JPH0155599B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an automatic printed circuit board conveyance device, and more specifically to an electronic component insertion machine for inserting electronic components for a printed circuit board such as a switch, an IC, or an LSI into a printed circuit board; The present invention relates to an automatic printed circuit board conveying device that transports printed circuit boards between magazine racks that can be stored therein, for example, from the magazine rack to an electronic component insertion machine, or from the electronic component insertion machine to a magazine rack.

Various types of automatic printed circuit board transport devices for transporting printed circuit boards between an electronic component insertion machine and a magazine rack have been developed in the past. In such automatic printed circuit board transport devices, there is a demand for miniaturization of the entire device.

This invention was made in view of these demands, and is a miniaturized device that can automatically transport printed circuit boards from the magazine rack to the electronic component insertion machine by simply placing the magazine rack containing printed circuit boards on the rack lifting mechanism. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic printed circuit board conveying device.

In order to achieve such an object, the automatic printed circuit board transfer device according to the present invention includes a rack lifting mechanism that supports a magazine rack capable of storing printed circuit boards before electronic components are mounted thereon, and that lifts and lowers the magazine rack intermittently. The automatic printed circuit board transfer device includes a printed circuit board transfer mechanism that reciprocates toward the magazine rack and transfers the printed circuit board between the magazine rack and the electronic component insertion machine when the magazine rack is stopped rising or lowered by the rack lifting mechanism. The printed circuit board transfer mechanism includes a slider that is reciprocated toward the magazine rack and can enter into the magazine rack, a forward movement confirmation switch that detects the forward movement of the slider, and a forward movement confirmation switch that is fixed to the slider and that is fixed to the slider and that is configured to move forward into the magazine rack. The electronic component inserter includes at least a cylinder that advances a cylinder rod when a switch detects the advance of the slider to transfer a printed circuit board housed in the magazine rack to the electronic component inserter.

The present invention will be explained below based on the drawings.

1 to 10 show an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, numeral 1 is an electronic component insertion machine that inserts electronic components for a printed circuit board into a printed circuit board, 2 is a shutter that supplies electronic components to the electronic component insertion machine, and 3 is a state that supplies electronic components to the shooter 2. Reference numeral 4 denotes a printed circuit board supply and conveyance device which is a printed circuit board automatic conveyance device that supplies and conveys the printed circuit board P supplied to the magazine rack 6 to the X-Y table 5 of the electronic component insertion machine 1; 7 denotes an electronic This is a printed circuit board receiving and transporting device which is an automatic printed circuit board transporting device that stores and transports printed circuit boards whose components have been inserted by the component insertion machine 1 into a magazine rack.

Figures 2 to 9 show the printed circuit board supply and conveyance device 4.
, and reference numeral 10 denotes a printed circuit board supply and conveyance device 4.
It is the foundation of

A pair of square frame-shaped brackets 11, 11 are provided on both sides of the end of the base 10 opposite to the electronic component inserter 1.
are arranged vertically facing each other, and a first bracket is provided inside the upper part of the pair of brackets 11, 11, respectively.
Sprocket mounting frames 12 are mounted so as to face each other, and third sprocket mounting frames 13 are mounted substantially in the middle thereof so as to face each other.

These first sprocket mounting frames 12,1
A sprocket mounting shaft 14 is installed at each end of the sprocket 2.
are pivotally supported, and sprockets 1 are attached to both ends of each sprocket mounting shaft 14.
A chain 16 with rollers is hung on the conveyor 5 to constitute a first conveyor 17. The first conveyor 17 is driven by a first conveyor drive motor 18 connected to the sprocket mounting shaft 14 on the electronic component insertion machine 1 side.

In addition, the third sprocket mounting frame 13,1
There are also sprocket mounting shafts 14 on both ends of 3.
are pivotally supported, and sprockets 1 are attached to both ends of each sprocket mounting shaft 14.
A chain 16 with rollers is connected to the third transport conveyor 19. The third conveyor 19 is driven by a third conveyor drive motor 20 which is also connected to the sprocket mounting shaft 14 on the electronic component insertion machine 1 side.

On the other hand, on the electronic component insertion machine 1 side of the base 10, a second conveyor 21 that can be raised and lowered in the vertical direction is disposed.

This second conveyor 21 has a pair of second sprocket mounting frames 2 facing each other on both upper surfaces of a support plate of a rack lifting mechanism which will be described later.
2 and 22, and the sprocket mounting shafts 14 are pivotally supported at both ends of the second sprocket mounting frames 22 and 22, respectively, and the chain 16 with rollers is attached to the sprockets 15 respectively mounted on both ends of each sprocket mounting shaft 14. It is constructed by multiplying. This second conveyor 21 is also driven by the sprocket mounting shaft 14 on the electronic component insertion machine 1 side.
This is done by a second conveyor drive motor 23 coupled to the second conveyor drive motor 23.

A rack elevating mechanism 25 for elevating and lowering the second conveyor 21 is disposed on the electronic component insertion machine 1 side of the base 10.

The easy lifting mechanism 25 includes screw bearing members 26 arranged in a four-square arrangement on the upper surface of the base 10.
A lifting screw 27 is inserted through each screw bearing member 26 so as to be able to move forward and backward in the vertical direction, and a pulley 28 that is rotatable and screws with the lifting screw 27 without moving forward or backward in the vertical direction is attached to each screw bearing member 26. It is constructed by hanging a belt 29 around a pulley 28. A support plate 30 for supporting the second conveyor 21 is attached to the upper ends of these four lifting screws 27. The rack lifting mechanism 25 is driven by a lift drive motor 32 having a pulley 31 connected to a belt 29. The lift drive motor 32 is adapted to be rotated intermittently. 33 is a tension pulley for adjusting the tension of the belt 29.

Further, a printed circuit board push-out and transfer mechanism 35, which is a printed circuit board transfer mechanism shown in FIG. 9, is disposed at the center of the upper surface of the base 10.

The printed circuit board extrusion and transfer mechanism 35 has a pair of shaft support plates 36 , 36 erected on both ends of the center of the upper surface of the base 10 so as to face each other, and a slider 37 on the top of the pair of shaft support plates 36 , 36 . Both ends of a slider shaft 38 passing through the middle part of the slider 37 are pivotally supported, and both ends of a screw shaft 39 passing through the lower part of the slider 37 are pivotally supported at the lower part of the slider shaft 38.
An air cylinder 4 for extruding printed circuit boards is installed on the top of 7.
It is configured by attaching 0. This slider 3
7 is driven by a drive motor 43 connected to the end of the screw shaft 39 on the opposite side from the electronic component insertion machine 1 via spur gears 41 and 42, and when the slider movement drive motor 43 rotates, Screw shaft 3
9 rotates, and the slider 37 is guided by the slider shaft 38 and moves linearly. Also, air cylinder 4
0, the cylinder rod 40a having a pressing body moves forward and backward.

A magazine rack 6 is shown in FIG. 10, and the magazine rack 6 is formed by providing rails 6c, 6c, . . . and 6d, 6d, .棧6
c, 6c... and 6d, 6d... are lined up at equal intervals D. A plurality of printed circuit boards P are inserted into grooves formed between the latches and housed at equal intervals.

Further, at the upper end of the first sprocket mounting frame 12 of the first conveyor 17 on the electronic component insertion machine 1 side, there is a stopper member 50 for preventing movement of the magazine rack 6 placed on the first conveyor 17.
is provided. This stopper member 50 is normally laid down so as to prevent movement of the magazine rack 6, and is designed to stand up when the magazine rack 6 is placed on the first conveyor 17.

Furthermore, a magazine rack 6 is attached to the second conveyor 21 at the upper end of the second sprocket mounting frame 22 of the second conveyor 21 on the electronic component insertion machine 1 side.
A photoelectric switch 51 for detecting a rack is provided to detect whether or not there is a rack. When this rack detection photoelectric switch 51 detects that the magazine rack 6 is present on the second conveyor 21, it is turned on and stops the rotation of the first conveyor drive motor 18 and the second conveyor drive motor 23, and also stops the rotation of the lift drive motor. 32 is rotated so that the second conveyor 21 lowers it by a predetermined interval. Furthermore, the stopper member 50 is brought down so as to prevent the movement of the magazine rack 6.

Further, at the end of the slider shaft 38 on the side of the electronic component insertion machine 1, a micro switch 5 for confirming the cylinder advance is installed.
2 is provided. When the cylinder advance confirmation micro switch 52 confirms that the slider 37 has moved toward the electronic component insertion machine 1, that is, to the left, it is turned on and stops the rotation of the slider movement drive motor 43.

A proximity switch 53 is provided on the cylinder rod 40a of the air cylinder 40. This proximity switch 53 does not turn on when the cylinder rod 40a is in contact with the printed circuit board P, but turns on when the cylinder rod 40a is close to the printed circuit board P to operate the air cylinder 40 to advance the cylinder rod 40a for a certain period of time, i.e. t Turns off after ₁ hour. When the proximity switch 53 is turned off after _t1 hours, the air cylinder 40 is operated again to move the cylinder rod 40a back and return to its original state.

Incidentally, if the air cylinder 40 is operated after the cylinder advancement micro switch (advance confirmation switch) 52 is turned on, the cylinder rod 40a is advanced, and after a certain period of time _t1 has elapsed, the cylinder rod 40a is retracted. , the cylinder rod 40a can be moved forward and backward without providing the proximity switch 53.

The air cylinder 40 is also provided with a cylinder rod return confirmation proximity switch 54, and when the cylinder rod 40a returns to its original state, the cylinder rod return confirmation proximity switch 54 turns on after confirming the return, and drives the slider movement. Rotate the motor 43 in the opposite direction.

Further, a slider return confirmation proximity switch 55 is provided at the end of the slider shaft 38 on the opposite side of the electronic component insertion machine 1, and the slider return confirmation switch 55 is installed at the end of the slider shaft 38 on the opposite side from the electronic component insertion machine 1. 37 moves to the right and returns to its original state, it is turned on and rotates the lift drive motor 32 to lower the second conveyor 21 by a predetermined interval.

In addition, a cover plate 1 attached to the side of the base 10
A micro switch 56 for detecting the lower lifter position is provided on the inner surface of the lower part of 0a, and the second conveyor 21 is rotated by the rotation of the lift drive motor 32.
When the second transport conveyor 21 has descended to the lowest position, it is turned on to confirm that the second transport conveyor 21 has descended to the lowest position, stop the rotation of the lift drive motor 32, and disable the operation of the slider return confirmation proximity switch 55. The second conveyor drive motor 23 and the third conveyor drive motor 20 are rotated.

At the upper end of the third sprocket mounting frame 13 of the third conveyor 19 on the side opposite to the electronic component insertion machine 1 side, there is a photoelectric switch for rack detection that detects whether or not there is a magazine rack 6 on the third conveyor 19. 57 are provided. When the rack detection photoelectric switch 57 detects that the magazine rack 6 is present on the third conveyor 19, it is turned on and stops the rotation of the second conveyor drive motor 23 and the third conveyor drive motor 20, and also stops the lift drive motor. Rotate 32 in the opposite direction.

A micro switch 58 for detecting a fixed position on the lifter is provided on the inner surface of the upper part of the cover plate 10a attached to the side of the base 10, and a micro switch 58 for detecting the fixed position on the lifter is provided.
1 is turned on when the lift drive motor 32 rises to a predetermined height due to the reverse rotation of the lift drive motor 32, thereby stopping the rotation of the lift drive motor 32 and releasing the inoperable state of the slider return confirmation proximity switch 55. .

Next, the action will be explained.

First, as shown in FIG. 5, a magazine rack 6 in which 16 printed circuit boards P are housed at predetermined intervals in the vertical direction is placed on the first conveyor 17.
At this time, the stopper member 50 is standing up, but if the magazine rack 6 is on the second conveyor 21, the stopper member 50 is brought down to prevent the first conveyor 17 from conveying the magazine rack 6. Therefore, it is made to wait on the first conveyor 17. In this way, when there is no magazine rack 6 on the second conveyor 21 and the second conveyor 21 is in the upper position, the first conveyor drive motor 18 and the second conveyor drive motor 23 are rotated, and the chain 16 with rollers is rotated. , 16 in cooperation with each other, the magazine rack 6 is transferred from the first conveyor 17 to the second conveyor 21 as shown in FIG.

When the end of the magazine rack 6 transferred to the second conveyor 21 is conveyed to a position where the rack detection photoelectric switch 51 is located, the photoelectric switch 51 is turned on and the first conveyor drive motor 18 The rotation of the second conveyor drive motor 23 is stopped, and the conveyance of the magazine rack 6 to the second conveyor 21 is completed. At this time, the stopper member 50 is brought down to prevent the first transport conveyor 17 from transporting the magazine rack 6. Furthermore,
When the photoelectric switch 51 is turned on, the lift drive motor 32 is rotated a predetermined number of times to lower the second conveyor 21, and then stopped. Then, the second conveyor 21 is at the first lowered stop position, and the printed circuit board receiving and conveying device 7
The receipt of the printed circuit board P into which the electronic components have been inserted is completed, and the magazine rack 6 containing the printed circuit board P is taken away, and the
The user is made to wait until table 5 reaches the right end.

Next, when the X-Y table 5 comes to the right end, the slider moving drive motor 43 is rotated. Note that the X-Y table 5 is at a height that allows it to receive the printed circuit board P without any problem. Further, the width of the T-shaped slider 37 is narrower than the width of the magazine rack 6.

The slider 37 is a drive motor 43 for moving the slider.
As the magazine rotates, it is guided by the slider shaft 38 and moves horizontally from the right side toward the left side toward the magazine rack 6. As a result, the air cylinder 40 moves and the pressing body of the cylinder rod 40a comes into contact with the end of the lowermost printed circuit board P in the magazine rack 6. As the slider 37 moves to the left, the lowermost printed circuit board P is transferred from the magazine rack 6 toward the electronic component insertion machine 1. When the slider 37 comes into contact with the cylinder advance confirmation micro switch 52, the cylinder advance confirmation micro switch 52 is turned on. As a result, the rotation of the slider moving drive motor is stopped. At this point, the slider 37 and the air cylinder 40 have entered the lower part of the magazine rack 6.

When the printed circuit board P is pushed out from the magazine rack 6, the printed circuit board P and the cylinder rod 40a are slightly separated from each other. As a result, the proximity switch 53 is turned on, and the air cylinder 4
0 is activated, the cylinder rod 40a starts moving forward, and the printed circuit board P is inserted into the X of the electronic component insertion machine 1.
-Push the Y-table 5 into its home position. After _t1 hour, the proximity switch 53 is turned off and the air cylinder 40 is reactivated and the cylinder rod 40a is turned off.
Retract so that it returns to its original state. At this time,
An X-Y table setting cylinder (not shown) operates to position the printed circuit board P.

The cylinder rod 40a moves back and the cylinder rod return confirmation proximity switch 54 moves the cylinder rod 40a back.
When the return of 0a is confirmed and the switch is turned on, the slider moving drive motor 43 is rotated in the reverse direction. By reverse rotation of the slider moving drive motor 43, the slider 37 moves horizontally from left to right and returns to its original state. Then, the slider return confirmation proximity switch 55 is turned on, and the lift drive motor 32 is turned on again to move the second conveyor 21 at a predetermined distance, that is, the distance D between adjacent printed circuit boards P in the magazine rack 6, or an integral multiple thereof. It rotates intermittently downward and then stops.

After that, when the X-Y table 5 comes to the right end,
The slider moving drive motor 43 is rotated,
Repeat the same operation as above. This operation is performed by the printed circuit board P stored in the magazine rack 6.
is repeated until there are no more. In this embodiment, since 16 printed circuit boards P are stored in the magazine rack 6, the above-mentioned operation is repeated 16 times. In this way, after the last printed circuit board P, that is, the topmost printed circuit board P, is pushed out of the magazine rack 6 and pushed into the fixed position on the X-Y table 5, the magazine rack 6 becomes empty, and the second
When the transport conveyor 21 reaches the lowest position, the lifter lower fixed position detection micro switch 56 is turned on and the slider return confirmation proximity switch 55 is disabled, that is, the slider movement drive motor 43 is turned on.
At the same time, the second conveyor drive motor 23 and the third conveyor drive motor 20 are rotated to receive the empty magazine rack 6 from the second conveyor 21 to the third conveyor 19 as shown in FIG. hand over. Of course, at this time, the lift drive motor 32 is also prevented from rotating.

When the end of the magazine rack 6 transferred to the third conveyor 19 is conveyed to the position where the rack detection photoelectric switch 57 is located, the rack detection photoelectric switch 57 is turned on and the second magazine rack 6 is turned on.
The rotation of the conveyor drive motor 23 and the third conveyor drive motor 20 is stopped, and the magazine rack 6
The empty magazine rack 6 can be taken out from the third conveyor 19 after completing the conveyance to the third conveyor 19. At the same time, the lift drive motor 32 reversely rotates the second conveyor 21 to raise it. When the second conveyor 21 that has risen from the lower position reaches the upper position, the micro switch 58 for detecting the lifter upper position is activated.
is turned on, stopping the reverse rotation of the lift drive motor 32 and releasing the inoperable state of the slider return confirmation proximity switch 55. In this state, the second conveyor 21 is in the upper position, and the magazine rack 6 containing the printed circuit board P can be placed on the first conveyor 17 again. Once the magazine rack 6 is placed on the first conveyor 17 again, the same operations as described above are repeated.

In this way, once the magazine rack 6 containing a plurality of printed circuit boards P is placed on the first conveyor 17, the printed circuit boards P are automatically and reliably sequentially supplied from the magazine rack 6 to the electronic component insertion machine 1. The magazine rack 6 is transported to a third transport conveyor 19 from which the empty magazine rack 6 can be easily taken out.

By the way, when supplying and conveying the printed circuit board P in the magazine rack 6 placed on the second conveyor 21 to the electronic component insertion machine 1, the slider 37 provided with the air cylinder 40 of the printed circuit board extrusion transfer mechanism 35 is moved. First, it is moved to the position where it is inserted into the magazine rack 6, and then the air cylinder 40 is activated to move the cylinder rod 40a forward, and the press body of the cylinder rod 40a presses the printed circuit board P to move the electronic component inserter 1 along the X-Y
Since the cylinder rod 40a is transferred to the table 5, the amount of movement of the cylinder rod 40a is small, and the air cylinder 40 itself can be small and short.
The entire device can be downsized.

This embodiment describes a printed circuit board supply and conveyance device 4 that transports a printed circuit board P from a magazine rack 6 to an electronic component insertion machine 1.
The entire structure of the printed circuit board receiving and conveying device 7 and the structure of the printed circuit board take-out and transfer mechanism is substantially the same as that of the printed circuit board supply and conveyance device 4, as shown in FIG. However, the difference is that in the printed circuit board receiving and conveying device 7, a chuck is provided on the cylinder rod of the printed circuit board removal and transfer mechanism.
This chuck has a finger, which is open in the retracted position, and when air is supplied in the forward position, the finger is closed, and when the cylinder rod moves back, the chuck grips the printed circuit board, allowing the chuck to grip the printed circuit board and The parts are transported from the parts insertion machine to the magazine rack. Therefore, the printed circuit board removal and transfer mechanism of the printed circuit board receiving and conveying device 7 advances the cylinder rod with the chuck after the slider has moved forward, so the amount of movement of the cylinder rod back and forth is small, and the length of the cylinder itself is also small. Since only a short and small one is sufficient, the entire device can be made smaller. Therefore, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied not only to a printed circuit board supply/transport device but also to a printed circuit board receiving/transporting device having a printed circuit board removal/transfer mechanism.

As explained above, the present invention includes a rack lifting mechanism that supports a magazine rack capable of storing printed circuit boards before electronic components are mounted, and that raises and lowers the magazine rack intermittently, and a rack lifting mechanism that stops the lifting and lowering of the magazine rack by the rack lifting mechanism. In an automatic printed circuit board transfer device comprising a printed circuit board transfer mechanism that reciprocates toward the magazine rack and transfers the printed circuit board between the magazine rack and an electronic component insertion machine, the printed circuit board transfer mechanism a slider that is reciprocated toward the magazine rack and can enter into the magazine rack; a forward check switch that detects the forward movement of the slider; and a forward check switch that is fixed to the slider and that detects the forward movement of the slider. Since the magazine rack includes at least a cylinder for advancing a cylinder rod to transfer a printed circuit board housed in the magazine rack to the electronic component inserting machine, the electronic component inserting machine and the magazine rack that can accommodate the printed circuit board are provided. When transporting printed circuit boards between
After the slider equipped with the cylinder moves forward, the cylinder rod is advanced to transport the printed circuit board, and the amount of extension of the cylinder rod is small, and the cylinder itself can be small and short, making it easier for the equipment to move. The effect is that the entire structure can be made smaller.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 10 show an embodiment of the automatic printed circuit board conveying device of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the automatic printed circuit board conveying device and its peripheral equipment, and FIG.
The figure is a partially longitudinal front view of the automatic printed circuit board transport device and its peripheral equipment, Figure 3 is a plan view of the automatic printed circuit board transport equipment and its peripheral equipment, and Figure 4 is a side view of the automatic printed circuit board transport equipment. Figures 5 to 8
The figure is a cross-sectional view showing the operating process of the automatic printed circuit board transport device, Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the printed circuit board transfer mechanism of the automatic printed circuit board transport system, and Figure 10 is a magazine rack used in the automatic printed circuit board transport system. FIG. 1...Electronic component insertion machine, 4...Printed circuit board supply and transfer device (printed circuit board automatic transfer device), 7...
...Printed circuit board receiving and transporting device (printed circuit board automatic transporting device), 25...Rack lifting mechanism, 35...
Printed circuit board extrusion transfer mechanism (printed circuit board transfer mechanism), 37...Slider, 40...Air cylinder,
40a...Cylinder rod, 53...Proximity switch (switch), P...Printed circuit board.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A rack elevating mechanism that supports a magazine rack capable of storing a printed circuit board before electronic components are mounted, and that intermittently raises and lowers the magazine rack; and a rack elevating mechanism that lifts and lowers the magazine rack when the rack elevating mechanism stops raising and lowering the magazine rack. In an automatic printed circuit board transfer device comprising a printed circuit board transfer mechanism that reciprocates toward the magazine rack and transfers the printed circuit board between the magazine rack and an electronic component insertion machine, the printed circuit board transfer mechanism is configured to move toward the magazine rack. A slider that was once reciprocated and can enter into the magazine rack, a forward movement confirmation switch that detects the advance of the slider, and a forward movement confirmation switch that is fixed to the slider and that detects the movement of the slider. 1. An automatic printed circuit board conveying device comprising at least a cylinder for advancing a cylinder rod to transfer a printed circuit board housed in the magazine rack to the electronic component insertion machine.