JPH0821796B2 - Tube feeder - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tube feeder for supplying chips to an electronic component mounting apparatus, and more particularly to a means for automatically exchanging tubes stacked in a tube stocker and stored. (Prior Art) As a means for supplying a semiconductor chip such as SOP having leads in two directions to an electronic component mounting apparatus, a tube feeder is known in addition to a tape feeder and a tray. This type of tube feeder is generally a tube stocker that stacks and holds multiple tubes containing chips, and a tunnel that slides the chips delivered from the lowest tube down to the take-up position of the transfer head. Made of equipment and.

By the way, when all the tips of the lowermost tube are delivered and the tube becomes empty, the tube must be replaced promptly. Conventionally, such tube exchanging means is provided with a plurality of cylinders such as a first cylinder that engages and disengages with the lowermost tube and a second cylinder that engages and disengages with the second-stage tube. . Then, when the lowermost tube is emptied, the rod of the first cylinder is withdrawn to release the supporting state of this tube, causing this tube to drop downward, and at this time, the second cylinder The second stage tube is prevented from dropping together with the lowermost tube by projecting the rod of No. 2 and locking the second stage tube. Next, if the bottom tube falls, the rod of the first cylinder is projected and the rod of the second cylinder is withdrawn to release the locked state of the second tube. Is supported on the rod of the first cylinder, and thereafter, the tip is delivered to the tunnel device from the old second-stage tube which has become the new lower-stage tube.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) Since the above-mentioned conventional tube exchanging device is composed of a plurality of cylinders, the device is complicated and the control means thereof is troublesome. Further, there is a problem that the tip is easily clogged inside the tube.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a tube feeder capable of easily exchanging tubes and eliminating clogging of chips inside the tubes.

(Means for Solving the Problem) Therefore, according to the present invention, a tube stocker for stacking and holding a plurality of tubes containing chips, and a chip sent from the lowermost tube are taken up at a take-up position of a transfer head. In a tube feeder consisting of a tunnel device for sliding down toward, the tube stocker,
The tube includes an upper bracket and a lower bracket for positioning the upper end and the lower end of the tube, and a tube exchanging device provided near the upper bracket. Then, the tube exchanging device is arranged so as to be movable back and forth with respect to the lowermost tube, and supports the tube, and a member which is above the supporting member and engages with and disengages from the second-stage tube. With the stop member and the support member retracted to release the support of the lowermost tube, the locking member moves to the position for locking the second-stage tube, and the support member advances to the tube support position. When it does, it detects that the lowermost tube is emptied by configuring the supporting member and the driving device that drives the locking member so as to move the locking member to the position for releasing the locking. Then, the drive device is provided with a sensor for issuing an operation signal, and a striking portion for continuously striking the upper end surface of the lowermost tube supported by the upper bracket and the lower bracket is provided.

(Operation) In the above configuration, when the sensor detects that the lowermost tube is empty, the drive device is activated by the signal. Then, the locking member operates to lock the second-stage tube and prevent its fall, and the supporting member retreats to release the supporting state of the empty bottom tube, Drop this tube. Next, the driving device drives in the opposite direction to move the support member to the support position and retract the locking member. Then, the tube in the second stage falls on the support member, and thereafter, the chip is delivered from this tube to the tunnel device. Further, by hitting the upper end surface of the lowermost tube with the hitting portion, clogging of the tip inside the tube can be eliminated and the tip can be reliably delivered to the tunnel device.

Example 1 Next, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(I) Overall Structure FIG. 1 shows a tube feeder, which comprises a tunnel device A, a tube stocker B, and a chip transfer device C.

(Ii) About Tunnel Device A 1 is a table on which the tube feeder is set, 2 is a base material of the tube feeder, and 3 is a stand portion standing on the base material 2. The tunnel device A mainly includes a linear tunnel body 4, and the tunnel body 4 is obliquely installed on the pedestal 3 in a forward tilted posture.

(Ii) Tube stocker B In FIG. 1, reference numeral 5 denotes a long plate-shaped frame continuously provided on the upper part of the tunnel body 4, and the tubes 8 are provided at both ends thereof.
An upper bracket 6 and a lower bracket 7 for vertically positioning the upper end and the lower end of the are installed upright. The tube 8 has a thin tubular shape, and a large number of chips P such as SOP are housed therein. A plurality of tubes 8 are stacked in a forward tilted posture, and as will be described in detail later, the empty bottommost tube 8 falls into a U-shaped arm 10 vertically installed on the frame 5. Be recovered.

The lower end of the frame 5 is pivotally attached to the upper part of the tunnel body 4 by a pin 9. 11 is a shaft provided below the tunnel body 4, 12 and 13 are semi-circular stoppers and operating parts respectively attached to the central portion and the rear end portion thereof,
It is provided for the convenience of refilling the tube 8. That is, by rotating the operating portion 13 with a fingertip and bringing the stopper 12 into contact with the protrusion 15 provided on the lower surface of the frame 5, it is possible to prevent the frame 5 from rotating about the pin 9 by its own weight. Then, the frame 5 is held in the forward tilted posture. In this state, the lowermost tube 8 and the tunnel body 4 are linearly connected at the same inclination angle. Further, by operating the operation portion 13 to disengage the stopper 12 from the protrusion 15, the frame 5 rotates downward by its own weight to maintain a horizontal state, and in this state, the tube 8 is replenished between the brackets 6 and 7. It is supposed to do.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the tube feeder B, and 20 is a tube 8 replacement device provided behind the upper bracket 6. Reference numeral 21 denotes a base portion, which is mounted on the upper end portion of the frame 5. A cylinder 22 is attached to the back surface of the base 21. The frame 23 attached to the rear surface of the cylinder 22 includes a first rod 56 of a cylinder 56 (described later).
a is installed. 24 is the air tube.

A cover box 25 is attached to the base 21, and a lever 26 is rotatably attached to the side surface of the cover box by a pin 27. The lowermost tube 8a held by the brackets 6 and 7 communicates with the tunnel body 4, and the tube 8a
The inner chip P is delivered to the tunnel body 4 by its own weight. 28 is a window provided on the upper surface of the tunnel body 4, 29 is a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the chip P in the tunnel body 4 through the window 28, and its operation will be described later.

FIG. 3 shows the inside of the cover box 25, and 32 is a support member which is arranged on the base portion 21 so as to be able to move forward and backward with respect to the lowermost tube 8a. Is urged by. The rear end portion of the lowermost tube 8a is placed on the front support portion 32a of the support member 32.

Reference numeral 35 is a slider disposed above the support member 32 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction, and is biased forward by a spring member 36. On the front part of the slider 35, a hitting part 35a is provided so as to project. The hitting portion 35a presses the tube 8a by the spring force of the spring member 36, and the lower end portion of the tube 8a is pressed against the upper end portion of the rail body 4.

Reference numeral 37 denotes a disc disposed on the side of the slider 35 so as to be rotatable around the pin 34, and the pin 38 protruding from the slider 35 is
It engages with a groove 39 formed by notching in the circular plate 37.

When the rod 56a projects forward, it is pushed by it and the lever 26 rotates clockwise, and the lower end of the lever 26 pushes the pin 38 rearward and the slider 35 retracts. When the rod 56a retracts, the slider 35 advances by the spring force of the spring material 36, and the striking portion 35a strikes the upper end surface of the tube 8. By repeatedly moving the rod 56a forward and backward in this manner, the upper end surface of the tube 8a is continuously struck by the hitting portion 35a, and the impact force causes the tip P in the tube 8a.
Is reliably delivered to the tunnel body 4 and the tip P is caught in the tube 8a, and the tip P to the tunnel body 4 is
To prevent inability to send.

Reference numeral 41 is a locking member that is arranged on the upper portion of the slider 35 so as to be able to move back and forth, and a locking portion 41a is provided at the front portion so as to project. The locking member 41 is mounted on the rod 22a of the cylinder 22, and the pin 42 projecting from the locking member 41 is engaged with the second groove 43 formed in the disk 37 by cutting. Next, the operation of the exchange device 20 will be described.

When the chip P is no longer detected by the sensor 29, it is determined that the tube 8a is empty, and the tube 8 is replaced as follows. That is, the cylinder 22 is activated by the signal from the sensor 29, and the rod 22a is projected. Then, the locking member 41 advances and the locking portion 4
1a enters the second stage tube 8b and locks it (see FIG. 4). Further, the pin 42 moves forward together with the locking member 41, and the disk 37 is rotated clockwise by being pushed by this. Then, the pin 38 of the slider 35 is pushed by the edge of the groove 39 and retracts, and with this, the slider 35 also retracts. Then, the rear end portion 3 of the slider 35 is attached to the protruding portion 32b provided at the rear end portion of the support member 32.
5b hits, the support member 32 is pushed by this and retracts, the support portion 32a retreats, and the tube 8a loses support of the support portion 32a,
It falls on the arm 10.

When the lowermost tube 8a falls in this way, the rod 22a then retracts. Then, the locking member 41 retracts, and the locking portion 41a separates from the tube 8b. Also, the locking member 4
When 1 is retracted, the disk 37 is pushed by the pin 42 to rotate in the counterclockwise direction, the slider 35 and the support member 32 are advanced by the spring force of the spring members 33 and 36, and the second stage tube 8b. Drops onto the support portion 32a, and thereafter, the tip P is delivered from the tube 8b to the tunnel body 4. As described above, the cylinder 22 and the disc
The 37, the pins 38, 42, and the like form a drive device for the support member 32 and the locking member 41.

(Iv) About Chip Transfer Device C In FIG. 1, reference numeral 43 denotes a chip P receiving member provided in front of the lower end of the tunnel body 4. As shown in FIG.
The receiving member 43 is configured by mounting a plate 47 in a recess 45 formed in the upper surface of the receiving base 44. The chip P sent from the tunnel body 4 is delivered into the recess 45, but grooves 46 are formed on both sides of the recess 45 so that the lower end of the lead L is not damaged. Also above plate 47
Are mounted by bolts 49 through the long holes 48 so that the position can be adjusted according to the size of the chip P.

The receiving member 43 is connected to the lower end portion of the tunnel body 4 shown in FIG.
The chip P discharged from the front is received and then moved to the take-up position (b) by the transfer head 71 in the front while changing the attitude from the forward tilted attitude to the horizontal attitude. Next, referring to FIG. Meanwhile, the moving device 40 for the receiving member 43 will be described.

Reference numeral 51 is a guide rail provided in the front portion of the base member 2, and 52 is a slider that slides along the guide rail 51 in the front-rear direction. A column 53 is erected on a front portion of the slider 52, and the receiving member 43 is rotatably supported by the column 53 by a pin 54. Reference numeral 55 denotes a spring member that connects the receiving member 43 and the slider 52, and biases the receiving member 43 counterclockwise about the pin 54. Reference numeral 56 is a cylinder as a drive device mounted on the back surface of the base portion 3, and a second rod 56b thereof is attached to the slider 52. A shaft 58 to which a coil spring 57 is attached is attached to the slider 52, and a plate 59 is attached to the tip of the shaft 58.

Reference numeral 67 denotes a cam projecting from the base portion 3 (see also FIG. 1), which is located below the lower end portion of the tunnel body 4 and has an inclined cam surface 68. Further, a roller 69 rolling on the cam surface 68 is mounted on the receiving member 43. The moving device 40 has the above-mentioned configuration, and its operation will be described below.

When the rod 56b of the cylinder 56 projects, the slider 52 moves forward until it abuts on the stopper portion 70 provided at the tip of the base material 2, and the receiving material 43 is positioned at the take-up position (B). At this take-up position (b), the receiving material 43
The transfer head 71 is in a horizontal position so that the chip P on it can be easily taken up. Next, when the rod 56b retracts, the slider 52 also slides to the left in FIG. 5, the supporting member 43 also slides in the same direction, the roller 69 rides on the cam surface 68, and the receiving base 43 moves to the pin 54. Rotates upward around the axis to change from the horizontal posture to the forward lean posture. In this state, the receiving member 43 abuts on the lower end surface of the tunnel body 4 and the tunnel member 4 and the receiving member 43.
The recesses 45 of the tunnel body 4 communicate with each other, and the chip P in the tunnel body 4 is recessed 45
Glide inward. That is, the receiving member 43 is in the forward tilted posture in which it is connected to the tunnel body 4 in this manner, and the receiving position of the tip P (a)
Be positioned at.

Next, when the rod 56b moves forward, the receiving member 43 changes its posture from the forward tilted posture to the horizontal posture and moves to the take-up position (b), and the chip P held by this is taken by the transfer head 71. It is moved up and transferred and mounted on the substrate 72.

The rod 56a of the exchanging device 20 is the first rod of the cylinder 56, and is the receiving member 4 associated with the protrusion and withdrawal of the rod 56b.
It sunk in synchronism with the reciprocating motion of 3 and, as described above, the tube 8a
Is tapped to deliver the tip P in the tube 8a to the tunnel body 4. Next, with reference to FIG. 5, the lowermost chip drop prevention device 60 in the tunnel body 4 will be described.

The rotor 61 has a pin 62 on the lower end of the lower end of the tunnel body 4.
Is pivoted on. A pin is attached to the top surface of the tip of the rotor 61.
63 is erected, and the spring force of the spring material 64 causes the rotor 61
Is pushed upward, the pin 63 pushes up the lowermost chip P in the tunnel body 4 and presses this chip P against the upper surface in the tunnel body 4 to prevent the chip P from falling. are doing.

A pin 65 is vertically provided on the lower surface of the front portion of the rotor 61. This pin 65 is inside the plate 59
When 56b retracts, the pin 65 is pushed by the plate 59 and retracts. Then, the rotor 61 rotates clockwise about the pin 62 (see the chain line in the figure), and the pin 63 releases the pressed state of the chip P.

The chip drop prevention device 60 is driven by the same cylinder 56 as the receiving member 43 and operates in synchronization with the reciprocating movement of the receiving member 43. That is, when the receiving material 43 reaches the receiving position (a), the blocking state by the pin 63 is released, and the chip P is slid down and delivered to the receiving material 43. The receiving material 43 is the tunnel body 4.
When the pin 63 moves away from the lower end of the to the take-up position (b) to the take-up position (b), the pin 63 ascends to prevent the lowermost chip P from falling. As described above, the present apparatus has (1) the striking operation of the tube 8a by the rod 56a, (2) the reciprocating movement operation of the support member 43 by the sliding of the slider 52, and (3) the chip P by the rotation of the rotor 61. Since the fall prevention operation is performed by driving the same cylinder 56, these operations can be accurately synchronized.

(V) Overall Operation The tip P of the lowermost tube 8a slides down inside the tunnel body 4 and is delivered to the recess 45 of the receiving member 43 at the receiving position (a). Next, the rod 56b of the cylinder 56 projects, so that the receiving material 43 moves from the receiving position (a) to the take-up position (b), and the chip P of the receiving material 43 is taken up by the transfer head 71. The substrate 72 is transferred and mounted.

The chips P in the tube 8a are sequentially sent into the tunnel body 4, but the tube 8a has a thin tubular shape, so that the flow of the chips P easily stagnates. Therefore, in synchronization with the reciprocal movement of the receiving member 43 by the second rod 56b of the cylinder 56, the lever 26 is intermittently reciprocally rotated by causing the first rod 56a to project and retract, and the tube is struck by the striking portion 35a. Hit the rear end face of 8a to insert the tip P in the tube 8a into the tunnel body 4
Send it in securely.

As described above, when the chips P are mounted on the substrate 72 one after another and the chips P in the tube 8a are out of stock, an operation signal is issued from the sensor 29 to the cylinder 2,
The rod 22a of 22 projects. Then, as described above, the locking portion 41a of the locking member 41 projects to lock the second-stage tube 8b, and the support portion 32a of the support member 32 retracts,
The emptied tube 8a drops into the recovery unit 10. Next, when the rod 22a is retracted, the support portion 35a is advanced, the locking portion 41a is returned, and is separated from the tube 8b.
The chip b is placed on the support portion 32a, and thereafter, the tip P is supplied to the tunnel body 4 from the tube 8b.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, the present invention provides a support member that supports the lowermost tube from below and a locking member that engages and disengages with the second-stage tube, and uses both members as one drive device. The tube is driven to move to the supporting / unsupporting position and the engagement / disengagement position respectively, so the structure is extremely simple and the movement timing of both members does not change. Can be done. Further, by hitting the upper end surface of the lowermost tube by the hitting portion, it is possible to eliminate the clogging of the chip inside the tube due to the impact force, and to reliably send the chip to the tunnel device. In this case, in particular, the tube is long, and it is not possible to predict at which position in the tube the chip will be clogged, so it is necessary to apply a uniform impact over the entire length of the tube. Since the upper end surface of the tube is continuously hit to give a shock to the tube in its longitudinal direction (axial direction), it is possible to give a uniform shock over the entire length of the tube, and therefore, the tip is placed inside the tube. Even if it is clogged at any position, this clogging can be reliably eliminated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tube feeder, FIG. 2 is a side view of the same, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are internal side views of an exchange device. Is a side view of the moving device, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the receiving material. A …… Tunnel device B …… Tube stocker P …… Chip 6 …… Upper bracket 7 …… Lower bracket 8 …… Tube 20 …… Tube exchange device 22,37,38,42 …… Drive device 29 …… Sensor 32 …… Supporting member 35 …… Locking member

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A tube stocker for holding and stacking a plurality of tubes in which chips are housed in a forward tilted posture, and a chip delivered from the lowermost tube is slid down toward a take-up position of a transfer head. In a tube feeder including a tunnel device, the tube stocker includes an upper bracket and a lower bracket for positioning the upper end and the lower end of the tube, and a tube exchanging device provided near the upper bracket. A supporting member that is arranged so as to be movable back and forth with respect to the lowermost tube to support the tube, a locking member above the supporting member and engaged with and disengaged from the second tube, and a supporting member. Move away to release the lower tube support, the locking member moves to the position that locks the second tube, When the support member advances to the tube support position, the support member and the drive device for driving the lock member are respectively arranged so as to move the lock member to the position for releasing the lock, and the tube at the lowermost stage. It is equipped with a sensor that detects that the driver has emptied and issues an operation signal to this drive device, and has a striking part that continuously hits the upper end surface of the lowermost tube supported by the upper bracket and the lower bracket. Tube feeder to do.