JP7716697B2 - Tape feeder and component mounting device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a tape feeder that transports carrier tape to supply components, and a component mounting device equipped with the tape feeder.

Conventionally, component mounting devices are known that use a mounting head to pick up components supplied from a parts feeder and mount them on a board. Tape feeders are commonly used as part feeders, transporting a carrier tape containing components and supplying them to a designated component supply position. Tape feeders include a frame on which a carrier tape transport path is formed, and a tape transport unit that transports the carrier tape using a sprocket attached to the frame. The sprocket transports the carrier tape along the transport path by rotating with its outer teeth located at the top engaged with feed holes provided in the carrier tape.

With this type of tape feeder, parts can be replenished by connecting the beginning of a replenishment carrier tape to the end of the carrier tape being transported with a connecting tape before the end is pulled into the frame. When carrier tapes are connected with a connecting tape, the position of the connecting tape indicates the changeover position of part lots, so detecting the position of the connecting tape is extremely important from the perspective of parts management. For this reason, tape feeders are equipped with a connecting tape detection unit that detects the position of the connecting tape on the transport path.

The connecting tape detection unit is composed of a light emitter that emits inspection light at the location where the carrier tape's sprocket holes pass at the inspection position, and a light receiver that receives the inspection light emitted by the light emitter through the carrier tape's sprocket holes. When the connecting tape is attached to the carrier tape so as to cover the sprocket holes, the light receiver intermittently receives the inspection light that passes through the sprocket holes in areas where the connecting tape is not attached, but does not receive the inspection light in areas where the connecting tape is attached. Therefore, the position of the connecting tape can be determined by detecting the timing when the light receiver switches from a state in which it intermittently receives inspection light to a state in which it does not continuously receive inspection light for a certain period of time (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2013-58511 A

However, because the transport path formed in the frame has a width dimension slightly larger than the width of the carrier tape, the carrier tape sometimes meanders along the transport path. If the carrier tape meanders along the transport path and the feed holes no longer intersect with the inspection light, the receiver continues not to receive the inspection light, which could cause the connected tape detection unit to mistakenly identify a portion that is not connected tape as connected tape.

The present invention aims to provide a tape feeder and component mounting device that can accurately grasp the position of the connecting tape and perform accurate component lot management.

The tape feeder of the present invention is a tape feeder that transports a carrier tape containing components along a transport path and supplies the components to a predetermined component supply position, and includes: a frame in which the transport path is formed; a tape transport unit that is provided in the frame and transports the carrier tape along the transport path; a light projector that projects inspection light onto an inspection position on the transport path; a color sensor that repeatedly detects the RGB values of the inspection light projected from the light projector and reflected at the inspection position; a determination unit that determines the type of light-reflecting object that reflected the inspection light at the inspection position based on the RGB values detected by the color sensor; and an RGB value correspondence table in which correspondences between multiple types of light-reflecting objects and their RGB values are recorded , and if there is a change in the RGB values, the determination unit determines the type of the light-reflecting object based on the RGB values recorded in the RGB value correspondence table and the changed RGB values .

The component mounting device of the present invention includes the tape feeder of the present invention described above and a mounting head that picks up components supplied by the tape feeder and mounts them on a board.

This invention makes it possible to accurately grasp the position of the connecting tape and perform accurate part lot management.

1 is a side view of a main part of a component mounting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a side view of a tape feeder provided in a component mounting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a carrier tape, together with a reel, used by a tape feeder to supply components in an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a carrier tape according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control system of a tape feeder provided in the component mounting apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. 1A, 1B, and 1C are perspective views showing a state in which a color sensor unit provided in a tape feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention detects RGB values of reflected light at an inspection position on a conveyance path. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an RGB value correspondence table used by the tape feeder in the embodiment of the present invention to determine the type of light-reflecting object. A flowchart showing the flow of a detection operation using a color sensor provided in a tape feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows a component mounting apparatus 1 in one embodiment of the present invention. The component mounting apparatus 1 is an apparatus that repeatedly performs component mounting work by mounting components BH onto a board KB carried in from the upstream process side and then carrying it out to the downstream process side. For ease of explanation, the direction in which the board KB is transported in the component mounting apparatus 1 (the left-right direction as seen from the worker OP) is defined as the X-axis direction, and the horizontal direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction (the front-back direction as seen from the worker OP) is defined as the Y-axis direction. The up-down direction is defined as the Z-axis direction.

In FIG. 1, the component mounting device 1 comprises a base 11, a board transport conveyor 12, a tape feeder 13, a mounting head 14, a head movement mechanism 15, a board recognition camera 16, a component recognition camera 17, and a control device 18. The base 11 is installed on the floor surface FL, and the board transport conveyor 12 extends in the X-axis direction above the base 11. The board transport conveyor 12 carries in a board KB sent from an upstream process and positions the board KB at a predetermined working position.

In Figure 1, a feeder cart 21 is connected to the front side (the side of the worker OP) of the base 11. The feeder cart 21 has a flat feeder base 22 on its top, and the tape feeders 13 are detachably attached to the feeder base 22 (see also Figure 2). Multiple tape feeders 13 can be attached to the feeder base 22 in an array in the X-axis direction. When the feeder cart 21 is connected to the base 11, the multiple tape feeders 13 attached to the feeder base 22 are connected to the base 11 all at once.

In Figure 1, a reel 32 around which carrier tape 31 is wound is rotatably held by the feeder cart 21. A reel 32 is provided for each tape feeder 13, and the carrier tape 31 pulled out from the reel 32 is attached to the corresponding tape feeder 13. Each tape feeder 13 transports the carrier tape 31 forward (towards the board transport conveyor 12) and supplies components BH to a predetermined component supply position 13K (see also Figure 2).

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the carrier tape 31 is composed of a base tape 33 and a cover tape 34. The base tape 33 has a number of component storage pockets 35 that are open upward and arranged in a row at equal intervals along the length of the base tape 33. Each pocket 35 stores one component BH. A number of feed holes 36 are arranged in a row at equal intervals in a position parallel to the row of pockets 35 on the base tape 33. The cover tape 34 is attached to the top surface of the base tape 33 in a position that does not block the feed holes 36 (Figure 4), preventing components BH from falling out of the pockets 35. The cover tape 34 is peeled off from the base tape 33 before the pockets 35 on the base tape 33 reach the component supply position 13K.

In FIG. 1, the mounting head 14 is equipped with multiple nozzles 14N extending downward. Each nozzle 14N is capable of moving up and down relative to the mounting head 14 and rotating around the Z axis. The mounting head 14 picks up components BH supplied to the component supply position 13K by the tape feeder 13 by adsorbing them to the lower end of each nozzle 14N. The head movement mechanism 15 is, for example, an XY movement mechanism, and moves the mounting head 14 in a horizontal plane and up and down.

In Figure 1, the board recognition camera 16 is attached to the mounting head 14. The board recognition camera 16 has its imaging optical axis facing downward and moves with the mounting head 14 to capture images of the board KB positioned at the work position by the board transport conveyor 12.

In FIG. 1, the component recognition camera 17 is installed in the area between the board transport conveyor 12 and the tape feeder 13 on the base 11. The component recognition camera 17 has its imaging optical axis facing upward, and when the mounting head 14, which has picked up a component BH on each of the multiple nozzles 14N, moves so as to pass through the area above the component recognition camera 17 in the X-axis direction, it images each component BH from below.

The control device 18 stores various data in addition to the component mounting program. The control device 18 performs the component mounting work of mounting components BH on the board KB by operating each part of the component mounting device 1 in accordance with the component mounting program.

In the component mounting operation, the board transport conveyor 12 first operates to receive the board KB sent from the upstream process and position it at the work position. Once the board KB is positioned at the work position, the head movement mechanism 15 moves the mounting head 14 above the board KB. This causes the board recognition camera 16 to capture an image of the board KB, and the control device 18 recognizes the board KB based on the image captured by the board recognition camera 16.

Once the control device 18 recognizes the board KB, the mounting head 14 repeatedly executes mounting turns. During one mounting turn, the mounting head 14 performs the following operations in order: picking up a component BH supplied by the tape feeder 13, moving in the X-axis direction above the component recognition camera 17 to allow the component recognition camera 17 to capture an image of the component BH, and mounting the component BH at a predetermined component mounting position on the board KB.

The control device 18 performs component recognition based on the captured image of the component BH captured by the component recognition camera 17. When the mounting head 14 mounts the component BH on the board KB, it performs positional corrections for the component BH relative to the board KB based on the results of the component recognition performed by the control device 18.

The above mounting pattern is repeated until all components BH to be mounted on the board KB have been mounted, at which point the board transport conveyor 12 transports the board KB to the downstream process side. This completes the component mounting work for one board KB.

If, during the component mounting operation described above, the carrier tape 31 is transported and its end detaches from the reel 32, the end of the carrier tape 31 can be spliced to the beginning of a new replenishment carrier tape 31 pulled out from the reel 32 using connecting tape RT (Figure 3), thereby replenishing the component BH. As shown in Figure 3, the connecting tape RT is attached across the cover tapes 34 of the two carrier tapes 31 so as not to block the feed holes 36 of each of the two carrier tapes 31. In this case, the connecting tape RT functions as a connecting portion that connects the carrier tapes 31.

In this embodiment of the component mounting device 1, the configuration of the tape feeder 13 is unique, as described below.

In Figure 2, the tape feeder 13 comprises a frame 41, a tape presser 42, a tape transport unit 43, a cover tape recovery unit 44, a color sensor unit 45, and a feeder control unit 46. As shown in Figure 2, the frame 41 has a box shape that extends in the YZ plane as a whole, and a connecting portion (not shown) formed on the underside is designed to connect to the feeder base 22.

In Figure 2, a transport path 41L for the carrier tape 31 is formed in the frame 41. The transport path 41L extends forward in a substantially horizontal direction from the rear end 41G of the frame 41 (the end on the side of the operator OP), and then extends upward and diagonally forward near the center of the frame 41 in the fore-and-aft direction. The front end is exposed on the top surface of the frame 41.

In Figure 2, the tape holder 42 covers the upper surface area of the front end of the frame 41 from above, and a gap is formed between the upper surface area of the frame 41 and the tape holder 42, allowing the carrier tape 31 to pass through. A component removal opening 42G is provided in the middle of the tape holder 42 in the front-to-rear direction.

In Figure 2, the tape transport unit 43 includes a sprocket 51 mounted on the frame 41 and a sprocket drive unit 52 including a drive motor. The sprocket 51 is attached to the upper front end of the frame 41 so as to be rotatable around the X axis. Of the outer teeth 51G of the sprocket 51, the one located directly above the center of rotation of the sprocket 51 (the uppermost outer tooth 51G) protrudes upward from the upper surface area of the frame 41.

When the sprocket 51 is rotated by the sprocket drive unit 52, the top outer teeth 51G of the sprocket 51 move forward. The top outer teeth 51G of the sprocket 51 engage with the feed holes 36 of the carrier tape 31 located in the area between the upper surface area of the frame 41 and the tape retainer 42. Therefore, when the top outer teeth 51G of the sprocket 51 move forward, the carrier tape 31 is pulled by the sprocket 51 and moves along the transport path 41L toward the front of the frame 41 (arrow A shown in Figure 2).

In Figure 2, the cover tape recovery unit 44 is located at a position toward the rear of the upper part of the frame 41. The cover tape recovery unit 44 is configured to pull rearward the cover tape 34 that has been peeled off the base tape 33 and pulled rearward from the component removal opening 42G of the tape retainer 42 (arrow B shown in Figure 2). The cover tape 34 pulled rearward by the cover tape recovery unit 44 is sent to the cover tape storage space 41K formed at the rear of the frame 41, and is then recovered by the operator OP.

As the carrier tape 31 is transported forward on the transport path 41L, each pocket 35 on the carrier tape 31 sequentially reaches the component supply position 13K (component removal opening 42G). By the time the pocket 35 reaches the component supply position 13K, the cover tape 34 has already been peeled off, allowing the mounting head 14 to pick up the component BH through the component removal opening 42G of the tape retainer 42. After passing through the tape retainer 42, the carrier tape 31 (base tape 33) is discharged to the outside from the front end of the frame 41 (Figure 2).

In Figure 2, the color sensor unit 45 is located near the center of the frame 41 in the front-to-rear direction, at the point where the transport path 41L extends upward and diagonally forward. As shown in Figure 5, the color sensor unit 45 includes an LED light source 61, a color sensor 62, a timer 63, and a sensor unit control unit 64.

In Figures 6(a), (b), and (c), the LED light source 61 functions as a light projector and projects inspection light KL onto the inspection position KP on the transport path 41L. The color sensor 62 detects the RGB values of the reflected light HL at the inspection position KP of the inspection light KL projected from the LED light source 61. Here, "RGB values" are values used to represent color, and are made up of combinations of numbers corresponding to the multiple light intensity (voltage) levels of red (R), green (G), and blue (B). In this embodiment, the light intensity levels of red, green, and blue are represented by combinations of the four numbers "0," "1," "2," and "3," which represent four ranks.

In this embodiment, the objects that reflect the inspection light KL at the inspection position KP (referred to as "light-reflecting objects") are defined as the surface (sheet metal) of the frame 41 at the inspection position KP, the carrier tape 31 (cover tape 34), the connecting tape RT attached to the carrier tape 31, and the component BH inside the pocket 35 of the carrier tape 31, and the correspondence between these light-reflecting objects and their RGB values is defined in the RGB value correspondence table shown in Figure 7. The timer 63 measures the set time.

The sensor unit control unit 64 controls the operation of the LED light source 61, color sensor 62, and timer 63. As shown in FIG. 5, the sensor unit control unit 64 includes an RGB value acquisition unit 64a and a judgment unit 64b. The RGB value acquisition unit 64a repeatedly acquires and stores the RGB values detected by the color sensor 62 at predetermined time intervals measured by the timer 63. The judgment unit 64b determines whether the RGB values currently acquired by the RGB value acquisition unit 64a have changed from the RGB values previously acquired. The time measured by the timer 63 can be set arbitrarily via the RGB value acquisition unit 64a.

The determination unit 64b determines that the RGB value of the reflected light HL has changed if at least one of the light intensity levels of the red, green, and blue colors that make up the RGB value acquired by the RGB value acquisition unit 64a has changed. In this case, the determination unit 64b may determine that the RGB value has changed if the rank of the light intensity level of the red, green, and blue colors of the RGB value (for example, the ranks "0," "1," "2," and "3" shown in FIG. 7) has changed to a different rank, or may determine that the RGB value has changed if the magnitude of the difference between the light intensity level acquired last time and the light intensity level acquired this time has changed by more than a predetermined percentage compared to the light intensity level acquired last time.

As shown in FIG. 5, the feeder control unit 46 includes a sprocket drive control unit 71, a detection unit 72, and an RGB value correspondence table 73. The sprocket drive control unit 71 controls the operation of the sprocket drive unit 52 included in the tape feeder 13.

The detection unit 72 of the feeder control unit 46 determines the type of light-reflecting object (object that reflects the inspection light KL at the inspection position KP) based on the RGB values detected by the color sensor 62, thereby detecting the presence or absence of the connecting tape RT, which serves as the connecting portion that connects the carrier tape 31, and the carrier tape 31. More specifically, when the judgment unit 64b determines that the RGB values have changed, the RGB value acquisition unit 64a determines the type of light-reflecting object based on the RGB values acquired this time, thereby detecting a state in which the carrier tape 31 has not passed the inspection position KP ( FIG. 6(a) ), a state in which the carrier tape 31 has passed the inspection position KP ( FIG. 6(b) ), and a state in which the connecting tape RT has reached the inspection position KP ( FIG. 6(c) ).

In this way, the feeder control unit 46 can accurately determine the position of the concatenated tape RT by detecting when the concatenated tape RT has reached the inspection position KP. Information about the position of the concatenated tape RT in each tape feeder 13 is sent from the feeder control unit 46 provided in that tape feeder 13 to the control device 18 of the component mounting device 1, and is used for lot management of components BH for each tape feeder 13 performed by the control device 18.

The RGB value correspondence table 73 shown in Figure 7 records the correspondence between light-reflecting objects and their RGB values. In this embodiment, the light-reflecting objects are the surface (sheet metal) of the frame 41 at the inspection position KP, four types of cover tape 34 (cover tape (A), cover tape (B), cover tape (C), cover tape (D)), and three types of connecting tape RT (connecting tape (A), connecting tape (B), connecting tape (C)), and the RGB values of each are recorded in the RGB value correspondence table 73.

In Figure 7, the RGB values of the surface (sheet metal) of the frame 41 at the inspection position KP are (0,0,0). Therefore, if the light intensity levels of each color of the RGB values detected by the color sensor 62 are all "0," the detection unit 72 determines that the light-reflecting object is the surface (sheet metal) of the frame 41.

In Figure 7, the RGB values of cover tape (A) are (1,1,1), the RGB values of cover tape (B) are (2,1,1), the RGB values of cover tape (C) are (1,2,1), and the RGB values of cover tape (D) are (1,1,2). Therefore, if the light intensity levels of each color of RGB values detected by color sensor 62 are all "1" or "2," detection unit 72 determines that the light-reflecting object is cover tape 34.

In Figure 7, the RGB values of connecting tape (A) are (3,1,1), the RGB values of connecting tape (B) are (1,3,1), and the RGB values of connecting tape (C) are (1,1,3). Therefore, if at least one of the light intensity levels of each color of RGB values detected by color sensor 62 is "3," detection unit 72 determines that the light-reflecting object is connecting tape RT.

In this embodiment, the RGB value acquisition unit 64a and the determination unit 64b, together with the color sensor 62, form the color sensor unit 45, and the detection unit 72 forms part of the feeder control unit 46, which controls the operation of the tape feeder 13, including the transport operation of the carrier tape 31. The color sensor unit 45 determines whether the RGB values of the reflected light HL detected by the color sensor 62 have changed, and the feeder control unit 46 determines the type of light-reflecting object only when the color sensor unit 45 determines that the RGB values have changed.

In this way, in this embodiment, the constant determination of whether the RGB values of the reflected light HL detected by the color sensor 62 have changed is performed by a control unit other than the feeder control unit 46 (sensor unit control unit 46), thereby reducing the processing load on the feeder control unit 46, which controls the tape feeder 13 overall. This means that the tape feeder 13's original operation of transporting the carrier tape 31 is not impeded, thereby improving the productivity of the component mounting device 1.

Next, the flowchart shown in Figure 8 will be used to explain the process flow for detecting the presence or absence of carrier tape 31 at the inspection position KP of the transport path 41L of the tape feeder 13 and the state in which the connected tape RT has reached the inspection position KP. In Figure 8, the flowchart on the left shows the process flow of the sensor unit control unit 64, and the flowchart on the right shows the process flow of the feeder control unit 46.

In FIG. 8, when power is supplied to the tape feeder 13, the sensor unit control unit 64 and feeder control unit 46 begin processing. When processing begins, the sensor unit control unit 64 first initializes the RGB values (step ST1). To initialize the RGB values, the sensor unit control unit 64 causes the LED light source 61 to emit inspection light KL toward the inspection position KP and causes the color sensor 62 to detect the RGB values of the reflected light HL. Here, by emitting inspection light KL and detecting the RGB values of the reflected light HL by the color sensor 62 when there is no carrier tape 31 in the transport path 41L, the RGB values of the surface (sheet metal) of the frame 41 at the inspection position KP are set to initial values.

After the sensor unit control unit 64 initializes the RGB values, the feeder control unit 46 requests the RGB values initialized in step ST1 from the sensor unit control unit 64 (step ST2). When the sensor unit control unit 64 receives a request for the RGB values from the feeder control unit 46 (step ST3), it transmits the RGB values initialized in step ST1 to the feeder control unit 46 (step ST4).

When the feeder control unit 46 receives the RGB values from the sensor unit control unit 64 (step ST5), the detection unit 72 determines the type of light-reflecting object that reflected the inspection light KL in step ST1 based on the received RGB values (step ST6). Here, the detection unit 72 of the feeder control unit 46 determines that the type of light-reflecting object is the surface (sheet metal) of the frame 41 at the inspection position KP based on the RGB values set to the initial values in step ST1.

After transmitting the RGB values to the feeder control unit 46 in step ST4, the sensor unit control unit 64 causes the LED light source 61 to emit inspection light KL toward the inspection position KP, and starts detecting the RGB values using the color sensor 62 (step ST7). Thereafter, it determines whether a predetermined time measured by the timer 63 has elapsed (step ST8), and each time the predetermined time elapses, the RGB values detected by the color sensor 62 are acquired by the RGB value acquisition unit 64a (step ST9).

In step ST9, the sensor unit control unit 64 acquires the RGB values detected by the color sensor 62. Then, in the judgment unit 64b, the sensor unit control unit 64 compares the currently acquired RGB values with the previously acquired RGB values, and determines whether the currently acquired RGB values have changed from the previously acquired RGB values in the manner described above (step ST10).

If the sensor unit control unit 64 determines in step ST10 that the RGB values have not changed since the previous time, it returns to step ST8. However, if it determines that the RGB values have changed since the previous time, it sends an I/O request to the feeder control unit 46 (step ST11). When the feeder control unit 46 receives an I/O request from the sensor unit control unit 64 (step ST12), it requests the RGB values from the sensor unit control unit 64 (step ST13). Then, when the sensor unit control unit 64 receives a request for the RGB values from the feeder control unit 46 (step ST14), it sends the current RGB values to the feeder control unit 46 (step ST15). After sending the RGB values to the feeder control unit 46 in step ST15, the sensor unit control unit 64 returns to step ST8 and acquires the RGB values (step ST9).

When the feeder control unit 46 receives the RGB values transmitted by the sensor unit control unit 64 in step ST15 (step ST16), the detection unit 72 determines the type of light-reflecting object that reflected the inspection light KL based on the received RGB values (step ST17). If the determined type of light-reflecting object is the surface (sheet metal) of the frame 41, the feeder control unit 46 determines that the carrier tape 31 is not at the inspection position KP (the carrier tape 31 is not passing through the inspection position KP). If the determined type of light-reflecting object is the cover tape 34 (either cover tape (A), cover tape (B), cover tape (C), or cover tape (D)), the feeder control unit 46 determines that the carrier tape 31 is at the inspection position KP (the carrier tape 31 is passing through the inspection position KP).

Furthermore, if the type of light-reflecting material determined to be concatenated tape RT (either concatenated tape (A), concatenated tape (B), or concatenated tape (C)) is found, the feeder control unit 46 determines that the inspection position KP has reached the concatenated tape RT (the concatenated tape RT has passed the inspection position KP), and recognizes the position of the concatenated tape RT at that time as the lot change position for the component BH. Furthermore, if the type of light-reflecting material changes from carrier tape 31 to concatenated tape RT, the feeder control unit 46 notifies the control device 18 of the component mounting device 1 of this fact. Upon receiving this notification, the component mounting device 1 begins preparations to switch the information on the component BH supplied from the tape feeder 13 that issued the notification.

Furthermore, if the feeder control unit 46 determines that the carrier tape 31 is present at the inspection position KP (that is, that the carrier tape 31 is passing the inspection position KP), and the subsequently changed RGB values do not correspond to the surface of the frame 41 or to the connecting tape RT, it determines that the component BH stored on the carrier tape 31 is passing the inspection position KP. That is, in this embodiment, the detection unit 72 of the feeder control unit 46 determines the type of light-reflecting object based on the RGB values detected by the color sensor 62, thereby detecting the component BH stored on the carrier tape 31 passing the inspection position KP.

In order to make this determination, it is necessary to define the colors (RGB values) of the cover tape 34 and the connecting tape RT so that none of the RGB values of the surface of the frame 41, the carrier tape 31, and the connecting tape RT recorded in the RGB value correspondence table 73 match the RGB values corresponding to the component BH. After determining the type of light-reflecting object in step ST17, the feeder control unit 46 continues to wait for an I/O request to be sent from the sensor unit control unit 64 (step S11).

As described above, the tape feeder 13 provided in the component mounting device 1 in this embodiment projects inspection light KL onto the inspection position KP on the carrier tape 31 transport path 41L, and detects the RGB values of the inspection light KL (reflected light HL) reflected at the inspection position KP using the color sensor 62. The type of object (light-reflecting object) that reflected the inspection light KL at the inspection position KP is then determined based on the RGB values of the detected reflected light HL, thereby detecting the connection portion (connecting tape RT) that connects the carrier tape 31 and the presence or absence of the carrier tape 31.

In this embodiment, the presence or absence of carrier tape 31 at inspection position KP and the state in which connected tape RT has reached inspection position KP are detected by detecting the color of connected tape RT, which has a certain width. Therefore, even if the carrier tape 31 meanders along the transport path 41L, it is possible to reliably detect the state in which connected tape RT has reached inspection position KP. Therefore, with the tape feeder 13 in this embodiment, the position of connected tape RT can be reliably determined, allowing for accurate lot management of parts BH.

While the present invention has been described above in terms of an embodiment, it is not limited to the above and various modifications are possible. For example, the RGB value correspondence table shown in Figure 7 of the above embodiment is merely an example, and the present invention, including the type of light-reflecting material, is not limited to this. Also, unlike the above embodiment, the connecting tape RT may be attached to a position that blocks the feed holes 36. However, if the feed holes 36 are blocked by the connecting tape RT, the outer teeth 51G of the sprocket 51 may not fully engage, causing the carrier tape 31 to vibrate and potentially reducing the accuracy of component BH supply at the component supply position 13K. For this reason, it is preferable to attach the connecting tape RT to a position that does not block the feed holes 36. Furthermore, metal or resin clips may be used instead of the connecting tape RT to connect the carrier tapes 31 together. With these clips, RGB values can also be obtained and detected using the same method as described above.

We provide a tape feeder and component mounting device that can accurately grasp the position of connecting tape and perform accurate component lot management.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Component mounting device 13 Tape feeder 13K Component supply position 14 Mounting head 31 Carrier tape 36 Feed hole 41 Frame 41L Conveying path 43 Tape conveying section 45 Color sensor unit 46 Feeder control section 51G Outer peripheral teeth 61 LED light source (projector)
62 Color sensor 64a RGB value acquisition unit 64b Determination unit 72 Detection unit RT Connecting tape (connecting portion)
KP Inspection position KL Inspection light HL Reflected light BH Component KB Board

Claims (6)

A tape feeder that conveys a carrier tape containing components on a conveying path and supplies the components to a predetermined component supply position,
a frame in which the transport path is formed;
a tape transport unit provided on the frame and configured to transport the carrier tape on the transport path;
a light projector that projects an inspection light onto an inspection position on the transport path;
a color sensor that repeatedly detects RGB values of reflected light of the inspection light projected from the projector at the inspection position;
a determination unit that determines the type of light-reflecting object that reflected the inspection light at the inspection position based on the RGB values detected by the color sensor;
an RGB value correspondence table in which correspondence between a plurality of types of light reflecting objects and their RGB values is recorded ,
If there is a change in the RGB values, the determination unit determines the type of the light-reflecting object based on the RGB values recorded in the RGB value correspondence table and the changed RGB values . The tape feeder of claim 1, further comprising an RGB value acquisition unit that repeatedly acquires the RGB values detected by the color sensor at predetermined time intervals, and the determination unit makes the determination based on the acquired RGB values. the RGB value acquisition unit and the determination unit, together with the color sensor, form a color sensor unit;
The tape feeder according to claim 2 , wherein the determination unit constitutes a part of a feeder control unit that controls the operation of the tape feeder, including the transport operation of the carrier tape. 4. A tape feeder according to claim 1, wherein the RGB value correspondence table records the RGB values of the frame as the light reflecting object, the cover tape constituting the carrier tape, and the connecting portion connecting the carrier tape. a sensor unit control unit that sets the RGB values acquired when the carrier tape is not present on the transport path as initial values,
5. A tape feeder according to claim 1, wherein if there is a change in the RGB values as the initial values, the determination unit determines the type of the light-reflecting object based on the RGB values recorded in the RGB value correspondence table and the changed RGB values. The tape feeder according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ;
a mounting head that picks up components supplied by the tape feeder and mounts them on a board.