JPH02180098A - Device for aligning and supplying of electronic component chip - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To entirely or mostly eliminate a bridging phenomenon by forming a round face as seen in section parallel to a direction crossing an alignment passage on the part of a wall face for defining a small room. CONSTITUTION:A room at least has a small room 8a formed near the inlet 10 of an alignment passage 9 and a large room 7 communicating with the small room 8a. A round face 20 as seen in section parallel to a direction crossing an alignment passage 9 is formed at least on the part of the wall face for defining the small room 8a. Accordingly, the round face 20 formed in the small room 8a is not brought into surface contact with an electronic component chip 4 tending to cause a bridging phenomenon, but always brought merely into linear or point contact therewith. Thus, the bridging phenomenon scarcely occurs.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Field of Application] This invention is applicable to a plurality of electronic component chips (including passive components, active components, and other electrical components), as well as chip components as finished products, as well as semi-finished chip components. (Including parts as products.)
Each of these relates to an electronic component chip alignment and supply device for supplying electronic component chips while aligning them in a predetermined direction, and in particular, to smoothly move a plurality of electronic component chips within such an electronic component chip alignment and supply device. This is related to improvements to make it more effective.

[Related technology] The applicant has previously filed patent application No. 61-257926.
No. (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1983-110182), patent application No. 1983
No. 2-96925, etc., proposed an electronic component chip storage cassette that is advantageously used when supplying electronic component chips one by one to, for example, a chip mounting station.

The above-mentioned electronic component chip storage cassette basically includes a plurality of electronic component chips and a storage space for storing these electronic component chips inside, and also has an ejection port in the storage space for discharging the electronic component chips. It is equipped with a case formed in communication and an openable lid that closes the discharge port. Such electronic component chip storage cassettes are not only used as-is as a packaging form when electronic component chip manufacturers ship electronic component chips, but also used as-is by electronic component chip consumers. It can be applied to a chip mount machine to supply a plurality of electronic component chips one by one to a chip mount station.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a state in which a chip mounting process is being performed using the electronic component chip storage cassette 1 (shown by imaginary lines). Cassette 1 remains as is.
It is attached to the hopper 2 of the chip mount machine. More specifically, if the cassette 1 is fixed to the hopper 2 with the discharge port of the cassette 1 facing the opening 3 of the hopper 2, and the lid of the cassette 1 is opened, the inside of the storage space of the cassette 1 is removed. The plurality of electronic component chips 4 stored in the hopper 2 are supplied into the hopper 2 from the discharge port.

The hopper 2 is usually in an inclined state, and the inclination angle 5 is selected to be about 45 degrees, for example.

The hopper 2 includes a chamber 6 for storing a plurality of electronic component chips 4, and the chamber 6 has a large chamber 7 and a small chamber 8. The electronic component chips 4 supplied into the hopper 2 first flow into the large room 7, then into the small room 8, and finally reach the alignment passage 9. The alignment aisle 9 is
As shown in the figure, it has a function of guiding the plurality of electronic component chips 4 so as to move them in a predetermined direction in an aligned state. , in order to achieve this function, the cross-sectional dimensions of the alignment channels 9 are chosen in relation to the cross-sectional dimensions of each electronic component chip 4 .

The small room 8 is formed near the entrance 10 of the alignment passageway 9, and the large room 7 communicates with this small room 8.

FIG. 4 shows an enlarged perspective view of the structure from the small room 8 to the vicinity of the entrance 10 of the alignment passageway 9. This fourth
As can be seen from the figures and Fig. 3, the bottom wall 1 of the small room 8
1 extends flush with a bottom wall surface 12 defining an entrance 10 of the alignment passageway 9 . In the hopper 2 shown in FIG. 3, the bottom wall surface 11 extends to the large room 7 while forming the bottom surface of the groove.

Further, a blowing passage 13 is provided near the entrance 10 of the alignment passage 9 for introducing compressed air from the outside intermittently, for example. The compressed air introduced through the blowing passage 13 blows away the electronic component chips 4 near the entrance 10 of the alignment passage 9 and exerts a stirring action on the electronic component chips 4. That is, when considering the flow of electronic component chips 4 within the hopper 2, for example, from the small room 8 to the alignment passage 9
It can be seen that the cross-sectional area of the path through which the electronic component chip 4 passes decreases rapidly when reaching the entrance 10 of the electronic component chip 4.

Therefore, the electronic component chip 4 is placed at the entrance 10 of the alignment path 9.
In order to prevent this, compressed air is introduced from the blowing passage 13 intermittently, for example, to prevent the smooth flow of the electronic component chips 4.

In this way, the plurality of electronic component chips 4 provided from the cassette 1 pass through the large room 7 and the small room 8, reach the alignment path 9, and when entering the entrance 10 of the alignment path 9, are oriented in a predetermined direction. The liquids are brought into an aligned state, guided by the alignment passage 9, and discharged from the outlet 14 of the alignment passage 9.

Since the electronic component chips 4 ejected from the outlet 14 are aligned in a predetermined direction, the chip mounting process can proceed efficiently by handling the electronic component chips 4 without disturbing this alignment. can.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] FIG. 4 is shown with the wall in front removed. That is, in FIG.
A wall surface (not shown) is actually located along the plane indicated by ``, and the small room 8, the alignment passage 9, and the large room 7 are closed by this wall surface. Therefore, the space within the small room 8 has the width direction dimension indicated by the reference number "16". Furthermore, the space within the small room 8 has a height dimension 17 when the bottom wall surface 11 is used as a reference, and a height dimension 18 when other parts are used as a reference.

In FIG. 4, for example, three electronic component chips 4 are arranged side by side, and for example, nine electronic component chips 4 are arranged side by side.
are shown vertically arranged. Coincidentally, the sum of the widthwise dimensions of the electronic component chips 4 arranged in the horizontal direction coincided with the widthwise dimension 16 of the space in the small room 8. They are in a state of tension and their movement is obstructed. On the other hand, the total thickness of the electronic component chips 4 arranged in the vertical direction coincidentally coincides with the height dimension 17 in the small room 8, so that the distance between the walls defining the height dimension 17 is They are now in a state where they are pushed against each other, and their movement is obstructed.

Once this so-called "bridge phenomenon" occurs,
Even if compressed air is introduced from the blowing passage 13, it is not easy to break the series of electronic component chips 4 causing this "bridging phenomenon."

Note that the above-mentioned "bridging phenomenon" is not limited to the aspect shown in FIG.
Various embodiments may occur. That is, this occurs when each combination of the length direction dimension, width direction dimension, and thickness direction dimension of the plurality of electronic component chips 4 coincidentally coincides with the width direction dimension 16 or the height direction dimension 17 or 18. It's easy to do.

However, the above-mentioned "bridging phenomenon" does not occur very frequently, and usually occurs only on the order of ppm. When it becomes impossible or difficult to supply electronic component chips 4, in order to increase the operating rate and reliability of chip mounting machines, etc., it is desired that the probability of the occurrence of the "bridging phenomenon j" be reduced to substantially zero.

Therefore, the present invention attempts to improve the electronic component chip alignment and supply apparatus represented by the hopper described above so that the occurrence of the "bridging phenomenon" can be completely or almost completely eliminated. .

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides an alignment path that guides a plurality of electronic component chips so that they move in an aligned state directed in a predetermined direction, and that communicates with the alignment path, and The apparatus is directed to an electronic component chip aligning and supplying apparatus, which defines a space having a larger cross section than the aligning path on the entrance side of the aligning path, and also includes a chamber for storing a plurality of electronic component chips. , in order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, is characterized by having the following configuration.

That is, the room includes at least a small room formed near the entrance of the alignment passageway and a large room communicating with the small room. A particularly notable feature of this invention is that at least a portion of the wall defining the small room is
When viewed in a cross section parallel to the direction crossing the alignment path,
A rounded surface is formed.

[Function] The rounded surface formed in the small chamber of the electronic component chip alignment and supply device according to the present invention does not come into surface contact with the electronic component chip where the "bridge phenomenon" is about to occur, and always simply contacts the electronic component chip. Line contact or point contact.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the rounded surface makes line contact or point contact with the electronic component chip where the "bridging phenomenon" is about to occur.
In addition, even if something like a "bridging phenomenon" occurs, it can be easily broken down by, for example, compressed air from the blowing passage or other external force.

Therefore, the plurality of electronic component chips can be smoothly moved within the electronic component chip alignment and supply device, and the electronic component chips can be smoothly supplied through the alignment path. Therefore, when the electronic component chip alignment and supply apparatus according to the present invention is applied to, for example, a chip mounting machine, the chip mounting process can be performed with high operating efficiency and high reliability.

Further, in order to obtain the effects of the present invention, all that is required is to form an aluminum surface on at least a portion of the wall surface defining the small room. Therefore, the present invention can be realized without causing a significant increase in cost. For example, if a part of the wall that defines a small room is made of a different part from the rest of the electronic component chip alignment and supply device, just provide a radius surface for this different part. Thus, the characteristic configuration of the present invention can be realized.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a diagram corresponding to the above-mentioned FIG. 3, and shows a hopper 2a as an embodiment of the present invention. In addition,
In FIG. 1, elements corresponding to those shown in FIG. 3 are given the same reference numerals, and the above description is used for these elements.

Moreover, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line ■--■ in FIG. 1.

The hopper 2a is characterized by a wall defining a small room 8a. In this embodiment, a part of the wall defining the small room 8a is provided by a wall forming member 19 prepared separately from other parts of the hopper 2a.

With respect to other parts of the hopper 2a, the wall surface forming member 19 is
It is fixed with screws, adhesive, etc. The shape of the wall defining the small room 8a when viewed in cross section parallel to the direction across the alignment passageway 9 is clearly shown in FIG. Second
As can be seen from the figure, the wall surface forming member 19 is connected to the small room 8a.
The main part of the wall surface other than the bottom wall surface 11 is provided, and a rounded surface 20 is formed. Note that although the wall surface forming member 19 shown in FIG. 2 is shown in cross section, hatching is omitted there.

As described above, according to this embodiment, due to the presence of the rounded surface 20, the probability that the electronic component chip existing in the small room 8a comes into surface contact with the wall surface defining the small room 8a is reduced. The "bridging phenomenon" of component chips can be almost eliminated.

In the above-described embodiment, the wall forming member 19 was constructed as a separate part from the other parts of the hopper 2a, but a portion corresponding to the wall forming member, that is, a rounded surface, may be formed integrally with the hopper.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, in the illustrated embodiment, the alignment passage 9 extends in an inclined state with its entrance 10 located upward, and the electronic component chips 4 in the alignment passage 9 are moved by natural gravity. The alignment channel 9 is oriented to extend, for example, in a horizontal direction, such that the electronic component chip 4 is pulled out of the outlet 14 by, for example, vacuum suction or the like. You can.

Further, in the illustrated embodiment, a case has been described in which the electronic component chip alignment and supply device according to the present invention is applied to the hopper 2a. A configuration characteristic of the present invention may be adopted in connection with the small room communicating with the alignment passage.

Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the electronic component chip 4 is intended to have a rectangular parallelepiped shape, but the electronic component chip may have any shape, for example, a disk shape, a cylindrical shape, etc.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a hopper 2a as an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line -H in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 1, and is a longitudinal sectional view showing the hopper 2 for explaining the problem to be solved by the present invention. FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the main parts of the hopper 2 shown in FIG. 3. In the figure, 2a is a hopper (electronic component chip alignment supply bag W), 4 is an electronic component chip, 7 is a large room, 8a is a small room, 9 is an alignment path, 10 is an entrance, 19 is a wall forming member, 2
0 is the round surface.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] An alignment path that guides a plurality of electronic component chips so that they move in alignment in a predetermined direction, and an alignment path that communicates with the alignment path and is located on the entrance side of the alignment path. In the electronic component chip alignment and supply device, the apparatus includes: defining a space having a larger cross section than the alignment path and storing a plurality of electronic component chips, the room being located near the entrance of the alignment path; It comprises at least a small room to be formed and a large room communicating with the small room, and at least a part of a wall defining the small room has a radius when viewed in a cross section parallel to the direction crossing the alignment passage. An electronic component chip alignment and supply device, characterized in that a surface is formed.