FR2542094A1 - AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR ANALYZING PRINTED CIRCUITS - Google Patents

Abstract

THE MACHINE 1 USES A CONTROL UNIT 5 CONNECTED TO A COMPUTER TO CONTROL THE QUALITY OF THE PRINTED CIRCUITS 6, AND INCLUDES A 30 MOBILE HORIZONTALLY FEED CONVEYOR, WHICH TRANSFERS THE PRINTED CIRCUITS 6 FROM A BATTERY 21 MAGAZINE, TO THE MAGAZINE CONTROL UNIT 5 WHERE IT IS PROVIDED FOR A TRANSVERSAL REFERENCE ELEMENT 40, MOBILE VERTICALLY, TO INTERCEPT AND PLACE THE PRINTED CIRCUIT 6 ON THE CONTROL UNIT 5 AFTER PREVIOUS AUTOMATIC LOCKING OF THE FEED CONVEYOR 30. ALSO PROVIDED FOR AN AUTOMATIC DEVICE 49 FOR SEPARATING FAULTY PRINTED CIRCUITS CONTROLLED BY THE COMPUTER. THE COMPONENTS OF THE MACHINE 1 RELATING TO THE STACKING 3, TRANSPORT 2 AND SEPARATION 4 ZONES OF THE PRINTED CIRCUITS 6 ARE ADJUSTABLE IN POSITION ACCORDING TO THE DIMENSIONS OF THE PRINTED CIRCUITS 6 TO BE ANALYZED.

Description

_-4 _ It is known that the control of printed circuits

  is carried out in analysis machines provided with

  suitable control units electrically connected to a computer able to control at the moment the good quality or not of each printed circuit subjected to the test of control More particularly, the control units

  essentially comprise a plurality of metal plugs

  They are arranged in such a way as to form a kind of horizontal "bed" (normally indicated in this particular field by the English expression "bed of nails", that is to say "bed of cdus") on which they are positioned. trellises, intended to be introduced in corresponding points

  marked with holes, present on the plate of the cir-

  printed baking The introduction of the metal plugs into the control points of the printed circuit takes place by the displacement of the horizontal plane of disposition of the "bed" in

  normal direction to the printed circuit board.

  Currently, according to the art so far known, half

  each circuit board is placed on the unit of con-

  the machine is carried out by hand by an opera-

  responsible for removing the printed circuit boards from a

  gasin, to introduce them into the machine and then, after the control, to separate the defective ones, on the basis of

the signaling of the computer.

  Obviously, this method is disadvantageous because of the necessary working time and because of the high prices resulting from the employment of staff.

  constantly occupied in control operations In-

  because of the direct intervention of man, one does not

  can not exclude errors both during the separation step and

  printed circuit boards only during the period

  installation of each circuit board on the

control unit.

  In order to overcome these drawbacks, we have developed automatic analysis machines where the circuits

  printed matter is fed by means of an inclined plane,

  corridor, along which the essential circuits

  awarded from a store reach, by gravity, the

  These machines, which are very complex in structure,

  exclusively for the control of printed circuits

  my products on a large scale (to be used on

  very wide consumption items such as, for example,

  televisions, domestic appliances, etc.) which

  all have the same dimensions (reduced) and one

  relatively low check points The main

  disadvantage of these machines is therefore represented by the ri

  flexibility, since they are intended exclusively for the control of printed circuits of a single type

  and, in any case, small.

  The essential purpose of the present invention is

  therefore the problem of overcoming the disadvantages

  related to the art so far known, implementing

  a machine able to automatically perform the

  tion, control and separation of printed circuits

  of different sizes, even relatively wide, allowing great reliability and speed of work

  high, resulting in economic advantages.

technological and technological

  This goal and others are achieved by the automatic machine to analyze printed circuits,

  type employing a control unit with a

  of plugs electrically connected to a computer,

  to be connected to homo-

  pierced with holes, arranged on a printed circuit board

2542094-

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  analyze, this controlled unit being mobile

  in relation to the layout plan of said cir-

  printed bake allowing the introduction of part of these plugs into said control points, characterized in that it comprises: a conveyor

  bile horizontally, whose direction of advance is direc-

  said control unit; a loading device of the printed circuits to be analyzed, placed upstream

  said control unit with respect to said direction of advance

  this, intended to remove these individually from a stack

  acting as a store and depositing them on the said

  voyeur feeding; reference element, transverse

  sal in relation to said sense of advance, placed in correspondence

  the control unit and intended to allow each

  -15 that printed circuit in transit on said control unit

  intercepted and set up in correspondence with

  said records, this reference element being perpendicular

  movable, according to predetermined work steps, with respect to said forward direction of the feed conveyor,

  means being provided for locking the conveyor of

  feeding during the control step of each circuit

  printed in said control unit; a device

  tomatic selection and separation of these circuits

  printed, placed downstream of the control unit, connected

  said computer and controlled by the latter.

  Advantageously, according to another characteristic of the present invention, the supply conveyor consists of a pair of parallel horizontal belts.

  actuated by a motor, on which rest

  of the opposite side ends of each

  circuit board, the distance between these parallel belts

  being adjustable according to the dimensions of the printed circuits to be analyzed, these belts being mounted on corresponding pulleys adjustable in the axial direction on

their rotation shafts.

  Other features and advantages of the

  will become clearer from the description of the

  cut that follows a preferred embodiment given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

  FIG. 1 is a schematic view from above of the

  the object of the invention, some parts of which have been removed to better highlight others;

  FIG. 2 is a view from above of the mechanisms

  control of the mobile projections intended for

  on the power supply conveyor of the printed circuits.

  to analyze; Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the machine, executed along the line III-III of Figure 1; FIG. 4 is a cross-section of a part of

  the machine executed along line IV-IV of FIG.

  Referring to the attached drawings, reference is made to

  globally in 1 the machine object of the present in-

  According to a global examination, machine 1 has

  essentially a central part 2, comprising a

  control unit 5, a feed part 3 of the cir-

  printed cooked 6 to be analyzed and a terminal part 4

  evacuation and separation of printed circuits 6

  Troles. The central part 2 consists essentially of a machine for analyzing printed circuits, of traditional type, comprising (FIGS. 1 and 4) a structure

  quadrangular 7 supporting four threaded bars 8,

  dragged, by means of a chain 9 and toothed wheels 10, by a motor 11, on which is mounted a plate

  horizontal 12 mobile in vertical direction, that is to say

  ie provided with upward or downward movement in the direction of rotation of the threaded bars 8. A "bed" of metal plugs 13 (Figure 4) is

  fixed on the horizontal plate 12; these cards are available

  in known manner, in lattice and are connected

  electrically to an electronic computer not

  In the figures above the bed 13 there is an exclusion mask 14, arranged in a fixed horizontal position with respect to the plate 12 and supported by consoles 15 integral with the structure 7, which is provided with holes passage 16, mapped to bed 13, distributed

  according to the particular configuration of the printed circuits

6 to analyze.

  At its upper part, the central part 2

  is provided with a horizontal flat cover 17, lightly

  removed from the exclusion mask 14 placed below,

  so that it creates a slit of thickness (D) slightly

  Ment greater than the thickness (S) of a printed circuit 6 The cover 17 is movable in the horizontal plane, in a known manner, to allow inspections or manual interventions in the area placed below

  and it is driven, by means of a wheel 18, by means of a

19 (Figure 1) -

  The feed portion 3 of the machine 1 is

  supported by a pair of externally fixed spars 20

  At one end of the structure 7, it should be noted that this feature is advantageous in itself because it makes it possible to modify, according to the invention,

  machines of known type without carrying out important

  tions on the main components of the same

  antique. With particular reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, there is indicated at 21 a stack of printed circuit boards 6 acting as a magazine, defined on the edges by four vertical uprights 22 of L-section, bearing on their lower part on the edges. horizontal 23 of a pair of longitudinal structural members 24 parallel to each other and supported by transverse bars 25 fixed at their ends to the longitudinal members

  Two of the uprights 22 are adjustable in

  sition compared to elements 24 since each

  of them is provided at its lower part with a block of

  22 'slidably introduced into sliding

  longitudinal sockets 23 'formed on the edges 23 of the elements 24 These elements 24 are in turn adjustable

  in a transverse position (so as to vary their dis-

  because they are connected to the bars 25 by means of

  of sleeves 26 which can be fixed by means of

  rabies not shown in the figures.

  As a result, the described structure can be adapted to any dimension (within certain limits) of

printed circuits 6 to be analyzed.

  A shaft 27, driven by a motor 28, is

  transversely to the end of the longitudinal members 20; two pairs of pulleys 29 (also adjustable in the trans position

  versalement along the shaft 27) are fitted on the shaft

  27, on these pulleys being mounted a pair of cour-

  parallel lines, forming the supply conveyor of the printed circuits 6, which, driven by the

  motor 28, are provided with a movement in the plane

  ricefront whose direction of advance is towards the uni-

  control 5 (according to the arrows shown on the

  FIG. 1) The belts 30 are mounted on the opposite side

  relative to the control unit 5, on pulleys

  corresponding references 29 ', according to what is

  1, removably attached to the structure 7 so that they can be moved away from each other or in close proximity to the dimensions of the printed circuit boards. For clarity, it should be noted that the pulleys 29 and 29 'are respectively arranged in pairs since there is provided by each belt 30 another reference placed below (indicated at 29 "in FIG. 3), in order to maintain the belt 30 in

  the horizontal plane both as regards its active part

  ve (advancing towards control unit 5) that its

inactive part (back).

  The belts 30 are arranged below the stack 21 so that they are in correspondence of the lateral edges of the printed circuits 6 which, in turn, are put in place thereon by means of the device

  loading 31 shown in Figures 2 and 3.

  This loading device 31 has a dou-

  ble series of projections 32 and 33 located on the elements

  24 and facing within the Com zone.

  taken in more detail, the projections 32 of sup-

  port are arranged, aligned longitudinally, on each element 24 and the shaped projections 33 are arranged to

  a slightly higher level, they also aligned long-

  tudinal but offset from the first

  projections 32 and 33 consist of essential elements

  cylindrical, housed in transit dwellings 34

  arranged in the structural elements 24, alternately movable

  in the transverse direction in relation to the direction

  in advance of the belts 30 and protruding into the

  With the same structural elements 24 outside each of these, each of these projections 32 and 33 are articulated respectively to control levers 35 and 35 '(FIG. 2) actuated by two horizontal rods 36 and 36', controlled by means of corresponding pneumatic cylinders

37 and 37 '.

  Below the stack 21, at a corresponding level

  laying at the support projections 32, there is a micro-in-

  -10 interrupter 38 (-figure 3), activated by each circuit im-

  award winning 6, electrically connected to pneumatic cylinders 37

  and 37 ', and intended to control the following work steps:

  of the loading device 31.

  During a first step, the battery 21 is sup-

  carried by the projections 32 (protruding from the elements 24) while the projections 33 are inside the housing 34 Then, it is the projections 33 (whose head 33 'is provided with horizontal grooves 39 having

  thicknesses equal to the thickness (S) of each circuit

  6) which protrude from dwellings 34 and

  on the battery 21 exerting pressure in direct

  perpendicular to it, coming into contact with the lateral edges of the printed circuits 6 from the penultimate, from the bottom upwards At this point the projections

  32 come in and drop on the belts 30 a cir-

  cooked printed 6 (the last, forming the bottom of the pile 21)

  while the stack 21 is supported by the projections 33.

  Then the projections 32 come out and the projections 33 return,

  which causes the descent of the stack 21 on the projections 32.

  The cycle repeats itself The microswitch 38, intercepted by the printed circuit 6 of the bottom of the stack 21, causes the triggering of the steps described above. Indeed, if there is no longer any printed circuit board 6 in the stack 21, the microswitch 38 remains deactivated and therefore

  the loading device 31 is stopped.

  The printed circuit board 6 loaded on the belts 30 thus reaches the control unit 5 o an element of

  transversal reference 40 is provided, this element allows

  to intercept and put in place, in

  this of the bed 13, the printed circuit 6.

  This reference element 40 comprises a plate-

  horizontal position (Figures 1 and 3) arranged between the

  roies 30 immediately downstream of bed 13 from the

  sense of advance of them. It is provided with a

  rice stop 41 perpendicular to the direction of a-

  circuit 6 whose angular position can be

  adjusted in the horizontal plane by means of adjustment screws

  A second microswitch 43 is provided corresponding to said edge 41; when it is intercepted by the printed circuit board 6, it causes the locking of the belts 30,

  because it is electrically connected to the motor 28

  reference element 40 is vertically movable, being

  electromagnet 48 (shown diagrammatically

  Figure 3) housed below it and

  on a pair of small vertical cylinders 44 which

  support the element 40, introduced into holes corresponding to

  in the structure 7.

  The vertical movements of the reference element

  40 are programmed - it appears prominently above the exclusion mask 14 so that it can come into

  contact with the printed circuit board 6 transported by the cour-

  roies 30 which roll over the mask 14 (Figure 4).

  As soon as the circuit board 6 activates the micro-interrup-

  43, the belts 30 stop and the plate 12 moves upwards, introducing the sheets of the bed 13 into the holes 16 of the mask 14 and, through these, in the control points of the printed circuit 6. control, the plate 12 goes down, the reference element 40 is lowered, actuated by the electromagnet 48, and the

  30 belts are set in motion and they are

  The printed circuit 6 is located downstream of the control unit. The cycle starts again. With particular reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, at 45 another pair of belts is indicated.

  disposed above and parallel to the belts 30

  These belts 45, mounted on pulleys corres-

  motor-driven springs 46 (as well as the belts 30 so that they are arranged in the

  horizontal plane) are immediately downstream from the

  positive loading 31 over the entire longitudinal extension

  The belts are intended to obviate any warpage of the printed circuit board 6 coming from the battery 21 (which may occur in the case of printed circuits of large dimensions). printed circuit board 6 in a horizontal plane between the two pairs of belts

and 45.

  As is particularly apparent from the

  4, the belts 30 and 45 roll in the slot of

  thickness (D) defined by the mask 14 and the lid 17,

  below which a sheet of cloth can be

  Verture 47 contacting the belts 30 and 45.

  Downstream of the control unit 5 there is the

  terminal 4 of the machine 1 o an automatic device

  There is provision for separating the printed circuits 6.

  The terminal part 4 comprises a pair of ele-

  Longitudinal structural elements 50 (Figure 1), similar to the elements 24, provided with sleeves 51 mounted on transverse bars 52 supported at the ends by a

  pair of support rails 53 attached to the structure 7.

  This construction solution also appears to be advantageous since it makes it possible to modify

  machines of known type without performing any interventions

  especially on the main components of these.

  A shaft 54 driven by a motor 55 is mounted

  at the end of the longitudinal members 53; he carries two pulleys 56-

  on which are mounted respectively two belts

  57 which form the evacuation conveyor for the im-

  At their opposite end the belts 57 (

  bile in the direction indicated by the arrows of the

  1) are mounted on return pulleys 58 re-

  related to the ends of the elements 50 The distance between

  the belts 57, in a manner equal to that previously

  described above, is adjustable according to the dimensions of the printed circuits 6 properly putting in place the sleeves 51 on the bars 52 and the pulleys 56 on

the tree 54.

  The automatic device 49 for separating

  6 printed circuit boards comprises a pneumatic cylinder

  59 with opposite rods fixed transversely to the

  50 below the horizontal layout of the

  57, which is electrically connected to the computer.

  which, on the basis of the data detected on the cir-

  cooked 6 analyzed in the control unit 5, control them

  movements of the latter in the transverse direction

Correspondence of the jack 59, above it and close to one of the two belts 57, there is a third microswitch 60 intended to come into contact with the printed circuits 6 in transit. This microswitch 60 ,

  which is connected to the computer, serves to signal to the

  the presence of a circuit board 6 at this point

  of the machine The computer, after having memorized the

  the checks carried out on the circuits 6, causes, by means of the jack 59, the opening (or not) of the

  elements 50 when each circuit 6 intercepts the micro-

  switch 60 The actuation of the cylinder 59 will therefore take place if the circuit 6 intercepting the microswitch 60 is found to be defective as a result of the previous control

performed in unit 5.

  Below the terminal part 4 of the machine

  No. 1 there is provided a receipt plate (not shown) printed circuits 6 defective while downstream of the machine 1, relative to the forward direction of the belts 57, there is provided a storage apparatus (also

  not shown) printed circuits 6 without defects of

  nufacturing. Obviously the working steps of the machine

  1 will be adjusted to provide sufficient spacing

  making printed circuit boards 6 in transit over the

  control 5 and on the separation device 49.

  It should be noted that the machine object of the in-

  vention, thanks to its structure and design, is in

  to use a universal type control unit and therefore suitable for the control of printed circuit boards

various dimensions.

  The invention therefore achieves the goals

  his. Obviously, during its practical implementation,

  the invention may take different forms

  port to that shown above; including many

  its practical and functional modifications,

  obvious to a technician expert in the field,

  As a matter of fact, all the details may be replaced by other elements.

  technically equivalent terms The shapes and sizes

  can be any according to the necessities.

R EV E N D I C A T IO N S

  1 Automatic machine for analyzing im-

  of the type employing a control unit (5) to

  view of a plurality of plugs (13), electrically connected to a computer, intended to be connected to homologous control points pierced with holes, arranged on a printed circuit (6) to be analyzed, this control unit (5) being mobile perpendicular to the plane

  arrangement of said printed circuit (6) allowing the

  troduction of a part of these plugs (13) in said control points, characterized in that it comprises: a supply conveyor (30) movable horizontally,

  whose direction of advance is towards the unit of con-

  control (5); a loading device (31) circuits

  printed matter (6) to be analyzed, placed upstream of the unit of con-

  control (5) with respect to said direction of advance, intended to remove

  these individually from a battery (21)

  store and place them on the said conveyor.

  food (30); a reference element (40), trans-

  versal to that sense of advance, placed in correspondence

  of the control unit (5) and intended to enable

  each circuit board (6) in transit on the uni-

  control center (5) is intercepted and put in place

  correspondence of said plugs (13), said reference element (40) being perpendicularly movable, according to predetermined working steps, with respect to said forward direction of the feed conveyor (30), means (43) being provided for the blocking the supply conveyor (30) during the step of checking each printed circuit (6) in the control unit (5); an automatic device (49) for selecting and separating printed circuits

  (6), placed downstream of the control unit (5), electrically connected

AS -

  said computer and controlled by the latter.

  2 Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said supply conveyor (30) is composed

  essentially a pair of horizontal straps (30)

  the parallels, driven by a motor, on which

  respectively lie two opposite lateral ends

  each of the printed circuits (6) from said stack (21) acting as a magazine, the distance between the parallel belts (30) being adjustable according to the dimensions of the printed circuits (6) to be analyzed,

  these belts (30) being mounted on pulleys corresponding to

  (29-29 ') adjustable in the axial direction on

their rotation shafts.

  Machine according to Claim 2, characterized in that the stack (21) acting as a magazine is

  disposed above the pair of parallel belts (30)

  and is defined by four uprights (22) connected two

  by two, at their lower part, to structural elements

  corresponding longitudinal curves (24) placed in the

  interior of the belts (30) and substantially parallel to the latter, these longitudinal structural elements (24) being supported by transverse bars (25) on which they can be adjusted in a varying position

  their distance according to the dimensions of the circuits im-

  at least two of these uprights (22) being adjustable in longitudinal position relative to the

  structural elements (24), since each

  cun is provided at its lower part with a sliding block

  (22 ') introduced into a longitudinal slide (23')

  corresponding to each of said structural elements

(24).

  Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the loading device (31) of the printed circuits to be analyzed comprises a plurality of projections

  (32-33), moving alternately in transverse direction

  with respect to said direction of advance and placed below said stack (21) of printed circuits, this plurality of projections (32-33) having, on each of the two sides of the stack (21), a first series of projections

  horizontally aligned and movable support (32)

  nally, and a second series of shaped projections (33), also aligned horizontally at a higher level

  compared to the former and mobile simultaneously in syn-

  chronism alternately with the support projections (32) in a sequence able to allow the drop deposit of an individual printed circuit (6) on the feed conveyor (30), the end (33 ') of

  each of the projections (33), which acts on the lateral edge of the printed circuits (6), being provided with grooves

  each of which has a correct height

  corresponding to the thickness (S) of a printed circuit (6)

dividual.

  Machine according to claim 4, characterized

  in that the support projections (32) and the projections

  (33) are connected to two sets of control levers

  corresponding mandrels (35-35 ') actuated by rods

  horizontal (36-36 ') each controlled by a pneumatic cylinder

(37-37 ').

  Machine according to claim 1, characterized

  in that said transverse reference element (40) comprises

  essentially carries a horizontal plate (40) with

  according to said predetermined work steps, by an electromagnet (48) placed below it, this plate (40) being provided with a horizontal edge

  stop (41), perpendicular to said direction of a-

  to intercept and put in place a

  printed circuit (6) on the control unit (5).

  Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said means (43) for blocking the con-

  power voyeur (30) includes a micro-interrupter

  (43) intercepted individually by each of the cir-

  printed dishes (6) arranged in correspondence of the

  (40) and electrically connected to the engine

  (28) the supply conveyor (30).

  8 Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that it provides downstream of the control unit (5)

  in relation to the meaning of advance and in correspondence of -

  automatic device (49) for selecting and separating printed circuits (6) an evacuation conveyor (57)

  having a pair of parallel horizontal belts

  (57), driven by a motor, mounted on

  corresponding lees (56-58), on which rest

  the two opposite lateral ends of a

printed circuit board (6).

  9 Machine according to claim 8, characterized in that said automatic device (49) for selecting and separating printed circuits (6) comprises a pneumatic jack (59) controlled by said computer, placed in correspondence with the evacuation conveyor (57). )

  intended to allow reciprocal

  to the direction of movement of the evacuation conveyor

  cuation (57), said pulleys (56-58) of the second pair of belts (57) according to the characteristics of the printed circuit (6) analyzed by the control unit

  (5), this reciprocal separation causing the fall of

  printed bake (6) on a reception board placed

  -below the evacuation conveyor (57).

  below the discharge conveyor (57)