JPH069007A - Automatic supplying/discharging device of printed board unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To classify good/bad ones of printed board units automatically and reduce the wear of a connection part and enable the automatic running for long hours by automatically connecting the probe pin of a connection jig to the connector of an unit. CONSTITUTION:A rack 5 for storing un-tested printed board units of an unmanned guided vehicle is carried in by a good article supplying/discharging means 9 and the probe pin 27 of a connection jig 25 is automatically connected to the connector 28 of the unit 4 placed on the connection part 26 and the test of the unit 4 is carried out by an automatic test device 3. When the unit 4 is a good article, it is returned back in the original rack 5 and carried to the unmanned guided vehicle by the good part supplying/discharging means 9. When it is a no good article, it is carried to a no good article supplying/ discharging means 14 after being stored in a vacant rack 5'. As the connection is not carried out between mutual connectors, but carried out between the probe pin with less wear and the connector, the unmanned guided running can be carried out for long hours.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printed board unit automatic feeding / discharging device. A communication device or the like is configured by mounting a plurality of types of printed board units. The printed board unit is configured by mounting various types of electronic components on the printed board, and Tests must be performed before mounting on equipment.

In this test, a plurality of racks accommodating a plurality of printed board units are placed on an automatic guided vehicle (hereinafter referred to as a self-propelled vehicle) to be transported, and the racks are automatically fed from the self-propelled vehicle to the printed board unit. The printed board unit of the rack thus supplied is connected to the automatic test equipment by an automatic feeding / discharging device.

Even if it is called an automatic test, if the connector on the automatic tester side for connecting the printed board unit is consumed, a person has to deal with it, so that it cannot withstand a long unmanned operation. Is the current situation.

Therefore, there is a demand for a device that enables unmanned operation for a long time.

[0005]

2. Description of the Related Art As described above, when an automatic test of a printed board unit is performed by the printed board unit automatic feeding / discharging device, it is necessary to sort the printed board unit according to the result of good product / defective product judged by the test. is there.

This distribution is currently performed by either a method of marking on the printed board unit or a method of sorting by a worker according to the test result output from the automatic test apparatus.

[0007]

By the way, in the above-mentioned marking method, since the marking place of the printed board unit differs depending on the type of the printed board unit, the person has to position the marking means in the marking mechanism. Therefore, there is a problem that it hinders automation for a long time.

Further, since the operator must confirm the marking and classify the units after marking, there is a problem that a classification error occurs. This classification error also occurs in this case because the operator confirms the test result even in the method in which the operator sorts the test result according to the test result output from the automatic test apparatus.

The automatic connection between the printed board unit and the automatic test equipment is made by connecting the connector of the printed board unit and the connector on the automatic test equipment side by the operation control of the automatic feeding / discharging device. There is. However, since the number of connectors on the automatic test apparatus side is one, there is a problem that it wears out as the number of connections increases and proper connection cannot be performed.

When the connector on the automatic test equipment side is consumed and proper connection cannot be made, the test cannot be performed at that point. That is, it becomes impossible to perform unmanned operation for a long time. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is capable of automatically sorting good / defective products of a printed board unit after an automatic test, and an automatic test apparatus to which the printed board unit is connected. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printed board unit automatic feeding / discharging device that can perform unmanned operation for a long time by substantially eliminating the consumption of the connecting portion on the side.

[0011]

A printed board unit automatic feeding / discharging device conveys a rack containing a printed board unit, in which electronic components are mounted on a printed board, by an unmanned conveyance vehicle, and the inside of the conveyed rack. This is to automatically connect the printed board unit of (1) to the automatic test equipment.

The printed board unit automatic feeding / discharging device of the present invention accommodates the first carrying conveyor for carrying in the rack mounted on the above-mentioned automatic guided vehicle and the non-defective printed board unit after the test by the above-mentioned automatic testing apparatus. A non-defective product feeding / discharging means including a second transport conveyor for unloading the stored rack to an unmanned transport vehicle, and a third transport conveyor for loading an empty rack containing a defective print board unit after the test. A defective product feeding / discharging means comprising two stages of a fourth transport conveyor for unloading a rack containing a defective product printed board unit; and a first transport that vertically moves in the vicinity of the first and second transport conveyors. A non-defective product elevating means for receiving a rack from the conveyor and transporting the rack to the second transport conveyor, and vertically moving in the vicinity of the third and fourth transport conveyors, and an empty rack from the third transport conveyor. Defective product elevating means for receiving and conveying the rack containing the defective product printed board unit to the fourth conveyor, and printed board unit in the rack provided on the good product feeding / discharging means and placed on the good product elevating means. Means for pushing out to the automatic tester side, a first returning means for pushing back the non-defective printed board unit after the test into the rack mounted on the non-defective article lifting means, and the defective printed board unit after the test in the defective article lifting means Probe of a connecting jig having a second return means for pushing into an empty rack placed on the board and a connector of the printed board unit pushed out from within the rack by the pushing means, and a probe pin cable-connected to the automatic testing device. It is arranged between the connecting means for connecting the pins, the non-defective product raising / lowering means and the defective product raising / lowering means, and the connecting means. It moves horizontally to the side, and is configured by including a sliding means serving as a conveyance guide of the printed board unit.

Further, in this printed board unit automatic feeding / discharging device, the rack in which the untested printed board unit of the automatic guided vehicle is accommodated is carried into the first conveyor of the non-defective product feeding / discharging means by the control means. The loaded rack is conveyed to the non-defective item lifting means and placed thereon, and the printed board unit in the placed rack is pushed out to the connecting means through the slide means by the pushing means and fixed, and the fixed printed board is fixed. The printed board unit is connected to the automatic tester by connecting the probe pin of the connecting jig to the connector of the unit and a test is conducted.If the result of this test is that the printed board unit is non-defective, the 1 Returning means returns to the rack placed on the non-defective item lifting means, while
As a result of the test, if the printed board unit is defective, the defective printed board unit is placed on the slide means, and then the slide means is moved to the defective article elevating means side, and the second
The defective printed circuit board unit is stored in the empty rack mounted on the defective product elevating means by the returning means, and when all the printed circuit board units in the rack mounted on the good product elevating means are tested, the rack is regarded as a good product. When the empty rack placed on the defective product elevating means is filled with the defective product printed board unit while returning to the automatic guided vehicle via the second conveyor of the supplying / discharging device, It is preferable to control the transfer to the two-transfer conveyor.

[0014]

According to the present invention described above, the untested printed board unit in the rack that has been transported by the automatic guided vehicle is automatically connected to the automatic tester, and the good / defective printed board unit is automatically tested after the test. Can be sorted out.

Further, the connection between the printed board unit and the automatic test device is not made by the connectors as in the prior art, but the probe pin of the connection jig connected to the automatic test device and having a small consumption and the connector of the unit. Since it is performed, the connector on the automatic tester side is consumed so much that it cannot be properly connected as in the conventional case, the test cannot be performed at that time, and the long-term unmanned operation cannot be performed.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is a schematic side view showing the configuration of a printed board unit automatic feeding / discharging device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the printed board unit automatic feeding / discharging device shown in FIG.

In these drawings, 1 is a self-propelled vehicle, 2 is a printed board unit automatic feeding / discharging device (hereinafter referred to as an automatic feeding / discharging device), and 3 is an automatic testing device. However, the self-propelled vehicle 1 is not shown in FIG.

The self-propelled vehicle 1 has a predetermined printed circuit board unit automatic feeding / discharging device 2 according to a command from a central management control unit (not shown).
In addition, the printed board unit 4 is conveyed unattended. The printed board unit 4 has a predetermined number of units (for example, 2
It is stored in the rack 5 in units of 5 sheets. And rack 5
Are placed on upper and lower shelves 6 and 7 provided in the self-propelled vehicle 1.

The rack 5 containing the untested unit 4 is placed on the upper shelf 6, and the rack 5 containing the non-defective unit 4a after the test is placed on the lower shelf 7. . In the printed board unit automatic feeding / discharging device 2, as shown in FIG.
Further, reference numeral 8 shown in FIG. 2 is a defective product station, and 9 is a non-defective product station.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, each of the stations 8 and 9 has a two-stage structure, and a transport conveyor 1 for placing and transporting a rack on the upper mount 10 and the lower mount 11.
It has 2 and 13. However, the upper and lower pedestals of the defective product station 8 and the conveyer are designated by the same reference numerals as those of the non-defective product station 9, and ′ is attached on the upper right of the reference numeral.

An empty rack 5'is placed on the upper conveyor 12 'of the defective station 8, and a rack containing defective units after testing is placed on the lower conveyor (not shown). To be done.

Upper conveyor 1 of non-defective station 9
A rack 5 accommodating an untested unit 4 placed on an upper shelf 6 of the self-propelled vehicle 1 is placed on 2. On the lower transfer conveyor 13 of the non-defective station 9, a rack 5 in which the non-defective unit 4a after the test for transferring to the lower shelf 7 of the self-propelled vehicle 1 is stored is placed.

Reference numeral 14 is a defective product raising / lowering unit, and 15 is a non-defective product raising / lowering unit. Each elevating part 14 and 15 can move up and down. The defective product raising / lowering unit 14 serves as a relay unit for carrying the racks 5 ′ and 5 ″ to the upper transfer conveyor 12 ′ and the lower transfer conveyor 8 of the defective product station 8.

The non-defective product raising / lowering unit 15 serves as a relay unit for receiving the rack 5 from the upper transfer conveyor 12 of the non-defective product station 9 and transferring the rack 5 to the lower transfer conveyor 13.

Reference numeral 16 is a slide portion. The slide portion 16 slides a flat portion on the pedestal 11 between the defective product station 8 and the non-defective product station 9 in a direction perpendicular to the rack transport direction.

A return pusher 19 for expanding and contracting the piston 18 in the rack transport direction is fixed to the lower portion of the slide portion 16 on the non-defective product station 9 side, and is attached to the lower portion of the slide portion 16 on the defective product station 8 side. The return pusher 21 is fixed so that the piston 20 expands and contracts in the rack transport direction.

On the lower surface of the upper mount 10 of the non-defective station 9, a push-out pusher 23 is fixed, which allows the piston 22 to expand and contract in the rack transport direction. Each piston 18, 2
0 and 22 are for pushing the unit 4.

Reference numeral 25 is a connecting jig, which is connected to the automatic testing apparatus 3 by a cable 29, for connecting the printed board unit 4 mounted and fixed to the connecting portion 26 on the pedestal 11 to the automatic testing apparatus 3. belongs to. The connection part 26 is for mounting the unit 4 on the elongated conveyance guides 26a, 26a arranged in parallel.

Details of the connecting jig 25 are shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the connection jig 25 has a plurality of probe pins 27 for connecting the automatic test apparatus 3 to the connector 28 of the printed board unit 4.

Further, the connecting jig 25 can be freely moved up and down and forward and backward. Unit 4 at connection 26
1, the probe pin is attached to the connector 28 of the unit 4 when the unit 4 is placed and fixed on the connecting portion 26 as shown in FIG. 26 to the position where the connector 26 can be fitted and the connector 28
The probe pin 26 is fitted into the connector 28 by moving to the side. By this operation, the unit 4 is connected to the automatic test apparatus 3 and brought into a testable state.

On the other hand, after the test is completed, the connecting jig 25 moves in the direction opposite to the connector 28 and further moves downward.
FIG. 4 shows another connecting jig 30 used when the connecting portion of the connector 28 of the unit 4 is attached to the lower side. The connecting jig 30 shown in FIG. 4 also has a plurality of probe pins 31. Before the unit 4 is placed and fixed on the connecting portion 26, the connecting jig 25 is lowered below the connecting portion 26, and when the unit 4 is placed and fixed on the connecting portion 26,
Ascending upward, the probe pin 31 is fitted to the connector 28 of the unit 4.

By the way, the probe pin 2 of the connecting jig 25
The following coping method is taken in order to avoid the defective judgment due to the defective contact of No. 7. Confirm that the connecting jig 25 is fixed at a predetermined position with a limit switch or the like.

The resistance value between the probe pins 27 is measured,
Make sure it is in the normal range. In the method (1) or (2), if the connecting jig 25 is not fixed at a predetermined position or if the resistance value is not within the normal range, the connecting operation to the connector is retried several times.

, And are arbitrarily combined. As shown in FIG. 5 (a), the connecting portion 26 is provided with a fixing plate 32 for fixing the unit 4, and the unit 4 is pushed in the direction perpendicular to the carrying direction to set it at a predetermined center position. Is provided with a centering pusher 33. Further, a plurality of reflective optical sensors 34 that detect the position of the unit 4 are provided below the guides 26a.

That is, when the unit 4 is placed and fixed on the connecting portion 26, first, the transported unit 4 contacts the fixing plate 32. At this time, the center position of the unit 4 is detected by the optical sensor 34, and if it is deviated, the centering pusher 33 pushes the unit 4 to a predetermined position. By this operation, the unit 4 is arranged and fixed at the testable position.

The operation control of each of the above-mentioned parts is performed by the program controller 40 as shown in FIG. The test operation of the printed board unit by the automatic feeding / discharging device 2 will be described below.

In FIG. 1, the self-propelled vehicle 1 is an automatic feeding / discharging device 2.
It is supposed to be attached next to. First, the rack 5 accommodating the untested unit 4 placed on the upper shelf 6 of the self-propelled vehicle 1 moves from the self-propelled vehicle 1 to the upper transfer conveyor 12 of the non-defective station 9.
It is carried to a predetermined number.

At this time, the non-defective item raising / lowering unit 15 is at the upper position (this position is called top dead center) where the rack 5 placed on the upper transfer conveyor 12 can be received, and the slide unit 16 is on the non-defective item station 10 side. Suppose Furthermore,
It is assumed that the connecting jig 25 is located below the upper surface of the connecting portion 26.

The rack 5 carried on the upper transfer conveyor 12 is further carried to the elevating part 15 by the conveyor 12. Then, the elevating part 15 is lowered so that the lowest unit 4 of the plurality of units 4 horizontally accommodated in the rack 5 on the elevating part 15 comes to the piston 22 position of the push-out pusher 23.

Next, as the piston 22 extends, the lowermost unit 4 in the rack 5 is pushed and conveyed to the connecting portion 26 via the slide portion 16. The carrying operation is stopped when the unit 4 moves along the carrying guide 26a of the connecting portion 26 and comes into contact with the fixed plate 32. After stopping, the piston 22 returns to the original position.

The position of the unit 4 placed on the connecting portion 26 is detected by the optical sensor 34. As a result of this detection, if the unit 4 is not located at the predetermined position, the centering pusher 33 pushes the unit 4 to bring the unit 4 into the predetermined position.

When the unit 4 is placed and fixed in a predetermined position, the connecting jig 25 rises and moves to the automatic test apparatus 3 side, whereby the probe pin 27 of the connecting jig 25 is moved.
Is fitted into the connector 28 of the unit 4.

As a result, the unit 4 is connected to the automatic test apparatus 3 and the test is performed. As a result of this test, the case where the unit 4 is non-defective will be described. However, at the time of the test, a bar code reader (not shown) reads the bar code shown in the unit 4, and the test information is managed for each unit 4.

When the test is completed, the connection jig 25 moves in the direction opposite to the automatic test apparatus 3 so that the probe pin 27 is detached from the connector 28. After that, the connection jig 25
Falls below the upper surface of the connecting portion 26 and stops at the original position.

Thereafter, the unit 4 is conveyed by the guide 26a, advances through the slide portion 16, is pushed by the piston 18 of the return pusher 19 and is returned to the original position in the rack 5 on the elevating portion 15.

Thereafter, the elevating part 15 descends so that the unit 4 one step above the bottom of the rack 5 is located at the piston 22 of the push-out pusher 23. After that, it is connected to the automatic test apparatus 3 and tested as described above.

Thereafter, when all the tests of the untested unit 4 in the rack 5 are completed by the same operation, the lifting unit 1
5 descends to the upper surface (bottom dead center) of the gantry 11. Then, the rack 5 placed on the elevating unit 15 is moved to the lower transfer conveyor 13
And is transported by the lower transport conveyor 13 to the self-propelled vehicle 1
It is placed on the lower shelf 7.

On the other hand, the case where the unit 4 is defective as a result of the test will be described. When the test is completed, the unit 4 is conveyed to the slide portion 16 by the guide 26a of the connection portion 26.

The slide portion 16 on which the defective product unit 4'is placed moves to the defective product station 8 side. At this time, an empty rack 5 ′ is placed on the defective product elevating part 14, and the elevating part 14 is arranged so that the lowest stage of the unit accommodating stage in the empty rack 5 ′ is the upper surface position of the slide part 16. Is located, the defective unit 4'is
6 and the empty rack 5 ′ by the return pusher 21.
It is housed at the bottom of the.

After that, the elevating part 14 descends so that the one upper stage of the defective product unit 4'contained in the lowermost stage of the rack 5'is at the piston 20 position of the push-back pusher 21. Similarly, when the empty rack 5 ′ is filled with the defective product unit 4 ′, the empty rack 5 ′ is carried from the elevating unit 14 to the lower stage conveyor of the defective product station 8.

When the rack is filled up with the lower conveyors, an alarm means (not shown) notifies the operator of the fact.
The worker carries the rack in which the defective unit 4'is clogged from the lower carrying conveyor.

Further, even when the empty rack 5'is no longer present on the upper conveyor 12 'of the defective product station 8, the alarm means informs the operator, and the operator who has received this notification conveys the empty rack 5'to the conveyor 12'. ′ Place on top.

As explained above, according to the printed board unit automatic feeding / discharging device 2 of this embodiment, the good / defective printed board units can be automatically sorted.
Further, the connection between the unit and the automatic test apparatus 3 is not made by the connectors as in the conventional case, but the probe pin 27 of the connection jig 25 which is connected to the automatic test apparatus 3 and consumes little.
Since this is done by the connector of the unit, there is no need to say that the connector on the side of the automatic test apparatus 3 is heavily consumed as in the conventional case.

Therefore, in order to sort the good / defective products of the printed board unit by the conventional marking method, it is necessary for a person to position the marking means in the marking mechanism, which hinders automation for a long time. The problem goes away.

Furthermore, since the operator must confirm the markings and classify the units after marking, the operator can behave according to the problem that a classification error occurs and the test result output from the automatic testing device. In the method of dividing, it is possible to solve the same problem that occurs when the operator confirms the test result and performs the test.

Furthermore, there is a problem that the conventional connector on the automatic test equipment side is worn out as the number of connections increases, and proper connection cannot be performed, the test cannot be performed at that time, and long-term unmanned operation cannot be performed. It can be resolved.

[0057]

As described above, according to the present invention,
There is an effect that it is possible to automatically sort good / defective products of the printed circuit board unit after the automatic test.

Further, there is an effect that it is possible to substantially eliminate the consumption of the connecting portion on the automatic test apparatus side to which the printed board unit is connected, and both effects have an effect that unmanned operation for a long time can be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing the configuration of a printed board unit automatic feeding / discharging device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic top view showing the configuration of the printed board unit automatic feeding / discharging device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view showing a configuration of a connecting jig of the printed board unit automatic feeding / discharging device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view showing the configuration of another connection jig.

5 is a schematic side view and a schematic top view showing the configuration of a connecting portion of the printed board unit automatic feeding / discharging device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG.

6 is an explanatory diagram of control of the printed board unit automatic feeding / discharging device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Automated guided vehicle 3 Automatic test device 4 Printed board unit 5 Rack 5'Empty rack 8 Defective product feeding / discharging means 9 Good product feeding / discharging means 12, 13, 12 ', 13' Transport conveyor 14 Defective product lifting means 15 Good product lifting means 16 Sliding means 19, 21 Returning means 23 Extruding means 25 Connecting jig 26 Connecting means 27 Probe pin 29 Cable

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A rack (5) accommodating a printed board unit (4) having electronic components mounted on a printed board is transported by an automated guided vehicle (1), and the rack (5) In a printed board unit automatic feeding / discharging device for automatically connecting a printed board unit (4) to an automatic testing device (3), a first conveyor for carrying in the rack (5) placed on the unmanned guided vehicle (1). (12) and the second conveyor (1) that carries out the rack (5) containing the non-defective printed circuit board unit after the test by the automatic testing device (3) to the automatic guided vehicle (1).
3) and a non-defective product feeding / discharging means (9) provided in two stages, and a third transfer conveyor (12 ') for transferring an empty rack (5') containing the defective print board unit after the test. , A defective product feeding / discharging means (8) provided with two stages of a fourth transport conveyor (13 ') for carrying out the rack (5') accommodating the defective product printed board unit; 2 Move vertically near the conveyors (12, 13),
A non-defective item lifting means (15) for receiving the rack (5) from the first carry-in conveyor (1) and carrying out the rack (5) to the second carry conveyor (13), and the third and fourth carry conveyors ( 12 ′, 13 ′) moves vertically and the empty rack is removed from the third conveyor (12 ′).
(5 ') and conveys the rack (5') accommodating the defective printed board unit to the fourth conveyor (13 '), and the defective product raising / lowering means (14). 9) and the non-defective item lifting means (1
Printed circuit board unit (4) in rack (5) mounted on (5)
Extruding means (23) for pushing out to the automatic test equipment (3) side, and the non-defective printed board unit after the test, the non-defective item lifting means (15)
The first return means (1) for pushing into the rack (5) placed on
9) and the defective printed circuit board unit after the test,
The second returning means (21) for pushing into the empty rack (5 ') placed on (14) and the printed board unit (4) pushed out from within the rack (5) by the pushing means (23). Automatic test equipment on connector (28)
Connection means for connecting the probe pin (27) of the connection jig (25) that has the probe pin (27) connected to the cable (29) to (3)
(26), the non-defective product lifting means (15) and the defective product lifting means (14), and the connection means (26), and are disposed between the non-defective product lifting means (15) side and the defective product lifting means (14). ) Side, and a slide means (16) serving as a conveyance guide for the printed board unit, the printed board unit automatic feeding / discharging device. 2. A printed board unit comprising: a first connecting jig having a side surface provided with the probe pin (27); and a second connecting jig having an upper surface provided with the probe pin (27). When the side surface of the connector (28) of (4) is the connection surface, the probe pin (27) is connected to the connector (28) by horizontally moving the first connecting jig, and the printed board unit ( When the lower surface of the connector (28) of 4) is a connection surface, the probe pin (27) is connected to the connector (28) by vertically moving the second connecting jig. The printed board unit automatic feeding / discharging device according to claim 1. 3. An untested printed circuit board unit (4) for said automated guided vehicle (1) by control means.
The rack (5) in which is stored is carried into the first transfer conveyor (12) of the non-defective product feeding / discharging means (9), and the rack thus carried in
(5) is conveyed to the non-defective item lifting means (15) and placed, and the printed board unit (4) in the placed rack (5) is pushed by the pushing means (23) into the sliding means (16). It is pushed out to the connecting means (26) through the fixing and fixed, and by connecting the probe pin (27) of the connecting jig (25) to the connector (28) of the fixed printed board unit (4), A test is conducted by connecting the printed board unit (4) to the automatic test device. If the result of this test is that the printed board unit (4) is a non-defective product, the first returning means (19) is passed through the slide means (16). ), Return it to the inside of the rack (5) placed on the non-defective item lifting means (15), and if the result of the test shows that the printed board unit (4) is defective, slide the defective printed board unit. After mounting on the (16), the slide means (16) is moved to the defective product lifting means (14) side, and the second return means (21) is used. The defective printed circuit board unit is accommodated in the empty rack (5 ') mounted on the defective product lifting means (14), and the printed circuit board unit in the rack (5) mounted on the good product lifting means (15). (4) Rack when all tests are complete (5)
Is returned to the automatic guided vehicle (1) via the second conveyor (13) of the non-defective product feeding / discharging means (9), and the defective product lifting means (14)
When the empty rack (5 ') placed on the defective product printed board unit is full, control is performed to transfer to the second transfer conveyor (13') of the defective product feeding / discharging means (8). The printed board unit automatic feeding / discharging device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that.