Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6331225?dq=7,682,496
Timestamp: 2015-05-27 18:57:52
Document Index: 186120841

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Patent US6331225 - Apparatus and method for mounting electronic parts - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsAn apparatus for mounting electronic parts on a printed circuit board is disclosed. Plural electronic parts to be mounted on a printed circuit board are arranged as a set and loaded in a loading member for electronic parts. A set of such loading members for electronic parts, each carrying a set of electronic...http://www.google.com/patents/US6331225?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6331225 - Apparatus and method for mounting electronic partsAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS6331225 B1Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 09/147,508PCT numberPCT/JP1998/002164Publication dateDec 18, 2001Filing dateMay 15, 1998Priority dateMay 16, 1997Fee statusLapsedAlso published asCN1231112A, CN1235461C, EP0926942A1, EP0926942A4, US6446692, WO1998052399A1Publication number09147508, 147508, PCT/1998/2164, PCT/JP/1998/002164, PCT/JP/1998/02164, PCT/JP/98/002164, PCT/JP/98/02164, PCT/JP1998/002164, PCT/JP1998/02164, PCT/JP1998002164, PCT/JP199802164, PCT/JP98/002164, PCT/JP98/02164, PCT/JP98002164, PCT/JP9802164, US 6331225 B1, US 6331225B1, US-B1-6331225, US6331225 B1, US6331225B1InventorsOsamu SugiyamaOriginal AssigneeSony CorporationExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (6), Referenced by (7), Classifications (27), Legal Events (5) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetApparatus and method for mounting electronic parts
US 6331225 B1Abstract
An apparatus for mounting electronic parts on a printed circuit board is disclosed. Plural electronic parts to be mounted on a printed circuit board are arranged as a set and loaded in a loading member for electronic parts. A set of such loading members for electronic parts, each carrying a set of electronic parts of the same type, are arrayed in a loading member furnishing casing. This set of the loading members for electronic parts, arrayed and held in the loading member furnishing casing is inserted and held by a loading member holder by which the set of the loading members for electronic parts can be held in register with an electronic part mounting portion of the printed circuit board. The loading member holder holding the set of the loading members for electronic parts is loaded on a electronic part loading device. The set of the electronic parts held by the loading member holder is loaded at a time on the sole printed circuit board by the electronic part loading device.
What is claimed is: 1. A mounting apparatus for electronic parts comprising:
a plurality of loading members for electronic parts, each having a loading through-hole extending in the up-and-down direction for loading plural electronic parts to be mounted on a printed circuit board, and a detachment preventative mechanism for prohibiting incidental descent of the electronic parts from the loading through-hole, the electronic parts being loaded in a stacked state in groups of the same sorts; a loading unit for loading electronic parts in said plurality of loading members by insertion into said through-hole and including a supporting unit for supporting a single electronic part that was last inserted into the loading through-hole of the loading member so that the last-inserted electronic part is positioned at an optimum loading position in the vicinity of an opening end of the loading through-hole; a loading member furnishing casing in which is arranged at least a set of loading members for electronic parts each accommodating at least a set of electronic parts to be loaded on the printed circuit board; a loading member holder having a plurality of holding portions each holding one of said set of the electronic parts arrayed and held in said loading member furnishing casing; and an electronic part loading device for mounting electronic parts on the printed circuit board and having said loading member holder mounted therein, said electronic part loading device including a plurality of extruder members arranged for being inserted via upper opening ends of said loading through-holes of said loading members for electronic parts held by said loading member holder and an extruder member descent control mechanism adapted for controlling the descent by the self-gravity of these extruder members and for annulling the controlled state to permit descent of the extruder members; said extruder members descending by their own weight through the insides of the loading through-holes when said extruder member descent control mechanism enables descent of said loading through-holes to eject the electronic parts from the loading members for electronic parts via lower end openings in order to put the electronic parts at pre-set positions on the printed circuit board arranged below said loading member, wherein: said loading member holder carries identification symbols in association with plural holding portions provided on the holder and wherein said loading members for electronic parts are each provided with identification symbols associated with the identification symbols provided in each holding portion, the identification symbols provided on said loading members for electronic parts are numerical figures or letters indicating the arraying sequence of the plural holding portions and wherein the identification symbols provided on the loading members for electronic parts are numerical figures or letters associated with the numerical figures or symbols indicating the numerical figures or symbols specifying the arraying sequence of the plural holding portions, and the loading member furnishing casing has a series of identification symbols comprised of numerical figures or letters associated with the numerical figures or letters specifying the arraying sequence of the plural holding portions, said at least one set of the loading members for electronic parts being arrayed in said loading member furnishing casing with the identification symbols of the loading members for electronic parts in agreement with the numerical figures or letters provided on said loading member furnishing casing. 2. The mounting apparatus for electronic parts as recited in claim 1 wherein identification symbols provided on said loading member holder are in agreement with the identification symbols for electronic parts for mounting provided on said printed circuit board.
3. The mounting apparatus for electronic parts as recited in claim 1 wherein portions of a pre-set pattern are provided on main body portions of the loading members for electronic parts, said portions completing said pre-set pattern when the loading members for electronic parts are arranged in said loading member furnishing casing with the identification symbols provided on the loading members for electronic parts in agreement with the identification symbols provided on the loading member furnishing casing.
4. The mounting apparatus for electronic parts as recited in claim 1 wherein said loading unit further comprises a storage portion for storing a large number of electronic parts that are to be loaded in said loading members for electronic parts, a loading member holding unit for holding said loading members for electronic parts and said storage portion for electronic parts at a pre-set relative position to each other and a loading unit for electronic parts for taking out the electronic parts from the storage portion for electronic parts for holding the electronic parts thus taken out and for loading the electronic parts thus held in said loading through-holes in said loading members for electronic parts.
5. The mounting apparatus for electronic parts as recited in claim 4 wherein an electronic part holder holding electronic parts stored in said storage portion has identification symbols associated with the identification symbols provided on the loading members for electronic parts held by the part holder.
6. The mounting apparatus for electronic parts as recited in claim 4 wherein the loading members for electronic parts include guide means for guiding the electronic parts held by the loading unit for electronic parts to the opening ends of the loading through-holes of the loading members for electronic parts.
7. The mounting apparatus for electronic parts as recited in claim 1 wherein each of plural loading members for electronic parts of the set houses the same plural number of electronic parts.
8. The mounting apparatus for electronic parts as recited in claim 1 wherein each of plural loading members for electronic parts of the set houses plural electronic parts at a rate of the least common multiple relative to one another.
9. The mounting apparatus for electronic parts as recited in claim 1 further comprising:
a loading member storage casing for housing a plurality of loading members for electronic parts for mounting on said printed circuit board in groups of electronic parts each of a specified type, said loading members for electronic parts housing the electronic parts for mounting on the printed circuit board in said groups of the specified types. 10. The mounting apparatus for electronic parts as recited in claim 9 wherein said loading member storage casing has identification symbols in association with the housing positions of housing the loading members for electronic parts housing specified types of the electronic parts, said identification symbols being associated with identification symbols provided on the loading members for electronic parts housing said specified types of the electronic parts.
11. The mounting apparatus for electronic parts as recited in claim 1 further comprising:
an adhesive applicator device for applying an adhesive for provisionally securing the electronic parts supplied from said loading members for electronic parts to said printed circuit board. 12. The mounting apparatus for electronic parts as recited in claim 11 wherein said adhesive applicator device includes
a base unit having a substrate arraying portion having a positioning lug at a pre-set position and having the printed circuit board arranged at a pre-set position, an adhesive storage portion having a recess in which the adhesive is stored and a table portion on which said substrate arraying portion and the adhesive storage portion are arranged side-by-side, a coating unit having plural pins set upright on its surface facing said substrate arraying portion and the adhesive storage portion and also having a positioning hole engaged by said positioning lug for effecting positioning relative to said substrate arraying portion, and a pin block holder adapted for supporting a pin block and having a fitting hole in register with said positioning lug; a slide movement unit for fixing one of the base unit and the coating unit and for moving the other one of the base unit and the coating unit so that said pin block is slidable between a first position facing said substrate arraying portion and a second position facing said adhesive storage portion, as a relative position of said substrate arraying portion and the adhesive storage portion; and a lift unit for fixing one of the base unit and the coating unit and for moving the other one of the base unit and the coating unit in the up-and-down direction so that a state in which the pin block and the substrate arraying portion are brought into and out of contact with each other in said first arraying position and a state in which the pin block and the adhesive storage portion are brought into and out of contact with each other in said second arraying position will be obtained as the relative position of said substrate arraying portion and the adhesive storage portion; the adhesive applied to the distal end of said pin in said adhesive storage portion being coated to said printed circuit board arranged in said substrate arraying portion. 13. A method for mounting electronic parts comprising:
housing plural electronic parts of plural specified types in a plurality of loading members for electronic parts, each having a loading through-hole extending in the up-and-down direction for loading plural electronic parts to be mounted on a printed circuit board, and a detachment preventative unit for loading said electronic parts in said plurality of loading members by insertion into said through-hole and supporting a single electronic part that was last inserted into the loading through-hole of the loading member so that the last inserted electronic part is positioned at an optimum loading position in the vicinity of an opening end of the loading through-hole; prohibiting incidental descent of the electronic parts from the loading through-hole, said electronic parts being loaded in a stacked state in groups of the same sorts; housing a set of loading members for electronic parts, each accommodating at least a set of electronic parts to be loaded on said printed circuit board, in a loading member furnishing casing; holding said set of the loading members for electronic parts in a plurality of holding portions each holding one of said set of the electronic parts arrayed and held in said loading member furnishing casing; loading said loading member holder holding said set of the loading members for electronic parts on a loading device for electronic parts so that said holder is disposed above the printed circuit board arranged in said loading device for electronic parts; inserting extruder members provided in said loading device for electronic parts into the loading through-holes of the loading members for electronic parts via said upper opening ends for lowering said extruder members for extruding and ejecting the electronic parts loaded in the loading through-holes from the loading members for electronic parts via lower opening ends of the loading through-holes to put the electronic parts at pre-set positions on the printed circuit board arranged below the loading member holder, wherein identification symbols indicating the arraying sequence of the plural holding portions provided on said loading member holder are provided on the loading member holder, the set of the loading members for electronic parts are provided with identification symbols associated with identification symbols provided on the holding portions of the set of the loading members for electronic parts adapted for holding the loading members for electronic parts, and wherein the loading member furnishing casing housing a set of the loading members for electronic parts has a series of identification symbols comprised of numerical figures or letters associated with the numerical figures or letters specifying the arraying sequence of the plural holding portions, said one set of the loading members for electronic parts being arrayed in said loading member furnishing casing with the identification symbols of the loading members for electronic parts in agreement with the those provided on said loading member furnishing casing. 14. The method for mounting electronic parts as recited in claim 13 wherein the loading members for electronic parts of the set are arrayed in the loading member furnishing casing in the sequence in which the loading members for electronic parts are held in the plurality of holding portions.
For mounting the electronic parts in the form of chips on the printed circuit board, an automatic mounting apparatus for electronic parts, controlled by a computer, is in use.
The electronic parts 1 used in the automatic mounting apparatus for electronic parts are shipped in a state of being accommodated in s supply reel 8 for electronic parts, and transported by the automatic mounting apparatus for electronic parts shown in FIG. 1 to a working site for mounting the electronic parts 1.
The supply reel 8 is comprised of a reel 9 on which an elongated carrier table 10 is wound, as shown in FIG. 2. On the carrier table 10, electronic parts of the same sort, for example, are arrayed longitudinally of the carrier tape 10 one-by-one and provisionally secured, such as with an adhesive. The supply reels 8 for electronic parts are loaded on plural part cassettes 11 provided on the furnishing unit for electronic parts 2, as shown in FIG. 1, and are stored in this state in an automatic mounting apparatus for electronic parts. The carrier tapes 10, wound on the supply reels 8 for electronic parts, loaded on the parts cassettes 11, are pulled out towards the loading head 5.
For mounting the electronic parts on the printed circuit board 4 using the abovedescribed automatic mounting apparatus for electronic parts, the printed circuit board 4 is transported from a loading station and loaded on the XY table 7. The electronic parts 1 are then sucked by the suction nozzles 3 in the suction position and the rotary table 12 is rotated for moving the suction nozzle 3 to the position-setting position. At the position-setting position of the suction nozzle 3, the electronic parts 1 are positioned by the position-setting unit 6. After the end of the position setting of the electronic parts 1, the rotary table 12 is rotated for moving the suction nozzle 3 to a pre-set mounting position on the printed circuit board 4 for mounting the electronic parts 1 sucked by the suction nozzle 3. When the suction nozzle 3 is moved to the mounting position on the printed circuit board 4, the suction nozzle is lowered towards the printed circuit board 4 to mount the electronic part held thereby on the printed circuit board 4.
Also, for manufacturing the multi-species small-quantity type printed circuit boards, it is desirable to lower equipment cost for the manufacturing apparatus or to improve the operational efficiency as well as to accord a degree of freedom to the installment environment of the manufacturing apparatus.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel apparatus and method for mounting electronic parts whereby electronic parts can be mounted on the printed circuit board without employing a large-sized apparatus such that the entire process as from furnishing electronic parts to mounting on the printed circuit board is controlled by a computer.
Preferably, there are provided portions of a pre-set pattern on main body portions of the loading members for electronic parts, the portions completing the pre-set pattern when the loading members for electronic parts are arranged in the loading member furnishing casing with the identification symbols provided on the loading members for electronic parts in agreement with the identification symbols provided on the loading member furnishing casing.
The present invention also provides a method for mounting electronic parts including housing plural electronic parts of plural specified types in a plurality of loading members for electronic parts, each having a loading through-hole extending in the up-and-down direction for loading plural electronic parts to be mounted on a printed circuit board, and a detachment preventative unit for prohibiting incidental descent of the electronic parts from the loading through-hole. The electronic parts are loaded in a stacked state in groups of the same sorts. The method also includes housing a set of loading members for electronic parts, each accommodating at least a set of electronic parts to be loaded on the printed circuit board, in a loading member furnishing casing, holding the set of the loading members for electronic parts in a plurality of holding portions of the loading member holder each holding the set of the electronic parts arrayed and held in the loading member furnishing casing, loading the loading member holder holding on the set of the loading members for electronic loading members for electronic parts on a loading device for electronic parts so that the holder is disposed above the printed circuit board arranged in the loading device for electronic parts, and inserting extruder members provided in the loading device for electronic parts into the loading through-holes of the loading members for electronic parts via the upper opening ends for lowering the extruder members for extruding and ejecting the electronic parts loaded in the loading through-holes from the loading members for electronic parts via lower opening ends of the loading through-holes to put the electronic parts at pre-set positions on the printed circuit board arranged below the loading member holder.
FIG. 15 is a plan view showing the array correction device for correcting the arraying of electronic parts and FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIV—XIV of FIG. 15.
FIG. 20 is a perspective view showing the state in which a set of the electronic parts loaded on a sole printed circuit board have been accommodated in the loading member holding casing in accordance with a pre-set arraying.
FIG. 22 is a perspective view showing abase unit of the adhesive coating device.
FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view of the adhesive storage vessel, and FIG. 26 is a side view thereof.
FIG. 55A is a plan view showing a holder supporting frame and FIG. 55B is a front view thereof
FIG. 59 is a front view showing the state in which the extruder rod enters an upper opening end of the loading member for electronic parts held by the loading member holder, and FIG. 60 is a side view thereof.
FIG. 61 is a front view showing the state in which the loading member holder has been secured to the printed circuit board and FIG. 62 is a side view thereof.
FIG. 63 is a front view showing the state n which the extruder rod has been inserted into the loading member for electronic parts for ejecting the electronic parts loaded on the loading member onto the printed circuit board and FIG. 64 is a side view thereof
The suction nozzle guide block 37, constituting the above-described loading device for electronic parts 31, is made up of a lower block 51, an intermediate plate 52 and an upper block 53, as shown in FIG. 6. The lower block 51, intermediate plate 52 and the upper block 53 are formed of metal. In particular, the intermediate plate 52 is formed of thin resilient metal plate.
The lower block 51 is formed the loading member inserting hole 38 for inserting the upper end of the loading member for electronic parts 23. Around the loading member inserting hole 38 is formed a recess 54 for accommodating the intermediate plate 52. In the portion of the recess 54 shown in FIG. 6 is formed an engagement groove 56 engaged by a retention piece 55 provided on one side of the intermediate plate 52. In the lower block 51 is formed an observation groove 57 communicating with the loading member inserting hole 38. In the upper surface of the lower block 51 facing the upper block 53 are formed three tapped holes 58. Also, in the upper surface of the lower block 51, there are formed two tapped holes 59 for securing the suction nozzle guide block 37 to the loading member supporting block 36, as shown in FIG. 5.
In the upper block 53 is formed a nozzle guide opening 63 for conveying electronic parts 22 supplied by suction by the suction nozzle 34 to the parts inserting hole 61 provided in the intermediate plate 52 as will be explained subsequently. This nozzle guide opening 63 is tapered from the upper surface side towards the lower surface side of the upper block 53, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, with its lower opening end 63 a corresponding in shape and the size to the upper opening end of the 124 of the loading member for electronic parts 23.
In the upper block 53 is formed a tapped hole 65 into which is screwed a set screw 64 used for securing the upper block 53 to the lower block 51. For securing the upper block 53 to the lower block 51, the upper block 53 is superimposed on the lower block 51 and the set screws 64 are screwed into the tapped holes 65 into meshing with the taped holes 59 in the lower block 51. The upper block 53 is abutted against the lower block 51 and the intermediate plate 52 is inserted into a space between the upper block 53 and the lower block 51 from the lateral side in which is opened the observation groove 57 formed in the lower block 51. When the intermediate plate 52 is properly inserted into the recess 54, the part inserting hole 61 of the intermediate plate 52 faces te loading member inserting hole 38 provided in the lower block 51, whilst the retention piece 55 provided on the intermediate plate 52 is engaged in the engagement groove 56 formed in the lower block 51 for mounting the intermediate plate 52 in the recess 54 in the correct inserting position with reference to the lower block 51.
For dismounting the intermediate plate 52 from the suction nozzle guide block 37, pincers or te like are inserted via the observation groove 57, having its opening end faced by lateral side of the lower block 51 of the suction nozzle guide block 37. By these pincers, a portion of the retention piece 55 of the intermediate plate 52, engaged in the engagement groove 56, is gripped and flexed to disengage it from the engagement groove 56. With the intermediate plate 52 disengaged from the engagement groove 56 of the retention piece 5 5, the intermediate plate 52 is pulled out with the pincers to dismount the intermediate plate 52 from the suction nozzle guide block 37.
If, after the loading member for electronic parts 23 is loaded n the loading device for electronic parts 50, the guide roll 48 is rotated a pre-set angle, the carrier tape 47 is fed out in a pre-set amount so that the electronic part held on the carrier tape 47 faces the parts suction hole 49. If, from this state, the suction nozzle 34 is moved to the position of the parts suction hole 49 faced by the electronic part 22, and is lowered to the side of the parts suction hole 49, the distal end of the suction nozzle 34 is positioned substantially in abutting contact with the upper surface of the electronic part 22. If the electronic parts suction mechanism is driven in this state, the electronic parts 22 held on the carrier tape 47 are sucked towards the suction nozzle 34. If, after sucking the electronic parts 22, the suction nozzle 34 is moved upwards away from the carrier tape 47 in the direction indicated by arrow B in FIG. 9, the suction nozzle 34 acquires the electronic parts held on the carrier tape 47.
The suction nozzle 34, which has sucked and held the electronic parts 22, is moved in the direction indicated by arrow C in FIG. 9 to a position overlying the suction nozzle guide block 37. The electronic part 22 is positioned on the nozzle guide opening 63, as shown in FIG. 9, and is gradually lowered towards the suction nozzle guide block 37. When the suction nozzle 34 is lowered towards the suction nozzle guide block 37, the electronic part 22 sucked by the suction nozzle 34 is inserted into the nozzle guide opening 63 and, under guidance by the nozzle guide opening 63, is inserted through the upper opening end of the loading through-hole 24 of the loading member for electronic parts 23 which is in communication with the nozzle guide opening 63.
Between the grooves 73, 74 for arraying first and second correction members, there are arranged loading member arranging portions 77, 77 in which the loading member for electronic parts 23 and the arraying correcting loading member 76 of the same shape as the loading member for electronic parts 23 are arrayed in succession.
These loading member arranging portions 77, 77 are formed as elongated grooves sized to be large enough to hold in position the loading member for electronic parts 23 and the arraying correcting loading member 76 aligned with each other.
That is, if the electronic parts loaded on the loading member for electronic parts 23 are rectangular in shape, there are occasions wherein the electronic parts 22 loaded on the loading member for electronic parts 23 are levelled down along the long sides or along the short side of the rectangle. In order to cope with the arraying defects of the electronic parts 22, the plural loading member arranging portions 77, 77 are designed so that the loading member for electronic parts 23 and the arraying correcting loading member 76 are arranged depending on the levelling state of the electronic parts 22. One of the loading member arranging portions 77, 77 corrects the state of levelling down of the electronic parts 22 along the long side direction, and the arraying correcting loading member 76 is designed so that the long side direction of a loading through-hole 58 formed to conform to the shape of the electronic parts 22 laded on a loading member 76 is parallel to the surface of the base member 72. The opposite side loading member arranging portion 77 corrects the state in which the electronic parts 22 have been levelled down along the short side, while the arraying correcting loading member 76 is designed so that the short side direction of the loading through-hole 58 is parallel to the surface of the base member 72.
In the lateral surface of the arraying correcting loading member 76 is formed a vee-shaped opening 79 , for example, sized to be just large enough to correct the arraying of the electronic parts 22 loaded in the loading hole 78 formed in the arraying correcting loading member 76, such as with pincers, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 16. The shape of the opening 79 is not limited to the vee-shape.
If, with the loading member for electronic parts 23 mounted on the loading member arranging portion 77, the operating knob 75 is moved in the direction indicated by arrow S1 in FIG. 17B, as shown in FIG. 17B, the feed shaft 81 is loaded into the loading through-hole 24 of the loading member for electronic parts 23, until its distal end compresses against the electronic parts 22 loaded in the loading through-hole 24. If the feed shaft 81 is further intruded into the loading through-hole 24, the electronic parts 22 are moved from the loading through-hole 24 of the loading member for electronic parts 23 to the loading hole 78 of the arraying correcting loading member 76, while the arraying state of the electronic parts 22 is maintained.
If, after correcting the arraying of the electronic parts in the loading hole 78 oft the arraying correcting loading member 76, the operating knob 75 is moved in the direction indicated by arrow S2 in FIG. 17D, as shown in FIG. 17D, the return rod 52 is inserted into the loading hole 78 into abutment against the electronic parts 22 corrected for orientation. The electronic parts 22 are moved in the corrected state in the loading through-hole 24 of the loading member for electronic parts 23 so that the electronic parts 22 in the loading through-hole 24 of the loading member for electronic parts 23 are corrected to correct orientation.
Each loading member for electronic parts 23 is inserted into the associated through-hole 96 or 97 from its lower end carrying the reduced-diameter portion 25 first. The loading member for electronic parts 23, inserted and held across these through-holes 96, 97, is inserted into the through-hole 97 in the bottom plate 93, so that the shoulder 25 a of the reduced-diameter portion 25 compresses against the upper surface of the bottom plate 93 to control detachment of the loading member for electronic parts 23 from the through-holes 96, 97 to prohibit incidental descent of the loading member for electronic parts 23 from the loading member holder 91.
The left and right sides of the bottom plate 93 of the loading member holder 91 are formed with cut-out steps 98, 99. The portions of the loading member holder 91 carrying the steps 98, 99 are formed with positioning holes 99, 99 engaged by positioning protrusions provided on the side of the loading device for electronic parts, as later explained, when the loading member holder 91 is loaded on the loading device for electronic parts.
Meanwhile, the identification symbols 102 on the loading member holder 91 may also be provided on the bottom plate 93.
The operator accommodates the loading members for electronic parts 23 in trim order in the container 1 12, as the or she confirms the association of the identification symbols 102 accorded to the loading members for electronic parts 23 and the identification symbols 113 accorded to the identification symbol indicating portion 114 of the loading member furnishing casing 111.
The adhesive storage vessel 123, arranged side-by-side with respect to the substrate arraying unit 122, is formed at its mid portion an adhesive storage 132 in the forms of a recess with a pre-set depth of, for example, approximately 1 mm, for storage of an adhesive substantially uniformly. On both sides of the adhesive storage 132 are formed adhesive setting shelves 133 a, 133 b and vee-shaped grooves 134 a, 134 b, as shown in FIGS. 23 and 24. When storing the adhesive in the adhesive storage 132, the adhesive is first set on one of the adhesive setting shelves 133 a, 133 b and extended along the length of the adhesive storage vessel 123 using an extender 135 as now explained. Referring to FIGS. 25 and 26, the extender 135 is constituted by a spatula 136 tapered towards its distal end, and a handle 137. Using this extender 135, the adhesive set on the adhesive setting shelves 133 a, 133 b is extended along the length of the adhesive storage vessel 123. By providing the grooves 134 a, 134 b, any excess adhesive is accommodated in the grooves 134 a, 134 b, so that the adhesive supplied to the adhesive storage 132 can be set to moderate amounts to decrease nonuniform storage otherwise caused by partial rising in level of the adhesive supplied to the adhesive storage 132.
Referring to FIG. 21, the coating unit 125 is mounted on the base unit 124 so that the coating unit 125 can be slid in the direction indicated by arrows L or R in FIG. 21 so as to be in register with the substrate arraying unit 122 and with the adhesive storage vessel 123, as shown in FIG. 21. By movement of a lift 142 in the up-and-down direction, a lift unit 141 supports the coating unit 125 in its entirety for movement in the up-and-down direction indicated by arrows U or P in FIG. 21 and has its back side supported by a holding plate 143. The lift unit 141 also holds the pin block holder 131 by a supporting plate 144 and a pair of holder supporting plates 145 a, 145 b. The pin block holder 131 also supports the pin block holder 131 on its lower side. A pair of levers 146 a, 146 b are provided as handles used in moving the coating unit 125. The levers 146 a, 146 b are engaged in a screw mounted on a stationary plate 147 via elongated hole 148 after securing the pin block 130 on the pin block holder 131.
On both ends of the pin arraying portion 161 are formed a pair of flanges 164, 164 operating as stationary portions for securing to the pin block holder 131. The ends of the stationary plates 147, 147 provided on the pin block holder 131 ae fitted on these flanges 164, 164 for securing the pin block 130 itself to the pin block holder 131. The cut-outs 165, 165 formed in the flanges 164, 164 serve as clearances for screws mounted on the stationary plates 147, 147.
The adhesive applicator pin 162 includes a sleeve portion 162, a rod portion 167 arranged in the sleeve portion 166, and a spring 168, as shown in FIGS. 37A, 37B. The spring 168 has its one end and its opposite end connected to the bottom of the sleeve portion 166 and to the end of the rod portion 167, respectively. The adhesive applicator pins 162 is mounted on the pin arraying portion 161 by being fitted in a fitting hole formed in the pin arraying portion 161.
When the coating unit 125 is moved to its lower position as shown in FIG. 32 so that the pin 162 is thrust against the printed circuit board 21, the rod portion 167 is thrust by the printed circuit board 21. When the rod portion 167 is thrust, the adhesive applicator pins 162 is pushed into the sleeve portion 166, against the bias of the spring 168, as shown in FIG. 37A, from the state in which the pin 162 is projected from the distal end of the sleeve portion 166, as shown in FIG. 37A. At this time, the rod portion 167 is thrust against the printed circuit board 21 under the bias of the spring 168.
FIGS. 42, 43 show the state in which a pin block 100 arranged in the pin block locating member 174 is secured by the stationary plates 181 a, 181 b. The positioning projections 129, 129 provided on the circuit substrate arraying block 127 are passed through the positioning holes 163 a, 163 b of the pin block 130 so that the distal ends thereof are engaged in the fitting holes 175 a, 175 b of the pin block holder 131 to enable high-precision positioning in mounting the pin block 130.
When the pin block holder 131 is arranged above the pin block 130, the stationary plates 181 a, 181 b are loosely fitted in the fitting grooves 176 a, 176 b, as shown in FIGS. 41 and 42. If the stationary plates 181 a, 181 b are moved towards the inside of the pin block holder 131 along the fitting grooves 176 a, 176 b, as shown in FIG. 43, the stationary plates 181 a, 181 b are engaged at retention ends 193 a, 193 b with flange portions 164 a, 164 b of the pin block 130. If, in this state, the levers 146 a, 146 b are rotated to tighten the screws, the stationary plates 181 a, 181 b are fixed, with the retention ends 193 a, 193 b engaging with the flange portions 164 a, 164 b to enable the pin block 130 to be secured at a pre-set position of the pin block locating member 174 provided on the pin block holder 131.
The grooves 202 a, 203 a and 202 b, 203 b, in which are engaged the top plate 205 and the mid plate 207, are formed in the side plates 202, 203 by opening the front surface of the main body unit 200. The top plate 205 and the mid plate 207 are detachably mounted on the main body unit 200. That is, the top plate 205 and the mid late 207 are suitably exchanged in meeting with the printed circuit board 21 on which are loaded the electronic parts.
Referring to FIG. 44, the push-up plate 206 is loaded on the main body unit 200 so as to be parallel to the mid plate 207 and the bottom plate 214 by having its both sides engaged in engagement grooves 217, 218 formed in plate holders 215, 216 arranged on the inner surfaces of the side plates 202, 203. The push-up plate 206 is mounted on the plate holders 215, 216 by inserting both sides of the push-up plate 206 into the engagement grooves 217, 218 from the front side of the main body unit 200. The push-up plate 206 is exchangeably mounted on the main body unit 200 by engagement or disengagement relative to the main body unit 200 and is suitably exchange in meeting with the printed circuit board 21 on which are loaded the electronic parts 22.
The main body unit 200 of the electronic part loading device 201 includes a holder housing unit 220 housing the loading member holder 91 holding a set of loading members for electronic parts 23.
The holder housing unit 220 is defined by a spacing facing the lower side of the mid plate 207 within the main body unit 200, as shown in FIG. 44. The holder housing unit 220 is formed with engagement grooves 221, 222 engaged by both sides formed with cut-out shoulders 98, 99 of the bottom plate 93 of the loading member holder 91. These engagement grooves 221, 222 are formed horizontally along the width of the side plates 202, 203 constituting the main body unit 200, as shown in FIG. 44. The engagement grooves 221, 222 are broader in width than the thickness of the bottom plate 93 of the loading member holder 91 and are formed in the side plates 202, 203 by opening the front side of the main body unit 200.
The loading member holder 91 is loaded in the main body unit 200, by engaging both sides of the bottom plate 93 in the engagement grooves 221, 222 from the front side of the main body unit 200 and inserting the loading member holder 91 into the inside of the main body unit 200, as shown in FIG. 44. At this time, the loading member holder 91 is inserted into the inside of the holder housing unit 220 so that both sides of the bottom plate 93 are moved along the lower sides of the engagement grooves 221, 222. In this manner, the loading member holder 91 may be loaded on the main body unit 200 without the upper end of the loading member for electronic parts 23 projected from the upper surface of the top plate 92 abutting against the mid plate 207.
The main body unit 200 is provided with a holder supporting mechanism 223 for supporting the loading member holder 91, uplifted for engaging the upper end of the loading member for electronic parts 23 in the through-hole 227 of the mid plate 207, in the uplifted position. The holder supporting mechanism 223 includes supporting plate 225 slidably supported by an L-shaped mounting plate 224 mounted on the outer lateral surfaces of the side plates 202, 203, as shown in FIGS. 44 and 45. The holder supporting mechanism 223 includes supporting lugs 228 formed at its distal end so as to be protruded into engagement grooves 221, 222 formed in the inner surfaces of the side plates 202, 203 via inserting holes 226, 226 bored in the side plates 202, 203. The supporting plate 225 is formed with an elongated opening into which is inserted a set screw 229 passed through the mounting plate 224. The supporting plate 225 is slid within the extent of the elongated hole in a direction of moving the supporting lugs 228, 228 into and out of the engagement grooves 221, 222. When the loading member holder 91 is moved to the uplifted position, the supporting plate 225 is slid along the mounting plate 224 for protruding the supporting lugs 228, 228 into the engagement grooves 221, 222 in order to support the lower surface of the bottom plate 93 of the loading member holder 91. The supporting plate 225 is secured to the mounting plate 224 by a set screw 229, while the loading member holder 91 is supported by the supporting lugs 228, 228, in order to hold the state of supporting the loading member holder 91 in its uplifted position.
The electronic part loading device 201 includes, on the lower side of the loading member holder 91 housed in the holder housing unit 220, the substrate mounting plate 231 for holding in position the printed circuit board 21 for mounting the electronic parts 22, as shown in FIGS. 44 to 46. The substrate mounting plate 231 is supported as being set on a plate holder 233 mounted on a cylinder plate 232, as shown in FIGS. 45 and 46, and is moved from the lowermost solid-line position as far as the uppermost broken-line position shown in FIGS. 45 and 46 in the up-and-down direction as indicated by arrows Y3 and Y4 in FIGS. 44 and 45.
The top plate 205, push-up plate 206 and the mid plate 207 are formed with through-holes 238, 239, 227, respectively. In these through-holes 238, 239, 227 are inserted pre-set portions of an extruder rod 240 adapted for extruding the electronic parts loaded on the loading member for electronic parts 23 towards the printed circuit board 21. The relation between these plates and the extruder rod is hereinafter explained.
If, with the extruder rod 240 inserted into the electronic part loading device 201, the cylinder is driven for moving the push-up plate 206 from the lowermost solid-line position shown in FIGS. 45 and 46 towards the upper position as shown by arrow Y1 in FIGS. 45 and 46, the lower end of the large-diameter weighed portion 242 is engaged with the upper surface of the through-hole 239 of the push-up plate 206, so that the extruder rod 240 is moved upwards along with the push-up plate 206. If the push-up plate 206 is moved from the uppermost broken-line position in FIGS. 45 and 46 towards the lower side as indicated by arrow Y2 in FIGS. 45 and 46, the extruder rod 240 is lowered as it is supported by the through-hole 239 in the push-up plate 206.
First, with the substrate mounting plate 231 lowered to substantially the lowermost position of the main body unit 200 shown by a solid-line in FIGS. 45 and 46, an operator sets a sole printed circuit board 21 in position on the substrate mounting plate 231. After confining that the printed circuit board 21 has been set in a proper state on the substrate mounting plate 231, the operator drives the cylinder mechanism to shift the substrate mounting plate 231 in the direction indicated by arrow Y3 in FIGS. 45 and 46 to uplift the substrate mounting plate 231 up to the uppermost brokenline position in FIGS. 45 and 46.
It should be noted that, as the operation of loading the electronic parts 22 on the printed circuit board 21 is performed repeatedly, there is produced disparity in the height of the electronic parts 22 stacked in the loading through-hole 24 of the loading members for electronic parts 23. However, since the electronic parts 22 are extruded for each loading member for electronic parts 23 by the extruder rod 240 associated with each loading member for electronic parts 23, the electronic parts 22 can be extruded under perpetually the constant gravity regardless of the disparity in the stacking width of the electronic parts 22 to absorb the disparity of the stacking width to enable the electronic parts 22 to be optimally loaded on the printed circuit board 21 at all times.
The above-described electronic part loading device 201 is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and may be modified depending on the actual using states. For example, the various parts of the electronic part loading device 201 may be varied in shape appropriately, while the number of the plates supporting the extruder rods 240 or the loading members for electronic parts 23 can also be varied appropriately while controlling the positions thereof. In addition, the mounting mechanism of the respective plates on the main body unit 200 of the electronic part loading device 201 or the loading/unloading mechanism for the loading member holder 91 may also be varied appropriately.
This electronic part loading device 301 includes a movable cabinet 303. The movable cabinet 303, having the shape of a rectangular boss in its entirety, is made up of a pair of facing side plates 304, 305, a front plate 310 provided above the front side, a holder supporting plate 318 for supporting the loading member holder 91 arranged on the back side and a holder supporting frame 313 arranged on the bottom side, as shown in FIGS. 53 and 54. On the further back side of the holder supporting plate 318 is mounted a rail block 321 for up-and-down movement on a cylindrical rail 320 provided on the supporting column 302. The movable cabinet 303 is moved in the up-and-down direction as indicated by arrows Y5 and Y6 in FIGS. 53 and 54, under the guidance of the cylindrical rail 320, by having the rail block 321 of the holder supporting plate 318 mounted on the cylindrical rail 320.
On the right side in FIG. 52 of the holder supporting frame 313 arranged on the back side of the movable cabinet 303 are inserted two stop members, that is an upper stop member 322 and a lower stop member 323. The upper stop member 322 and lower stop member 323 are retained by a retainer 319 a formed at the lower end of a holder supporting piece 319 fixedly mounted relative to a cylindrical plate 316 movable in the up-and-down direction as will be explained subsequently, so that, if the cylindrical plate 316 is above the lowermost position, the upper stop member 322 and a lower stop member 323 support the movable cabinet 303 against the force of gravity. The function of the upper stop member 322 and the lower stop member 323 will be explained subsequently.
With the above-described structure of the movable cabinet 303, three plates, namely the top plate 306, push-up plate 308 and the mid plate 311, are arranged parallel to one another, as shown in FIGS. 52 to 54. The top plate 306 is supported by the movable cabinet 303 by being positioned by the upper end of the front plate 310 and a top plate supporting plate 307 arranged between the paired side plates 304, 305. The top plate 306 is formed with a through-hole 326 sized to permit insertion therethrough of a large-diameter weighted portion 342 of an extruder rod 340 which will be explained subsequently.
On the lower end side of the loading member for electronic parts 23 is mounted the mechanism for prohibiting incidental descent of electronic parts 27 as described above. Since the electronic parts 22 in the lowermost position is supported by the mechanism for prohibiting incidental descent of electronic parts 27, the electronic parts 22 loaded in a stacked state in the loading through-hole 24 are prohibited from incidental descent from the loading through-hole 24.
In the operating state 1, shown in FIGS. 59 and 60, the operator sets the printed circuit board 21, on which to load the electronic parts 22, on the substrate supporting portion 324 of the substrate supporting frame 314 arranged on the bottom plate 315. That is, the operating state 1 is that for mounting and exchange of the printed circuit board 21.
After the above-described operating state 3, the push-up plate 308 is automatically moved to its uppermost position as indicated by arrow Y7 in FIGS. 63 and 64. That is, the up-and down reciprocating movement of the push-up plate 308 by the cylinder accompanying the sole loading operation for the electronic parts 22 comes to a close when the operating state 1 is again after shifting from the operating state 3 to the operating state 2. During this process, the extruder rod 340 is supported by the push-up plate 308 to annul the state of thrusting of the electronic parts 22 loaded in the loading through-hole 24 of the loading member for electronic parts 23.
For loading the loading member holders 91 on the electronic part loading device 301, the lower stop member 323 is slid out of the engagement position with the retainer 319 a so that the retainer 319 a of the holder supporting piece 319 can be abutted against the upper stop member 322, as shown in FIG. 58. In this state, shown in FIG. 58, the push-up plate 308 is moved to substantially the uppermost position so that the movable cabinet 303 is uplifted by engagement of the upper stop member 322 with the retainer 319 a. In this case, since the movable cabinet 303 is supported and uplifted at a position higher than that at the time of loading the electronic parts 22 on the printed circuit board 21, the push-up plate 308 is positioned in the movable cabinet 303 at a point higher by the distance K than that for the usual operation. Therefore, the separation between the push-up plate 308 and the mid plate 311 is also separated by the above-mentioned distance K. This shifts the distal end of the shaft portion 341 of the extruder rod 340 well above the through-hole 328 of the mid plate 311.
In the method and apparatus for loading electronic parts according to the present invention, plural electronic parts to be mounted on a printed circuit board are arranged as a set and loaded in a loading member for electronic parts. A set of such loading members for electronic parts, each carrying a set of electronic parts of the same type, are arrayed in a loading member finishing casing. This set of the loading members for electronic parts, arrayed and held in the loading member furnishing casing, is inserted and held by a loading member holder by which the set of the loading members for electronic parts can be held in register with an electronic part mounting portion of the printed circuit board. The loading member holder holding the set of the loading members for electronic parts is loaded on an electronic part loading device. The set of the electronic parts held by the loading member holder is loaded at a time on the sole printed circuit board by the electronic part loading device. Plural sorts of plural electronic parts can be loaded correctly without error at the mounting positions on the sole printed circuit board.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS4127432 *Apr 12, 1977Nov 28, 1978Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Method for mounting chip type circuit elements on a printed circuit board and apparatus for performing the sameUS4389272 *Jul 21, 1981Jun 21, 1983Ferco S.P.A.Process and feeding device to provide consecutive series of small objects on a single planeUS4462737 *Oct 6, 1981Jul 31, 1984U.S. Philips CorporationDevice for advancing parts contained in magazinesUS4548667 *Mar 28, 1984Oct 22, 1985Wical Robert MPlanned coordinate component placement systemUS4889229 *Apr 20, 1988Dec 26, 1989Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Cassette for storing a plurality of electronic component chipsUS4965927 *Sep 21, 1989Oct 30, 1990Eli HolzmanApparatus for applying surface-mounted electronic components to printed circuit boards* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS6718627Nov 19, 2002Apr 13, 2004Mirae CorporationBack-up plate up/down apparatusUS7080444 *Feb 28, 2002Jul 25, 2006Alien Technology CorporationApparatus for forming an electronic assemblyUS7795076Jun 14, 2004Sep 14, 2010Symbol Technologies, Inc.Method, system, and apparatus for transfer of dies using a die plate having die cavitiesUS7886430 *Dec 13, 2002Feb 15, 2011Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.Method of installing circuit board componentUS8297472 *Nov 24, 2010Oct 30, 2012Texas Instruments IncorporatedPellet loader with pellet separator for molding IC devicesUS8424717 *Feb 22, 2005Apr 23, 2013Snaptron, Inc.Efficient delivery and placement systems for switch contactsUS20120126453 *Nov 24, 2010May 24, 2012Texas Instruments IncorporatedPellet loader with pellet separator for molding ic devices* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification156/299, 29/740, 156/559, 156/558, 29/832, 29/836, 414/798, 156/563, 221/270, 156/562, 156/565International ClassificationH05K13/02, H05K13/04Cooperative ClassificationY10T156/1092, Y10T156/1761, Y10T156/1759, H05K13/0478, Y10T156/1756, Y10T29/4913, H05K13/021, Y10T156/1749, Y10T29/49137, Y10T156/1766, Y10T29/53178, Y10T156/1751European ClassificationH05K13/04I, H05K13/02BLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionFeb 9, 2010FPExpired due to failure to pay maintenance feeEffective date: 20091218Dec 18, 2009LAPSLapse for failure to pay maintenance feesJun 29, 2009REMIMaintenance fee reminder mailedJun 20, 2005FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Apr 19, 1999ASAssignmentOwner name: SONY CORPORATION, JAPANFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:OSAMU, SUGIYAMA;REEL/FRAME:009925/0114Effective date: 19990331RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services