JP2008135431A - Electronic component packaging apparatus, and method of reading/writing information on rf tag for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic component packaging apparatus capable of accurately writing/reading information with an RF tag mounted to a component holder as an object, and to provide a method of reading/writing the information of the RF tag in the electronic component packaging apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: In a search process for successively detecting the RF tag, attached to a plurality of nozzles 14 stored in a nozzle station 12 by a reader/writer having a range R to be processed with flat broadening, the reader/writer is moved in accordance with a preset search path so that the nozzle 14 is newly positioned within the range R to be processed one by one, while the reader/writer is actuated; and the RF tag detected latest in time series is identified as the RF tag to be processed among the plurality of nozzles 14 positioned within the range R to be processed simultaneously. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic component mounting apparatus for mounting electronic components on a board, and information on RF tags in an electronic component mounting apparatus that reads and writes information for an RF tag attached to a component holder in the electronic component mounting apparatus. It relates to a read / write method.

  In the electronic component mounting apparatus, a component holding tool such as a suction nozzle for holding the electronic component is detachably mounted on a mounting head that takes out the electronic component from the component supply unit and transports and mounts it on the substrate. These component holders are prepared for each type of electronic component to be mounted, and are replaced with new ones when the portion in contact with the electronic component is worn away and cannot be used.

In recent years, in the electronic parts manufacturing industry, refinement of production management has progressed with the aim of ensuring manufacturing quality and improving production efficiency, and not only the history of parts used for product assembly, but also the tools used in the manufacturing process. Is required to be identified individually. For this reason, a component holder that is used by being mounted on a mounting head in an electronic component mounting apparatus is also known that includes an identification unit that enables individual identification (see, for example, Patent Document 1). . In the example shown in this patent document, an identification mark is applied to the component holder, and the detector provided on the mounting head is moved to a tool change unit that houses a plurality of component holders. Individuals are identified and detected individually.
JP-A-11-239925

  In recent quality control, it is required to ensure traceability so that a product history can be traced retroactively when a defect occurs. For this reason, even tools such as parts holders are required to store not only identification information but also detailed information such as usage history of individual tools and read them out as necessary. Yes. As a technique for managing such history information at the production site, proposals have been made to attach an RF tag that is an information storage medium and can read and write information in a non-contact manner to each tool.

  However, when the RF tag is used for such applications, there are the following problems due to the characteristics of the reader / writer used for reading / writing information of the RF tag. That is, in an electronic component mounting apparatus, a plurality of component holders are often stored adjacent to each other in a predetermined plane arrangement such as a lattice arrangement, and the reader / writer processes the component holders in such a close state. Must be targeted. However, the processing range of the reader / writer has a certain spatial expansion, and when there are multiple component holders in the processing range, these are recognized as processing targets at the same time, and individual components are recognized. The holder cannot be identified and identified.

  Accordingly, the present invention provides an electronic component mounting apparatus capable of accurately writing / reading information for an RF tag attached to a plurality of component holders, and a method for reading / writing information on an RF tag in the electronic component mounting apparatus. The purpose is to provide.

The electronic component mounting apparatus according to the present invention is an electronic component mounting apparatus that takes out an electronic component from a component supply unit by a component holder removably mounted on the mounting head, and transfers and mounts the electronic component on a substrate. A head moving means, a holder storing portion for storing a plurality of the component holders in a predetermined plane arrangement, and an RF tag attached to each of the component holders located within a processing target range having a planar extension. A reader / writer for detecting and reading / writing information for the detected RF tag; reader / writer moving means for moving the reader / writer relative to the holder housing; and the reader / writer When a relative movement operation for reading and writing the information is performed on the plurality of component holders by controlling a writer movement unit. And a read / write control means for specifying one RF tag among the plurality of RF tags that are simultaneously positioned within the processing target range and detected by the reader / writer as the processing target of the reading / writing. In the relative movement operation, only the component holder located at the search start point of the search path set in advance based on the predetermined plane arrangement for sequentially detecting the plurality of component holders is within the processing target range. A search starting point positioning step for positioning the reader / writer so as to be positioned, and while the reader / writer is operated after the search starting point positioning step, the component holder is newly added within the processing target range. A search step of moving the reader / writer according to the search path so that the reader / writer is positioned one after another, and the read / write control means includes: Serial to identify the slowest detected RF tags chronological order in the search process as an RF tag to be the processing target.

  The RF tag information reading / writing method in the electronic component mounting apparatus according to the present invention is an electronic component mounting apparatus in which an electronic component is taken out from a component supply unit by a component holder removably mounted on a mounting head, and is transferred and mounted on a substrate. And reading / writing information on the RF tag attached to each of the component holders for a plurality of the component holders housed in a predetermined arrangement in the holder housing portion. In the writing method, the electronic component mounting apparatus detects an RF tag attached to each of the component holders located within a processing target range having a planar spread, and targets the detected RF tag. A reader / writer that reads and writes information, and a reader / writer that moves the reader / writer relative to the holder housing And controlling the reader / writer moving means to perform a relative movement operation for reading and writing the information for the plurality of component holders, and being positioned within the processing target range. A plurality of RF tags detected by a reader / writer, and a read / write control means for specifying one RF tag as a target of the read / write process, wherein the relative movement operation is performed by holding the plurality of components. In order to sequentially detect the tool, the reader / writer is aligned so that only the component holder positioned at the search start point of the search path set in advance based on the predetermined plane arrangement is positioned within the processing target range. A search starting point alignment step, and after the search starting point alignment step, the component holder holds the processing pair while operating the reader / writer. A search step of moving the reader / writer according to the search path so as to be sequentially positioned within the range, and in the search step, an RF tag detected latest in time series order is set as the processing target. Is specified as an RF tag.

  According to the present invention, in a search process executed to sequentially detect RF tags attached to a plurality of component holders by a reader / writer having a processing target range having a planar extension, the reader / writer is While operating, the reader / writer is moved according to the search path so that the component holders are newly positioned one by one in the processing target range, and the latest detected RF tag in chronological order is processed. By specifying as an RF tag, it is possible to accurately read and write information for RF tags attached to a plurality of component holders.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a plan view of an electronic component mounting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of a mounting head in the electronic component mounting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a nozzle station in the electronic component mounting apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a plan view of the nozzle station in the electronic component mounting apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is the electronic component mounting apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an electronic component suction nozzle, FIG. 8 is an explanatory view of the structure of an RF tag sheet used for the electronic component suction nozzle in the electronic component mounting apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control system of the electronic component mounting apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the control system of the electronic component mounting apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12, FIG. 13, FIG. 14 are RF tags in an electronic component mounting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the reading / writing method of this information.

  First, the structure of the electronic component mounting apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. In FIG. 1, a transport path 2 is disposed in the center of the base 1 in the X direction (substrate transport direction). The conveyance path 2 conveys the substrate 3 carried in from the upstream side and positions it on the mounting stage. Component supply units 4 are arranged on both sides of the conveyance path 2, and a plurality of tape feeders 5 are arranged in parallel in each component supply unit 4. The tape feeder 5 supplies the electronic components by pitch-feeding the carrier tape holding the electronic components.

  Y-axis tables 6A and 6B are disposed on both ends of the upper surface of the base 1, and two X-axis tables 7A and 7B are installed on the Y-axis tables 6A and 6B. By driving the Y-axis table 6A, the X-axis table 7A moves horizontally in the Y direction, and by driving the Y-axis table 6B, the X-axis table 7B moves horizontally in the Y direction. The X-axis tables 7A and 7B are equipped with a mounting head 8 and a reader / writer 9 that moves integrally with the mounting head 8, respectively. As will be described later, the reader / writer 9 has a function of reading / writing data without contact with the RF tag.

  By driving the Y-axis table 6A, the X-axis table 7A, the Y-axis table 6B, and the X-axis table 7B in combination, the mounting head 8 moves horizontally, and electronic components are transferred from the respective component supply units 4 to the nozzles 14 (FIG. 2). And is mounted on the substrate 3 positioned in the conveyance path 2. The Y-axis tables 6A and 6B and the X-axis tables 7A and 7B serve as head moving means for moving the mounting head 8. The substrate recognition camera 9 that has moved onto the substrate 3 captures and recognizes the substrate 3. A component recognition camera 11 and a nozzle station 12 are disposed on the route from the component supply unit 4 to the conveyance path 2.

  When the mounting head 8 that has taken out the electronic component from the component supply unit 4 moves to the substrate 3 positioned on the mounting stage, the electronic component held by the nozzle 14 is moved in the X direction above the component recognition camera 11. Accordingly, the component recognition camera 11 images the electronic component held by the nozzle 14. The imaging result is recognized by a recognition processing unit (not shown), whereby the position of the electronic component held by the nozzle 14 is recognized and the type of the electronic component is identified.

The nozzle station 12 (holding tool storage) stores a plurality of electronic component suction nozzles 14 that are component holders in a predetermined plane arrangement such as a grid arrangement. When the mounting head 8 accesses the nozzle station 12 to perform the nozzle replacement operation, the nozzle replacement is performed in the mounting head 8 according to the type of the target electronic component. This nozzle replacement is performed based on nozzle arrangement data indicating the arrangement state of nozzles in the nozzle station 12. In this embodiment, this nozzle array data is automatically created by reading and identifying the ID information of the RF tag attached to the nozzle 14 at each storage position of the nozzle station 12 by the reader / writer 9. I have to. This nozzle identification operation is performed by moving the reader / writer 9 together with the mounting head 8 in the horizontal direction to access the nozzle station 12.

  As will be described later, the reader / writer 9 includes antenna lifting / lowering means (see FIG. 9) for raising / lowering an antenna for performing transmission / reception with an object via radio waves. The Y axis tables 6A and 6B and the X axis tables 7A and 7B moved in the horizontal direction constitute reader / writer moving means for moving the reader / writer 9 relative to the nozzle station 12 in the horizontal and vertical directions. In other words, here, the head moving means for moving the mounting head 8 also serves as the horizontal movement mechanism of the reader / writer moving means.

  Next, the mounting head 8 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the mounting head is a multi-type, and has a configuration including a plurality of unit mounting heads 8a. These unit mounting heads 8a can be moved up and down individually, and nozzles 14 that adsorb and hold electronic components are detachably mounted on the lower ends of the unit mounting heads 8a. The mounting head 8 includes a common θ-axis motor 13 and can rotate around the nozzle axis. The nozzle 14 is detachably mounted on a nozzle mounting portion 10 provided at the lower portion of the unit mounting head 8a, and is exchanged according to the type of electronic component. That is, this electronic component mounting apparatus takes out an electronic component from a component supply unit by a component holder detachably mounted on the mounting head, and transfers and mounts the electronic component on a substrate.

  The attachment / detachment mechanism of the nozzle 14 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 3A, the lower end portion of the nozzle mounting portion 10 is provided with a fitting convex portion 10a protruding downward, and further, a clamp member 10b and a clamp member 10b for locking the nozzle 14. There is provided a spring 10c that presses against the outside. The nozzle 14 is in contact with an electronic component to be sucked and held, a disk-shaped flange portion 14b protruding horizontally on the upper portion of the nozzle shaft 14a, and an upper portion of the flange portion 14b and coupled to the nozzle shaft 14a. The base portion 14c is provided.

  A disc-shaped RF tag sheet 15 is mounted on the upper surface of the flange portion 14b. As will be described later, the RF tag sheet 15 has a function of storing ID information, usage history information, and the like of each nozzle 14 in a non-contact and writable manner via radio waves. The base portion 14c is provided with a fitting hole 14d into which the fitting convex portion 10a is fitted, and a clamp groove 14e having a shape into which the clamp member 10b is fitted is provided on the outer periphery of the base portion 14c.

  When mounting the nozzle 14 on the nozzle mounting portion 10, the nozzle 14 and the mounting portion 10 are brought close to each other and the fitting convex portion 10a is fitted into the fitting hole 14d. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3B, the clamp member 10b is fitted and engaged with the clamp groove 14e, and the clamp member 10b is tightened by the elastic force of the spring 10c from the outside, whereby the nozzle 14 is attached to the mounting portion 10. It is mounted in a clamped state. The nozzle 14 can be detached from the nozzle mounting portion 10 by forcibly pulling the nozzle 14 away against the elastic force of the spring 10c.

  In the above configuration, the clamp groove 14e is an engagement portion that is provided in the base portion 14c and engages with the nozzle mounting portion 10. Further, the nozzle shaft 14a is connected to the base portion 14c and serves as a contact portion that contacts and holds the electronic component, and the collar portion 14b serves as an attachment portion for attaching the RF tag sheet 15 to the base portion 14c. Yes.

Next, the structure of the nozzle station 12 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 4, the nozzle station 12 includes a nozzle storage block 17 supported on the base 1 by a support bracket 17a. In the nozzle storage block 17, storage holes 17 b for storing and holding the nozzles 14 in a standing posture are provided in a grid arrangement corresponding to the mounting arrangement of the nozzles 14 in the mounting head 8.

  On the upper surface of the nozzle storage block 17, a locking plate 16 having a shape covering substantially the entire range of the nozzle storage block 17 is slidably disposed with a predetermined gap between the upper surface. At the corner position of the locking plate 16, an RF tag 19 for identifying the nozzle station (RF tag for the storage unit) is attached. By causing the reader / writer 9 to access the RF tag 19 to perform a reading operation, unique information written in advance for each individual nozzle station 12 can be read. The unique information includes the identification information of the nozzle station 12, that is, the nozzle arrangement data such as the nozzle storage pitch in the nozzle station 12, the information such as the type of the nozzle 14 stored, and the nozzle / writer 14 by the reader / writer 9. Route information indicating a search route set in advance for sequentially detecting the RF tag sheets 15 of the plurality of nozzles 14 stored in the station 12 is included.

  One end of the locking plate 16 is coupled to a slide mechanism 18 disposed on the lower surface of the nozzle storage block 17. By driving the slide mechanism 18, the locking plate 16 reciprocates on the upper surface of the nozzle storage block 17. To do. The predetermined gap between the locking plate 16 and the upper surface of the nozzle storage block 17 is set to be larger than the thickness dimension d of the flange 14b shown in FIG. 3, and the nozzle 14 is stored in the nozzle storage block 17. In this state, the locking plate 16 can be slid.

  In the locking plate 16, nozzle insertion openings 16 a are provided in the X direction at positions corresponding to the rows of the matrix arrangement of the storage holes 17 b in the nozzle storage block 17. The nozzle insertion openings 16a are provided with locking claws 16b that partially extend inward from both sides corresponding to the respective rows of the matrix arrangement of the storage holes 17b. Here, the shape dimension of the nozzle insertion opening 16a is such that the opening width dimension is larger than the diameter dimension D of the flange portion 14b of the nozzle 14 shown in FIG. 3, and the internal dimension of the portion where the locking claw portion 16b extends inward. B2 is set to be smaller than the diameter dimension D. Accordingly, in a range where the locking claw portion 16b is not provided protruding, the nozzle 14 can be inserted through the nozzle insertion opening 16a in the vertical direction, and in the portion where the locking claw portion 16b protrudes, the nozzle 14 is inserted through the nozzle. The opening 16a cannot be inserted vertically.

  Next, the function of the locking plate 16 in the nozzle station 12 will be described with reference to FIG. The nozzle 14 is housed and held in the nozzle housing block 17 with the lower surface of the flange 14b abutting against the upper surface of the nozzle housing block 17 and the nozzle shaft 14a being inserted into the housing hole 17b. FIG. 5 shows a state in which the nozzles 14 are arranged in the storage holes 17b in the range of 3/4 of the storage holes 17b provided in the nozzle storage block 17 in the nozzle station 12.

  At this time, the latching claw portion 16b of the latching plate 16 is in an intermediate position between the storage holes 17b, and the latching claw portion 16b does not obstruct the insertion of the nozzle 14. That is, in this state, it is possible to take out the nozzle 14 already stored and held from the nozzle station 12, and it is also possible to newly hold the nozzle 14 in the empty storage hole 17b in which the nozzle is not stored.

FIG. 5B shows a state in which the locking mechanism 16 is slid by driving the slide mechanism 18. That is, by driving the slide mechanism 18, the locking plate 16 moves from the state shown in FIG. 5A by px / 2 (where px is the arrangement pitch of the storage holes 17b in the X direction). The pawl portion 16b coincides with the row position of the storage holes 17b. Therefore,
The locking claw portion 16b is located immediately above the collar portion 14b in contact with the upper surface of the nozzle storage block 17, and in this state, the upward movement of the nozzle 14 is restricted. That is, the nozzle 14 is locked by the locking plate 16 at the nozzle station 12.

  In the nozzle station 12 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a case where all the stored nozzles 14 are the same type is shown, but it is not always necessary that all are the same type. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, a nozzle 14 </ b> A intended for a large-sized component may be mixed with a normal size nozzle 14 and stored in the nozzle station 12.

  Next, the structure of the RF tag sheet 15 attached to the nozzle 14 and the method of attaching the RF tag sheet 15 to the nozzle 14 will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, a configuration example in the case where a non-conductive material such as an insulating ceramic is used as the material of the nozzle 14 will be described. This configuration is suitable for a nozzle of a type that uses a large amount of the same shape by die molding, such as a nozzle for a general-purpose component whose shape is standardized.

  As shown in FIG. 7A, the RF tag sheet 15 is an annular sheet component having an opening 15b into which a cylindrical base portion 14c provided so as to protrude upward from the flange portion 14b of the nozzle 14 is fitted. . FIG. 7B shows a state in which the RF tag sheet 15 is attached to the upper surface of the flange portion 14b using an adhesive or the like. Here, since the flange portion 14b is made of a non-conductive material, when reading / writing the RF tag sheet 15 as an object, eddy current due to electromagnetic waves does not occur in the flange portion 14b, and signal exchange by the antenna 15d is vortexed. It is not disturbed by the current.

  FIG. 8 shows the internal structure of the RF tag sheet 15, in which an IC tag 15 c and a loop antenna 15 d are built in an annular resin sheet 15 a. As a method of manufacturing the RF tag sheet 15, a method of forming the resin sheet 15a by setting the IC tag 15c and the antenna 15d on an annular resin plate serving as a substrate and sealing the upper surface thereof with resin, Various methods such as a method of sandwiching the IC tag 15c and the antenna 15d between two annular resin plates can be used.

  In the example shown in FIG. 7, an example in which the nozzle 14 is made of a non-conductive material is shown. However, a nozzle used for a large deformed part such as a connector is small and is not suitable for mass production. Such nozzles are machined and manufactured individually for each product, and materials such as aluminum and stainless steel are used. In this case, since the RF tag sheet 15 may interfere with transmission / reception of radio waves due to eddy currents generated by electromagnetic waves on the metal surface, a soft magnetic metal such as ferrite is interposed between the RF tag sheet 15 and the flange 14b. A structure in which an electromagnetic wave absorbing material in which a powder is contained in a resin binder such as urethane resin is sandwiched is used.

  Next, the reader / writer 9 attached to the mounting head 8 will be described. As shown in FIG. 9A, an annular antenna 21 is configured to be movable up and down by an antenna lifting mechanism 22, and the antenna 21 is connected to a transmission / reception unit 23. By operating the transmitter / receiver 23 and radiating radio waves from the antenna 21, a current is induced in the antenna 15d of the RF tag sheet 15 located within the processing target range R shown in FIG. As a result, the IC tag 15c built in the RF tag sheet 15 operates. That is, the RF tag sheet 15 transmits a radio wave carrying a unique identification signal from an antenna 15d provided in the RF tag sheet 15. Then, when the transmission / reception unit 23 receives this radio wave via the antenna 21, the RF tag sheet 15 is detected in a non-contact state.

As shown in FIG. 9B, the processing target range R has a substantially spindle shape having a three-dimensional expansion with a narrowed shape. That is, as the height difference h downward from the antenna 21 increases, the radius r of the detection target range indicating the planar expansion of the processing target range R decreases, and the height difference h increases to h1, h2, and h3. Accordingly, the radius r of the detection target range is gradually reduced to r1, r2, and r3, and the processing target range R disappears at the maximum detection height hm. In other words, the processing target range R has a planar expansion in which the radius differs for each height difference h. The reader / writer 9 detects the RF tag sheet 15 attached to each nozzle 14 located within the processing target range R, and reads / writes information for the detected RF tag sheet 15 as a target. have.

  That is, when the RF tag sheet 15 to be read / written is positioned within the processing target range R and the transmitter / receiver 23 is operated to transmit a radio wave carrying a read / write process command signal from the antenna 21, the radio wave is Received by the antenna 15d. The IC tag 15c operates according to the command signal using the received radio wave as a power source. As a result, data is written to the memory built in the IC tag 15c, and the ID information unique to the IC tag and the individual information read from the memory are transmitted to the transmission / reception unit 23 via the antenna 15d.

  Next, the configuration of the control system will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 11, a control unit 30 is an overall control device, and controls operations and arithmetic processing by each unit described below. The read / write processing unit 31 performs processing necessary for reading and writing data to the RF tag sheet 15 by the reader / writer 9. With respect to the RF tag detected when the transmission / reception unit 23 receives the reflected wave, the read / write processing unit 31 reads the identification signal included in the reflected wave, whereby the individual RF tag is identified.

  The operation counting unit 32 performs a process of obtaining the operation count value by counting the number of component mounting operations performed using the nozzles 14 mounted on the mounting head 8 for each individual nozzle 14. The obtained operation count value is stored in the storage unit 37 to be described later, and when the use of the nozzle 14 is interrupted and returned to the nozzle station 12, the read / write processing unit 31 performs the nozzle 14. The cumulative operation count value indicating the usage history of the nozzle 14 is updated.

  The mechanism drive unit 33 is controlled by the control unit 30, and a substrate transport mechanism 34 for transporting the substrate 3 through the transport path 2, and a component for taking out an electronic component from the component supply unit 4 by the mounting head 8 and mounting it on the substrate 3. The nozzle station 12 that houses a plurality of mounting mechanisms 35 and nozzles 14 is driven. In the above configuration, the control unit 30 controls the reader / writer moving unit described above to execute a relative movement operation for reading and writing information with respect to the plurality of nozzles 14 and within the processing target range R. Of the plurality of RF tags detected simultaneously by the reader / writer 9, and functions as a read / write control means for specifying one RF tag as a read / write processing target.

  Here, as a method for specifying one RF tag sheet 15 among the plurality of detected RF tag sheets 15, when a plurality of nozzles 14 are simultaneously detected and detected in the processing target range R in the search process, The RF tag sheet 15 that is detected latest in chronological order is identified as the RF tag sheet 15 to be processed. That is, in the reader / writer 9 having the processing target range R having a size capable of including a plurality of nozzles 14 in a plan view, the RF tag sheets 15 of the plurality of nozzles 14 may be detected simultaneously at a certain timing. . In such a case, the control unit 30 monitors the detection timing of the nozzle 14, so that it is newly located in the processing target range R among the plurality of detected RF tag sheets 15, and is the latest in chronological order. The detected RF tag sheet 15 is specified as a processing target.

The storage unit 37 stores various programs and data necessary for executing the component mounting operation. These data include nozzle arrangement data 37a indicating the arrangement state of the nozzles 14 in the nozzle station 12, the aforementioned operation count value 37b obtained by the operation count unit 32, and a maintenance value 37c for clearly indicating the maintenance time of the nozzle. Is included. The maintenance value 37c indicates the proper execution timing of maintenance work such as cleaning and replacement for the nozzles that are consumable parts in the form of the cumulative number of uses, and is set and stored in advance for each individual nozzle 14.

  At the start of the operation of the electronic component mounting apparatus, the operation count value of the nozzle 14 is read by the reader / writer 9 from the RF tag sheet 15 of each nozzle 14 accommodated in the nozzle station 12 and stored in the storage unit 37 as the updated initial value. . During continuous operation of the electronic component mounting apparatus, the operation count value 37a of the storage unit 37 is sequentially updated by adding the number of times of operation for the current work to the updated initial value. The control unit 30 compares the operation count value 37a sequentially updated in this way with the maintenance value 37b of the nozzle, thereby determining whether or not a maintenance execution time such as cleaning or replacement of the nozzle has come. If it is determined that the maintenance execution time has arrived for each nozzle, the notification unit 38 notifies that fact. Thereby, the machine operator can know an appropriate maintenance execution time for each nozzle.

  Next, in order to individually identify the nozzles 14 in the nozzle station 12, a method for reading / writing information on the RF tag, in which information on the RF tag attached to each nozzle 14 is read / written by the reader / writer 9 is described. This will be described with reference to FIGS. In this nozzle detection operation, the processing target range R that originally has a three-dimensional expansion is used in a state in which the height of the antenna 21 is fixed, so that the processing target range R having a planar expansion is used. A reader / writer 9 is used. Then, by combining the planar extension of the processing target range R with an appropriately set search path, the RF tag sheets 15 attached to the plurality of nozzles 14 can be sequentially detected efficiently and specified as processing targets. It is possible.

  Here, the case where the planar position of the nozzle 14 in the nozzle station 12, that is, the planar arrangement of the storage holes 17b shown in FIG. 4 is stored in the RF tag 19 as arrangement information in advance is targeted. The nozzles 14 need not be stored in all the storage holes 17b, and the individual nozzles 14 are identified together with the presence or absence of the nozzles 14 in the storage holes 17b. Based on the identification result, the nozzle array data 37a is automatically updated.

  First, the mounting head 8 is moved horizontally to move the antenna 21 of the reader / writer 9 onto the RF tag 19 of the nozzle station 12 (ST1). Next, the type of the nozzle station 12 is identified by the reader / writer 9 (ST2). That is, the reader / writer 9 reads the path information indicating the search path set in advance corresponding to the nozzle station 12 together with the identification information for identifying the type of the nozzle station 12 written in advance in the RF tag 19. As a result, the arrangement of the storage holes 17b in the nozzle station 12 and the type of the stored nozzles 14 are clarified, and the path information indicating the search path through which the reader / writer 9 should be moved to detect the nozzles 14 is controlled. Instructed by the unit 30.

Here, the search route will be described with reference to FIG. As described above, in the present embodiment, the individual nozzles 14 are identified by positioning the nozzles 14 within the processing target range R having a size capable of simultaneously including a plurality of nozzles 14. Therefore, the reader / writer 9 detects a plurality of RF tags at the same time, and the individual nozzles 14 cannot be specified as it is. Therefore, in the present embodiment, a plurality of nozzles 14 accommodated in the nozzle station 12 are sequentially detected in a predetermined plane arrangement, and each nozzle 1 is detected.
In order to perform the process of specifying 4 efficiently and without duplication, a search path for moving the antenna 21 is set in advance according to a predetermined planar arrangement of the nozzles 14 in the nozzle station 12.

  In this search path, the position of the target nozzle 14 in the search process is first defined as a search starting point, and a search line for successively detecting the adjacent nozzles 14 sequentially from the nozzle 14 at the search starting point is preset. Is defined. For example, like the nozzle station 12 shown in the present embodiment, the nozzle arrays L1 to L4 in which the nozzles 14 are accommodated in the X direction with the arrangement pitch px are arranged in the grid arrangement type in the Y direction. In the case of the station 12, the nozzle 14 located at the corner closest to the RF tag 19 for identifying the nozzle station among the four corners in the grid array is the search starting point (the nozzle shown in FIG. 12A). 14 (1, 1)). Of course, when the nozzle station 12 is used only partially, the search starting point is appropriately set according to the portion to be used.

  From this search starting point, first, a search line SL1 for the nozzles 14 belonging to the nozzle row L1 is set in the nozzle row direction (Y direction). Here, the search line indicates a locus line to which the center point of the processing target range R (that is, the center point of the antenna 21) should move, and the first first search line SL1 is offset from the first nozzle row L1. A is set at a position separated outward by A. Here, the offset dimension A is set so that the processing target range R can detect the nozzles 14 belonging to the first nozzle row L1 and does not detect the nozzles 14 belonging to the second nozzle row L2.

  Then, the second search line SL2 (see FIG. 13B) targeting the nozzles 14 belonging to the second nozzle row L2 is folded back in the direction opposite to the first search line SL1, and the first search line SL1. Is set to a position translated inward (Y direction) by a pitch py. That is, when the antenna 21 moves along the second search line SL2, the nozzles 14 belonging to the first nozzle row L1 and the second nozzle row L2 can be detected by being included in the processing target range R. The nozzles 14 belonging to the nozzle row L3 are not included in the processing target range R and are not detected.

  Here, an example in which the most common grid arrangement is used as the plane arrangement of the nozzles 14 in the nozzle station 12 is shown, but the plane arrangement of the nozzles 14 is not limited to the grid arrangement and has some regularity. Any array may be used. When setting the search path for such a planar arrangement, first, the detection order of the nozzles 14 is set, and the nozzles 14 are newly positioned one by one in the processing target range R in accordance with this detection order. Next, the movement path of the antenna 21 is set. At this time, it is allowed that the nozzle 14 that is already detected in the processing target region R is positioned again in the processing target range R, but the nozzle 14 that is not yet the detection target in the detection order is the processing target range. The moving path of the antenna 21 may be arbitrarily set on the condition that it is not allowed to be located in R.

Hereinafter, a nozzle detection operation for sequentially detecting the nozzles 14 by moving the antenna 21 according to the search path set in this way and specifying the nozzles as processing targets will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13. Here, in order to distinguish the plurality of nozzles 14 depending on the position, a position code in an orthogonal coordinate format is added as in the nozzle 14 (x, y). First, as shown in FIG. 12A, the antenna 21 is moved to the search starting point in the nozzle station 12 (ST3). The position information of the search starting point in the machine machine coordinate system is included in the route information read from the RF tag 19. When the antenna 21 moves to this search starting point, only the nozzles 14 (1, 1) located at the search starting point of the preset search path are located within the processing target range R, and the other nozzles 14 are processed. The antenna 21 of the reader / writer 9 is aligned so as not to be included in the target range R (search start position alignment step).

  Next, while operating the reader / writer 9 after the search start position alignment process, the antenna 21 of the reader / writer 9 is moved according to the search path so that the nozzles 14 are newly positioned one by one in the processing target range R one by one. (Search process). That is, the antenna 21 is moved along the search line SL1 as shown in FIG. 12B while radiating read radio waves from the antenna 21 (ST4).

  In the search step of detecting the nozzle 14 by moving the antenna 21, it is always monitored whether or not a reflected wave is detected (ST5). Here, the reflected wave is a radio wave that is transmitted when the RF tag makes a predetermined response when the radio wave transmitted from the antenna 21 is received by the antenna of the RF tag. If a reflected wave is detected, the nozzle 14 that has returned the reflected wave is identified as the nozzle 14 to be processed (ST6), and the ID check of the identified nozzle 14 is executed (ST7). Identify.

  That is, by operating the reader / writer 9 in the state shown in FIG. 12A, the nozzle 14 (1, 1) is detected, and the detected nozzle 14 (1, 1) is specified as a processing target. Then, the reading / writing processing unit 31 reads the identification information from the RF tag sheet 15 of the nozzle 14 (1, 1), whereby the nozzle 14 (1, 1) is identified. Next, in the process of moving the antenna 21 along the first search line SL1 from this state, the nozzle 14 (2, 1) is newly located in the processing target range R in addition to the nozzle 14 (1, 1). Thereby, the nozzle 14 (1, 1) and the nozzle 14 (2, 1) are detected simultaneously. At this time, the control unit 30 monitors the timing at which each nozzle 14 is detected, and identifies the nozzle 14 that has been detected the latest in time-series order, that is, in this case, the nozzle 14 (2, 1) as the processing object of reading. To do. Then, the reading / writing processing unit 31 reads the identification information from the RF tag sheet 15 of the nozzle 14 (2, 1), whereby the nozzle 14 (1, 1) is identified.

  By repeatedly executing the nozzle 14 search process along the first search line SL1 in this manner, the nozzles 14 belonging to the first nozzle row L1 are sequentially detected, and are identified and identified as reading processing targets. At this time, as shown in FIG. 13A, the antenna 21 is moved to a position where only the nozzle 14 (8, 1) positioned at the rightmost end of the first nozzle row L1 is positioned within the processing target range R. The search process for the first nozzle row L1 is completed after moving along one search line SL1. From this state, the antenna 21 is moved by the arrangement pitch py in the Y direction, and the center point of the processing target range R is positioned on the second search line SL2 as shown in FIG.

  As a result, the nozzles 14 (8, 2) belonging to the second nozzle row L2 are newly positioned within the processing target range R. At this time, the nozzles 14 (8, 2) are detected together with the nozzles 14 (8, 1), but the nozzles 14 (8, 2) detected later are identified as processing targets as described above. Thereafter, by moving the antenna 21 to the left along the second search line SL2, the nozzles 14 belonging to the second nozzle row L2 are newly positioned sequentially one by one in the processing target range R, and are similarly detected. Are identified as processing targets. At this time, the nozzles 14 belonging to the first nozzle row L1 are also detected at the same time, but these are already detected and identified, and are identified as processing targets because they do not meet the condition that they were detected the latest in chronological order. There is nothing. Thereafter, the search process is similarly repeated for the nozzles 14 belonging to the second nozzle row L2, the third nozzle row L3, and the fourth nozzle row L4.

In the repeated execution process of this search process, it is checked each time whether or not all nozzles have been checked in a preset search path (ST8), and if there is a nozzle 14 that has not been checked yet. , (ST4) and the search is continued. And (ST8)
After confirming that all nozzles have been checked, the nozzles 14 in the nozzle station 12 are checked (ST9).

  FIG. 14 shows a search path for the nozzle station 12A in which the nozzles 14A of different sizes shown in FIG. 6 are also stored, that is, in the case where the nozzles 14 and 14A are stored in the third nozzle row L3. An example is shown. In this example, the first nozzle row L1 and the second nozzle row L2 are the same as the nozzle station 12, and only the third search line SL3 for the third nozzle row L3 is the example shown in FIGS. Is different. FIG. 14A shows a state where the search process for the nozzles 14 belonging to the second nozzle row L2 is completed by moving the process target range R along the second search line SL2.

  Thereafter, search processing for the third nozzle row L3 is executed. In this case, since the fourth nozzle row L4 does not exist, only the nozzles 14 and 14A belonging to the third nozzle row L3 are considered. Thus, the third search line SL3 may be set. Here, an example is shown in which the third search line SL3 is set in the right direction so as to coincide with the third nozzle row L3. In the search process, the antenna 21 is moved in the Y direction from the state shown in FIG. 14A, and the center point of the processing target range R is positioned on the third search line SL3. Thereby, the nozzle 14A (1, 3) is positioned within the processing target range R, detected in the same manner as described above, and specified as the processing target. Thereafter, by moving the antenna 21 along the third search line SL3, the nozzles 14A and nozzles 14 belonging to the third nozzle row L3 are newly positioned one by one in the processing target range R one after another, and are similarly detected. And identified as a processing target.

  In the above description, only the process of detecting and identifying the nozzle 14 as the processing target and reading the identification information from the RF tag sheet 15 of the identified nozzle 14 is described. Information unique to each nozzle 14 such as an operation count value indicating the cumulative number of times of use may be read. Further, not only reading information but also writing unique information to the RF tag sheet 15 of each nozzle 14, the search process for detecting the nozzle 14, specifying it as a processing target, and identifying it is executed. .

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the processing is performed to sequentially detect the RF tag sheets 15 attached to the plurality of nozzles 14 by the reader / writer 9 having the processing target range R having a planar spread. In the search process, the reader / writer 9 is moved according to a preset search path so that the nozzles 14 are newly positioned one by one in the processing target range R while operating the reader / writer 9. The RF tag detected latest in time series order is specified as the RF tag to be processed. Thereby, the reader / writer 9 having a planar spread and capable of simultaneously positioning the plurality of nozzles 14 within the processing target range R with respect to the RF tag sheet 15 attached to the plurality of nozzles 14, Information can be read and written accurately.

  In the above embodiment, an example of the nozzle 14 that holds an electronic component by vacuum suction is shown as a component holder, but the present invention is not limited to the nozzle by vacuum suction. That is, as long as it has a function of holding the electronic component detachably mounted on the mounting head, even a component holder that holds the electronic component by a mechanical chuck mechanism is applicable to the present invention. Become.

Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the RF tag sheet | seat 15 which incorporated the IC tag as an RF tag in the annular | circular shaped resin sheet is shown in the example shown in FIG. The configuration of the RF tag is not limited to the above example. That is, any structure having a function of storing information in a non-contact manner via radio waves can be used in the present invention, and such an RF tag can be attached to the base of the nozzle. -If it is a shape, it can be used as an attachment part in this invention.

  The electronic component mounting apparatus and the RF tag information reading / writing method in the electronic component mounting apparatus according to the present invention can accurately read / write information on a component holder to which the RF tag is attached. It is useful in the field of taking out electronic components and mounting them on a substrate.

The top view of the electronic component mounting apparatus of one embodiment of this invention The front view of the mounting head in the electronic component mounting apparatus of one embodiment of this invention Explanatory drawing of attachment / detachment operation | movement of the suction nozzle in the electronic component mounting apparatus of one embodiment of this invention Structure explanatory drawing of the nozzle station in the electronic component mounting apparatus of one embodiment of this invention Explanatory drawing of operation | movement of the nozzle station in the electronic component mounting apparatus of one embodiment of this invention The top view of the nozzle station in the electronic component mounting apparatus of one embodiment of this invention The perspective view of the nozzle for electronic component adsorption | suction in the electronic component mounting apparatus of one embodiment of this invention Structure explanatory drawing of RF tag sheet | seat used for the nozzle for electronic component adsorption | suction in the electronic component mounting apparatus of one implementation of this invention Functional explanatory diagram of an RF tag reader / writer used in the electronic component mounting apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention The block diagram which shows the structure of the control system of the electronic component mounting apparatus of one embodiment of this invention The flowchart which shows the reading / writing method of the information of RF tag in the electronic component mounting apparatus of one embodiment of this invention Operation explanatory diagram of RF tag information reading / writing method in electronic component mounting apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention Operation explanatory diagram of RF tag information reading / writing method in electronic component mounting apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention Operation explanatory diagram of RF tag information reading / writing method in electronic component mounting apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 Board | substrate 4 Component supply part 8 Mounting head 9 Reader / writer 12 Nozzle station 14 Nozzle 15 RF tag sheet 15c IC tag 15d Antenna 21 Antenna 30 Control part (reading / writing control means)
R Processing scope

Claims (6)

An electronic component mounting apparatus that takes out an electronic component by a component holder detachably mounted on a mounting head from a component supply unit, and transfers and mounts the electronic component on a substrate.
A head moving means for moving the mounting head; a holder storing portion for storing a plurality of the component holders in a predetermined plane arrangement; and the individual component holders located within a processing target range having a planar extension. A reader / writer that detects the attached RF tag and reads / writes information for the detected RF tag, and a reader / writer that moves the reader / writer relative to the holder storage unit And a reader / writer moving means for controlling the plurality of component holders to perform a relative movement operation for reading and writing the information, and being simultaneously positioned within the processing target range. One of the plurality of RF tags detected by the reader / writer is specified as the read / write processing target. - a write control unit,
The relative movement operation is
The reader so that only the component holders located at the search start point of the search path set in advance based on the predetermined plane arrangement for sequentially detecting the plurality of component holders are positioned within the processing target range.・ Search origin positioning process to align the writer;
A search for moving the reader / writer according to the search path so that the component holders are newly positioned one by one in the processing target range while operating the reader / writer after the search starting position alignment step. Process,
The electronic component mounting apparatus, wherein the read / write control unit identifies an RF tag detected latest in time series in the search step as an RF tag to be processed.   An RF tag for a storage unit in which path information indicating the search path corresponding to the holder storage unit is preliminarily written together with identification information for identifying the type of the holder storage unit is attached to the holder storage unit. 2. The electronic component mounting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the search path is instructed to the read / write control means by reading the path information by the reader / writer.   2. The electronic component mounting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the head moving unit also serves as the reader / writer moving unit. In an electronic component mounting apparatus that takes out an electronic component from a component supply unit by a component holder that is detachably mounted on a mounting head, and transfers and mounts the electronic component on a substrate, the plurality of component holders stored in a predetermined arrangement in the holder storage unit A method of reading / writing information of an RF tag for reading / writing information of an RF tag attached to each of the component holders,
The electronic component mounting apparatus detects an RF tag attached to each of the component holders located within a processing target range having a planar extension, and reads / writes information for the detected RF tag. A plurality of component holders by controlling the reader / writer moving means, the reader / writer moving means for moving the reader / writer relative to the holder storage section, and the reader / writer moving means. A relative movement operation for reading and writing the information is executed, and one RF tag among the plurality of RF tags located within the processing target range and detected by the reader / writer is read and written. Read / write control means for specifying as a processing target,
The relative movement operation is
In order to sequentially detect the plurality of component holders, the reader is arranged such that only the component holders located at the search start point of a search path set in advance based on the predetermined planar arrangement are positioned within the processing target range.・ Search origin positioning process to align the writer;
A search step of moving the reader / writer according to the search path so that the component holders are sequentially positioned within the processing target range one by one while operating the reader / writer after the search start position alignment step. Including
An RF tag information reading / writing method in an electronic component mounting apparatus, wherein an RF tag detected latest in time series in the search step is specified as an RF tag to be processed.   An RF tag for a storage unit in which path information indicating the search path corresponding to the holder storage unit is preliminarily written together with identification information for identifying the type of the holder storage unit is attached to the holder storage unit. 5. The RF tag information in the electronic component mounting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the search path is instructed to the reading / writing control means by reading the path information by the reader / writer. Read / write method.   5. The method of reading and writing information of an RF tag in an electronic component mounting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the reader / writer is moved by the head moving means.

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