JP2014106051A - Article classification device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an article classification device which can distribute inspected articles on classification trays in a reduced time compared to traditional devices and thus operates at a high efficiency.SOLUTION: When four LED elements 2 which have undergone quality inspection are placed onto a temporary stage 21 at a reception position A from inspection means 3 by a discharge mechanism 14, the temporary stage 21 carrying the four LED elements 2 is moved to a delivery position B. Then, the four LED elements 2 on the temporary stage 21 moved to the delivery position B are held at a time by four suction nozzles 37 of a handling unit 6. A control device 11 then causes the handling unit 6 to be moved so as to minimize a total distance of movement of the four suction nozzles 37, and releases a holding of the LED elements 2 by the suction nozzles 37 when required. The four LED elements 2 are distributed to a prescribed classification tray T in accordance with a result of quality inspection.

Description

  The present invention relates to an article classification apparatus, and more particularly to an article classification apparatus that distributes each inspected article to a predetermined classification tray according to an inspection result.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an article classification apparatus that distributes each inspected article to a predetermined classification tray according to the result of the inspection is known (for example, Patent Document 1).
The article classification apparatus of Patent Document 1 includes an inspection unit that inspects an article, and a stocker that includes a plurality of classification trays. Each article that has been inspected is subjected to a predetermined classification from the inspection unit by a transfer unit. It is transferred to the tray and distributed.

JP 2011-226905 A

Incidentally, the above-described conventional article classification apparatus has the following problems. That is, in the conventional article classification apparatus, the articles after the inspection are held one by one on the inspection means by the transfer means and then transferred to a predetermined classification tray position. Therefore, there is a problem that it takes time to complete the distribution of the articles after the inspection on the classification tray corresponding to the inspection result.
Moreover, after the transfer means holds one article on the inspection means and distributes it on the classification tray, after that, until the empty transfer means returns to the inspection means and holds the next article, Since the operations of the inspection unit and the article supply unit are suspended, there is a problem that the operation rate of the entire article classification apparatus is lowered.

In view of the circumstances described above, the present invention holds an inspection means for inspecting an article, a plurality of classification trays for storing the inspected article, and an article after the inspection by the inspection means, according to the result of the inspection. In an article classification apparatus comprising: transfer means for transferring to a predetermined classification tray; and a control device for controlling the operation of the transfer means.
The transfer means includes a plurality of holding units that detachably hold the articles, and the control device simultaneously holds the plurality of articles by the holding units at a predetermined delivery position where the inspected articles are carried. The holding means is moved, and the article held by each holding portion is moved onto each predetermined sorting tray, and then the holding state by each holding portion is released, and further held by all holding portions. The transferred article is transferred to the distribution tray and then returned to the delivery position.

  According to such a configuration, the transfer means can hold a plurality of articles at a time by a plurality of holding units, and thereafter, can sequentially transfer each article onto each predetermined classification tray. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the time required to distribute each inspected article on the classification tray as compared with the conventional apparatus described above. Therefore, it is possible to provide an article classification device that has a higher operation rate than conventional ones.

The top view which shows one Example of this invention. The front view which shows the principal part of FIG. The top view which shows the principal part of FIG. FIG. 4A is an enlarged view showing the main part of FIG. 1, FIG. 4A shows a first state of the transfer means, and FIG. 4B shows a second state of the transfer means. The top view which shows 2nd Example of this invention.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the illustrated embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an article classification apparatus. The article classification apparatus 1 performs quality inspection on each LED element 2 as a large number of articles, and after quality inspection. Each LED element 2 is distributed to any one of 25 classification trays T (1) to T (25) according to the result of the quality inspection.
The article classification apparatus 1 includes a rotary inspection unit 3 that performs a quality inspection of each LED element 2, a supply unit 4 that supplies each LED element 2 to be inspected one by one to the inspection unit 3, and a classification tray T. Distributing / storing means 7 having a grid-like stocker 5 supported and having handling units 6 for holding and distributing the LED elements 2 on the respective sorting trays T, and receiving a plurality of LED elements 2 after the quality inspection. And a transfer means 8 for transferring to the delivery position B to the distribution / storage means 7 and a control device 11 for controlling the operation of each of these means and components.
In this embodiment, the LED element 2 to be inspected has a rectangular plate shape, and a large number of LED elements 2 are arranged on the mounting surface 4A of the supply means 4 in the XY direction at an equal pitch in advance. It is placed. The supply means 4 includes a conventionally known supply mechanism 12, and the supply mechanism 12 holds the LED elements 2 on the mounting surface 4 </ b> A one by one and supplies them to the supply position C on the inspection means 3. It has become.

The inspection means 3 includes an index table 13 that is intermittently rotated by a predetermined angle in the direction of the arrow, an inspection mechanism (not shown) that inspects the quality of the LED elements 2, and the inspected LED elements 2 are discharged from the index table 13 and transferred. And a discharge mechanism 14 for delivery to the means 8.
A plurality of mounting tables 3A on which the LED elements 2 are mounted are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the index table 13. By intermittently rotating the index table 13 counterclockwise, each mounting table 3A is temporarily stopped at the supply position C, the inspection position by the inspection mechanism, and the position below the discharge mechanism 14. Then, the LED element 2 is sequentially supplied by the supply mechanism 12 to each mounting table 3A stopped at the supply position C when the index table 13 is intermittently rotated. Then, with the intermittent rotation of the index table 13, the mounting table 3A to which the LED elements 2 are supplied is sequentially transported to the downstream side, and the LED elements 2 on each mounting table 3A are transported in the transport process. On the other hand, a quality inspection is performed by an inspection mechanism. Here, as a specific quality inspection by the inspection mechanism, the electrical characteristics and optical characteristics of the LED element 2 are inspected.

Thus, the inspection results of the LED elements 2 that have been inspected by the inspection mechanism of the inspection means 3 are transmitted to the control device 11 one by one. That is, at the time when the inspection result is transmitted from the inspection means 3, the control device 11 recognizes each LED element 2 with a unique number, and distributes each LED element 2 in the distribution / storage means 7 according to the inspection result. The sorting tray T to be distributed is determined and stored.
As the index table 13 is intermittently transported, each mounting table 3A is temporarily stopped below the discharge mechanism 14, and when it stops, the discharge mechanism 14 causes the LED element from above the mounting table 3A. 2 is discharged and transferred to the receiving position A by the transfer means 8. Since the basic configuration of the rotary inspection unit 3 is the same as that of Patent Document 1 described above, detailed description of the inspection unit 3 is omitted here.

Thus, in this embodiment, the transfer means 8 waits until it receives four LED elements 2 from the inspection means 3 at the receiving position A, and then receives four LED elements 2 from the receiving position A at the delivery position A at a time. After that, the handling unit 6 holds the four LED elements 2 at the delivery position B all at once, and then the LED elements 2 are sequentially distributed on a predetermined classification tray T. Features.
In the following description, the X direction refers to the horizontal direction in the figure in FIG. 1, and the Y direction refers to the vertical direction in the figure.
As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, the transfer means 8 is provided at the positions of both ends of the support member 16 disposed in parallel with the horizontal X direction and horizontally and the X direction on the upper surface of the support member 16. A pair of gears 17 and 17, an endless timing belt 18 spanned between the gears 17 and 17, and a pair of temporary placement stages 21 connected to the outer periphery of the timing 18 at a predetermined interval. , 21.
The timing belt 18 includes a pair of linear conveyance units 18A and 18B parallel to the X direction. The first temporary placement stage 21 is horizontally connected to one linear conveyance unit 18A, and the other straight line. A second temporary placement stage 21 is horizontally connected to the sheet-like transport unit 18B.

In the first state of the transfer means 8 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4A, one linear transport portion 18A is located below the receiving position A and the delivery position B. A servo motor 22 is linked to one gear 17 on the inspection means 3 side, and the operation of the servo motor 22 is controlled by the control device 11. When the control device 11 rotates the servo motor 22 forward and backward by a predetermined amount when necessary, both the temporary placement stages 21 can be reciprocated in the reverse direction in synchronization. That is, when the gears 17 and 17 are rotated by a predetermined amount in the clockwise direction via the servo motor 22, the first temporary placement stage 21 moves from the receiving position A to the transfer position B on the first linear transport unit 18A. The second temporary placement stage 21 is moved in parallel from the transfer position B to the reception position A on the second linear transport unit 18B in synchronization with the parallel movement. In contrast, when the gears 17 and 17 are rotated counterclockwise by a predetermined amount via the servo motor 22, the first temporary placement stage 21 is translated from the delivery position B to the reception position A. In synchronism with this, the second temporary placement stage 21 is translated from the receiving position A to the delivery position B. The timing belt 18, the gears 17 and 17, and the servo motor 22 constitute a drive mechanism that moves the temporary placement stages 21 and 21.

In the present embodiment, the first temporary placement stage 21 is stopped at the receiving position A and the second temporary placement stage 21 is stopped at the delivery position B (see FIG. 4A), the inspection means. 3, each LED element 2 is inspected. With the intermittent rotation of the inspection unit 3, the inspected LED element 2 is delivered from the inspection unit 3 to the first or second temporary placement stage 21 at the receiving position A by the discharge mechanism 14. ing.
Four LED elements 2 can be placed side by side in the X direction on the temporary placement stage 21, and the four LED elements 2 are placed on the temporary placement stage 21 from the inspection means 3 by the discharge mechanism 14. Until it stops. That is, the temporary placement stage 21 waits at the receiving position A until a total of four LED elements 2 that have been inspected are placed. In the present embodiment, the four LED elements 2 are placed side by side in the X direction on the temporary placement stage 21, but the present invention is not limited to this. You may arrange in a direction.
The control device 11 recognizes that a total of four LED elements 2 are placed on the temporary placement stage 21 at the receiving position A based on the intermittent rotation of the inspection means 3. Then, the control device 11 rotates the gear 17 clockwise by a predetermined amount via the servo motor 22 and temporarily stops the rotation of the index table 13. Therefore, the first temporary placement stage 21 is quickly moved from the receiving position A to the delivery position B on the first linear transport section 18A, and at the same time, the second temporary placement stage 21 is in the second linear shape. The transfer unit 18B is moved from the transfer position B to the reception position A.
Thereby, the four LED elements 2 are carried into the delivery position B by the first temporary placement stage 21 and the second temporary placement stage 21 on which the LED elements 2 are not placed is carried into the reception position A. The As will be described in detail later, the four LED elements 2 on the first temporary placement stage 21 stopped at the delivery position B are sucked and held at one time by the handling unit 6 and the result of the quality inspection. In accordance with the above, it is sequentially distributed on a predetermined classification tray T.

By the way, the position of the first temporary placement stage 21 and the second temporary placement stage 21 is shifted by the outer diameter of the gear 17 in the Y direction orthogonal to the X direction. Therefore, when the second temporary placement stage 21 is positioned at the receiving position A, the second temporary placement stage 21 stops at a position slightly shifted in the Y direction from the position immediately below the discharge mechanism 14. Thus, in a state in which the position is shifted in the Y direction, the LED element 2 cannot be delivered onto the second temporary placement stage 21 by the discharge mechanism 14. Therefore, the transfer unit 8 of this embodiment includes a position adjusting unit 23 that translates the entire support member 16 in the Y direction.
That is, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the support member 16 is placed on a guide member 24 provided in the Y direction and is movable in the Y direction along the guide member 24. . A cylinder mechanism 25 that moves back and forth in the Y direction is provided at one end on the guide member 24, and a piston 25 </ b> A of the cylinder mechanism 25 is connected to a central portion on one side of the support member 16. The operation of the cylinder mechanism 25 is controlled by the control device 11.

In the first state in which the first temporary placement stage 21 is stopped at the receiving position A and the second temporary placement stage 21 is stopped at the delivery position B, the cylinder mechanism 25 is not operated and is positioned at the backward end. (See FIG. 4A). In this first state, the first temporary placement stage 21 is stopped at a position directly below the discharge mechanism 14, and the LED element 2 can be supplied from the discharge mechanism 14 to the first temporary placement stage 21. .
In contrast, when the servo motor 22 is rotated forward by a predetermined amount, the first temporary placement stage 21 is moved from the receiving position A to the delivery position B, and the second temporary placement stage 21 is moved from the delivery position B. It is moved to the receiving position A. If it will be in this 2nd state, since the control apparatus 11 will operate the cylinder mechanism 25 immediately, the piston 25A will be advanced to an advance end (refer FIG.4 (b)). Therefore, the support member 16, the timing belt 18 provided on the support member 16, and both temporary placement stages 21 and 21 are translated in the Y direction by a predetermined amount. Thus, the second temporary placement stage 21 is moved to a position directly below the discharge mechanism 14 and stopped there (see FIG. 4B).

Thereafter, the four LED elements 2 that have been inspected sequentially by the discharge mechanism 14 are placed on the second temporary placement stage 21 stopped at the receiving position A. Then, when the servo motor 22 is reversed by a predetermined amount from the second state shown in FIG. 4B, the second temporary placement stage 21 is moved from the receiving position A to the delivery position B via the timing belt 18. The first temporary placement stage 21 is moved from the delivery position B to the reception position A. Note that the index table 13 is temporarily stopped by the control device 11 during this movement. Then, immediately after this, the control device 11 retracts the piston 25A of the cylinder mechanism 25, so that the support member 16 and both temporary placement stages 21 are also retracted to return to the original first state (see FIG. 4A). ).
In this embodiment, a position adjusting means 23 is constituted by the guide member 24 and the cylinder mechanism 25, and the position adjusting mechanism 23 translates the support member 16 and both temporary placement stages 21 in the Y direction when necessary. As a result, both temporary placement stages 21 and 21 are surely positioned directly below the discharge mechanism 14.
Since any of the temporary placement stages 21 on which the four LED elements 2 are placed are alternately carried into the delivery position B, the LED elements 2 on the temporary placement stage 21 that is stopped at the delivery position B are handled. After being held by the unit 6, it is distributed to a predetermined sorting tray T.

Next, the configuration of the distribution / storage unit 7 will be described. As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the distribution / storage unit 7 includes a total of 25 pieces of lattice-like stockers 5 that are horizontally arranged and fitted into each square opening of the stocker 5 from above. Classification trays T (1) to T (25), a handling unit 6 that is disposed above the stocker 5 and detachably holds a plurality of LED elements 2, and a moving mechanism 27 that moves the handling unit 6 in the XY directions. And. Each of the classification trays T (1) to T (25) has a square plate shape with the same dimensions, and they are respectively fitted into 25 openings provided in the stocker 5. The stocker 5 is fixedly arranged, and the placement surfaces of the respective classification trays T (1) to T (25) supported by the stocker 5 are horizontally supported at the same height. Since the inspection results of the LED elements 2 by the inspection means 3 described above are classified into 25 classes, in this embodiment, 25 classification trays T (1) to T (25) are arranged corresponding to the respective classes. Has been. That is, a total of 25 sorting trays T (1) to T (25) are supported by the stocker 5 in each of five rows in the XY direction. In this embodiment, a total of 25 classification trays T, 5 in the X direction and 5 in the Y direction, are arranged and the number of classification is 25. It is not limited to.
The control device 11 has XY coordinates, and stores in advance predetermined positions of the sorting trays T (1) to T (25) placed on the stocker 5 as corresponding positions on the XY coordinates. As described above, when the inspection result of each LED element 2 by the inspection means 3 is transmitted to the control device 11, the control device 11 determines where the LED element 2 is positioned in the XY coordinates. It has become. That is, at the time when the inspection of each LED element 2 is completed, the control device 11 determines which sort tray T the LED element 2 that has been inspected is placed. And the control apparatus 11 distributes each LED element 2 on the predetermined | prescribed classification | category tray T by controlling the action | operation of the handling unit 6 and the moving mechanism 27. FIG.

Next, the handling unit 6 and the moving mechanism 27 that moves it in the XY directions will be described. The moving mechanism 27 is provided with a pair of guide members 28, 28 disposed in the Y direction across the stocker 5 from both sides, and is provided in the X direction across them and is moved in the Y direction along each guide member 28, 28. And a movable member 31 provided on the lower surface of the support member 29 so as to be movable along the X direction. The handling unit 6 is attached to the lower surface of the movable member 31.
The support member 29 can be moved in the Y direction by a Y-direction drive mechanism 32 including a Y-direction screw shaft and a motor interlocked with the Y-direction screw shaft, and the movable member 31 is disposed in the support member 29. It can be moved in the X direction by an X direction drive mechanism 33 comprising a screw shaft in the direction and a motor interlocked therewith. The operations of the Y-direction drive mechanism 32 and the X-direction drive mechanism 33 are controlled by the control device 11, and the control device 11 is connected to the movable member 31 by controlling the operations of both the drive mechanisms 32 and 33. The handled handling unit 6 is moved in the XY directions on the horizontal plane. That is, the handling unit 6 is moved over the delivery position B and the required sorting tray T.
In this embodiment, the movable member 31 is attached to the lower surface of the support member 29, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the movable member 31 may be attached to the side surface of the support member 29.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the handling unit 6 includes a fixed member 34 connected to the lower surface of the movable member 31, an elevating member 35 provided on the fixed member 34 so as to be movable up and down, and the elevating member 35. 4 cylinder mechanisms 36 arranged side by side in the X direction, and first to fourth suction nozzles 37 attached to the tip (lower end) of the piston 36A of each cylinder mechanism 36.
Each suction nozzle 37 is communicated with a negative pressure source via a negative pressure pipe (not shown), and an electromagnetic open / close valve is provided in the middle of the negative pressure pipe. The control device 11 controls the opening / closing operation of the electromagnetic on-off valve. When the control device 11 opens the electromagnetic on-off valve, the adsorption nozzle 37 can adsorb and hold the LED element 2. On the other hand, when the LED device 2 is sucked and held by the suction nozzle 37, when the control device 11 opens the electromagnetic opening / closing valve, the holding state of the LED element 2 by the suction nozzle 37 is released.

The operation of each cylinder mechanism 36 is controlled independently by the control device 11. When the control device 11 operates the cylinder mechanism 36, the piston 36 </ b> A has a predetermined amount from the height at the time of normal stop. Since it is lowered, the suction head 37 is also lowered by a predetermined amount from the height position at the time of normal stop. On the other hand, when the operation of the cylinder mechanism 36 is stopped from the state where it is lowered to the lowered position in this way, the piston 36A returns to the original height position at the time of normal stop.
Further, a motor 41 is disposed on the fixed member 34 vertically downward, and the motor 41 is interlocked with the elevating member 35 via an interlocking member (not shown). When the control device 11 rotates the motor 41 by a required amount in the forward and reverse directions when necessary, the movable member 31 and the cylinder mechanisms 36 and the suction nozzles 37 arranged on the movable member 31 are moved up and down all at once. The control device 11 rotates the motor 41 by a required amount when the size or type of the LED element 2 is changed, and thereby the height at which each suction nozzle 37 sucks the LED element 2. Can be adjusted to a suitable height. Thereby, the versatility of the handling unit 6 is improved. The handling unit 6 and the moving mechanism 27 for moving the handling unit 6 are configured as described above.

In the present embodiment, when the four LED elements 2 are carried into the delivery position B at a time by the temporary placement stage 21, the four suction nozzles 37 of the handling unit 6 are used on the temporary placement stage 21 at the delivery position B. The LED elements 2 are attracted and held all at once. Here, in this embodiment, it is assumed that the classification trays T to which the four LED elements 2 are to be distributed are different. Therefore, when the four LED elements 2 are sequentially distributed by the handling unit 6 to the four classification trays T, the control device 11 calculates a movement path that minimizes the total movement amount of the handling unit 6 in the XY directions. The control device 11 moves the handling unit 6 along the movement path as a result of the calculation so as to sequentially distribute the four LED elements 2 held by the suction nozzles 37 to a predetermined classification tray T. I have to.

  The operation of the article classification device 1 based on the above configuration will be described. First, in a state before the operation of the inspection means 3 is started, the handling unit 6 of the distribution / storage means 7 is stopped above the delivery position B by the moving mechanism 27, and the suction nozzle 37 of the handling unit 6 is normally stopped. And no negative pressure is supplied. Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4A, since the transfer means 8 is in the first state, the first temporary placement stage 21 stops at the receiving position A and the second temporary placement stage 21. Stops at the delivery position B, and the position adjusting means 23 is not operated.

From this state, the control device 11 controls the operations of the respective means 3, 4, 7, and 8 as follows to perform the required processing. That is, the supply mechanism 12 of the supply means 4 is activated and the inspection means 3 is activated. Then, the index table 13 of the inspection means 3 is intermittently rotated in the direction of the arrow, and the LED elements 2 on the placement surface 4A are held one by one by the supply mechanism 12 of the supply means 4 to place the placement table 3A at the supply position C. Are sequentially supplied (see FIG. 1).
As the index table 13 of the inspection means 3 is intermittently rotated, the LED elements 2 on the mounting table 3A are sequentially transported to the downstream side and sequentially inspected by an inspection mechanism (not shown). Then, the inspection results of each LED element 2 subjected to the quality inspection by the inspection mechanism of the inspection means 3 are transmitted to the control device 11 one by one. Then, the control device 11 determines on which sort tray T in the distribution / storage means 7 each LED element 2 assigned with a unique number is to be distributed, and where on the XY coordinates corresponding to each sort tray. It is recognized whether each inspected LED element 2 is positioned.

When the inspected LED elements 2 are sequentially carried below the discharge mechanism 14 with the intermittent rotation of the index table 13 of the inspection means 3, the receiving position A is discharged after being discharged from the mounting table 3A by the discharge mechanism 14. And placed on the first temporary placement stage 21 in standby. In this way, when a total of four LED elements 2 are placed on the first temporary placement stage 21 at the receiving position A by the ejection mechanism 14 with the intermittent rotation of the index table 13, the control device 11 Then, the servo motor 22 of the transfer means 8 is rotated forward by a predetermined amount. At this time, the control device 11 temporarily stops the index table 13. Then, the first temporary placement stage 21 supporting the four LED elements 2 moves from the receiving position A to the delivery position B, and the empty second temporary placement stage 21 is moved from the delivery position B to the receiving position A. (Refer to FIG. 4A). Thereafter, the control device 11 restarts the operation of the index table 13.

As described above, when the four LED elements 2 are carried into the delivery position B by the first temporary placement stage 21, the four cylinder mechanisms 36 of the handling unit 6 that have been waiting above the delivery position B are simultaneously activated. As a result, the pistons 36 </ b> A are lowered and a negative pressure is introduced into each suction nozzle 37. For this reason, the four LED elements 2 on the temporary placement stage 21 are simultaneously sucked and held by the suction nozzles 37 corresponding to them, and immediately after this, the cylinder mechanisms 36 are raised synchronously to return to the original normal stop. Raised to the height of the hour. Thereafter, as will be described in detail later, the handling unit 6 is moved on the stocker 5 by the moving mechanism 27, whereby the four LED elements 2 are distributed to the required classification tray T according to the result of the quality inspection. It is like that.
On the other hand, while the handling operation of the handling unit 6 is being performed, the following processing is performed on the transfer means 8 side in parallel with it. That is, when the handling unit 6 holds the LED element 2, the first temporary placement stage 21 at the transfer position B is emptied, so that the position adjusting means 23 of the transfer means 8 is immediately actuated, and the support member 16 and both temporary placement stages are moved. 21 is translated in the Y direction by a predetermined amount (see FIG. 4B). As a result, the second temporary placement stage 21 that has been shifted from the position immediately below the discharge mechanism 14 until immediately before is moved to the position immediately below the discharge mechanism 14 at the receiving position A. That is, the second temporary placement stage 21 stops at the same position as the stop position of the first temporary placement stage 21 in the first state of FIG.
Then, with the intermittent rotation of the index table 12 whose operation has been resumed, the next inspected LED element 2 is carried below the discharge mechanism 14, and the discharge mechanism 14 holds the newly loaded LED element 2. Then, it is placed on the second temporary placement stage 21 that is stopped at the receiving position A.
Since the handling unit 6 can move in the X and Y directions, the position adjusting means 23 is operated after the handling unit 6 holds the LED element 2 placed on the first temporary placement stage 21 at the delivery position B. Instead, the handling unit 6 operates the LED on the first temporary placement stage 21 by operating the position adjusting unit 23 immediately after the transfer to the delivery position B, or by operating the position adjusting unit 23 during loading. The LED element 2 may be placed on the second temporary placement stage 21 by the discharge mechanism 14 at the receiving position A before the element 2 is held.

As described above, in this embodiment, the intermittent rotation of the index table 13 can be continued at a high operation rate, and the four temporary discharge mechanisms 14 are sequentially provided on the second temporary placement stage 21 waiting at the receiving position A. The LED element 2 is placed. In the meantime, at the same time, the four LED elements 2 previously held in the handling unit 6 are distributed on a predetermined classification tray T as follows.
That is, as described above, the control device 11 recognizes the unique number and quality result of each LED element 2 that has been inspected, and the predetermined classification tray T to be distributed, and the control device 11 has four LED elements. The position corresponding to the classification tray T to which they are to be distributed for 2 is recognized on the XY coordinates. The control device 11 recognizes the position of the classification tray T to which the four LED elements 2 should be distributed on the XY coordinates, and sequentially passes through the four coordinate positions starting from the delivery position B. And the movement path | route which can move these four places by the shortest distance is calculated.
Then, the control device 11 moves the handling unit 6 through the moving mechanism 27 along the shortest moving path that has already been obtained, and the LED elements 2 held by the suction nozzles 37 of the handling unit 6 are subjected to a predetermined classification. It is placed on the tray T (FIG. 3). That is, for example, it is determined that the LED elements 2 held by the first suction nozzle 37 at the left end in FIG. 2 are distributed to the classification tray T (7), and the second suction nozzle 37 that is the second from the left end in FIG. It is determined that the held LED elements 2 are distributed to the classification tray T (18), and the LED elements 2 held by the third suction nozzle 37 third from the left end in FIG. 2 are determined to be distributed to the classification tray T (14). Further, it is assumed that it is determined that the LED elements 2 held by the fourth suction nozzle 37 at the right end of FIG. 2 are distributed to the classification tray T (4).

In this case, in order for the handling unit 6 to start moving from the delivery position B and return to the delivery position B again via the four sorting trays, a plurality of movement paths can be assumed. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, from the transfer position B, first, it moves onto the classification tray T (7), then moves onto the classification tray T (18), and then moves onto the classification tray T (14). Further, there is a movement path that further moves onto the classification tray T (4) and then returns to the delivery position B (see the broken arrow). As another movement route, the transfer position B first moves onto the classification tray T (7), then moves onto the classification tray T (4), and then moves onto the classification tray T (14). Finally, there is a movement path for returning to the transfer position B after moving on the sorting tray T (18) (see the imaginary line arrow).
As described above, the control device 11 calculates a plurality of movement paths when the handling unit 6 returns to the delivery position B again from the delivery position B as the starting point of the movement via the four classification trays T. Then, the shortest movement path among the calculated movement paths is selected. Then, the control device 11 moves the handling unit 6 along the movement route, and on the four classification trays T (4), T (7), T (14), and T (18), The supply of negative pressure is stopped when the corresponding suction nozzles 37 are positioned. Thereby, the four LED elements 2 are placed and distributed on the respective classification trays (4), T (7), T (14), and T (18) corresponding to the result of the quality inspection. In this way, when the distributing operation of the four LED elements 2 is completed, the handling unit 6 returns to the delivery position B.

Thus, before the handling unit 6 returns, the servo motor 22 of the transfer means 8 is reversely rotated by a predetermined amount in advance, so that the empty first temporary placement stage 21 moves from the delivery position B to the reception position A. At the same time, the second temporary placement stage 21 on which the four LED elements 2 are already placed is moved from the receiving position A to the delivery position B. That is, when the handling unit 6 returns to the delivery position B, four new articles 4 have already been carried into the delivery position B by the second temporary placement stage 21. Four new LED elements 2 are held, and then, as described above, the four LED elements 2 are distributed on a predetermined classification tray T according to the result of the quality inspection.
The order of distributing the four LED elements 2 held in the handling unit 6 to the predetermined sorting tray T may be performed by the following method. That is, the control device 11 calculates the distance from the delivery position B to the four classification trays T on which the LED elements 2 are to be placed, and the classification tray T closest to the delivery position B is calculated. The LED unit 2 may be distributed by moving the handling unit 6 along the movement path that starts the distribution and sequentially moves to the sorting tray T at a far position, and finally returns to the delivery position B.
On the contrary, starting from the delivery position B, the control device 11 calculates the distance from there to the four sorting trays T on which the LED elements 2 are to be placed, and the position far from the delivery position B. The LED element 2 is started to be distributed from the sorting tray T to move to the sorting tray T at the closest position, and finally the handling unit 6 is moved along the moving path returning to the delivery position B to distribute the LED element 2. You may do it.

When the second temporary placement stage 21 at the delivery position B becomes empty because the handling unit 6 holds the second four LED elements 2, the piston of the cylinder mechanism 25 of the position adjustment means 23 of the transfer means 8. 25A moves back to its original position. Therefore, the support member 16 and both temporary placement stages 21 return to the original first state shown in FIG. 4A from the second state, and the empty first temporary placement stage 21 is directly below the discharge mechanism 14. Located in position.
Thereafter, the four LED elements 2 are carried into the delivery position B by the temporary placement stages 21 and 21 of the transfer means 8 described above, and the four LED element 2 classification trays T held by the handling unit 6 are placed. By repeating this distribution processing, each LED element 2 that has been subjected to quality inspection by the inspection means 3 is distributed on the classification tray T according to the inspection result.
In addition, when the magnitude | size of the LED element 2 used as a process target is changed, the control apparatus 11 rotates the motor 31 of the handling unit 6 to the required amount forward and backward, and raises / lowers the raising / lowering member 35 (refer FIG. 2). . Accordingly, the height of each suction nozzle 37 of the handling unit 6 at the time of normal stop is adjusted, and the new LED element 2 on the temporary placement stage 21 can be reliably sucked by each suction nozzle 37. It has become.

As described above, the transfer means 8 includes a plurality of temporary placement stages 21, operates the inspection means 3 at a high operating rate, and is placed on the temporary placement stage 21 waiting at the receiving position A by the discharge mechanism 14. A plurality of LED elements 2 can be placed. Then, the four LED elements 2 can be simultaneously carried from the receiving position A to the delivery position B by the temporary placement stage 21, and the four LED elements 2 can be moved at a time by the handling unit 6 waiting on the delivery position B. It can be held and distributed on a predetermined sorting tray T. Thus, in the present embodiment, the waiting time of the handling unit 6 until the LED element 2 is carried into the delivery position B can be omitted, so that the article classification apparatus 1 with a high operating rate can be provided.
Moreover, since the distribution process of the four LED elements 2 by the handling unit 6 is performed as described above, the article classification apparatus 1 having a higher operation rate than the conventional one can be provided in this respect as well.

Next, FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, three temporary placement stages 21 are provided on the timing belt 18 of the transfer means 8 so that the timing belt 18 circulates in one direction. The three temporary placement stages 21 are attached at equal pitches in the longitudinal direction of the timing belt 18. In the second embodiment, when one temporary placement stage 21 stops at the receiving position A, the temporary placement stage 21 at the adjacent position stops at the delivery position B. At this time, the remaining one temporary placement stage 21 is not positioned at either the receiving position A or the delivery position B, and thereafter, the servo motor 22 is intermittently rotated by a predetermined amount in one direction. Thus, the timing belt 18 is also circulated in one direction. Accordingly, the three temporary placement stages 21 are sequentially moved to the receiving position A, the delivery position B, and other positions and stopped.
In the second embodiment, since the timing belt 18 is circulated in one direction, the position adjusting means 23 provided in the first embodiment is omitted. The other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, and the members corresponding to those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same member numbers. Even in the second embodiment having such a configuration, the same operations and effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.

  In the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the temporary placement stages 21 and 21 of the transfer means 8 are reciprocated along the linear transport paths 18A and 18B. May be intermittently circulated in one direction. In this case, the position adjusting means 23 can be omitted.

1. Item classification device 2. LED element (article)
3. Inspection method
6. Handling unit (transfer means) 11. Control device 37 ... Suction nozzle (holding part) B ... Delivery position

Claims (4)

An inspection means for inspecting an article, a plurality of classification trays for storing the inspected article, and an article after the inspection by the inspection means are held and transferred to a predetermined classification tray according to the result of the inspection. In an article classification apparatus comprising transfer means and a control device for controlling the operation of the transfer means,
The transfer means includes a plurality of holding units that detachably hold the articles, and the control device simultaneously holds the plurality of articles by the holding units at a predetermined delivery position where the inspected articles are carried. The holding means is moved, and the article held by each holding portion is moved onto each predetermined sorting tray, and then the holding state by each holding portion is released, and further held by all holding portions. An article classification apparatus, wherein the article is transferred to the distribution tray and then returned to the delivery position.   The transfer unit includes at least three holding units, and the control device calculates a shortest movement path of the transfer unit when moving the articles held by the holding unit onto a predetermined classification tray. The article classification apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transfer means is moved along the shortest movement path.   The transfer unit includes at least three holding units, and the control device moves the transfer unit along a moving path in which the holding unit sequentially moves from a classification tray close to the delivery position to a classification tray far from the transfer position. The article classification apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the article classification apparatus is moved.   The transfer unit includes at least three holding units, and the control device moves the transfer unit along a moving path in which the holding unit sequentially moves from a classification tray far from the delivery position to a near classification tray. The article classification apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the article classification apparatus is moved.

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