JPH0734516B2 - Electronic component chip alignment supply device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention includes a plurality of electronic component chips (passive components, active components, and other electrical components as well as a chip component as a finished product, and Including parts as products.)
The present invention relates to an electronic component chip aligning and supplying device for supplying them while aligning them in a predetermined direction, and in particular, smooth movement of a plurality of electronic component chips in such an electronic component chip aligning and supplying device. It is related to the improvement for.

[Related Technology] The applicant of the present application filed electronic component chips in applications such as Japanese Patent Application No. 61-257926 (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-110182), Japanese Patent Application No. 62-96925, etc. For example, an electronic component chip storage cassette has been proposed which is advantageously used when supplying the chip mounting stations one by one.

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. It is provided with a case formed to communicate with each other and an openable lid that closes the discharge port. Such an electronic component chip storage cassette is not only applied as it is as a packaging form when the electronic component chip manufacturer ships the electronic component chip, but also on the consumer side of the electronic component chip, it is used as it is. Mounted on a chip mounter to mount multiple electronic component chips
It can be applied to feed the chip mounting station one by one.

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

The hopper 2 is normally tilted, and the tilt angle 5 thereof is selected to be, for example, about 45 degrees. The hopper 2 has a room 6 for accommodating a plurality of electronic component chips 4,
This room 6 has a large room 7 and a small room 8. First, the electronic component chips 4 supplied into the hopper 2 are first stored in the large room 7
It flows in, then enters the small chamber 8 and finally reaches the alignment passage 9. The alignment passage 9 has a function of guiding the plurality of electronic component chips 4 so as to move the plurality of electronic component chips 4 in an aligned state in a predetermined direction, as shown in the drawing. Has
To achieve this function, the cross-sectional dimensions of the alignment passage 9 are
It is selected in relation to the cross-sectional size of each electronic component chip 4.

The small room 8 is formed in the vicinity of the entrance 10 of the alignment passage 9, and the large room 7 communicates with the small room 8. FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing the structure from the small room 8 to the vicinity of the entrance 10 of the alignment passage 9. As can be seen from FIGS. 4 and 3, the bottom wall surface 11 of the small chamber 8 extends flush with the bottom wall surface 12 defining the inlet 10 of the alignment passage 9. In addition,
In the hopper 2 shown in FIG. 3, the bottom wall surface 11 extends to the large chamber 7 so as to form the bottom surface of the groove.

Further, in the vicinity of the inlet 10 of the alignment passage 9, a blow passage 13 for introducing compressed air from the outside, for example, intermittently is provided. The compressed air introduced through this blow passage 13 is
The electronic component chips 4 in the vicinity of the inlet 10 of the alignment passage 9 are blown off and a stirring action is exerted on the electronic component chips 4.
That is, when considering the flow of the electronic component chips 4 in the hopper 2, for example, from the small chamber 8 to the entrance 10 of the alignment passage 9.
It can be seen that the cross-sectional area of the path through which the electronic component chip 4 passes sharply decreases. Therefore, the electronic component chip 4 tends to block the inlet 10 of the alignment passage 9 and may hinder the smooth flow of the electronic component chip 4, but in order to prevent this, for example, from the blowing passage 13, intermittently. Therefore, compressed air is introduced.

In this way, the plurality of electronic component chips 4 provided from the cassette 1 reach the alignment passage 9 through the large chamber 7 and the small chamber 8 and enter the entrance 10 of the alignment passage 9,
It is aligned in a predetermined direction, guided by the alignment passage 9 and discharged from the outlet 14 of the alignment passage 9. exit
Since the electronic component chips 4 ejected from 14 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. 4 is shown with the wall surface in front of it removed. That is, in FIG. 4, reference numeral “15”
A wall surface (not shown) is actually located along the plane shown by, and the small room 8, the alignment passage 9, and the large room 7 are closed by this wall surface. Therefore, the space in the small room 8 has the widthwise dimension indicated by reference numeral “16”. Further, the space in the small room 8 has a height direction dimension 17 when the bottom wall surface 11 is used as a reference, and a height direction dimension 18 when the other part is used as a reference.
have.

In FIG. 4, for example, a state where three electronic component chips 4 are arranged side by side, and for example, nine electronic component chips 4 are arranged.
Are shown in a vertical arrangement. As for the electronic component chips 4 arranged in the lateral direction, by chance, the total of the widthwise dimensions of the chips 4 coincides with the widthwise dimension 16 of the space in the small chamber 8,
The wall surfaces that define the widthwise dimension 16 are in a state in which they are in close contact with each other and the movement is hindered. On the other hand,
The electronic component chips 4 lined up in the longitudinal direction happened to have a total thickness direction dimension that coincides with the height direction dimension 17 in the small chamber 8. Therefore, the wall surfaces defining the height direction dimension 17 are mutually separated. It is in a state of struggling against each other, and movement is blocked.

Once such a so-called "bridge phenomenon" occurs,
Even if compressed air is introduced from the blow passage 13,
Electronic component chip 4 causing this "bridge phenomenon"
It is not easy to break the chain of.

The above-mentioned "bridge phenomenon" is not limited to the mode shown in FIG.
With respect to the relationship between 18 and 18 and the size of the electronic component chip 4, various aspects can occur. 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 16 or the heightwise dimension 17 or 18, a combination occurs. It's easy to do.

However, the above-mentioned "bridge phenomenon" does not occur so frequently, and usually occurs only in the ppm order. However, once such "bridge phenomenon" occurs, electrons to the alignment passage 9 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 is intended to improve the electronic component chip aligning and supplying apparatus typified by the above-mentioned hopper so that the occurrence of the "bridge phenomenon" can be eliminated at all or almost completely. .

[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, The present invention is directed to an electronic component chip alignment supply device, which defines a space having a cross section larger than that of the alignment passage on the inlet side of the alignment passage, and includes a chamber for housing a plurality of electronic component chips. In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the following features are provided.

That is, the room includes at least a small room formed near the entrance of the alignment passage and a large room communicating with the small room. A particularly noteworthy feature of the present invention is that at least a part of the wall surface that defines the small chamber is provided by a wall surface forming member that is formed of a part different from other parts of the electronic component chip alignment supply device. The wall forming member has a rounded surface when viewed in a cross section parallel to the direction crossing the alignment passage.

[Operation] The rounded surface formed in the small chamber of the electronic component chip alignment and supply device according to the present invention does not come into surface contact with the electronic component chip on which the "bridge phenomenon" is about to occur, and is always simply Line contact or point contact.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, since the rounded surface is in line contact or point contact with the electronic component chip on which the "bridge phenomenon" is about to occur, the "bridge phenomenon" is first
It becomes difficult for itself to occur, and even if what appears to be a "bridge phenomenon" occurs, it can be easily destroyed by, for example, compressed air from the blow passage or other external force.

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

Further, in order to obtain the effect of the present invention, it is only necessary to form the rounded surface on at least a part of the wall surface defining the small chamber. Therefore, the present invention can be realized without causing a significant increase in cost.
Particularly, since a part of the wall surface that defines the small chamber is provided by the wall surface forming member that is configured by a component different from the other parts of the electronic component chip aligning and supplying device, the wall surface forming member has a rounded surface. The characteristic structure of the present invention can be realized only by forming.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a view corresponding to FIG. 3 described above and shows a hopper 2a as an embodiment of the present invention. Incidentally, in FIG. 1, the elements corresponding to the elements shown in FIG.
Like reference numerals are assigned, and the above description is applied to those elements. Also, FIG. 2 shows line II-I in FIG.
It is sectional drawing which follows I.

The hopper 2a is characterized by the wall surface that defines the small room 8a. In this embodiment, a part of the wall surface defining the small room 8a is provided by a wall surface forming member 19 prepared separately from other parts of the hopper 2a. The wall surface forming member 19 is fixed to the other part of the hopper 2a by screwing, an adhesive or the like. The shape of the wall surface defining the small chamber 8a as seen in a cross section parallel to the direction crossing the alignment passage 9 is well shown in FIG. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the wall surface forming member 19 gives the main part of the wall surface other than the bottom wall surface 11 of the small room 8a and forms the rounded surface 20. The wall surface forming member 19 shown in FIG. 2 shows a cross section, but hatching is omitted there.

Thus, according to this embodiment, due to the presence of the rounded surface 20, the electronic component chips existing in the small room 8a are
The probability of surface contact with the wall surface that defines the is reduced, so that the "bridge phenomenon" of the electronic component chip can be almost eliminated.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the illustrated embodiment, the alignment passage 9 extends in a tilted state so that the inlet 10 thereof is located above, and the electronic component chip 4 in the alignment passage 9 has a natural gravity. Configured to move towards the outlet 14, the alignment passage 9 is oriented so as to extend horizontally, for example, so that the electronic component chip 4 can be pulled out of the outlet 14 by means of vacuum suction or the like. May be.

In the illustrated embodiment, the case where the electronic component chip aligning and supplying apparatus according to the present invention is applied to the hopper 2a has been described.
You may use the thing provided with the alignment path | pass yourself, and employ | adopt the structure which becomes the characteristic of this invention in connection with the small room communicating with this alignment path.

Further, 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, a cylindrical shape, or the like.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing a hopper 2a as an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 and is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a hopper 2 for explaining a problem to be solved by the present invention. FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of the hopper 2 shown in FIG. In the figure, 2a is a hopper (electronic component chip alignment supply device), 4 is an electronic component chip, 7 is a large room, 8a is a small room,
9 is an alignment passage, 10 is an inlet, 19 is a wall forming member, and 20 is a rounded surface.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An alignment passage that guides a plurality of electronic component chips so as to move in an aligned state directed in a predetermined direction, and communicates with the alignment passage, and at the inlet side of the alignment passage, An electronic component chip aligning and supplying device that defines a space having a cross section larger than that of the aligning passage, and a chamber for accommodating a plurality of electronic component chips, wherein the chamber is formed near an inlet of the aligning passage. At least a small room and a large room communicating with the small room, and at least a part of a wall surface defining the small room is formed of a component different from other parts of the electronic component chip alignment supply device. And a rounded surface is formed on the wall surface forming member when viewed in a cross section parallel to a direction crossing the alignment passage. Goods chip aligning and supplying apparatus.