JP7647889B2 - Parts Storage Device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a component storage device that stores electronic components such as chip components in a case.

Conventionally, when transporting a large number of small electronic components such as chip components, box-shaped cases that store the electronic components in a loose state have been known (for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2009-295618 A

Cases that store many loose parts are more efficient than carrier tapes in terms of the storage efficiency of storing many parts in a certain volume. In order to promote efficiency, there is a demand for a device that can automatically and smoothly store many parts in such cases.

The present invention aims to provide a part storage device that can automatically and smoothly store a large number of parts in a case.

The component storage device of the present invention is a component storage device that stores a plurality of components through an opening into a case having an opening, and includes a first transport unit that transports a plurality of components, a first discharge unit that discharges the components transported by the first transport unit, an installation unit in which the case is installed, a second transport unit that transports the components discharged from the first discharge unit to the case installed in the installation unit, and a second discharge unit that discharges the components transported by the second transport unit from the opening so that they are stored in the case installed in the installation unit, and the second transport unit has a transport force imparting unit that imparts a transport force to the components transported on the second transport unit.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a part storage device that can automatically and smoothly store a large number of parts in a case.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the case according to the embodiment, seen obliquely from above, showing a state in which the exhaust port is open. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the internal state of the case according to the embodiment, with the exhaust port open. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the internal state of the case according to the embodiment, showing a state in which the exhaust port is closed. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the case according to the embodiment, seen obliquely from below, showing a state in which the exhaust port is closed. 1 is a plan view showing an overview of a component storage device according to an embodiment; 6 is a partial cross-sectional view corresponding to the line VI-VI in FIG. 5. 2 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing a case according to the embodiment and an installation portion on which the case is installed. FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing a state in which the case according to the embodiment is placed on a placement portion and an outlet of the case is closed. 1 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing a state in which the case according to the embodiment is placed on a placement portion and an outlet of the case is open. FIG. FIG. 4 is a side view showing a second conveying unit according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing a first discharge section according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing a second discharge section according to the embodiment. 13 is a diagram showing the first compressed air supply mechanism (transport force imparting unit) according to the embodiment, and is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII in FIG. 14. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIV-XIV of Figure 13. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a vibration imparting portion (conveying force imparting portion) using a piezoelectric mechanism according to the embodiment. FIG. FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a second compressed air supply mechanism (transport auxiliary unit) according to the embodiment. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a first modified example of the cross-sectional shape of the tubular member according to the embodiment and a first porous portion. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a second modified example of the cross-sectional shape of the tubular member according to the embodiment and a first porous portion. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a third modified example of the cross-sectional shape of the tubular member according to the embodiment and a first porous portion. FIG.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described.
Fig. 1 to Fig. 4 are diagrams relating to a case 1 according to an embodiment. Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 are diagrams relating to a component accommodation device 200 according to an embodiment. The component accommodation device 200 is a device that automatically accommodates a plurality of components in the case 1. First, the case 1 will be described.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of case 1 seen from diagonally above. Case 1 accommodates electronic components 50 (shown in Figure 2) in a loose state as components inside. Case 1 is detachably set in feeder 100. Feeder 100 is a device that vibrates to eject electronic components 50 from inside case 1 and supplies the electronic components 50 to a mounting device (not shown). Electronic components 50 in this embodiment are tiny rectangular electronic components with a length of, for example, 1.2 mm or less in the longitudinal direction. Examples of such electronic components include capacitors and inductors, but this embodiment is not limited to these.

2 and 3 are perspective views showing the internal state of the case 1 with the second member 22, which will be described later, removed. Fig. 2 shows the state in which the opening 6 for ejecting the electronic component 50 is open, and Fig. 3 shows the state in which the opening 6 is closed. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the case 1 as seen obliquely from below.

The case 1 comprises a case body 2, a shutter member 3, a slider 4 integral with the shutter member 3, and an RFID tag 5.

The case body 2 has a first member 21 and a second member 22. The case 1 is a container in which a storage space S is formed by combining and joining the first member 21 and the second member 22. The case body 2 includes a top plate portion 2U, a bottom plate portion 2D, a front wall portion 2F, a rear wall portion 2B, a right side wall portion 2R on the first member 21 side, and a left side wall portion 2L on the second member 22 side.

In this specification, the vertical direction when the case 1 is set in the feeder 100 is defined as the up-down direction of the case 1. The side of the case 1 where the opening 6 is provided is defined as the front, and the opposite side is defined as the rear. The left and right directions are defined as the left and right directions when the case 1 is viewed from the front. The first member 21 is on the right side, and the second member 22 is on the left side.
The front wall 2F, the rear wall 2B, the right side wall 2R and the left side wall 2L are each a wall extending vertically, i.e., up and down, and the top plate 2U and the bottom plate 2D are each a plate extending horizontally.

1 and 4, the case 1 is formed by combining and joining together a first member 21 and a second member 22 that are configured symmetrically on the left and right. In other words, each of the first member 21 and the second member 22 is a half body that is divided into left and right halves.

The case body 2 has an opening 6 on the lower side of the front wall portion 2F. In this embodiment, the opening 6 is rectangular. Note that the opening 6 is not limited to a rectangular shape and may be an opening having a contour of, for example, a circular or elliptical shape.

As shown in Figure 2, within the storage space S, the plate member 7 extends between the first member 21 and the second member 22. The upper surface of the plate member 7 extends from the rear toward the lower edge 6a of the opening 6 at the front, forming an inclined surface 7a that is inclined so that the lower edge 6a side is at the lowest side. When the case 1 is set in the feeder 100, the inclination angle θ of the inclined surface 7a is preferably 3° to 10° with respect to the horizontal direction, and even better 5° to 7°.

As shown in FIG. 2, the shutter member 3 that opens and closes the opening 6 extends continuously from the bottom plate portion 2D to the front wall portion 2F. The shutter member 3 opens and closes the opening 6 by sliding along its own extension direction. The shutter member 3 extends continuously from the bottom plate portion 2D to the front wall portion 2F, and is slidable along its extension direction. The shutter member 3 is a long, thin, strip-shaped film member. The shutter member 3 is made of a flexible material that has a certain degree of rigidity and can be bent, such as PET (Polyethylene terephthalate). The width of the shutter member 3 is slightly larger than the width of the opening 6, and has a width that can cover the opening 6 without any gaps.

The shutter member 3 has an opening 3a at its front end, which is approximately the same shape as the opening 6. When the opening 3a and the opening 6 match, the opening 6 opens. When the shutter member 3 covers the opening 6, the opening 6 is blocked by the shutter member 3. Note that the opening 3a does not need to be the same shape as the opening 6, and it need only have a shape and size that allows the opening 6 to be open.

A recess 61 recessed from the outside to the inside of the case body 2 is provided above the opening 6 in the front wall 2F of the case body 2. A pair of guide grooves 62 extending in the up-down direction are provided on the thickness direction of the case 1, i.e., the left-right direction, of the part where the opening 6 and recess 61 are provided. Both side portions extending in the length direction of the shutter member 3 are inserted into the left-right guide grooves 62. The shutter member 3 slides in the up-down direction on the front wall 2F while being guided by the guide grooves 62.

2 and 3, a circular hole 3b is provided at the rear end of the shutter member 3. The slider 4 is attached to the shutter member 3 using the hole 3b so as to be integrated with the shutter member 3. The slider 4 is a rectangular parallelepiped member, and as shown in Fig. 4, has a lower opening 4c that opens downward, as well as a front end plate portion 4d and a rear end plate portion 4e.

2 and 3, the slider 4 has flanges 4a at its upper end, which extend in the left and right directions. The slider 4 has a protrusion 4b on its upper surface. The protrusion 4b fits into the hole 3b of the shutter member 3 and protrudes upward, so that the slider 4 and the shutter member 3 are integrated together.

As shown in Figure 4, the bottom plate portion 2D of the case 1 is provided with a recess 23 that is long in the front-to-rear direction and recessed upward. A slit 24 is provided on the front surface of the recess 23. The rear end of the shutter member 3 is inserted through the slit 24. The rear end of the shutter member 3 extends along the underside of the recess 23 through the slit 24. A pair of recesses 26a and 26b are provided on the underside of the recess 23 in a front-to-rear manner. The protrusion 4b of the slider 4 can be fitted into each of the recesses 26a and 26b.

Grooves 25 extending in the front-rear direction are provided on both left-right surfaces of the bottom plate portion 2D where the recess 23 is provided. The left and right flange portions 4a of the slider 4 are inserted into the left and right groove portions 25, respectively. The flange portions 4a slide back and forth along the groove portions 25, causing the slider 4 to slide in the front-rear direction. At this time, the sliding range of the slider 4 is between the position where the protrusion 4b engages with the front recess 26a and the position where it engages with the rear recess 26b.

As shown in Figure 3, when the convex portion 4b of the slider 4 is engaged with the front recess 26a, the opening 3a of the shutter member 3 is located within the recess 61 and does not match the opening 6. At this time, the entire opening 6 is blocked by the shutter member 3, and the electronic component 50 cannot be ejected to the outside through the opening 6. On the other hand, when the shutter member 3 slides rearward and the convex portion 4b engages with the rear recess 26b as shown in Figure 2, the opening 3a of the shutter member 3 matches the opening 6. At this time, the opening 6 opens, and the electronic component 50 can be ejected from the opening 6.

1 and 2, the case body 2 has an upper gripping portion 10A and a rear gripping portion 10B. The upper gripping portion 10A is a pair of front and rear recesses provided on both front and rear ends of the upper side of the case body 2. The rear gripping portion 10B is a pair of upper and lower recesses provided on both top and bottom ends of the rear side of the case body 2. Each of the upper gripping portion 10A and the rear gripping portion 10B is gripped by a robot hand, for example, when the case 1 is transported by the robot hand.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a through hole 9 penetrating from left to right is provided in the lower part of the case body 2 at a position roughly corresponding to the recess 23. The through hole 9 is a slit-shaped hole extending in the front-to-rear direction. A strip-shaped RFID tag 5 that is long in the front-to-rear direction is affixed to the upper surface inside the through hole 9. The RFID tag 5 has a known configuration including a transmitter/receiver unit, memory, antenna, etc. As shown in Figure 1, a reader/writer 105 that reads and writes information from the RFID tag 5 is arranged in the feeder 100.

As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the case main body 2 further has a claw portion 8 and a T-slot portion 13 extending downward from the outer surface of the bottom plate portion 2D.

The claw portion 8 includes a front claw portion 8A and a rear claw portion 8B. The front claw portion 8A and the rear claw portion 8B have the same shape and are plate pieces that extend from above to below and have an L-shape in side view with the lower end bent approximately 90 degrees backward. Note that the front claw portion 8A and the rear claw portion 8B do not have to have the same shape.

The T-slot portion 13 includes a front T-slot portion 13A and a rear T-slot portion 13B. The front T-slot portion 13A and the rear T-slot portion 13B are both inverted T-shaped protrusions when viewed from the front. The front T-slot portion 13A has a tapered portion 13c formed at the front end portion.

Feeder 100 has an engagement portion (not shown) with which claw portion 8 and T-slot portion 13 each detachably engage to allow case 1 to be set on feeder 100. Claw portion 8 and T-slot portion 13 each engage with said engagement portion to detachably set case 1 on feeder 100. In case 1 thus set on feeder 100, feeder 100 vibrates with opening 6 open, causing electronic components 50 to move down inclined surface 7a and be discharged from opening 6. Discharged electronic components 50 are supplied to a mounting device as described above.

Next, an overview of the component receiving device 200 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an outline of the component receiving device 200, and FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view corresponding to the line VI-VI in FIG.

The component storage device 200 is a device that automatically stores multiple electronic components 50 in the storage space S through the opening 6 in the case 1 described above. As shown in FIG. 1, the component storage device 200 according to the embodiment includes a first transport section 210, a first discharge section 230 that discharges the electronic components 50 from the first transport section 210, a placement section 240 in which the case 1 is placed, a second transport section 310 that transports the electronic components 50 from the first discharge section 230 to the vicinity of the case 1 placed in the placement section 240, a second discharge section 330 that discharges the electronic components 50 from the second transport section 310 into the case 1 placed in the placement section 240, and a component detection section 270.

The first conveying section 210 continuously conveys the plurality of electronic components 50 to the first discharge section 230. In the embodiment, the first conveying section 210 has a linear feeder 211 that continuously conveys the plurality of electronic components 50 in a linear manner, and a turntable 212 that receives the plurality of components conveyed by the linear feeder 211 one by one and rotates the electronic components 50 by a rotating motion to convey them intermittently.

A number of electronic components 50 are transported in a line toward the turntable 212 by a linear feeder 211 that is installed substantially horizontally. The linear feeder 211 is vibrated, for example, by a vibrator (not shown), and the vibrations cause the electronic components 50 to be transported sequentially in the direction of arrow F toward the turntable 212. The electronic components 50 are pushed by the succeeding electronic components 50 as they are fed along the linear feeder 211. The linear feeder 211 extends toward the center of rotation of the turntable 212, and its end reaches the vicinity of the outer periphery of the turntable 212.

The turntable 212 is a disk-shaped rotating member that is installed horizontally. The turntable 212 is made of a material such as ceramic or glass epoxy resin. The turntable 212 is rotatably arranged on a base 214 via a rotating shaft 213 that extends vertically. The turntable 212 rotates intermittently around the rotating shaft 213 in the direction of the arrow R in FIG. 5 by a driving source 217 that drives the rotating shaft 213 to rotate. On the outer periphery of the turntable 212, a plurality of notches 215 that open to the outer periphery are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. One electronic component 50 is housed inside one notch 215. The rotation direction of the turntable 212 is not limited to the R direction in FIG. 5, and may be the opposite direction to this R direction.

As shown in FIG. 6, the turntable 212 is disposed on the upper surface 216 of the base 214. The notches 215 open to the outer peripheral surface and the top and bottom surfaces of the turntable 212. The turntable 212 has air suction passages (not shown) inside that lead to each notch 215. These air suction passages open to the rear surface of each notch 215. The air suction passages are connected to a suction source such as a vacuum pump, and when this suction source is activated, the air in the notches 215 is sucked into the rear surface, creating a negative pressure state. As a result, the electronic component 50 housed in the notches 215 is attracted to the rear surface by the negative pressure action and held within the notches 215.

The electronic components 50 transported by the linear feeder 211 to the vicinity of the turntable 212 are accommodated one by one from the side into each of the multiple notches 215 of the intermittently rotating turntable 212, and are adsorbed and held on the rear surface as described above. The electronic components 50 accommodated and held in the notches 215 are intermittently transported to the first discharge section 230 in the direction of arrow R by the rotation of the turntable 212. The electronic components 50 accommodated in the notches 215 move on the upper surface 216 of the base 214.

The first discharge section 230 is disposed corresponding to the turntable 212. More specifically, the first discharge section 230 is disposed on a circular transport path corresponding to the rotation trajectory of the notch 215 of the turntable 212. The first discharge section 230 is disposed at a rotation angle position of approximately 270° with respect to the transition portion from the linear feeder 211 to the turntable 212. The first discharge section 230 is a section that discharges the electronic components 50 transported by the turntable 212 by dropping them one by one under their own weight onto the second transport section 310.

The first discharge section 230 may be disposed at any position on the transport path of the turntable 212. For example, it may be disposed at the innermost position as viewed from the linear feeder 211, that is, at a rotation angle position of 180° with respect to the transition portion from the linear feeder 211 to the turntable 212.

The electronic component 50 discharged from the first discharge section 230 is transported through the second transport section 310. The electronic component 50 transported through the second transport section 310 is discharged from the second discharge section 330 so as to be housed within the case 1 installed in the installation section 240. The case 1 is installed in the installation section 240 as shown in Figures 7 to 9. The case 1 is installed in the installation section 240 in a state in which the electronic component 50 discharged from the first discharge section 230 is positioned so that it falls into the opening 6. The case 1 is installed in the installation section 240 with the front-to-rear direction of the case 1 aligned vertically, i.e., in a vertically placed state.

As shown in FIG. 7, the installation section 240 has a wall section 241, a holding section 250 that holds the case 1 in a vertical position on the wall section 241, and an opening/closing mechanism 260 that opens and closes the shutter member 3 of the case 1.

The wall portion 241 has a wall surface 241a that is a surface along a substantially vertical direction.
The holding part 250 includes a pair of upper and lower hook parts, i.e., an upper hook part 251 and a lower hook part 252, which protrude from the wall surface 241a. The upper hook part 251 and the lower hook part 252 are of the same shape, and are plate pieces having an L-shape in a side view with a tip bent upward by approximately 90 degrees. As shown in FIG. 8, the front claw part 8A of the case 1 detachably engages with the upper hook part 251 from above, and the rear claw part 8B of the case 1 detachably engages with the lower hook part 252 from above. In this way, the case 1 is detachably held by the holding part 250. Note that the upper hook part 251 and the lower hook part 252 do not have to have the same shape.

The wall 241 is formed with a recess 242 that extends in the vertical direction and opens toward the wall surface 241a. An opening/closing mechanism 260 that slides the shutter member 3 is disposed within this recess 242. The opening/closing mechanism 260 has a drive pin 261 that is provided so as to be movable in the vertical direction along the bottom surface of the recess 242. The tip of the drive pin 261 protrudes from the wall surface 241a. The drive pin 261 is supported so as to be movable in the vertical direction, for example, along a guide groove provided on the bottom surface of the recess 242, and is driven to reciprocate in the vertical direction by an actuator or the like. A reader/writer 243 that can write information to the RFID tag 5 without contact is disposed in the recess 242 of the wall 241.

As shown in Figure 8, the drive pin 261 engages with the slider 4 of the case 1 held by the holding portion 250. The shutter member 3 of the case 1 shown in Figure 8 slides forward (upward in Figure 8) so that the convex portion 4b of the slider 4 fits into the front recess 26a, and the opening 6 is blocked by the shutter member 3. Meanwhile, the drive pin 261 moves upward. When the drive pin 261 is positioned upward and the case 1 with the opening 6 blocked by the shutter member 3 is held by the holding portion 250, the drive pin 261 is inserted into the lower opening 4c of the slider 4 shown in Figure 4 and positioned between the front end plate portion 4d and the rear end plate portion 4e.

8, the drive pin 261 moves downward, contacting the rear end plate portion 4e of the slider 4 and pushing the slider 4 downward to slide. As the slider 4 slides downward, the shutter member 3 slides backward in the case 1. Then, as shown in FIG. 9, the convex portion 4b of the slider 4 fits into the rear recess 26b, and the opening 3a of the shutter member 3 matches the opening 6 of the case 1 to open the opening 6. When the drive pin 261 returns upward from this state, the drive pin 261 contacts the front end plate portion 4d of the slider 4 and pushes the slider 4 upward to slide. As the slider 4 slides upward, the shutter member 3 slides forward in the case 1, and as shown in FIG. 8, the convex portion 4b fits into the front recess 26a, and the opening 3a is closed by the shutter member 3.

As shown in FIG. 10, the second conveying section 310 is positioned from below the first discharge section 230 to above the case 1 installed in the installation section 240.

11, the first discharge section 230 includes a through hole 218 provided in the base 214 and a push pin 236. The first discharge section 230 is also provided with a suction release mechanism (not shown) that releases the suction and holding of the electronic component 50 by air suction into the notch 215. An example of the suction release mechanism is a mechanism that sprays air to stop or weaken the flow of the sucked air.

The through hole 218 is located directly below the outer periphery of the turntable 212 and is positioned corresponding to the notch 215 of the turntable 212. The through hole 218 has a size that allows the electronic component 50 to pass through. The inlet 311 of the second transport section 310 is located directly below the through hole 218. When the turntable 212 rotates and the notch 215 matches the through hole 218, the suction release mechanism releases the hold of the electronic component 50 in the notch 215, and the electronic component 50 that has been moving on the upper surface 216 of the base 214 falls from the notch 215 to the through hole 218. The electronic component 50 then passes through the through hole 218 and falls from the inlet 311 into the second transport section 310.

The push pin 236 has the function of forcibly dropping the electronic component 50 from the notch 215. The push pin 236 is arranged above the notch 215 that coincides with the through hole 218. The push pin 236 is a rod-shaped member that extends in the vertical direction, and is driven in the vertical direction by an actuator (not shown). When the push pin 236 is driven downward, the electronic component 50 in the notch 215 is pushed downward and is dropped through the through hole 218 into the second transport section 310. By being pushed by the push pin 236, the electronic component 50 is reliably released from the notch 215 and dropped without getting caught in the notch 215.

In addition, instead of or in addition to the push-down pin 236, an airflow generating unit 237 that uses airflow to cause the electronic component 50 to fall from the notch 215 may be provided in the first discharge unit 230. Examples of such an airflow generating unit 237 include a unit that has a function of blowing air from above onto the electronic component 50 to cause it to fall, or a unit that has a function of sucking air from the side to cause the electronic component 50 to fall.

Furthermore, the first discharge section 230 is provided with a cleaning section 238 that cleans the path of the electronic components 50 passing through the first discharge section 230. More specifically, the cleaning section 238 is disposed above the push-down pins 236, and is configured with an air suction mechanism that sucks in air. Air is sucked in by the cleaning section 238, so that air is sucked in from the notches 215, the passage holes 218, and the transport path of the electronic components 50, which is inside the second transport section 310. As a result, debris, dust, and the like present in the path are sucked into the cleaning section 238 and cleaned.
The cleaning unit 238 may be configured to blow air to blow away debris, dust, etc., to clean the path of the electronic component 50. In that case, it is preferable to operate the cleaning unit 238 with the opening 6 closed by the shutter member 3 in order to prevent debris, dust, etc., from entering the case 1.

12, the second discharge section 330 includes the end portion 312 of the second transport section 310. This end portion 312 extends in the vertical direction. The electronic component 50 that passes through the end portion 312 falls into the opening 6 of the case 1 installed in the installation section 240 and is accommodated in the case 1.

The part detection unit 270 detects the electronic component 50 at any position on the path of the electronic component 50 from the first transport unit 210 to the opening 6 of the case 1 installed in the installation unit 240. The part detection unit 270 of the embodiment includes a first part detection unit 271 arranged at a predetermined position to the side of the linear feeder 211 shown in Figure 5, a second part detection unit 272 and a third part detection unit 273 arranged on the turntable 212, and a fourth part detection unit 274 provided below the second discharge unit 330 shown in Figure 12.

The first component detection unit 271 detects the electronic components 50 at a fixed position as they are transported on the linear feeder 211. The second component detection unit 272 is disposed upstream of the transport path of the turntable 212. The third component detection unit 273 is disposed downstream of the second component detection unit 272 on the transport path of the turntable 212.

Each of the first component detection unit 271, the second component detection unit 272, and the third component detection unit 273 detects any item related to the electronic component 50. The first component detection unit 271, for example, detects the passage of the electronic component 50 and has a function as a counter serving as a passing detection unit that counts the number of passing electronic components 50. The second component detection unit 272 is, for example, an image sensor serving as a shape detection unit that detects the shape of the electronic component 50 and detects whether or not the electronic component 50 has a shape defect from the detected shape. The third component detection unit 273 functions as a performance detection unit that detects, for example, the performance of the electronic component 50. For example, when the electronic component 50 is a capacitor, the performance detection unit is a capacitance sensor or the like that detects whether or not the capacitance as a function has a specified value.

The fourth component detection unit 274 includes an upstream passage detection unit 275 arranged upstream of the second transport unit 310 shown in FIG. 11, and a downstream passage detection unit 276 arranged downstream of the second transport unit 310 shown in FIG. 12. The upstream passage detection unit 275 has a function of a counter that counts the number of electronic components 50 that pass through the passage hole 218 and fall into the inlet 311 of the second transport unit 310. The upstream passage detection unit 275 uses a known optical sensor composed of a light-emitting element 275a and a light-receiving element 275b. The lower passage detection unit 276 has a function of a counter that counts the number of electronic components 50 that pass through the end portion 312 of the second discharge unit 330 and enter the opening 6 of the case 1. The downstream passage detection unit 276 is similar to the upstream passage detection unit 275, and uses a known optical sensor composed of a light-emitting element 276a and a light-receiving element 276b. The optical sensor may be of a type that receives the reflected light from an object, and the light emitting element and the light receiving element may be integrated rather than being separate.

As shown in FIG. 10, the second transport section 310 includes a tubular member 313 disposed between the first discharge section 230 and the second discharge section 330. The tubular member 313 forms a transport path connecting the first discharge section 230 and the case 1 installed in the installation section 240. The tubular member 313 is disposed below the turntable 212. As shown in FIG. 13, the tubular member 313 is a tube with a circular cross section, and is made of resin or metal. The electronic component 50 is transported while falling inside the tubular member 313 due to gravity.

In addition, when the tubular member 313 is made of resin, it is preferable that all or part of the tubular member 313 is made of a transparent or semi-transparent material. This allows the electronic components 50 being transported inside the tubular member 313 to be visually observed from the outside through the transparent or semi-transparent part, making it possible to check the transport status.

As shown in FIG. 10, the tubular member 313 has an upstream end 313A and a downstream end 313E, and further has a first intermediate portion 313B, a second intermediate portion 313C, and a third intermediate portion 313D between the upstream end 313A and the downstream end 313E. The upstream end 313A and the downstream end 313E extend along a substantially vertical direction. The first intermediate portion 313B and the third intermediate portion 313D are inclined at a predetermined angle so as to be inclined downward from the top to the bottom. The second intermediate portion 313C extends in a substantially horizontal direction. Although the tubular member 313 has the second intermediate portion 313C extending in a substantially horizontal direction, it extends continuously in the vertical direction from the upstream end 313A to the downstream end 313E while bending at multiple points as a whole.

As shown in Figure 5, the tubular member 313 of the embodiment constituting the second conveying section 310 is straight in a plan view, but the tubular member 313 may have a bent or curved shape even in a plan view. The straight portions of the second conveying section 310 in Figure 5 are the first intermediate section 313B, the second intermediate section 313C, and the third intermediate section 313D. The tubular member 313 is positioned so as not to interfere with various devices installed around the turntable 212 and the base 214.

11, the upstream end 313A has the above-mentioned inlet 311 at its upper end. The inlet 311 is formed in an inverted cone shape with an inner diameter that increases toward the top. The inner diameter of the circular upper end opening edge of the inlet 311 is sufficiently larger than the electronic component 50. The inlet 311 is arranged so as to be close to the passage hole 218 and located directly below the passage hole 218. As a result, the electronic component 50 that falls through the passage hole 218 is guided to pass through the inlet 311 and fall into the inside of the tubular member 313. The electronic component 50 slides down to the second discharge section 330 while contacting the inner surface of the tubular member 313. The inner diameter of the tubular member 313 is approximately uniform except for the inlet 311, and the inner diameter is sufficiently longer than the length of the diagonal line that is the longest dimension of the electronic component 50, for example, about 2 to 40 times.

12, the downstream end 313E has, at its lower end, the aforementioned terminal portion 312 that opens downward. The terminal portion 312 is disposed so as to be adjacent to the opening 6 of the case 1 mounted on the mounting portion 240 and to be located directly above the opening 6. This allows the electronic component 50 that falls through the terminal portion 312 to enter the case 1 through the opening 6.

10, the second conveying section 310 of the embodiment has a plurality of conveying force imparting sections 320 that impart conveying forces to the electronic components 50 conveyed through the second conveying section 310, and a conveying auxiliary section 370. The conveying force imparting sections 320 are disposed at the upstream end section 313A, the first intermediate section 313B, the second intermediate section 313C, and the third intermediate section 313D, respectively. The conveying auxiliary section 370 is disposed at the downstream end section 313E.

The conveying force imparting unit 320 of the embodiment includes a first compressed air supply mechanism 340 shown in Figures 13 and 14 and a vibration imparting mechanism 350 shown in Figure 15. The conveying auxiliary unit 370 includes a second compressed air supply mechanism 360 shown in Figure 16.

The first compressed air supply mechanism 340 shown in Figures 13 and 14 has a first porous portion 331 provided in a part of the tube wall 314 of the tubular member 313, a cover 332 covering the first porous portion 331, and a nozzle 333 that supplies compressed air into the cover 332.

13 and 14 show the first compressed air supply mechanism 340 provided at the upstream end 313A. The first porous portion 331 is a semicircular arc-shaped portion occupying approximately half of the circumferential length of the pipe wall 314, and is provided integrally with the pipe wall 314. The first porous portion 331 has a large number of pores. The cover 332 covers the first porous portion 331 and is hermetically joined to the outer circumferential surface of the pipe wall 314. The nozzle 333 is connected to a compressed air supply source (not shown) and is joined to the cover 332 so that compressed air can be supplied into the cover 332. Compressed air is supplied into the cover 332 from the compressed air supply source through the nozzle 333.

Compressed air supplied from nozzle 333 into cover 332 passes through the pores of first porous portion 331 and is blown into the inside of tubular member 313. As shown in FIG. 14, nozzle 333 is joined to cover 332 with its tip tilted downward, i.e., facing the conveying direction of electronic component 50. This provides a conveying force to electronic component 50 conveyed inside tubular member 313 so that it receives compressed air and propels it downward, which is the conveying direction. Cover 332 functions to prevent air from escaping from first porous portion 331 to the outside of tubular member 313.

In addition, the first compressed air supply mechanism 340 may be provided not only at the upstream end 313A, but also at any one or all of the first intermediate portion 313B, the second intermediate portion 313C, the third intermediate portion 313D and the downstream end 313E.

The vibration imparting mechanism 350 shown in Figure 15 is provided in the second intermediate portion 313C extending in a substantially horizontal direction. The vibration imparting mechanism 350 includes a piezoelectric mechanism 351 as a vibration source arranged on the outer periphery of the tube wall 314 of the tubular member 313. The piezoelectric mechanism 351 vibrates the tube wall 314 of the tubular member 313, and the vibration is transmitted to the electronic component 50 in contact with the inner surface of the tube wall 314, thereby imparting a conveying force to the electronic component 50 that propels it in the conveying direction (the direction of arrow H in Figure 15).

The direction of vibration by the piezoelectric mechanism 351 is preferably in the direction toward the transport direction of the electronic components 50, and the angle θ with respect to the transport direction is preferably inclined at an angle of 20° to 70°. As a result, the electronic components 50 are subjected to vibration that tends to progress in the transport direction, as the electronic components 50 that come into contact with the inner surface of the lower side of the tube wall 314 are repeatedly floated forward in the transport direction and then dropped.

The vibration mechanism 350 may be provided not only in the second intermediate section 313C, but also in any one or all of the upstream end section 313A, the first intermediate section 313B, the third intermediate section 313D and the downstream end section 313E. However, it is effective when applied to a horizontal conveying path where stagnation is likely to occur, such as the second intermediate section 313C.
Furthermore, the above-mentioned first compressed air supply mechanism 340 and vibration imparting mechanism 350 may be appropriately mixed and disposed in the second transport section 310 .

16 is provided at the end 312 of the downstream end 313E. The second compressed air supply mechanism 360 has a cylindrical second porous portion 341 provided in a part of the pipe wall 314, a cover 342 that covers the second porous portion 341, and a plurality of nozzles 343 that supply compressed air into the cover 342. The second porous portion 341 has a large number of pores like the first porous portion 331, but is cylindrical around the entire circumference.

The cover 342 covers the second porous portion 341 and is hermetically joined to the outer peripheral surface of the tube wall 314. The nozzles 343 are connected to a compressed air supply source (not shown) and are joined to the cover 342 so that compressed air can be supplied into the cover 342. Compressed air is supplied from the compressed air supply source into the cover through the nozzles. The compressed air supplied from the nozzles 343 into the cover 342 passes through the pores of the second porous portion 341 and is blown into the inside of the tubular member 313. The cover 342 functions to prevent air from escaping from the second porous portion 341 to the outside of the tubular member 313.

The nozzles 343 are joined to the cover 342 in a state in which their tips are inclined so that they face upward in the opposite direction to the downward direction, which is the transport direction of the electronic components 50. As a result, the electronic components 50 transported inside the end portion 312 are subjected to a floating action by the compressed air blown from the nozzles 343. Therefore, it is difficult for the electronic components 50 to clog and stagnate in the end portion 312, and as a result, the electronic components 50 ultimately fall smoothly. In other words, the compressed air assists the transport of the electronic components 50. In this way, when the second compressed air supply mechanism 360 is arranged at the end portion 312 of the second discharge portion 330, clogging of the electronic components from the second discharge portion 330 is suppressed, which is effective.

The cross-sectional shape of the tubular member 313 is not limited to a circular shape.
17A, 17B, and 17C each show an example of the configuration of the first porous portion 331 of the first compressed air supply mechanism 340 when the cross section of the tubular member 313 is not circular.
17A has a cross-sectional shape in which a circular arc portion 315a and a straight portion 315b are combined. In this case, the straight portion 315b constitutes the first porous portion 331.
The tubular member 313 shown in FIG. 17B has a rectangular cross section, and one side 316 b forms a first porous portion 331 .
17C has a D-shaped cross section formed by combining a substantially horseshoe-shaped irregular portion 317a and a straight portion 317b. In this case, the straight portion 317b constitutes a first porous portion 331.

The component storage device 200 according to the embodiment described above provides the following effects.

The component storage device 200 according to the embodiment is a component storage device that stores a plurality of electronic components 50 in a case 1 having an opening 6 through the opening 6, and includes a first transport section 210 that continuously transports a plurality of electronic components 50, a first discharge section 230 that discharges the electronic components 50 transported by the first transport section 210, an installation section 240 in which the case 1 is installed, a second transport section 310 that transports the electronic components 50 discharged from the first discharge section 230 to the case 1 installed in the installation section 240, and a second discharge section 330 that discharges the electronic components 50 transported by the second transport section 310 so that they are stored in the case 1 installed in the installation section 240 through the opening 6, and the second transport section 310 has a transport force imparting section 320 that imparts a transport force to the electronic components 50 transported by the second transport section 310.

This allows a large number of electronic components 50 to be automatically accommodated in case 1. The electronic components 50 transported by the second transport section 310 are provided with a transport force from the transport force applying section 320, making them less likely to stagnate, and are transported smoothly to case 1 and accommodated therein.

In the part storage device 200 of the embodiment, it is preferable that the conveying force imparting section 320 imparts a conveying force to the second conveying section 310 by imparting air or vibration to the second conveying section 310.

This allows the conveying force to be accurately applied to the electronic component 50 with a simple configuration.

In the component storage device 200 according to the embodiment, the second conveying section 310 includes a tubular member 313 arranged between the first discharge section 230 and the second discharge section 330, and the first compressed air supply mechanism 340 provided as the conveying force imparting section 320 includes a first porous section 331 having a large number of air pores provided in at least a portion of the tubular member 313, and it is preferable that the air provided to the second conveying section 310 is compressed air blown from the first porous section 331 into the interior of the tubular member 313.

Because the inside of the tubular member 313 serves as a transport path, the electronic component 50 can be transported reliably to the second discharge section 330 without deviating from the transport path. By blowing compressed air into the inside of the tubular member 313 through the first porous section 331, a transport force can be accurately applied to the electronic component 50.

In the part storage device 200 of the embodiment, the conveying force imparting section 320 includes a piezoelectric mechanism 351 that imparts vibration to the second conveying section 310, and it is preferable that the vibration imparted to the second conveying section 310 is vibration imparted by the piezoelectric mechanism 351.

This allows the conveying force to be accurately applied to the electronic component 50 with a simple configuration.

In the component storage device 200 of the embodiment, it is preferable that the direction of vibration by the piezoelectric mechanism 351 is toward the conveying direction of the electronic component 50 in the second conveying section 310 and is inclined at an angle of 20° or more and 70° or less with respect to the conveying direction.

This makes it possible to easily transport the electronic component 50 in a portion of the second transport section 310 that is horizontal or at an angle close to horizontal.

In the component storage device 200 according to the embodiment, the second transport section 310 includes a tubular member 313 arranged between the first discharge section 230 and the second discharge section 330, and the tubular member 313 has an end section 312 that drops and transports the electronic component 50 toward the opening 6 of the case 1 installed in the installation section 240, and a second compressed air supply mechanism 360 as a transport auxiliary section 370 provided in the end section 312, and the second compressed air supply mechanism 360 includes a second porous section 341 having a large number of air pores provided in at least a part of the end section 312, and it is preferable that compressed air is blown from the second porous section 341 into the inside of the end section 312 in a direction opposite to the transport direction of the electronic component 50.

As a result, at the end portion 312 where clogging is likely to occur, the electronic component 50 is moved in the opposite direction to the conveying direction by compressed air, making clogging less likely to occur.

Although the embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and the present invention includes modifications and improvements within the scope of achieving the object of the present invention.
For example, instead of blowing compressed air into the inside of the tubular member 313 through a porous portion containing many pores such as the first porous portion 331 in the first compressed air supply mechanism 340, the compressed air may be blown through many holes opened in the tube wall 314 of the tubular member 313, or the compressed air may be blown directly from a nozzle such as the nozzle 333 penetrating the tube wall 314. The same applies to the second compressed air supply mechanism 360 in this respect.
The conveying force applied to the electronic component 50 by the conveying force applying section 320 is not limited to compressed air or vibration, but may be any force that can actively convey the electronic component 50 using a force other than gravity.
The first transport section 210 is not limited to the combination of the linear feeder 211 and the turntable 212 as long as it can transport the electronic components 50 to the second transport section 310 .
The second transport section 310 is not limited to the tubular member 313 as long as the electronic components 50 are transported by the falling action due to gravity, and may be, for example, an inclined trough-shaped member or a plate member.

1 Case 6 Opening 50 Electronic component (component)
200 Component receiving device 210 First conveying section 230 First discharge section 240 Installation section 310 Second conveying section 312 End section 313 Tubular member 320 Conveying force imparting section 330 Second discharge section 331 First porous section 340 First compressed air supply mechanism (conveying force imparting section)
341 Second porous portion 350 Vibration imparting mechanism (transport force imparting portion)
351 Piezoelectric mechanism 360 Second compressed air supply mechanism (transport auxiliary unit)
370 Transport assistant section

Claims (4)

A component housing device for housing a plurality of components through an opening in a case, the device comprising:
a first conveying unit that conveys a plurality of parts;
a first discharge unit that discharges the parts transported by the first transport unit;
A mounting section in which the case is mounted;
a second conveying unit that conveys the parts discharged from the first discharge unit to the case installed in the installation unit; and
a second discharge unit that discharges the part transported by the second transport unit so that the part is accommodated in the case installed on the installation unit through the opening,
the second conveying section has a conveying force applying section that applies a conveying force to a part being conveyed on the second conveying section,
the first conveying unit includes a linear feeder that continuously conveys a plurality of parts, and a turntable that receives the plurality of parts conveyed by the linear feeder one by one and rotates and conveys the parts by a rotational motion ;
the conveying force applying unit applies a conveying force to the second conveying unit by applying air and vibration to the second conveying unit;
the second conveying section includes a tubular member disposed between the first discharge section and the second discharge section;
The conveying force imparting portion includes a first porous portion having a large number of pores provided in at least a portion of the tubular member;
a nozzle that is disposed outside the tubular member and blows compressed air as the air toward the first porous portion and blows the compressed air from the first porous portion into the inside of the tubular member;
The nozzle is arranged in a direction facing the transport direction of the parts transported inside the tubular member and inclined with respect to the transport direction . 2. The component-accommodating device according to claim 1 , wherein the transport force applying section includes a piezoelectric mechanism that applies vibration to the second transport section, and the vibration is applied by the piezoelectric mechanism. 3. The component receiving device according to claim 2 , wherein a direction of vibration by said piezoelectric mechanism is in a component conveying direction in said second conveying section and is inclined at an angle of 20 degrees or more and 70 degrees or less with respect to said conveying direction. the second conveying section includes a tubular member disposed between the first discharge section and the second discharge section;
the tubular member has an end portion that drops and transports a component toward the opening of the case that is placed on the installation section, and a transport assistant portion provided on the end portion,
4. The component storage device according to claim 1, wherein the transport auxiliary section includes a second porous section having a large number of pores provided in at least a part of the end section, and compressed air is blown from the second porous section into the inside of the end section in a direction opposite to the component transport direction.

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