Patent Description:
In recent years, for example, in a component mounting line, as described in Patent Literature <NUM> (International Publication No. <CIT>), there has been a case where a feeder automated replacement device is provided so as to be movable along a front surface of a component mounting line configured by arranging multiple component mounters, and the feeder automated replacement device moves to a front side of an instructed component mounter among the multiple component mounters, so that a feeder is automatically replaced with respect to the component mounter.

Even in the component mounting line provided with such a feeder automated replacement device, in a case where an error or the like generates in any component mounter while the component mounting line is in operation, an operator may go to the front side of the component mounter to perform an operation such as inspection or adjustment. In addition, in a case where a device (for example, a solder printing device, a conveyor, or the like) for a pre-process is installed adjacent to an upstream side of the component mounting line, or in a case where a device (for example, a reflow furnace, an inspection device, or the like) for a post-process is installed adjacent to a downstream side of the component mounting line, the operator may go to the front side of the device for the pre-process or the device for the post-process during operation of the component mounting line to perform an operation.

Accordingly, for safety measures, the feeder automated replacement device is provided with a periphery monitoring device for monitoring whether a person or an obstacle enters in a safety area set around the feeder automated replacement device, so that the operation of the feeder automated replacement device is stopped in an emergency manner when the periphery monitoring device detects a person or an obstacle in the safety area around the feeder automated replacement device.

Patent Literature <NUM> relates to a mounting system including a mounting line having a plurality of mounting machines that mount components on a substrate and a mobile robot configured to automatically load and unload feeders between each of multiple mounting machines and feeder storage container and itself. The mobile robot monitors the presence of an obstacle (including the operator) in the surrounding environment.

Patent Literature <NUM> relates to a mounting system including mounting-related devices. A first interface via which a mobile work device which moves a member that relates to the mounting-related process accesses an execution unit. An operation panel is disposed in a second interface that is located on the opposite side to the first interface and that is accessible to a worker, but not to the mobile work device.

Incidentally, the feeder automated replacement device is configured as an industrial robot having X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis in order to perform operations in three-dimensional directions for automatically replacing the feeder on multiple component mounters. Therefore, a safety area around the feeder automated replacement device is also set as a safety area for an industrial robot. Since the safety area for the industrial robot is large, if the operator operates on the front side of any component mounter of the component mounting line during the operation of the component mounting line, or operates on the front side of the device for the pre-process or the post-process, the operator may inadvertently enter a large safety area around the moving feeder automated replacement device to cause the operation of the feeder automated replacement device to be stopped in an emergency manner. In particular, since the device for the pre-process or the post-process is installed outside a range in which the feeder automated replacement device moves, the operator operating on the front side of the device for the pre-process or the post-process tends to be careless because he/she thinks that there is no risk of collision with the moving feeder automated replacement device. However, since the safety area around the feeder automated replacement device is large, the operator operating on the front side of the device for the pre-process or the post-process may enter the safety area around the moving feeder automated replacement device, causing the operation of the feeder automated replacement device to be stopped in an emergency manner.

The above-described problems are not limited to the component mounting line including the feeder automated replacement robot, but are common to various production lines including an automated replacement robot that moves along the front surface of the production line configured by arranging multiple machines.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, there is provided an automated replacement system for a production line which is configured by arranging multiple machines and includes an automated replacement device that moves in an X-direction that is a right-left direction along a front surface of the production line, and in which the automated replacement device moves to a front side of an instructed machine among the multiple machines to perform an automated replacement operation on the machine, the automated replacement system including: a periphery monitoring device configured to monitor a safety area set in a periphery of the automated replacement device to stop an operation of the automated replacement device in an emergency manner when a person or an obstacle is detected in the safety area; and an alarm device configured to sound an alarm during a movement of the automated replacement device to notify that the automated replacement device is moving, in which the periphery monitoring device is switched such that a range of the safety area during the movement of the automated replacement device is smaller than a range of the safety area during the automated replacement operation.

In this case, during the movement of the automated replacement device, the automated replacement operation on each machine in the production line is not performed, but the machine moves in the right-left direction. Focusing on this point, by moving while the alarm is sounded by the alarm device during the movement of the automated replacement device, the automated replacement device during the movement can be regarded not as an industrial robot but as an unmanned conveyance vehicle. Therefore, the range of the safety area during the movement of the automated replacement device can be smaller than the range of the safety area during the automated replacement operation (range of the safety area as the industrial robot), so that the range of the safety area can be set to the range of the small safety area similar to the unmanned conveyance vehicle. Therefore, it is possible to reduce a possibility that an operator operating on the front side of the production line or on the front side of the device for the pre-process or the post-process enters the safety area around the moving automated replacement device during the operation of the production line, and it is possible to reduce a possibility that the operation of the automated replacement device stops in an emergency manner.

Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied and embodied to component mounting line <NUM> including feeder automated replacement device <NUM> will be described.

First, a configuration of component mounting line <NUM> will be described with reference to <FIG>. As illustrated in <FIG>, component mounting line <NUM> (production line) is configured by arranging multiple component mounters <NUM> (machines) in a row along a conveyance direction (X-direction) of circuit board <NUM>, and feeder storage device <NUM> for storing cassette-type feeder <NUM> is installed on an upstream side of component mounting line <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, device <NUM> (for example, a solder printer, a conveyor, or the like) for a pre-process is installed adj acent to the upstream side of component mounting line <NUM>, and device <NUM> (for example, a reflow furnace, an inspection device, or the like) for a post-process is installed adjacent to a downstream side of component mounting line <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, each component mounter <NUM> is provided with two conveyors <NUM> for conveying circuit board <NUM>, feeder setting base <NUM> (refer to <FIG>) for replaceably setting multiple cassette-type feeders <NUM>, mounting head <NUM> for holding suction nozzles (not illustrated) for picking up a component supplied from cassette-type feeder <NUM> set on feeder setting base <NUM> and mounting the same on circuit board <NUM>, head moving device <NUM> for moving mounting head <NUM> in XY-directions (left-right and front-rear directions), component imaging camera <NUM> (refer to <FIG>) for imaging the component picked up by the suction nozzles from below, and the like. Mark imaging camera <NUM> (refer to <FIG>) for imaging a reference mark (not illustrated) of circuit board <NUM> is attached to head moving device <NUM> so as to move integrally with mounting head <NUM> in XY-directions.

In addition, as illustrated in <FIG>, input device <NUM> such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a touch panel, storage device <NUM> such as an HDD, an SSD, a ROM, or a RAM, for storing various programs and various data for control, display device <NUM> such as a liquid crystal display or a CRT are provided in control device <NUM> of component mounter <NUM>. Control device <NUM> of each component mounter <NUM> is connected, via a network, to production management computer <NUM> (production management device) that manages production of entire component mounting line <NUM>, such that the production of each component mounter <NUM> of component mounting line <NUM> is managed by production management computer <NUM>.

Each component mounter <NUM> of component mounting line <NUM> conveys circuit board <NUM> conveyed from upstream component mounter <NUM> to a predetermined position with conveyor <NUM>, clamps circuit board <NUM> with a clamping mechanism (not illustrated), images a reference mark of circuit board <NUM> with mark imaging camera <NUM>, recognizes a position (reference position of circuit board <NUM>) of the reference mark, picks up the component supplied from each feeder <NUM> with the suction nozzle of mounting head <NUM>, moves the component from a suction position to an imaging position, images the component from below with component imaging camera <NUM>, determines a suction positional deviation amount of the component, or the like, and then moves mounting head <NUM> to correct the suction positional deviation amount, and mounts the component on a predetermined position of circuit board <NUM> on conveyor <NUM> to produce the component mounting board.

As illustrated in <FIG>, feeder automated replacement device <NUM> (automated replacement device) for setting and/or detaching (hereinafter, referred to as "automated replacement") feeder <NUM> to and from feeder setting base <NUM> of each component mounter <NUM> is installed on the front side of component mounting line <NUM>. Below feeder setting base <NUM> of each component mounter <NUM>, stock section <NUM> for accommodating multiple feeders <NUM> to be set in feeder setting base <NUM> is provided.

Production management computer <NUM> manages the production (placement of feeder <NUM>, shortage of components, or the like) of each component mounter <NUM> of component mounting line <NUM>, and instructs component mounter <NUM> that requires automated replacement of feeder <NUM> for control device <NUM> of feeder automated replacement device <NUM> when automated replacement of feeder <NUM> is required in any component mounter <NUM>, feeder automated replacement device <NUM> moves to the front side of instructed component mounter <NUM>, takes out feeder <NUM> of a replacement target from feeder setting base <NUM> of component mounter <NUM>, collects feeder <NUM> in stock section <NUM>, and takes out necessary feeder <NUM> from stock section <NUM> to set feeder <NUM> in feeder setting base <NUM>. Feeder automated replacement device <NUM> may perform only an operation of collecting feeder <NUM> taken out from feeder setting base <NUM> into stock section <NUM> in response to the automated replacement instruction, or conversely, may perform only an operation of setting feeder <NUM> taken out from stock section <NUM> in an empty slot of feeder setting base <NUM>.

On the front side of component mounting line <NUM>, guide rail <NUM> for moving feeder automated replacement device <NUM> in X-direction (right-left direction) along the arrangement of component mounters <NUM> is provided so as to extend in X-direction over entire component mounting line <NUM>. The upstream side of guide rail <NUM> extends to feeder storage device <NUM>, and feeder automated replacement device <NUM> moves to the front side of feeder storage device <NUM>, so that feeder automated replacement device <NUM> takes out feeder <NUM> required for the automated replacement from feeder storage device <NUM> or returns used feeder <NUM> into feeder storage device <NUM>. The front surface, the right and left surfaces, and the upper surface of feeder automated replacement device <NUM> are covered with a protective cover <NUM> so that a movable portion of feeder automated replacement device <NUM> is not exposed to the operator's side (front side, right-left direction, and upper side).

Feeder automated replacement device <NUM> is provided with position detection device <NUM> (refer to <FIG>) for detecting the position of feeder automated replacement device <NUM> with respect to component mounting line <NUM>. When the automated replacement of feeder <NUM> of any of component mounters <NUM> is instructed by the production management computer <NUM>, control device <NUM> of feeder automated replacement device <NUM> is configured to move to the front side of component mounter <NUM> to which the automated replacement of feeder <NUM> is instructed while detecting the position of feeder automated replacement device <NUM> by a detected signal of position detection device <NUM> so as to perform the operation of automatically replacing feeder <NUM>. Feeder automated replacement device <NUM> is configured as an industrial robot having X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis in order to perform operations in three-dimensional directions for automatically replacing feeder <NUM> on multiple component mounters <NUM>. In this case, feeder automated replacement device <NUM> operates as a robot that performs at least a Y-axis operation that is an operation in the front-rear direction and a Z-axis operation that is an operation in the vertical direction during the automated replacement operation, and, during the movement, stops at least the Y-axis operation, and moves in the right-left direction while causing alarm device <NUM> (described later) to sound an alarm to operate as an unmanned conveyance vehicle. At this time, the alert light may be blinked together with the alarm so as to reliably cause the operator to notice the alarm in both audibility and vision.

In addition to the automated replacement of feeder <NUM>, although not illustrated, feeder automated replacement device <NUM> is configured to be capable of automatically replacing a cassette-type nozzle replacement unit accommodating a suction nozzle for replacement, a cassette-type calibration component supply unit supplying a calibration component, and the like with respect to feeder setting base <NUM>.

In addition, feeder automated replacement device <NUM> is provided with periphery monitoring device <NUM> for monitoring a safety area set around feeder automated replacement device <NUM>. As will be described later, in the present embodiment, the range of the safety area during the movement and the automated replacement operation of feeder automated replacement device <NUM> is switched such that the range (refer to <FIG>) of the safety area during the movement is smaller than the range (refer to <FIG>) of the safety area during the automated replacement operation.

Periphery monitoring device <NUM> is configured by two safety laser scanners <NUM> and <NUM> installed at left and right corner portions of a lower portion of a front surface of feeder automated replacement device <NUM>. Each of safety laser scanners <NUM> and <NUM> is a safety sensor that detects a detection target that has intruded into the safety area by scanning the safety area with laser light by changing an irradiating angle of the laser light with which the safety area is irradiated, and receiving the laser light reflected upon hitting the detection target. The safety area is an area in which, when a person or an obstacle intrudes the area, the power source that is the power source of the driving system of feeder automated replacement device <NUM> is cut off to stop the operation of feeder automated replacement device <NUM> in an emergency manner in order to avoid collision between the person or the obstacle and feeder automated replacement device <NUM>.

In the present embodiment, the range of the safety area during the movement and the automated replacement operation of feeder automated replacement device <NUM> is switched such that the range (refer to <FIG>) of the safety area during the movement is smaller than the range (refer to <FIG>) of the safety area during the automated replacement operation. As illustrated in <FIG>, the safety area during the movement of feeder automated replacement device <NUM> is set so as to monitor only the right-left direction, which is the movement direction (X-direction and the opposite direction thereto) of feeder automated replacement device <NUM>, and as illustrated in <FIG>, the safety area during the automated replacement operation is set so as to monitor the right-left direction and the front of feeder automated replacement device <NUM>.

When either of safety laser scanners <NUM> and <NUM> detects the intrusion of a person or an obstacle into the safety area, the power source of feeder automated replacement device <NUM> is cut off, and even during the cut-off of the power source, the control power supply that is the power source of the control system of periphery monitoring device <NUM> and feeder automated replacement device <NUM> is maintained, so that periphery monitoring device <NUM> monitors the presence or absence of the intrusion of the person or the obstacle into the safety area, and when the person or the obstacle being intruded into the safety area leaves the safety area, the power source of feeder automated replacement device <NUM> is restored to restart the operation of feeder automated replacement device <NUM>.

In addition, in the present embodiment, feeder automated replacement device <NUM> is provided with alarm device <NUM> configured to sound an alarm during the movement of feeder automated replacement device <NUM> to notify the operator that feeder automated replacement device <NUM> is moving. Alarm device <NUM> may be only the alarm, or may blink an alert light together with the alarm so as to reliably cause the operator to notice the alarm in both audibility and vision.

As described above, feeder automated replacement device <NUM> is configured as the industrial robot having X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis in order to perform the operations in the three-dimensional directions for automatically replacing feeder <NUM> on the multiple component mounters <NUM>. However, during the movement of feeder automated replacement device <NUM>, the automated replacement operation on each component mounter <NUM> is not performed, and feeder automated replacement device <NUM> moves only in the right-left direction.

Focusing on this point, in the present embodiment, during the movement of feeder automated replacement device <NUM>, feeder automated replacement device <NUM> during the movement can be regarded as the unmanned conveyance vehicle instead of the industrial robot by being moved while sounding the alarm by alarm device <NUM>. Therefore, the range of the safety area during the movement of feeder automated replacement device <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> can be smaller than the range (range of the safety area as the industrial robot) of the safety area during the automated replacement operation illustrated in <FIG>, so that it is possible to set to the small range of the safety area similar to the unmanned conveyance vehicle. Therefore, it is possible to reduce a possibility that the operator who operates in a work area on the front side of component mounting line <NUM> or on the front side of devices <NUM> and <NUM> for the pre-process and the post-process during the operation of component mounting line <NUM> enters the safety area around moving feeder automated replacement device <NUM>, and it is possible to reduce a possibility that the operation of feeder automated replacement device <NUM> is stopped in an emergency manner.

In the present embodiment, the safety area during the movement of feeder automated replacement device <NUM> differs in both size and shape from the safety area during the automated replacement operation, but only the size of the safety area is different, and the safety area may have the same shape (similar shape).

In addition, since the front surface, the right and left surfaces, and the upper surface of feeder automated replacement device <NUM> are covered with protective cover <NUM>, and even if feeder automated replacement device <NUM> performs the Z-axis operation, and the movable portion of feeder automated replacement device <NUM> is not exposed to the operator's side, the Z-axis operation may be performed during the movement (during the X-axis operation) of feeder automated replacement device <NUM>. During the movement of feeder automated replacement device <NUM>, there is no danger even if Z-axis operation is performed, and it is not necessary to switch the range thereof to the range of the safety area as the industrial robot. On the other hand, since a part of the movable portion protrudes rearward (in Y-direction) from a rear surface opening of feeder automated replacement device <NUM> during the Y-axis operation of feeder automated replacement device <NUM>, it is necessary to switch to the range thereof the range of the safety area as the industrial robot when performing the Y-axis operation of feeder automated replacement device <NUM> (that is, when performing the automated replacement operation).

The installation location of alarm device <NUM> is not limited to feeder automated replacement robot <NUM>, and alarm device <NUM> may be installed on the component mounting line <NUM> side. In a case where alarm device <NUM> is installed on the component mounting line <NUM> side, a new alarm device may be installed for alerting of feeder automated replacement robot <NUM>, or an existing alarm device installed on the component mounting line <NUM> side may be shared.

In addition, although the present embodiment is an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to component mounting line <NUM> including feeder automated replacement robot <NUM>, however, the configuration is not limited to this, and can be applied to various production lines including an automated replacement robot that moves along a front surface of a production line in which multiple machines are arranged.

Claim 1:
An automated replacement system for a production line (<NUM>) which is configured by arranging multiple machines and includes an automated replacement device (<NUM>) that is configured to move in an X-direction that is a right-left direction along a front surface of the production line (<NUM>), and in which the automated replacement device (<NUM>) is configured to move to a front side of an instructed machine (<NUM>) among the multiple machines to perform an automated replacement operation on the machine (<NUM>), the automated replacement system comprising:
a periphery monitoring device configured to monitor a safety area set in a periphery of the automated replacement device (<NUM>) to stop an operation of the automated replacement device (<NUM>) in an emergency manner when a person or an obstacle is detected in the safety area; and
an alarm device configured to sound an alarm during a movement of the automated replacement device (<NUM>) to notify that the automated replacement device (<NUM>) is moving,
characterized in that
the periphery monitoring device is switched such that a range of the safety area during the movement of the automated replacement device (<NUM>) is smaller than a range of the safety area during the automated replacement operation.