JPH0616222A - Printed board multiple carrying system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a printed board carrying system composed of multistage conveyors capable of automatically setting conveyor width corresponding to printed board width. CONSTITUTION:The detection of the front edge 1A of a printed board 1, carried with a front stage conveyor composed of belt conveyors 3A and 3B, with a front edge sensor 6, fitted to the fixed side frame 4B of a rear stage conveyor, causes the drive of the belt conveyors 3A and 3B, carrying the printed board 1, to be stopped once. The confirmation of the nonexistence of the printed board on the rear stage conveyor causes the width direction movement of a movable frame 4A, interlocking with the rear stage conveyor 5A and the stop of the frame 4A with the side edge of the printed board detected with a printed board width detection sensor 7 fitted to the frame 4A, automatically performing the width setting of the conveyor 5A and a conveyor 5B. This eliminates sticking of width information by a bar code to the printed board.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printed circuit board transfer system including a plurality of stages of conveyors.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a printed circuit board assembly line, processing devices for component mounting, preheating, reflow soldering, dip soldering, etc. are connected by a conveyor, and the processing is advanced while the printed circuit board is conveyed by the conveyor. by the way,
When the width of the printed circuit board to be processed changes due to the production of various small quantities, it is necessary to change the width of each conveyor.
If many processing devices are connected and the frequency of switching the model of the printed circuit board is high, changing the setting of the conveyor width is a heavy burden.

Generally, the conveyor width of a line is often set collectively, so that even if there is only one printed circuit board in the line, the connected conveyor width cannot be changed. Changing the width of the conveyor requires waiting until the printed circuit board passes through the assembly line and all the processing is completed, which causes a large time loss. In addition, electronic equipment has become diversified, resulting in a wide variety of small quantities, and one lot per special equipment
Due to the number of wafers, the production efficiency has decreased significantly, and these trends are increasing. Conventionally, in order to solve this point, an assembly line that adds a barcode to each printed circuit board and automatically reads the width information on the autoloader and controls the width of the conveyor according to the width of the printed circuit board. Although it is known, it is not always efficient for the production of a wide variety of products in small quantities with work such as sticking barcode labels. Further, with the shift to CIM, there is an increasing demand for a flexible print assembly line suitable for this.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, the present invention is to provide a printed circuit board multiple transfer system suitable for a variety of small-quantity production without lowering production efficiency and suitable for CIM. is there.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a printed circuit board transporting system comprising a plurality of stages of conveyors when a front edge of a printed circuit board conveyed from a preceding stage conveyor reaches a predetermined position of a succeeding stage conveyor. , The conveyance of the printed circuit board is temporarily stopped, and after detecting that the printed circuit board does not exist in the latter stage conveyor by the printed circuit board detection device of the latter stage conveyor, the width of the latter stage conveyor is set,
It is characterized in that the conveyance of the printed circuit board is continued again, the information on the set width of the latter-stage conveyor is further transferred to the width control device of the succeeding conveyor, and the width of the conveyor is collectively controlled.

[0006]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a main portion of a connecting portion of a belt conveyor connecting a pre-stage processing device and a post-stage processing device according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a printed circuit board,
2A and 2B are frames of the pre-stage conveyor, 3A and 3B are conveyors supported by these frames, and convey the printed circuit board 1 in the direction of the arrow. 4A and 4B are frames of the latter stage conveyor, and 5A and 5B are conveyors supported by the frames. The frame 2B and the frame 4B constitute a frame on the fixed side in the width setting of the belt conveyor, and the frame 2A and the frame 4A.
Constitutes a movable side frame of which width is set. 6 is a sensor for detecting the front edge 1A of the printed circuit board, and 7 is a sensor for detecting the width position of the printed circuit board, which is interlocked with the frame 4A. A transmissive optical sensor, a reflective sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or the like is suitable for the leading edge sensor 6. The frame 4B is aligned with the position of the frame 2B.

Then, when it is detected by the printed circuit board detection device to be described later that there is no printed circuit board on the rear conveyor, the width W of the rear conveyor is once changed to the width w of the printed circuit board 1.
It is wider, and in practice, it is set to the maximum settable width of the latter stage conveyor.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the printed board 1 advances and its leading edge 1A reaches the leading edge sensor 6, the leading edge sensor 6 detects the leading edge of the printed board 1 and a controller (not shown) The driving of the conveyors 3A and 3B is stopped. Following this, the frame 4A of the latter-stage conveyor moves to narrow the width. The width detection sensor 7 is located on the front side of the front edge detection sensor 6, and when the conveyor width W coincides with the print width w, the width detection sensor 7 detects the coincidence and detects the frame 4A.
Stop moving.

As a result, the width of the rear conveyors 5A and 5B is set to the width w of the printed circuit board 1,
By driving the conveyors 3A, 3B, 5A and 5B, the printed circuit board 1 can be normally conveyed and processed by the processing device following the latter-stage conveyor. In the embodiment, as the width initial setting value of the rear conveyor, the maximum settable width of the rear conveyor has been described, but with reference to the setting value of the front conveyor, starting the width setting from a position slightly wider than that, the final The time required to set the width can be shortened.

According to the above-described embodiment, even when only one printed circuit board is produced, the width setting by the profile control according to the above procedure is repeated as the printed circuit board progresses, and the process is carried and the width is set. You don't have to do it. Further, even if the preceding printed circuit board does not pass to the end of the line composed of a plurality of processing devices, the next printed circuit board can be put in and the processing can be started, so that the waiting time can be significantly shortened. For a short relay conveyor or the like further following the latter-stage conveyor, the conveyor width may be collectively set based on the second-stage conveyor width data having the width set without performing the width control as described above.

Next, the printed circuit board detecting device is for detecting that there is no printed circuit board being conveyed on the conveyor for setting the width. An embodiment of the detecting method will be described below. (1) Entry / Exit Detection Method FIG. 3 is a layout of detection sensors according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, A, B, and C are connected conveyors, and an RS type flip-flop logic circuit (not shown) is detected when the leading edge sensor 6 detects that the printed circuit board is carried into the conveyor B for setting the width. ) Is reset, and when the trailing edge sensor 7 provided at the end of the conveyor detects that the printed circuit board has been carried out, it is set. The width cannot be set unless the flip-flop logic circuit is set, and the printed circuit board that has been conveyed and stopped in the previous stage remains stopped. This detection method is suitable for determining the width for each sheet.

(2) Counting collation method As in the case of the entrance / exit detection method, a sensor is provided, and a counter having an initial value of 0 is added for each conveyor at the leading edge and subtracted at the trailing edge, and when the counter is 0, the conveyor is Set the width assuming there is no printed circuit board. This method is suitable for determining the width in units of a plurality of sheets.

(3) Elapsed time monitoring method When the leading edge sensor 6 detects that the printed board has been loaded into the conveyor for setting the width, the elapsed time timer is started (output 0), and the conveyor length and conveyor transport speed are set. After the time for which the printed circuit board stays on the conveyor, which is determined from the above, the timer is stopped (output 1) and the width setting is started. This method is suitable for determining the width for each sheet.

Next, an embodiment of the automatic width adjustment of the present invention based on FIGS. 1 and 2 will be specifically described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 4 is a layout view of the sensors of the conveyer on which the printed circuit board is carried, and FIG. 5 is a plan view of the conveyer on which the printed circuit board is carried.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, the frames 4A, 4 are shown.
The belt conveyors 5A and 5B supported by B (FIG. 1) are
The protruding motor 16 is configured to be capable of protruding.
The protrusion is carried out by a pinion 17 and a rack (not shown) driven by. After the projecting, the belt conveyor 9A
9A and 9B rise and are connected to the protruding belt conveyors 5A and 5B. To return the protrusions of the belt conveyors 5A and 5B, the belt conveyors 9A and 9B are lowered. This lowering is performed by a guide (not shown) attached to the upper and lower units by the rotation of an eccentric cam composed of a disc 19 driven by a vertical motor 18 and a roller 20 mounted at an eccentric position of the disc 19. Guided down.

The automatic conveyor width adjusting mechanism of the present invention constructed in combination with the above-mentioned pushing mechanism will be described below. Prior to the automatic width adjustment, the movement of the printed circuit board conveyed by the pre-stage conveyor must be stopped as described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The belt conveyor 3 connected to the above-mentioned protruding belt conveyors 5A and 5B
The printed board 1 conveyed from A, 3B (FIG. 1) is detected by the front edge sensor 6 provided at the end of the frame 4B of the fixed-side conveyor 5B, and the belt conveyors 3A, 3B (conveying the printed board 1 1) is stopped and at the same time, the stopper 22 driven by the rotary solenoid 21 (FIG. 4) attached to the frame prevents the printed board 1 from popping out and completely prevents the printed board 1 from moving. Automatic width adjustment is performed as described.

The conveyor 5A attached to the frame 4A (FIG. 1) is movable in the width direction as described with reference to FIG. 1, and the movable frame 10 interlocking with the movable side conveyors 5A and 9A has a width adjusting motor. The ball screw 13 is driven by 12 to move in the width direction, and the width is adjusted with the fixed-side conveyors 5B and 9B according to the width of the printed circuit board. Reference numerals 14 and 15 are guides for the movable frame 10. The manual handle 11 provided so as to be connected to the ball screw 13 is a rotary handle whose width can be manually adjusted, and is used during adjustment work.

In the case of producing a wide variety of products in small quantities, it is necessary to convey printed boards having different widths by a belt conveyor. Since the width adjustment is automatically performed without manually performing the width adjustment, the movable side conveyor 5A is used. The transmission type width alignment sensor 7 is provided at the end of the frame, and after the movement of the printed circuit board is stopped, the transmission type width alignment sensor 7 moves in the width direction together with the conveyor 5A, and the side edge 1B of the printed circuit board (FIG. 1). When the width is detected, the width adjusting motor 12 is stopped.

Since the transmissive sensor 7 detects the side edge 1B of the printed circuit board and the stop of the width adjusting motor 12 does not stop with an accurate width due to inertia, the conveyor width is completely controlled. Therefore, the ball screw 13 is braked by the electromagnetic brake 23 at the same time when the motor 12 is stopped. Further, the electromagnetic brake 23 is preferably kept on the ball screw 13 in order to accurately maintain the width set after the frame is stopped. In this width control, as shown in FIG. 4C, the width of the substrate 1 that rides on the belt 5B located between the frame 4B and the substrate guide 4C is small (for example, 3 mm), and it is necessary to control extremely accurately. The utility of providing the electromagnetic brake 23 is obvious. Incidentally, 24 and 25 are motors for driving the belts of the belt conveyors 5A, 5A, 9A and 9B.

[0020]

According to the present invention, when the conveyor width is adjusted in the first stage and the board is put into the line, the width of the conveyor is automatically set at the boundary between the preceding and succeeding conveyors. Therefore, there is an effect that the width setting error of the latter-stage conveyor can be eliminated and the complexity of the work of sticking the width information by the barcode on the printed circuit board can be eliminated. Further, it can be flexibly adapted to CIM, and local closed processing can be performed without inputting the library data with the host computer, which can be configured as a simple and automated device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation explanatory diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of substrate presence / absence detection of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a sensor arrangement according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an essential part of an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Printed Circuit Board 1A Printed Circuit Board Leading Edge 1B Printed Circuit Board Side Edge 3A, 5A Movable Side Belt Conveyor 3B, 5B Fixed Side Belt Conveyor 6 Printed Circuit Board Leading Edge Sensor 7 Printed Circuit Board Width Detection Sensor

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A printed circuit board transport system comprising a plurality of stages of conveyors, wherein when the front edge of the printed circuit board conveyed from the preceding stage conveyor reaches a predetermined position of the latter stage conveyor, the printed circuit board is once conveyed. After stopping, the printed circuit board detection device of the latter conveyor detects that there is no printed circuit board on the latter conveyor, then sets the width of the latter conveyor and continues the conveyance of the printed circuit board again. Continuous transport system. 2. The set width information of the latter-stage conveyor is further transferred to a succeeding conveyor width control device to collectively control the width of the conveyor.
The printed circuit board multiple transfer system described. 3. A first sensor for detecting arrival of a printed circuit board, which is provided at an end portion of a fixed frame supporting the latter conveyor, and a printed circuit board width provided at an end portion of the frame, which supports the latter conveyor and is movable in a conveyor width direction. The printed circuit board multiple transfer system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a second sensor for detection. 4. A third sensor for detecting the trailing edge of the printed circuit board is provided at the end of the conveyor for setting the width of the printed circuit board, and the first sensor output or the second sensor output and the third sensor output are provided. 4. The printed circuit board multiple transfer apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising: a determination unit that determines the remaining number of the printed circuit boards being transported by the conveyor based on the above. 5. A logic circuit which is reset based on a printed circuit board carry-in detection signal from the first or second sensor and is set based on a printed circuit board carry-out detection signal from the third sensor. Item 5. A printed circuit board multiple transfer device according to item 4. 6. A counter that performs addition based on a printed board carry-in detection signal from the first or second sensor and subtracts based on a printed board carry-out detection signal from the third sensor. Item 5. A printed circuit board multiple transfer device according to item 4. 7. The timer according to claim 4, further comprising a timer which is started based on a printed circuit board carry-in detection signal from the first or second sensor and which stops after a time determined by the conveyor length and the conveyor carrying speed. Printed circuit board multiple carrier device