JP2005347649A - Electronic component, electronic component transport device, lining up method of electronic component, and manufacturing method of electronic component assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic component, an electronic component transporting device and a lining up method of the electronic component which can line up, in such a way that front/rear can be arranged without generating profile differences in the front/rear, and to provide a manufacturing method of an electronic component assembly which manufactures the electronic component assembly, using the electronic component arranged by the lining up method of the electronic component. <P>SOLUTION: The method is characterized in that a projection 16, which projects from a side 12A and locates nearly the same position along a thickness direction of the electronic component 12 at a location which locates on the side 12A, along the thickness direction of the electronic component 12 and is closer to one side principal plane B among both principal planes F, B of the electronic part 12 than a thickness direction central portion of the side 12A, is formed, in that at least one section of a region , which extends from the other principal plane F among the both principal plane F, B of the electronic component 12 to a projecting height position P, has a slant portion m1, and in that a dimension t1, which measures from the other principal plane F of the electronic component 12 to the projecting height P of the projection 16 along the thickness direction, is made to be longer than about a half of the thickness dimension T of the electronic component 12. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic component used in an electronic component assembly such as an ultra-small variable capacitor, an electronic component conveying apparatus that conveys the electronic component, an electronic component aligning method that aligns the front and back of the electronic component, and the electronic The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an electronic component assembly, in which an electronic component assembly is manufactured using electronic components aligned by the component alignment method.

2. Description of the Related Art In general, a component supply device in which a vibrating linear feeder is connected to the outlet of a vibrating parts feeder having a bowl-shaped vibrating tray has been known as a vibrating component supply device that transfers and supplies fine components by vibration. .
As this type of component supply device, for example, as shown in FIG. 17, a bowl feeder 102 having a spiral component conveyance path, a linear feeder 104 provided in a component delivery section of the bowl feeder 102, and a bowl feeder 102 A hopper 106 that temporarily holds parts to be supplied, an escape device 110 that takes out parts one by one at the most downstream end of the linear feeder 104, and supplies them to the part take-out robot 108; There is a component supply device 100 having a controller 112 for controlling the operation. Also, above the linear feeder 104, a holding plate for ensuring the alignment state of the components sequentially sent out by the bowl feeder 102 (for example, preventing inconvenience such as subsequent components riding on the previous components). Is provided.
However, in this component supply apparatus 100, when the components are sent to the linear feeder 104 in an overlapping state, the components are blocked by the pressing plate and clogged, and there is a problem that the component feeding by the linear feeder 104 is hindered.
For this reason, there has been proposed a component supply device that eliminates the inconvenience that components are clogged by the pressing plate.
That is, as shown in FIG. 18, the component supply apparatus 200 includes a bowl feeder 202 having a spiral component conveyance path, and a feeding linear feeder 204 provided in a component feeding section of the bowl feeder 202. A translucent plate 206 is provided on the downstream side of the feeding linear feeder 204. Further, a concave portion 208 that conforms to the shape of the component and the regulated posture and extends in the component conveying direction is provided on the upper surface of the plate 206 so as to be continuous with the feeding linear feeder 204. In addition, a component guide unit 210 that guides components in a direction orthogonal to the component conveyance direction by the feeding linear feeder 204 is provided on the downstream side of the plate 206 in the component conveyance direction. Further, a return linear feeder 212 is provided for returning the component guided by the component guide unit 210 to the bowl feeder 202. Further, an image processing unit (not shown) that performs image processing to detect a component that can be taken out by detecting an image of the component supported on the plate 206 is provided (see Patent Document 1 below).
According to this component supply device 200, when a component that is regulated to a predetermined posture with high probability is sent from the bowl feeder 202, the component is conveyed by the feeding linear feeder 204, and a translucent plate 206 is supplied. Then, an image of a part on the plate 206 is detected by an image processing unit (not shown), an image process based on the detected image is performed to identify a part that can be taken out, and a parting robot (not shown) is identified. The part is removed. In addition, since the parts conveyed in a posture different from the posture to be regulated by the tooling unit are not gripped by the take-out robot (not shown) and are directly guided to the return linear feeder 212 by the component guide unit 210. It is returned to the bowl feeder 202 and recirculated, and the above-described processing is performed again (see Patent Document 1 below). Thus, in the component supply apparatus 200, since the press plate is not provided, the clogging of the components can be prevented, and the image processing unit can be used even if the components are not aligned in a predetermined posture by omitting the press plate. Since the parts that can be taken out are identified by the above, it is not necessary to align the front and back (posture) of the parts in advance.

In addition, regarding a vibration-type component supply device, a part feeder having the following structure is conventionally known in order to select and align the front and back of components.
That is, as shown in FIG. 19, a protruding guide portion 304 is provided on the bottom surface of the groove 302 of the component conveying unit 300 along the conveying direction. The component 306 to be conveyed is provided with a recess 306A. The recess 306A engages with the protruding guide portion 304 and the component 306 is conveyed, so that the front and back of the component 306 are aligned and the component 306 is aligned. Are transported in a state where the posture during transportation is stabilized and the parts are prevented from rattling in the groove due to vibration during transportation. Further, an upper guide 308 is provided above the groove 302 of the component conveying unit 300, and the gap between the upper guide 308 and the upper surface of the component 306 to be conveyed prevents the components 306 being conveyed from overlapping. Since the function such as selecting the unevenness (front and back) on the surface of the part is necessary, it has been limited. For example, when the concave portion 306A of the component 306 is conveyed by the linear feeder 310 with the concave portion 306A facing upward, the component 306 riding on the protruding guide portion 304 hits the upper guide 308 and is bounced from the component conveying portion 300, It has a structure that does not enter the component conveyance unit 300, and the unevenness (front and back) of the component surface is selected by this structure. Furthermore, in the linear feeder 310 having the upper guide 308, there is no protrusion on the side surface along the thickness direction of the component 306 in order to prevent the components from overlapping and clogging during conveyance in the groove of the component conveying unit 300. (Hereinafter referred to as “known technology”).
JP-A-8-91549

By the way, since the component supply apparatus described in Patent Document 1 has a configuration in which an image processing unit is provided to identify the front and back (posture) of a component, there is a problem that the equipment is expensive. For this reason, after preventing clogging of parts, it is necessary to align the front and back (posture) of the parts in advance so that the image processing unit is not necessary.
In addition, in order to eliminate parts that have been conveyed in a posture different from the posture to be regulated, there is a problem that a parts guide unit and a return linear feeder are required, which complicates the apparatus. Furthermore, since it cannot be used if the difference in shape between the front and back surfaces of the part (unevenness difference) cannot be determined, it is necessary to make a difference in shape between the front and back surfaces of the component. Is impossible.

On the other hand, in the parts feeder which is the above-mentioned known technique, in order to select the front and back of a part having no protrusion on the side surface along the thickness direction of the part, the unevenness difference larger than 0.10 mm is necessary on the surface of the part. However, as the miniaturization of the parts progresses, it is necessary to align the parts with the unevenness difference of 0.10 mm or less, and in the above-mentioned known parts feeder, when trying to align the parts with the unevenness difference of 0.10 mm or less, Even if the concave portion of the component is engaged with the protruding guide, the concave portion is shallow, so that the component is tilted and clogged between the upper guide and the groove due to vibration during component conveyance. Or, since the concave portion is shallow, the concave portion of the component does not engage with the protruding guide due to the vibration during the conveyance of the component, and it rides over the protruding guide beyond the concave portion of the component, thereby causing clogging of the component. As a result, when the unevenness difference is 0.10 mm or less, it becomes impossible to align the front and back of the parts and align them, and there arises a problem that the reliability of the front and back sorting accuracy by the upper guide and the protruding guide is lowered.
In addition, in the above-described known parts feeder, a vertical amplitude gap (0.10 mm) is provided between the upper surface of the component and the lower surface of the upper guide in consideration of the vertical amplitude of the linear feeder during component conveyance. However, if this gap is set to 0.10 mm or less in order to prevent the components from climbing and tilting, the vertical amplitude of the linear feeder will be limited, resulting in a problem that the conveying speed of the components is reduced. The gap could not be reduced. As a result, it was not possible to prevent the parts from getting on and clogging.
Corresponding to the difference in unevenness of the parts being 0.10 mm or less, even if the height of the protruding guide is reduced, the vertical amplitude of the linear feeder during parts conveyance cannot be reduced to 0.10 mm or less. It was. This is because if the vertical amplitude of the linear feeder is 0.10 mm or less, the conveyance speed is remarkably slowed, and the conveyance efficiency is lowered.
Even if the height of the protruding guide is lowered, if the vertical amplitude of the linear feeder cannot be reduced to 0.10 mm or less, the component rides on the protruding guide (the vertical amplitude of the linear feeder is different from that of the protruding guide). If it is higher than the height, the component rides on the protruding guide due to vibration). Therefore, in consideration of the component feeder speed of the linear feeder (limit of the vertical amplitude amount (0.10 mm)), the height of the protruding guide cannot be reduced to 0.10 mm or less. It was not possible to cope with an ultra-compact component in which the depth of the recess (concave difference) was 0.10 mm or less.

  In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide an electronic component, an electronic component transport apparatus, and an electronic component alignment method that can align the front and back surfaces without providing a shape difference between the front and back surfaces. To do. It is another object of the present invention to provide an electronic component assembly manufacturing method for manufacturing an electronic component assembly using the electronic components aligned by the electronic component alignment method.

  The invention according to claim 1 is an electronic component having electrical characteristics, which is on a side surface along the thickness direction of the electronic component and is located on both main surfaces of the electronic component rather than a central portion in the thickness direction of the side surface. Protrusions that protrude from the side surfaces and that are substantially the same in the thickness direction of the electronic component are formed at positions that are biased toward one main surface, and the protrusions from the other main surface of the two main surfaces of the electronic component At least a part of the region extending to the protruding height position of the portion has an inclined portion, and the dimension along the thickness direction from the other main surface of the electronic component to the protruding height position of the protruding portion is the electronic component It is characterized by being longer than approximately half of the thickness dimension.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the electronic component according to the first aspect, the protrusion height position of the protrusion has no surface or part perpendicular to the two main surfaces of the electronic component. Features.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the electronic component according to the second aspect, the shape of the cut surface cut in the thickness direction of the electronic component is a trapezoidal shape.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the electronic component according to any one of the first to third aspects, the electronic component is a rotor that constitutes a variable capacitor and functions as a movable electrode.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic component conveying apparatus having a vibrating body provided with a component conveying portion for conveying an electronic component, the upper portion of the component conveying portion being opened and the electronic component being advanced. And a guide stop provided in the guide groove for stopping the progress of the electronic component, wherein the depth dimension of the guide groove is equal to or less than the thickness dimension of the electronic component. It is characterized by doing.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the electronic component conveying apparatus according to the fifth aspect, the depth dimension of the guide groove is equal to or larger than the shorter dimension of the dimensions from the two main surfaces of the electronic component to the protrusion. It is characterized by being.

  A seventh aspect of the present invention is the electronic component conveying apparatus according to the fifth or sixth aspect, further comprising guide means for guiding the electronic component discharged from the guide groove to a bottom surface of the vibrating body. And

  According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, the electronic component according to any one of the first to fourth aspects of the present invention is a vibration having a guide groove that is open at an upper portion and a progress stop means that stops the progress of the electronic component. An electronic component aligning method for transporting and aligning the electronic components using an electronic component transporting apparatus comprising a body, wherein the electronic components supplied to the vibrating body advance in the guide grooves; The advancement of the electronic component is stopped by the advancement stopping means, and the subsequent electronic component is pressed against the electronic component in the front, so that the one of the electronic components at a high position is placed on the protrusion. A discharge step of discharging one of the electronic components from the guide groove by riding on the other electronic component at a low position.

  According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the electronic component aligning method according to the eighth aspect of the present invention, a resending step of returning one of the electronic components ejected from the guide groove to the vibrating body and re-advancing on the guide groove. It is characterized by having.

  A tenth aspect of the present invention is a method of manufacturing an electronic component assembly in which an electronic component assembly is manufactured using the electronic component aligned by the electronic component aligning method according to the eighth or ninth aspect. The electronic component is taken out and mounted on a mounted member constituting the electronic component assembly, and the mounting member is attached to the electronic component and / or so as to press the electronic component against the mounted member. And an attaching step for attaching to the mounted member.

According to invention of Claim 1, it is on this side surface in the position which is on the side surface along the thickness direction of an electronic component, and is biased to one main surface among both main surfaces of an electronic component rather than the center part of the thickness direction of a side surface. At least part of a region extending from the other main surface to the protruding height position of the protrusion, of the two main surfaces of the electronic component. Has an inclined portion, so that when this electronic component is continuously advanced with a predetermined thrust on a guide groove of a predetermined electronic component transport device, the progress of one electronic component is stopped by the progress stop means. The position of the projection of the subsequent electronic component is different from the position of the projection of the front electronic component stopped by the progress stopping means, and the thickness of the projection of the subsequent electronic component is the thickness of the projection of the electronic component of the front If it is located in the upper direction, the following electron Goods rides in front of the electronic component through an inclined portion from the protruding portion of the front of the electronic components, and is discharged from the guide groove.
In addition, the position of the protrusion of the subsequent electronic component is different from the position of the protrusion of the front electronic component, the progress of which is stopped by the progress stopping means, and the protrusion of the subsequent electronic component is the electron of the protrusion of the front electronic component. When located below the thickness direction of the component, the projection of the subsequent electronic component sinks under the projection of the front electronic component and is pressed by the subsequent electronic component as it is, and the inclined portion of the subsequent electronic component The front electronic component passes through the guide groove.
Further, in the relationship with the subsequent electronic component, similarly, one of the electronic components is discharged from the guide groove depending on the positional relationship of the protrusions.
On the other hand, when the position of the protrusion of the subsequent electronic component is substantially the same as the position of the protrusion of the front electronic component stopped by the progress stopping means, the protrusion stays on the guide groove in a state where the protrusions are in contact with each other. Both electronic components are not discharged from the guide groove.
As described above, when a plurality of electronic components having different protrusion positions are transported by a predetermined electronic component transport device, only electronic components having substantially the same protrusion position can be aligned. As a result, a plurality of electronic components can be aligned in a state where the front and back surfaces of the electronic components are aligned without providing a shape difference between both main surfaces (front surface and / or back surface) of the electronic components.
In addition, since the dimension along the thickness direction from the other main surface of the electronic component to the protruding height position of the protrusion is longer than substantially half of the thickness dimension of the electronic component, the position of the protrusion of the subsequent electronic component is not stopped. Even if the projection height position of the projection portion is different from the position of the projection portion of the front electronic component stopped by the projection, and the projection height position of the projection portion is configured to be flat, one electronic component is the other electronic component You won't get stuck on the road.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, since there is no surface or portion orthogonal to both main surfaces of the electronic component at the protruding height position of the protrusion, a plurality of electronic components can be transferred by a predetermined electronic component conveying device. When the progress of one electronic component is stopped by the progress stop means while continuously transporting, if the positions of the protrusions of the preceding and following electronic components are different, the protrusion of the other electronic component serves as a guide and The components can be easily carried on, and one of the electronic components can be smoothly discharged from the guide groove.

  According to the invention described in claim 3, by forming the shape of the cut surface cut in the thickness direction of the electronic component into a trapezoidal shape, the side surface along the thickness direction of the electronic component is more electronic than the central portion in the thickness direction of the side surface. A protrusion (corner) protruding from the side surface is inevitably formed at a position biased toward the one main surface side of the component. Thus, the protrusion can be easily formed on the side surface of the electronic component only by making the cut surface of the electronic component trapezoidal.

  According to the invention described in claim 4, since the electronic component is a rotor that constitutes a variable capacitor and functions as a movable side electrode, the shape is formed on both main surfaces (front surface and / or back surface) of the rotor when the variable capacitor is manufactured. The front and back of the rotor can be aligned without providing a difference. For this reason, when the rotor is mounted on the stator constituting the variable capacitor, the rotor orientation becomes accurate simply by mounting the rotor with the front and back aligned as it is, so that the manufacturing efficiency of the variable capacitor can be improved. .

According to invention of Claim 5, it is on the side surface along the thickness direction of an electronic component, and it is from a side surface in the position biased to one main surface among both main surfaces of an electronic component rather than the center part of the thickness direction of a side surface. At least a part of the region extending from the other main surface to the protruding height position of the protrusion is formed on both main surfaces of the electronic component, and the protrusion is formed with substantially the same position along the thickness direction of the electronic component. In the case of having an inclined part and further proceeding on the guide groove to an electronic part whose dimension along the thickness direction from the other main surface of the electronic part to the protruding height position of the protruding part is longer than about half of the thickness dimension of the electronic part When the progress of the front electronic component is stopped by the progress stopping means, the succeeding electronic component is located on the upper side (the projecting portion is at a higher position) than the projecting portion of the front electronic component. Electronic component forward through the inclined part of the electronic component Ride, further because the depth of the guide groove is less than the thickness dimension of the electronic component, is directly discharged from the guide groove.
On the other hand, when the position of the protrusion of the subsequent electronic component is substantially the same as the position of the protrusion of the front electronic component stopped by the progress stop means, both electronic components are in contact with each other. Stays on the guide groove and is not discharged from the guide groove.
In this way, electronic components having substantially the same position of the protrusions (electronic components having a low position of the protrusions) can be aligned, and a difference in shape between both main surfaces (front surface and / or back surface) of the electronic components can be achieved. Without providing, the front and back of the electronic component can be aligned.
In addition, since the guide groove in which the electronic component advances is opened at the top, and the protruding guide is not formed in the groove as in the case of a known parts feeder, the electronic component that advances may be blocked by the guide groove. Absent.
Furthermore, since it is not necessary to provide a linear feeder, the electronic component transport apparatus can be reduced in size, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Further, by removing the linear feeder, the transport speed (advance speed) of the electronic component does not decrease, and an ultra-small electronic component with a slight unevenness between the front and back surfaces can be transported without any problem.

  According to the invention described in claim 6, since the depth dimension of the guide groove is equal to or larger than the shorter one of the dimensions from the two main surfaces (front surface and / or back surface) of the electronic component to the protrusion, Can be prevented from being discharged from the guide groove by an external action such as vibration of the vibrating body.

  According to the seventh aspect of the invention, since the guide means is provided, the electronic component discharged from the guide groove is guided to the bottom surface side of the vibrating body. Thereby, the electronic component discharged | emitted from the guide groove can be returned to a vibrating body, and it can advance on a guide groove repeatedly many times until it arranges.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, in the proceeding step, the electronic component according to any one of the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, which is supplied to the vibrating body, is advanced on the guide groove. In the discharging step, when the progress of the front electronic component is stopped by the progress stopping means, the subsequent electronic component is pressed against the stopped electronic component. At this time, one of the electronic components with the high protrusion portion passes through the inclined portion of the other electronic component with the low protrusion portion and rides on the other electronic component (or the protrusion is at the low position). The other electronic component sinks into one of the electronic components having a high protrusion), and the other electronic component is ejected from the guide groove.
A subsequent electronic component having a protrusion at a position substantially the same (low position) as the protrusion of the front electronic component does not ride on the front electronic component and stays on the guide groove with the protrusions in contact with each other. Both electronic components are not discharged from the guide groove.
In addition, since the dimension along the thickness direction from the other main surface of the electronic component to the protruding height position of the protrusion is longer than substantially half of the thickness of the electronic component, the position of the protrusion of the subsequent electronic component is stopped. Even when the position of the projection of the front electronic component stopped by the above is different, the projections do not collide with each other and one electronic component does not get on the other electronic component.
In this way, only by advancing the guide groove in the electronic component, it is possible to align only the electronic component in which the protrusion is located on the lower side, and the shape difference between the two main surfaces (front surface and / or back surface) of the electronic component. Without providing, the front and back of the electronic component can be aligned.

  According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, in the re-sending step, one electronic component discharged from the guide groove is returned to the vibrating body and is again advanced on the guide groove. Thereby, conveyance of an electronic component can be repeated until the front and back of an electronic component are aligned and aligned.

  According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, in the mounting step, the aligned electronic components are taken out and mounted on the mounted member constituting the electronic component assembly. In the mounting step, the mounting member is attached to the electronic component and / or the mounted member so that the electronic component is pressed against the mounted member. As described above, in the mounting process, since the electronic components are aligned in advance with the front and back surfaces aligned by the electronic component alignment method according to claim 8 or 9, the electronic components are mounted on the mounted member as they are. Can do. As a result, complete automation (unmanned) can be realized in the mounting process and mounting process for mounting aligned electronic components, and the manufacturing time of the electronic component assembly can be shortened and the manufacturing efficiency can be improved. Can be made.

  Next, an electronic component and an electronic component transport apparatus that transports the electronic component according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

First, the configuration of the electronic component will be described based on the configuration in which the electronic component is used in an electronic component assembly.
Here, a variable capacitor used as a trimmer capacitor as an electronic component assembly will be described as an example, and a rotor used as a variable capacitor as an electronic component will be described as an example.
Electronic components are not limited to rotors. For example, all electronic components such as diodes and LC filters that are mounted on a substrate or housed in a carrier tape and that need to be aligned front and back are targets. Become.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B, and 3A, the variable capacitor (electronic component assembly) 10 includes a rotor (electronic component) 12. The rotor 12 is formed in a disk shape and is mounted on an upper portion of a stator 14 described later. The rotor 12 is made of a metal such as brass. On the side surface 12A along the thickness direction of the rotor 12 (the direction of the arrow A in FIGS. 1B and 2B), a protruding portion 16 protruding outward in the radial direction is formed. The protrusion 16 is formed over the outer periphery (side surface) of the rotor 12. Further, the positions of the protrusions 16 along the thickness direction of the rotor 12 are substantially the same.
Here, the dimension from the front surface (the other main surface) F of the rotor 12 to the front end portion P of the projecting portion (the front end portion P of the projecting portion 16) is t1, and the rear surface (one main surface) B of the rotor 12 to the projecting portion. 16 is defined so that t1 ≠ t2, where t2 is a dimension up to the tip end portion (meaning a protruding height position; hereinafter the same) P. In this embodiment, t1> t2. Is set. As described above, the protrusion 16 is formed on the side surface 12A along the thickness direction of the rotor 12 and at a position biased toward the back surface B of the rotor 12 with respect to the central portion CL in the thickness direction of the side surface 12A.
In addition, inclined portions m <b> 1 and m <b> 2 are formed in all regions from the front surface (the other main surface) F and the back surface (the one main surface) B of the rotor 12 to the tip portion P of the protrusion 16.
As shown in FIG. 3B, the inclined portion m2 is always formed in all the regions from the back surface (one main surface) B of the rotor 12 to the tip portion P of the projection portion 16. For example, the plane portion n may be formed.
The rotor 12 is manufactured by etching, and the protrusion 16 is formed by providing a difference in processing time between the front surface (the other main surface) F and the back surface (the one main surface) B. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the front surface (the other main surface) F and the back surface (the one main surface) B of the rotor 12 are covered with the mask materials 18, 18, and an etching solution is sprayed. The protrusion 16 is formed by melting At this time, processing is performed so that inclined portions m1 and m2 are formed on the side surface 12A of the rotor 12.
Further, the protrusion 16 of the rotor 12 formed by etching may be formed such that a part of the side surface 12A of the rotor 12 protrudes radially outward, and the entire side surface 12A of the rotor 12 is radially outward. The protrusion may be formed. Further, the tip portion P of the protrusion 16 is sharp. Furthermore, the protrusion part 16 is formed over the outer periphery (side surface) of the rotor 12, and the position of the rotor thickness direction (arrow A direction in FIG. 2) is substantially the same. In addition, the front-end | tip part P of the projection part 16 is not restricted to the pointed structure, For example, you may form in planar shape, curved (curved surface) shape, etc.
A driver groove 20 for rotating the rotor 12 with a tool such as a driver is formed on the surface (the other main surface) side of the rotor 12. Further, a part of the surface of the rotor 12 facing the stator 14 protrudes, and this protruding portion 22 substantially functions as a rotor electrode.
Further, a protrusion 24 is formed on a part of the surface of the rotor 12 facing the stator 14, and the protrusion 12 allows the rotor 12 to rotate smoothly.

Here, as shown in FIG. 5, the surface of the rotor 12 (the other main surface) F or the back surface (the one main surface) B is configured such that the cut surface cut in the thickness direction has a trapezoidal shape. It may be. By forming the cut surface into a trapezoidal shape, a protrusion that inevitably satisfies t1 ≠ t2 is formed on the side surface.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, when the length of the front surface (the other main surface) F of the rotor 12 having the trapezoidal cut surface is S1, and the length of the back surface (the one main surface) B is S2. , S2> S1 always holds. In this case, the protrusions are corners R formed on the back surface (one main surface) B side of the rotor 12.
Note that the rotor 12 having a trapezoidal cut surface is formed with a gradient on the side surface by a processing method such as etching from the surface or dicing.

  Moreover, although the example in which the rotor 12 is formed in a disk shape has been described, it is not limited to a disk shape, and may be formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, for example, according to the application. In this case, a protrusion is formed on each side surface, but the height in the thickness direction of the protrusion formed on any side surface is configured to be substantially the same. Further, when the electronic component is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, it is not limited to the case where the protrusions are formed on all (four) side surfaces, and the protrusions may be formed on at least two opposing side surfaces. .

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, in the region from the surface (the other main surface) F of the rotor 12 to the tip portion P of the protruding portion 16, a concave curved surface portion q1 recessed inward. Alternatively, the convex curved surface portion q2 that protrudes outward may be formed. By forming the concave curved surface portion q1 and the convex curved surface portion q2, respectively, the concave curved surface portion q1 and the convex curved surface portion q2 can be used as a guide to make it easier to ride on the other rotor 12.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B, the flat surface portion v may be formed in a portion (meaning a protruding height position) that protrudes to the outermost side of the protruding portion 16 of the rotor 12. .
Here, in the case where the flat surface portion v is formed at a portion (protruding height position) that protrudes to the outermost side of the protrusion portion 16, the surface portion F of the rotor portion 12 from the surface F of the rotor portion 12. The dimension a along the thickness direction up to the portion v1 closest to the surface F needs to be configured to be longer than substantially half (T / 2) of the thickness dimension T of the rotor 12.
As shown in FIG. 15B, problems such as the rear rotor 12Y (see FIG. 11) do not ride on the front rotor 12X (see FIG. 11) occur in a part of the inclined portion m1 of the rotor 12. The flat portion c may be formed within the range.
Further, as shown in FIG. 15C, a portion protruding from the outermost side of the protrusion 16 of the rotor 12 (meaning a protruding height position) may be formed in the curved portion x.

The variable capacitor 10 includes a stator (a member to be mounted) 14. The stator 14 is made of a ceramic dielectric, and a stator electrode (internal electrode) 26 reaching one side surface is formed in the stator 14. An external electrode 28 is formed on the side surface of the stator 14 from which the stator electrode 26 is drawn, and is electrically connected to the stator electrode 26. The external electrode 28 can be formed by a known method such as a method of applying and baking a conductive paste.
The stator 14 can be manufactured by a method in which an electrode layer and a ceramic dielectric layer are stacked and sintered in accordance with a method of forming a multilayer ceramic capacitor. However, the manufacturing method is not limited to this. It is not something that can be done.

The variable capacitor 10 includes a metal cover (attachment member) 30. The metal cover 30 is formed in a cap shape so that the rotor 12 can be rotatably accommodated, and an adjustment hole 32 for exposing the driver groove 20 for rotating the rotor 12 is formed at the center thereof. Is formed. A spring acting portion 34 for pressing the rotor 12 against the stator 14 is formed at the peripheral portion of the adjustment hole 32.
Here, the spring action part 34 has a shape in which the upper surface of the metal cover 30 is not flat, for example, by a method such as press work, and the peripheral part of the adjustment hole 32 is lower than the periphery thereof. And is configured to have a spring property that urges the rotor 12 toward the stator 14.
The spring acting portion 34 is not limited to the above method, and can be formed by various known methods. For example, a plurality of radial notches are provided in the peripheral portion of the adjustment hole 32 of the rotor 12. Thus, the upper surface of the metal cover 30 can have a spring property that biases the rotor 12 against the stator 14.
Further, the metal cover 30 is formed with a terminal portion 36 that is electrically connected to the rotor 12 that is a movable electrode.

  In the variable capacitor 10 configured as described above, the stator electrode 26 and the rotor 12 that is the rotor electrode function as a fixed electrode and a movable electrode, respectively, and an electrostatic capacity is formed between them. Is taken out by the external electrode 28 that is electrically connected to the stator electrode 26 and the terminal portion 36 of the metal cover 30.

  Next, an electronic component assembly manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing the variable capacitor 10 which is an electronic component assembly will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 6 to FIG. 10, the electronic component assembly manufacturing apparatus 50 is transported by a rotor transport device (electronic component transport device) 52 for transporting the rotor 12 and the rotor transport device 52 so that the front and back sides are aligned. And an assembly device 70 for assembling the variable capacitor 10 by sequentially taking out the aligned rotors 12 and mounting them on the stator 14.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, the rotor transport device 52 includes a bowl (vibrating body) 54, a vibrator (vibrating body) 56 that supports the bowl 54 and vibrates the bowl 54, and the vibrator 56 is a fixing member. And a base member 60 attached by 58.
On the inner peripheral surface of the bowl 54, a component conveying portion is spirally formed upward from the bottom surface of the bowl. The parts conveying section is formed so as to close the guide groove 62 at one end portion (the upper end portion of the bowl 54) of the guide groove 62 and the guide groove 62 which is formed with an upper opening and the rotor 12 advances. The stopper (progression stop means) 74 is provided. Further, the bottom surface (guide means) 62A of the guide groove 62 is inclined (downwardly inclined, inclination angle α) toward the bottom surface of the bowl 54 with respect to the horizontal plane L. According to the rotor conveying device 52, the bowl 54 is vibrated by the vibrator 56, and the rotor 12 advances along the guide groove 62 upward from the bottom surface of the bowl 54.
Here, the depth dimension (D in the present embodiment) of the guide groove 62 is equal to or less than the thickness dimension (T in the present embodiment) of the rotor 12 that travels in the guide groove 62, and the depth dimension of the guide groove 62. Is the shorter dimension (this embodiment) of the dimensions (t1, t2 in the present embodiment) from the front surface (the other principal surface) F or the rear surface (the one principal surface) B of the rotor 12 to the tip end portion P of the protrusion 16. Then, it is set to be t2) or more.
Note that wind pressure means (not shown, guide means) may be provided in the vicinity of the bowl 54, and the rotor 12 discharged from the guide groove 62 may be dropped onto the bottom surface of the bowl 54.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the assembling apparatus 70 includes a plurality of suction nozzles 72. The suction nozzle 72 is configured to move in the vertical and horizontal directions by driving means (not shown). By suctioning air with a suction pump (not shown) connected to the suction nozzle 72, the suction nozzle 72 is moved to the tip of the suction nozzle 72. Components such as the rotor 12, the stator 14, and the metal cover 30 can be adsorbed. As a result, the rotor 12 aligned on the guide groove 62 is sucked by the suction nozzle 72, mounted on the stator 14 separately prepared at the assembly position, and the metal cover 30 is pressed from above the rotor 12. Thus, the variable capacitor 10 is assembled.

Next, a method for manufacturing an electronic component assembly using the electronic component assembly manufacturing apparatus will be described.
The manufacturing method of the electronic component assembly 10 by the electronic component assembly manufacturing apparatus 50 is roughly divided into a transport process by the electronic component transport apparatus 52 and an assembly process by the assembly apparatus 70, and each will be described in detail. To do.

(Conveying process by the rotor conveying device 52)
As shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, when the vibrator 56 is operated, the bowl 54 vibrates. When the bowl 54 vibrates, the rotor 12 supplied to the inside of the bowl 54 advances along the groove surface 62A of the guide groove 62 from the bottom surface of the bowl (advancing process). At this time, a plurality of rotors 12 are supplied to the inside of the bowl 54, and the protrusions 16 continuously move in a row in a state where the positions of the protrusions 16 are disjoint (a state where the front and back of the rotor 12 are not aligned). Go.
Here, the depth dimension D of the guide groove 62 is a dimension from the front surface (the other main surface) F or the rear surface (the one main surface) B of the rotor 12 to the tip portion P of the protrusion 16 (in this embodiment, t1, t2). Is set so as to be equal to or larger than the shorter dimension (t2 in the present embodiment), so that even when the rotor 12 where the protrusion 16 is located on the lower side advances in the guide groove 62, the rotor 12 remains in the bowl 54. It is possible to prevent spilling from the guide groove 62 due to the vibration.
As shown in FIG. 11, as the rotor 12 advances along the groove surface of the guide groove 62, the leading (first) rotor 12 </ b> X (12) eventually comes into contact with the stopper 74 that blocks the end of the guide groove 62. The rotor 12X (12) is prevented from advancing. As a result, the subsequent (second) rotor 12Y (12) contacts the leading rotor 12X (12). At this time, the protrusion 16 of the first (first) rotor 12X (12) is positioned below (groove surface side) the central portion CL in the thickness direction, and the protrusion of the subsequent (second) rotor 12Y. 16 is located on the upper side (opening side) of the central portion CL in the thickness direction, and the inclined portion m1 is formed in a region extending from the surface F of the rotor 12 to the tip end portion P of the protruding portion 16, The succeeding (second) rotor 12Y (12) is guided by the protrusion 16 of the leading rotor 12X (12) and passes through the inclined portion m1 of the leading (first) rotor 12X (12), so that the rotor 12X. Get on (12).
Here, since the depth dimension D of the guide groove 62 is set to be equal to or less than the thickness dimension T of the rotor 12, the succeeding (second) rotor riding on the leading (first) rotor 12X (12). 12Y (12) is further discharged from the guide groove 62 by applying the driving force of the subsequent rotor 12Z conveyed by the vibration of the bowl 54 (discharge process). The succeeding (second) rotor 12Y (12) discharged from the guide groove 62 falls to the bottom surface of the bowl 54 as it is because the groove surface 62A of the guide groove 62 is inclined downward toward the bottom surface of the bowl 54. . The subsequent (second) rotor 12Y (12) that has dropped onto the bottom surface of the bowl 54 advances again in the guide groove 62 by the vibration of the bowl 54 (retransmission step).

On the other hand, if the positions of the protrusions 16 of the first (first) rotor 12X (12) and the protrusions 16 of the subsequent (second) rotor 12Y (12) are substantially the same, the subsequent (second) rotor 12Y (12) has a protrusion 16 of the leading (first) rotor 12X (12) and a protrusion 16 of the following (second) rotor 12Y (12) even when pressure (propulsive force) is applied from the rear. And the subsequent (second) rotor 12Y (12) does not ride on the leading (first) rotor 12X (12).
In other words, if the positions (heights) of the protrusions 16 of the rotors 12 in the thickness direction are different, a part of the rotor 12 that is aligned with the front and back is discharged from the guide groove 62 or the front and back are reversed. A portion of the rotor 12 that is present may not be discharged from the guide groove 62, which is inappropriate.
Thus, only the rotor 12 where the positions of the protrusions 16 are substantially the same remains in the guide groove 62 and is aligned (see FIG. 13).

  Similarly, if the subsequent third rotor 12Z (12) is also in contact with the first rotor 12X (12) or the second rotor 12Y (12) and the position of the protrusion 16 is different, 1 It rides on the second rotor 12X (12) or the second rotor 12Y (12), is discharged from the guide groove 62, and falls to the bottom surface of the bowl 54.

  Note that the protrusion 16 of the first (first) rotor 12X (12) is located above (opening side) the central portion CL in the thickness direction, and the protrusion of the subsequent (second) rotor 12Y (12). If 16 is located on the lower side (groove surface side) than the central portion CL in the thickness direction, as shown in FIG. 12, due to the pressure (propulsive force) from the subsequent (second) rotor 12Y (12), The succeeding (second) rotor 12Y (12) sinks below the leading (first) rotor 12X (12), and the leading (first) rotor 12X (12) becomes the succeeding (second) rotor 12Y ( 12) passes through the inclined portion m1 and is discharged from the guide groove 62 and falls toward the bottom surface of the bowl 54. When the first (first) rotor 12X (12) is discharged from the guide groove 62, the subsequent (second) rotor 12Y (12) comes into contact with the stopper 74, and thereafter, the subsequent (second) rotor 12Y. When the succeeding (third and subsequent) rotor 12Z (12) further contacts the protrusion 16 of (12), the third and subsequent rotors 12Z (12) are aligned with the guide groove 62 or from the guide groove 62. It will be discharged.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B, when the protrusion height position of the protrusion 16 is the flat surface portion v, the surface F of the rotor 12 to the flat surface portion v of the protrusion 16 is the most. By configuring the dimension “a” along the thickness direction to the portion v1 close to the surface F to be longer than approximately half (T / 2) of the thickness dimension “T” of the rotor 12, the position of the protrusion 16 of the subsequent rotor 12Y. Is different from the position of the protrusion 16 of the front rotor 12X stopped by the stopper 74, the protrusions 16 abut each other and one rotor 12Y (or rotor 12X) rides on the other rotor 12X (or rotor 12Y). It won't stop going up.
In other words, as shown in FIG. 16, the flat portion v is formed at the protruding height position of the protrusion 16, and the surface F of the protrusion 16 extends from the surface F of the rotor 12 to the surface F most. If the dimension a along the thickness direction up to the near part v1 is configured to be approximately half (T / 2) or less of the thickness dimension T of the rotor 12, the two rotors 12 are arranged with the front and back reversed. However, the plane portions v of the rotors 12 are brought together, and one rotor 12 cannot get on the other rotor 12 and cannot be discharged from the guide groove 62, which is inappropriate.

  Further, when the rotor 12 having a trapezoidal cut surface as shown in FIG. 5 advances on the guide groove 62, the dimension of the back surface (one main surface) B is long (the corner corresponding to the protrusion is low). With respect to the rotor 12 traveling in a certain state), the rotor 12 traveling on the surface (the other main surface) F has a long dimension (a state where the corner corresponding to the projection is at a high position) rides on the rotor 12 and guide grooves 62 Discharged from. Thereafter, this is repeated, and only the rotor 12 is aligned in a state where the dimension of the back surface (one main surface) B is long (a state where the corner corresponding to the protrusion is at a low position).

As described above, when the rotor 12 is transported by the rotor transporting device 52, as shown in FIG. 13, the plurality of rotors 12 are aligned with the surface (the other main surface) F facing upward. For this reason, the front and back of the rotor 12 can be aligned without providing a shape difference between the front surface (the other main surface) F and the back surface (the one main surface) B of the rotor 12.
Further, unlike the conventional component conveying apparatus, the linear feeder 310 (see FIG. 19) is not necessary, and the entire apparatus can be reduced in size and the cost of the apparatus can be reduced. Furthermore, unlike the conventional component conveying device, it is not necessary to form the protruding guide portion 304 (see FIG. 19) that engages the concave portion of the rotor 12 in the guide groove 302, and the manufacturing cost of the device is further reduced. Can do. Further, since the linear feeder 310 (see FIG. 19) is not provided, the conveyance speed (advance speed) of the rotor 12 does not decrease, and the unevenness between the front and back surfaces (both main surfaces) is very small. The rotor 12 can be transported without any problem.
Further, the guide groove 62 in which the rotor 12 advances is opened at the top, and the protruding guide portion 304 (see FIG. 19) is not formed in the groove as in the case of a known parts feeder. 12 is not clogged in the guide groove 62.

(Assembling process by the assembling apparatus 70)
As shown in FIG. 10, when the plurality of rotors 12 are aligned with the guide grooves 62, the suction nozzles 72 are driven by driving means (not shown), and the rotors 12 aligned on the guide grooves 62 are moved by the air suction force. It is adsorbed by the suction nozzle 72 and moved to the assembly position. At this assembly position, the stator 14 is already placed, and the rotor 12 is mounted on the stator 14 from the suction nozzle 72 (mounting process). When the rotor 12 is mounted on the stator 14, the metal cover 30 is attached by the suction nozzle 72 so that the rotor 12 is pressed against the stator 14 from above the rotor 12 (attachment process). At this time, a part of the metal cover 30 is engaged with the stator 14 to manufacture the variable capacitor 10.

  As described above, in the assembling process by the assembling apparatus 70, the rotor 12 is aligned on the guide groove 62 of the rotor conveying device 52 with the front and back surfaces of the rotor 12 being aligned in the conveying process by the rotor conveying apparatus 52. The rotor 12 can be mounted on the stator 14 in the correct orientation simply by sequentially taking out and mounting them on the stator 14. As a result, it is not necessary to intervene in the mounting process and the mounting process, and the assembly work can be performed with full automation (fully unattended). Furthermore, by making it completely automatic (completely unattended), the manufacturing time of the variable capacitor 10 can be shortened, and the manufacturing efficiency can be remarkably improved.

(A) is a top view of the electronic component assembly which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, (B) is sectional drawing between the NN. (A) is sectional drawing of the electronic component which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, (B) is the back view. (A) is a fragmentary sectional view of the electronic component which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, (B) is a fragmentary sectional view of the electronic component used as the modification of the electronic component which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is. It is explanatory drawing which shows the manufacturing method of the electronic component which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the electronic component used as the modification of the electronic component which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the electronic component conveying apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a side view of the electronic component conveying apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a partial top view of the electronic component conveying apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of an electronic component transport device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a conceptual diagram of the assembly apparatus which comprises the electronic component assembly manufacturing apparatus which manufactures the electronic component assembly which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the effect | action of the electronic component conveyed with the electronic component conveying apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the effect | action of the electronic component conveyed with the electronic component conveying apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the state of the electronic component aligned by the electronic component conveying apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. (A) is a fragmentary sectional view of the electronic component used as the modification of the electronic component which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, (B) is the electronic used as the modification of the electronic component which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a fragmentary sectional view of components. (A) is a fragmentary sectional view of the electronic component used as the modification of the electronic component which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, (B) is the electronic used as the modification of the electronic component which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a fragmentary sectional view of components, and (C) is a fragmentary sectional view of an electronic component used as a modification of an electronic component concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is a fragmentary sectional view of the electronic component used as the comparative example of the electronic component which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view of the vibration type component supply apparatus used as a prior art. It is a top view of the components supply apparatus used as a prior art. It is sectional drawing which showed a part of conventional parts feeder.

Explanation of symbols

10 Variable capacitors (electronic parts assembly)
12 Rotor (electronic parts)
16 Protrusion 52 Rotor Conveying Measure (Electronic Component Conveying Device)
54 Bowl (vibrating body)
56 Vibrator (vibrating body)
62 Guide groove 62A Bottom surface (guide means)
74 Stopper (Progression stop means)

Claims (10)

An electronic component having electrical characteristics,
The thickness of the electronic component protrudes from the side surface at a position that is on the side surface along the thickness direction of the electronic component and is biased to one main surface of the two main surfaces of the electronic component with respect to the central portion in the thickness direction of the side surface. Protrusions whose positions along the direction are substantially the same are formed,
Of the two main surfaces of the electronic component, at least part of the region from the other main surface to the protruding height position of the protrusion has an inclined portion,
An electronic component characterized in that a dimension along a thickness direction from the other main surface of the electronic component to a protruding height position of the protrusion is longer than approximately half of a thickness dimension of the electronic component.   2. The electronic component according to claim 1, wherein there is no surface or part orthogonal to the two main surfaces of the electronic component at a protruding height position of the protrusion.   The electronic component according to claim 2, wherein a shape of a cut surface cut in a thickness direction of the electronic component is a trapezoidal shape.   The electronic component according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the electronic component is a rotor that constitutes a variable capacitor and functions as a movable electrode. An electronic component conveying apparatus having a vibrator provided with a component conveying unit for conveying an electronic component,
The component transport unit includes a guide groove that is open at an upper portion and the electronic component advances, and a progress stopping unit that is provided in the guide groove and stops the progress of the electronic component,
The depth dimension of the said guide groove is below the thickness dimension of the said electronic component, The electronic component conveying apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned.   6. The electronic component conveying apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a depth dimension of the guide groove is equal to or larger than a shorter dimension of the dimensions from both main surfaces of the electronic component to the protruding portion.   The electronic component transport apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising guide means for guiding the electronic component discharged from the guide groove to a bottom surface of the vibrating body. An electronic component conveying apparatus comprising: a vibrating body having a guide groove in which the electronic component according to any one of claims 1 to 4 travels and an upper portion is open; and a travel stop unit that stops the progress of the electronic component. A method of aligning electronic components that transports and aligns the electronic components using:
A progressing step in which the electronic component supplied to the vibrating body travels through the guide groove;
The advancement of the electronic component at the front is stopped by the advancement stopping means, and the subsequent electronic component is pressed against the electronic component at the front, so that the protrusion is placed on the one electronic component at a high position. A discharging step of discharging one of the electronic components from the guide groove by riding on the other electronic component at a low position;
A method for aligning electronic components, comprising:   9. The electronic component aligning method according to claim 8, further comprising a retransmission step of returning one of the electronic components discharged from the guide groove to the vibrating body and re-advancing on the guide groove. An electronic component assembly manufacturing method for manufacturing an electronic component assembly using the electronic components aligned by the electronic component alignment method according to claim 8 or 9,
A mounting step of taking out the aligned electronic components and mounting them on a mounted member constituting the electronic component assembly;
An attachment step of attaching an attachment member to the electronic component or / and the mounted member so that the electronic component is pressed against the mounted member;
An electronic component assembly manufacturing method comprising:

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