JP7611396B2 - Component placement machine - Google Patents

Description

This specification relates to a component mounting machine that uses a tape feeder.

A technology for mass-producing board products by performing substrate-related operations on boards on which circuit patterns are formed is becoming widespread. A typical example of a substrate-related operation machine is a component mounting machine that performs component mounting operations. Many component mounting machines use tape feeders that pull out and feed a carrier tape containing multiple components from a reel. When the carrier tape is used to the end of a tape feeder that holds a reel, the worker removes the tape feeder, replaces the reel, and reinstalls it. Alternatively, the worker replaces the tape feeder with a different one. On the other hand, when changing the type of board, it is often necessary to change the setup to replace multiple tape feeders. Conventionally, a pallet that holds multiple tape feeders has been configured in the shape of a dolly, and the entire pallet has been replaced. One example of a technique for replacing tape feeders and reels is disclosed in Patent Document 1.

Patent document 1 discloses a tape feeder that includes a detection unit that detects the execution of the operation of removing the tape feeder from the component mounting machine body, and a rewind execution unit that rewinds the emptied carrier tape when the execution of the operation of removing the tape feeder is detected. According to this, it is possible to prevent the empty tape from protruding into the movable area of the mounting head even if the tape feeder is removed while the component mounting machine is in operation.

JP 2013-254895 A

The technology in Patent Document 1 is advantageous in that it can avoid the impact on mounting work caused by empty tape popping out when a tape feeder is removed while the component mounting machine is in operation. However, replacing a pallet that holds multiple tape feeders is a task that is performed after the mounting work is completed, and issues other than avoiding the impact on the mounting work must be considered. For example, there are issues with the ease of replacing the reels, which is performed by removing the tape feeders from the pallet, and issues with the ease of reattaching and moving the removed pallet.

Therefore, the problem to be solved by this specification is to provide a component mounting machine that can improve workability compared to conventional methods when rearranging or replacing a pallet that holds multiple tape feeders.

This specification discloses a component mounting machine that includes a base, a tape feeder having a drive mechanism that engages with a carrier tape containing a plurality of components and feeds it in a predetermined supply direction, a pallet that is removably mounted on the base and holds the tape feeder, a detection unit that detects the execution of an operation to remove the pallet from the base, and a control unit that, when the detection unit detects the execution of an operation to remove the pallet, controls the drive mechanism of the tape feeder to rewind the carrier tape in the direction opposite to the supply direction.

In the disclosed component mounting machine, when the detection unit detects that the pallet removal operation is being performed, the control unit and drive mechanism rewind the carrier tape of the tape feeder in the reverse direction. As a result, rewinding the carrier tape makes it easier to replace the reel in the tape feeder and can be completed in a short time, improving workability compared to conventional methods. Furthermore, as the external length of the carrier tape protruding from the tape feeder is shortened or eliminated by rewinding, reattachment or movement of the pallet is not hindered, improving workability compared to conventional methods.

1 is a plan view showing a schematic overall configuration of a component mounting machine according to a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating an example of the internal configuration of the tape feeder. 2 is a block diagram for explaining a schematic configuration of a power supply system of a tape feeder and a control of a component mounting machine. FIG. 13 is a side view showing a schematic diagram of a situation in which the carrier tape of the tape feeder is rewound in the reverse direction by the control unit. FIG. FIG. 4 is an operational flow diagram illustrating the operation of the component mounting machine. FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating the operation of rewinding the carrier tape until the external length of the carrier tape protruding from the tape feeder becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value in the second embodiment.

1. Overall configuration of component mounting machine 1 of the first embodiment The overall configuration of the component mounting machine 1 of the first embodiment will be described mainly with reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 3. The component mounting machine 1 performs a mounting operation to mount components on a board K. The direction from the left to the right of the paper in Fig. 1 is the X-axis direction along which the board K is transported, and the direction from the lower side (front side) to the upper side (rear side) of the paper is the Y-axis direction. The component mounting machine 1 is configured by assembling a board transport device 2, a component supply device 3, a component transfer device 4, a control device 9, etc. to a base 10.

The board transport device 2 is composed of a pair of guide rails 21, a pair of conveyor belts (not shown), and a clamping mechanism 23. The pair of guide rails 21 extend in the X-axis direction across the upper surface of the base 10 slightly toward the rear, and are attached to the base 10 in parallel to each other. The pair of conveyor belts rotate along the guide rails 21 with two parallel sides of the board K placed on them, and transport the board K to a work position near the center of the base 10. The clamping mechanism 23 pushes up the board K that has been transported, and clamps and positions it between the guide rails 21. After the component mounting operation by the component transfer device 4 is completed, the clamping mechanism 23 releases the board K, and the conveyor belts transport the board K out of the machine.

The part supply device 3 is composed of a pallet 30, a plurality of tape feeders 8, a used tape processing unit 34, and a power supply unit 36. The pallet 30 is provided on the upper front side of the base 10 in an attachable and detachable manner. The pallet 30 is formed in a roughly rectangular plate shape. The pallet 30 may be formed in a dolly shape to improve the workability of moving and installing. The pallet 30 has a plurality of slots extending in the front-rear direction and formed at a predetermined pitch in the left-right direction. A tape feeder 8 is inserted from the front side into each slot and set. In other words, the pallet 30 is provided on the base 10 in an attachable and detachable manner while holding the plurality of tape feeders 8 arranged in the left-right direction.

The tape feeder 8 uses a carrier tape to supply components at a supply position 81 near the rear end so that they can be picked up. Note that it is permitted to mix and use multiple types of tape feeders 8 with different left-right width dimensions and internal configurations. An example of the internal configuration of the tape feeder 8 will be described in detail later. The portion of the carrier tape from which the components have been removed is sent further rearward from the supply position 81, and then sent downward along a guide (not shown) until it reaches the used tape processing unit 34.

The used tape processing section 34 is fixed to the base 10 and is disposed from the underside to the rear of the pallet 30. The used tape processing section 34 has a width dimension (dimension in the X-axis direction) similar to that of the pallet 30 and is provided in common for all tape feeders 8. The used tape processing section 34 is composed of, for example, a cutter that cuts the carrier tape, a chute that guides the cut carrier tape downward, and a dust box that stores the cut carrier tape.

The component transfer device 4 is composed of a pair of guide rails 40, a Y-axis moving body 41, an X-axis moving body 42, a mounting head 43, a rotary tool 44, a suction nozzle 45, a board recognition camera 46, and a component recognition camera 49. The pair of guide rails 40 are arranged on the left and right edges of the base 10, and extend in the Y-axis direction while being spaced apart from each other. The Y-axis moving body 41 is formed of a member that is long in the X-axis direction, and is mounted on the pair of guide rails 40. The Y-axis moving body 41 is driven by a Y-direction driving mechanism (not shown) to move in the Y-axis direction. The X-axis moving body 42 is mounted on the Y-axis moving body 41, and is driven by a X-direction driving mechanism (not shown) to move in the X-axis direction.

The mounting head 43 is provided in front of the X-axis moving body 42 and moves in two horizontal directions together with the X-axis moving body 42. A rotary tool 44 is provided rotatably below the mounting head 43. The rotary tool 44 rotates around a vertical central axis. The rotary tool 44 has multiple (12 in the example of FIG. 1) suction nozzles 45 at equal distances from the vertical central axis. The suction nozzle 45 is a form of component mounting tool that mounts components at a predetermined mounting position on the board K. The suction nozzle 45 performs lifting and lowering operations and rotation operations around the vertical axis. In addition, when the rotary tool 44 rotates, the suction nozzle 45 revolves around the vertical central axis of the rotary tool 44. The suction nozzle 45 is selectively supplied with negative or positive air from an air supply mechanism (not shown) to pick up and mount components. Alternatively, the rotary tool 44 may be omitted, and a single suction nozzle 45 may be provided rotatably below the mounting head 43 .

The board recognition camera 46 is mounted on the X-axis moving body 42 alongside the mounting head 43. The board recognition camera 46 is disposed with its optical axis facing downward, and captures an image of the position reference mark attached to the board K from above. The acquired image data is processed to accurately determine the work position on the board K. An example of the board recognition camera 46 is a digital imaging device having an imaging element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor).

The component recognition camera 49 is provided on the base 10 between the board transport device 2 and the component supply device 3. The component recognition camera 49 is positioned so that its optical axis faces upward. The component recognition camera 49 captures and recognizes the component held by the suction nozzle 45 from below while the mounting head 43 is moving from the component supply device 3 to the board K. This allows the correctness of the type of component to be determined, and the position and orientation of the component relative to the suction nozzle 45 are detected and reflected in the mounting operation. An example of the component recognition camera 49 is a digital imaging device having an imaging element such as a CCD or CMOS.

The component transfer device 4 can repeat the suction mounting cycle multiple times for the positioned board K. In a suction mounting cycle, first, the mounting head 43 moves above the component supply device 3, and each suction nozzle 45 picks up a component. Next, the mounting head 43 moves above the component recognition camera 49, and the component recognition camera 49 takes an image. Next, the mounting head 43 moves above the board K, and each suction nozzle 45 mounts a component on the board K. Then, the mounting head 43 moves again toward the component supply device 3. The suction mounting cycle is a general term for the series of operations described above.

The control device 9 is mounted on the base 10, and its installation position is not particularly limited. The control device 9 is configured as a computer device having a CPU and operating with software. The control device 9 may be configured with multiple CPUs distributed within the machine and connected for communication. The control device 9 controls the board transport device 2, component supply device 3, and component transfer device 4 based on mounting work data 91 created for each type of board K, and proceeds with the component mounting work. The mounting work data 91 is data that describes the detailed procedure and implementation method of the mounting work. The mounting work data 91 includes information such as the type and number of components to be mounted, and the tape feeder 8 to be used.

2. Example of Internal Configuration of Tape Feeder 8 Next, an example of the internal configuration of tape feeder 8 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Tape feeder 8 is formed thin with a small width dimension in the left-right direction. As shown in Fig. 2, tape feeder 8 has a reel holding shaft 82 located approximately in the center when viewed from the side. Reel holding shaft 82 engages with the center hole of reel R to detachably and rotatably hold reel R.

The reel R is a rotating body on which the carrier tape T containing multiple components is wound. The carrier tape T is composed of a base tape on which cavities that contain the components one by one are formed at a fixed pitch, and a cover tape that is attached to the base tape and covers the cavities. Furthermore, the carrier tape T has a large number of sprocket holes at a specified pitch on one side in the tape width direction.

In the first embodiment, the tape feeder 8 includes a tape peeling unit (not shown). The tape peeling unit peels one side edge of the cover tape from the base tape and passes the supply position 81. The carrier tape T that has passed the supply position 81 reaches the used tape processing unit 34 without the cover tape and base tape being separated. This is not limited to the above, and the configuration may also be such that both side edges of the cover tape are peeled and separated from the base tape, and the cover tape and base tape reach the used tape processing unit 34 separately.

The tape feeder 8 has a sprocket 83 and a drive motor 84 as a drive mechanism for feeding the carrier tape T. The sprocket 83 is rotatably mounted in front of the supply position 81. The teeth of the sprocket 83 engage with the sprocket holes of the carrier tape T. The drive motor 84 is connected to the rotating shaft of the sprocket 83. The drive motor 84 drives the sprocket 83 to rotate forward by rotating in the forward direction so as to feed the carrier tape T in a predetermined supply direction. The drive motor 84 drives the sprocket 83 to rotate in the reverse direction by rotating in the reverse direction so as to return the carrier tape T in the opposite direction to the supply direction.

The operation and stopping of the drive motor 84, as well as switching between forward and reverse rotation, are controlled by the feeder control unit 85. The feeder control unit 85 also determines the feed and rewind amounts of the carrier tape T based on the control amount of the drive motor 84. An operation switch (not shown) is provided on the tape feeder 8 so that the drive motor 84 can be operated manually by an operator. Furthermore, a display unit (not shown) is provided on the tape feeder 8 for the purpose of displaying the operating status of the tape feeder 8 and any abnormal conditions that have occurred internally.

In setting the reel R to make the tape feeder 8 ready for use, the worker first sets the reel R on the reel holding shaft 82. The worker then removes the retaining seal at the end of the carrier tape T, pulls out the carrier tape T from the reel R, and advances the end of the carrier tape T to the sprocket 83 to engage it. The worker then manually rotates the drive motor 84 in the forward direction, advancing the end of the carrier tape T to the supply position 81.

In addition, when removing the reel R, the carrier tape T is gone from the used reel R. This allows the worker to easily remove the reel R from the reel holding shaft 82. On the other hand, the carrier tape T still remains on the reel R that is in the middle of being used, and the teeth of the sprocket 83 are engaged with the sprocket holes of the carrier tape T. This means that the worker cannot wind the carrier tape T onto the reel R, and therefore cannot remove the reel R.

Therefore, the worker first manually reverses the drive motor 84 to rewind the carrier tape T and disengage it from the sprocket 83. The worker then removes the reel R from the reel holding shaft 82 and winds the carrier tape T onto the reel R. The worker then secures the leading end of the carrier tape T with a retaining seal to prevent slack from occurring. The setting and removal (replacement) of the reel R is performed in an external setup area outside the component mounting machine 1.

3. Power Supply System of Tape Feeder 8 Next, the power supply system of the tape feeder 8 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. As shown in the figure, a power supply unit 36 that supplies power to the pallet 30 is provided on the base 10. When the pallet 30 is attached to the base 10, the power supply unit 36 is automatically connected to the pallet 30 by fitting a connector (not shown). Furthermore, when the tape feeder 8 is set on the pallet 30, the power lines of both are automatically connected by fitting a connector (not shown). As a result, the power supply unit 36 is connected in parallel to a plurality of tape feeders 8 to supply power.

The power supply unit 36 serves as both a drive power supply for driving the drive motor 84 and a control power supply for driving the feeder control unit 85. The power supply unit 36 has a power capacity capable of supplying power to the feeder control units 85 of all the tape feeders 8 on the pallet 30 and the allowable number of drive motors 84, which is less than the total number. For example, the total number of tape feeders 8 is 40, and the allowable number is set to 8. In this way, even if the number of drive motors 84 (tape feeders 8) that can operate simultaneously is reduced to the allowable number, the operation of the component mounting machine 1 is not affected. This is because each time a component is picked up during the pick-up mounting cycle, only the tape feeder 8 in question needs to perform the operation of feeding the carrier tape T, so there is no need for a large number of tape feeders 8 to operate simultaneously.

As described above, by reducing the number of operable tape feeders 8 to the allowable number, the power capacity of the power supply unit 36 can be reduced, contributing to cost reduction. Note that a control power supply that supplies power to all feeder control units 85 and a drive power supply that supplies power to the allowable number of drive motors 84 may be provided separately. In this configuration, the power capacity of the drive power supply can be reduced, contributing to cost reduction.

4. Control Configuration of Component Mounting Machine 1 Next, the control configuration of component mounting machine 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. As shown in Fig. 3, pallet 30 is provided with a pallet control unit 39. When pallet 30 is attached to base 10, pallet control unit 39 is automatically connected for communication with control device 9 by fitting a connector (not shown). Furthermore, when tape feeders 8 are set on pallet 30, pallet control unit 39 is automatically connected for communication with feeder control unit 85 by fitting a connector (not shown). Through communication, control device 9 and pallet control unit 39 obtain individual identification information of each tape feeder 8 arranged on pallet 30 and information on the type of components supplied by each tape feeder 8.

The pallet control unit 39 also controls multiple feeder control units 85 according to commands from the control unit 9. For example, when the pallet control unit 39 receives information from the control unit 9 about a tape feeder 8 to which a component has been adsorbed by the suction nozzle 45, it transmits a feed command to the feeder control unit 85 of that tape feeder 8. The feeder control unit 85 that receives the feed command rotates the drive motor 84 in the forward direction to feed the carrier tape T by a fixed pitch. The pallet control unit 39 also controls the number of drive motors 84 operating simultaneously to be equal to or less than the allowable number.

The control device 9 stores the above-mentioned mounting work data 91 in a memory unit 92. The control device 9 includes a display unit 93 such as a display device. Furthermore, the control device 9 includes a detection unit 94 configured using software. The control device 9 is also communicatively connected to a production management system 99. The production management system 99 manages the production plan and production results of the board K (board product).

The detection unit 94 detects the execution of the operation of removing the pallet 30 from the base 10. More specifically, the detection unit 94 obtains information regarding the production sequence of the boards K (board products) from the production management system 99, and obtains mounting operation data 91 for each board K. The detection unit 94 compares the first mounting operation data 91 used for the board K of the current board type currently being produced with the second mounting operation data 91 to be used for the board K of the next board type to be produced next, and determines whether or not to execute the operation of removing the pallet 30.

Here, the mounting operation data 91 specifies the type of parts to be mounted and the tape feeder 8 to be used. Therefore, the detection unit 94 can determine whether or not the mounting operation of the next board type K can be performed as is using only the tape feeder 8 currently set on the pallet 30. If the mounting operation can be performed as is, the production will move from the current board type to the production of the next board type without removing the pallet 30. On the other hand, if the mounting operation cannot be performed as is, the pallet 30 will be removed and attached after production of the current board type is completed, and the production will move to the production of the next board type.

In the latter case, after replacing the tape feeders 8 on the removed pallet 30, it can be reinstalled and used to produce the next board type. Alternatively, a different pallet 30 can be used to produce the next board type, and the removed pallet 30 can be used for production after the next board type. In either case, the detection unit 94 detects in advance that the pallet 30 is being removed, but does not detect the act of removing the pallet 30 or the removed state.

In addition, the pallet 30 to be used may be specified for each piece of mounting work data 91. In this case, the detection unit 94 can easily detect the execution of the work of removing the pallet 30. Alternatively, the detection unit 94 may acquire information regarding the execution of the work of removing the pallet 30 from the production management system 99 or other management devices. Furthermore, the worker may input a setting to execute the work of removing the pallet 30, and the detection unit 94 may perform detection based on the input setting.

When the detection unit 94 detects that the pallet 30 is being removed, the control unit 9, pallet control unit 39, and feeder control unit 85 cooperate to perform control. The control unit 9 first compares the next use conditions of the pallet 30 with the current set state of the tape feeders 8 to determine which carrier tapes T will be unnecessary when the pallet 30 is removed and reattached to the base 10. The control unit 9 then selects the tape feeder 8 in which the carrier tape T is set, and sends this to the pallet control unit 39.

The pallet control unit 39 transmits a rewind command to the feeder control unit 85 of the tape feeder 8 received from the control device 9. The feeder control unit 85, which has received the rewind command, reverses the drive motor 84 to rewind the carrier tape T in the opposite direction to the supply direction. The amount of rewinding at this time is set so that the engagement between the carrier tape T and the sprocket 83 is released, and is controlled by the feeder control unit 85. For example, the amount of rewinding is set to be larger than the distance from the sprocket 83 to the used tape processing unit 34.

The rewound carrier tape T is in a slack state within the housing of the tape feeder 8, as shown in FIG. 4. After this, as shown by the arrow M1, the pallet 30 holding the multiple tape feeders 8 is removed from the base 10 and transported to the external setup area. In the external setup area, the worker removes the tape feeder 8 from the pallet 30 and further replaces the reel R of the tape feeder 8. At this time, the engagement state between the carrier tape T and the sprocket 83 is released, so that the reel R that is no longer needed can be easily removed, and the replacement work of the reel R can be carried out in a short time. On the other hand, the tape feeder 8 to be used for the next application is not removed from the pallet 30, the carrier tape T is not rewound, and the tape feeder 8 remains in a usable state.

The control device 9 also displays the unremovable and removable states of the pallet 30 on the display unit 93. The unremovable state of the pallet 30 includes a state in which the drive motor 84 of the tape feeder 8 is in the middle of rewinding the carrier tape T in the reverse direction. If the pallet 30 is forcibly removed while the carrier tape T is being rewinded, the power to the drive motor 84 and the feeder control unit 85 will be lost, causing a malfunction. The removable state of the pallet 30 means a state in which rewinding of all of the targeted carrier tapes T has been completed.

This allows the worker to perform the removal of the pallet 30 in a timely manner by looking at the display status on the display unit 93. This eliminates unnecessary waiting time and the risk of starting the removal work by mistake, resulting in improved workability. A locking mechanism can also be used to restrict the removal of the pallet 30 when it is in an unremovable state.

5. Operation of the component mounting machine 1 Next, the operation of the component mounting machine 1 will be described with reference to the operation flow shown in FIG. 5. This operation flow is carried out under the control of the control device 9, the pallet control unit 39, and the feeder control unit 85. This operation flow is also executed when the mounting work on the board K of the current board type is completed. In step S1 of FIG. 5, the detection unit 94 acquires information such as the next use conditions of the pallet 30 and the mounting work data 91 to be used for the board K of the next board type. In the next step S2, the detection unit 94 determines (detects) whether or not to perform the removal work of the pallet 30 based on the acquired information. Note that steps S1 and S2 may be executed in parallel with the mounting work.

If the pallet 30 removal operation is not to be performed, the operation flow ends. In step S3, in which the removal operation is to be performed, the control device 9 displays on the display unit 93 the fact that the pallet 30 cannot be removed. This prevents the worker from performing the removal operation incorrectly. In the next step S4, the control device 9 determines the tape feeder 8 that is to be the target for rewinding the carrier tape T based on the acquired information, and issues a command to the pallet control unit 39.

In the next step S5, the pallet control unit 39 executes rewinding of the carrier tape T while controlling the number of drive motors 84 operating simultaneously to be equal to or less than the allowable number. In the next step S6, the pallet control unit 39 determines whether rewinding of the carrier tape T has been completed for all of the commanded tape feeders 8. If not, steps S5 and S6 are repeatedly executed. For example, if the allowable number is 8 and there are 20 tape feeders 8 to be rewound, step S5 is repeated three times to complete rewinding of all of the commanded tape feeders, and completion is determined in the third step S6.

In step S7, if termination is determined in step S6, the control device 9 displays the removable state of the pallet 30 on the display unit 93. This allows the worker to timely perform the removal work of the pallet 30 in the next step S8. This ends the operation flow. Thereafter, the worker removes the tape feeder 8 with the carrier tape T rewound from the pallet 30, and performs the replacement work of the reel R. At this time, as described above, the engagement state between the carrier tape T and the sprocket 83 has been released, and the replacement work of the reel R is carried out in a short time.

In the component mounting machine 1 of the first embodiment, when the detection unit 94 detects that the pallet 30 is being removed, the control unit (pallet control unit 39, feeder control unit 85) and the drive mechanism (drive motor 84) rewind the carrier tape T of the tape feeder 8 in the reverse direction. By rewinding the carrier tape T, the replacement of the reel R in the tape feeder 8 is facilitated and can be performed in a short time, improving workability compared to conventional methods.

6. Second embodiment Next, a component mounting machine according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 6, focusing mainly on the differences from the first embodiment. In order to make FIG. 6 easier to see, the base 10 is omitted. In the second embodiment, the overall configuration of the component mounting machine is almost the same as that of the first embodiment. However, the structure of the pallet 31 constituting the component supply device 3 is different from that of the first embodiment, and the rewinding amount when the carrier tape T is rewound in the reverse direction is different from that of the first embodiment.

As shown in Figure 6, the pallet 31 has a feeder mounting section 311 on the right side of the top surface, and a tray-type component supply section 312 on the left side of the top surface. The feeder mounting section 311 has a number of slots extending in the front-rear direction and formed at a predetermined pitch in the left-right direction. A tape feeder 8 is inserted from the front into each slot and set. Figure 6 shows an example of one tape feeder 8, but in reality, a number of tape feeders 8 are set in an array. A used tape processing section 35 is fixed to the base 10 at a position below and rear of the feeder mounting section 311.

The tray-type component supply unit 312 supplies components using trays that contain components in multiple storage compartments arranged in a two-dimensional grid. The tray-type component supply unit 312 is composed of, for example, a tray magazine that contains multiple trays that can be raised and lowered, and a pull-out mechanism that pulls the trays out of the tray magazine to a specified supply position. The component supply device 3 uses carrier tape T and trays in combination to increase the number of types of components to be supplied and to diversify the shapes of the components.

The pallet 31 also has a positioning pin 313 and a power connector 314 arranged side by side below the feeder mounting section 311 on the right side of the rear surface. The positioning pin 313 and the power connector 314 are arranged in a position where they may interfere with the tip of the carrier tape T. When the pallet 31 is attached to the base 10, the positioning pin 313 fits into a positioning hole provided in the base 10 to guide the attachment position of the pallet 31 and stabilize the attachment position. The positioning pin 313 is one form of connection that structurally connects the base 10 and the pallet 31.

The power connector 314 automatically engages with the supply side connector provided on the base 10 in synchronization with the positioning pin 313 fitting into the positioning hole. The supply side connector is connected to the power supply unit 36. Therefore, by engaging the power connector 314 with the supply side connector, the pallet 31 is supplied with power from the power supply unit 36. The power connector 314 is one form of connection part that electrically connects the base 10 and the pallet 31.

Note that either the positioning pin 313 or the power connector 314 may be located in a different position. Also, a communication connector that communicatively connects the control device 9 and the pallet control unit 39 may be located in place of the power connector 314 or next to the power connector 314. In either configuration, there is a risk that the carrier tape T may interfere with the structural or electrical connection, causing problems. This problem occurs when the pallet 31 is attached to the base 10, but does not occur after the pallet 31 is attached.

In order to solve the above problems, in the second embodiment, similar to the first embodiment, control is performed to rewind the carrier tape T in the reverse direction. More specifically, when the mounting operation on the substrate K of the current substrate type is completed and the detection unit 94 detects the execution of the removal operation of the pallet 31, the control device 9 commands the pallet control unit 39 to rewind the carrier tape T. The pallet control unit 39 executes rewinding of the carrier tape T for all tape feeders 8 on the pallet 31. As in the first embodiment, the pallet control unit 39 controls the number of drive motors 84 operating simultaneously to be equal to or less than the allowable number, and executes rewinding in multiple batches.

The amount of rewinding at this time is set so that the engagement state between the carrier tape T and the sprocket 83 is maintained, and is controlled by the feeder control unit 85. That is, while maintaining the engagement state between the carrier tape T and the sprocket 83, the feeder control unit 85 rewinds the carrier tape T until the external length in the supply direction of the carrier tape T protruding outside the tape feeder 8 becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value LA (see FIG. 6).

The predetermined value LA is set so as to satisfy at least one of the following conditions: no problem occurs when the pallet 31 is removed and reattached to the base 10, and no problem occurs when the removed pallet 31 is moved. According to the former condition, the external length can be shortened to the extent that the tip of the carrier tape T does not reach the positioning pin 313 and the power connector 314. According to the latter condition, the external length can be shortened to the extent that no problem occurs even if the tip of the carrier tape T swings during the movement of the pallet 31.

In the second embodiment, the predetermined value LA that satisfies both of the above conditions is set to an extent as illustrated in Figure 6, for example, approximately 10 to 20% of the maximum external length. The predetermined value LA may also be set to a negative value, and the carrier tape T may be rewound until the leading end thereof is pulled into the inside of the tape feeder 8. Even in this case, the predetermined value LA is set within a range that maintains the engagement state between the carrier tape T and the sprocket 83.

In the component mounting machine of the second embodiment, when the detection unit 94 detects that the pallet 30 is being removed, the control unit (pallet control unit 39, feeder control unit 85) and the drive mechanism (drive motor 84) rewind the carrier tape T of the tape feeder 8 in the reverse direction. By doing so, the length of the carrier tape T sticking out of the tape feeder 8 is shortened or eliminated by rewinding, so that the reattachment or movement of the pallet 31 is not hindered, and workability is improved compared to conventional methods. In addition, the next time the pallet 31 is used, the operator does not need to advance the tip of the carrier tape T to engage it with the sprocket 83.

7. Applications and Modifications of the Embodiments The first and second embodiments can be used together. That is, for the tape feeders 8 that are the targets of rewinding in the first embodiment, rewinding can be performed until the engagement state between the carrier tape T and the sprocket 83 is released, and for the tape feeders 8 that are not the targets, rewinding can be performed within a range in which the engagement state between the carrier tape T and the sprocket 83 is maintained. Also, in the first embodiment, if there are no restrictions on the power capacity of the power supply unit 36, instead of steps S5 and S6 in FIG. 5, all of the target tape feeders 8 can simultaneously rewind the carrier tape T.

Furthermore, a winding mechanism for actively winding the carrier tape T onto the reel R may be added to the tape feeder 8. When the carrier tape T is rewound, the winding mechanism operates in synchronization with the reverse rotation of the drive motor 84 to reverse the reel R. The reel holding shaft 82 may be used as the rotating shaft, and the winding mechanism may reverse the reel R and the reel holding shaft 82 as a unit. On the other hand, the winding mechanism has a one-way clutch section so as not to hinder the forward rotation of the reel R and the feeding of the carrier tape T under normal conditions. This allows the rewound carrier tape T to be wound onto the reel R without causing slack. In addition, the first and second embodiments can be applied and modified in various ways.

1: Component mounting machine 10: Base 2: Board transport device 3: Component supply device 30, 31: Pallet 311: Feeder mounting section 312: Tray-type component supply section 313: Positioning pin 314: Power connector 34, 35: Used tape processing section 36: Power supply section 39: Pallet control section 4: Component transfer device 8: Tape feeder 81: Supply position 83: Sprocket 84: Drive motor 85: Feeder control section 9: Control device 91: Mounting operation data 93: Display section 94: Detection section K: Board R: Reel T: Carrier tape LA: Predetermined value

Claims (8)

The base and
a pallet that holds a plurality of tape feeders each having a drive mechanism that engages with a carrier tape containing a plurality of components and feeds the carrier tape in a predetermined supply direction and is detachably mounted on the base;
A detection unit that detects the execution of an operation of removing the pallet from the base;
a control unit that controls the drive mechanisms of the tape feeders to rewind the carrier tape in a direction opposite to the supply direction when the detection unit detects that the pallet is being removed while no mounting operation of mounting the components on the board is being performed ; and
A component mounting machine comprising: 2. The component mounting machine according to claim 1, wherein the control unit selects the tape feeder in which the carrier tape that is no longer needed when the pallet is removed and reattached to the base, and rewinds the carrier tape in the reverse direction. The component mounting machine according to claim 1, wherein the control unit rewinds the carrier tape in the reverse direction while maintaining the engagement between the carrier tape and the drive mechanism until the external length of the carrier tape protruding from the tape feeder in the supply direction becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value. The component mounting machine according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined value is set to satisfy at least one of the conditions that no problem occurs when the pallet is removed and then reattached to the base, and the condition that no problem occurs when the removed pallet is moved. The component mounting machine according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined value is set so as to satisfy a condition that when the pallet is removed and reattached to the base, the leading end of the carrier tape protruding from the tape feeder in the supply direction does not interfere with a connection that electrically or structurally connects the base and the pallet. The component mounting machine according to claim 3, wherein the control unit rewinds the carrier tape in the reverse direction until the leading end of the carrier tape in the supply direction is pulled from the outside to the inside of the tape feeder. the component mounting machine includes a power supply unit that is connected to be able to supply power to all of the tape feeders and has a power capacity capable of supplying power to an allowable number of the tape feeders that is less than the total number of the tape feeders,
The control unit controls the number of the drive mechanisms to be operated simultaneously to be equal to or less than the allowable number.
The component mounting machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The component mounting machine according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a display unit that displays a non-removable state in which the drive mechanism is in the middle of rewinding the carrier tape in the reverse direction and the pallet cannot be removed from the base, and a removable state in which the pallet can be removed from the base.

Images