JPH10135668A - Holder of flexible printed wiring board - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a holder capable of coping flexibly with errors and sizes of a printed wiring board. SOLUTION: This holder comprises a fixing arm 11 provided with a reference pin 12 engaging with one reference hole of a printed wiring board 80, a movable arm 15 pivotable around a vertical shaft (a support axis pin 17) with respect to a face of the printed wiring board and provided with a reference pin 16 engaging with the other reference hole of the printed wiring board, straight moving means 20 for moving the movable arm 15 in a pitch direction of the front and back reference holes, flexible printed wiring board supply means, and control means. The reference pins 12, 16 have a truck part having the substantially same diameter as the reference hole and a smaller top end part, and the control means conform to the reference pin 16 to a position of the other reference hole of the flexible printed wiring board based on size information of the flexible printed wiring board supplied, and thereafter handles the straight moving means 20 so as to give a tension.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a holding device capable of freely holding a flexible printed wiring board having a variable length without causing slack.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 7, a flexible printed wiring board (FPC) 80 is obtained by printing and wiring a circuit 82 on an insulating flexible sheet 811. That is, a flexible roll sheet 81 having a fixed width formed by printing a copper foil on a polyester film or the like is supplied to a masking printing apparatus 91, and the circuits 82 are sequentially masked and printed. At this time, since the width of the flexible roll sheet 81 is constant, a plurality of (four in the figure) identical circuits 82 are often printed simultaneously in the width (x) direction.

[0003] Thereafter, reference holes 831 and 832 are formed at positions before and after the circuit 82 by a drilling machine 92, and a cutting machine 93 is formed.
As a result, it is cut into a certain length including the circuit 82 in the vertical (y) direction. Subsequently, a press cutting machine (not shown) cuts and separates into a unit 801 (FIG. 8) including one circuit 82 as a unit of use. At this time, an insertion hole for an element or a jumper wire to be mounted at the same time as cutting and separating the unit 801 is formed by using a press die.

Thereafter, the printed wiring board unit 801 is fixed, and circuit elements, jumper wires, and the like are inserted into the insertion holes by using a dedicated jig. Note that the circuit elements and jumper wires to be mounted are manually attached to the dedicated jig before mounting, and the elements and the like are inserted into the insertion holes by pressing the dedicated jig against the unit 801.

[0005]

However, the printed wiring board unit 801 has different shapes and sizes in the width x direction and the vertical y direction depending on the application. However, there are problems such as a decrease in the efficiency of the mounting work by hand and the like. In order to efficiently mount circuit elements and the like with an automatic mounting machine, a device that holds a printed wiring board with high positional accuracy regardless of its size is essential. The present invention
The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional problem, and can flexibly cope with a variety of shapes and sizes of printed wiring boards and errors in reference holes. Is intended to provide a holding device capable of reliably holding the holding member.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flexible printed wiring board (FPC) holding device comprising: a fixed arm having a reference pin fitted into a reference hole at one end of the FPC; A movable arm having a reference pin to be fitted into a reference hole at the end, a linear moving means for moving the movable arm in the pitch direction of the front and rear reference holes, and a flexible printed wiring board being moved to both arms to make surface contact And a control means for operating the linear motion means and the supply means.

The movable arm can swing around an axis perpendicular to the plane of the FPC, and the reference pin has a body having substantially the same diameter as the reference hole and a body having a diameter substantially equal to that of the reference hole. And a tip portion having a reduced diameter. The control means operates the linear motion means to adjust the reference pin of the movable arm to the position of the other reference hole of the flexible printed wiring board based on the supplied size information of the flexible printed wiring board. Then, the supply means is operated to fit the reference pins of the fixed arm and the movable arm into the reference holes of both parts, and the linear motion means is finely moved to apply tension to the flexible printed wiring board.

The above-mentioned linear motion means includes a linear motion device that drives a hole screw by a motor and a linear motion device that is driven by a cylinder. In addition, the means for supplying printed wiring boards
There is a manipulator such as a robot hand that moves by holding (clamping) or sucking a printed wiring board. In the apparatus of the present invention, the linear motion means is operated based on the size information of the printed wiring board, and the movable arm is moved so that the position of the reference pin is flexibly adjusted to the position of the reference hole (the size of the printed wiring board) of the printed wiring board. Can be made to correspond.

Since the reference pin of this device has a tip portion smaller in diameter than the body portion, when the printed wiring board is moved up and down in the direction of the reference pin, there is an error in the position of the reference hole. Even if there is a slight displacement between the reference pin and the center position of the reference hole, the reference pin can be reliably inserted into the reference hole. Since the movable arm can swing around an axis perpendicular to the plane of the FPC, the movable arm can swing even if the parallel relationship between the front and rear reference holes of the printed wiring board is broken. By doing so, a parallel relationship suitable for the reference hole is formed between the front and rear reference pins.

Since the positional relationship between the reference pin and the reference hole can be adjusted as described above, if the linear motion means is further finely moved to apply tension to the flexible printed wiring board, the printed wiring board may be twisted or distorted. Therefore, the printed wiring board can be held in a taut state without the occurrence of the problem. As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided a printed wiring board which can flexibly cope with errors in the size of the printed wiring board and errors in the reference holes, and which can securely hold the printed wiring board without causing slack or distortion. A holding device can be provided.

The moving device may be constituted by, for example, a guide rail, a sliding body movable along the guide rail, and an actuator for applying a driving force in the rail direction to the sliding body. it can. Further, it is preferable that a locking means for switching the sliding body between a fixed state with respect to the guide rail and a movable state is provided. By providing such a lock means, the control means can release the lock (fixed state) of the slide body and move the slide body at high speed, and lock the slide body when it reaches a desired position. It is possible to reliably maintain that state.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiment This embodiment is directed to a flexible printed circuit which holds a flexible printed circuit board 80 having a plurality of positioning reference holes 831 and 832 in front and rear as shown in FIG. Plate holding device 1
(FIG. 1). As shown in FIG. 1, the holding device 1 has a reference hole 8 at the rear of the flexible printed wiring board 80.
32 (FIG. 6), a fixed arm 11 having a reference pin 12 to be fitted to the flexible printed wiring board, and a reference pin 16 to be fitted into a reference hole 831 (FIG. 6) in front of the flexible printed wiring board. A movable arm 15 swingable about a pivot pin 17 perpendicular to the arm, a linear moving means 20 for moving the movable arm 15 in the front-rear direction, and a flexible printed wiring board 80 for moving the two arms 11,
Robot hand 5 as a supply unit that makes surface contact with the surface 15
1 (not shown in FIGS. 3 and 1), and a control means 4 for operating the linear motion means 20 and the supply means (robot hand 51).
0 (not shown in FIGS. 3 and 1).

As shown in FIG. 5, the reference pins 12 and 16 are provided with a body 121 having substantially the same diameter as the reference holes 831 and 832.
161 and a tip portion having a smaller diameter than the body portions 121 and 161. As shown in FIG. 3, the control means 40 moves the movable arm 15 to the position of the reference hole 831 at the front part of the flexible printed wiring board 80 based on the size information of the flexible printed wiring board 80 inputted from the input means 41. Linear movement means 2 so that the reference pin 16 of the
Then, the drive motor 26 and the like are operated, and then the robot hand 51 is operated to operate the front and rear reference holes 831, as shown in FIG.
832, reference pin 1 of movable arm 15 and fixed arm 11
6 and 12 are fitted to each other, and the drive motor 26 of the linear motion means 20 is finely moved to apply tension to the flexible printed wiring board 80.

As shown in FIG. 1, the linear moving means 20 includes a guide rail 211 and a sliding body 2 movable along the guide rail 211 and having the movable arm 15 mounted thereon.
2, a lock means 23 for switching between a state in which the sliding body 22 is fixed to the guide rail 211 and a state in which the sliding body 22 is movable, and an actuator 24 for applying a driving force to the sliding body 22 in the direction of the guide rail 211. It has. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the control means 40 operates the release cylinder 29 constituting the lock means 23, the drive motor 26 and the engagement cylinder 27 (FIG. 2) constituting the actuator 25, and operates the sliding body 22. Move

The following is a supplementary explanation for each.
As shown in FIG. 1, the fixed arm 11 holding the printed wiring board 80 is fixed to the substrate 31. The fixed arm 11 includes a reference pin 12 fixed to a substrate 31 and a hinge 1.
12, a pedestal 111 fixed to the substrate 31 and attached with a hinge 112, a holding plate 110 having an insertion hole for the reference pin 12 and attached to the movable piece on the hinge 112, and an arrow R 1 in FIG.
And a driving member (not shown) for driving the holding plate 110 to open and close as shown in FIG. In the figure, reference numeral 311 denotes a reinforcing material for the substrate 31.

On the other hand, the movable arm 15 has a hinge 152,
A pedestal 151 fixed to the hinge 152 and attached to the slide body 22 so as to be able to swing slightly as described below;
A reference pin 16 erected on a pedestal 151 and a plate 1 having an insertion hole for the reference pin 16 and attached to a movable piece of a hinge 152
50, and a driving member (not shown) for driving the holding plate 150 to open and close as shown by an arrow R2 in FIG. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the pedestal 151 can swing around the pivot pin 17 erected on the slide 22, but the pin 171 erected on the slide 22 is attached to the pedestal 151. Because it is engaged with the elongated hole 153, the swing range is
3 is limited to a range in which the pin 171 can move.

As shown in FIG. 2, the sliding body 22 has a bearing unit 221 mounted below and slides along a guide rail 211 (FIG. 1). In addition, sliding body 2
2 has a rotating shaft 231 that constitutes the locking means 23.
Are rotatably erected. The rotating shaft 231 is composed of a cylindrical shaft 232 having an upper circular cross section fitted on the sliding body 22 and an eccentric shaft 233 having a lower eccentric circular cross sectional shape. A lock plate 234 is fixed below the eccentric shaft 233 and abuts or separates from the guide rail 211 depending on the rotational position of the eccentric shaft 233.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a spring 237 is stretched between a pin 236 erected on the end of the link 235 and a pin 223 erected on the slide 22. The spring 237 connects the link 235 in FIG.
(FIG. 2 shows a state in which the link 235 is rotated clockwise by about 45 °). As a result, the lock plate 234 is
11 to prevent the sliding body 22 from moving.
Fix the position of.

The other end 237 of the link 235
The rod 291 of the release cylinder 29 will be described in detail later.
(FIG. 2) presses from the left in the same figure, and rotates the link 235 clockwise in FIG. As a result, the lock plate 2
34 (FIG. 2) does not contact the guide rail 211,
The sliding body 22 can freely move along the guide rail 211.

As shown in FIG. 2, the sliding body 22 is provided with an engagement hole 225 through which an end of a rod 271 of an engagement cylinder 27 described later is inserted. Linear motion means 2
Reference numeral 0 denotes a drive motor 26 fixed to the base 50, a male screw shaft 31 (FIG. 1) rotationally driven by the drive motor 26, and a screw engagement with the male screw shaft 31 as shown in FIGS. And a slide base 32 that slides.
Slides along a pair of LM (linear motion) orbital axes 212 and 213 fixed to the base 50. FIG.
, Reference numeral 311 denotes the drive motor 26 and the male screw shaft 3.
1 is a coupling for connecting the first and second couplings. In FIG. 2, reference numerals 321 and 322 are bearing units.

As shown in FIG. 2, an engagement cylinder 27 is attached to the right side of the slide base 32 in FIG.
The rod 271 is inserted through the engagement hole 225 of the slide 22. Therefore, after the rod 271 is engaged with the engagement hole 225 and the drive motor 26 is rotated, the slide base 32 is linearly moved along the male screw shaft 31, and the slide body 22 is moved to the slide base 32. With guide rail 21
Glide along 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, a pole 320 is erected on the left side of the slide base 32 in FIG. 2, and a release cylinder 29 is mounted on the top of the pole 320. Then, by projecting the rod 291, the other end 237 of the link 235 is pressed from the left in FIG. 4, and the link 235 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 4. As a result, the lock plate 234 (FIG. 2) is separated from the guide rail 211 and does not come into contact with the lock plate 234, and the slide 22 can move along the guide rail 211.

The control means 40 is an electronic control device using a microprocessor, and as shown in FIG.
It has an input means (keyboard) 41 for inputting size information of the printed wiring board 80, a robot hand 51 as a supply means, and a drive motor 26, an engagement cylinder 27 and a release cylinder 29 via drive devices 411 to 413.
And control.

Next, the operation procedure of the holding device 1 of this embodiment will be described. The control means 40 receives the size information (reference holes 831 and 832) of the printed wiring board 80 input from the input means 41.
The sliding body 22 is moved to a predetermined position on the basis of the size of the interval. That is, first, the release cylinder 29 is operated, the rod 291 in FIG. 2 is projected, the other end 237 of the link 235 is pressed, and the sliding body 22 is moved to the guide rail 21.
1 to be movable. At this time, at the same time
, The rod 271 is made to protrude, the rod 271 is engaged with the engagement hole 225 of the slide 22, and the slide 22 is moved integrally with the slide base 32.

Next, the control means 40 controls the drive motor 2
6 is rotated by a predetermined amount so that the distance between the reference pin 16 of the movable arm 15 and the reference pin 12 of the fixed arm 11 matches the distance between the reference holes 831 and 832 of the printed wiring board 80. To move. Next, the robot hand 51 is operated to move the printed wiring board 80 to the arm 1.
1, 15 and the reference holes 831 and 832 are
2 and 16.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 5, the tips of the reference pins 12 and 16 have smaller diameters than the body parts 121 and 161. Therefore, there is a manufacturing error at the positions of the reference holes 831 and 832. Even if there is a slight displacement between the reference pins 11 and 16 and the center positions of the reference holes 831 and 832, the reference pin 1
1 and 16 can be reliably inserted into the reference holes 831 and 832.

Further, since the movable arm 15 can slightly swing around the pivot pin 17 in FIG. 1, even if the parallel relation between the reference holes 831 and 832 on the front and rear of the printed wiring board 80 is broken. When the movable arm 15 swings around the pivot pin 17, a parallel relationship suitable for the reference hole 831 is formed between the front and rear reference pins 16 and 12. Subsequently, the control means 40 further finely moves the drive motor 26 of the linear motion means 20 to make the flexible printed wiring board 8
The tension is applied to 0, and the printed wiring board 80 is in a taut state.

Thereafter, the control means 40 restores the release cylinder 29, causes the lock plate 234 to contact the guide rail 211 by the urging force of the spring 237, and
2 is fixed to the guide rail 211. As described above, according to the holding device 1 of the present embodiment, the printed wiring board 80 can be flexibly coped with the size of the printed wiring board 80 and the error between the reference holes 831 and 832, and the printed wiring board 80 can be tightly tightened. Can be reliably held.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a printed wiring board holding device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a right side view (cross-sectional view) of a main part of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a system connection diagram of the printed wiring board holding device of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a main part around the sliding body of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the fixed arm and the movable arm of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a printed wiring board held by the holding device of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a view schematically showing a manufacturing process of the flexible printed wiring board.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a printed wiring board including a plurality of printed wiring board units.

[Explanation of symbols]

11. . . Fixed arm, 12,16. . . Reference pin, 1
5. . . Movable arm, 17; . . Shaft pin, 20. . .
Linear motion means, 80. . . Flexible printed wiring board,

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A flexible printed wiring board holding device for holding a flexible printed wiring board having a plurality of reference holes for positioning before and after each other while applying tension so as not to loosen, wherein the flexible printed wiring board is provided. A fixed arm with a reference pin to be fitted in one of the reference holes of the board, and a reference pin to be fitted in the other reference hole of the flexible printed circuit board, and an axis perpendicular to the plane of the flexible printed circuit board. A movable arm capable of swinging around, a linear moving means for moving the movable arm in the direction of the pitch of the front and rear reference holes, a supply means for moving a flexible printed wiring board to make surface contact with both arms,
A control means for operating the linear motion means and the supply means, wherein the reference pin has a body part having substantially the same diameter as the reference hole and a tip part having a smaller diameter than the body part; And
The control means operates the linear motion means to adjust the reference pin of the movable arm to the position of the other reference hole of the flexible printed wiring board based on the supplied size information of the flexible printed wiring board, Thereafter, the supply means is operated to fit the reference pins of the fixed arm and the movable arm into both reference holes, and the linear motion means is further finely moved to apply tension to the flexible printed wiring board. Board holding device. 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the linear moving means includes a guide rail, a sliding body movable along the guide rail and mounting the movable arm, and the sliding body moving with respect to the guide rail. Locking means for switching between a fixed state and a movable state, and an actuator for applying a driving force in the guide rail direction to the sliding body, wherein the control means includes the locking means, the actuator, A flexible printed wiring board holding device, wherein the sliding member is moved by operating the slider.