JPH06166428A - Work transfer device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To effectively transfer a work at high speed from a jig, on which the work is arranged, to another jig at different arrangement intervals. CONSTITUTION:Four vacuum suction heads 11 are fitted into each of a transfer unit 10 on first and second supporting plates 12, 13 by an elevation cylinder 14 so that the head can be elevated freely, while eight works 5 are picked up from a tray, and are transferred to a base plate for measurement. An interval adjustment cylinder 16 is provided between the first and second supporting plates 12 and 13, and positioning is carried out into a condition where an interval between the supporting plates 12 and 13, which is opposed to the vacuum suction head 11, which is fitted therebetween, matches with an inter-line interval (a) of a work storage part 6a of the tray 6, by a stopper pins 17, 18, and into a condition where it matches with the interval of sockets 7a of a base plate 7 for measurement. Positioning and adjustment of the transfer unit 10 can be carried out in the direction of a line of the works 5 by a Y-shaft arm 3 of a robot 1.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is for transferring a work such as an electronic component from a jig to a jig, and the arrangement and arrangement intervals of the work between the delivery-side jig and the receiving-side jig. The present invention relates to a work transfer device that can be applied even when the values are different.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When testing or measuring a work made of electronic parts, a load station transfers a work from a storage jig carried in from a previous process to a measurement jig, and an unload station. Then, it may be necessary to perform the work of returning the measuring jig to the storing jig. For example, testing the electrical characteristics of IC devices
When performing a measurement, place a large number of sockets for mounting the work on the measurement board, and set the contact pins so that they project downward from each socket. There is a configuration in which the substrates are connected to a test head of a tester so that the workpieces mounted in the sockets are simultaneously energized and tested. In this case, before the test, the workpieces are placed side by side on a tray as a storage jig, the trays are placed at the load station, and the workpieces are picked up using a pick-and-place means equipped with a vacuum suction head or the like. Are transferred to the measurement substrate. After the test, the measurement substrate is transferred to the unload station, and the work is transferred to the unload tray by the same pick and place means.

[0003]

By the way, a tray or the like as a storage jig is usually constructed to mount as many works as possible in order to improve the efficiency of storage and storage. Work placement intervals are quite narrow. On the other hand, in the socket of the measurement substrate as the measurement jig, the arrangement interval of the work is restricted due to the relationship with the test head, and therefore the arrangement interval of the work between the tray and the measurement substrate is different. For this,
The transfer of the work must be carried out by picking it up one by one by the pick-and-place means, which has a drawback that the transfer efficiency of the work is poor.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to transfer a work at high speed and efficiently.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention forms a work holding member row of two rows by arranging a plurality of pairs of work holding members, and this work holding member row is formed. A row is provided by being supported by an inter-row spacing adjusting means capable of adjusting the inter-row spacing so as to be able to move up and down individually or for each pair of work holding members, and the inter-row spacing adjusting means is provided in the row direction. It is characterized in that it is mounted on the moving direction adjusting means.

[0006]

For example, by arranging four work holding members in each row, four sets of work holding members are provided, and as the inter-row spacing adjusting means, two supports that can be displaced in the direction of approaching / separating by a cylinder or the like. It is composed of members, and four work holding members are mounted on each support member so as to be vertically movable. The two rows of work holding members form pairs of the first, second, third, and fourth work holding members, and the work holding members of each pair hold the work at the same time.
The distance between the front and rear of the work holding members in the arrangement direction is set to be equal to or half of the distance in the front and rear of the work storage portion of either the receiving side jig or the delivery side jig. Here, if the distance between the front and rear of the arrangement direction of the work storage portions is set to half, the work transfer means can be downsized, and the transfer speed can be increased. It is also possible to provide six work holding members in each row. In this case, the work holding members are provided with one-third of the space before and after the arrangement direction of the work accommodating portions, and further, when eight work holding members are provided in each row. Is 1/4
It is possible to have an interval of ½.

Now, it is assumed that the space before and after the work holding members in the arrangement direction is set to be half the space before and after the work holding members of the receiving jig in the arrangement direction. Then, the inter-row distance adjusting means adjusts the distance between the supporting members so that the work holding members of each pair can simultaneously take out the works from the delivery side jig. In this state, first, the first work holding member in each row is lowered, and the work is taken out from the receiving side jig by vacuum suction, a chuck or the like. After that, the alignment direction position adjusting means is actuated, and two work pieces are simultaneously taken out by another pair of work piece holding members (for example, the second, third, and fourth pairs of work piece holding members in this order). , All eight work holding members hold the work.

When the work is held by each work holding member in this manner, the work is displaced to a position facing the receiving jig. At this time, the inter-row spacing adjusting means adjusts the spacing between the support members so as to match the inter-row spacing of the work storage section of the receiving jig. In this state, the first and third pairs of work holding members are lowered to transfer the four works to the receiving jig. After the first and third pairs of work holding members are lifted, the alignment direction position adjusting means is actuated so that the second and fourth pairs of work holding members face the work storage portions of the receiving side jigs, respectively. It is possible to move the work to a position where the work is to be carried out, and in this state, the four work holding members are simultaneously lowered to transfer the work to the receiving side jig.

In short, when transferring eight workpieces,
The work jig is moved up and down four times on the delivery jig side, the work jig is moved up and down twice on the receiving side jig, and the delivery side jig and the receiving side jig are operated once. Eight workpieces can be transferred by reciprocating movement between
Transfer can be carried out extremely quickly and efficiently.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. First, FIGS. 1 and 2 show the overall structure of the work transfer device. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a robot, and 10 denotes a transfer unit. The robot 1 has an X-axis arm 2 and a Y-axis arm 3, and the Y-axis arm 3 has a Z-axis.
A Z-axis arm 4 for adjusting the position in the axial direction is attached,
The transfer unit 10 is mounted on the Z-axis arm 4.

This work transfer device is for taking out the work 5 from the delivery station T and transferring it to the receiving station R. The work 5 is I
This device 5 is a C device, and in order to test and measure the electrical characteristics of the work 5, a tray 6 as a delivery side jig in which a large number of works 5 are stored is installed in the delivery station T. The work 5 is taken out from the tray 6 and transferred to a measuring board 7 as a receiving side jig installed in the receiving station R, the measuring board 7 is connected to a test head of an IC tester, and the measuring board 7 is connected. It is assumed that all the workpieces 5 mounted on the device are simultaneously energized. However, the structure of the work transferred by the work transfer device and each jig on the delivery side and the receiving side is not limited to this.

The tray 6 and the measuring substrate 7 are shown in FIG.
The tray 6 is composed of a substantially flat plate-like member, and a large number of work storage portions 6a are formed vertically and horizontally on the upper surface of the tray 6 at predetermined intervals. When the vertical direction (indicated by an arrow in the figure) of the work storage portion 6a is a row, the spacing between the rows is a and the spacing in the row arranging direction is b. On the other hand, the measurement substrate 7
A required number of sockets 7a are arranged vertically and horizontally, and a work 5 is mounted on these sockets 7a. Similar to the tray 6, when the sockets 7a are arranged in rows in the vertical direction, the spacing between the rows is A and the spacing in the row arranging direction is B. Here, the tray 6 is
Since the work 5 is stored as much as possible, both the row-to-row spacing a and the arrangement-direction spacing b are short. On the other hand, the measurement board 7 has the socket 7a.
Since each work 5 mounted on the test head is electrically connected to the test head, it depends on the arrangement interval of the contact parts in the test head. It is wider than that.

The transfer unit 10 is for taking out eight works 5 from the tray 6 and transferring them onto the measurement substrate 7, and as a work holding means for holding the works 5, a vacuum unit is used. Eight suction heads 11 are provided.
The vacuum suction heads 11 are arranged in two rows, and the four vacuum suction heads 11 in each row are respectively the first and second vacuum suction heads.
Are mounted on the support plates 12 and 13. And, each of these support plates 12 and 13 is provided with an elevating cylinder 14 for individually moving the vacuum suction head 11 up and down. The first support plate 12 is fixedly provided on the Z-axis arm 4, and the second support plate 13 is the Z-axis arm 4.
It is configured such that it can be displaced along a guide rail 15 attached to the shaft arm 4 in a direction in which it approaches and separates from the first support plate 12. Then, the first and second support plates 1
An interval adjusting cylinder 16 as an inter-row interval adjusting means is provided between the Nos. 2 and 13, and stopper pins whose lengths can be adjusted are provided at end positions of the first support plate 12 and the guide rail 15. When the second support plate 13 is moved along the guide rail 15 in the direction of approaching the first support plate 12, the stopper pin 17 is provided. When it is moved in a direction away from the first support plate 12, it comes to a position where it comes into contact with the stopper pin 18.

The eight vacuum suction heads 11 provided on the transfer unit 10 are divided into two rows by mounting four vacuum suction heads 11 on each of the first and second support plates 12 and 13. The distance in the arrangement direction of each row is half the distance B in the arrangement direction of the sockets 7a of the measurement substrate 7. In addition, the spacing between the rows can be changed by the spacing adjustment cylinder 16, but the second support plate 13 can be replaced by the first support plate 12.
When they are brought into contact with the stopper pins 17 in close proximity to each other, the inter-row spacing of the vacuum suction heads 11 provided on each becomes the same as the inter-row spacing of the work storage portion 6a of the tray 6, and the second support is provided. When the plate 13 is separated from the first support plate 12, it abuts on the stopper pin 18 and the measurement substrate 7
This is in a state of matching the inter-row spacing of the socket 7a.

The present embodiment is constructed in this way, and its operation will be described below. Here, in the following, for convenience of description, each vacuum suction head 11 is provided on the first support plate 12, and the Z-axis arm 4 is used.
From the side closer to, the first is 11F1, the second is 1
1F2, the third is 11F3, the fourth is 11F4, and the one provided on the second support member 13,
In order from the side closer to the Z-axis arm 4, the first is 11S1,
The second code is 11S2, the third code is 11S3, and the fourth code is 11S4.

First, the X-axis arm 2 of the robot 1 is operated to arrange the transfer unit 10 at the upper position of the tray 6 in the transfer station T. In this state, the gap adjusting cylinder 16 causes the first and second support plates 12, 1
It is assumed that the intervals between the three are close to each other, and the interval between the rows of the vacuum suction heads provided in each is a. Then, the Y-axis arm 3 is appropriately used.
And the first vacuum suction heads 11F1 and 11S1 of the vacuum suction heads provided in two rows by the first and second support plates 12 and 13 are positioned above the work storage portion 6a of the tray 6. Adjust the position so that In this state, the first vacuum suction head 1 of each row
Only 1F1 and 11S1 are lowered by the lifting cylinder 14. As a result, the two works are first adsorbed and held. Therefore, the vacuum suction head 1 in the lowered state
Return 1F1 and 11S1 to their original positions. Then, the Y-axis arm 3 is operated to move the second vacuum suction head 11F.
2, 11S2 are placed above the position of the next work storage portion 6a in the same row of the work storage portion 6a that was previously taken out, and the work 5 is sucked by the second vacuum suction heads 11F2, 11S2. Further, the Y-axis arm 3 is operated to operate the third vacuum suction heads 11F3 and 11S3.
The work piece is taken out by the third vacuum suction head, and after that, the Y-axis arm 3 is further operated to
The work at the next location is taken out by the second vacuum suction heads 11F4 and 11S4. As a result, the eight works 5 are taken out by the transfer unit 10.
The work 5 is taken out from the tray 6 in the order indicated by the circled numbers in FIG.

Here, the vacuum suction heads 11F1 and 11S
1, 11F2 and 11S2, 11F3 and 11S3 and 11
F4 and 11S4 are designed to work simultaneously,
Therefore, although all the vacuum suction heads are individually raised and lowered, it is also possible to share an elevating cylinder for raising and lowering each pair of vacuum suction heads. Further, the work 5 is taken out in order from the first order, but the work 5 is not limited to this order, and the point is that the work 5 is lifted up and down four times.
It suffices if the individual works 5 can be taken out from the tray 6. Thus, the distance between the vacuum suction heads in the direction of arrangement is independent of the distance b between the work storage portions 6a of the tray 6 in the direction of arrangement, but by operating the Y-axis arm 3, each pair of vacuum suction heads is individually moved. It can be positioned so as to face the work storage part. Therefore, the Y-axis arm 3 functions as the alignment direction position adjusting means.

After taking out the eight works 5 as described above, the X-axis arm 2 in the robot 1 is operated to move the transfer unit 10 to the position of the receiving station R. Along with this, the gap adjusting cylinder 16 is operated to set the gap between the first and second support plates 12 and 13 to
The sockets 7a of the measurement board 7 are widened so as to have an interval between rows. In this state, first, the first and third vacuum suction heads 11F1, 11S1, 11F3, 11S3 can be lowered to mount the work 5 on the four sockets 7a. Further, when the mounting of the four works 5 is completed, the Y-axis arm 3 is operated to operate the second and fourth vacuum suction heads 11F2, 11S2, 11F4, 11
By lowering S4, all eight works 5 can be mounted in the socket 7a. The work 5 is mounted on the measurement substrate 7 in the order indicated by the circled numbers in FIG.

Here, the spacing in the arranging direction of the vacuum suction heads in each row is the spacing B in the arranging direction of the sockets 7a of the measuring jig 7.
Therefore, the intervals in the arranging direction of the vacuum suction heads at the first and third positions and the second and fourth positions coincide with the arranging direction interval B of the socket 7a. Therefore, the four works 5 can be simultaneously mounted on the socket 7a. It is also possible to arrange the vacuum suction heads so that the spacing in the direction of arrangement is the spacing B in the direction of arrangement of the sockets 7a. However, the lengths of the support plates 12 and 13 become long, and the movement stroke of the Y-axis arm 3 also becomes long.

By repeating the above operation in sequence,
The works 5 can be sequentially transferred from the tray 6 to the measurement substrate 7 by 8 pieces each. Thus, the vacuum suction head 11 is moved up and down four times at the transfer station T, the vacuum suction head 11 is moved up and down twice at the receiving station R, and the transfer station T and the receiving station R of the transfer unit 10 are moved. 8 times by one reciprocating motion between
The individual works 5 can be transferred, and the works 5 can be transferred extremely quickly and efficiently.

Then, by controlling the operation of the Y-axis arm 3 and screwing the stopper pins 17 and 18 in and out, the second
By adjusting the stop position of the support plate 13, the transfer-side jig can be transferred from the transfer-side jig with an arbitrary row-to-row spacing and row-to-row spacing. Further, since the transfer unit 10 is configured to be attached to the Z-axis arm 4 of the robot 1, the height position can be adjusted by the Z-axis arm 4 when handling works of different thickness. . Therefore, when handling only works of the same thickness, the transfer unit 10 may be configured to be directly attached to the Y-axis arm 3.

If four vacuum suction heads are provided in each of the two rows as described above, a large work, for example, a work 5'having a size larger than the distance between the vacuum suction heads in the arrangement direction can be suctioned. Will also be possible. In this case, as shown in FIG. 6, the work pieces 5 ′ may be sucked by either the odd-numbered vacuum suction heads or the even-numbered vacuum suction heads of each row, and the positions in the arrangement direction. The adjustment can be performed by operating the Y-axis arm 3 and the inter-row spacing can be appropriately adjusted by screwing in / out the stopper pins 17 and 18.

It should be noted that the number of vacuum suction heads may be two, and an even number of vacuum suction heads may be provided in each row. For example, six or eight vacuum suction heads may be provided in each row. When 6 vacuum suction heads are provided, they can be arranged at an interval of ⅓ of the socket arrangement direction of the measurement substrate, and when 8 vacuum suction heads are provided, they can be used for measurement. 1/2 or 1/4 of the board socket arrangement direction interval
The interval may be the same, and of course, it may be the same as the interval in the arrangement direction of the sockets. Further, although the spacing in the arrangement direction of the vacuum suction heads is made to depend on the measurement substrate side, it may be made to depend on the tray side, and the same applies when transferring from the measurement substrate side to the tray side. It can be performed by operation. Furthermore, the work holding means is not limited to the vacuum suction head, and chuck means or the like can be used. Furthermore, if the transfer-side jig and the transfer-side jig are moved, the transfer unit may be mounted on the Y-axis arm, and the X-axis arm is not necessarily provided.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, by arranging a plurality of pairs of work holding members, it is possible to
A row of work holding member rows is formed, and this work holding member row is provided so as to be vertically movable for each work holding member by means of inter-row spacing adjusting means capable of adjusting the row spacing.
Since this row-to-row spacing adjusting means is attached to the row-direction position adjusting means that moves in the row direction, with a simple configuration, between the delivery-side jig and the receiving-side jig whose arrangement spacings are different from each other, A large number of workpieces can be delivered smoothly, quickly and efficiently.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration explanatory view of a work transfer device showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a tray and a measurement substrate.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the order of taking out works from a tray.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a mounting order of works on a measurement substrate.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a state where a large work is transferred by the work transfer device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Robot 2 X-axis arm 3 Y-axis arm 5,5 'Work 6 Tray 6a Work storage part 7 Measurement board 7a Socket 10 Transfer unit 11 Vacuum suction unit 12 First support plate 13 Second support plate 14 Lifting cylinder 16 Spacing adjustment cylinder 17,18 Stopper pin T Delivery station R Delivery station a, A Space between rows b, B Spacing in line direction

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A method of transferring a work from a delivery-side jig in which a large number of works are arrayed vertically and horizontally to a reception-side jig having an arrangement interval different from the arrangement interval of the works of the delivery-side jig. By arranging a plurality of sets of work holding members consisting of, two work holding member rows are formed, and the work holding member rows are individually provided to the inter-row spacing adjusting means capable of adjusting the inter-row spacing. Alternatively, the work transfer device is characterized in that each pair of work holding members is supported so as to be able to move up and down, and the inter-row spacing adjusting means is attached to the alignment direction position adjusting means that moves in the row direction. 2. The distance between the pair of work holding members is set to be half the distance between the transfer-side jig and the work mounting portion of the transfer-side jig, and the inter-row spacing adjusting means is provided for each row. An interval corresponding to the arrangement row interval of the workpieces of the delivery-side jig, which is composed of two supporting members that support the workpiece holding member so as to be able to move up and down, and a driving unit that brings the supporting members into proximity with each other. 2. The structure which is displaceable between the receiving jig and the work arrangement row interval.
The work transfer device described.