JP6419647B2 - Nozzle cleaning method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates a nozzle for the component suction to the nozzle cleaning how the component mounting apparatus for mounting and conveying the substrate such as a printed circuit board by adsorbing components such as electronic components.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a component mounting apparatus is known in which a component such as an electronic component is transported from a component supply unit onto a substrate such as a printed circuit board by a head unit on which a plurality of heads are mounted. In this type of component mounting apparatus, a nozzle for component suction is provided at the tip of each head, and the component is sucked at the tip of the nozzle by a negative pressure supplied to the nozzle.

  By the way, foreign matters such as solder and dust may adhere to the tip of the nozzle due to negative pressure during the mounting operation. In order to avoid component mounting errors, it is necessary to remove such deposits. For this reason, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, an adhesive tape (cleaning sheet) is disposed in the vicinity of the component supply unit, and the nozzle tip of each head is pressed against the adhesive tape at an appropriate timing. Has been done to remove.

Japanese Patent No. 5477317

  In the method (apparatus) disclosed in Patent Document 1, each nozzle is pressed one by one on the adhesive tape in close proximity to each other. This is because the adhesive tape is used as efficiently as possible while preventing re-adhesion of foreign matter or the like from the adhesive tape to the nozzle.

  However, in this method (apparatus) in which each nozzle is pressed onto the adhesive tape in turn, the head unit is moved and the head (nozzle) is moved up and down for each head, so the total head cleaning time is compared. Become longer. Moreover, since it is required to dispose the adhesive tape at a position where all the heads can be disposed, there is also a drawback that the disposition of the adhesive tape is likely to be restricted.

  This invention is made | formed in view of said situation, Comprising: It aims at providing the technique which can clean a some nozzle more efficiently, using a cleaning sheet efficiently without waste.

In order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention provides a plurality of nozzles for component suction arranged in a row in the first direction so as to be separated from each other, and include a plurality of types of nozzles having different component suction areas. A nozzle cleaning method in a component mounting apparatus comprising a movable head unit having a nozzle and a cleaning sheet for cleaning the tip of the nozzle, wherein the plurality of nozzles are simultaneously pressed to an initial pressing position of the cleaning sheet. The nozzles are simultaneously cleaned, and the next time and thereafter, the first pressing position of each nozzle of the cleaning sheet is first with respect to the nozzle having the largest suction area among the plurality of nozzles . The plurality of nozzles are simultaneously moved to the next pressing position of the cleaning sheet while shifting the nozzles to the unused locations adjacent to each other in the direction or the second direction orthogonal to the first direction. Against and is obtained so as to clean the nozzles simultaneously.

According to this nozzle cleaning method, since a plurality of nozzles are simultaneously pressed against the cleaning sheet and each nozzle is cleaned simultaneously, compared to the conventional method of individually pressing each nozzle against the cleaning sheet and cleaning the nozzles individually, It is possible to shorten the total nozzle cleaning time. Moreover, according to this nozzle cleaning method, the nozzles are cleaned while shifting the nozzles to the unused locations that are close to the first pressing position, so that foreign matters are not reattached to the nozzles. The cleaning sheet can also be used efficiently.
In addition, it is possible to simultaneously clean a plurality of types of nozzles having different suction areas while avoiding the nozzles from being pressed against a region once used.

  In this nozzle cleaning method, the plurality of nozzles are simultaneously cleaned while the pressing positions of the nozzles are sequentially shifted in the same direction along predetermined first straight lines parallel to each other up to a predetermined end position. When the terminal position is reached, the pressing positions of the respective nozzles are sequentially shifted in the same direction along a second straight line that is predetermined adjacent to the first straight line and parallel to the first straight line. It is preferable that the plurality of nozzles be cleaned simultaneously.

  According to this nozzle cleaning method, each nozzle can be regularly pressed against the cleaning sheet, which is advantageous in efficiently using the cleaning sheet.

  In the above nozzle cleaning method, the nozzles are pressed against the cleaning sheet a plurality of times continuously while shifting the pressing position of the nozzles so that the horizontal movement distance of each nozzle is minimized. By applying, each nozzle may be cleaned simultaneously a plurality of times.

  According to this method, it is possible to simultaneously and continuously clean each nozzle a plurality of times while suppressing the total cleaning time.

  In the nozzle cleaning method described above, a plurality of areas for simultaneously cleaning the plurality of nozzles are set on the cleaning sheet, and these areas are used in a predetermined order. Good.

  This method is effective in using the cleaning sheet efficiently without waste.

As described above, according to the nozzle cleaning how the present invention, while using waste efficiently without the cleaning sheet, such as adhesive tape, it is possible to a plurality of nozzles more efficiently cleaned.

It is a top view of the component mounting apparatus (1st Embodiment) concerning this invention. It is a schematic diagram of a head unit and a cleaning sheet. (A) is a schematic diagram of a head unit, (b) is a schematic plan view of a cleaning sheet (main region) for explaining a pressing position of a nozzle. It is a schematic plan view of a cleaning sheet (sub-region) for explaining the pressing position of the nozzle. It is a flowchart which shows the control operation | movement of the nozzle cleaning process by a control apparatus. (A) is a schematic diagram of a head unit, (b) is a schematic plan view of a cleaning sheet (main region) for explaining a pressing position of a nozzle. It is a plane schematic diagram of the cleaning sheet (main field) for explaining the pressing position of the nozzle in the second embodiment. It is a plane schematic diagram of the cleaning sheet (main field) for explaining the pressing position of other nozzles in the second embodiment. (A), (b) is a schematic diagram of a head unit, and (c) is a schematic plan view of a cleaning sheet (main region) for explaining a nozzle pressing position in the third embodiment.

  Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a component mounting apparatus of the present invention (an example of a component mounting apparatus in which the nozzle cleaning method of the present invention is used). In FIG. 1, XY coordinate axes are shown for the purpose of clarifying the directional relationship. Here, the X direction is a direction parallel to the horizontal plane, and the Y direction is a direction orthogonal to the X direction on the horizontal plane. In the following description, the Y direction is appropriately referred to as the front-rear direction, the Y1 direction is referred to as the front, and the Y2 direction is referred to as the rear.

  The component mounting apparatus 1 includes a device main body 2 that mounts components such as small pieces of electronic components such as ICs, transistors, and capacitors on a substrate P such as a printed circuit board, and a control device 20 that controls the operation of the device main body 2. including.

  The apparatus main body 2 takes out the components from the base 2a, the board transfer conveyor 3 disposed on the base 2a, the pair of component supply units 4, and these component supply units 4 and transfers them onto the substrate P. A head unit 6 for recognizing and a camera 9 for recognizing parts.

  The conveyor 3 includes a pair of belt conveyors 3a and 3a extending in parallel with each other in the X direction. The conveyor 3 receives the substrate P carried into the apparatus main body 2, conveys it to a predetermined work position (position shown in FIG. 1), stops it, and carries out the substrate P from the apparatus main body 2 after the work is completed.

  On both front and rear sides of the conveyor 3, component supply units 4 are provided. Each of these component supply sections 4 is provided with a plurality of tape feeders 4a for supplying components using a tape as a carrier. The component supply unit 4 is provided with a feeder fixing base 5 extending in the X direction, and the tape feeders 4a are fixed to the feeder fixing base 5 in a state of being arranged in parallel in the X direction.

  In addition, a cleaning sheet 15 is installed on the feeder fixing base 5 of the component supply unit 4 on the front side of the apparatus, and the later-described nozzle 12 for component suction is pressed against the cleaning sheet 15 at a predetermined timing. The nozzle 12 is cleaned. This point will be described in detail later.

  The head unit 6 is provided above the base 2a so as to be movable in the XY directions. That is, on the base 2, a pair of elevated fixed rails 7 extending in the Y direction at positions spaced apart in the X direction, and a movable beam 8 extending in the X direction and movably supported by the two fixed rails 7. A Y-axis linear motor for moving the movable beam 8 is provided. The head unit 6 is supported so as to be movable in the X direction with respect to the movable beam 8, and an X-axis linear motor for moving the head unit 6 is disposed on the movable beam 8. With this configuration, the head unit 6 moves in the XY direction by driving each linear motor.

  The head unit 6 is equipped with a plurality of heads 10. In this example, four heads 10 are provided.

  Each head 10 is an axial head extending in the vertical direction, and is arranged in a line at equal intervals in the X direction. Each head 10 is supported by the head unit 6 in a state in which it can move in the vertical direction (up and down) and rotate around the central axis, and is driven by a servo motor, for example.

  As shown in FIG. 2, each head 10 is provided with a component suction nozzle 12 at the tip (lower end). A negative pressure is supplied to each nozzle 12 from a negative pressure supply source (not shown) via a switching valve, and the component is adsorbed and held on the nozzle tip 13 by the negative pressure. In the following description, when it is necessary to distinguish the nozzles 12 in particular, they are referred to as first to fourth nozzles 12a to 12d in order from the nozzle 12 on the X2 side (see FIG. 3).

  The camera 9 is disposed on the base 2 at a position between each component supply unit 4 and the conveyor 3. The camera 9 captures an image of the component adsorbed by the nozzle 12 and the nozzle tip 13 after mounting the component from the lower side. Each camera 9 includes a camera body such as a CCD area sensor and an illumination device including a plurality of LEDs.

  The control device 20 controls the overall operation of the device body 2. That is, the conveyor 3, each tape feeder 4a, the camera 9, the head unit 6 (head 10), and the like are controlled by all the control devices 20.

  The control device 20 is based on a well-known microcomputer, and includes a central processing unit (CPU) for executing a program, a memory for storing a program and data, for example, constituted by a RAM or a ROM, and an electric signal. And an input / output (I / O) bus for input / output. A series of mounting operations of the component mounting apparatus 1 based on the control of the control device 20 is as follows.

  First, the head unit 6 moves onto the component supply unit 4, and the components are sucked and held by each head 10 (nozzle 12). When the suction of the components is completed, the head unit 6 moves above the camera 9, and each suction component is imaged by the camera 9. That is, the suction state of the component by each nozzle 12 is recognized based on the component image. When the component recognition is completed, the head unit 6 moves onto the substrate P positioned at the work position, and the components sucked by the nozzles 12 are sequentially mounted on the substrate P. At this time, the component is correctly mounted on the mounting point on the substrate P by correcting the position of the head unit 6 and the rotation angle of each head 10 based on the result of the component recognition.

  When the suction component of each nozzle 12 is mounted on the substrate 3, the head unit 6 moves again above the camera 9 and the nozzle tip 13 of each head 10 is imaged by the camera 9. That is, it is recognized whether the component has been taken home (that is, a mounting error) and whether or not there is an adhering matter (solder, dust, etc.) on the nozzle tip 13.

  This completes one cycle of the mounting operation. Then, a predetermined number of components are mounted on the substrate P by repeating the above operation as necessary.

  If the component mounting operation is repeatedly performed, solder or dust may adhere to the nozzle tip 13, which may cause a problem in component adsorption. Therefore, the control device 20 executes a cleaning process for the nozzle 12. Specifically, the head unit 6 is moved above the cleaning sheet 15 installed on the feeder fixing base 5, and the nozzle 12 is pressed against the cleaning sheet 15 as each head 10 moves up and down. As a result, the nozzle tip 13 is cleaned.

  The cleaning sheet 15 is, for example, an adhesive sheet. By pressing the nozzle tip 13, the attached matter such as solder and dust attached to the nozzle tip 13 is removed. In addition, as the cleaning sheet 15, you may apply things other than an adhesive sheet.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the control device 20 includes various data necessary for the cleaning process of the nozzle 12, for example, the execution timing of the cleaning process, and the postscript areas 16 and 18 in which the cleaning process of the nozzle 12 is performed among the cleaning sheet 15. And a nozzle cleaning data storage unit 22 (corresponding to the storage device of the present invention) in which data such as the pressing position (coordinates) of the nozzle 12 is stored. The control device 20 periodically executes the nozzle 12 cleaning process based on the execution timing data stored in the nozzle cleaning data storage unit 22. Specifically, the execution timing is defined by the number of mounted components and work time. In addition, the cleaning process of the nozzle 12 periodically executed based on the execution timing data stored in the nozzle cleaning data storage unit 22 in this manner is referred to as “normal cleaning process Wu” (the first nozzle cleaning process of the present invention). Is equivalent).

  In addition, the control device 20 detects, based on the image of the nozzle tip 13 captured by the camera 9, a nozzle stain detection unit 24 (nozzle stain of the present invention) that detects dirt on the nozzle tip 13, that is, an attached substance (solder, dust, etc.). Corresponding to a detection device). When the deposit on the nozzle tip 13 is detected by the nozzle dirt detection unit 24, the control device 20 individually performs the cleaning process for the nozzle 12 in which the deposit is detected prior to the next component suction operation from the component supply unit 4. To run. Such a cleaning process of the nozzle 12 based on the detection of the adhered matter by the nozzle dirt detection unit 24 is hereinafter referred to as “temporary cleaning process Wt” (corresponding to the second nozzle cleaning process of the present invention).

  In the component mounting apparatus 1, the control device 20 includes the nozzle cleaning data storage unit 22 and the nozzle dirt detection unit 24 as described above. Of course, the nozzle cleaning data storage unit 22 and the nozzle dirt detection unit 24 include A configuration independent of the control device 20 may be used.

  Next, the arrangement of the nozzles 12 (heads 10) and the pressing positions of the nozzles 12 (heads 10) against the cleaning sheet 15 during the nozzle cleaning process will be specifically described.

  In the head unit 6, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3A, four heads 10 are arranged in a line at equal intervals (pitch P1) in the X direction. Each head 10 is equipped with the same nozzle 12 whose suction surface has a rectangular shape in plan view. As shown in FIG. 4A, the long side dimension Wa of the attracting surface is a state in which each head 10 is set at a rotation angle (hereinafter referred to as a reference angle) in which the long side is parallel to the X axis. The distance S between the opposing surfaces of the nozzles 12 adjacent to each other is sufficiently smaller (for example, Wa≈1 / 4 · S).

  On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cleaning sheet 15 has a rectangular shape in plan view that is elongated in the X direction. In the cleaning sheet 15, a main area 16 and a sub area 18 are set in order from the X2 side. The main area 16 is an area where the nozzle 12 is pressed during the normal cleaning process Wu, and the sub area 18 is an area where the nozzle 12 is pressed during the temporary cleaning process Wt. A first area 16a and a second area 16b are further set in the main area 16 in order from the X2 side, and are used preferentially from the main area 16 during the normal cleaning process Wu.

  The width dimension in the X direction of the first area 16a and the second area 16b is equal, and these width dimensions W1 are four times as long as the arrangement pitch P1 of the adjacent nozzles 12 (that is, the pitch P2 between the nozzles at both ends, (The length obtained by adding the arrangement pitch P1 of the adjacent nozzles 12). The width dimension W2 in the Y direction of the cleaning sheet 15 is set sufficiently longer (for example, about 20 times) than the short side dimension W2 of the suction surface of the nozzle 12.

  In this embodiment, the pressing position of each nozzle 12 in the cleaning sheet 15 (each region 16a, 16b, 18) is associated with a value of a normal cleaning counter N and a value of a temporary cleaning counter n, which will be described later, to perform nozzle cleaning. It is stored in the data storage unit 22.

  For the first region 16a, the pressing position of each nozzle 12 corresponds to the value of the normal cleaning counter N so that the adjacent pressing positions do not overlap as shown by the broken line square in FIG. It is set in a matrix.

  Specifically, the position of each nozzle 12 when the first nozzle 12a is disposed at the corner portion on the left rear side (X2 side and Y2 side) of the first region 16a is the initial pressing position (FIG. 3 ( b) Positions indicated by hatching / initial positions Pa, Pb, Pc, Pd) In the next and subsequent times, as indicated by arrows in FIG. The pressing position of each nozzle 12 is associated with the value of the normal cleaning counter N so that the next pressing positions Pa ′, Pb ′, Pc ′, and Pd ′ are shifted at a constant pitch to unused locations close to Is remembered. In this example, the Y direction corresponds to the first direction of the present invention, and the X direction corresponds to the second direction of the present invention.

  More specifically, the predetermined end position in the Y1 direction along the straight line L1 parallel to the Y axis from the initial positions Pa, Pb, Pc, Pd, that is, the position of the straight line LY1 parallel to the X axis (hereinafter referred to as the end position). When the pressing positions Pa ′, Pb ′, Pc ′, and Pd ′ are sequentially shifted in the Y1 direction until reaching the terminal position LY1, straight lines parallel to the straight lines L1 adjacent to the straight lines L1. The pressing positions Pa ′, Pb ′, Pc ′, and Pd ′ are sequentially shifted from the position adjacent to the initial positions Pa, Pb, Pc, and Pd to the end position LY1 along the L2 at a constant pitch in the Y1 direction. When the terminal position LY1 is reached, the terminal position L from the position aligned with the initial positions Pa, Pb, Pc, Pd along the straight line L3 parallel to the straight line L2 adjacent to the straight line L2 is reached. The pressing position of each nozzle 12 is stored in association with the value of the normal cleaning counter N so that the pressing positions Pa ′, Pb ′, Pc ′, Pd ′ are sequentially shifted up to 1 at a constant pitch in the Y1 direction. . In FIG. 3B, only the direction in which the pressing position of the first nozzle 12a moves is indicated by an arrow.

  Although not shown, the same applies to the second region 16b. That is, the position of each nozzle 12 when the first nozzle 12a is arranged at the corner portion on the left rear side (X2 side and Y2 side) of the second region 16b is the initial pressing position (initial position Pa, As in the first region 16a, the pressing position of each nozzle 12 is stored in association with the value of the normal cleaning counter N as Pb, Pc, Pd).

  In the sub-region 18 as well, as shown by broken line squares in FIG. 4, the pressing positions of the nozzles 12 are set in a substantially matrix shape so that the adjacent pressing positions do not overlap each other. However, for the sub-region 18, the corner portion on the right rear side (X1 side and Y2 side) is the first pressing position (position indicated by hatching in FIG. 4 / initial position Px). Then, as indicated by an arrow in the figure, the predetermined end position in the X2 direction from the initial position Px along the straight line M1 parallel to the X axis, that is, the position of the straight line MX1 parallel to the Y axis (hereinafter referred to as the end position). When the pressing position is sequentially shifted in the X2 direction at a constant pitch and reaches the end position MX1, the position is adjacent to the initial position Px along a straight line M2 adjacent to the straight line M1 and parallel to the straight line M1. The pressing position of each nozzle 12 is associated with the value of the temporary cleaning counter n so that the pressing position sequentially shifts at a constant pitch in the X2 direction from the position to the end position MX1, and thereafter the pressing position sequentially shifts similarly. It is remembered.

  Next, specific operation control of nozzle cleaning processing by the control device 20 will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.

  When the nozzle cleaning process is started, the control device 20 first sets an initial value “1” in the normal cleaning counter N (step S1), and determines whether or not the nozzle 12 cleaning condition is satisfied (step S1). S3). Specifically, whether or not it is the execution timing stored in the nozzle cleaning data storage unit 22, that is, whether or not it is the timing of the normal cleaning process Wu, or whether or not the nozzle 12 is detected by the nozzle contamination detection unit 24. That is, it is determined whether or not it is the timing of the temporary cleaning process Wt.

  Here, in the case of Yes, the control device 20 determines whether or not the condition established in Step S3 is the normal cleaning process Wu (Step S5), and in the case of Yes, among the cleaning sheets 15, It is determined whether or not one area 16a can be used (step S7).

  Here, when it determines with Yes, the control apparatus 20 transfers to step S9, and performs the normal cleaning process Wu. Specifically, the head unit 6 is moved, and each nozzle 12 is disposed above the pressing position corresponding to the value of the normal cleaning counter N. Then, after adjusting the rotation angle of each head 10 to the reference angle, each head 10 is simultaneously lowered to press the nozzle tip 13 against the cleaning sheet 15 and simultaneously raised (steps S9 and S11). For example, when the value of the normal cleaning counter N is “1”, the control device 20 simultaneously presses the nozzles 12 to the initial positions Pa, Pb, Pc, and Pd indicated by hatching in FIG. .

  Thus, the nozzle tip 13 of each nozzle 12 is simultaneously cleaned by pressing the nozzle tip 13 of each nozzle 12 against the cleaning sheet 15 at the same time. In this normal cleaning process Wu, each head 12 may be pressed against the cleaning sheet 15 and kept for a predetermined time (for example, several seconds), and then each head 10 may be raised.

  When the normal cleaning process Wu is completed, the control device 20 increments the normal cleaning counter N by 1 (step S13), and then proceeds to step S3.

  In addition, when it determines with No by step S7, ie, when it determines with all the pressing positions of the 1st area | region 16a being used, the control apparatus 20 further determines whether the 2nd area | region 16b is in use. If it is determined (step S14) and it is determined No, the pressing area of each nozzle 12 is switched from the first area 16a to the second area 16b, the normal cleaning counter N is reset, and then the counter N is set to the initial value. “1” is set (step S15). Then, the process proceeds to steps S9 and S11. Thereby, in the subsequent normal cleaning process Wu, each nozzle 12 is pressed with respect to the 2nd area | region 16b. If it is determined Yes in step S14, the nozzle 12 has already been cleaned using the second region 16b, so step S15 is skipped and the process proceeds to steps S9 and S11.

  On the other hand, when it is determined No in step S5, that is, when it is determined that the nozzle dirt detection unit 24 has detected the dirt (attachment) of the nozzle 12, the control device 20 previously executes the temporary cleaning process Wt. It is determined whether or not (step S17). Here, in the case of No, the control device 20 sets the initial value “1” to the temporary cleaning counter n, and then proceeds to step S21 to execute the temporary cleaning process Wt.

  Specifically, the control device 20 moves the head unit 6 so that, of the four nozzles 12, the nozzle 12 in which the deposit is detected is located above the cleaning sheet 15, specifically, the initial position Px of the sub-region 18. It is arranged above (position shown by hatching in FIG. 4). Then, after adjusting the rotation angle of the head 10 to which the nozzle 12 is attached to the reference angle, the head 10 is lowered, the nozzle tip 13 is pressed against the cleaning sheet 15 and raised (steps S21 and S23). Thereby, only the said nozzle 12 from which the deposit | attachment was detected is cleaned independently. In this case as well, the nozzles 12 may be pressed against the cleaning sheet 15, and after keeping this time for a predetermined time (for example, several seconds), each head 10 may be raised.

  On the other hand, when it is determined Yes in step S17, that is, when it is determined that the temporary cleaning process Wt has been executed previously, the control device 20 increments the temporary cleaning counter n by 1 (step S25). The process proceeds to steps S21 and S23.

  When the temporary cleaning process Wt is completed, the control device 20 determines whether or not there is another nozzle 12 in which an adhering matter is detected (step S27). If the determination is Yes, the process proceeds to step S17. Then, the temporary cleaning process Wt is repeatedly executed, and if it is determined No, the process proceeds to step S3.

  According to the component mounting apparatus 1 (nozzle cleaning method) as described above, the cleaning process (normal cleaning process Wu) of the nozzles 12 is periodically performed. In this case, all the nozzles 12 are simultaneously cleaned by the cleaning sheet 15. As a result, the nozzles 12 are cleaned simultaneously. Therefore, compared with the conventional apparatus (conventional method) in which a plurality of nozzles are individually pressed against the cleaning sheet 15 to perform cleaning, the total nozzle cleaning time can be greatly shortened. In addition, since each nozzle 12 is cleaned while shifting the pressing position to the unused position adjacent to the pressing position of each nozzle 12 immediately before (previous time), it is possible to prevent foreign matters from adhering to the nozzle 12 again. While avoiding, the cleaning sheet 15 can be used efficiently. In particular, according to the component mounting apparatus 1, as indicated by arrows in FIG. 3B, the components are sequentially pushed from the initial positions Pa, Pb, Pc, Pd to the predetermined end position LY1 along a predetermined straight line L1. Each nozzle 12 is cleaned while shifting the contact positions Pa ′, Pb ′, Pc ′, Pd ′ by a constant pitch in the Y1 direction. When the nozzles 12 reach the end position LY1, along the straight line L2 adjacent to the straight line L1, Each nozzle 12 is cleaned while sequentially shifting the pressing positions Pa ′, Pb ′, Pc ′, Pd ′ by a certain pitch in the Y1 direction from the positions adjacent to the initial positions Pa, Pb, Pc, Pd. In addition, the cleaning sheet 15 is used very efficiently. Therefore, according to this component mounting apparatus 1, there is an advantage that the plurality of nozzles 12 can be efficiently cleaned while using the cleaning sheet 15 very efficiently.

  In the component mounting apparatus 1, a sub area 18 for the temporary cleaning process Wt is set in the cleaning sheet 15 in addition to the main area 16 for the normal cleaning process Wu. When dirt (adhered matter) is detected in the nozzle 12, the nozzle 12 is pressed against the sub-region 18 to clean the nozzle 12 alone. Therefore, there is also an advantage that the cleaning sheet 15 can be used efficiently while allowing some of the four nozzles 12 to be cleaned as necessary. That is, when the cleaning area is not distinguished, if one nozzle 12 is cleaned independently, it is necessary to avoid the pressing position in the subsequent normal cleaning process Wu. Therefore, the nozzle pressing when simultaneously cleaning a plurality of nozzles 12 is performed. The regularity of the contact position is disturbed, and there is a possibility that unused portions are widely formed on the cleaning sheet 15. On the other hand, when the area for the normal cleaning process Wu (main area 16) and the area for the temporary cleaning process Wt (sub area 18) are separated as in the above embodiment, the main area 16 For each of the nozzles 12, the nozzles 12 can be cleaned using a predetermined pressing position, and the nozzles 12 are pressed regularly in the sub-region as shown in FIG. However, one nozzle 12 can be cleaned independently. Therefore, it can avoid that an unused part is widely formed in the cleaning sheet 15, As a result, the cleaning sheet 15 can be used efficiently.

  Moreover, according to this component mounting apparatus 1, during the normal cleaning process Wu, each nozzle 12 is simultaneously pressed against the cleaning sheet 15 and cleaned while maintaining the same positional relationship as the arrangement of the head units 6. There is also an advantage that the arrangement of the cleaning sheet 15 (specifically, the main region 16) is not easily restricted by the relationship with the movable region of each nozzle 12. That is, as in the conventional apparatus, when cleaning is performed by pressing all the nozzles to positions close to each other on the cleaning sheet, it is required to arrange the cleaning sheet at a position where all the nozzles can move. However, according to the component mounting apparatus 1, the pressing positions of the adjacent nozzles 12 are always separated from each other by the pitch P1 in the X direction, and the positional relationship does not change. If attention is paid only to an area 16a in which the first nozzle 12a is pressed (referred to as a first nozzle corresponding area), the cleaning sheet 15 has the first nozzle corresponding area positioned within the movable area of the first nozzle 12a. If it arrange | positions so that it may do, it is not necessary to arrange | position so that the said 1st nozzle corresponding | compatible area | region may be located in the movable area | region of the 4th nozzle 12d. Therefore, according to this component mounting apparatus 1, there is an advantage that the degree of freedom of the arrangement position of the cleaning sheet 15 can be increased.

  In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3A, the case where the nozzles 12 of the heads 10 are the same has been described. However, the four nozzles 12 are one or more types of nozzles having different suction areas. Even when 12 is included, the normal cleaning process Wu as described above can be executed. In this case, the pressing position of the nozzle 12 on the cleaning sheet 15 may be determined based on the nozzle 12 having the largest suction area. For example, as shown in FIG. 6A, when the suction area of the second nozzle 12b is maximum, as shown in FIG. 6B, the second nozzle 12b is within a range where the pressing positions do not overlap. The pitches in the X direction and Y direction of the pressing positions of the nozzles 12 may be set with the second nozzle 12b as a reference so that the pressing positions adjacent to each other approach each other.

(Second Embodiment)
In the first embodiment, each nozzle 12 is pressed against the cleaning sheet 15 only once during the normal cleaning process Wu. However, each nozzle 12 may be pressed against the cleaning sheet 15 a plurality of times in succession. Specifically, the processes in steps S9 to S13 in FIG. 5 may be looped a plurality of times.

  In this case, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, the pressing position of each nozzle 12 is associated with the value of the normal cleaning counter N and stored in the nozzle cleaning data storage unit 22.

  Specifically, the pressing positions Pa ′, Pb ′, Pc ′, and Pd ′ are sequentially set to Y1 from the initial positions Pa, Pb, Pc, and Pd (positions indicated by hatching in FIG. 7) to the end position LY1 along the straight line L1. When the end position LY1 is reached and the end position LY1 is reached, the pressing position is shifted on the straight line L2 at the end position LY1, and the reverse end position LY2 (the initial positions Pa and Pb in the Y direction) is moved along the straight line L2. , Pc, and Pd), the pressing positions Pa ′, Pb ′, Pc ′, and Pd ′ are sequentially shifted in the Y2 direction at a constant pitch, and when the terminal position LY2 is reached, the pressing position at the terminal position LY2 Is shifted on the straight line L3, and the nose positions Pa ′, Pb ′, Pc ′, and Pd ′ are sequentially shifted along the straight line L3 to the end position LY1 so as to be shifted by a constant pitch in the Y1 direction. Pressing position of 12 is associated with the value of the normal cleaning counter N, it is stored in the nozzle cleaning data storage unit 22.

  According to this configuration, when the nozzles 12 are pressed against the cleaning sheet 15 a plurality of times in succession for cleaning, the nozzles 12 can be efficiently cleaned. That is, in the case of the first embodiment, when the nozzles 12 are continuously cleaned a plurality of times, the nozzles pass from the end position LY1 to the positions adjacent to the initial positions Pa, Pb, Pc, and Pd when passing through the end position LY1. 12 (head unit 6) needs to be moved largely in the Y2 direction. Therefore, it takes time to clean the nozzle 12. On the other hand, according to the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the pressing position of the nozzle 12 is always adjacent to the immediately preceding (previous) pressing position even when passing through the end position LY1 (LY2). It becomes the position to do. Therefore, even when each nozzle 12 is continuously cleaned a plurality of times while passing through the end position LY1 (LY2), the horizontal movement amount of each nozzle 12 (head unit 6) does not become extremely large. Accordingly, each nozzle 12 can be efficiently cleaned.

  As a modification of the second embodiment, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, even if the pressing position of each nozzle 12 is associated with the value of the normal cleaning counter N and stored in the nozzle cleaning data storage unit 22. Good. That is, a predetermined end position in the Y1 direction, that is, a straight line LX1 parallel to the Y axis, along a straight line L1 ′ parallel to the X axis from the initial positions Pa, Pb, Pc, Pd (positions indicated by hatching in FIG. 8). When the pressing positions Pa ′, Pb ′, Pc ′, and Pd ′ are sequentially shifted in the X1 direction until reaching the terminal position LX1 until the terminal position LX1 is reached, the above position (hereinafter referred to as the terminal position LX1) is reached. The pressing position is shifted on the straight line L2 ′ adjacent to the straight line L1 ′ and parallel to the straight line L1 ′, and the end position LX2 (position aligned with the initial position in the X direction) from the end position LX1 along the straight line L2 ′. ), When the pressing positions Pa ′, Pb ′, Pc ′, Pd ′ are shifted by a constant pitch in the X2 direction and reach the end position LX2, the end position LX2 is adjacent to the straight line L2 ′. Further, the pressing position is shifted on the straight line L3 ′ parallel to the straight line L2 ′, and the pressing positions Pa ′, Pb ′, Pc ′, sequentially from the terminal position LX2 to the reverse terminal position LX1 along the straight line L3 ′. The pressing position of the nozzle 12 may be stored in association with the value of the normal cleaning counter N such that Pd ′ is shifted by a certain pitch in the X1 direction. In this example, the X direction corresponds to the first direction of the present invention, and the Y direction corresponds to the second direction of the present invention.

  Also in such a configuration (method), as shown in FIG. 8, the pressing position of the nozzle 12 is always adjacent to the immediately preceding (previous) pressing position. Therefore, similarly to the example shown in FIG. 7, when each nozzle 12 is continuously cleaned a plurality of times, each nozzle 12 can be efficiently cleaned.

  It should be noted that shifting the pressing position of the nozzles 12 in the order as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is useful for improving the efficiency when cleaning each nozzle 12 a plurality of times as described above. Of course, the present invention can also be applied to the case where each nozzle 12 is cleaned once as in the first embodiment.

(Third embodiment)
In the first and second embodiments, the example in which the nozzles 12 attached to each head 10 are continuously used has been described. However, some or all of the nozzles 12 are replaced during the mounting operation of the substrate P. In this case, the following configuration (method) can be applied.

  That is, the nozzle cleaning data storage unit 22 further stores the types of nozzles 12 and the sizes (areas) of the suction surfaces. And after step S7, 15 of the flowchart shown in FIG. 5, before step S9, the control apparatus 20 performs the determination process whether the nozzle replacement | exchange was performed. When it is determined that the nozzle has been replaced, the control device 20 corrects the pressing position stored in the nozzle cleaning data storage unit 22 based on the size of the suction surface of the nozzle 12 after replacement. Processing (pressing position correction processing) is executed.

  According to this configuration, for example, as shown in FIG. 9A, from the state where the same nozzle 12 is mounted on each head 10, as shown in FIG. When the nozzle 12a, 12c, or 12d is replaced with a nozzle having a larger suction surface than the nozzles 12a, 12c, and 12d, as shown in FIG. 9C, each nozzle 12 is pushed based on the size of the suction surface of the second nozzle 12b. The pitch of the contact position is corrected. Therefore, each nozzle 12 can be pressed against the cleaning sheet 15 appropriately while maintaining regularity before the nozzle replacement, that is, without overlapping the pressing positions.

  According to such a configuration of the third embodiment, in addition to being able to enjoy the effect of being able to clean a plurality of nozzles 12 at the same time while efficiently using the cleaning sheet 15 without waste, it is flexible to replace the nozzles 12 in the middle. There is an advantage that it can respond to.

(Other)
The component mounting apparatus 1 and the nozzle cleaning method according to the first to third embodiments described above are examples of preferred embodiments of the component mounting apparatus and the nozzle cleaning method according to the present invention, and are specific examples of the component mounting apparatus. The configuration and the specific nozzle cleaning method can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, the following configuration (method) is also applicable.

  (1) In the first to third embodiments, the pressing position of each nozzle 12 is stored in the nozzle cleaning data storage unit 22 in association with the values of the normal cleaning counter N and the temporary cleaning counter n. Based on the values of N and n, the control device 20 controls the operation of the head unit 6 and the like so that each nozzle 12 is pressed against the pressing position corresponding to the counter value. However, instead of storing the relationship between the values of the counters N and n and the pressing position in the nozzle cleaning data storage unit 22 in this way, for example, the types of nozzles 12 and the sizes (areas) of their suction surfaces, The initial position where the nozzle 12 is pressed and the direction in which the nozzle 12 is shifted are stored in the nozzle cleaning data storage unit 22, and the control device 20 performs the cleaning process for each cleaning process according to the type of the nozzle 12 attached to each head 10. The pressing position corresponding to the values of the counters N and n may be obtained. That is, the pressing position of each nozzle 12 immediately before and the size of the suction surface of each nozzle 12 are set so that each nozzle 12 is pressed against an unused location close to the pressing position of each nozzle 12 immediately preceding. Based on the nozzle 12 having the largest suction surface, the next pressing position may be obtained.

  According to this configuration, for example, as described in the third embodiment, correction of the pressing position of each nozzle 12 at the time of nozzle replacement (pressing position correction processing) is unnecessary, so that the calculation processing burden of the control device 20 is reduced. There is an advantage that can be reduced. That is, in the case of the third embodiment, if there is a nozzle replacement, all of the subsequent pressing position data may have to be corrected. However, according to the above configuration, the pressing position correction process is not necessary. The calculation processing burden on the control device 20 is reduced.

  (2) In the first to third embodiments, the nozzle dirt detection unit 24 detects the presence or absence of dirt (attachment) of each nozzle 12 based on the image of the nozzle tip 13 captured by the camera 9. The presence or absence of dirt on each nozzle 12 may be detected based on the presence or absence of take-away, or the presence or absence of dirt on each nozzle 12 may be detected by other methods.

  (3) Although not specifically mentioned in the first to third embodiments, the cleaning sheet 15 has nozzles at all the pressing positions stored in advance when the main region 16 or the sub region 18 is used. (When 12 is pressed), it may be replaced by an operator, or may be configured to be automatically cleaned by the sheet cleaning device under the control of the control device 20. In this case, the sheet cleaning apparatus includes, for example, a cleaning head that holds cotton or the like impregnated with a cleaning liquid such as alcohol, and an actuator such as an air cylinder that slides the cleaning head along the surface of the cleaning sheet 15. The configuration is suitable.

  (4) In the first to third embodiments, the rectangular cleaning sheet 15 elongated in the X direction is provided on the feeder fixing base 5 of the component supply unit 4, but the shape, size, and fixing position of the cleaning sheet 15 are fixed. Is not limited to this, and can be appropriately selected. The direction and pitch in which the pressing position of each nozzle 12 is shifted are not limited to the above embodiment, and can be changed as appropriate.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Component mounting apparatus 6 Head unit 10 Head 12, 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d Nozzle 13 Nozzle tip 15 Cleaning sheet 16 Main area | region 16a 1st area | region 16b 2nd area | region 18 Sub area | region 20 Control apparatus 22 Nozzle cleaning data memory | storage part (memory | storage) apparatus)
24 Nozzle dirt detector (nozzle dirt detector)
L1, L1 'First straight line L2, L2' Second straight line L3, L3 'Third straight line LY1, LX1 End position Pa, Pb, Pc, Pd Initial position (first pressing position)
Pa ′, Pb ′, Pc ′, Pd ′ Next pressing position Wu Normal cleaning process (first cleaning process)
Wt Temporary cleaning process (second cleaning process)

Claims (4)

A movable head unit having a plurality of nozzles including a plurality of types of nozzles that are separated from each other and arranged in a row in the first direction and that have different types of nozzles, and a nozzle tip. A cleaning method for the nozzle in a component mounting apparatus including a cleaning sheet to be cleaned,
The plurality of nozzles are simultaneously pressed against the first pressing position of the cleaning sheet to simultaneously clean the nozzles, and from the next time onward, the nozzles having the maximum suction area among the plurality of nozzles are used as a reference . Among these, the nozzles are shifted to the unused positions adjacent to the first pressing position of each nozzle in the first direction or the second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and the plurality of nozzles are moved to the cleaning sheet. A nozzle cleaning method, wherein the nozzles are simultaneously pressed against the next pressing position to simultaneously clean the nozzles. In the nozzle cleaning method of Claim 1,
A plurality of nozzles are simultaneously cleaned while sequentially shifting the pressing position of each nozzle in the same direction to a predetermined end position along a predetermined first straight line parallel to each other, and when reaching the end position, The plurality of nozzles are cleaned while the pressing positions of the nozzles are sequentially shifted in the same direction along a second straight line that is predetermined adjacent to each first straight line and is parallel to the first straight line. The nozzle cleaning method characterized by performing simultaneously. In the nozzle cleaning method according to claim 1 or 2 ,
Each nozzle is pressed a plurality of times by continuously pressing the plurality of nozzles a plurality of times while shifting the pressing position of each nozzle so that the horizontal movement distance of each nozzle is minimized. A nozzle cleaning method, wherein cleaning is performed simultaneously in succession. In the nozzle cleaning method according to any one of claims 1 to 3 ,
A nozzle cleaning method, wherein a plurality of areas for simultaneously cleaning the plurality of nozzles are set on the cleaning sheet, and these areas are used in a predetermined order.

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