CN111747065B

CN111747065B - Parts feeder and air ejection device for parts feeder

Info

Publication number: CN111747065B
Application number: CN202010113855.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 迎邦晓; 井户畑拓真; 久米教皓; 木村弘树; 楠本恭矢
Original assignee: Sinfonia Technology Co Ltd
Current assignee: Sinfonia Technology Co Ltd
Priority date: 2019-03-29
Filing date: 2020-02-24
Publication date: 2023-08-11
Anticipated expiration: 2040-02-24
Also published as: TW202035257A; TWI836010B; KR20200115093A; CN111747065A; TW202408907A

Abstract

The invention provides a parts feeder and an air ejection device for parts feeder, which can prevent workpieces from falling down and the postures of the workpieces from being scattered at the switching part of a hopper feeder and a linear feeder. The parts feeder of the present invention includes a hopper and an outlet member for transmitting vibration from a hopper-side vibration source and a tank for transmitting vibration from a linear-side vibration source different from the hopper-side vibration source, the hopper and the outlet member and the tank each include a conveying tank for conveying a workpiece by the transmitted vibration, an end portion on a downstream side in a conveying direction of the outlet member is located above an end portion on an upstream side in the conveying direction of the tank, the hopper and the outlet member and the tank are disposed with a gap for insulating vibration therebetween, the workpiece is conveyed from the end portion of the outlet member to the end portion of the tank, and a thickness of a portion of the end portion corresponding to a bottom portion of the conveying tank is smaller than a thickness of a surrounding portion of the portion corresponding to the bottom portion.

Description

Parts feeder and air ejection device for parts feeder

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a parts feeder for carrying an object (workpiece) to be carried such as an electronic component by vibration, and an air ejection device for the parts feeder.

Background

Examples of the parts feeder include parts feeders that combine a magazine feeder for transporting a workpiece in a circumferential shape and a linear feeder for transporting a workpiece in a linear shape. The hopper feeder and the linear feeder contain different sources of vibration.

In this parts feeder, since vibrations (amplitude, frequency, etc.) generated in the hopper feeder and the linear feeder are different, if these feeders are directly connected, for example, vibration interference occurs, which may cause a failure in conveying the workpiece or a failure of the parts feeder due to concentration of stress. Accordingly, in the parts feeder of patent document 1, a gap of such a degree that vibration can be insulated is formed between the feeders so that the vibration of one feeder does not adversely affect the other feeder.

However, if the gap between the feeders is large, the workpiece may fall from the gap. Therefore, the gap between the feeders is designed to be extremely small, but in recent years, the workpiece is becoming smaller and smaller, and even if the gap between the feeders is reduced, the workpiece may fall from the gap.

In addition, the following requirements are imposed on the parts feeder: the workpieces are arranged so that a group of the conveyed workpieces do not overlap in both the vertical and horizontal directions, and the predetermined posture of each workpiece is predetermined and sent out to the next step.

Therefore, in the parts feeder, there are cases where the components are configured as follows: an air ejection device is provided near a conveyance path for conveying a workpiece, and the air ejection device ejects the upper workpiece from the conveyance path with respect to the air blown out of the overlapped workpiece or the like, or promotes the rotation of the upper workpiece with respect to the air blown out of the workpiece or the like in an improper posture (for example, patent document 2).

Prior art literature

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open No. 2002-284336

Patent document 2: japanese patent laid-open No. 2017-114651

Regarding the problem of the workpiece falling from the gap between the feeders as described above, it is considered to position the downstream end of the hopper feeder above the upstream portion of the linear feeder. In this parts feeder, since a gap is not formed between the hopper feeder and the linear feeder, the work is prevented from falling into the gap.

However, in the structure in which the downstream end of the hopper feeder is located above the upstream portion of the linear feeder, it is unavoidable that a vertical drop is formed in the transition portion (overlapping portion) between the hopper feeder and the linear feeder. Therefore, when the work passes the drop of the transition portion between the magazine feeder and the linear feeder, the work falls at the drop and the posture thereof is scattered. If the posture of the workpiece is scattered in this way, a mechanism for correcting the posture of the workpiece is required on the linear feeder or downstream of the linear feeder.

In addition, in order to reduce the drop of the transition portion between the hopper feeder and the linear feeder, it is considered to reduce (thin) the thickness of the downstream end of the hopper feeder, but if so, the strength of the component is lowered, and therefore, there is a problem that the downstream end of the hopper feeder vibrates and the workpiece cannot be properly conveyed.

An air ejection device for blowing off unaligned workpieces or the like from a conveyance path typically ejects air in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance path as viewed from above. In order to discharge such air, in this type of air discharge device, an elongated nozzle having a discharge port formed at the front end is disposed laterally of the conveyance path in a posture in which the longitudinal direction of the nozzle is perpendicular to the conveyance path when viewed from above. For example, when an air ejection device of this type is provided in a hopper feeder (that is, a hopper feeder which is a device for conveying a workpiece along a conveying path in which a spiral conveying path is formed in an inner side surface of a side wall portion), an elongated nozzle is embedded in the side wall portion of the hopper such that a front end surface on a discharge port side faces the inner side surface of the side wall portion of the hopper and a longitudinal direction thereof is along a radial direction of the hopper in a plan view. The supply pipe is connected to the rear end of the nozzle in the axial direction.

However, in such a configuration, the supply pipe for supplying air extends in the axial direction from the rear end of the nozzle extending in the radial direction of the hopper in a plan view, and therefore, the supply pipe is disposed so as to protrude in the radial direction from the side wall portion of the hopper. Therefore, in addition to the poor appearance, the supply pipe may interfere with surrounding equipment by interfering with an operator.

In addition, an air ejection device for promoting rotation of a work in an improper posture typically ejects air in a direction along a conveyance path as viewed from above. In order to discharge such air, in this type of air discharge device, a nozzle formed of a tube (e.g., a tube made of SUS) that can be bent freely is disposed above the conveyance path in a posture extending along the conveyance path when viewed from above. Further, the operator can appropriately bend the tubular nozzle and change the position and posture of the discharge port, thereby appropriately fine-adjusting the position and angle of the discharged air.

However, with this structure, the tubular nozzle is provided so as to extend above the conveyance path along the conveyance path, and thus there is a problem in that the nozzle is poor in appearance and the nozzle interferes with the operator.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention provides a parts feeder capable of preventing a conveyed object (workpiece) from falling down at a transfer part between feeders and inhibiting the posture of the conveyed object from being scattered.

The present invention also provides a technique that makes it difficult for an air ejection device to interfere with an operator and that can make the whole object of a parts feeder compact and beautiful.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the component feeder includes a first vibration member to which vibration is transmitted from a first vibration source and a second vibration member to which vibration is transmitted from a second vibration source different from the first vibration source, the first vibration member and the second vibration member each include a first conveying groove and a second conveying groove for conveying an object to be conveyed by the transmitted vibration, a first end portion on a downstream side in a conveying direction of the first vibration member is located above a second end portion on an upstream side in the conveying direction of the second vibration member, the first end portion and the second end portion are provided with a gap for insulating vibration therebetween, and the first end portion and the second end portion are arranged so that a thickness of a portion corresponding to a bottom portion of the first conveying groove in the first end portion is smaller than a thickness of a surrounding portion corresponding to the bottom portion.

In this way, in the component feeder, the difference in the height between the first vibration member and the second vibration member can be reduced by making the thickness of the portion of the first end portion of the first vibration member corresponding to the bottom portion of the first conveyance groove smaller than the thickness of the portion around the first end portion. Therefore, in the transfer portion between the first vibration member and the second vibration member, the object (workpiece) to be conveyed can be prevented from falling down, and the object can be prevented from being scattered in posture.

In the parts feeder, a thickness of a cross section of the first end portion perpendicular to the conveying direction is gradually reduced toward a portion corresponding to a bottom portion of the first conveying groove.

In this way, in the component feeder, by forming the thickness of the first end portion of the first vibration member in a section perpendicular to the conveying direction so as to gradually decrease toward the portion corresponding to the bottom portion of the first conveying groove, even when the thickness of the first end portion of the first vibration member decreases toward the portion corresponding to the bottom portion of the first conveying groove, the decrease in the strength of the first end portion of the first vibration member can be suppressed.

In the parts feeder, a thickness of a cross section of the first end portion parallel to the conveying direction is gradually reduced toward a tip end of the first end portion.

In this way, in the component feeder, by forming the thickness of the cross section of the first end portion parallel to the conveying direction to be gradually smaller toward the tip end of the first end portion, even when the thickness of the portion of the first end portion of the first vibration member corresponding to the bottom portion of the first conveying groove is reduced, the strength of the first end portion of the first vibration member can be suppressed from decreasing.

In the parts feeder, the first end portion is tapered so that a thickness thereof becomes smaller toward a portion corresponding to a bottom portion of the first carrying groove.

In the parts feeder, at least one of the lower surface of the cross section of the first end portion perpendicular to the conveying direction and the lower surface of the cross section of the first end portion parallel to the conveying direction is formed in a tapered shape, and the thickness of the first end portion can be easily reduced toward a portion corresponding to the bottom of the first conveying groove.

An air ejection device according to another embodiment of the present invention is an air ejection device for a component feeder, including a nozzle including a cylindrical main body portion arranged laterally of a conveyance path in a direction intersecting the conveyance path in a plan view, a discharge port formed at a position offset from the center in an end face of the main body portion, a long groove portion formed on a peripheral surface of the main body portion in a circumferential direction thereof, and a communication portion communicating the groove portion and the discharge port, and a supply pipe for supplying air to an internal space of the groove portion from a direction intersecting an axial direction of the main body portion.

According to this configuration, the supply pipe for supplying air to the nozzle supplies air from the direction intersecting the axial direction of the main body of the nozzle, so the supply pipe does not protrude in the axial direction of the main body. Therefore, the supply pipe is difficult to interfere with an operator, and the overall appearance of the parts feeder is small and beautiful. In this configuration, since the discharge port is formed at a position offset from the center of the end surface of the main body, the position of the discharge port, that is, the air discharge position can be changed by rotating the main body around the axis thereof. In addition, according to this configuration, even if the main body portion rotates about the axis thereof, the supply of air to the discharge port can be maintained as long as the length of the groove portion is in a range corresponding to the length of the groove portion, and at this time, since it is not necessary to move the supply pipe in accordance with the rotation of the main body portion, the retrieval structure of the supply pipe can be simplified.

In the air ejection device for a parts feeder, the main body portion is preferably disposed in a position such that an axial direction is along a radial direction of the hopper in a plan view in the hopper in which a spiral conveying path is formed on an inner side surface of the side wall portion.

According to this configuration, the main body of the nozzle is disposed in a posture such that the axial direction thereof extends in the radial direction of the hopper in a plan view, and as a result, the supply pipe for supplying air to the nozzle supplies air from a direction intersecting the axial direction of the main body, so that the supply pipe does not protrude in the radial direction of the hopper in a plan view. Therefore, the supply pipe is particularly difficult to interfere with an operator, and the appearance of the whole parts feeder is particularly small and beautiful.

In addition, another embodiment of the present invention provides an air ejection device for a parts feeder, including a nozzle including a cylindrical main body portion and a discharge port formed in a part of a circumferential direction in a circumferential surface of the main body portion, a support portion for supporting the nozzle, and a supply pipe for supplying air to the nozzle, wherein the support portion supports the main body portion so that an axial direction thereof is in a direction intersecting a conveyance path in a plan view and is allowed to rotate about an axis of the shaft.

According to this configuration, the nozzle includes the main body portion having the discharge port formed in the peripheral surface, and the main body portion is supported in a posture in which the axial direction intersects the conveyance path in a plan view. Therefore, compared with the conventional tubular nozzle arranged along the conveying path in a plan view, the nozzle is less likely to interfere with an operator, and the overall appearance of the parts feeder is small and beautiful. In this configuration, since the discharge port is formed in a part of the circumferential direction in the circumferential surface of the main body, the position of the discharge port, that is, the air discharge position can be changed by rotating the main body around the axis thereof. The position adjustment reproducibility is higher than the conventional one in which the air discharge position is changed by changing the posture of the tip of the tubular nozzle by changing the rotation angle of the main body. Therefore, even if no skilled operator is available, the air ejection position can be easily and accurately adjusted.

Preferably, the air jetting device for a parts feeder, wherein the nozzle includes a long groove portion formed on the circumferential surface of the main body portion in the circumferential direction thereof, and a communication portion for communicating the groove portion and the discharge port, and the supply pipe communicates with an inner space of the groove portion from a direction intersecting the axial direction of the main body portion, and supplies air to the inner space.

According to this configuration, since the supply pipe for supplying air to the nozzle supplies air from the direction intersecting the axial direction of the main body of the nozzle, the supply pipe does not protrude in the axial direction of the main body. Therefore, the supply pipe is difficult to interfere with an operator, and the appearance of the whole parts feeder is particularly small and beautiful. In addition, according to this configuration, even if the main body portion rotates about the axis thereof, the supply of air to the discharge port can be maintained in a range corresponding to the length of the groove portion, and at this time, since it is not necessary to move the supply pipe in accordance with the rotation of the main body portion, the retrieval structure of the supply pipe can be simplified.

The air ejection device for a parts feeder preferably ejects air to an object to be conveyed, the object having a drop portion whose cross-section changes from a V-shape to an arc-shape.

In this configuration, the rotation of the workpiece can be promoted by blowing out air with respect to the workpiece at the timing when the workpiece falls down to the conveying path having an arc-shaped cross section. The workpiece that is rotated while being dropped is in the most stable rotation posture (i.e., the rotation posture with the lowest center of gravity) when it lands on the conveyance path having the arc-shaped cross section, and therefore, the posture of the workpiece is aligned to this rotation posture by promoting the rotation of the workpiece at the time of dropping. This structure is effective, for example, when the elongated workpiece is aligned in a posture along the conveying direction.

In addition, the parts feeder according to another embodiment of the present invention includes the air ejection device having the above-described respective configurations.

The effects of the present invention are as follows.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a parts feeder capable of preventing a conveyed object (workpiece) from falling down and suppressing a disturbance in the posture of the conveyed object at a transition portion between a first vibration member and a second vibration member.

In addition, according to the present invention, the air ejection device is less likely to interfere with an operator, and the appearance of the whole part feeder can be made compact and beautiful.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a parts feeder according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of a downstream end portion of the hopper feeder and an upstream end portion of the linear feeder in the parts feeder of fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view showing a main portion of a downstream end portion of the hopper feeder and an upstream end portion of the linear feeder in the parts feeder of fig. 1.

Fig. 4 (a) is a perspective view of the outlet member viewed from above, and fig. 4 (b) is a perspective view of the outlet member viewed from below.

Fig. 5 (a) is a schematic side view of the outlet member, and fig. 5 (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of fig. 5 (a).

Fig. 6 is a partial top view of a hopper of the hopper filter.

Fig. 7 (a) to 7 (c) are cross-sectional views of the hopper feeder of fig. 6 in the vicinity of the inlet, the middle and the outlet of the layer restricting conveyance slot.

Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating layer confinement of the workpiece in the magazine feeder of fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the structure of a parts feeder according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 10 is a top view of the hopper feeder of fig. 9.

Fig. 11 (a) is a view of the main part of the hopper feeder of fig. 9 seen from the side, and fig. 11 (b) is a view of the main part of the hopper feeder of fig. 9 seen from the bottom surface side.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing a portion where the air ejection device is disposed.

Fig. 13 is a view for explaining a drop section formed in the middle of the conveyance path.

Fig. 14 is a side sectional view of the first air ejection device.

Fig. 15 is a side sectional view showing the elements included in the first air ejection device in an exploded manner.

Fig. 16 (a) is a perspective view of a nozzle included in the first air ejection device, and fig. 16 (b) is a front view of the nozzle included in the first air ejection device.

Fig. 17 is a perspective view showing the elements included in the second air ejection device in an exploded manner.

Fig. 18 is a side sectional view of the second air ejection device.

Fig. 19 is a side sectional view showing the second air ejection device in an exploded manner.

In the figure: 1. a 1 ' -hopper feeder, 11 ' -hopper, 111 ' -conveying path, 111 a-drop portion, 111 b-V-shaped groove portion, 111 c-arc-shaped groove portion, 112-through hole, 113-piping insertion hole, 115-fixed member insertion hole, 12-conveying groove (first conveying groove), 121-supporting portion, 121 a-fixed member, 121 b-movable member, 122-electromagnetic driving portion, 123-leaf spring, 16 ' -hopper side vibration source, 2-linear feeder, 21-groove (second vibration member), 3-outlet member (first vibration member), 31-conveying groove (first conveying groove), 31 a-running surface, 32-outlet member end (first end), 4-first air ejection device, 41-nozzle, 411-main body, 411 a-end face, 411 b-peripheral face, 412-discharge port, 413-groove, 414-communication portion, 415-jig insertion hole, 42-supply piping, 43-fixing member, 5-second air ejection device, 51-nozzle, 511-main body, 511 a-peripheral face, 513-discharge port, 514-groove, 515-communication portion, 52-support portion, 521-long hole, 522-through hole, 523-piping insertion hole, 524-fixing member insertion hole, 53-supply piping, 54-fixing member, 56-straight side vibration source (second vibration source), 6-base, 72-conveying groove (second conveying groove), 100 ' -parts feeder.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the upstream and downstream are expressions based on the conveying direction of the object to be conveyed (workpiece) in the parts feeder (the direction of conveyance from the hopper feeder 1 to the linear feeder 2).

First embodiment

Next, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<1 > Structure of the entirety of the component feeder 100

As shown in fig. 1, the parts feeder 100 of the present embodiment includes a magazine feeder 1 for arranging workpieces such as IC chips and micro coils, and a linear feeder 2 for further conveying the workpieces conveyed by the magazine feeder 1 in a constant direction. The hopper feeder 1 and the linear feeder 2 are disposed on the base 6.

The hopper feeder 1 includes a hopper 11 capable of accommodating a workpiece supplied from a supply mechanism not shown, and a hopper-side vibration source 16 as a first vibration source located below the hopper 11. The hopper 11 includes a bottom portion 11a having a circular shape in plan view and a wall surface (side wall portion) 11b inclined upward from a peripheral edge portion of the bottom portion 11 a. In this embodiment, for example, a case where a workpiece having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape is conveyed will be described.

A spiral conveying groove 12 formed in the circumferential direction is formed in the wall surface 11 b. The conveyance groove 12 is formed in a V-shape in a vertical section at a downstream end in the conveyance direction (an end portion near the linear feeder 2) as shown in fig. 2. The conveyance groove 12 is formed of a running surface 12a as a gentle slope and a wall surface 12b as a steep slope. The wall surface 12b is a surface perpendicular to the width direction end (right side end edge in fig. 2) of the running surface 12 a. Therefore, the workpiece conveyed along the conveyance groove 12 is guided by the wall surface 12b while being in contact with the travel surface 12a and the wall surface 12b, and moves on the travel surface 12 a.

The hopper side vibration source 16 includes an electromagnet and a leaf spring supporting the hopper 11 from below, and the hopper 11 is torsionally vibrated by transmitting vibration from the hopper side vibration source 16 to the hopper 11 by excitation of the electromagnet. The hopper 11 is vibrated by driving the hopper side vibration source 16 to sequentially convey the workpieces in the circumferential direction.

An outlet member 3 as a part of the hopper feeder 1 is connected to the downstream end of the hopper 11 in the conveying direction. The outlet member 3 is detachable from the downstream end of the hopper 11 in the conveying direction. In the present embodiment, the hopper 11 and the outlet member 3 of the hopper feeder 1 correspond to the "first vibration member" of the present invention. As shown in fig. 2, the outlet member 3 is bolted to the hopper 11 and vibrated together with the hopper 11 by the hopper side vibration source 16. The position of the outlet member 3 relative to the linear feeder 2 is adjusted by moving the hopper 11 and the outlet member 3 relative to the base 6.

A conveyance groove 31 extending in a substantially horizontal direction is formed in an upper portion of the outlet member 3. As shown in fig. 2 to 5, the conveyance groove 31 is formed in a V-shape in a vertical cross section. The conveyance groove 31 is formed of a travel surface 31a as a gentle slope and a wall surface 31b as a steep slope, similarly to the conveyance groove 12 of the hopper 11. The wall surface 31b is orthogonal to the width-direction end (right-side end edge in fig. 2) of the running surface 31a, and the running surface 31a and the wall surface 31b form a bottom 31t of the conveyance groove 31. Therefore, the workpiece conveyed along the conveyance groove 31 is guided by the wall surface 31b while being in contact with the travel surface 31a and the wall surface 31b, and moves on the travel surface 31 a.

The linear feeder 2 is disposed downstream of the hopper feeder 1 in the conveying direction, and the workpiece is conveyed in the horizontal direction from the hopper 11 to the tank 21 of the linear feeder 2 through the outlet member 3. The linear feeder 2 includes a groove 21 extending linearly in the conveying direction and a linear-side vibration source 56 as a second vibration source (a vibration source different from the first vibration source) located below the groove 21. The upstream end 51a of the groove 21 in the conveying direction is adjacent to the outlet member 3 with a gap at which vibration is not transmitted. In the present embodiment, the groove 21 of the linear feeder 2 corresponds to the "second vibration member" of the present invention.

A conveyance groove 72 extending in a substantially horizontal direction is formed in an upper portion of the groove 21. As shown in fig. 2, the conveyance groove 72 is formed in a V-shape in a vertical cross section. The conveyance groove 72 is formed of a travel surface 72a as a gentle slope and a wall surface 72b as a steep slope, similarly to the conveyance groove 12 of the hopper 11 and the conveyance groove 31 of the outlet member 3. The wall surface 72b is a surface orthogonal to the width direction end (right side end edge in fig. 2) of the running surface 72 a. Therefore, the workpiece conveyed along the conveyance groove 72 is guided by the wall surface 72b while being in contact with the travel surface 72a and the wall surface 72b, and moves on the travel surface 72 a.

The linear-side vibration source 56 includes an electromagnet and a leaf spring supporting the groove 21, and vibration is transmitted from the linear-side vibration source 56 to the groove 21 by excitation of the electromagnet, and the groove 21 reciprocates. By driving the linear side vibration source 56 and vibrating the tank 21, the work conveyed from the outlet member 3 is conveyed to the downstream side in the conveying direction in order.

An end portion 32 protruding toward the linear feeder 2 is formed at the downstream end of the outlet member 3 in the conveying direction. The end portion 32 includes a plate-like portion 32a disposed at a downstream end of the running surface 31a in the conveying direction and a plate-like portion 32b disposed at a downstream end of the wall surface 31b in the conveying direction. The plate-like portion 32b is located above (vertically above) the running surface 72a of the groove 21 so as to overlap therewith, and the plate-like portion 32b is positioned so as to overlap with the wall surface 72b of the groove 21. Therefore, the portion of the downstream end portion of the end portion 32 in the conveying direction corresponding to the bottom 31t of the conveying groove 31 is located above (vertically above) so as to overlap the groove 21. The plate-like portion 32a is disposed above the upstream end of the running surface 72a of the groove 21 in the conveying direction with a gap therebetween. Thus, the vibrations are insulated between the end 32 of the outlet member 3 and the slot 21 of the linear feeder 2. That is, the vibration of the hopper 11 and the hopper side vibration source 16 of the outlet member 3 is not transmitted to the groove 21, and the vibration of the linear side vibration source 56 is not transmitted to the hopper 11 and the outlet member 3. This reduces the possibility of occurrence of a trouble in the conveyance of the workpiece due to, for example, vibration interference or failure of the parts feeder 100 due to concentration of stress.

The thickness of the plate-like portion 32a of the end portion 32 and the portion of the plate-like portion 32b corresponding to the bottom portion 31t of the conveyance groove 31 (the portion of the end portion 32 on the downstream side in the conveyance direction corresponding to the bottom portion 31t of the conveyance groove 31) is smaller than the thickness of the periphery of the portion corresponding to the bottom portion 31 t. That is, the periphery of the portion corresponding to the bottom portion 31t is a portion located in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the portion corresponding to the bottom portion 31t, and a portion located on the upstream side in the conveying direction of the portion corresponding to the bottom portion 31 t. In the present embodiment, the thickness of the cross section of the end portion 32 perpendicular to the conveying direction gradually decreases toward the portion corresponding to the bottom portion 31t of the conveying groove 31. That is, the thicknesses of the plate-like portions 32a and 32b gradually decrease toward the portion corresponding to the bottom 31t of the conveying groove 31 as shown in fig. 4 (a) and 4 (b). The thickness of the cross section of the end portion 32 parallel to the conveying direction is gradually reduced toward the tip of the end portion 32. That is, the thickness of the portion corresponding to the bottom 31t of the conveyance groove 31 becomes gradually smaller toward the tip of the end 32 as shown in fig. 5 (b), which is a cross section taken along the line A-A in fig. 5 (a). Thus, the plate-like portions 32b and 32b of the end portion 32 are formed in tapered shapes so that the thickness thereof becomes smaller toward the portion corresponding to the bottom portion 31t of the conveying groove 31.

As described above, in the hopper feeder 1, the spiral conveying groove 12 formed in the circumferential direction is formed in the wall surface 11b of the hopper 11, but as shown in fig. 6, a plurality of layer restricting conveying grooves 60 are formed outside (radially outside) the spiral conveying groove 12. The plurality of layer restricting conveyance grooves 60 are formed at a plurality of positions separated along the spiral conveyance groove 12, but fig. 6 illustrates one layer restricting conveyance groove 60 formed outside a part of the spiral conveyance groove 12.

In the present embodiment, the layer restricting conveyance groove 60 is formed outside the spiral conveyance groove 12, so that when the two workpieces are overlapped in the upper and lower layers in conveying the workpieces along the spiral conveyance groove 12 in the hopper 11 in the hopper feeder 1, the layer restriction of the workpieces in the hopper feeder 1 (the two workpieces overlapped in the upper and lower layers are not overlapped) can be performed.

The layer restricting conveyance groove 60 for restricting a layer is formed along a part of the spiral conveyance groove 12 outside the spiral conveyance groove 12. The layer restricting conveyance groove 60 is formed outside the spiral conveyance groove 12 with a distance of one or more pieces therebetween, and then gradually becomes smaller in distance from the spiral conveyance groove 12. The layer restricting conveyance groove 60 is inclined so as to gradually increase in the entire region from the vicinity of the upstream end portion to the vicinity of the downstream end portion in the conveyance direction, and merges with the spiral conveyance groove 12 at the downstream end portion in the conveyance direction of the layer restricting conveyance groove 60.

Fig. 7 (a) to 7 (c) are cross-sectional views of the hopper 11 in the vicinity of the inlet, the middle and the outlet of the layer restricting conveyance slot 60. Specifically, fig. 7 (a) to 7 (c) are cross-sectional views taken along the line A1-A1, the line A2-A2, and the line A3-A3 in fig. 6, respectively.

The layer restricting conveyance groove 60 is formed in a V-shape in a vertical section as shown in fig. 7 (a) to 7 (c), like the spiral conveyance groove 12. The floor restricting conveyance groove 60 is formed of a running surface 60a as a gentle slope and a wall surface 60b as a steep slope. The wall surface 60b is a surface perpendicular to the width direction end (right side end edge in fig. 7) of the running surface 60 a. Therefore, the workpiece conveyed along the layer restricting conveyance groove 60 is guided by the wall surface 60b while being in contact with the traveling surface 60a and the wall surface 60b, and moves on the traveling surface 60 a.

As shown in fig. 7 a, in the vicinity of the entrance of the layer restricting conveyance groove 60 (the section of line A1-A1 in fig. 6), the bottom 60t of the layer restricting conveyance groove 60 is disposed at a position lower than the bottom 12t of the spiral conveyance groove 12. Therefore, a step 61 is formed between the spiral conveying groove 12 and the layer restricting conveying groove 60 at the upstream end of the layer restricting conveying groove 60 in the conveying direction. The step 61 is a portion connecting the running surface 60a of the layer restricting conveyance groove 60 and the running surface 12a of the spiral conveyance groove 12, and is a portion where the running surface 60a of the layer restricting conveyance groove 60 protrudes upward with respect to the running surface 12a of the spiral conveyance groove 12. As shown in fig. 7 b and 7 c, the height of the bottom 12t of the spiral conveying groove 12 gradually increases from the inlet portion to the middle portion (the section of line A2-A2 in fig. 6) of the layer restricting conveying groove 60, and from the outlet portion (the section of line A3-A3 in fig. 6).

The distance between the bottom 12t of the spiral conveying groove 12 and the bottom 60t of the layer restricting conveying groove 60 gradually decreases from the upstream side in the conveying direction toward the downstream side in the conveying direction. The height of the bottom 60t of the layer restricting conveyance groove 60 gradually increases from the upstream side in the conveyance direction toward the downstream side in the conveyance direction in the entire region of the layer restricting conveyance groove 60. The gradient of at least a part of the layer restricting conveyance groove 60 in the conveyance direction is smaller than the gradient of the spiral conveyance groove 12 in the conveyance direction. The distance between the bottom 60t of the layer restricting conveyance groove 60 and the bottom 12t of the spiral conveyance groove 12 gradually decreases from the inlet portion of the layer restricting conveyance groove 60 to the middle portion and the outlet portion of the layer restricting conveyance groove 60, and the height of the step portion 61 between the spiral conveyance groove 12 and the layer restricting conveyance groove 60 gradually decreases. Therefore, in the vicinity of the end portion on the downstream side in the conveying direction of the layer restricting conveying groove 60, there is no step portion 61 (the height of the step portion 61 is 0) between the spiral conveying groove 12 and the layer restricting conveying groove 60, and the running surface 12a of the spiral conveying groove 12 and the running surface 60a of the layer restricting conveying groove 60 are disposed on the same plane.

In this way, by forming the layer restricting conveyance groove 60 outside the spiral conveyance groove 12, as shown in fig. 8 (a), when two workpieces overlap in the spiral conveyance groove 12 to form two layers, as shown in fig. 8 (b) and 8 (c), the upper workpiece moves to the layer restricting conveyance groove 60, and then, as shown in fig. 8 (d), as the height of the step 61 between the spiral conveyance groove 12 and the layer restricting conveyance groove 60 becomes lower as the workpiece is conveyed in the layer restricting conveyance groove 60, if the running surface 12a of the spiral conveyance groove 12 and the running surface 60a of the layer restricting conveyance groove 60 are arranged on the same plane, the workpiece conveyed in the spiral conveyance groove 12 moves to the layer restricting conveyance groove 60 outside thereof.

The position of the bottom 12t of the spiral conveying groove 12 is switched radially outward to the position of the bottom 60t of the layer restricting conveying groove 60 at the end on the downstream side in the conveying direction of the layer restricting conveying groove 60 in plan view. That is, the bottom 12t of the spiral conveying groove 12 is disposed on the downstream side in the conveying direction from the end of the conveying groove 60 for limiting the layer on the downstream side in the conveying direction, and the bottom 60t of the conveying groove 60 for limiting the layer is extended on the downstream side in the conveying direction. Therefore, when the work conveyed in the spiral conveying groove 12 and the work conveyed in the layer restricting conveying groove 60 are joined, the state in which the work is overlapped is eliminated in the spiral conveying groove 12 as shown in fig. 8 (e), and the work is not overlapped.

<2. Effect >

The parts feeder 100 of the present embodiment includes the hopper 11 and the outlet member 3 which transmit vibrations from the hopper-side vibration source 16, and the tank 21 which transmits vibrations from the linear-side vibration source 56 which is different from the hopper-side vibration source 16, the hopper 11, the outlet member 3, and the tank 21 each include the conveying tanks 12, 31 and the conveying tank 72 which convey the work by the transmitted vibrations, the end 32 on the downstream side in the conveying direction of the outlet member 3 is located above the end 51a on the upstream side in the conveying direction of the tank 21, the hopper 11, the outlet member 3, and the tank 21 are arranged with a gap for insulating the vibrations, the work is conveyed from the end 32 of the outlet member 3 onto the end 51a of the tank 21, and the thickness of the portion of the end 32 corresponding to the bottom 31t of the conveying tank 31 is smaller than the thickness around the portion corresponding to the bottom 31 t.

In this way, in the component feeder 100 of the present embodiment, the part corresponding to the bottom 31t of the carrying groove 31 in the downstream end 32 of the outlet member 3 is made smaller in thickness than the surrounding part, so that the drop in the transition portion between the outlet member 3 and the groove 21 can be reduced. Therefore, in the transition portion between the outlet member 3 and the groove 21, the work can be prevented from falling down, and the work can be prevented from being scattered in posture.

In the component feeder 100 of the present embodiment, the thickness of the cross section of the end 32 on the downstream side in the conveying direction of the outlet member 3, which is perpendicular to the conveying direction, gradually decreases toward the portion corresponding to the bottom of the conveying groove 31.

Thus, in the component feeder 100 of the present embodiment, by forming the thickness of the section perpendicular to the conveying direction of the end portion 32 on the downstream side in the conveying direction of the outlet member 3 to be gradually smaller toward the portion corresponding to the bottom portion 31t of the conveying groove 31, even when the thickness of the portion corresponding to the bottom portion 31t of the conveying groove 31 is reduced in the end portion 32 on the downstream side in the conveying direction of the outlet member 3, the strength of the end portion 32 of the outlet member 3 can be suppressed from being lowered.

In the component feeder 100 of the present embodiment, the thickness of the cross section of the end portion 32 on the downstream side in the conveying direction of the outlet member 3, which is parallel to the conveying direction, gradually decreases toward the tip end of the end portion 32.

In this way, in the component feeder 100 according to the present embodiment, by forming the thickness of the section parallel to the conveying direction of the end portion 32 on the downstream side in the conveying direction of the outlet member 3 to be gradually smaller toward the tip end of the end portion 32, even when the thickness is reduced toward the tip end of the end portion 32 on the downstream side in the conveying direction of the outlet member 3, the strength of the end portion 32 of the outlet member 3 can be suppressed from decreasing.

In the parts feeder 100 of the present embodiment, the end 32 on the downstream side in the conveying direction of the outlet member 3 is formed in a tapered shape so that the thickness becomes smaller toward the portion corresponding to the bottom 31t of the conveying groove 31.

In the parts feeder 100 of the present embodiment, the lower surface of the cross section of the end 32 on the downstream side in the conveying direction of the outlet member 3 perpendicular to the conveying direction and the lower surface of the cross section of the end 32 parallel to the conveying direction are formed in a tapered shape, respectively, and the end 32 can be easily processed so that the thickness becomes smaller toward the portion corresponding to the bottom 31t of the conveying groove 31.

Second embodiment

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description and drawings relating to the second embodiment, substantially the same structures as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and overlapping description thereof is omitted.

<1. Integral Structure of parts feeder 100)

The structure of the parts feeder according to the embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing the structure of the component feeder 100' according to the embodiment.

The parts feeder 100' is a device for carrying a workpiece such as an IC chip or a micro coil by vibration. In this embodiment, the shape is substantially rectangular parallelepiped.

The parts feeder 100 ' includes a hopper feeder 1 ' that conveys the workpieces in a spiral shape and is arranged, and a linear feeder 2 that is arranged on the downstream side in the conveying direction of the hopper feeder 1 and conveys the workpieces fed from the hopper feeder 1 ' in a linear shape, is arranged in the determined direction, and is fed to the next process. The hopper feeder 1' and the linear feeder 2 are disposed on the base 6.

The hopper feeder 1 'includes a hopper 11' that accommodates a workpiece supplied from a supply mechanism (not shown) and a vibration source (hopper-side vibration source) 16 'disposed below the hopper 11'. A spiral conveying path 111 is formed on the inner surface of the hopper 11 ', and the hopper 11 ' is torsionally vibrated by the hopper-side vibration source 16 ', so that the workpiece is conveyed along the conveying path 111.

The linear feeder 2 includes a groove 21 extending in a linear shape and a vibration source (linear side vibration source) 22 disposed below the groove 21. By vibrating the tank 21 with the linear-side vibration source 22, the workpiece is conveyed along the tank 21.

Next, the hopper feeder 1' will be described in more detail with reference to fig. 10 and 11 in addition to fig. 9. Fig. 10 is a top view of the hopper feeder 1'. Fig. 11 (a) is a view of a main portion of the hopper feeder 1 'viewed from the side, and fig. 11 (b) is a view of a main portion of the hopper feeder 1' viewed from the bottom surface side.

The hopper 11' includes a bottom portion 11a having a circular shape in plan view and a central bulge, and a side wall portion 11b extending from a peripheral edge portion of the bottom portion 11a and inclined outward as going upward. A groove-like conveyance path 111 is formed in a spiral shape on the inner surface of the side wall 11b. In addition, two types of air ejection devices (a first air ejection device 4 and a second air ejection device 5) are provided near the conveyance path 111. The configuration of each air ejection device 4, 5 will be described in detail later.

As shown in fig. 11, the hopper side vibration source 16' includes a support portion 121 including a groove 21a of the fixed member 1 and a movable member 121b, and an electromagnetic drive portion 122 accommodated in the support portion 121.

As shown in fig. 11 (a), a concave portion is formed in the center of the fixed member 121a, and an electromagnetic driving portion 122 is disposed therein, and a movable member 121b is provided so as to block the concave portion from above. The movable member 121b is a movable member that vibrates in response to the operation of the electromagnetic driving portion 122, and is connected to the fixed member 121a via four leaf springs 123 disposed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the fixed member 121a, and is elastically supported with respect to the fixed member 121 a. When the electromagnetic driving unit 122 operates, the leaf springs 123 are inclined in the same direction, and when the electromagnetic driving unit 122 operates, the leaf springs 123 are tilted, and vibration is generated in the movable member 121b due to displacement in the combined torsional direction and vertical direction.

As shown in fig. 11b, the movable member 121b has a shape of a figure of ten thousand (i.e., extending portions extending at right angles from the vicinity of the vertices on the same side are formed on each side of the square in plan view. Each protruding portion of the movable member 121b is provided with an insertion hole H, and a fixing member (not shown) such as a bolt is inserted through each insertion hole H, and these are screwed into a bolt insertion hole (not shown) provided in the bottom surface of the hopper 11 ', thereby connecting the movable member 121b and the bottom surface of the hopper 11'. Thereby, the hopper 11 'is mounted with respect to the hopper side vibration source 16'. In this state, when the electromagnetic driving portion 122 is operated, the vibration is transmitted to the hopper 11 'by the movable member 121b, and the workpiece is conveyed along the conveying path 111 formed in the side wall portion 11b of the hopper 11'.

As described above, the movable member 121b includes not only a function as a movable member that vibrates in accordance with the operation of the electromagnetic driving portion 122, but also a function as a mounting member that mounts the hopper 11 'to the hopper-side vibration source 16'. In the conventional common structure, a member (movable member) that vibrates in response to the operation of an electromagnetic driving unit is connected to an outer peripheral side to form a separate attachment member, and the attachment member is fixed to a bottom portion of a hopper, whereby the hopper is attached to a hopper-side vibration source. However, in this configuration, it is necessary to take over both the adhesion between the movable member and the mounting member (adhesion in the vertical direction) and the adhesion between the mounting member and the hopper (adhesion in the horizontal direction), and if the adhesion between both is not sufficiently ensured, vibration cannot be properly transmitted, and the conveying performance is degraded. In contrast, in the case where the movable member 121b as the movable member functions as the mounting member as in this embodiment, it is not necessary to consider the adhesion in the vertical direction as in the conventional case, and only the adhesion in the horizontal direction between the movable member 121b and the hopper 11' is required. Therefore, the conveyance performance can be easily ensured as compared with the conventional general structure. Further, since a mounting member different from the movable member 121b is not required, the number of components and the number of assembly steps can be reduced. Further, the rigidity of the entire hopper-side vibration source 16' is also higher than in the case where the movable member 121b and the attachment member are formed separately.

<2 > air ejection device

<2.1 location of air-jet device >

Next, the arrangement positions of the air ejection devices 4 and 5 will be described with reference to fig. 10, 12, and 13. Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing a portion of the hopper 11' where the air ejection devices 4 and 5 are disposed. Fig. 13 is a view for explaining a drop portion 111a formed in the middle of the conveyance path 111.

As shown in fig. 10, two types of air ejection devices (a first air ejection device 4 and a second air ejection device 5) are provided in the hopper 11'.

The first air ejection device 4 is a device for ejecting air in a direction intersecting the conveyance path 111 when viewed from above (i.e., in a plan view) with respect to an upper workpiece among vertically overlapping workpieces, and for ejecting the workpiece from the conveyance path 111. In this embodiment, the two first air ejection devices 4, 4 are disposed in the vicinity of the conveyance path 111 and at intervals in the extending direction of the conveyance path 111.

The second air ejection device 5 is a device that blows air in a direction along the conveyance path 111 when viewed from above toward the workpiece, and promotes rotation thereof. In this embodiment, the two second air ejection devices 5, 5 are disposed at intervals in the extending direction of the conveyance path 111 in the vicinity of the conveyance path 111.

As shown in fig. 13, a drop portion 111a is formed in the conveyance path 111 formed in the hopper 11', and is relatively lower on the downstream side in the conveyance direction AR 1. The vertical section on the upstream side in the conveying direction AR1 (the section orthogonal to the conveying direction) is a conveying path section (V-shaped groove section) 111b formed of V-shaped grooves, and the vertical section on the downstream side in the conveying direction AR1 is a conveying path section (arc-shaped groove section) 111c formed of arc-shaped grooves, with the step section 111a as a boundary.

The V-shaped groove portion 111b is constituted by a running surface Q1 as a gentle slope and a wall surface Q2 as a steep slope. The wall surface Q2 is a surface orthogonal to the running surface Q1, and the workpiece conveyed along the V-shaped groove portion 111b is guided by the wall surface Q2 while being in contact with the running surface Q1 and the wall surface Q2, and moves on the running surface Q1. On the other hand, the arcuate groove portion 111c is formed by a surface curved in an arcuate shape, and the workpiece 9 to be conveyed here is moved in a state in which both side edges in the conveying direction of the bottom surface thereof are brought into contact with the arcuate groove portion 111c.

The first air ejection device 4 is disposed near the V-shaped groove portion 111b in the conveyance path 111, and ejects air toward the workpiece conveyed by the V-shaped groove portion 111b (see fig. 14). On the other hand, the second air ejection device 5 is disposed in the vicinity of the drop portion 111a in the conveyance path 111, and ejects air toward the workpiece passing through the drop portion 111a (i.e., the workpiece falling from the V-shaped groove portion 111b to the arc-shaped groove portion 111 c) (see fig. 13).

<2.2. First air-jet device >

Next, the structure of the first air ejection device 4 will be specifically described with reference to fig. 14 to 16 in addition to fig. 12. Fig. 14 is a side sectional view of the first air ejection device 4. Fig. 15 is a diagram showing the elements included in the first air ejection device 4 in fig. 14 in an exploded manner. Fig. 16 (a) is a perspective view of the nozzle 41 included in the first air ejection device 4, and fig. 16 (b) is a front view of the nozzle 41 included in the first air ejection device 4.

The first air ejection device 4 includes a nozzle 41 and a supply pipe 42 for supplying air to the nozzle 41.

The nozzle 41 includes a cylindrical body 411. A discharge port 412 is formed in one end face 411a of the body 411. Specifically, a part of the peripheral edge of the end face 411a of the discharge port 412 is formed by cutting into a コ shape.

A long groove 413 is formed in the circumferential direction of the peripheral surface 411b of the body 411. That is, as shown in fig. 16 (b), the groove 413 is a long groove extending in an arc shape when viewed from the axial direction of the main body 411. The groove 413 is formed such that a central portion (center of the circular arc) substantially coincides with the discharge port 412 when viewed in the axial direction of the main body 411. The center angle θ of the arc of the groove 413 when viewed in the axial direction of the body 411 is a sufficiently large value (for example, 120 degrees or more). The groove 413 is formed in an arc shape and is formed in an oblong shape at both ends in the longitudinal direction in a plan view.

The main body 411 is formed with a communication portion 414 that communicates with the groove 413 and the discharge port 412. Specifically, the communication portion 414 is an elongated groove formed in the circumferential surface 411b of the main body portion 411 in the axial direction thereof, and one end communicates with the groove portion 413 and the other end communicates with the discharge port 412.

A jig insertion hole 415 penetrating the peripheral surface 411b of the body 411 in the radial direction is formed in the body 411 in the vicinity of the end surface opposite to the end surface 411a where the discharge port 412 is formed. The jig insertion hole 415 is for inserting therein a rod-shaped jig.

On the other hand, a cylindrical through hole 112 extending in the radial direction of the hopper 11 'in a plan view is formed in the side wall portion 11b of the hopper 11' on the side of the conveying path 111. The through hole 112 is inclined downward from the inside of the hopper 11' to the outside, and its axial direction is substantially parallel to the running surface Q1 of the V-shaped groove portion 111 b.

The through hole 112 is used to allow the body 411 of the nozzle 41 to be inserted therethrough. That is, the main body 411 is inserted into the through hole 112 until the end face 411a of the side where the discharge port 412 is formed faces the conveying path 111, whereby the main body 411 is disposed in the hopper 11'. As described above, the through-hole 112 is provided to extend in the radial direction of the hopper 11' in a plan view on the side of the conveyance path 111. Therefore, the main body 411 is disposed laterally of the conveyance path 111 in a posture in which the axial direction thereof extends along the radial direction of the hopper 11' (i.e., the direction orthogonal to the conveyance path 111) in plan view (two-dot chain line in fig. 10). As described above, the through hole 112 is formed so that the axial direction thereof is substantially parallel to the running surface Q1. Therefore, the body 411 is disposed in a posture in which the axial direction thereof is substantially parallel to the running surface Q1.

The inner diameter of the through hole 112 is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the body 411, and when the through hole 112 is inserted, the peripheral surface 411b of the body 411 is in airtight contact with the inner surface of the through hole 112. That is, the body 411 is inserted into the through hole 112 in an airtight manner, thereby closing the inner space of the groove 413, and the inner space and the discharge port 412 are communicated in an airtight manner by the communication portion 414.

The body 411 inserted into the through hole 112 allows rotation about its axis. The operator inserts a rod-shaped jig into the jig insertion hole 415 provided in the body 411, for example, and applies a force to one end of the jig insertion hole, thereby easily rotating the body 411 about the axis thereof using the lever principle. On the other hand, a fixing member insertion hole 115, one end of which communicates with the through hole 112 and extends substantially at right angles to the through hole 112, is formed in the hopper 11' above the through hole 112. A fixing member (for example, a fixing screw) is screwed into the fixing member insertion hole 115, and one end thereof is pressed against the peripheral surface of the body 411 inserted into the through hole 112, so that the body 411 is restricted from rotating about its axis.

A pipe insertion hole 113 extending in a direction intersecting the extending direction (here, substantially perpendicular) is formed below the through hole 112 in the hopper 11', and one end of the supply pipe 42 is inserted therein. That is, the tip end of the supply pipe 42 is disposed so as to extend in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the body 411 inserted into the through hole 112. The upper end of the pipe insertion hole 113 communicates with the through hole 112 through the supply hole 114. However, when the body 411 is inserted into the through hole 112, the supply hole 114 is formed at a position communicating with the inner space of the groove 413. Accordingly, the air supplied from the supply pipe 42 inserted into the pipe insertion hole 113 fills the internal space of the groove 413 through the supply hole 114, and is discharged from the discharge port 412 through the communication portion 414.

In this way, the supply pipe 42 communicates with the inner space of the groove 413 from the direction intersecting the axial direction of the main body 411, and air is supplied to the inner space, so that the supply pipe 42 does not protrude in the axial direction of the main body 411. Here, since the long groove 413 is provided between the supply pipe 42 and the discharge port 412, the supply of air to the discharge port 412 can be maintained even if the main body 411 rotates around the axis thereof, as long as the length of the groove 413 is in a range corresponding to the length of the groove.

Next, the operation of the first air ejection device 4 will be described with reference to fig. 12 and 14 to 16.

As described above, the body 411 of the nozzle 41 is air-tightly inserted into the through-hole 112 formed in the hopper 11' with the discharge port 412 facing the conveyance path 111. The operator first inserts a rod-shaped jig through a jig insertion hole 415 formed in the body 411, applies a force to one end thereof, rotates the body 411 about the axis thereof, and adjusts the height of the discharge port 412 (arrow AR2 in fig. 12). Here, the rotational position of the main body 411 is adjusted so that the height of the discharge port 412 is higher than the height of the workpiece conveyed on the conveyance path 111 in an appropriate posture.

When the rotational position of the main body 411 is determined, the operator screws the fixing member 43 into the fixing member insertion hole 115, and presses one end thereof against the peripheral surface of the main body 411. This restricts the main body 411 from rotating about its axis.

After that, when the workpiece starts to be conveyed, the valve (not shown) provided in the supply pipe 42 is controlled, and the supply of air from the supply pipe 42 is started. The air supplied from the supply pipe 42 fills the internal space of the groove 413 through the supply hole 114, and is discharged from the discharge port 412 through the communication portion 414. Here, while the workpiece is being conveyed, the supply of air to the supply pipe 42 is continued, and the air is continuously discharged from the discharge port 412 at a predetermined pressure.

As described above, the rotational position of the main body 411 is adjusted so that the height of the discharge port 412 is higher than the height of the workpiece conveyed on the conveyance path 111 in an appropriate posture. Therefore, when the conveying path 111 includes the workpieces conveyed in a state of overlapping in the longitudinal direction, the upper workpiece is blown off by the air discharged from the discharge port 412. Thereby, the overlapping state of the workpieces is released.

<2.3. Second air-jet device >

Next, the structure of the second air ejection device 5 will be specifically described with reference to fig. 17 to 19 in addition to fig. 12 and 13. Fig. 17 and 12 are perspective views showing the elements included in the second air ejection device 5 in an exploded manner. Fig. 18 is a side sectional view of the second air ejection device 5. Fig. 19 is a diagram showing the elements included in the second air ejection device 5 in fig. 18 in an exploded manner.

The second air ejection device 5 includes a nozzle 51, a support portion 52 that supports the nozzle 51, and a supply pipe 53 that supplies air to the nozzle 51.

The nozzle 51 includes a cylindrical main body 511. A hollow space V having one end opened and the other end closed is formed in the main body 511, and an end of the hollow space V is closed by providing a fixing screw (for example, a fixing screw with a hexagonal hole) 512 at an end of the opening.

A discharge port 513 as a through hole communicating with the hollow space V is formed in a part of the circumferential surface 511a of the main body 511 in the circumferential direction. The discharge port 513 is formed in the vicinity of the end portion on the closed side in the hollow space V of the main body 511.

A long groove 514 is formed in the circumferential direction of the peripheral surface 511a of the body 511. The groove 514 is a circular groove formed along the entire circumference of the body 511 in the circumferential direction. A communication portion 515 is formed at the bottom of the groove 514, and the internal space of the groove 514 communicates with the hollow space V through the communication portion 515. That is, the groove 514 communicates with the discharge port 513 through the communication portion 515 and the hollow space V.

The support portion 52 is an L-shaped member in side view, and includes a base portion 52a extending in a straight line and a hanging portion 52b bent downward from one end thereof. The support portion 52 is fixed to the upper end surface of the side wall portion 11B of the hopper 11' by a bolt B inserted into the long hole 521 formed in the base portion 52 a. However, at this time, the base portion 52a is positioned above the conveyance path 11 in a posture extending in the radial direction of the hopper 11' in a plan view.

A columnar through hole 522 extending parallel to the base portion 52a is formed in the hanging portion 52 b. The through hole 522 is used for the body 511 of the nozzle 51 to be inserted therethrough. That is, the main body 511 is disposed above the conveyance path 111 at a portion where the discharge port 513 is formed, and is inserted into the through hole 522 to a position where the groove 514 is accommodated in the through hole 522. Thereby, the main body 511 is supported by the support 512 with respect to the hopper 11'. As described above, the support portion 52 is fixed to the hopper 11 'in a posture in which the base portion 52a extends in the radial direction of the hopper 11' in a plan view, and the through hole 522 extends parallel to the base portion 52 a. Therefore, the main body 511 is supported above the conveyance path 111 in a posture in which the axial direction thereof extends in the radial direction of the hopper 11' (i.e., in the direction orthogonal to the conveyance path 11) in plan view (two-dot chain line in fig. 10).

The inner diameter of the through hole 522 is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the main body 511, and when the through hole 522 is inserted, the peripheral surface 511a of the main body 511 is in airtight contact with the inner surface of the through hole 522. That is, the body 511 is inserted into the through hole 522 in an airtight manner, thereby closing the internal space of the groove 514, and the internal space and the discharge port 513 are communicated in an airtight manner by the communicating portion 515 and the hollow space V.

The main body 511 inserted into the through hole 522 is allowed to rotate about the axis of the shaft. That is, the support portion 52 allows the main body portion 511 to support the main body portion 511 in a manner allowing rotation about its axis. The operator inserts a jig into a hexagonal hole provided in the body 511 supported by the support 52, for example, and rotates one end of the jig to rotate the body 511 about the axis thereof. On the other hand, a fixing member insertion hole 524, one end of which communicates with the through hole 522 and extends substantially at right angles to the through hole 522, is formed in the support portion 52 laterally of the through hole 522. A fixing member (for example, a fixing screw) 54 is screwed into the fixing member insertion hole 524, and one end thereof is pressed against the peripheral surface of the main body 511 inserted into the through hole 522, so that the main body 511 is restricted from rotating about its axis.

A pipe insertion hole 523 extending in a direction intersecting the extending direction (here, substantially perpendicular) is formed in the support portion 52 above the through hole 522, and one end of the supply pipe 53 is inserted therein. That is, the tip of the supply pipe 53 is disposed so as to extend in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the main body 511 inserted into the through hole 522. The lower end of the pipe insertion hole 523 communicates with the through hole 522. However, the pipe insertion hole 523 is formed at a position that communicates with the internal space of the groove 514 when the body 511 is inserted into the through hole 522. Accordingly, the air supplied from the supply pipe 53 inserted into the pipe insertion hole 523 fills the internal space of the groove 514, and is filled into the hollow space V through the communication portion 515, and is discharged from the discharge port 513.

In this way, the supply pipe 53 communicates with the inner space of the groove 514 from the direction intersecting the axial direction of the main body 511, and the supply pipe 53 does not protrude in the axial direction of the main body 511 because air is supplied to the inner space. Since the long groove 514 is provided between the supply pipe 53 and the discharge port 513, the supply of air to the discharge port 513 can be maintained even if the main body 511 rotates around the axis thereof in a range corresponding to the length of the groove 514.

Next, the operation of the second air ejection device 5 will be described with reference to fig. 12, 13, and 17 to 19.

As described above, the support portion 52 is fixed to the hopper 11' by the bolt B inserted into the long hole 521, and the long hole 521 extends in the extending direction of the base portion 52 a. The operator releases the bolt B and slides the support portion 52 to adjust the mounting position of the support portion 52, that is, the position of the main body portion 511 in the radial direction of the hopper 11' (arrow AR3 in fig. 12). Here, the discharge port 513 adjusts the position of the main body 511 in the radial direction of the hopper 11' so as to come directly above the conveyance path 111.

As described above, the main body 511 of the nozzle 51 is air-tightly inserted into the through hole 522 formed in the support 52 so that the discharge port 513 faces the conveyance path 111. The operator inserts the jig through the hexagonal hole of the hexagonal hole fixing screw 512, rotates the body 511 around the axis thereof, and adjusts the height and direction of the discharge port 513 (arrow AR4 in fig. 12). Here, the air discharged from the discharge port 513 is blown out toward a position on the rail of the workpiece where the drop portion 111a (fig. 13) falls, so that the rotational position of the main body 511 is adjusted. In particular, it is preferable to finely adjust the rotational position of the main body 511 or the like so as to blow air to a position (for example, in the case of a rectangular parallelepiped in this embodiment, a corner portion) as far away from the center of gravity of the workpiece as possible.

When the rotational position of the main body 511 is determined, the operator screws the fixing member 54 into the fixing member insertion hole 524, and presses one end thereof against the peripheral surface of the main body 511. This restricts the main body 511 from rotating about its axis.

After that, when the workpiece starts to be conveyed, the valve (not shown) provided in the supply pipe 53 is controlled, and the supply of air from the supply pipe 53 is started. The air supplied from the supply pipe 53 is filled into the hollow space V through the internal space of the groove 514 and the communication portion 515, and is discharged from the discharge port 513. Here, while the workpiece is being conveyed, the supply of air to the supply pipe 53 is continued, and the air is continuously discharged from the discharge port 513 at a predetermined pressure.

As described above, here, the air discharged from the discharge port 513 adjusts the rotational position of the main body 511 so as to be discharged toward the position on the rail of the workpiece that falls on the fall portion 111 a. Therefore, by blowing air toward the work dropped on the drop member 111a, the rotation of the work is promoted, and the work is dropped while rotating. When the workpiece that is rotated and dropped is landed on the arc-shaped groove portion 111c, the posture of the workpiece is set to the rotation posture by accelerating the rotation of the workpiece at the time of dropping in order to attain the most stable posture (that is, the rotation posture with the lowest center of gravity, in this embodiment, the posture with the longitudinal direction along the conveying direction).

<3. Effect >

The first air ejection device 4 included in the component feeder 100' of the above embodiment includes a nozzle 41 and a supply pipe 42 for supplying air to the nozzle 41. The nozzle 41 includes a cylindrical main body 411 disposed laterally of the conveyance path 111 in a plan view along a direction intersecting the conveyance path 111, a discharge port 412 formed in a position offset from the center in an end face 411a of the main body 411, a long groove 413 formed in a circumferential direction of the main body 411, and a communication portion 414 communicating the groove 413 and the discharge port 412. The supply pipe 42 communicates with the inner space of the groove 413 in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the main body 411, and supplies air to the inner space.

According to this configuration, since the supply pipe 42 that supplies air to the nozzle 41 supplies air from the direction intersecting the axial direction of the main body 411 of the nozzle 41, the supply pipe 42 does not protrude in the axial direction of the main body 411. Therefore, the supply pipe 42 is difficult to interfere with the operator, and the overall appearance of the parts feeder 100' is small and beautiful.

In this configuration, since the discharge port 412 is formed at a position offset from the center in the end face 411a of the main body 411, the position of the discharge port 412, that is, the air discharge position can be changed by rotating the main body 411 about the axis thereof.

In addition, according to this configuration, even if the main body 411 rotates around the axis thereof, the supply of air to the outlet 412 can be maintained as long as the length of the groove 413 is in a range corresponding to the length of the groove, and at this time, since it is not necessary to operate the supply pipe 42 in accordance with the rotation of the main body 411, the retrieval structure of the supply pipe 42 can be simplified.

In the first air ejection device 4, the main body 411 is disposed in a position such that the axial direction is along the radial direction of the hopper 11 'in a plan view in the hopper 11' having the spiral conveying path 111 formed on the inner side surface of the side wall 11 b.

According to this configuration, the main body 411 of the nozzle 41 is disposed in such a posture that the axial direction thereof extends along the radial direction of the hopper 11 'in a plan view, and as a result, the supply pipe 42 that supplies air to the nozzle 41 supplies air from a direction intersecting the axial direction of the main body 411, so that the supply pipe 42 does not protrude in the radial direction of the hopper 11' in a plan view. Therefore, the supply pipe 42 is particularly difficult to obstruct an operator, and the appearance of the whole part feeder 100' is particularly small and beautiful.

In the first air ejection device 4, the main body 411 is inserted in an airtight manner into the through hole 112 formed in the side wall 11b of the hopper 11', so that the inner space of the groove 413 is closed, and the inner space and the discharge port 412 are communicated in an airtight manner by the communication portion 414.

According to this structure, the first air ejection device 4 can be simplified in structure.

The second air ejection device 5 included in the component feeder 100' of the above embodiment includes the nozzle 51, the support portion 52 that supports the nozzle 51, and the supply pipe 53 that supplies air to the nozzle 51. The nozzle 51 includes a cylindrical main body 511 and a discharge port 513 formed in a part of the circumferential direction of the peripheral surface 511a of the main body 511. The support portion 52 supports the main body 511 so as to allow rotation about the axis of the shaft in a state in which the axial direction intersects the conveyance path 111 in a plan view.

According to this configuration, the nozzle 51 includes the main body 511 in which the discharge port 513 is formed in the peripheral surface 511a, and the main body 511 is supported in a posture in which the axial direction is along the direction intersecting the conveyance path 111 in a plan view. Therefore, as compared with the case where the tubular nozzle is arranged along the conveying path in a plan view, the nozzle 51 is less likely to interfere with an operator, and the overall appearance of the parts feeder 100' is small and beautiful.

In this configuration, since the discharge port 513 is formed in a part of the circumferential direction of the circumferential surface 511a of the main body 511, the position of the discharge port 513, that is, the air discharge position can be changed by rotating the main body 511 around the axis thereof. Further, by sliding the body 511 along the axis thereof, the position of the discharge port 513 with respect to the direction intersecting the conveyance path 111 can also be changed. The position adjustment reproducibility is higher than the conventional case in which the position of the tip of the tubular nozzle is changed by changing the position of the main body 511 in the axial direction and the rotational position of the main body 511 around the axis. Therefore, even if the operator is not skilled, the air ejection position can be easily and accurately adjusted.

In addition, in the conventional scheme of defining the position and angle of the discharge port by the posture of the tip of the tubular nozzle, there is a possibility that the position and angle of the discharge port may deviate only by applying a small external force to the tip of the nozzle. In contrast, in this configuration, the position and angle of the discharge port 513 can be defined by the rotational position about the axis and the position in the axial direction of the cylindrical body 511 having high rigidity, as compared with the tubular nozzle, and therefore this is not easily deviated.

In the second air ejection device 5, the nozzle 51 includes a long groove 514 formed in the circumferential direction of the peripheral surface 511a of the main body 511, and a communication portion 515 that communicates the groove 514 with the discharge port 513. The supply pipe 53 communicates with the inner space of the groove 514 from a direction intersecting the axial direction of the main body 511, and supplies air to the inner space.

According to this configuration, the supply pipe 53 for supplying air to the nozzle 51 supplies air from the direction intersecting the axial direction of the main body 511 of the nozzle 51, and therefore the supply pipe 53 does not protrude in the axial direction of the main body 511. Therefore, the supply pipe 53 is difficult to interfere with an operator, and the appearance of the whole part feeder 100' is particularly small and beautiful.

In addition, according to this configuration, even if the main body 511 rotates about its axis, the supply of air to the discharge port 513 can be maintained as long as the length of the groove 514 is in a range corresponding to the length of the groove, and at this time, since it is not necessary to move the supply pipe 53 in accordance with the rotation of the main body 511, the retrieval structure of the supply pipe 53 can be simplified.

In the second air ejection device 5, the main body 511 is inserted into the through hole 522 formed in the support 52 in an airtight manner, so that the internal space of the groove 514 is closed, and the internal space and the discharge port 513 are communicated in an airtight manner through the communication portion 515 and the hollow space V.

According to this structure, the structure of the second air ejection device 5 can be simplified.

The second air ejection device 5 ejects air toward the workpiece passing through the conveying path 111 and whose shape is changed from a V-shape in cross section to an arc-shaped in cross section of the drop member 111 a.

In this configuration, when the workpiece falls on the conveyance path portion (arc-shaped groove portion) 111c having an arc-shaped cross section, the workpiece is blown out of the air, thereby facilitating the rotation of the workpiece. When the workpiece that is rotated and dropped is landed on the arc-shaped groove portion 111c, the posture of the workpiece is set to the most stable rotation posture (i.e., the posture in which the center of gravity is the lowest in the above-described embodiment, the longitudinal direction is oriented in the conveying direction) by promoting the rotation of the workpiece at the time of dropping.

Modification example

The structure of an embodiment of the present application is not limited to the above embodiment.

In the first embodiment described above, the effects of the present application are obtained in the case of at least any one of the structure in which the thickness of the section perpendicular to the conveyance direction including the end portion 32 on the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the outlet member 3 is gradually reduced toward the portion corresponding to the bottom of the conveyance groove 31, and the thickness of the section parallel to the conveyance direction of the end portion 32 on the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the outlet member 3 is gradually reduced toward the tip of the end portion 32, but the thickness of the section perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the end portion 32 on the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the outlet member 3 is gradually reduced toward the portion corresponding to the bottom of the conveyance groove 31, and the structure in which the thickness of the section parallel to the conveyance direction of the end portion 32 on the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the outlet member 3 is gradually reduced toward the tip of the end portion 32. The downstream end 32 of the outlet member 3 in the conveying direction is not limited to a tapered shape, and is formed so that the thickness thereof becomes smaller toward a portion corresponding to the bottom 31t of the conveying groove 31.

In the second embodiment described above, while the work is being conveyed, air is continuously discharged from each of the air discharge devices 4, 5, but the discharge of air from the first air discharge device 4 or (and) the second air discharge device 5 may be intermittent. For example, if a detection unit for detecting the state of the workpiece is provided on the upstream side of the first air ejection device 4 and a workpiece that is in an improper posture or a superimposed workpiece is detected, air may be ejected from the first air ejection device 4. In the case of such a configuration, the timing of ejecting air (specifically, the timing of switching the valve inserted into the supply pipe 42 from the closed state to the open state) is determined according to the distance from the position at which the state of the workpiece is detected to the discharge port 412 and the conveying speed of the workpiece. As described above, in the first air ejection device 4, the position of the discharge port 412 can be changed, and the distance of separation varies according to the position of the discharge port 412. Therefore, the timing of ejecting the air is preferably determined in consideration of the position of the adjusted discharge port 412. The same applies to the second air ejection device 5.

In the second embodiment described above, the main body 411 of the nozzle 41 included in the first air ejection device 4 is configured such that the axial direction is arranged along the direction orthogonal to the conveyance path 111 in plan view, but the main body 411 may be arranged not necessarily orthogonal to the conveyance path 111 as long as the axial direction intersects the conveyance path 111 at an angle larger than 0 in plan view. Similarly, the main body 511 of the nozzle 51 included in the second air ejection device 5 may intersect the conveyance path 111 at an angle larger than 0 in plan view, and need not be disposed perpendicularly to the conveyance path 111.

In the second embodiment, the discharge port 412 is formed by cutting a part of the peripheral edge of the end face 411a of the body 411, but the discharge port 412 may be formed at any position offset from the center of the end face 411 a. For example, the discharge port may be formed by a through hole formed at a position offset from the center of the end face 411 a. In this case, the body 411 may be formed in a hollow shape, and the discharge port formed in the end face 411a and the groove 413 formed in the peripheral face 411b may communicate with each other through the hollow space.

In the second embodiment described above, the first air ejection device 4 is disposed in the vicinity of the V-shaped groove portion 111b to eject air toward the workpiece conveyed in the V-shaped groove portion 111b, but the disposition position of the first air ejection device 4 is not limited to this, and may be disposed in the vicinity of the arc-shaped groove portion 111c to eject air toward the workpiece conveyed in the arc-shaped groove portion 111 c.

In the second embodiment described above, the second air ejection device 5 is disposed in the vicinity of the step portion 111a to eject air toward the work passing through the step portion 111a, but the disposition position of the second air ejection device 5 is not limited to this, and may be disposed in the vicinity of the V-shaped groove portion 111b (or the arc-shaped groove portion 111 c) to eject air toward the work conveyed in the V-shaped groove portion 111b (or the arc-shaped groove portion 111 c).

In the second embodiment, the first air discharge device 4 and the second air discharge device 5 are mounted two by two in each hopper 11 ', but the number of the air discharge devices 4 and 5 mounted in the hopper 11' may be one or three or more. In addition, it is not necessary to mount both the first air discharge device 4 and the second air discharge device 5 on the hopper 11', and only one of them may be mounted. At least one of the first air ejection device 4 and the second air ejection device 5 may be disposed near the groove 21 of the linear feeder 2, and may eject air toward the workpiece conveyed in the groove 21. At least one of the first air ejection device 4 and the second air ejection device 5 is disposed in the vicinity of a transition portion from the hopper feeder 1' to the linear feeder 2, and ejects air toward a workpiece passing through the transition portion.

In the second embodiment, the object to be conveyed by the parts feeder 100' is not limited to the workpiece such as an IC chip or a micro coil, and the shape of the object to be conveyed is not limited to a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape.

Other structures may be variously modified within the scope not departing from the gist of the present invention.

Claims

1. A parts feeder, characterized in that,

comprising a first vibration member to which vibration is transmitted from a first vibration source and a second vibration member to which vibration is transmitted from a second vibration source different from the first vibration source,

the first and second vibration members include a first and second conveyance grooves for conveying the object to be conveyed by the transmitted vibration,

the first conveying groove comprises a first running surface and a first wall surface for conveying the conveyed object,

the second conveying groove comprises a second running surface and a second wall surface for conveying the conveyed object,

the first end portion of the first vibration member protruding toward the downstream side in the conveying direction includes a plate-like portion disposed on the first traveling surface, the plate-like portion being disposed above a second end portion of the second traveling surface of the second conveying groove on the upstream side in the conveying direction in an overlapping manner with a gap for insulating vibration therebetween, and is disposed so as to convey the object to be conveyed from the first end portion to the second end portion,

The thickness of the portion of the first end portion corresponding to the bottom portion of the first conveyance groove is smaller than the thickness of the periphery of the portion corresponding to the bottom portion,

the thickness of the cross section of the first end portion perpendicular to the conveying direction gradually decreases toward a portion corresponding to the bottom portion of the first conveying groove.

2. The parts feeder according to claim 1, wherein,

the thickness of the cross section of the first end portion parallel to the conveying direction gradually decreases toward the tip of the first end portion.

3. The parts feeder according to claim 1 or 2, wherein,

the first end portion is tapered so that the thickness thereof becomes smaller toward a portion corresponding to the bottom portion of the first conveyance groove.