JPH0680927B2 - Electronic component chip aligner - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial application] The present invention aligns a plurality of electronic component chips (including passive components, active components, and other electrical components) in predetermined directions. The present invention relates to an electronic component chip aligning device for setting a state, and particularly to an improvement for smooth movement of a plurality of electronic component chips in such an electronic component chip aligning device.

[Related Art] In the applications such as Japanese Patent Application No. 61-257926, Japanese Patent Application No. 62-96925, etc., which have been previously filed, the applicant of the present invention has disclosed a plurality of devices for supplying electronic component chips. An electronic component chip storage cassette used to supply electronic component chips has been proposed.

The above-described electronic component chip storage cassette basically includes a plurality of electronic component chips and a storage space for storing these electronic component chips, and an outlet for discharging the electronic component chips is provided in the storage space. A case and a lid that can be opened to close the discharge port are formed so as to communicate with each other. Such an electronic component chip storage cassette is not only applied as it is as a packaging form when the electronic component manufacturer ships the electronic component chip, but also on the consumer side of the electronic component chip, the electronic component chip storage cassette can be used as it is. It can be mounted on a mounting machine and applied to supply a plurality of electronic component chips to a chip counting process.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a state where the chip mounting process is performed using the electronic component chip storage cassette 1 (shown by an imaginary line). The cassette 1 is mounted as it is on the hopper 2 of the chip mounting machine. More specifically, with the discharge port of the cassette 1 facing the opening 3 of the hopper 2, the cassette 1 is fixed to the hopper 2 and the lid of the cassette 1 is opened, whereby the inside of the storage space of the cassette 1 is opened. The plurality of electronic component chips 4 stored in the hopper 2 are supplied into the hopper 2 from the outlet.

The hopper 2 is normally tilted, and the tilt angle 5 thereof is selected to be, for example, about 45 degrees. The electronic component chips 4 supplied into the hopper 2 first flow into the large chamber 6, then into the small chamber 7, and finally reach the alignment passage 8. The alignment passage 8 has a function of guiding the plurality of electronic component chips 4 so as to move in an aligned state in a predetermined direction, as shown in the drawing. In order to achieve this function, the cross-sectional dimension of the alignment passage 8 is selected in relation to the cross-sectional dimension of each electronic component chip 4.

The small chamber 7 communicates with the alignment passage 8 and is located on the inlet 9 side of the alignment passage 8 and defines a space 10 having a larger cross section than the alignment passage 8. Also, large room 6
Defines a space 11 communicating with the space 10 of the small room 7, and the cross section of the space 11 is selected to be larger than the cross section of the space 10 of the small room 7.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing the structure from the small chamber 6 to the vicinity of the entrance 9 of the alignment passage 8. As can be seen from FIGS. 5 and 4, one wall surface 12 defining the inlet 9 of the alignment passage 8 extends flush with one wall surface 13 defining the space 10 of the small chamber 7. The wall surface 13 extends to the large chamber 6 in a state of forming the bottom surface of the groove.

In addition, in the vicinity of the inlet 9 of the alignment passage 8, a blow passage 14 is provided for introducing compressed air from the outside, for example, intermittently. The compressed air introduced through this blow passage 14 is
The electronic component chips 4 in the vicinity of the inlet 9 of the alignment passage 8 are blown off, and a stirring action is exerted on the electronic component chips 4. That is, when the flow of the electronic component chips 4 in the hopper 2 is taken into consideration, for example, when the space 10 of the small chamber 7 reaches the inlet 9 of the alignment passage 8, the cross-sectional area of the path through which the electronic component chips 4 pass is sharply increased. You can see that it will decrease. Therefore, the electronic component chip 4 tends to block the inlet 9 of the alignment passage 8 and may hinder the smooth flow of the electronic component chip 4, but in order to prevent this, for example, from the blowing passage 14, an intermittent flow is generated. Therefore, compressed air is introduced.

In this way, when the plurality of electronic component chips 4 provided from the cassette 1 reach the alignment passage 8 through the large chamber 6 and the small chamber 7 and enter the entrance 9 of the alignment passage 8,
They are aligned in a predetermined direction, guided by the alignment passage 8 and discharged from the outlet 15 of the alignment passage 8. exit
Since the electronic component chips 4 discharged from 15 are aligned in a predetermined direction, if the electronic component chips 4 are handled so as not to disturb the aligned state thereafter, the chip mounting process can be efficiently advanced. .

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] FIG. 5 is shown with the wall surface in front of it removed. That is, in FIG. 5, reference numeral "16"
A wall surface (not shown) is actually located along the wall surface shown by, and the small room 7, the alignment passage 8 and the large room 6 are closed by this wall surface. Therefore, the space 10 of the small room 7 has the widthwise dimension indicated by reference numeral "17".

In FIG. 5, three electronic component chips 4 are illustrated in a state of being arranged side by side. By chance, the sum of the widthwise dimensions of these electronic component chips 4 coincides with the widthwise dimension 17 of the space 10. Therefore, the wall surfaces defining the widthwise dimension 17 are in a state of sticking to each other and their movements. It is in a blocked state. Once such a so-called "bridge phenomenon" occurs, even if compressed air is introduced from the blowing passage 14, it is difficult to easily break the chain of the electronic component chips 4 that is causing the bridge phenomenon.

The above-mentioned "bridge phenomenon" is not limited to the mode shown in FIG. 5, but various modes may occur depending on the relationship between the width direction dimension 17 and the dimension of the electronic component chip 4. That is, when a combination of the lengthwise dimension, the widthwise dimension, and the thicknesswise dimension of the plurality of electronic component chips 4 happens to coincide with the widthwise dimension 17, it is likely to occur. Further, such a “bridge phenomenon” does not always occur only in relation to the width-direction dimension 17 of the space 10, but the height-direction dimension 18 or 19
Can also occur in the context of

However, the above-mentioned "bridge phenomenon" does not occur so frequently, and usually occurs only in the order of ppm. However, once such "bridge phenomenon" occurs, electrons to the alignment passage 8 are generated. In order to make the supply of the component chips 4 impossible or difficult, and in order to improve the operating rate and reliability of the chip mounter or the like, it is desired that the probability that the "bridge phenomenon" occurs is substantially zero.

Therefore, the present invention provides a "bridge phenomenon" in the electronic component chip aligning apparatus represented by the above-mentioned hopper.
The present invention is intended to be improved so as to eliminate the occurrence of

[Means for Solving the Problems] According to the present invention, an alignment passage that guides a plurality of electronic component chips so as to move in an aligned state in a predetermined direction, and communicates with the alignment passage, Further, the invention is directed to an electronic component chip aligning device, which defines a space having a cross section larger than that of the aligning passage on the inlet side of the aligning passage, and a room for storing a plurality of electronic component chips. In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the following features are provided.

That is, a movable operation member is arranged in the space, and the operation member reciprocates in the same direction as the direction in which the alignment passage extends at the inlet portion.

[Operation] According to the present invention, the reciprocating movement of the operating member provides a pair of wall surfaces that relatively antiparallel move in the direction toward the entrance of the alignment passage in the chamber communicating with the alignment passage. .

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, the reciprocating movement of the operating member provides the pair of wall surfaces that relatively move in parallel in the chamber communicating with the alignment passage. Even if the "bridge phenomenon" occurs, it can be canceled immediately. In addition, the moving direction of the operating member is
Since the moving member is in the same direction as the extending direction at the entrance of the alignment passage, such movement of the operating member can also serve to guide the electronic component chip to the entrance of the alignment passage.

Therefore, the plurality of electronic component chips can be smoothly moved in the electronic component chip aligning device, and the electronic component chips can be smoothly supplied through the alignment passage. Therefore, when the electronic component chip aligning device according to the present invention is applied to, for example, a chip mounting machine, the chip mounting process can be advanced with high operation rate and high reliability.

Further, in order to obtain the effect of the present invention, it is only necessary to displace the operating member in the space so as to be movable. Therefore, there is no significant increase in cost for implementing the present invention.

[Embodiment] FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B are views for explaining an embodiment of the present invention. Here, FIG. 1 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 4 described above, and corresponding portions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and overlapping description will be omitted. Also, FIGS. 2A and 2B are enlarged sectional views showing the vicinity of the space 10 of the small room 7 in FIG. 1, and different operation states are shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. .

In the space 10 formed in the small room 7, a movable operation member 20 is arranged. This operating member 20 has the same direction as the direction in which the alignment passage 8 extends in the portion of the inlet 9, that is, the second A
Arrows 22 and 23 shown in Figures and 2B, respectively.
It is provided so as to reciprocate in the direction. More specifically, the guide step portion 24 is provided so as to project from the side wall of the small chamber 7, while the operating member 20 is provided with a guide hole 25 for receiving the guide step portion 24 in a state where its reciprocating movement is allowed. It is provided.
The operating member 20 is capable of reciprocating in the directions of arrows 22 and 23 while being slid between the wall surface defining the guide hole 25 and the guide step portion 24.

In this embodiment, the operating member 20 is provided with a stirring wall 21 projecting in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction indicated by arrows 22 and 23. The agitation wall 21 is a wall surface of the small chamber 7 and a first agitation wall 121 extending along the wall surface 30 extending in the moving direction of the operating member 20. A second stirring wall 221 extending along a wall surface 31 extending in a direction intersecting the moving direction of 20 is provided.

Further, in the embodiment, the one-way movement of the reciprocating movement of the operating member 20 is biased by the spring means, and the other-direction movement is also generated against the elasticity of the spring means. More specifically, between the wall surface defining the guide hole 25 and the guide step portion 24, spring means 26, which is, for example, a coil-shaped compression spring, is arranged. Therefore, according to such an arrangement mode of the spring means 26, the one-way movement of the operating member 20 caused by being biased by the spring means 26 causes the operating member 20 to enter the inlet as shown by an arrow 22 in FIG. 2A. It corresponds to the movement in the direction approaching 9.

The reciprocating movement of the operating member 20 in the directions of the arrows 22 and 23 as described above is driven in this embodiment by the pressure provided by the compressed air introduced from the blowing passage 14, for example, intermittently. In order to inject such compressed air to the surface 27 of the operating member 20 facing the inlet 9 side, the injection passage 28
Is provided so as to communicate with the blow passage 14. Therefore, at the time when compressed air is not introduced from the outside through the blowing passage 14, the action member 20 is positioned at the end of the movement in the direction of the arrow 22 by the action of the spring means 26, as shown in FIG. 2A. However, when compressed air is introduced through the blow passage 14, a part of the compressed air passes through the injection passage 28, and due to the pressure given by the compressed air, as shown in FIG. 2B, The operating member 20 moves in the direction of the arrow 23 against the elasticity of the spring means 26. In this way, when compressed air is introduced from the blowing passage 14 intermittently, for example, the operating member 20 vibrates or reciprocates in the directions of arrows 22 and 23 in synchronization with the timing of the introduction.

As described above, when the operation member 20 reciprocates, the operation member 20 provides a wall surface that relatively moves in antiparallel with the wall surface of the small chamber 7, and particularly the stirring wall 21.
Will exert a stirring action on the electronic component chip 4 in the space 10. Assuming that the electronic component chip indicated by “4a” in FIG. 2A is one of the electronic component chips in which the “bridge phenomenon” occurs in the lateral direction, the operating member 20 is
When moving back and forth in the directions of arrows 22 and 23, the first stirring wall
121 moves relatively in parallel between the wall surface of the small room 7 and the wall surface of the small room 7 facing each other, and immediately cancels the "bridge phenomenon" occurring in the electronic component chip 4a. Further, the second stirring wall 221 also exerts a stirring action on the electronic component chips 4a and the like, and prevents the occurrence of the "bridge phenomenon" of the electronic component chips in the vicinity of the inlet 9 of the alignment passage 8.

Further, in FIG. 2A, the electronic component chip indicated by the phantom line and provided with the reference numeral “4b” has a “bridge phenomenon” in the vertical direction.
If it is caused by the arrow 22 of the operating member 20,
By the reciprocating movement in the direction of 23 and 23, the wall surface 32 of the operating member 20 relatively moves in parallel with the wall surface of the small chamber 7 facing it, for example, the wall surface 13, so that the electronic component chip 4b is produced. The "bridge phenomenon" that occurs is immediately cancelable.

In the illustrated embodiment, the second agitation wall 221 extends over a relatively wide range within the small chamber 7, so that the action can be exerted over a relatively wide range within the small chamber 7. .

As described above, in the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2A and 2B, the operating member 20 is moved by utilizing the pressure of the compressed air introduced through the spring means 26 and the blow passage 14. Since a reciprocating operation is adopted, the structure is simple, failure is unlikely to occur, and the operation reliability is high.
However, the drive means for operating the operating member 20 may be added externally, in which case the spring means 26 may not be necessary depending on the type of such drive means.

Further, the compressed air introduced from the blow passage 14 was used as a means for driving the operating member 20 in the above-mentioned embodiment, but needless to say, this compressed air is, as described above, of the alignment passage 8. The original function of blowing off the electronic component chip 4 that tends to block the inlet 9 is retained. It should be noted that compressed air introduced through the blowing passage 14 does not have two functions as in the embodiment, and, for example, compressed air is supplied to the injection passage 25 through another route. May be.

3A, 3B, and 3C show perspective views of modifications of the operating member as seen from below. These operating members are characterized by the shape of the stirring wall, and each of them has a guide surface for guiding the electronic component chips toward the entrance of the alignment passage in accordance with the movement of the operating member.

A guide surface 29a is formed on the stirring wall 21a of the operation member 20a shown in FIG. 3A with a surface having a relatively laterally inclined surface. As shown in FIG. 5 described above, the direction of the inclination of the guide surface 29a is such that the alignment passage 8 is arranged in the width direction of the space 10.
This is given in consideration of the fact that the position of the entrance 9 is biased to one side. Therefore, when the operating member 20a moves, the guide surface 29a causes the electronic component chip 4 to move.
Are biased toward the side where the inlet 9 of the alignment passage 8 is located in the space 10.

The guide surface 29b formed on the stirring wall 21b of the operating member 20b shown in FIG. 3B has a curved surface except that the guide surface 29b has a curved surface.
It is similar to the guide surface 29b shown in the figure. Also, this guide surface 2
The action of 9b is similar to that of the guide surface 29a in FIG. 3A.

The guide surface 29c formed on the stirring wall 21c of the operating member 20c shown in FIG. 3C is constituted by a sloped surface. The inclination of the guide surface 29c is relatively downward, and when the inlet 9 is positioned so as to face the lower end of the space 10 as shown in FIG.
The function of guiding in the direction of getting closer.

Various examples of the shape of the stirring wall of the operating member have been shown
Regarding the shape of the stirring wall, various other modified examples are conceivable, for example, by combining those shown in FIG. 3A and those shown in FIG. 3C.

FIG. 3D also shows a modification of the operating member in a perspective view from below. The operating member 20d shown here is also characterized by the shape of the stirring wall 21b. That is, in comparison with the stirring wall 21 in the operating member 20 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the third stirring wall extending in parallel with the second stirring wall 221 at a predetermined interval. 321 is further provided. According to this embodiment, the presence of the third stirring wall 321 can be expected to further enhance the stirring effect on the electronic component chip.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the illustrated embodiments, other modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention.

For example, in the illustrated embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the alignment passage 8 extends in an inclined state so that its inlet 9 is located upward, and the electronic component chip 4 in the alignment passage 8 is subjected to natural gravity. Although arranged to move towards the outlet with the aid, the alignment channel 8 is oriented, for example horizontally, so that the electronic chip 4 can be pulled out of the outlet 15 by vacuum suction or the like. Good.

Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the case where the electronic component chip aligning apparatus according to the present invention is applied to the hop 2 shown in FIG. 1 or 4 has been described. For example, the electronic component shown in FIG. The chip storage cassette 1 itself may be provided with an alignment passage, and the configuration which is a feature of the present invention may be adopted in relation to the room communicating with the alignment passage.

Further, in the illustrated embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 or FIG.
However, the example in which the large room 6 exists in communication with the small room 7 is illustrated, but the structure may be such that one room directly communicates with the entrance of the alignment passage.

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 disc shape.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a hopper 2 which is an embodiment of an electronic component chip aligning device according to the present invention. 2A and 2B are enlarged cross-sectional views showing the structure in the vicinity of the space 10 in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B show different operating states. FIG. 3A, FIG. 3B, FIG. 3C and FIG. 3D are perspective views seen from below showing modified examples of the operating member. FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the hopper 2 as an example of the electronic component chip aligning device according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of the hopper 2 shown in FIG. 4, and is for explaining a problem to be solved by the present invention. In the figure, 2 is a hopper (electronic component chip aligning device),
4, 4a and 4b are electronic component chips, 7 is a small room (room), 8 is an alignment passage, 9 is an entrance, 10 is a space, 12 is a wall surface that defines the entrance 9, 13 is a wall surface that defines the space 10. , 14 is a blowing passage,
20, 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d are operating members, 21, 21a, 21b, 21c, 21d are stirring walls, 24 is a guide step, 25 is a guide hole, 26 is spring means, 27
Is a surface facing the inlet 9 side, 28 is an injection passage, 29a, 29b, 29c are guide surfaces, 30 and 31 are wall surfaces of the small chamber 7, 32 is a wall surface of the operating member 20, 121 is a first stirring wall, and 221 is 221 The second stirring wall and 321 are the third stirring walls.

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. An alignment passage that guides a plurality of electronic component chips so as to move in alignment with each other in a predetermined direction, and the alignment passage communicates with the alignment passage and is aligned on the inlet side of the alignment passage. In an electronic component chip alignment device, which defines a space having a cross section larger than that of the passage, and a room for accommodating a plurality of electronic component chips, in the space, a movable operation member is arranged, The electronic component chip alignment device according to claim 1, wherein the operating member reciprocates in the same direction as the alignment passage extends in the inlet portion. 2. A wall surface defining an entrance of the alignment passage,
The electronic component chip aligning device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic component chip aligning device extends flush with one wall surface defining the space. 3. The electronic component chip alignment according to claim 1, wherein the operating member is provided with a stirring wall projecting in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the operating member. apparatus. 4. The electronic component according to claim 3, wherein the agitation wall includes a first agitation wall extending along a wall surface that is one wall surface of the room and extends in a moving direction of the operation member. Chip aligner. 5. The third stirring wall according to claim 3, wherein the stirring wall includes a second stirring wall extending along a wall surface that is one wall surface of the room and extends in a direction intersecting a moving direction of the operating member.
The electronic component chip aligning device according to item 4 or item 4. 6. The agitation wall includes a third agitation wall extending parallel to the second agitation wall at a predetermined distance.
The electronic component chip aligning device according to claim 5. 7. The unidirectional movement of the reciprocating movement of the operating member is urged by a spring means, and the other directional movement is also generated against the elasticity of the spring means. 7. The electronic component chip aligning device according to any one of items 1 to 6. 8. The electronic component chip aligning device according to claim 7, wherein a blowing passage for introducing compressed air from the outside is provided near the inlet of the aligning passage. 9. The one-way movement of the operating member caused by being biased by the spring means corresponds to the movement of the operating member in a direction toward the inlet and resists elasticity of the spring means. 9. The electronic component chip aligning device according to claim 8, wherein the other-direction movement caused by the pressure is caused by a pressure given by the compressed air. 10. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein an injection passage for injecting the compressed air is provided to a surface of the operating member facing the inlet side, the injection passage being in communication with the blowing passage. Component chip aligner. 11. The stirring wall is formed with a guide surface for guiding an electronic component chip in a direction closer to the inlet according to the movement of the operating member, according to any one of claims 3 to 6. The electronic component chip aligning device according to any one of claims. 12. The electronic component chip aligning apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the guide surface is formed by a surface having a slope or a curved surface. 13. The alignment passage according to claim 1, wherein the alignment passage extends in an inclined state so that the inlet is located above.
13. The electronic component chip aligning device according to any one of items 1 to 12.