JPS641194B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention aligns the direction of directional microcomponents such as magnetic heads and other porcelain chips in a constant manner in the process of inspecting them, thereby making inspection and other tasks in the next process more efficient. This invention relates to an apparatus for sorting the direction of minute parts in a preparation process for removing defective products such as cracks and chips.

Conventionally, the method of directional sorting of directional microcomponents has been to use a photo sensor to detect holes in the microcomponents, but if the holes are small, misjudgments often occur, and movement may occur. It was difficult to determine what was inside, and an extremely inefficient sorting method was used.

The present invention projects an enlarged image of a micro component moving on a line feeder onto an image sensor, recognizes its shape and determines whether the direction is normal or reverse, and at the same time removes defective products such as cracks and chips. The present invention aims to provide a parts sorting device.

The structure of the present invention is as shown in FIG.
An example of directional sorting of a microcomponent 5 having a shape having the directionality will be described.

In FIG. 1, from the ball feeder 6, the third
As shown in the figure, the microcomponents 5 are fed to the low-speed line feeder 7 in either the forward direction or the reverse direction. In most cases, the microcomponents 5 moving on the low-speed line feeder 7 are fed in a series of several microcomponents 5 next to each other. Therefore, it becomes impossible for the image sensor to recognize each minute component. Therefore, by connecting a high-speed line feeder 8 with a high transport speed to a low-speed line feeder 7 and creating a speed difference, a constant interval is created between the micro-components 5, and it is possible to recognize one unit of the micro-components 5. ing. The high-speed line feeder 8 is provided with a slit 9 for projecting light, and light from a light source 10 passes through the slit 9 and hits the microcomponent 5, and its magnified image is projected onto the one-dimensional image sensor 11 by the magnifying lens 16. The pattern of brightness and darkness at the monitoring position of the one-dimensional image sensor 11 shown in FIG. 4 changes as the microcomponent 5 passes. Therefore, the change in this signal is processed by the pass/fail judgment circuit 12, and if it is defective, the solenoid valve 13 is opened and air is blown out from the air outlet 14 to return the minute part 5 and drop it into the line feeder 15. Only the microcomponents 5 in the correct direction pass through. The micro parts 5 on the return line feeder 15 are returned onto the ball feeder 6 and subjected to direction selection again.

Next, a method for recognizing the shape of the microcomponent 5 as shown in FIG. 2 will be explained.

The one-dimensional image sensor 11 outputs a signal having a constant scanning period as shown in FIG. The H level of this signal during the readout period represents brightness, and the L level represents darkness. FIG. 5 shows waveforms during the readout period at each scanning position. Recognition of the shape is possible by detecting the width of the first bright level and the first dark level within this waveform.

First, if the width of the first bright level is
In the figure, if X≧b, it can be determined that the microcomponent 5 is not at the monitoring position. If X≦a, the height of the microcomponent 5 is good, and if a<X<b, the microcomponent 5 is at the monitoring position but the height is poor. In other words, it can be determined that the microcomponent 5 is in the opposite direction or has some kind of chipping. Based on the presence or absence of the microcomponent 5 at the monitoring position, L corresponding to the length of the microcomponent 5 can be found by counting the number of scans.

Next, if the width of the first dark level is Y, then the seventh
In the figure, by counting the number of scans where c≦Y≦d, N corresponding to the width of the deformed rectangular hole 3 can be found, and the presence or absence of this can be used to determine the top and bottom. However, as shown in FIG. 8, it is not possible to determine whether it is a microcomponent 5 that has been broken in half. Furthermore, since the conveying speed of the line feeder 8 is not constant, the values of L and N also vary. Therefore, the ratio L/N between the two, that is, the ratio of the width of the deformed rectangular hole 3 to the overall length, is also used to determine the quality of the microcomponents 5 in the vertical direction in response to variations in speed.

The above is a shape recognition method for the microcomponents 5 as shown in FIG. 2, but by changing the recognition method, microcomponents 5 having other shapes can also be selected.

By using the micro parts orientation sorting device of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the labor required for preparation for the next process, to greatly improve the sorting ability and to improve reliability, and to improve work efficiency in the next process. Moreover, since it uses a one-dimensional image sensor with a magnifying lens, it is possible to detect minute parts, and the shape of the parts can change, and by connecting low-speed and high-speed line feeders, it is possible to detect minute parts one by one. Since it can be separated and recognized, it has the advantage of higher accuracy and is of great industrial value.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of an embodiment of the micro component orientation sorting device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the shape of micro components sorted by the device, and FIG. Fig. 4 is a configuration diagram of the vicinity of the one-dimensional image sensor monitoring position, and Fig. 5 A and B are the outputs of the one-dimensional image sensor scanning device when the direction is normal and when the direction is reversed. Waveform diagram, Figure 6 is the output waveform diagram from the one-dimensional image sensor, Figure 7 A, B
5A and 5B are explanatory views showing the quality ranges of bright and dark levels, and FIG. 8 is a front view of the microcomponent shown in FIG. 2 broken in half. 1, 2... Notch, 3... Deformed square hole, 4...
Notch, 5... Micro parts, 6... Ball feeder, 7... Low speed line feeder, 8... High speed line feeder, 9... Slit for light projection, 10... Light source, 11... One-dimensional image sensor, 12... Good/failure judgment circuit, 13...Solenoid valve, 14...Air outlet, 15...Line feeder, 16...Magnifying lens.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Connect a high-speed line feeder to a low-speed line feeder that continuously feeds minute parts by a ball feeder, separate the parts one by one, and provide a light projection slit in this high-speed line feeder. The bright and dark pattern generated by the movement of micro parts is enlarged and projected onto a one-dimensional image sensor with a magnifying lens, and the output signal of this one-dimensional image sensor is applied to a shape and directionality determination circuit, which determines the shape and directionality. When determining defects, the micro parts are dropped from the high-speed line feeder to the return line feeder, and the return line feeder returns the micro parts to the ball feeder, and if the parts are in the opposite direction, the direction is sorted again as many times as necessary. Directional sorting device for micro parts.