; a component supply unit configured to supply the electronic component; a holding unit configured to hold the electronic component supplied from the component supply unit; a movement mechanism unit configured to move the holding unit; a component imaging unit configured to image the electronic component that is held by the holding unit; a control unit configured to control an imaging form of the electronic component by the component imaging unit; and a component recognition unit configured to recognize the electronic component based on an image that is imaged by the component imaging unit, wherein the component imaging unit has at least three area cameras that include at least one imaging element, visual fields of the imaging element are common to each other regardless of the area cameras, and the control unit controls the component imaging unit so as to image the electronic component that is held by the holding unit when the holding unit is moved in a direction oblique to the first direction and close to the substrate by the movement mechanism unit.

According to the present invention, there is provided an electronic component mounting method performed by an electronic component mounting apparatus which includes a substrate conveyance mechanism unit configured to convey a substrate with an electronic component mounted thereon in a first direction; a component supply unit configured to supply the electronic component; a holding unit configured to hold the electronic component supplied from the component supply unit; a movement mechanism unit configured to move the holding unit; a component imaging unit configured to image the electronic component that is held by the holding unit; a control unit configured to control an imaging form of the electronic component by the component imaging unit; and a component recognition unit configured to recognize the electronic component based on an image that is imaged by the component imaging unit, the component imaging unit having at least three area cameras that include at least one imaging element, visual fields of the imaging element being common to each other regardless of the area camera, wherein the control unit controls the component imaging unit so as to image the electronic component that is held by the holding unit when the holding unit is moved in a direction oblique to the first direction and close to the substrate by the movement mechanism unit.

According to the electronic component mounting apparatus and the electronic component mounting method related to the present invention, it is possible to shorten the movement time of the electronic component mounted on the substrate.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An electronic component mounting apparatus of an embodiment related to the present invention mounts relatively small electronic components such as a resistor or a capacitor and relatively large electronic components such as a packaged LSI or a memory onto a print substrate or a substrate of a liquid crystal display panel or a plasma display panel. In the electronic component mounting apparatus, the electronic components are imaged before mounting the electronic components on the substrate, the positioning and a required inspection of the electronic components are performed by software processing using the imaged image, and then the electronic components are mounted on the substrate.

FIG. 1is an overall perspective view of the electronic component mounting apparatus of an embodiment related to the present invention. Furthermore,FIG. 2is a top view of the electronic component mounting apparatus illustrated inFIG. 1. An electronic component mounting apparatus100of the present embodiment includes a main body101, a feeder unit103, a tray supply unit105, a head unit107, an X axis robot109, Y axis robots111aand111b, and a three-dimensional sensor (hereinafter, referred to as a “3D sensor”)113. In addition, a belt117with the substrate115mounted thereon passes through the electronic component mounting apparatus100.

The feeder unit103supplies a relatively small electronic component. The tray supply unit105supplies a relatively large electronic component. The head unit107has a plurality of nozzles119disposed in a matrix form on a bottom surface thereof. The head unit107holds electronic components121supplied from the feeder unit103or the tray supply unit105by sucking the electronic components121to the nozzle119. In addition, the head unit107having the different numbers or forms of the nozzles119is used depending on the sizes or the kinds of the sucked electronic components. The X axis robot109moves the head unit107in an X axis direction illustrated inFIG. 1. The Y axis robots111aand111bmove the head unit107in a Y axis direction illustrated inFIG. 1. The X axis is perpendicular to the Y axis. The 3D sensor113images the electronic component121to which the head unit107is sucked when the head unit107is moved by the X axis robot109or the Y axis robots111aand111b, from the lower side thereof.

FIG. 3is a schematic configuration diagram of the 3D sensor113. As illustrated inFIG. 3, a center camera151C configured to image the electronic component from just below the electronic component, and a left camera151L and a right camera151R configured to each image the same electronic component from a substantially symmetrical and oblique direction are provided inside the 3D sensor113. In addition, focal positions of the center camera151C, the left camera151L and the right camera151R are identical, and each camera has a function of an electronic shutter. Furthermore, a plurality of LED lights153as lighting means configured to light the electronic component from plural directions when imaging the electronic component are disposed in the 3D sensor113.

FIG. 4is a diagram that describes the configuration and the operation of each camera included in the 3D sensor113. As illustrated inFIG. 4, the center camera151C, and the left camera151L and the right camera151R each have a group of imaging elements. In the center camera151C, a beam splitter163is attached to one telecentric lens161, and two imaging elements165aand165beach have a two-dimensional visual field. Furthermore, in the left camera151L, lenses167cand167dare provided in each of the two imaging elements165cand165d. Similarly, in the right camera151R, lenses167eand167fare provided in each of two imaging elements165eand165f. In addition, the visual field of the imaging element165aof the center camera151C is substantially common to the visual field of the imaging element165cof the left camera151L and the visual field of the imaging element165eof the right camera151R. In addition, the respective visual fields of the imaging element165cof the left camera151L and the imaging element165eof the right camera151R are also common to each other. Similarly, the visual field of the imaging element165bof the center camera151C is substantially common to the visual field of the imaging element165dof the left camera151L and the imaging element165fof the right camera151R. In addition, the respective visual fields of the imaging element165dof the left camera151L and the imaging element165fof the right camera151R are also common to each other.

FIG. 5is a diagram that describes the operation of the center camera151C. As illustrated inFIG. 5, in the center camera151C, the imaging element165aimages the visual field171aand the imaging element165bimages the visual field171bvia the beam splitter163and the telecentric lens161a. The respective regions of the visual fields171aand171bare greater than the size of the small electronic component when viewed from an imaging direction. In addition, the imaging elements165aand165bare each an independent device, and are also able to image the visual field at the same timing and to image the visual field at individual timings.

FIG. 6is a diagram that describes the operation of the left camera151L. As illustrated inFIG. 6, in the left camera151L, the imaging element165cimages the visual field171avia the lens167cand the imaging element165dimages the visual field171bvia the lens167d. In addition, the imaging elements165cand165dare each an independent device, and are also able to image the visual field at the same timing and to image the visual field at individual timings.

FIG. 7is a diagram that describes the operation of the right camera151R. As illustrated inFIG. 7, in the right camera151R, the imaging element165eimages the visual field171avia the lens167eand the imaging element165fimages the visual field171bvia the lens167f. In addition, the imaging elements165eand165fare each an independent device, and are also able to image the visual field at the same timing and to image the visual field at individual timings.

The electronic component mounting apparatus100of the present embodiment also includes an encoder, a control unit and a component recognition unit (not illustrated) in addition to the constituents illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2.FIG. 8is a diagram that illustrates a relationship between the encoders131and133, the control unit135, the component recognition unit137and other constituents, and each internal configuration of the control unit135and the component recognition unit137in the electronic component mounting apparatus of one embodiment.

The encoder131measures the movement of the head unit107in the X axis direction using the X axis robot109to output the signal (hereinafter, referred to as an “X axis encoder signal”) that indicates an amount of movement of the head unit107in the X axis direction. Furthermore, the encoder133measures the movement of the head unit107in the Y axis direction using the Y axis robot111to output a signal (hereinafter, referred to as a “Y axis encoder signal”) that indicates the movement of the head unit107in the Y axis direction. The control unit135controls the imaging timing of the imaging element of each camera which configures the 3D camera113, and the light-up timing, the lighting form of the LED light153or the like, based on each signal that is output from the encoders131and133depending on the size of the electronic component to which the head unit107is sucked. The component recognition unit137recognizes the form of the electronic component or the like to which the head unit107is sucked, based on the image that is imaged by the 3D sensor113.

As illustrated inFIG. 8, the control unit135has an encoder I/F unit201, a position discrimination unit203, an imaging timing determination unit205, an imaging control unit207, and a light control unit209. The encoder I/F unit201receives the X axis encoder signal that is output from the encoder131and the Y axis encoder signal that is output from the encoder133. The position discrimination unit203discriminates the position of the head unit107, based on the X axis encoder signal and the Y axis encoder signal received by the encoder I/F unit201. The imaging timing determination unit205determines the imaging timing using the 3D sensor113depending on the size and the kind of the electronic component sucked by the head unit107, based on the position of the head unit107. The imaging control unit207controls the exposure of the imaging elements of each camera of the 3D sensor113, based on the imaging timing determined by the imaging timing determination unit205. In addition, the imaging control unit207independently controls two imaging elements of each camera, respectively. The lighting control unit209controls the light emission of the LED light153of the 3D sensor113, based on the imaging timing determined by the imaging timing determination unit205. It is possible to change brightness of light irradiated to the electronic component, an irradiation angle or the kind of the lighting (for example, transmission lighting and a reflected lighting) through the light emission control of the LED light153using the lighting control unit209.

As illustrated inFIG. 8, the component recognition unit137has an image data I/F unit211, a video memory213, and an image processing unit215. The image data I/F unit211receives the data of the image that is imaged by the imaging elements of each camera of the 3D sensor113. The image data received by the image data I/F unit211is stored in the video memory213. The image processing unit215performs the image processing using the image data stored in the video memory213depending on the kind of the electronic component to be recognized. In addition, the image processing unit215may process the image using only the image data from the center camera151C of the 3D sensor113. In this case, although the obtained image is a two-dimensional image, the processing time of the image processing unit215can be shortened. Furthermore, when the image processing unit215process the image using image data from each of all the cameras (the center camera151C, the left camera151L and the right camera151R) of the 3D sensor113, a three-dimensional image without a dead angle is obtained.

FIGS. 9 and 10are drawings that illustrate a relationship between the configuration of the head unit107S for the small electronic component and the visual fields171aand171bof two imaging elements of each camera of the 3D sensor113.FIG. 9is a side view of the head unit107S when viewing the head unit107S from the Y axis direction, andFIG. 10is a side view of the head unit107S when viewing the head unit107S from the X axis direction. It is preferable that there be a number of electronic components capable of being mounted on the substrate by a series of operations such as the adsorption, the recognition, and the mount of the electronic components as one of the functions of the electronic component mounting apparatus, without being limited to the electronic component mounting apparatus of the present embodiment. For this reason, the configuration of the head unit107S illustrated inFIGS. 9 and 10in which the nozzles119are placed in two lines is effective in that many small electronic components can be sucked. In the head unit107S illustrated inFIGS. 9 and 10, nozzles119are arranged in two lines in the Y axis direction so that eight nozzles119are arranged for each line, and each nozzle sucks one small electronic component. When the small electronic component is mounted on the head unit107S, two electronic components121aand121bsucked to two nozzles119disposed in the Y axis direction are each individually included in each visual field of two imaging elements of each camera of the 3D sensor113.

FIGS. 11 and 12are diagrams that illustrate the relationship between the configuration of the head unit107L for the large electronic component and the visual fields171aand171bof two imaging elements of each camera of the 3D sensor113.FIG. 11is a side view of the head unit107L when viewing the head unit107L from the Y axis direction, andFIG. 12is a side view of the head unit107L when viewing the head unit107L from the X axis direction. When mounting the large electronic component that does not come into a visual field of one imaging element, for example, the head unit107L illustrated inFIGS. 11 and 12is used. In the head unit107L illustrated inFIGS. 11 and 12, nozzles119are arranged in a line in the Y axis direction so that two nozzles119are arranged for each line, and each nozzle sucks one large electronic component121c. When the large electronic component121cis mounted on the head unit107L, only a part of the electronic components121cis included in each visual field of two imaging elements of each camera of the 3D sensor113. Furthermore, all the electronic components121care not imaged in one imaging using two imaging elements. For this reason, imaging is performed several times after moving the head unit107L in the X axis direction.

FIRST EXAMPLE

In order to achieve the effective takt time in the electronic component mounting apparatus of the present embodiment, optimization of the imaging operation of the electronic components is important. That is, if the head unit107does not reciprocate when imaging the electronic components, the head unit107only passes through the 3D sensor113once to achieve an image required for the recognition of the electronic components regardless of the sizes of the electronic components, the effective takt time is achieved. Hereinafter, the imaging of the electronic components controlled by the imaging control unit207and the lighting control unit209of the control unit135included in the electronic component mounting apparatus of the present embodiment will be described.

FIG. 13is a diagram that illustrates an example of the timing of the exposure and the lighting when the 3D sensor113images the small electronic component sucked to the head unit107S ofFIGS. 9 and 10. Furthermore,FIG. 14is a diagram that illustrates a vertical positional relationship between the visual field of each imaging element and the small electronic component when imaging the electronic component at the timing illustrated inFIG. 13. In the examples illustrated inFIGS. 13 and 14, the small electronic components121aand121bare each imaged at the same timing and under the same lighting. In addition, the imaging surface of the electronic component121alocated inside the visual field171ais imaged by the imaging elements165a,165cand165e, and the imaging surface of the electronic component121blocated inside the visual field171bis imaged by the imaging elements165b,165dand165f. Thus, the component recognition unit137included in the electronic component mounting apparatus of the present embodiment is able to recognize the small electronic component from one image that is imaged by the imaging element corresponding to one visual field.

FIG. 15is a diagram that illustrates another example of the timing of the exposure and the lighting when the 3D sensor113images the small electronic component sucked to the head unit107S ofFIGS. 9 and 10. Furthermore,FIG. 16is a diagram that illustrates a vertical positional relationship between the visual field of each imaging element and the small electronic component when imaging the electronic component at the timing illustrated inFIG. 15. When the kinds of the small electronic components sucked by the head unit107S in which the nozzles119are constituted in two lines are different for each line, the effective image is obtained by changing the lighting form of the LED light153for each kind of electronic component. For example, when imaging the electronic component sucked to the nozzles of one line, the lighting is relatively light, and when imaging the electronic component sucked to the nozzles of the other line, the lighting is relatively dark. For this reason, in the examples illustrated inFIGS. 15 and 16, the imaging timings of the small electronic components121aand121bare each delayed, and the respective lighting timings are set to the different lighting forms. That is, the imaging surface of the electronic component121alocated inside the visual field171ais imaged by the imaging elements165a,165cand165eat the first timing under the first lighting, and the imaging surface of the electronic component121blocated inside the visual field171bis imaged by the imaging elements165b,165dand165fat the second timing under the second lighting.

In addition, an interval on the X axis between the position of the electronic component121awhen being imaged at the first timing and the position of the electronic component121bwhen being imagined at the second timing, that is, a movement distance on the X axis of the head unit107S is very small. For example, if the light emission time of the LED light153is 10 μs, and the movement distance on the X axis of the head unit107S is 2000 mm/second, the interval is 20 μm.

FIG. 17is a diagram that illustrates another example of the timing of the exposure and the lighting when the 3D sensor113images the large electronic component sucked to the head unit107L ofFIGS. 11 and 12. Furthermore,FIG. 18is a diagram that illustrates a vertical positional relationship between the visual field of each imaging element and the large electronic component when being initially imaged.FIG. 19is a diagram that illustrates a vertical positional relationship between the visual field of each imaging element and the large electronic component when being imaged next. In the examples illustrated inFIGS. 17 to 19, after the large electronic component121ccrossing two visual fields171aand171bsucked to the head unit107L, in which the nozzles119are constituted in a line, is imaged by the imaging element corresponding to each visual field at the same timing and under the same lighting, when the head unit107L is moved by a predetermined length in the X axis direction, the imaging is performed again under the same conditions as those of the previous imaging time. Thus, the image processing unit215combines a plurality of images using the imaging elements corresponding to each visual field obtained by the imaging of several times, thereby to generate the image in which all imaging surfaces of the large electronic component121care included. Furthermore, the component recognition unit137is able to recognize the large electronic component from the image in which images of the plurality of images are combined by the image processing unit215. In addition, the processing of combining images of the plurality of images are performed by any one of a method carried out by software configured to take data of each image to the video memory213once, and a method carried out by hardware in real time. The processing of the image processing unit215by any one method may be determined by a balance between the processing time and the processing capability.

FIG. 20is a diagram that illustrates another example of the timing of the exposure and the lighting when the 3D sensor113images the large electronic component sucked to the head unit107L ofFIGS. 11 and 12. Furthermore,FIG. 21is a diagram that illustrates a vertical positional relationship between the visual field of each imaging element and the large electronic component when being initially imaged at the different timings.FIG. 22is a diagram that illustrates a vertical positional relationship between the visual field of each imaging element and the large electronic component when being imaged at the different timings next. In the examples illustrated inFIGS. 20 to 22, after the imaging surface of the large electronic component121cis imaged by the imaging element corresponding to each visual field at different timings and under the same lighting, when the head unit107L is moved by a predetermined length in the X axis direction, the imaging is performed again under the same conditions as those of the previous imaging time. In the case, if combining the images using the imaging element corresponding to each visual field obtained by the imaging of several times, the image processing unit215is also able to obtain the images of all imaging surfaces of the large electronic component121c. In addition, since the imaging mode illustrated inFIG. 20can be used together with the imaging mode illustrated inFIG. 15, the circuit design is more or less simple.

As mentioned above, in the first example, when recognizing the small electronic component coming into the visual field of one imaging element, an image is used which is imaged by one imaging element, and when recognizing the large electronic component exceeding two visual fields, an image is used in which the respective images imaged by two imaging elements corresponding to two visual fields are combined. Thus, the head unit107does not reciprocate, and the head unit107only passes through the 3D sensor113once to achieve an image required for the recognition of the electronic components regardless of the sizes of the electronic components. As a result, it is possible to recognize the electronic component to be inspected with a high speed and a high accuracy regardless of the sizes of the electronic components mounted on the substrate.

SECOND EXAMPLE

FIG. 23is a diagram that illustrates an example of a horizontal positional relationship between the head unit107with the nozzles119placed in two lines, the 3D sensor113and the substrate115with the electronic components mounted thereon. Furthermore,FIG. 24illustrates a movement route in a second example until the head unit107sucks the electronic components from the feeder unit103and mounts the electronic components onto the substrate115. An O point illustrated inFIG. 24indicates a central position of the head unit107when sucking the electronic components. The head unit107sucks the electronic components at the O point and then is moved to a P point by the X axis robot109and the Y axis robots111aand111b. Next, the head unit107is moved to a Q point from the P point by the X axis robot109. In addition, the movement from the P point to the Q point is a movement that is parallel to the X axis. Finally, the head unit107is moved to an R point serving as an mount point of the electronic components by the X axis robot109and the Y axis robots111aand111b. Imaging of the electronic components sucked by the head unit107using the 3D sensor113is intermittently performed from when the head unit107is located at the P point to when the head unit107is located at the Q point.

FIG. 25is a diagram that illustrates a variation with time of the speed in the X axis direction and the speed in the Y axis direction when the head unit107illustrated inFIG. 23is moved. As illustrated inFIG. 25, the head unit107reaching the P point from the O point is accelerated toward the Q point, then, is moved by a predetermined distance at a constant speed, and is decelerated toward and until reaching the Q point. As mentioned above, imaging of the electronic component using the 3D sensor113is performed from when the head unit107is located at the P point to when the head unit107is located at the Q point. That is, the imaging control using the control unit135included in the electronic component mounting apparatus of the present embodiment is not limited while the head unit107is moved at a constant speed from the P point to the Q point. The control unit135controls the 3D sensor113so as to perform imaging while the head unit107is accelerated from the P point toward the Q point, and controls the 3D sensor113so as to perform imaging while the head unit107is decelerated toward and until reaching the Q point.

InFIG. 25, the variation with time of the speed in the X axis direction and the speed in the Y axis direction when the imaging timing is limited while the head unit107is moved at a constant speed from the P point to the Q point is indicated by a broken line. In this case, the head unit107is moved from the O point to a p point illustrated inFIG. 24, is accelerated toward a direction parallel to the X axis from the p point, is moved at a constant speed from the P point to the Q point, and is decelerated toward reaching a q point illustrated inFIG. 24. Finally, the head unit107is moved from the q point to the R point.

In a case illustrated by a broken line inFIG. 25, although the acceleration time from the p point to the P point and the deceleration time from the Q point to the q point are included in a time during which it is possible to perform imaging, in the second example, the acceleration time is also included in the imaginable time. For this reason, when comparing the movement time from the O point to the R point of the head unit107, the movement time of an example indicated by a solid line inFIG. 25is shorter than a case of being indicated by the broken line inFIG. 25. As a result, the takt time in the electronic component mounting apparatus of the present embodiment can be optimized.

In addition, since the signal from the encoders131and133indicates a predetermined position, until the control unit135instructs the lighting of the LED light153and the exposure of the imaging element, although the time also depends on the processing capability of the control unit135, for example, 30μ seconds are required. If the movement speed of the head unit107is 1,000 mm/second, the delay (deviation in the movement direction of the head unit107) as the image of 30 μm occurs. When imaging is performed while the head unit107is accelerated as in the present example, the imaging timing determination unit205of the control unit135determines the imaging timing that cancels the delay, while calculating the delay depending on the movement speed of the head unit107.

THIRD EXAMPLE

FIG. 26is a diagram that illustrates the movement route in a third example until the head unit107sucks the electronic components from the feeder unit103and mounts the electronic components onto the substrate115. An O point illustrated inFIG. 26indicates a central position of the head unit107when sucking the small electronic components. The head unit107sucks the electronic components at the O point and then is moved to the P point by the X axis robot109and the Y axis robots111aand111b. Next, the head unit107is moved to the Q point from the P point by the X axis robot115and the Y axis robots111aand111b. In addition, the movement from the P point to the Q point is a movement that is oblique to the X axis and is close to the substrate109on the Y axis. Finally, the head unit107is moved to the R point serving as an mount point of the electronic components by the X axis robot109and the Y axis robots111aand111b. Imaging of the small electronic components sucked by the head unit107is intermittently performed when the head unit107passes through the 3D sensor113while the head unit107is moved from the P point to the Q point.

FIG. 27is a diagram that illustrates a variation with time of the speed in the X axis direction and the speed in the Y axis direction when the head unit107illustrated inFIG. 26is moved. As illustrated inFIG. 27, the head unit107reaching the P point from the O point is accelerated toward the Q point, then, is moved by a predetermined distance at a constant speed, and is decelerated toward and until reaching to the Q point. As mentioned above, imaging of the small electronic component using the 3D sensor113is intermittently performed when the head unit107passes through the 3D sensor113. In the present example, the imaging timing is determined depending on the position on the Y axis illustrated by the Y axis encoder signal.

FIGS. 28 to 31illustrate a vertical positional relationship between the visual fields171aand171band the head unit107for each imaging timing of the electronic components using the 3D sensor113. In the present example, when the kinds of the small electronic components sucked by the head unit107in which the nozzles are formed in two lines are different from each other for each line, the imaging timings of the small electronic components121aand121bare each delayed, and are set to the different lighting forms at each imaging timing. In addition, when the head unit107sucks the electronic component of one kind, the imaging timings of the electronic components of each line may be the same.

InFIG. 27, the variation with time of the speed in the X axis direction and the speed in the Y axis direction is illustrated by a broken line when the head unit107is moved in parallel to the X axis while imaging the electronic components. In the example illustrated by the broken line inFIG. 27, an amount of movement of the head unit107in the Y axis direction during imaging is 0. That is, the amount of movement is identical to the case illustrated inFIG. 24in the second example. However, in the third example, at the time of the movement from the P point to the Q point including the imaging time, the head unit107is also moved toward the substrate115in the Y axis direction. That is, the rate of movement of the head unit107on the Y-axis is controlled during the time up to the mount point (R point). For this reason, when comparing the movement time from the O point to the R point of the head unit107, the movement time according to the present example illustrated by the solid line inFIG. 27is shorter than the case illustrated by the broken line inFIG. 27. As a result, the takt timing in the electronic component mounting apparatus of the present embodiment can be optimized. In addition, the present example can also be applied to a case where the head unit107sucks the small electronic components.

FOURTH EXAMPLE

FIG. 32is a diagram that illustrates each timing of the light emission of an LED light153, the output of the image data of the imaging element, and writing of the image data to a video memory213when recognizing the electronic component sucked to the head unit107based on a three-dimensional image. In the example illustrated inFIG. 32, lights of different lighting forms are each irradiated to the two small electronic components sucked to the different lines of the head unit107in which the nozzles are formed in two lines at the different timings. Thus, the imaging elements of each camera included in the 3D sensor113are exposed in synchronization with each lighting. The image data obtained by the exposure of the imaging element is sequentially transmitted to the video memory213of the component recognition unit137included in the electronic component mounting apparatus of the present embodiment.FIG. 33is a diagram that illustrates each timing of the light emission of the LED light153and writing of the image data to the video memory213when the head unit107is moved in the X axis direction and the operations ofFIG. 32are performed several times.

FIG. 34is a diagram that illustrates each timing of the light emission of an LED light153, the output of the image data of the imaging element, and writing of the image data to the video memory213when recognizing the electronic component sucked to the head unit107based on a two-dimensional image. In the example illustrated inFIG. 34, lights of different lighting forms are each irradiated to the two small electronic components sucked to the different lines of the head unit107in which the nozzles are formed in two lines at the different timings. Thus, the imaging elements of the center camera151C included in the 3D sensor113are exposed in synchronization with each lighting. The image data obtained by the exposure of the imaging element is sequentially transmitted to the video memory213of the component recognition unit137included in the electronic component mounting apparatus of the present embodiment.FIG. 35is a diagram that illustrates each timing of the light emission of the LED light153and writing of the image data to the video memory213when the head unit107is moved in the X axis direction and the operations ofFIG. 34are performed several times.

FIG. 36is a diagram that illustrates an example of each timing of the light emission of the LED light153and writing of the image data to the video memory213when the head unit107is moved in the X axis direction and the operation illustrated inFIG. 32or the operation illustrated inFIG. 35is selectively performed. In the example illustrated inFIG. 36, the control unit135included in the electronic component mounting apparatus of the present embodiment selects whether the recognition of the electronic component sucked to the head unit107is performed based on the three-dimensional image or is performed based on the two-dimensional image depending on the kinds of the electronic components or the like. The imaging control unit207of the control unit135controls so as to expose the imaging elements165aand165bof the center camera151C of the 3D sensor113when imaging the two-dimensional image, and controls so as to expose each of all the imaging elements included in the center camera151C, the left camera151L and the right camera151R of the 3D sensor113when imaging the three-dimensional image. The component recognition based on the three-dimensional image includes, for example, a lead floating inspection of QFP, an inspection of an adsorption posture of a minute component or the like.

As illustrated inFIGS. 32 to 36, a total size of the image data written to the video memory213when imaging the two-dimensional image is smaller than a total size of the image data written to the video memory213when imaging the three-dimensional image. That is, regarding an amount of data transmitted from the 3D sensor113to the video memory213per one imaging, the case of the two-dimensional image is smaller than the case of the three-dimensional image. Furthermore, in order to generate the three-dimensional image, the image processing unit215needs to perform the 3D processing of the image data from each camera. For this reason, regarding the processing burden due to the software or the hardware of the component recognition unit137, this becomes greater in the case of the three-dimensional image along with an increase in amount of processing data, compared to the two-dimensional image. In other words, the processing burden of the component recognition unit137is small when recognizing based on the two-dimensional image.

As mentioned above, in the fourth example, depending on whether there is a need for a two-dimensional image or there is a need for a three-dimensional image as the image used in the recognition of the electronic components, the imaging control unit207of the control unit135controls the imaging form of the 3D sensor113for each electronic component sucked by the head unit107, for each electronic component group, or for each kind of electronic component. In this manner, by selectively and properly using the imaging forms, the transmission of the unnecessary image data does not occur, and unnecessary burden is not applied to the component recognition unit137. As a result, the electronic component mounting apparatus is able to rapidly recognize the components.

The electronic component mounting apparatus related to the present invention is useful as a mounting apparatus or the like that mounts the electronic components on the substrate.

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