FR2861712A1 - Tube shaped electronic components arranging system for placement machine, has distributor modules adapted to width of components and fixed on universal base, where each module has notch in front part and fixing clip and pin in rear part - Google Patents

Abstract

The system has a universal base (6) integrating a common hydraulic actuator (4) and a gear shaft (3) permitting to move belts (12) of distributor modules (1). The modules, removable with the belts, are adapted to the width of electronic components and are fixed on the base. Each module has a notch in the front part, and a fixing clip and a pin in the rear part.

Description

DEVICE FOR MODULAR DISTRIBUTION OF TUBE COMPONENTS

BY BELTS

  FIELD OF APPLICATION The present invention finds its application in the field of electronic assembly and more particularly on the machines for placing electronic components. More specifically, it adapts to machines for assembling electronic components for dispensing components packaged in the form of tubes or strips, generally made of plastic or metal. A dispensing device is required to present these components one by one to the gripping head of the placement machine.

  STATE OF THE PRIOR ART To distribute and present the components one by one to the gripping head several major principles are used in the prior art. According to a first principle, the components can be brought by gravity to the gripping place. This requires bringing them by an oblique ramp which can interfere with the gripping head on many machines. According to a second principle, when the component approach channel must be horizontal, because of congestion problems, it is possible to advance the components by vibrations. Since the drive of the components is not positive, these devices are often slow. In addition, the vibrations are sometimes difficult to control because of the mass variations of the vibrating assembly when the components are fewer and fewer. According to a third principle, the components are driven on the horizontal part of the device by one or more belts. The drive is then more positive and the transport of components faster.

  In existing belt distributors according to the third principle described above, a first provision is to integrate on a base, a single wide belt on which are generally driven several components. The disadvantage of this configuration is that the components rest on the belt by their legs, and because of inevitable friction the risk is great to damage or pollute. To overcome this problem, other devices consist in putting on the same base several belts, each being calculated to convey a certain type of component by its body, without touching its legs.

  The base is therefore an autonomous system that includes the belts, the drive system and the control system. The major disadvantage of these devices is that the base must be configured for one or more types of components whose size is known in advance and it is quite difficult or impossible to change the configuration (position, size) of straps on the base to accommodate components whose size may vary. Therefore, each autonomous distribution device is dedicated to one or a combination of component types. However, placement equipment must meet a need for flexibility that this kind of device does not achieve. In addition, when a new type of component or a new combination of components must be implemented, this type of equipment requires changing the entire base, which generates a significant cost.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

  Faced with this problem, the plaintiff has tried to devise solutions that can simultaneously meet contradictory objectives of lower investment costs and increased flexibility. When we want to introduce flexibility into production systems, the cost increases and this is generally accepted, so when we want to reduce a global cost of investment it is at the expense of flexibility and profit. of monolithic productions. Thus, the heart of the invention consists in dissociating all the functions and in treating in a different way the common functions and the specific functions. In this way, the common functions will only be invoked once and the specific functions can be used flexibly without redundancy. In addition to these separations of functions, the purpose of the invention is to provide an easily configurable device according to the needs and requirements of production.

  According to a first characteristic, the device consists of a universal base incorporating a common motor and one or a plurality of independent and removable belt-based distribution modules adapted to the width of the components and an activation interface member of the removable and independent distributors. Said activation member constituting an interface for transmitting the movement between the common motor located in the universal base and the elements ensuring the rotation of the transfer belt specific to each of the distributor modules.

  Consequently, the device that is the subject of the present invention consists of a system for providing components (8) packaged in the form of tubes by transfer belts (12) in order to grip them by the head of a placement machine. which is essentially characterized in that it comprises: - a universal base (6) integrating a common motor (4) and an interface member (3) for moving the belts (12) of the distributor module or modules, - a or a plurality of independent and removable distributor modules (1) with belts adapted to the width of the components and intended to be fixed on the universal base (6) .According to another characteristic and to perform rapid loading and unloading of the components. modular valves on the universal base, each distributor is equipped in the front part of a notch for precise positioning and in the rear part of a fixing element fast. It is obvious that this is only a particular preferred mode of fixing the modular distributors on the common base and that there are many others.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the unitary provision of the component to be taken by the laying head at the end of the transfer belt, is carried out by placing the component in abutment on a retractable stop incorporated in the base and controlled by an electromagnet.

  The following figures will explain or show other characteristics.

  Figure 1 shows the belt component transfer device according to the prior art.

  Figure 2 shows a device section according to the invention.

  Figure 3 shows the operating principle of the assembly consisting of the universal base and an individual drive module. Figure 4 shows an individual training module.

  Figure 1 shows a belt component transfer device (8) according to the prior art. The base (6) is an autonomous system that incorporates the belts, the drive system and the control system (not shown). If you want to transport another type of component, you must change the base.

  Figure 2 shows a section of the system according to the invention. It comprises a universal common base (6) and belt distributor modules (1) of components (8). These distributor modules (1) are independent and removable. A common motor (4) associated with the universal base (6) drives a common interface member which is a pinion shaft (3) for moving the belts (12) by means of the wheels (14) arranged on each module (1).

  FIG. 3 represents the operating principle of the assembly consisting of the universal base (6) and of an individual drive module (1). Said module is removable, its assembly and disassembly are made quick thanks to the notch which serves as a front positioning stop (10) and a fastening clip on the back (2). A retractable stop (9) integrated in the common base (6) allows the unitary provision of the component to be withdrawn (8) at the end of the transfer belt. This stop (9) is actuated by an electromagnet (7), it is adjustable according to the length of the components to make accessible only the component (8) to be taken by the machine. This stop is retractable so as not to exert any pressure on the component at the moment when the gripping head takes the latter.

  FIG. 4 represents a module (1) for individual training according to the invention. Each module (1) for individual training is autonomous, it is composed of a belt (12) for transporting the components (8). This belt is guided by smooth bearings (15) and driven by the pinion (14) which is itself driven by the pinion shaft (3) disposed on the universal base (6). The ramp (11) serves as a component reservoir and guiding the tube. The positioning of the distribution module on the universal base is achieved by the notch placed at the front and the pin (13) at the rear.

  Each individual drive module is sized according to the component to be fed to the pickup head.

Claims (3)

  1) System for providing components (8) packaged in the form of tubes by transfer belts (12) for gripping by the head of a placement machine characterized in that it comprises: - a base universal (6) integrating a common motor (4) and an interface member (3) for moving the belts (12) of the distributor module or modules, - one or a plurality of independent and removable distributor modules (1) with belts adapted to the width of the components and intended to be fixed on the universal base (6).   2) System for providing components packaged in the form of tubes by transfer belts for gripping by the head of a placing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that each removable distributor module (1) is equipped with a notch at the front end for positioning on the stop (10) and at the back of a fixing clip (2) and a pin (13) for rapid positioning on the universal base (6).   3) System for providing components packaged in the form of tubes by transfer belts for gripping by the head of a placement machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the unitary provision of the component to take off by the laying head at the end of the transfer belt is carried out by the support of the component on a retractable stop (9) integrated in the base (6) and controlled by an electromagnet (7).