JP5630300B2 - Sorting device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a work sorting apparatus that determines a quality grade. Specifically, for example, the present invention relates to a work sorting apparatus that sorts a work such as an electronic component according to a determined quality grade difference.

  Conventionally, there has been a sorting device as disclosed in Patent Document 1 as a workpiece sorting device. The sorting device places a component (work) on a conveyor and conveys it, and also provides a component receiving chute and a blowing nozzle corresponding to the component receiving chute in parallel along the component conveying direction. The compressed air was blown out by the blowing nozzle at the position of the receiving chute to blow off the parts on the conveyor, and the parts receiving chute received the blown parts.

  In the sorting apparatus, the number of parts receiving chutes is the same as the number of types of parts to be sorted. Therefore, when the number of corresponding parts increases, many parts receiving chutes must be provided in the transport direction of the transport conveyor. Therefore, if this technology is applied to a sorting apparatus for workpieces such as electronic parts whose number of quality grades is increasing, the sorting apparatus for workpieces will be enlarged, and there is actually a limit to the number of corresponding parts grades. It had the problem that.

Utility Utility Model Publication No. 61-64381

  The present invention is intended to solve the above-described problems, and a sorting member having a plurality of sorting ports corresponding to quality grades is movably provided at a sorting position on the workpiece transport path, and the workpiece is placed at the sorting position. Provided is a sorting device that can cope with an increase in the number of quality grades of workpieces to be sorted by enabling sorting to a plurality of sorting ports. Furthermore, it tries to improve the tact time of the sorting device and to reduce the size.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the first invention employs the following means in the sorting apparatus.
First, a workpiece sorting apparatus configured to transport and sort a workpiece whose quality grade has been determined by quality inspection based on the determination result.

  Second, a transport unit that transports the workpiece after quality inspection to a sorting position set at a predetermined position on the workpiece transport path, and a workpiece on the transport unit that is provided at the sorting position and is in the sorting position. Discharging work discharging means, a sorting member having a plurality of sorting ports corresponding to quality grades, a guide member for guiding the discharged work to the sorting port, and moving the sorting member, A sorting member moving means for positioning a predetermined sorting port among the plurality of sorting ports at the guide member outlet is provided.

  Third, based on the quality grade of the work conveyed to the sorting position, the corresponding sorting port is positioned at the guide member outlet, and the workpiece discharging means is operated in that state, via the guide member. The sorting device is characterized in that the work is sorted to the sorting port.

  According to a second invention, in addition to the first invention, a plurality of storage containers corresponding to the distribution ports of the distribution member are provided, and the storage containers and the distribution ports are respectively connected by flexible cylindrical paths. The sorting device is the same.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sorting apparatus according to the first or second aspect, wherein the sorting member moving unit adds the sorting member to a direction intersecting a transport direction of the transport unit.

  In the first invention, since the sorting member having a plurality of sorting ports corresponding to the quality grade is arranged to be moved by the sorting member moving means at the sorting position, a plurality of sorting ports can be set at one sorting position, The sorting device can sort workpieces into a plurality of sorting ports, and it can be miniaturized and at the same time can deal with a wide variety of workpieces.

  Moreover, by setting a plurality of sorting positions and adding sorting members, the sorting device can easily cope with an increase in the number of classifications (the number of quality grades of works to be sorted).

  Although it is the effect of 2nd invention, while providing the some storage container corresponding to the distribution port of a distribution member, and having decided to connect this storage container and the said distribution port by a flexible cylindrical path | route, respectively, The movement of the sorting member is not constrained by the path, and the work sorting member and the work container can be arranged in a similar manner, so that the cylindrical path is linear and the stagnation of the work in the middle of the cylindrical path is reduced. In addition, the sorting apparatus is easy to assemble.

  Although it is an effect of the third invention, the sorting member moving means extends the transport means for transporting the workpiece and adds the sorting members by moving the sorting member in a direction intersecting the transport direction of the transport means. As a result, the distribution device can easily cope with an increase in the number of classifications (the number of quality grades of workpieces to be distributed) without increasing the size of the device, and can be tact-up.

1 is a schematic plan view of an LED chip sorting apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Schematic side view of the sorting device It is explanatory drawing of distribution operation | movement, (a) is explanatory drawing which shows the state before a slider movement, (b) is explanatory drawing which shows during the distribution operation after a slider movement. Explanatory drawing which shows the distribution method in the case of the slider of 1 row distribution opening Explanatory drawing which shows the distribution method in the case of the slider of a 2 row distribution opening It is explanatory drawing of the row | line | column division member by a horizontal position change, (a) shows the case where it discharges to A row, (b) shows the case where it discharges to B row. It is explanatory drawing of the division | segmentation member by an up-and-down position change, (a) is a plane explanatory drawing, (b) shows the case where it discharges to A row, (c) shows the case of discharging to B row.

The embodiment of the present invention will be described below together with the first embodiment according to the drawings.
The code | symbol 1 in FIG. 3 thru | or FIG. 5 is an LED chip, and the LED chip 1 is a workpiece | work in this invention. Of course, the workpiece is not limited to the LED chip 1 and may be an electronic component or another component. The illustrated first embodiment is an LED chip sorting device that sorts LED chips 1 that are workpieces according to quality characteristics such as electrical characteristics and optical characteristics.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the LED chip distribution device includes a chip supply unit 2, a quality inspection unit 3, a distribution unit 4, and a storage unit 5.
The chip supply unit 2 includes a hopper 6 that stores a large number of LED chips 1 and a parts feeder 7 that transfers the LED chips 1 from the hopper 6 to the quality inspection unit 3. The LED chip 1 that is a workpiece is supplied to the parts feeder 7 at an appropriate timing.

  The quality inspection unit 3 receives the first inspection device 8, the second inspection device 9, and the LED chip 1 from the chip supply unit 2, conveys them to the first and second inspection devices 8, 9, and completes the inspection. The index table 10 is transferred to the distribution unit 4 later. The first and second inspection devices 8 and 9 are installed on the transport path of the index table 10.

  Since the work is the LED chip 1, the quality inspection includes the first inspection device 8 for inspecting the electrical characteristics for measuring the voltage value when a constant current is applied, the light amount and color at the time of light emission, and the like. This is performed by the second inspection apparatus 9 that inspects the optical characteristics of the second inspection apparatus 9. The inspection device in the quality inspection unit 3 may be an inspection device that inspects other characteristics.

  The index table 10 has a pocket 11 for accommodating the LED chip 1. The LED chip 1 is supplied to the pocket 11 of the index table 10 from the parts feeder 7 so that the surface is upward. The index table 10 is intermittently operated at intervals of the pockets 11. Note that the control device determines which of the preset quality grades corresponds to the inspection result in the quality inspection unit 3. The quality grade in the first embodiment is 260 classifications.

  The distributing unit 4 slides in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying belt 12, in which a conveying belt 12 that conveys the LED chip 1, an air blow 13 that discharges the LED chip 1 from the conveying belt 12, and a number of distributing ports 14 are formed. And a fixed chute 16 for guiding the LED chip 1 discharged from the conveyor belt 12 to the distribution port 14 of the slider 15.

  The conveyor belt 12 is made of a profile belt in which a profile 26 is formed on the mounting surface of the LED chip 1 so as to form an interval that allows the LED chip 1 to be mounted. The conveyor belt 12 is a belt that receives the LED chip 1 that has been quality-inspected by the quality-inspection unit 3 and has subsequently been determined the quality grade from the index table 10 and conveys it to the sorting positions P1 to P10. The transport belt 12 corresponds to a transport means for transporting a workpiece in the present invention.

  The LED chips 1 that have been inspected are supplied from the pocket 11 of the index table 10 one by one between the profiles 26 on the conveyor belt 12 by air as indicated by an upward arrow on the left side of FIG. Although not shown in FIG. 4, a passage sensor that senses the passage of the LED chip 1 is provided between the index table 10 and the conveyor belt 12.

  Distribution positions P1 to 10 are set at predetermined positions on the conveyance path of the LED chip 1 by the conveyance belt 12. Reference numerals P1 to P10 are displayed on the fixed chute 16 in FIG. 1, but the sorting positions P1 to P10 indicate that they are on the conveyance path near the reference signs P1 to P10, and are on the fixed chute 16. It does not indicate that.

  As shown in FIG. 1, ten distribution positions P1 to P10 in the first embodiment are set. The transport belt 12 is intermittently driven by the drive motor M0 from the receiving position from the index table 10 to the sorting positions P1 to P10 with one profile as one step.

  At the sorting positions P1 to P10, air blows 13 serving as work discharge means in the present invention are respectively installed. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the air blow 13 is installed so as to act toward the LED chip 1 mounted on the transport belt 12 with the blowout opening.

  The air blow 13 blows air onto the LED chip 1 that has been transported to any one of the sorting positions P <b> 1 to P <b> 10 by the transport belt 12, and discharges the LED chip 1 from the transport belt 12. Specifically, it discharges to the guide entrance 17 of the fixed chute 16 mentioned later.

  The discharged LED chip 1 is guided to the fixed chute 16. The fixed chute 16 serves as a guide member to the sorting port in the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the fixed chute 16 is installed from the position corresponding to the first distribution position P1 to the position corresponding to the tenth distribution position P10.

  As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the fixed chute 16 has a guide inlet 17 formed on the side at the discharge position of the LED chip 1 by the air blow 13, and a guide outlet 18 is formed on the lower surface of the fixed chute 16. Is formed. A guide passage 19 is provided from the guide entrance 17 to the guide exit 18. Although not shown, a shutter is provided at each of the guide entrances 17 of the fixed chute 16 so that it is closed except when the LED chip 1 is distributed. Can be prevented from being housed in the housing portion 5 of the LED chip 1 as will be described later.

  Ten guide inlets 17, guide outlets 18, and guide passages 19 having the guide inlets 17 are provided corresponding to the discharge positions of the LED chips 1, that is, the sorting positions P <b> 1 to P <b> 10. Incidentally, a passage sensor S1 for detecting the passage of the LED chip 1 is provided in the vicinity of the guide outlet 18 of each guide passage 19 to check passage. Since the passage sensor S1 is provided in the fixed chute 16, the passage confirmation can be performed immediately after the passage sensor S1 is discharged from the conveyor belt 12, thereby increasing the tact time. Of course, the passage sensor S1 may be provided on the guide entrance 17 side of each guide passage 19.

  Below the guide outlet 18 of the fixed chute 16 at the ten distribution positions P1 to P10, a slider 15 having a distribution port 14 for redistributing and classifying the guided LED chips 1 is installed. The slider 15 is provided with 26 distribution ports 14. The slider 15 is provided at ten locations corresponding to the sorting positions P1 to P10. In the first embodiment, one slider 15 can cope with 26 classifications, and all ten sliders 15 can cope with 260 classifications.

  The slider 15 in the first embodiment is provided so as to be orthogonal to the traveling direction of the conveyor belt 12 as shown in FIG. Although this direction is considered to be the best, it is possible to provide a slider 15 in the same direction as the traveling direction of the conveyor belt 12 and to travel in the same direction as the traveling direction of the conveyor belt 12. It is also possible to provide the slider 15 so as to intersect with each other and travel in this direction.

  The slider 15 is installed such that a predetermined distribution port 14 is movable below the guide outlet 18 of the corresponding fixed chute 16 via the belt 20 by the drive motors M1 to M10. The slider 15 can be moved forward and backward so that the first distribution port 14 to the 26th distribution port 14 reach the guide outlet 18. The belt 20 used for moving the slider 15 is not limited to this, and a ball screw or the like may be used.

  Each distribution port 14 of the slider 15 and the bin box 21 that houses the LED chip 1 are connected by a flexible tube 22. The bin box 21 serves as the storage unit 5 for the sorted LED chips 1. The flexible tube 22 may be a tube that can form a flexible cylindrical path through which the LED chip 1 can pass, and a soft tube, a spring, a bellows, or the like is used.

  The bin box 21 is fixed in the apparatus, and the flexible tubes 22 are fixed to the distribution ports 14 of the sliders 15 respectively, and are also fixed to the bin box 21 on the bin box 21 side.

  Because the flexible tube 22 connects the distribution port 14 of the slider 15 and the bin box 21, restrictions on the movement of the slider 15 due to the connection of the bin box 21 can be minimized. In the first embodiment, 26 bin boxes 21 in one row are arranged in 10 rows along the transport direction of the transport belt 12, so that a total of 260 classifications can be accommodated. Of course, the arrangement of the bin box 21 may be arbitrary and is not limited.

  Here, the sorting means for the LED chips 1 conveyed by the conveyor belt 12 will be described. For example, a case where the LED chip 1 on the transport belt 12 to be discharged as a result of the inspection by the quality inspection unit 3 is classified and stored from the fourth distribution port 14 of the slider 15 at the first distribution position P1 will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the guide outlet 18 of the fixed chute 16 is positioned on the third distribution port 14 of the slider 15 located below at the first distribution position P1 immediately before the distribution.

  The LED chip 1 is transported to the first sorting position P1 by driving the transport belt 12 by one pitch. At the same time, the slider 15 is driven one pitch in the left direction (interval of the distribution port 14) as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 3B, and the fourth distribution port 14 is fixed to the fixed chute 16 at the first distribution position P1. The position is adjusted to the position of the guide exit 18.

  Here, air is jetted from the air blow 13 toward the LED chip 1, and the LED chip 1 is discharged from the conveyor belt 12 to the guide entrance 17 of the fixed chute 16. As shown in FIG. 3B, the LED chip 1 passes through the guide passage 19 and is confirmed by the passage sensor S1 near the guide outlet 18, and then the fourth distribution port of the slider 15 at the first distribution position P1. 14.

  The LED chip 1 put into the fourth distribution port 14 is accommodated in a bin box 21 corresponding to the corresponding classification via the flexible tube 22.

  The slider 15 in the first embodiment is a long body provided with 26 sorting ports 14 in one row. However, when the number of classifications increases, the number of holes in the distribution port 14 of the slider 15 increases. As a result, the slider 15 becomes longer, the stroke becomes larger, the apparatus cycle time is increased, and the piping of the flexible tube 22 becomes difficult.

  Therefore, in the second embodiment, the number of classifications (260 classifications) is the same as that in the first embodiment, but the slider 125 at one sorting position P1 to P10 is provided with 2 rows × 13 sorting ports 114A and 114B. Shall be. As shown in FIG. 5, by making the distribution ports 114A and 114B in this way, the moving stroke amount of the slider 125 in the direction orthogonal to the conveying belt 112 can be reduced, and an excessive load is applied to the flexible tube 22. Can be prevented.

  When the two rows of the sorting ports 114A and 114B of the slider 125 are divided into the A row and the B row as in the second embodiment, the two rows are set as the A row sorting port 114A and the B row sorting port 114B, respectively. Then, the width of the profile 126 provided on the conveyor belt 112 is set to two LED chips 1, and the movement of the conveyor belt 112 is an intermittent movement of two pitches.

  Assume that the positions between the profiles 126 of the conveyor belt 112 received from the index table 10 are two (two) positions. One is for the A column and the other is for the B column. The conveyor belt 112 mounts one LED chip 1 between two LED chips, that is, one profile 126.

  Whether the LED chip 1 delivered to the conveyor belt 112 belongs to the A row or the B row is classified in advance upon delivery to the conveyor belt 112 according to the inspection result of the quality inspection unit 3. Only one LED chip 1 enters between one profile 126. That is, the LED chip 1 is determined as the position of the A row and the position of the B row, and is discharged to either side. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, when the position of the A row is entered, the position of the B row moves to the sorting position P0 in an empty state. At the distribution position P0, the LED chip 1 passes from the conveyor belt 112 through the fixed chute 116 to the distribution port 114A of the slider 125.

  When the LED chip 1 is transferred from the index table 10 to the conveyor belt 112, the swing member 24 is designated in the designated row, in the example of FIG. 5, depending on whether it belongs to the A row or the B row. The LED chip 1 is swung to the position of the A row, and the LED chip 1 is delivered to the designated position by air. The swing member 24 is provided with a passage sensor S2, and confirms the passage of the LED chip position.

  Instead of the oscillating member 24, the dividing members 27 and 28 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 may be used. The row separation member 27 shown in FIG. 6 enables the LED chips 1 to be separated into a row A position 30 and a row B position 31 by changing the position horizontally.

  The row separation member 27 includes a row A passage 36 and a row B passage 37 having receiving ports 32 and 33 on the left and right sides of the surface facing the index table 10 and discharge ports 34 and 35 on the left and right sides of the surface facing the conveyor belt 112. It has been drilled.

  When the LED semiconductor chip 1 sent from the index table 10 is discharged to the position A for row A 30, as shown in FIG. The receiving port 32 moves to the chip transfer position of the index table 10. At this time, the discharge port 34 of the A-row passage 36 is at a position corresponding to the A-row position 30 of the conveyor belt 112, and the LED chip 1 is discharged to the A-row position 30.

  When the LED semiconductor chip 1 sent from the index table 10 is discharged to the B row position 31, as shown in FIG. 6 (b), the B row passage 37 of the row member 27. The receiving port 33 moves horizontally to the chip transfer position of the index table 10. At this time, the discharge port 35 of the B row passage 37 is at a position corresponding to the B row position 31 of the conveyor belt 112, and the LED chip 1 is discharged to the B row position 31.

  The row sorting member 28 shown in FIG. 7 enables the LED chips 1 to be sorted and discharged into the A row position 30 and the B row position 31 by changing the vertical position. The row separation member 28 includes a row A passage 36 and a row B passage 37 having receiving ports 32 and 33 above and below the surface facing the index table 10 and discharge ports 34 and 35 above and below the surface facing the conveyor belt 112. It has been drilled.

  The row and discharge state of the LED chip 1 at the row position A 30 and the row B position 31 of the LED chip 1 by the row member 28 is a row by a horizontal position change except that the switching is a vertical position change. The same as the separating member 27.

  The conveyor belt 112 moves with two pitches as one cycle, but when it reaches the predetermined sorting position P0, the LED chip 1 is present only in either the A row or the B row, and the number of rows is The same operation as in the case of one column is possible.

  The distribution port 14 of the slider 15 in the first embodiment has a one-row configuration, and in the second embodiment, it has a two-row configuration. However, the shape is not limited to those of the first and second embodiments, and the slider may be rectangular and the distribution ports may be arranged in a matrix.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... LED chip 2 ... Chip supply part 3 ... Quality inspection part 4 ... Distribution part 5 ... ··································································································································· ·························································································································································· Air blow 14, 114A, 114B 17 .... Guide entrance 18 .... Guide exit 19 .... Guide passage 20 .... Belt 21 ... Bin box 22 ······················ Flexible tube 24 · Profile 27, 28 · · · row member 30 · · · · A row position 31 · · · B row position 32, 33 · · · · 34, 35 · · ·・ Exhaust port 36... A row passage 37... B row passage P0 to P10 .. distribution position S1, S2 .. passing sensor M0 to M10. Drive motor

Claims (3)

In the work sorting apparatus configured to transport and sort the work whose quality grade has been determined by quality inspection based on the judgment result,

Transport means for transporting the work after quality inspection to a sorting position set at a predetermined position on the work transport path;
A work discharging means that is provided at the distributing position and discharges the work on the conveying means at the distributing position;
A sorting member having a plurality of sorting openings corresponding to the quality grade;
A guide member for guiding the discharged work to the sorting port;
A sorting member moving means for moving the sorting member and positioning a predetermined sorting port at the guide member outlet among the plurality of sorting ports of the sorting member;

Based on the quality grade of the work transported to the sorting position, the corresponding sorting port is positioned at the guide member outlet, and the workpiece discharging means is operated in this state, so that the sorting port is moved to the sorting port via the guide member. A sorting apparatus characterized by sorting the work.
2. The sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of storage containers corresponding to the distribution ports of the distribution member are provided, and the storage containers and the distribution ports are respectively connected by flexible cylindrical paths.
3. The sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sorting member moving unit moves the sorting member in a direction intersecting a transport direction of the transport unit.

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