JPH05294437A - Parts feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a parts feeder which has means to detect the remaining situation of electric parts including the remaining number of electric parts and a time period up to the time when they run out. CONSTITUTION:Two conductive sections 12 which have resistors serving as parameters for the remaining number of electric parts 8 are provided on spiral passages 2, 4. a conductor which is located behind the line of the electric parts 8 and sent along the passages 2, 4 together with the electric part 8 to short two conductive sections 12 and a control section 20 which measures the resistance value of a loop made up with two conductive sections 12 and the conductor and detects the remaining condition of the electric parts 8 from the measurement result are also provided. In this way, before the electric parts 8 runs out, the run out situation is foreseen to make ready for changing a parts feeder.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a parts feeder,
More specifically, the present invention relates to a parts feeder including a detection unit that detects a remaining state of electronic components such as the number of remaining electronic components filled in a spiral passage and the time until the electronic components run out.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an electronic component mounting apparatus, as a parts feeder for supplying an electronic component to a transfer head for transferring and mounting the electronic component on a substrate, the helical components are lined up and filled in a spiral passage formed in a main body. However, it is known that this electronic component is pressure-fed to the pickup position by a transfer head by air pressure or the like. This kind of parts feeder has advantages that the storage capacity of electronic parts is considerably large and tape management is not required, as compared with the tape type parts feeder which is widely used at present.

By the way, when the electronic parts of the parts feeder are out of stock, the parts feeder must be replaced. In this case, the electronic parts of the parts feeder must be detected by some means. I won't.

Conventionally, as a means for detecting that an electronic component is out of stock, if a sensor detects that the transfer head has picked up a plurality of times consecutively, the electronic component is out of stock. Means of judgment are known.

[0005]

However, with such conventional means, it is impossible to determine whether the pick-up error of the electronic component is due to the electronic component being out of stock or the device failure such as improper pick-up operation of the transfer head. There was a problem.

Further, if the timing of the electronic parts being sold out is approaching, it is desirable from the operational management of the electronic component mounting apparatus to prepare for replacement of the parts feeder before the parts are sold out. However, the conventional means has a problem that the parts feeder cannot be preliminarily replaced before the electronic parts are out of stock because the electronic parts are not out of stock.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a parts feeder provided with a means for predicting the timing when an electronic component runs out before it runs out.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, two conductive parts having a resistance which is a parameter of the number of remaining electronic parts of an electronic part are provided along a spiral passage of a main body part, and The resistance value of the conductor which is in the rear part of the matrix and which is sent in the passage together with the electronic parts and short-circuits the two conductive parts, and the resistance value of the loop formed by the two conductive parts and the conductors is measured. A control unit for detecting the remaining state of the electronic component from the measurement result is provided.

[0009]

According to the above construction, by measuring the resistance value of the loop formed by the two conductive parts and the conductor, the number of remaining electronic components and the time until the electronic components are out of stock are calculated, If the remaining number becomes small, it can be notified in advance that the replacement time of the parts feeder will soon come.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view of the parts feeder. The parts feeder comprises a disc-shaped main body 1 having a spiral passage 2 and a base 3 having a linear passage 4 continuous with the passage 2 of the main body 1. .. The main body 1 and the base 3 are separably connected.
The passages 2 and 4 are filled with electronic components 8 in a matrix. Reference numeral 5 denotes a cover plate which is detachably attached to the side surface of the main body 1. Slit holes 6 and 7 are formed on the left and right sides of the cover plate 5. As shown in FIG. 2, downward air is blown into the main body 1 from one slit 6,
Further, when the upward air is blown from the other slit 7, the wind pressure causes the electronic components 8 to be pressure-fed in a line in the passages 2 and 4 to be fed to the pickup position at the tip of the base 3. At the pick-up position, it is adsorbed by the nozzle 22 of the transfer head 21 and picked up, and transferred and mounted on a substrate (not shown).

In the partially enlarged view of FIG.
A pair of two spiral-shaped guides provided in the inside of the above, which constitute the passage 2, and the electronic component 8 slides between the guides 11. The guide 11 is made of an electrically insulating material such as a synthetic resin plate. Further, on the outside of the guide 11, a pair of lead wires 12 as a conductive portion are arranged along the guide 11 (see also FIG. 4). This lead wire 12 has an internal resistance, and its resistance value becomes a parameter of the number of remaining electronic components 8. Reference numeral 13 is an insulating wall that prevents a short circuit between adjacent lead wires 12. The guide 11 and the lead wire 12 are connected to the base 3
It is also provided in the passage 4. In addition to the lead wire 12, a conductive tape or a member coated with a conductive paint can be used as the conductive portion.

In FIGS. 3 and 5, a conductor 9 is housed in the rear part of the matrix of the electronic component 8. The conductor 9 short-circuits the pair of lead wires 12 and slides in the passages 2 and 4 together with the electronic component 8. The control unit 20 is connected to the tip of the lead wire 12 by the conductive wire 19, and measures the resistance value R of the loop A formed by the two lead wires 12 and the conductor 9 in FIG. The resistance value r of the lead wire 12 corresponding to one of the electronic components 8 is known, and by dividing the resistance value R by this resistance value r, the number of electronic components 8 remaining in the loop A can be calculated. Also electronic parts 8
It is also possible to calculate the time until the remaining electronic components 8 are out of stock from the program of the computer that mounts on the board. This calculation may be performed by the control unit 20 or may be performed by another control unit (not shown) such as a computer connected to the control unit 20. The control unit 20 may be provided inside the base unit 3 or the like integrally with the parts feeder, or may be provided separately from the parts feeder. The insulating guide 11 is used for the electronic component 8
Prevents the electronic component 8 from being electrically damaged due to contact with the lead wire 12 and causing an electric current to flow in the electronic component 8 or the measured resistance value being distorted.

This parts feeder is constructed as described above, and its operation will be described below. By blowing air from the slits 6 and 7 of the cover plate 5, the electronic component 8 is pressure-fed in the passages 2 and 4 and is sent to the pickup position.
At this pick-up position, the electronic component 8 is adsorbed by the nozzle 22 of the transfer head 21 and picked up, and transferred and mounted on the substrate.

The conductor 9 is at the rear of the matrix of electronic components 8 and is pumped with the electronic components 8 in the passages 2, 4.
The resistance value R of the loop A is measured constantly or at predetermined time intervals to calculate the remaining number of electronic components 8, and when the remaining number of electronic components 8 becomes small, a notifying means (not shown) such as a monitor TV or a buzzer. By this, the operator is notified in advance that the replacement time of the parts feeder is approaching. Therefore, the worker prepares to replace the parts feeder.
Further, in the case of an electronic component mounting apparatus in which the parts feeder is automatically replaced, a replacement operation command is issued.

6 to 8 show another embodiment. In this embodiment, the guide 11 is removed and the electronic component 8
And the conductor 9 slide between the lead wires 12. The control unit 20 is connected to the rear portion of the lead wire 12 and measures the resistance value R of the loop B including the lead wire 12 and the conductor 9. Since this loop B is an empty loop after the electronic component 8 has passed, and the resistance value per unit length of the loop B is also known, the length LB of this loop B is calculated from the measured resistance value R. Desired. Also, the total length L of the lead wire 12
Is known, the path length LO where the electronic component 8 exists is L
It can be determined as O = L-LB. Here, since the length d of one electronic component 8 is known, the remaining number of electronic components 8 is obtained from LO / d, and the time until the electronic components 8 run out is also obtained by the method described above. Be done.

In this embodiment, the number of remaining electronic components 8 is calculated from the length of the loop B that has been emptied by the electronic components 8. According to this embodiment, the electronic components 8 are present. Since a current does not flow through the passage, there is an advantage that the guide 11 made of an insulating material is unnecessary and the structure can be simplified.
Further, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, the conductive portion such as the lead wire 12 is provided only near the end of the passage (near the pickup position), and the remaining amount of the electronic component 8 becomes small to some extent. Even if the resistance of the loop is measured, the intended purpose of replacing the parts feeder can be achieved.

[0018]

According to the present invention, it is possible to detect the remaining state of electronic components such as the number of remaining electronic components in the parts feeder and the time until the electronic components run out,
Therefore, it is possible to grasp the current state of the electronic component and prepare in advance for replacement of the parts feeder when the electronic component is out of stock.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a parts feeder according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of the parts feeder according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the parts feeder according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of the parts feeder according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the parts feeder according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a parts feeder according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of a parts feeder according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of a parts feeder according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Main Body 2 Passage 4 Passage 8 Electronic Component 9 Conductor 12 Conductive Unit 20 Control Unit 21 Transfer Head

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A main body part having a spiral passage for an electronic component, wherein the electronic parts filled in a matrix in the passage are sent to a pickup position by a transfer head in front of the main body part. In the parts feeder configured as described above, two conductive parts having a resistance serving as a parameter of the number of remaining electronic components are provided along the passage, and the passage is provided at the rear of the matrix of electronic components together with the electronic components. The resistance value of the conductor that is sent inside and short-circuits the two conductive parts, and the resistance value of the loop composed of these two conductive parts and the conductor is measured, and the residual state of the electronic component is detected from this measurement result. A parts feeder, which is provided with a control unit for controlling.