Abstract:
An intelligent screw supplier operates with a first switch and a second switch. The intelligent screw supplier includes a screw supply machine and a screw supply controller. The screw supply machine is used for supplying screws. The screw supply controller includes a counter and a logic judgment device. The counter is used for calculating an amount of screws supplied by the screw supply machine. The logic judgment device is used for comparing the amount of screws calculated by the counter with a predetermined amount. The first switch is used for controlling the counter to start counting when the first switch is triggered. The second switch is used for controlling the counter to stop counting when the second switch is triggered.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an intelligent screw supplier, and more particularly, to an intelligent screw supplier with auto-count and alarm function and method thereof. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    When proceeding with an assembly operation of electronic products, specific mechanisms or components are fabricated by way of locking screws. For each component, the amount of screws that is needed is different. Because the position of each component is different, the distribution positions of these screws are different. Before an operator proceeds with an assembly operation, the amount and the distribution positions of the screws that are needed must be remembered. After that, screws are taken out and locked at fixed positions. Due to long working hours and tiredness leading to lower attention, there are screws forgotten to be locked or omitted from electronic products. If screws are forgotten to be locked, the internal part of electronic products may fall off easily. If screws are omitted from electronic products, this may cause the internal parts of electronic products to short circuit, or users may hear strange noise inside the electronic products when using the electronic products. For this reason, quality of electronic products is influenced seriously. 
         [0005]    Please refer to  FIG. 1  that is a diagram of a screw supply machine  10  according to the prior art. The screw supply machine  10  includes a screw trough  12 , a plurality of screws  13 , a vibration device  15 , a screw output line  16  and a leaf spring  14 . The screw trough  12  is used for putting the screws  13 . Users can put the screws  13  into the fillister. The vibration device  15  is coupled to the screw trough  12  for guiding and arranging the screws  13  in order through vibrations. The screw output line  16  is coupled to the screw trough  12  (connected via the interior) for transmitting the screws  13  after being guided and arranged in order. The leaf spring  14  is coupled to the screw output line  16  for stopping the screws on the screw output line  16 . Operators take out a screw from the screw supply machine  10  by sticking the screw with a screwdriver and drawing out the screw in the same direction as the screw output line  16 . At this time, the leaf spring  14  returns to the original position and stops the screws on the screw output line  16  once again. Therefore, operators can take out the screws one by one. 
         [0006]    After the operator takes out a screw from the screw supply machine  10 , the screw is locked into the electronic product. When finishing operation, the electronic product is transmitted to a next working station and the same lock action is repeated on another electronic device. However, the screw supply machine  10  only provides guiding and arranging screws in order through vibrations by the vibration device  15 . The screw supply machine  10  does not provide auto-count and alarm functions. Hence, the operator forgets to lock screws or omits screws from electronic products due to carelessness. This further influences manufacture quality. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an intelligent screw supplier with auto-count and alarm functions and method thereof to solve the above-mentioned problems. 
         [0008]    According to the claimed invention, an intelligent screw supplier with auto-count and alarm functions is disclosed. The intelligent screw supplier operates with a first switch and a second switch. The intelligent screw supplier includes a screw supply machine and a screw supply controller. The screw supply machine is used for supplying screws. The screw supply controller includes a counter and a logic judgment device. The counter is used for calculating an amount of screws supplied by the screw supply machine. The logic judgment device is used for comparing the amount of screws calculated by the counter with a predetermined amount. The first switch is used for controlling the counter to start counting when the first switch is triggered. The second switch is used for controlling the counter to stop counting when the second switch is triggered. 
         [0009]    According to the claimed invention, an intelligent screw supplier with auto-count and alarm functions is disclosed. The intelligent screw supplier includes a screw supply machine, a screw supply controller, a first switch, and a second switch. The screw supply machine includes an output end for outputting an output signal. The screw supply machine is used for guiding and arranging screws in order. The screw supply controller includes a counter and a logic judgment device. The counter includes a first input end for receiving an input switch signal, a second input end for receiving an output switch signal, a third input end coupled to the output end of the screw supply machine for receiving the output signal, and an output end for outputting a first screw amount. The logic judgment device includes a first input end for receiving the input switch signal, a second input end for receiving the output switch signal, a third input end coupled to the output end of the counter for receiving the first screw amount, a fourth input end for receiving a predetermined amount, and an output end for outputting an alarm signal. The logic judgment device is used for determining whether to output the alarm signal according to signals received by the third and the fourth input ends. The first switch includes an output end coupled to the screw supply controller for outputting the input switch signal. The second switch includes an output end coupled to the screw supply controller for outputting the output switch signal. 
         [0010]    According to the claimed invention, a method of an intelligent screw supplier for dealing with screw supply quantities is disclosed. The method includes using a screw supply machine to supply screws, controlling a counter to start counting an amount of screws supplied by the screw supply machine when a first switch is triggered, controlling the counter to stop counting the amount of screws supplied by the screw supply machine when a second switch is triggered, and comparing the amount of screws counted by the counter after counting with a predetermined amount. 
         [0011]    In an embodiment of the present invention, the screw supply machine includes a screw trough, a vibration device, a screw output line and a leaf spring. The screw trough is used for putting screws. The vibration device is used for guiding and arranging screws in order through vibrations. The screw output line is used for transmitting the screws after being guided and arranged in order. The leaf spring is used for outputting the screws transmitted from the screw output line one by one. 
         [0012]    In an embodiment of the present invention, the first switch and the second switch are contact switches or infrared ray sensors. 
         [0013]    In an embodiment of the present invention, the intelligent screw supplier further includes an input device for inputting the predetermined amount. The input device could be a keyboard or touch panel. 
         [0014]    In an embodiment of the present invention, the intelligent screw supplier further includes a display for displaying an amount counted by the counter or displaying the predetermined amount. The display device could be a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting diode monitor (LED monitor) or an Organic Light Emitting Display (OLED). 
         [0015]    In an embodiment of the present invention, the intelligent screw supplier further includes an alarm device for generating an alarm signal if the amount counted by the counter when stopping counting is not equal to the predetermined amount. 
         [0016]    These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of a screw supply machine according to the prior art. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a diagram of an intelligent screw supplier according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a diagram of an operation procedure in an operation station according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a diagram of a flow illustrating an intelligent screw supplier dealing with screw supply quantities. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    Please refer to  FIG. 2  that is a diagram of an intelligent screw supplier  20  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The intelligent screw supplier  20  includes a screw supply machine  21 , a screw supply controller  22 , a first switch SW 1 , a second switch SW 2 , an input device  26 , a display device  27 , and an alarm device  28 . The screw supply machine  21  includes an output end  212  used for outputting an output signal. Except for the modifications disclosed by the embodiment, the screw supply machine  21  is a traditional screw supplier commonly seen in market conditions such as the screw supply machine  10  in  FIG. 1 . Therefore, complete and explicit details of the screw supplier are known to those skilled in the art and need not be repeated here. The screw supply machine  21  is used for guiding and arranging screws in order. 
         [0022]    In this embodiment, the screw supply controller  22  is a control printed circuit board that is installed outside the screw supply machine  21 . In other embodiments, the screw supply controller  22  could be an independent device and is coupled to the screw supply machine  21  through wirings. Certainly, the screw supply controller  22  can be installed inside the screw supply machine  21 . 
         [0023]    The screw supply controller  22  described above includes a counter  23 , a logic judgment device  24 , a first input end  222 , a second input end  224 , a third input end  226 , a fourth input end  227 , a first output end  228 , and a second output end  229 . The first input end  222  is coupled to the output end  212  of the screw supply machine  21  for receiving the output signal. The second input end  224  is coupled to an output end  262  of the input device  26 . The third input end  226  is coupled to the first switch SW 1  for receiving an input switch signal SWin 1 . The fourth input end  227  is coupled to the second switch SW 2  for receiving an output switch signal SWout 1 . The first output end  228  is coupled to an input end  272  of the display device  27 . The second output end  229  is coupled to an input end  282  of the alarm device  28 . 
         [0024]    The counter  23  described above includes a first input end  232 , a second input end  234 , a third input end  236 , and an output end  238 . The first input end  232  is coupled to the first switch SW 1  for receiving the input switch signal SWin 1 . The second input end  234  is coupled to the second switch SW 2  for receiving the output switch signal Swout 1 . The third input end  236  is coupled to the output end  212  of the screw supply machine  21  for receiving the output signal. The output end  238  is used for outputting a first screw amount SR_out 1 . 
         [0025]    The logic judgment device  24  described above includes a first input end  242 , a second input end  244 , a third input end  246 , a fourth input end  248 , and an output end  249 . The first input end  242  is coupled to the first switch SW 1  for receiving the input switch signal SWin 1 . The second input end  244  is coupled to the second switch SW 2  for receiving the output switch signal SWout 1 . The third input end  246  is coupled to the output end  238  of the counter  23  for receiving the first screw amount SR_out 1 . The fourth input end  248  is used for receiving a predetermined amount Num_in 1 . The output end  249  is coupled to the input end  282  of the alarm device  28  for outputting an alarm signal Arm_out 1 . The logic judgment device  24  is used for determining whether to output the alarm signal Arm_out 1  according to signals received by the third input end  246  and the fourth input end  248 . 
         [0026]    Please continue to refer to  FIG. 2 . The first switch SW 1  includes an output end coupled to the third input end  226  of the screw supply controller  22 . The first switch SW 1  is used for outputting the input switch signal SWin 1 . The second switch SW 2  includes an output end coupled to the fourth input end  227  of the screw supply controller  22 . The second switch SW 2  is used for outputting the output switch signal SWout 1 . The input device  26  includes an output end  262  coupled to the second input end  224  of the screw supply controller  22  for inputting the predetermined amount Num_in 1  to the screw supply controller  22 . The display device  27  includes an input end  272  coupled to the first output end  228  of the screw supply controller  22 . The display device  27  is used for displaying the predetermined amount Num_in 1  set by the input device  26  or the amount counted by the counter  23  (including the first screw amount SR_out 1 ). 
         [0027]    The alarm device  28  includes an input end  282  coupled to the second output end  229  of the screw supply controller  22 . The alarm device  28  is used for receiving the alarm signal Arm_out 1  if the first screw amount SR_out 1  is not equal to the predetermined amount Num_in 1 . The alarm device  28  can issue an alarm in any way, preferably by a flashing light or ring. The alarm device  28  can be an alarm ringer or a light bulb. 
         [0028]    Moreover, in this embodiment, the first switch SW 1  and the second switch SW 2  can each be a contact switch, such as a button or a weight sensor. In other embodiments, the first switch SW 1  and the second switch SW 2  can each be a non-contact switch, such as an infrared ray sensor. In this embodiment, the input device  26  is a keyboard. In other embodiments, the input device  26  can be a touch panel or other input devices. In this embodiment, the display device  27  is a light emitting diode monitor (LED monitor). In other embodiments, the display device  27  can be a liquid crystal display (LCD). 
         [0029]    Please refer to  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  is a diagram of an operation procedure in an operation station according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The connection of the components in  FIG. 3  is described summarily as follows. The screw supply controller  32  includes a counter  33  and a logic judgment device  34 . The screw supply controller  32  includes a first input end  322 , a second input end  324 , a third input end  326 , a fourth input end  327 , a first output end  328 , and a second output end  329 . The first input end  322  is coupled to a screw supply machine  31 . The second input end  324  is coupled to an input device  36 . The third input end  326  is coupled to a first switch SW 11 . The fourth input end  327  is coupled to a second switch SW 22 . The first output end  328  is coupled to an output end  372  of the display device  27 . The second output end  329  is coupled to an output end  382  of an alarm device  38 . 
         [0030]    Please continue to refer to  FIG. 3 . The operator first inputs the amount of screws to be locked (the predetermined amount Num_in 1 ) to the screw supply controller  32  through the input device  36 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , a notebook NB 1  is receiving a screw-lock operation at the 2 nd  station. When entering the 2 nd  station, the notebook NB 1  touches the first switch SW 11  first. At this moment, the first switch SW 11  sends an input switch signal SWin 1  to the screw supply controller  32 . Thus the counter  33  inside the screw supply controller  32  starts to count. 
         [0031]    Every time the operator takes out a screw from the screw supply machine  31 , a sensor informs the screw supply machine  31  that a screw has been removed. For example, the sensor is coupled to the leaf spring of the screw supply machine  31 . By this way, the operator taking out a screw leads to leaf spring action. The sensor senses the action and makes the screw supply machine  31  output an output signal to the counter  33  inside the screw supply controller  32 . The counter  33  is incremented by one every time when the counter receives the output signal. In other embodiments, the sensor can be installed in an exit of the screw output line of the screw supply machine  31 . Every time when the operator takes out a screw, the sensor is informed that a screw is taken out by way of changing light values. 
         [0032]    When leaving the 2 nd  station, the notebook NB 1  touches the second switch SW 22 . At this moment, the second switch SW 22  sends an output switch signal SWout 1  to the screw supply controller  32 . Thus the counter  33  inside the screw supply controller  32  stops counting. The counter  33  then sends the amount counted by the counter  33  when stopped counting (the first screw amount SR_out 1 ) to the logic judgment device  34  inside the screw supply controller  32 . 
         [0033]    At this moment, the logic judgment device  34  inside the screw supply controller  32  compares the first screw amount SR_out 1  with the predetermined amount Num_in 1  to determine whether to output an alarm signal Arm_out 1 . If the first screw amount SR_out 1  is not equal to the predetermined amount Num_in 1 , the logic judgment device  34  sends the alarm signal Arm_out 1  to the alarm device  38 . Hence, the alarm device  38  issues an alarm. The alarm device  38  can issue the alarm by way of a flashing light or audible tone. If the first screw amount SR_out 1  is equal to the predetermined amount Num_in 1 , the logic judgment device  34  will not send the alarm signal Arm_out 1  to the alarm device  38  so the alarm device  38  will not react. Therefore the notebook NB 1  enters into the 3 rd  station successfully. The operator finishes screw-lock operation. 
         [0034]    Please refer to  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  is a diagram of a flow  40  illustrating an intelligent screw supplier dealing with screw supply quantities. The flow  40  includes the following steps: 
         [0035]    Step  402 : Setting a predetermined amount. 
         [0036]    Step  404 : Receiving an input switch signal. 
         [0037]    Step  406 : Outputting an output signal when the operator takes out a screw from the screw supply machine. 
         [0038]    Step  408 : Adding to a counter by one every time when receiving the output signal from the screw supply machine. 
         [0039]    Step  410 : Receiving an output switch signal. 
         [0040]    Step  412 : Outputting a first screw amount. 
         [0041]    Step  414 : Displaying the value of the counter on a display device. 
         [0042]    Step  416 : Comparing the predetermined amount with the first screw amount. 
         [0043]    Step  418 : Not outputting an alarm signal if the predetermined amount is equal to the first screw amount. 
         [0044]    Step  420 : Outputting the alarm signal if the predetermined amount is not equal the first screw amount. 
         [0045]    In step  402 , the operator set the predetermined amount first. In step  406 - 408 , every time when the operator takes out a screw from the screw supply machine, the counter is incremented by one. In step  416 , the predetermined amount is compared with the first screw amount. If the predetermined amount is equal to the first screw amount, no alarm signal is issued. Otherwise, output the alarm signal. 
         [0046]    The above-mentioned embodiments illustrate but do not limit the present invention. The mentioned alarm device  28  and  38  are not restricted to light bulbs or alarm rings only, it could be other type alarm device. The first switch SW 1  and SW 11  and the second switch SW 2  and SW 22  could be a contact switch or a non-contact switch individually but are not restricted to embodiments mentioned in the present invention. The input device  26  and  36  could be other type input device. The display device  27  could be other type display. The counter may alternatively be decremented each time the output signal from the screw supply machine is received. Furthermore, the logic judgment device  24  and  34  can be implemented by software program not limit to hardware only. 
         [0047]    In conclusion, the present invention provides an intelligent screw supplier with auto-count and alarm functions. When the amount of screws taken is not equal to the predetermined amount, the alarm device will inform the operator to pay attention to the problems of forgetting to lock screws or omitting screws in electronic products. In this way, the present invention provides an intelligent screw supplier to solve the above-mentioned problems. Thus, manufacturing quality can be improved. 
         [0048]    Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention.