Source: http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2016/0324043.html
Timestamp: 2018-06-25 02:38:14
Document Index: 760254311

Matched Legal Cases: ['art.\n7', 'art.\n8', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12', 'art 12']

COMPONENT SUPPLYING APPARATUS AND COMPONENT SUPPLYING METHOD - Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
United States Patent Application 20160324043
Kido, Kazuo (Hyogo, JP)
Abe, Seikou (Osaka, JP)
15/206811
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6. A component supplying apparatus for feeding in a tape length direction a carrier tape having a base tape having recesses for accommodating components and feed holes arranged thereon in the tape length direction and a top tape pasted on the base tape so as to cover the recesses, the component supplying apparatus comprising: a body part, a main tape entering port formed on the body part, a component supply port which formed on an upper surface of the body part and through which nozzles of a transfer head of a component mounting apparatus pick up the components in the recesses of the carrier tape having been entered from the main tape entering port, a main tape path extending in the body part from the main tape entering port to the underside of the component supply port, a tape feeding device feeding the carrier tape toward the component supply port along the main tape path, a top tape removing part removing the top tape from the base tape of the carrier tape on the main tape path upstream in the tape feeding direction of the component supply port so as to expose the components in the recesses, and a sub tape entering port formed on the upper surface of the body part and adapted to be entered by the carrier tape so as to enter the carrier tape into the main tape path, wherein a path length from the sub tape entering port to the component supply port is shorter than a path length from the main tape entering part to the component supply part.
7. The component supplying apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the tape feeding device feeds the carrier tape having been entered in the sub tape entering port from the top tape removing part to the component supply part.
8. The component supplying apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the tape feeding device has at least one sprocket wheel engaging with the feed holes of the carrier tape on the main tape path and feeding the carrier tape in the tape feeding direction.
9. The component supplying apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a sub tape path extending in the body part from the sub tape entering port and meeting the main tape path at a meeting point in midstream of the main tape path.
10. The component supplying apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the main tape entering port has a size enough for two carrier tape overlapping each other in the thickness direction to enter in, further comprising an automatic feeding device, until a rear end in the tape feeding direction of one of two carrier tapes having been entered into the main tape entering port and overlapped each other passes beyond a front end in the tape feeding direction of the other, keep the other carrier tape waiting in the main tape path between the main tape entering port and the meeting point.
11. The component supplying method for feeding in a tape length direction a carrier tape having a base tape having recesses accommodating components and feed holes respectively arranged thereon in the tape length direction and a top tape pasted on the base tape so as to cover the recesses, the component supplying method comprising: entering the carrier tape into a body part of a component supplying apparatus through a main tape entering port, feeding the carrier tape having been entered into the body part in the tape feeding direction along a main tape path which extending in the body part from the main tape entering port to the underside of a component supply port, removing the top tape from the base tape of the carrier tape on the main tape path upstream in the tape feeding direction of the component supply port so as to expose the components in the recesses, and picking up the components in the recesses of the carrier tape with the top tape removed through the component supply port by using nozzles of a transfer head of a component mounting apparatus, further comprising, in case that the carrier tape has a length shorter than the distance in the main tape path from main tape entering port to the component supply port, entering the shorter carrier tape into the main tape path from a sub tape entering part formed on a upper surface of the body part, feeding the shorter carrier tape having been entered into the main tape path from the sub tape entering port along the main tape path in the tape feeding direction, removing the top tape from the base tape of the shorter carrier tape on the main tape path upstream in the tape feeding direction of the component supply port so as to expose the components in the recesses, and picking up the components in the recesses of the shorter carrier tape with the top tape removed through the component supply port by using the nozzles of the transfer head of the component mounting apparatus.
According to a first aspect of present invention, there is provided a component supplying apparatus for feeding in a tape length direction a carrier tape having a base tape having recesses for accommodating components and feed holes arranged thereon in the tape length direction and a top tape pasted on the base tape so as to cover the recesses, the component supplying apparatus comprising:
a component supply port which formed on an upper surface of the body part and through which nozzles of a transfer head of a component mounting apparatus pick up the components in the recesses of the carrier tape having been entered in the body part,
According to a second aspect, there is provided the component supplying apparatus of the first aspect further comprising a second sprocket wheel engaging with the feed holes of the carrier tape on the main tape path between the main tape entering port and the meeting point and feeding the carrier tape in the tape feeding direction,
According to a third aspect, there is provided the component supplying apparatus of the first or second aspect, wherein the main tape entering port has a size enough for two carrier tape overlapping each other in the thickness direction to enter in,
further comprising an automatic feeding device, until a rear end in the tape feeding direction of one of two carrier tapes having been entered into the main tape entering port and overlapped each other passes beyond a front end in the tape feeding direction of the other, keep the other carrier tape waiting in the main tape path between the main tape entering port and the meeting point.
According to an fifth aspect, there is provided a component supplying method for feeding in a tape length direction a carrier tape having a base tape having recesses accommodating components and feed holes respectively arranged thereon in the tape length direction and a top tape pasted on the base tape so as to cover the recesses, the component supplying method comprising:
feeding the carrier tape having been entered in to the body part in the tape feeding direction along a main tape path which extending in the body part from the main tape entering port to the underside of a component supply port and which including a horizontal path portion passing under the component supply port in a horizontal direction and a slope path portion extending in an obliquely upward direction toward the horizontal path portion,
feeding the shorter carrier tape in the tape feeding direction toward the component supply port along a sub tape path which extends in the body part in an obliquely downward direction from a sub tape entering port different from the main tape entering port and which meets the main tape path at a meeting point on the slope path portion of the main tape path located upstream in the tape feeding direction of the top tape removing part, by using at least one sprocket wheel engaging with the feed holes of the carrier tape on the main tape path downstream in the tape feeding direction of the meeting point,
The main tape entering port 12a is formed on a side surface 12d (end surface in Y-axis direction) of the body part 12 which is a side surface far from the component supply position Q in a horizontal direction (Y-axis direction). The sub tape entering port 12b and the component supply port 12c are formed on an upper surface 12e (end surface in a vertical direction (Z-axis direction)) of the body part 12. In the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the sub tape entering port 12b and the component supply port 12c are formed on the common upper surface 12e and thus located at the same level (same position in Z-axis direction), but not be limited thereto. The sub tape entering port 12b and the component supply port 12c may be located at a different level. The body part 12 of the component supplying apparatus 10 also includes main tape path P1 and sub tape path P2 for guiding the carrier tape 200 to the underside of the component supply port 12c. The main tape path P1 extends from the main tape entering port 12a to the underside of the component supply port 12c in the body part 12.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5B, the subsequent carrier tape 200′ is entered into the main tape entering port 12a so that the subsequent carrier tape 200′ is stacked on the preceding carrier tape 200 in the tape thickness direction (Z-axis direction).
As shown in FIG. 5B, the subsequent carrier tape 200′, which have been entered into the main tape entering port 12a and thus have stacked on the preceding carrier tape 200, is pushed in the tape feeding direction A toward the back of the body part 12, and thereby is arranged between the guide surface 12f of the body port 12 and the guide surface 52a of the biasing block 52 with it stacking on the preceding carrier tape 200 as shown in FIG. 5C. Consequently, the feed holes 208′ of the subsequent carrier tape 200′ engage with the teeth 14a of the sprocket wheel 14. On the other hand, the feed holes 208 of the preceding carrier tape 200 below the subsequent carrier tape 200′ are released from the teeth 14a of the sprocket wheel 14.
The automatic feeding device 50, as shown in FIG. 1, is configured to automatically feed the subsequent carrier tape 200′ in the tape feeding direction A by rotating the sprocket wheel 14, when a tape end detection sensor 80, which located on the tape path P1 between automatic feeding device 50 and the top tape removing device 20, detects the rear end (rear end face) in the tape feeding direction A of the preceding carrier tape 200.
The automatic feeding device 50 is configured to keep the subsequent carrier tape 200′ waiting by use of the swing lever 54 so as to prevent the subsequent carrier tape 200′ from moving in the tape feeding direction A before the tape end detection sensor 80 detects the rear end in the tape feeding direction A of the preceding carrier tape 200. That is, the automatic feeding device 50 is configured to prevent the subsequent carrier tape 200′ from moving in the tape feeding direction A with it riding on the preceding carrier tape 200.
By the swing lever 54, the subsequent carrier tape 200′ is kept waiting with it stacking on the preceding carrier tape 200 at between the guide surface 12f of the body part 12 and the guide surface 52a of the biasing block 52. The swing lever 54, as shown in FIG. 5C, is supported by a rotation shaft 60 extending in X-axis direction and freely swings about the rotation shaft 60. The swing lever 54 also is swingable about the rotation shaft 60 and has a free end 54a facing to the guide surface 52a of the biasing block 52. The free end 54a of the swing lever 54 contacts with the front end 212′ in the tape feeding direction A of the subsequent carrier tape 200′ and thereby keep the subsequent carrier tape 200′ waiting.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5C, each element of the automatic feeding device 50 is configured such that, when the preceding carrier tape 200 and the subsequent carrier tape 200′ are overlapped in the tape thickness direction (Z-axis direction) between the guide surface 12f of the body part 12 and the guide surface 52a of the biasing block 52, the distance in Z-axis direction from the guide surface 52a of the biasing block 52 to the free end 54a of the swing lever 54 is larger than thickness of the preceding carrier tape 200 and is smaller than sum of thicknesses of the preceding carrier tape 200 and the subsequent carrier tape 200′. Consequently, the preceding carrier tape 200 on the guide surface 52f of the biasing block 52-side can pass through in the tape feeding direction between the guide surface 52a of the biasing block 52 and the free end 54a of the swing lever 54. In contrast, the subsequent carrier tape 200′ on the guide surface 12f of the body part 12-side cannot pass thorough in the tape feeding direction A between the preceding carrier tape 200 and the free end 54a of the swing lever 54 due to the contact of the front end 212′ thereof in the tape feeding direction A and the free end 54a of the swing lever 54. Consequently, the swing lever 54 keeps the subsequent carrier tape 200′ waiting.
As shown in FIG. 5D, when the rear end 216 (rear face) in the tape feeding direction A of the preceding carrier tape 200 fed in the tape feeding direction A by the sprocket wheels 16, 18 has passed beyond the front end 212′ (front face) in the tape feeding direction A of the subsequent carrier tape 200′, the biasing block 52 is biased by the spring 60 and thus moves toward the guide surface 12f of the body part 12. Consequently, the subsequent carrier tape 200′ is directly held between the guide surface 12f of the body part 12 and the guide surface 52a of the biasing block 52, and thereby generate a gap, through which the subsequent carrier tape 200′ can pass, between the guide surface 52a of the biasing block 52 and the free end 54a of the swing lever 54. When the tape end detection sensor 80 has detected the rear end 216 in the tape feeding direction A of the preceding carrier tape 200, the subsequent carrier tape 200′ is fed in the tape feeding direction A by the sprocket wheel 14 and then passes through between the guide surface 52a of the biasing block 52 and the free end 54a of the swing lever 54.
For example, in the above embodiment, the automatic feeding device 50, as shown in FIG. 5C, includes one sprocket wheel 14, the biasing block 52 biasing the preceding and subsequent carrier tapes 200, 200′ toward the sprocket wheel 14, and the swing lever 54 keeping the subsequent carrier tape 200′ waiting by the contact of the front end 212′ of the subsequent carrier tape 200′ until the rear end 216 of the preceding carrier tape 200 passes beyond the front end 212′ of the subsequent carrier tape 200′. An automatic feeding device stating a feeding of a subsequent carrier tape automatically is not limited to the automatic feeding device 50. An automatic feeding device, in the broad sense, until a rear end in the tape feeding direction of one of two carrier tapes having been entered into the main tape entering port and overlapped each other passes beyond a front end in the tape feeding direction of the other, can keep the other carrier tape waiting in the main tape path between the main tape entering port and the meeting point.
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