Abstract:
The present invention discloses a transfer for a tray feeder comprising: a base frame; a support frame installed at both sides of the base frame; first and second linear motion guiders installed oppositely and longitudinally to the inside of the support frame and having a plurality of first and second linear motion guide rails; first and second plates installed to an upper portion of the first and second linear guides and having a cylinder block capable of supporting a side of the tray received an electronic parts and the like; and a driving unit installed to a side portion of the support frame and for making the movement of the first and second plates; wherein the first and second plates can move along the first and second guide rails, crossing with each other.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a transfer for a tray feeder, and in particular to an improved transfer for a tray feeder which can continuously supply a tray plate on which an electronic parts is mounted to a mounter.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Background Art  
           [0004]    Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, in a conventional electronic parts feeder for feeding an electronic parts along a tray, a magazine  3  receiving the electronic parts  4  is supported by a lifter  7  lifted or lowered along a ball screw  6  driven by a driving motor  5 . when a necessary electronic parts  4  is selected, the lifter  7  is moved in an upper or lower direction. The magazine  3  receiving a tray plate  2  is supported on the lifter  7 . After a position of the lifter  7  is decided, the tray plate  2  is transferred by driving of a tray plate fetch unit  8 .  
           [0005]    Thereafter, the electronic parts  4  is moved to the upper portion of a centering table  11  by a moving unit  10  having a moving nozzle  9 . The centering table  11  on which the electronic parts is put is moved to a side of the mounter, thereby supplying the electronic parts  4 .  
           [0006]    However, the conventional electronic parts feeder has a disadvantage in that the lifter  7  is always lifted or lowered in the operation of the mounter, and thus the electronic parts is not supplied during the operation of the mounter.  
           [0007]    In addition, the electronic parts cannot be replaced during the operation of the mounter. Accordingly, while the tray plate on which the electronic parts is mounted is exchanged, the mounter should stop the operation. As a result, a mounting time of the electronic parts is increased, thereby reducing productivity.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a transfer for a tray feeder which can continuously supply a tray receiving an electronic parts to an electronic parts mounter, by intersecting and moving one of a plurality of plates along a cam curve unit.  
           [0009]    In order to achieve the above-described object of the invention, in a transfer for a tray feeder providing an electronic parts to a surface mounter, the transfer for the tray feeder comprises a base frame; a support frame installed at both sides of the base frame; first and second linear motion guiders installed oppositely and longitudinally to the inside of the support frame and having a plurality of first and second linear motion guide rails; first and second plates installed to an upper portion of the first and second linear guides and having a cylinder block capable of supporting a side of the tray received an electronic parts and the like; and a driving unit installed to a side portion of the support frame and for making the movement of the first and second plates; wherein the first and second plates can move along the first and second guide rails, crossing with each other. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    The present invention will become better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings which are given only by way of illustration and thus are not limitative of the present invention, wherein:  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a means for putting a tray in a magazine which is adapted to a conventional electronic parts feeder;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the conventional electronic parts feeder;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a stacker unit having a transfer in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a stacker unit which does not have the transfer;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the transfer before the operation;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the transfer during the operation;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating first and second plates and first and second LM guides;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 8 is a side view illustrating the transfer before the operation; and  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 9 is a side view illustrating the transfer during the operation. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0020]    A transfer for a tray feeder in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to FIGS.  3  to  5 .  
         [0021]    The tray feeder (referred to as ‘electronic parts feeder’) of the present invention includes: a transfer  100  for transferring a plurality of tray plates; a stacker  200 ; a magazine  300  and an exchanger  400 .  
         [0022]    A pair of support frames  100   a  are installed at both sides of the transfer  100 , and first and second plates  130  and  140  for transferring the tray plates  150  are positioned on the support frames  110   a.  A driving unit  120  is formed at one side portion of the support frame  110   a,  thereby moving the first and second plates  130  and  140 .  
         [0023]    Cylinder blocks  132  and  142  are positioned at one end portions of the first plate  130  and the second plate  140 . A plurality of sensors  134   a,    134   b,    144   a  and  144   b  for sensing a tray  160  are installed at both side portions of the cylinder blocks  132  and  142 . Edge protrusion units  136  and  146  for closely supporting the tray  160  are positioned at the front portions thereof.  
         [0024]    The stacker  200  includes a cover frame  210  and a main frame  220 . The cover frame  210  has a plurality of horizontal frames  211 , longitudinal frames  212  and vertical frames  213  to surround an outer portion thereof. A base unit  216  is mounted at the lower portion of the vertical frames  213 .  
         [0025]    As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the transfer  100  and the exchanger  400  are connected at the upper portion of the main frame  220  mounted at one side portion of the cover frame  210 .  
         [0026]    A driving motor  214  is installed at one upper side portion of a support frame  217  installed at one side portion of the main frame  220 . A ball screw  215  is connected to a motor shaft (not shown) of the driving motor  214 . Since the ball screw  215  is connected to one side portion of an elevator  240 , when the ball screw  215  is operated by driving the driving motor  214 , the elevator  240  is moved in a predetermined direction.  
         [0027]    In addition, a plurality of LM guides  218  for guiding the elevator  240  positioned at an upper side of the base unit  216  are installed at one side portion of the support frame  217 .  
         [0028]    A plurality of guide blocks  232  connected to one side portion of the elevator  240  are inserted into the plurality of LM guides  218 . The other portions of the guide blocks  232  are connected to one side portion of the guide frame  230  connected to the elevator  240 , thereby capable of lifting or lowering the elevator  240 .  
         [0029]    A plurality of electronic parts (refer to FIG. 1) are mounted on the plurality of trays  160  in the magazine  300 . The plurality of trays  160  are mounted on the plurality of tray plates  150 .  
         [0030]    The exchanger  400  is installed at one side portion of the transfer  100 . The exchanger  400  puts or fetches the tray plate  150  in/from the magazine  300 .  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the transfer of FIG. 3 before the operation, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the transfer during the operation.  
         [0032]    The transfer  100  includes: a base frame  110 ; the first and second tray plates  130  and  140  where the tray plates  150  are mounted and supported; first and second LM guides  111  and  112  for guiding the first and second plats  130  and  140 ; and the driving unit  120  for driving the first and second plates  130  and  140 .  
         [0033]    The plurality of first and second LM guides  111  and  112  are positioned at an upper portion of the base frame  110 , having a predetermined interval in a vertical direction.  
         [0034]    First and second LM guide rails  111   a  and  112   a  are formed at an upper portion of the first and second LM guides  111  and  112 .  
         [0035]    A cam curve unit  113  having a long oblong hole in a longitudinal direction is formed at the side portion of the second LM guide  112 . As shown in FIG. 7, a center portion (a) of the cam curve unit  113  is formed lower than both end portions (b) thereof, thereby preventing collision in movement of the first and second plates  130  and  140 .  
         [0036]    The first plate  130  is movably formed on the first LM guide rail  111   a , and the second plate  140  is movably formed on the second LM guide rail  112   a . The driving unit  120  is installed at one side portion of the base frame  110 .  
         [0037]    The driving unit  120  includes a driving pulley (not shown) having a driving motor  121  and a belt  123 , and an idle pulley  122  inserted into and supported by a pulley shaft  124 . The idle pulley  122  is installed on a rotation shaft  124  connected to the first and second plates  130  and  140 . The belt  123  is positioned in one driving pulley and the idle pulley  122 .  
         [0038]    As depicted in FIGS.  7  to  9 , a guide plate  141  is installed at the lower portion of the second plate  140 .  
         [0039]    A plurality of ball bushes  145  are formed at both side portions of the lower portion of the guide plate  141 , having a predetermined interval. A roller  143  is formed between the ball bushes  145 . The roller  143  is inserted into the cam curve unit  113  passing through the side portion of the second LM guide  112 .  
         [0040]    The operation of the transfer for the tray feeder in accordance with the present invention will now be explained.  
         [0041]    When the tray plate  150  on which the tray  160  having the electronic parts fed from the electronic parts feeder is mounted is received in the magazine  300 , and the driving motor  214  installed at one side portion of the support frame  217  of the stacker  200  is driven, the elevator  240  is lifted along the LM guide  218  formed at one side portion of the support frame  217  by rotation of the ball screw  215  connected to the motor shaft of the driving motor  214 .  
         [0042]    When the elevator  240  is lifted and stops at a predetermined position, the nozzle unit (not shown) of the exchanger  400  advances to the magazine  300  to fetch the tray plate  150  received in the magazine  300  mounted on the elevator  240 .  
         [0043]    Here, the first plate  130  is moved to one side portion of the exchanger  400  by the driving of the driving unit  120  positioned at one side portion of the first LM guide of the transfer  100 , and stands by for a mounting operation of the tray plate  10 .  
         [0044]    When the advanced nozzle unit of the exchanger  400  adsorbs and          the tray plate  150 , and fetches the tray plate  150  by backward driving, the tray plate  150  is positioned on the first plate  130  formed at the upper portion of the transfer  100  by removal of a suction force of the nozzle unit of the exchanger  400 .  
         [0045]    When the tray  160  is positioned on the tray plate  150 , the plurality of sensors  134   a  and  134   b  of the cylinder block  132  installed at one side portion of the first plate  130  sense a position of the tray  160 . Accordingly, one side portion of the tray  160  is supported by the edge protrusion unit  136  formed on the cylinder block  132 , to firmly position the tray  160 .  
         [0046]    The cylinder block  132  of the first plate  130  has the same constitution and operation as the cylinder block  142  of the second plate  142 .  
         [0047]    On the other hand, when the driving motor  121  of the driving unit  120  is driven, the driving pulley (not shown) is driven to rotate the belt  123  and the idle pulley  122 . Thus, the rotation shaft  124  inserted into and supported by the idle pulley  122  is rotated, and the belt  123  is rotated, thereby driving the first and second plates  130  and  140 .  
         [0048]    When the first plate  130  is moved from the electronic parts feeder to the electronic parts mounter, having the tray plate  150  receiving the electronic parts mounted thereon, the second plate  140  is moved to the exchanger side to take another tray plate  150  receiving the electronic parts.  
         [0049]    On the other hand, the guide plate  141  is formed at the lower portion of the second plate  140  moved along the second LM guide  112 . The plurality of ball bushes  145  and the rollers  143  positioned at both end portions of the lower portion of the guide plate  141  are inserted into the cam curve unit  113  passing through the side portion of the second LM guide  112 . Therefore, the second plate  140  is moved along the cam curve  113  by guiding of the ball bushes  145  and sliding of the rollers  143 . The second plate  140  is lifted in a predetermined section of both end portions of the second LM guide  112 , and lowered in a predetermined section of the center portion thereof, thereby performing straight and curved line movements along the second LM guide  112 .  
         [0050]    When the second plate  140  performs the straight line movement along the second LM guide  112 , it is moved below the first plate  130  performing the curved line movement by the cam curve unit  113 . Accordingly, the first and second plates  130  and  140  are moved without collision. The second plate  140  is moved to the exchanger side, and the nozzle unit of the exchanger  400  adsorbs and          the tray plate  150  finishing the mounting operation of the electronic parts, puts the tray plate  150  in the magazine  300  by forward driving, removes the suction force, and moves in a backward direction.  
         [0051]    When the elevator  240  is lifted by a predetermined distance and stops at a predetermined position, the nozzle unit of the exchanger  400  advances, adsorbs and          the tray plate  150  on which the electronic parts is mounted, moved in a backward direction, and positioned on the second plate  140 . When the nozzle unit removes the suction force, the tray plate  150  is stably positioned.  
         [0052]    When the plurality of tray plates  150  of toe magazine  300  are all fetched, and when the plurality of tray plates  150  finishing the mounting operation of the electronic parts are all put in, the elevator  240  is lowered to replace the plurality of tray plates  150  finishing the mounting operation of the electronic parts by the plurality of tray plates  150  on which the electronic parts are mounted.  
         [0053]    That is, the plates  130  and  140  formed on the transfer  100  exchange their positions without collision. Accordingly, it is possible to pick up the electronic parts mounted on the tray  160 , without stopping the system to replace the tray  160 . As a result, the electronic parts feeder can be continuously operated.  
         [0054]    As discussed earlier, in accordance with the present invention, when the tray on which the electronic parts is mounted is transferred by using the transfer and the parts is mounted on the parts mounter, one plate keeps the tray having the electronic parts in a standby state, and another plate mounts the electronic parts on the electronic parts feeder, thereby consecutively performing the mounting operation of the electronic parts.  
         [0055]    As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiment is not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalences of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.