JP2001267794A - Substrate carrier device and method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To shorten substrate carrying time. SOLUTION: When a substrate S with various kinds of shapes is carried into a part-mounting position, or is carried out of the part-mounting position, a mounting operation standby position is provided other than a mounting operation position for mounting parts in the part-mounting position, and clamping devices 21a and 21b for bringing the substrate S into contact or separating it from a carrier level are provided at the mounting operation position and mounting operation standby position.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a board transfer apparatus and a board transfer method for transferring a board into and out of a component mounting position, and to a technique for shortening the board transfer time.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional substrate transfer apparatus and a conventional substrate transfer method will be described below. In this description, a transfer mechanism mounted on a multifunctional chip mounter for mounting various electronic components on a substrate will be introduced.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a conventional board transfer apparatus. Reference numeral 101 denotes a carry-in conveyor for carrying various boards 103 to a component mounting position 102 by a component mounting apparatus. Component mounting position 1
02 is an unloading conveyor for unloading.

Reference numeral 105 denotes a positioning stopper for positioning the substrate 103 carried into the mounting position.
The substrate 103 conveyed by the belt to the stopper 105
Are positioned by contacting the leading end portions of them.

[0005]

In the above-described conventional substrate transfer apparatus and substrate transfer method, regardless of the size of the substrate 103 to be handled, a predetermined transfer stroke (for example, L1 mm) is reached up to a position where it comes into contact with the stopper 105. )
Transported the substrate 103.

Therefore, even when a substrate having a relatively small substrate size (hereinafter, referred to as a small substrate) used in a mobile phone or the like is handled, the above-described transport stroke is the same, and the transport distance of the substrate becomes longer. As a result, the transport efficiency is reduced.

[0007] Accordingly, there has been a demand for shortening the transfer time when transferring the small substrate and improving the productivity.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned problems, a substrate transport apparatus and a substrate transport method according to the present invention transport substrates having different shapes on a conveyor to a component mounting position. It is carried out from the component mounting position, and the component mounting position is provided with a mounting work standby position in addition to the mounting work position where the component mounting is actually performed,
By providing a vertical movement mechanism that allows the board during the mounting operation to be able to approach and separate from the transport level by the conveyor, the loading of the board to the mounting operation standby position is performed during the mounting operation at the mounting operation position. It is characterized by being made possible.

[0009]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.
An embodiment in which the substrate transfer apparatus and the substrate transfer method of the present invention are applied to a substrate transfer mechanism of a multifunctional chip mounter will be described.

This mounter is configured so that various electronic components can be mounted on various types of substrates. FIG. 1 is a plan view of the mounter. As shown in FIG.
Are a board 2, a substrate supply section 3 extending in the left-right direction at the center of the board 2, a front portion (lower side in the figure) of the board 2, and a board 2.
At the rear (upper side in the figure) are provided component supply units.

In the component supply section, for example, a tape cassette feeder 4a for supplying components stored in a tape and a tray feeder 4b for supplying components stored in a tray are arbitrarily arranged. ing. In this embodiment shown in FIG. 1, two groups of tape cassette feeders 4a each composed of a plurality of tape cassette feeders 4a are arranged at a front portion (lower side in the figure) of the machine base 2, and a rear portion of the machine base 2 is provided. (Upper side of the drawing) shows a state in which one group of tape cassette feeders 4a and one tray feeder 4b are arranged.

However, this is only an example, and the substrate S
Needless to say, it can be arbitrarily changed according to the types of various components to be mounted on the device, and more specifically, three types of components including a stick feeder for supplying components in a stick state. What is necessary is just to select and arrange a supply feeder arbitrarily.

The machine base 2 is provided with a group of adjacent component supply units, for example, a unit 2 arranged at the front (lower side in the figure) of the machine base 2.
An X beam 5a that can move X within a range of a body tape cassette feeder 4a and a range of a tape cassette feeder 4a group and a tray feeder 4b arranged at the rear (upper side in the drawing) of the machine base 2; A pair of Y beams 5b are provided which allow the X beam 5a to move from the front of the machine base 2 to the rear of the machine base 2 with the substrate supply unit 3 interposed therebetween.

A first head unit 6a and a second head unit 6b for sucking and mounting electronic components are mounted on the X beam 5a. Each head unit 6
A mounting head 8 having a suction nozzle 7 (see FIG. 2) mounted thereon and a board recognition camera (not shown) mounted thereon are mounted on a and 6b. Further, a pair of component recognition cameras 10a and 10b
And two nozzle stockers 11a and 11b, respectively.

In this mounter 1, small electronic components such as surface mount components are mainly supplied from a group of tape cassette feeders 4a and stick feeders, and large electronic components such as multi-lead components are mainly supplied from a tray feeder 4b. You.

The substrate S is supplied from the left by the substrate supply unit 3, is set immovably at the center of the machine base 2, and is discharged to the right.

Then, using the first head unit 6a, for example, electronic components supplied from two tape cassette feeders 4a arranged at the front part (lower side in the figure) of the machine base 2 are mounted on the substrate S. First, the first head unit 6 is operated by the operation of the X beam 5a.
a to the desired tape cassette feeder 4a, and the suction nozzle 7 sucks a desired electronic component. Subsequently, while the first head unit 6a is being moved in the direction of the substrate by the operation of the Y beam 5b, the electronic component sucked by the suction nozzle 7 is recognizable by a component recognition camera (on the front side of the machine base 2). The first head unit 6a is moved to a predetermined position on the substrate S by operating the Y beam 5b, and the substrate is recognized by a substrate recognition camera mounted on the first head unit 6a. After the position is recognized, the electronic component is mounted on the substrate S.

The substrate supply section 3 has a clamp device 21 disposed at the center, a substrate loading mechanism 22 connected to the left side of the clamp device 21 in the figure, and a substrate unloading mechanism 23 connected to the right side of the clamp device 21 in the figure. I have. The substrate S is carried into the clamp device 21 from outside the device by the substrate carry-in mechanism 22, is set immovably so as to receive the mounting of the electronic component by the clamp device 21, and from the lower side so as not to bend when the component is mounted. Supported.

Then, the substrate S on which the electronic components have been mounted is completed.
Is carried out of the apparatus from the clamp device 21 via the substrate carrying-out mechanism 23.

Electronic components are mounted (mounted) on the substrate S clamped by the clamp device 21. At this time, backup pins 13 (see FIG. See) to support this. The board S depends on its size and thickness, whether or not there is a pre-installed component on the back side of the board, etc.
Since the arrangement is different, a large number of backup pins 13 are inserted and removed when the board is changed, and the board is rearranged so as to have an appropriate arrangement for a new board S.

Hereinafter, the clamp device 21 will be described with reference to FIGS. In addition, the following clamp device 2
In the description of 1, the description will proceed with the transport direction (longitudinal direction) of the substrate as the front and rear (the entire mounter 1 is left and right), and the width direction of the substrate as the left and right (the entire mounter 1 is front and rear).

The clamp device 21 includes a fixed-side substrate introduction table 31a and a movable-side substrate introduction table 31b that support the left and right ends of the substrate S, respectively, and a movable-side substrate introduction table 31b that matches the width of the substrate S to be introduced. An introduction table moving device (not shown) for moving back and forth in the left-right direction, a substrate S received from the substrate carrying-in mechanism 22, and a belt conveyance to a predetermined clamping position (component mounting position) of both the substrate introduction tables 31a and 31b;
A conveyor-type substrate transfer device 33 (conveyor rollers 33a, 33b to be described later) that belt-conveys the substrate S on which electronic components have been mounted from the clamp position to the substrate unloading mechanism 23.
And a belt 34). Reference numeral 39 denotes an air cylinder for positioning the substrate S carried into the substrate supply unit 3 in the width direction by the operation of the air cylinder 39.

Further, in the clamp device 21, the vertical movement lever 37 is moved up and down via an urging body (for example, a spring 36) by the operation of the air cylinder 39 fixed to the substrate introduction tables 31a and 31b. Thus, the substrate S can be moved closer to and away from the transport level by the conveyor. That is, FIG.
As shown in (a), when the vertical movement lever 37 is moved down, the substrate S is at the transport level position by the conveyor, and is transported downstream as the conveyor is driven.
When the vertical movement lever 37 is moved upward as shown in FIG. 3B, the substrate S is transported above the transport level position, and therefore, the substrate S is transported by the conveyor. Be released from.

Further, the clamp device 21 includes a plurality of backup pins 13 which face the substrate S set at the clamp position from below and support the same, a backup table 14a on which the plurality of backup pins 13 are erected, and a backup table 14a. Backup pin 13 via table 14a
And a backup pin elevating device 15 (see FIGS. 2 and 5) for elevating and lowering.

The fixed-side substrate introduction table 31a and the movable-side substrate introduction table 31b are disposed so as to face each other, and the backup table 14a and the backup pin elevating device 15 are disposed between the substrate introduction tables 31a and 31b. It is arranged below. The backup table 14a is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view, and a tweezers plate 14b for erecting the backup pins 13 is placed on the upper side thereof. The backup pins 13 are mounted on the tweezers plate 14b. A number of set holes 14c for erecting are formed. Many set holes 14c
Are distributed over the entire area of the tweezers plate 14b, but the fixed substrate introduction table 31a side has a fine pitch and the movable substrate introduction table 3a in order to correspond to substrates S having different widths.
1b is arranged at a coarse pitch. In this case, the backup pins 13 are set (attached) according to the size of the substrate S, and if there is a pre-installed component on the back surface of the substrate S, escape the component and insert it appropriately into the set hole 14c. .

The backup table 14a
The motor 16 is driven to rotate, and the rotation is
When the cam 18 is rotated, the link body 19 in contact with the cam 18 swings along the outer diameter of the cam 18, and the swing causes the tip of the link body 19 to move. It is moved up and down by being pushed up by the unit 20.

On the other hand, the fixed-side substrate introduction table 31a has
The part inside the board and the substrate transfer device 33 attached thereto
A guide groove 38 having a U-shaped cross section for guiding the side end of the substrate S is formed by the conveyor roller 33a. Similarly, the movable-side substrate introduction table 31b has a “U” -shaped cross-section guide for guiding the side end of the substrate S by the inner portion thereof and the conveyor roller 33a of the substrate transfer device 33 attached thereto. A groove 38 is formed. Further, an air cylinder 39 faces the guide groove 38 on the movable-side substrate introduction table 31b, so that the introduced substrate S can be pressed and fixed between the movable-side substrate introduction table 31a and the fixed-side substrate introduction table 31a.

Hereinafter, a substrate transport mechanism which is a feature of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

Here, a feature of the present invention is that a plurality of substrates S (in this embodiment,
The clamping position includes a mounting operation position where components are actually mounted, and a mounting operation standby position. The mounting operation position and the mounting operation standby position can be mounted on the board S), and each stop position of the substrate (substrate loading). Conventionally, the transfer stroke (L2 mm) from the mounting operation standby position to the mounting operation position when the substrate is transferred to the mechanism 22, the mounting operation standby position, the mounting operation position, and the substrate unloading mechanism 23). By shortening the transfer stroke (L1 mm> L2 mm) from the conveyor 101 to the component mounting position 102, the board transfer time can be reduced.

Further, the clamping device 21 is arranged in accordance with the mounting operation position and the mounting operation standby position, respectively (hereinafter, the clamping device on the mounting operation position side is referred to as 21a).
And the clamp device at the mounting operation standby position side is referred to as 21b. ), The substrate on the mounting operation position side and the substrate on the mounting operation standby position side can be separately moved from and separated from the transport level by the substrate transfer device 33 by the vertical movement of each of the clamp devices 21a and 21b. During the mounting operation on the substrate S at the mounting operation position, the substrate S can be transported to the mounting operation standby position, so that the substrate transfer efficiency can be improved.

Numerals 45a and 45b denote stoppers.
5a is for positioning the substrate S by abutting on the leading end of the substrate S carried into the mounting operation position, and 45b regulates the carrying of the substrate S from the substrate carrying mechanism 22 to the mounting operation standby position. It is for doing. In the case where the substrate flows in the opposite direction (from right to left) with respect to the above-described substrate flow from the left to right on the drawing paper, the stopper 45b contacts the leading end of the substrate S that has been carried into the mounting work position. The substrate S is positioned by being in contact with the substrate S, and the substrate 45a is positioned at the substrate unloading mechanism 23 (functionally equivalent to the substrate loading mechanism 22).
The transfer of the substrate S from the position to the mounting operation standby position is restricted.

46a, 46b, 46c, 46d, 46
Reference numerals e, 46f, 46g, and 46h denote photosensors for detecting the passing status of the conveyer at various parts of the substrate S.

Hereinafter, the substrate transfer operation of the present invention will be described.

First, various setup operations are performed by the operator. That is, for example, various adjustments such as adjustment of the width of the conveyor for the substrate loading mechanism 22, the substrate supply unit 3, the substrate unloading mechanism 23, etc., and rearrangement of the backup pins 13 of the substrate supply unit 3 according to the substrate size of the substrate S to be handled. I do. In this embodiment, the backup pins 13 are erected only in a region on the backup table 14a corresponding to a mounting operation position where the actual mounting operation is performed.

Thereafter, when the production operation is started, as shown in FIG. 6, when the substrate S is carried into the mounting operation position through the mounting operation standby position via the substrate carrying mechanism 22, the substrate S is A stopper 45a is provided by both conveyor rollers 33a.
Is conveyed to a clamp position (component mounting position) where it comes into contact with the.

Subsequently, the air cylinder 39 operates,
The substrate S is fixed immovably in the width direction.

Next, the clamp device 21a and the backup pin elevating device 15 operate to raise the substrate to the mounting position. Then, at this position, the mounting operation of the electronic component by the mounting head 8 is performed.

Subsequently, during the mounting operation at the mounting position, when the substrate transfer preparation of the upstream substrate carry-in mechanism 22 is completed (in response to the photosensor 46b confirming the existence of the substrate S), the substrate supply unit 3 By driving the conveyor, the substrate S of the substrate loading mechanism 22 is transferred onto the conveyor of the substrate supply unit 3. At this time, after the passage of the substrate S is confirmed by the photo sensor 46c, the control circuit (not shown) that has received the signal confirms the driving motor (not shown) of the conveyor.
After counting the number of drive pulses and counting a predetermined number of pulses, the motor is stopped (see FIG. 7). Then, the clamp device 21b is operated, and the substrate S carried into the mounting operation standby position is raised to the standby position. When the substrate is carried into the mounting standby position, the substrate S at the mounting position has been transported above the transport level by the upward movement of the clamp device 21a, and thus has been released from the transport operation. The operation of mounting components on the board S at the mounting position is continued irrespective of this transport operation.

Next, the operation shifts to the unloading operation of the substrate S after the mounting operation at the mounting position is completed. In this case, as shown in FIG. 8, the clamp device 21a operates to lower the substrate S at the mounting operation position to the transport level by the conveyor. Similarly, the clamp device 21b is operated to lower the substrate S at the mounting operation standby position to the transport level by the conveyor as shown in FIG. Of course, the clamp devices 21a and 21b may be operated at the same time.

Then, the substrate supply unit 3 and the substrate unloading mechanism 23
The substrate S at the mounting operation position is conveyed to the substrate unloading mechanism 23 side by the conveyor drive, and the substrate S at the mounting operation standby position is conveyed to the mounting operation position. At this time, if a substrate S that can be transported to the mounting operation standby position is ready on the substrate loading mechanism 22 side, the substrate S on the substrate loading mechanism 22 is also moved to the mounting operation standby position at the same time as the transport operation. Will be transported to

In the present embodiment, each photosensor, for example, the photosensor 46b (whether or not there is a transportable substrate S on the substrate carrying-in mechanism 22), 46d (the transportable substrate S is on the mounting operation standby position). Or not), 46f (whether or not there is a transportable substrate S on the mounting work position) and 46g (whether or not the substrate unloading mechanism 23 is in a state where the substrate S can be received). Thus, the control device controls the operation of the drive motor that drives each conveyor.

Thereafter, the board transfer operation and the component mounting operation are repeated in the same manner.

In the description of the above embodiment, the mounting operation on the substrate S (for example, a small substrate used for a mobile phone or the like) mounted on the mounting operation position has been described. When the substrate is handled, the mounting operation is performed at the mounting operation position and the mounting operation standby position. In this case, the clamp device 21 is naturally used.
The up and down movements of a and 21b need to be linked. Furthermore, when a small board is handled, for example, the board S is mounted at the mounting work standby position together with the mounting work at the mounting work position.
May be performed.

As described above, according to the present invention, a mounting work standby position is provided at a component mounting position in addition to a mounting work position at which component mounting is actually performed, thereby shortening the transport stroke of each board. As a result, the substrate transfer time can be reduced. In particular, for example, when a small substrate used in a mobile phone or the like is handled, the transport time can be reduced, and the productivity is improved.

Further, according to the present invention, the mounting operation position and the mounting operation standby position are provided with a vertical movement mechanism (clamp device 21a, 21b) for allowing the substrate to come and go from the transport level. At the time of transport, there is no restriction due to the presence of the substrate S at each mounting operation position and at the mounting operation standby position. For example, it is possible to take in the substrate to the mounting operation standby position during the mounting operation, and the substrate transport efficiency is improved. Can be improved.

In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to the mounter 1.
Is applied, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to various apparatuses having a substrate transport mechanism.

[0047]

As described above, according to the present invention, a mounting work standby position is provided at a component mounting position in addition to a mounting work position at which component mounting is actually performed, thereby shortening the transport stroke of each board. As a result, the substrate transfer time can be reduced.

Further, the mounting operation position and the mounting operation standby position are provided with a vertical movement mechanism for allowing the substrate to come and go from the transport level, so that the mounting operation position and the mounting operation standby position can be adjusted. There is no restriction due to the presence of the substrate. Therefore, for example, the board can be taken into the mounting operation standby position during the mounting operation, and the substrate transfer efficiency can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a mounter to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a mounter to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a clamp device of the substrate transfer device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a substrate transfer device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing a substrate transfer device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a front view illustrating a substrate transfer method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a front view illustrating a substrate transfer method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a front view illustrating a substrate transfer method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a front view illustrating a substrate transfer method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a front view illustrating a substrate transfer method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a conventional substrate transfer device.

[Description of Signs] 1 Mounter 3 Substrate Supply Unit 13 Backup Pin 21 Clamping Device 22 Substrate Loading Mechanism 23 Substrate Unloading Mechanism 33 Substrate Transferring Device S Substrate

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Shigeru Kurihara 2-5-5 Keihanhondori, Moriguchi-shi, Osaka F-term in Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. (reference) 5E313 AA02 AA11 AA15 AA23 DD02 DD03 DD05 DD07 DD12 DD13 DD14 DD50 EE02 EE22 EE35 EE50 FF12 FF13 FF31 FG01

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A board transfer device for loading and unloading boards of various shapes placed on a conveyor to a component mounting position and unloading the components from the component mounting position. A mounting operation standby position provided in addition to the mounting operation position to be performed; and a substrate transport device comprising an up-down movement mechanism that allows the substrate during the mounting operation to be able to approach and separate from a transport level by the conveyor. . 2. The substrate transport apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vertical movement mechanism is provided at each of the mounting operation position and the mounting operation standby position. 3. A board transfer method for loading and unloading boards of various shapes to and from a component mounting position, wherein the board is mounted at the component mounting position in addition to a mounting work position at which component mounting is actually performed. A method of transporting a substrate, wherein a work standby position is provided, and the loading of the substrate to the mounting work standby position is performed during the mounting operation at the mounting operation position. 4. A board transfer method in which boards of various shapes are loaded on a conveyor and loaded into and out of a component mounting position, wherein the component mounting is actually performed at the component mounting position. A mounting operation standby position is provided in addition to the mounting operation position, and the substrate at the mounting operation position is transported above the transport level by the conveyor by upward movement of the vertical movement mechanism, and the board is moved to the mounting operation standby position. A substrate transport method, wherein the substrate is loaded during the mounting operation at the mounting operation position.