Patent Description:
Since a component mounting board in recent years has become thinner and has been easier to bend, in a case where a component is mounted on a circuit board by a component mounting machine, the circuit board is held by backup pins from below to prevent the circuit board from bending. Further, as described in <CIT>, in order to change an arrangement of backup pins according to a size or the like of a circuit board, there is a component mounting machine configured to automatically arrange the backup pins. In the component mounting machine, when the backup pins are automatically arranged, the backup pins are held by a chuck or the like attached to an XY-robot, and the backup pins are automatically arranged at positions designated in a production job. <CIT> discloses automatically arranging backup pins for a circuit board that, according to a production plan, is to be produced after the current job as much as possible before the changeover. This can be done by making use of unused space on the backup plate, preferably during idle time of the XY-robot. <CIT> discloses a device configured to decide where to place backup pins with the help of a superimposed images of a surface side and a reverse side of the circuit board and components mounted thereon.

Generally, in a component mounting line for producing a component mounting board, components are mounted on a circuit board in order by multiple component mounting machines arranged along a conveyance path of the circuit board to produce the component mounting board.

Generally, it is desirable to arrange backup pins in the vicinity of a position directly below a position where a component is mounted on a circuit board. In addition, since positions where components are mounted on the circuit board differ for each component mounting machine of a component mounting line, it is desirable to change the arrangement of the backup pins in accordance with the positions where components are mounted for each component mounting machine. Therefore, although there is a case where the arrangement of the backup pins differs for each component mounting machine, if the arrangement of the backup pins, which differs for each component mounting machine, is set in a production job, there is a drawback that creation work of the production job is complicated.

Therefore, in order to simplify the creation work of the production job, the arrangement of the backup pins only at positions common to multiple component mounting machines of the component mounting line is set in the production job.

However, if the backup pins are arranged only at positions common to multiple component mounting machines of the component mounting line, the backup pins at positions which are not common to multiple component mounting machines cannot be arranged. Therefore, there is a drawback that the backup pins cannot be arranged at positions originally desired to be arranged if the positions where the backup pins are to be arranged exist at positions which are not common to multiple component mounting machines.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an automatic backup pin arrangement system for a component mounting machine configured to automatically arrange backup pins at positions designated in a production job is provided, the backup pins being capable of holding a circuit board, on which a component is mounted, from below, wherein an arrangement of the backup pins designated in the production job is used in common by multiple component mounting machines arranged along a conveyance path of the circuit board, and a position of each of the backup pins is designated at a position relative to the circuit board, an XY-robot performing a component mounting operation and an automatic backup pin arrangement operation is mounted on each of the component mounting machines, and a control device configured to control an operation of each of the component mounting machines determines whether a designated position of a backup pin is a position where the backup pin cannot be automatically arranged in the arrangement of the backup pins designated in the production job, and when the backup pin exists at a position where the backup pin cannot be automatically arranged, the control device excludes the backup pin at the position from the arrangement of the backup pins designated in the production job and the excluded backup pin is not to be automatically arranged, and the control device automatically arranges only other backup pins at the positions designated in the production job.

In this configuration, the control device of each component mounting machine determines whether a designated position of a backup pin is a position where the backup pin cannot be automatically arranged in the arrangements of the backup pins designated in the production job, and in a case where designated position of a backup pin is a position where the backup pin cannot be automatically arranged, the control device excludes the backup pin at the position from the arrangement of the backup pins designated in the production job not to be automatically arranged, and automatically arranges only the other backup pins at positions designated in the production job. Therefore, the arrangement of the backup pins designated in the production job can be designated not only by the arrangement of the backup pins at the positions common to the multiple component mounting machines but also by the arrangement of the backup pins at the positions which are not common to the multiple component mounting machines. Therefore, the control device of each component mounting machine can automatically arrange the backup pins at positions which are not common to the multiple component mounting machines in addition to the arrangement of the backup pins at the positions common to the multiple component mounting machines using the arrangement of the backup pins designated in the production job. Therefore, it is unnecessary to set the arrangement of the backup pins different for each component mounting machine in the production job, so that creation work of the production job can be simplified and the backup pins can be automatically arranged even if the positions where the backup pins are to be originally arranged are not common to the multiple component mounting machines.

Hereinafter, an embodiment disclosed in the present specification will be described.

First, a configuration of component mounting machine <NUM> will be described with reference to <FIG>. Multiple component mounting machines <NUM> are arranged in a component mounting line for producing a component mounting board. <FIG> illustrates an example in which two component mounting machines <NUM> are installed.

Each component mounting machine <NUM> has a configuration in which two mounting heads <NUM> and 13R (refer to <FIG>) for mounting components on circuit board <NUM> conveyed by conveyor <NUM>, and two XY-robots <NUM> and 14R for moving two mounting heads <NUM> and 13R separately in X-direction, which is a conveyance direction of circuit board <NUM>, and in Y-direction, which is a direction orthogonal to X-direction, are installed.

Two XY-robots <NUM> and 14R have the same configuration and the same size, and are configured by combining two X-slides <NUM> and 15R for separately moving two mounting heads <NUM> and 13R in X-direction, and two Y-slides <NUM> and 16R for separately moving X-slides <NUM> and 15R in Y-direction. Two XY-robots <NUM> and 14R are arranged such that two Y-slides <NUM> and 16R move, in Y-direction, movable areas AL and AR (movable area AL on a board loading side and movable area AR on a board unloading side illustrated in <FIG>) different in X-direction. Further, Y-slides <NUM> and 16R respectively support X-slides <NUM> and 15R, and Y-slides <NUM> and 16R respectively supports X-axis driving devices <NUM> and 17R (refer to <FIG>), which are driving sources for respectively moving X-slides <NUM> and 15R in X-direction.

In this case, as illustrated in <FIG>, movable areas AL and AR (movable area AL on the board loading side and movable area AR on the board unloading side) in which two XY-robots <NUM> and 14R can move are located apart in X-direction, which is the conveyance direction of circuit board <NUM>, so that area M outside the movement range exists between movable areas AL and AR of two XY-robots <NUM> and 14R, and a component mounting operation and an automatic backup pin arrangement operation described later can be performed only in movable areas AL and AR.

Each of X-axis driving devices <NUM> and 17R is configured by using, for example, a feeding screw device, a linear motor, or the like. In addition, mounting heads <NUM> and 13R are respectively supported by X-slides <NUM> and 15R, which are respectively supported by Y-slides <NUM> and 16R, and a mark imaging camera (not illustrated) for imaging a board mark of circuit board <NUM> is supported by each of X-slides <NUM> and 15R.

Each of mounting heads <NUM> and 13R holds one or multiple suction nozzles <NUM> (refer to <FIG>) for picking up of a component. Further, mounting heads <NUM> and 13R are respectively provided with Z-axis driving devices <NUM> and 19R (refer to <FIG>) for each lowering/lifting suction nozzle <NUM> during a component pickup operation or a component mounting operation. Each of mounting heads <NUM> and 13R may be a rotary-type mounting head or may be a mounting head that does not rotate.

Y-axis driving devices serving as driving sources for respectively moving of Y-slides <NUM> and 16R in Y-direction are respectively configured by using linear motors <NUM> and 21R. In two linear motors <NUM> and 21R, shaft-type stators <NUM> and 23R respectively extend in parallel with Y-direction, both end portions of each of stators <NUM> and 23R in Y-direction are supported by mounting machine body <NUM>, and Y-slides <NUM> and 16R are respectively attached to movable elements <NUM> and 22R, which linearly move along stators <NUM> and 23R, respectively. A position of each of linear motors <NUM> and 21R in X-direction is a position corresponding to a center of each of Y-slides <NUM> and 16R in a width in X-direction. In the present embodiment, each of linear motors <NUM> and 21R is a shaft-type linear motor, but may be a flat-type linear motor. The Y-axis driving device may be configured by using a feeding screw device instead of the linear motor.

Mounting machine body <NUM> supporting both end portions of stators <NUM> and 23R of each of linear motors <NUM> and 21R is a box-type structure configured to constitute a framework of component mounting machine <NUM>. Conveyor <NUM> for conveying circuit board <NUM> in X-direction is disposed inside the body, and two mounting heads <NUM> and 13R are configured to move above conveyor <NUM> in XY-directions. A space for setting component supply device <NUM> (refer to <FIG>), such as a tape feeder or a tray feeder, for supplying components is provided on a front surface side of mounting machine body <NUM>.

In order to measure positional information (Y-coordinate) of each of Y-slides <NUM> and 16R in Y-direction, which is positional information (Y-coordinate) of each of mounting heads <NUM> and 13R in Y-direction, two linear scales <NUM> and 33R (refer to <FIG>) are provided on mounting machine body <NUM> so as to extend parallel to Y-direction. Each of linear scales <NUM> and 33R may be of any type, for example, such as a magnetic-type, a photoelectric-type (optical-type), or an electromagnetic induction-type.

Each of guide rails 35R and <NUM> (refer to <FIG>) for guiding an inner end portion of each of Y-slides <NUM> and 16R in Y-direction is attached to a lower surface side of middle frame <NUM> (refer to <FIG>) provided in a beam shape at a center portion (between two XY-robots <NUM> and 14R) of mounting machine body <NUM>. Guide members <NUM> (refer to <FIG>) slidably fitted into each of guide rails <NUM>, 35R, <NUM>, and 36R are provided on left and right both end portions of each of Y-slides <NUM> and 16R.

Each of sensors <NUM> and 40R (refer to <FIG>) for reading the positional information of each of Y-slides <NUM> and 16R in Y-direction is provided at a position among each of Y-slides <NUM> and 16R, where the positional information of each of Y-slides <NUM> and 16R in Y-direction can be read from each of linear scales <NUM> and 33R.

In order to measure the positional information (X-coordinate) of each of X-slides <NUM> and 15R in X-direction, which is the positional information (X-coordinate) of each of mounting heads <NUM> and 13R in X-direction, each of sensors <NUM> and 41R (refer to <FIG>) is provided. Although a configuration for measuring the positional information of each of X-slides <NUM> and 15R in X-direction is not illustrated, for example, each linear scale may be provided on each of Y-slides <NUM> and 16R along X-direction, which is the movement direction of each of X-slides <NUM> and 15R, and each of sensors <NUM> and 41R for reading the positional information of each of X-slides <NUM> and 15R in X-direction from each linear scale may be provided on each of X-slides <NUM> and 15R. Alternatively, in a case where a feeding screw device is used as each of X-axis driving devices <NUM> and 17R for moving each of X-slides <NUM> and 15R in X-direction, the positional information (X-coordinate of mounting heads <NUM> and 13R) of each of X-slides <NUM> and 15R in X-direction may be calculated from a count value by counting output pulses of encoders (sensors <NUM> and 41R) provided in a motor of the feeding screw device.

Next, a configuration of conveyor <NUM> will be described with reference to <FIG>. Conveyor belts <NUM> and <NUM> are arranged in parallel with the conveyance direction of circuit board <NUM> so as to place and convey both side portions of circuit board <NUM>, rail <NUM> holding one conveyor belt <NUM> is a reference rail a position of which is fixed, and rail <NUM> holding other conveyor belt <NUM> is a movable rail that moves in a width direction in accordance with a width of circuit board <NUM>.

Backup plate <NUM> on which multiple backup pins <NUM> are placed is provided horizontally on conveyor <NUM>. Backup plate <NUM> is formed of a magnetic material such as iron, so that backup pin <NUM> is picked up and held on backup plate <NUM> by a magnet (not illustrated) provided at a lower portion of backup pin <NUM>. Backup plate <NUM> is configured to be lifted and lowered by lifting and lowering device <NUM> so that backup plate <NUM> lifts to an upper limit position when clamping circuit board <NUM> that has been loaded, and backup plate <NUM> lowers to a lower limit position when releasing the clamping of circuit board <NUM>.

In the present embodiment, a size of backup plate <NUM> is formed larger than a size of circuit board <NUM>, stock area S for storing backup pins <NUM> is provided in a portion of backup plate <NUM> protruding from a position directly below circuit board <NUM> and in a range of movable areas AL and AR of XY-robots <NUM> and 14R, so that stock area S can store at least the number of backup pins <NUM> which is required for the arrangement of backup pins <NUM> designated at least in the production job. Stock area S may be provided at a different location (for example, in the vicinity of conveyor belts <NUM> and <NUM>) from backup plate <NUM>, and in short, may be provided at a location where mounting heads <NUM> and 13R do not interfere with constituent members of circuit board <NUM> and conveyor <NUM> within the range of movable areas AL and AR of XY-robots <NUM> and 14R.

In the present embodiment, multiple engagement protrusions <NUM> are provided at equal angular intervals on an upper outer periphery of backup pin <NUM>. When XY-robots <NUM> and 14R automatically arrange backup pins <NUM> on backup plate <NUM>, engagement protrusions <NUM> of backup pin <NUM> are engaged and held in a bayonet engagement manner by engagement holding tools (not illustrated) exchangeably attached to mounting heads <NUM> and 13R of XY-robots <NUM> and 14R. Backup pin <NUM> may be clamped by a chuck (not illustrated) exchangeably attached to mounting heads <NUM> and 13R.

Control device <NUM> for controlling an operation of each component mounting machine <NUM> of the component mounting line is configured by one or multiple computers (CPUs), controls a board conveyance operation of conveyor <NUM>, moves each of mounting heads <NUM> and 13R separately in XY-directions by each of XY-robot <NUM> and 14R, and controls the component pickup operation for picking up a component supplied from component supply device <NUM> by suction nozzle <NUM> and the component mounting operation for mounting the component on circuit board <NUM>.

Further, when production in accordance with the production job (production program) is started, control device <NUM> of each component mounting machine <NUM> of the component mounting line controls operations of two XY-robots <NUM> and 14R, picks up backup pins <NUM> stored in stock area S of backup plate <NUM>, and performs the automatic backup pin arrangement operation at the position designated in the production job in backup plate <NUM>, and then starts the production.

The arrangement of backup pins <NUM> designated in the production job is used in common by multiple component mounting machines <NUM> constituting the component mounting line, and, as illustrated in <FIG>, the position of backup pins <NUM> is designated at a position relative to circuit board <NUM>. This is because, as illustrated in <FIG>, a conveyance stop position of circuit board <NUM> may differ for each component mounting machine <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, since movable areas AL and AR in which two XY-robots <NUM> and 14R of each component mounting machine <NUM> can move are located apart in X-direction, which is the conveyance direction of circuit board <NUM>, area M exists outside the movement range between movable areas AL and AR of two XY-robots <NUM> and 14R. Since the component mounting operation and the automatic backup pin arrangement operation can be performed only in movable areas AL and AR, in a case where each component mounting machine <NUM> stops the conveyance of circuit board <NUM> at a position straddling area M outside the movement range and mounts the components on circuit board <NUM> by two XY-robots <NUM> and 14R, as illustrated in <FIG>, a relative positional relationship between circuit board <NUM> and area M outside the movement range is changed by changing the conveyance stop position of circuit board <NUM> for each component mounting machine <NUM> to change the mountable area of circuit board <NUM> for each component mounting machine <NUM>, so that the components are mounted.

Since each component mounting machine <NUM> cannot automatically arrange backup pins <NUM> in area M outside the movement range, control device <NUM> of each component mounting machine <NUM> determines whether backup pin <NUM> exists at a position corresponding to area M outside the movement range in the arrangement of backup pins <NUM> designated in the production job in consideration of the relative positional relationship between the conveyance stop position of circuit board <NUM> and area M outside the movement range, and in a case where backup pin <NUM> exists at the position corresponding to area M outside the movement range, excludes backup pin <NUM> at the position from the arrangement of backup pins <NUM> designated in the production job not to be automatically arranged while remaining backup pin <NUM> in stock area S, takes out only other backup pins <NUM> from stock area S, and automatically arranges only the other backup pins <NUM> at the positions designated in the production job.

According to the present embodiment described above, control device <NUM> of each component mounting machine <NUM> of the component mounting line determines whether backup pin <NUM> exists at a position where backup pin <NUM> cannot be automatically arranged based on a positional relationship between area M outside the movement range in the arrangement of backup pins <NUM> designated in the production job and the conveyance stop position of circuit board <NUM>. In a case where backup pin <NUM> exists at a position where that backup pin <NUM> cannot be automatically arranged, excludes backup pin <NUM> at the position from the arrangement of backup pins <NUM> designated in the production job not to be automatically arranged, and automatically arranges only other backup pins <NUM> at the positions designated in the production job. Therefore, the arrangement of backup pins <NUM> designated in the production job can be designated not only by the arrangement of backup pins <NUM> at positions common to multiple component mounting machines <NUM> of the component mounting line but also by the arrangement of backup pins <NUM> at positions which are not common to multiple component mounting machines <NUM>. Therefore, control device <NUM> of each component mounting machine <NUM> can automatically arrange backup pins <NUM> at positions which are not common to multiple component mounting machines <NUM> in addition to the arrangement of backup pins <NUM> at positions common to multiple component mounting machines <NUM> using the arrangement of backup pins <NUM> designated in the production job. Therefore, it is unnecessary to set the arrangement of backup pins <NUM> different for each component mounting machine <NUM> in the production job, so that creation work of the production job can be simplified and backup pins <NUM> can be automatically arranged even if the positions where backup pins <NUM> are to be originally arranged are not common to multiple component mounting machines.

In the above embodiment, two XY-robots <NUM> and 14R are installed on component mounting machine <NUM>, but the present invention can be applied to a component mounting machine on which only one XY-robot is mounted to be carried out. Generally, it is desirable to arrange backup pins in the vicinity of a position directly below a position where a component is mounted on a circuit board. Since the positions where components are mounted on the circuit board differ for each component mounting machine, it is desirable to change the arrangement of the backup pins in accordance with the positions where the components are mounted for each component mounting machine. However, in a case where a component is mounted on an upper surface of a circuit board where a component is mounted on a lower surface thereof, the component may be mounted in the vicinity of a position directly below a position at which the component is mounted on the upper surface of the circuit board. In such a case, the mounted component existing in the vicinity of a position directly below the position where the component is mounted interfere, so that a backup pin cannot be automatically arranged. Accordingly, the control device of each component mounting machine of the component mounting line determines whether a backup pin exists at a position where the backup pin cannot be automatically arranged by interference with the mounted component on the lower surface side of the circuit board in the arrangement of the backup pins designated in the production job, and when a backup pin exists at a position where the backup pin cannot be automatically arranged, excludes the backup pin at the position from the arrangement of the backup pins designated in the production job not to be automatically arranged, and automatically arranges only the other backup pins at the positions designated in the production job.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The present invention can be practiced by various modifications without departing from the scope of the appended claims, for example, two conveyors are arranged in parallel in each component mounting machine, the backup pins may be automatically arranged on two circuit boards loaded in each component mounting machine to mount the components on the two circuit boards, the configuration of backup pin <NUM> may be changed, or the like.

Claim 1:
An automatic backup pin arrangement system for a component mounting machine (<NUM>) configured to automatically arrange backup pins (<NUM>) at positions designated in a production job, the backup pins (<NUM>) being capable of holding a circuit board (<NUM>), on which a component is mounted, from below, wherein
a position of each of the backup pins (<NUM>) is designated at a position relative to the circuit board (<NUM>),
an XY-robot (<NUM>, 14R) performing a component mounting operation and an automatic backup pin arrangement operation is mounted on each of multiple component mounting machines (<NUM>), and
a control device (<NUM>) is configured to control an operation of each of the multiple component mounting machines (<NUM>),
characterized in that
an arrangement of the backup pins (<NUM>) designated in the production job is used in common by the multiple component mounting machines (<NUM>) arranged along a conveyance path of the circuit board (<NUM>), and
the control device (<NUM>) is further configured to determine whether a designated position of a backup pin (<NUM>) is a position where the backup pin (<NUM>) cannot be automatically arranged in the arrangement of the backup pins (<NUM>) designated in the production job, and when the designated position of the backup pin (<NUM>) is a position where the backup pin (<NUM>) cannot be automatically arranged, the control device (<NUM>) is configured to exclude the backup pin (<NUM>) at the position from the arrangement of the backup pins (<NUM>) designated in the production job and the excluded backup pin (<NUM>) is not to be automatically arranged, and to automatically arrange only other backup pins (<NUM>) at the positions designated in the production job.