Electronic component supplying apparatus

Details Electronic component supplying apparatus Electronic component supplying apparatus

2000-09-29

2001-07-03

Bidwell, James R. (Department: 3651)

Conveyors: power-driven

Conveyor for changing attitude of item relative to conveyed...

By conveying randomly faced items and turning items to...

Reexamination Certificate

active

06253902

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic component supplying apparatus for conveying electronic components in an aligned state to supply the same at a predetermined taking-out position.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-232596 an apparatus provided with a belt for conveying chip components, a ratchet mechanism for intermittently moving the belt, a grooved cover for aligning the chip components on the belt, a stopper for stopping the chip components conveyed by the belt, and a stopper displacement mechanism for separating a leading chip component from the stopper after the belt movement stops.
The electronic components conveyed in an aligned state by the belt stop when a leading electronic component thereof abuts on the stopper. When the belt movement stops, the stopper is separated from the leading chip component and the leading chip component is taken out by a suction nozzle. The chip taken out by the suction nozzle is mounted on a substrate or the like.
In the apparatus, the stopper is displaced so as to be separated from the leading chip component after the belt movement is stopped. However, there is a drawback that, since the leading chip component is kept in contact with the second leading chip component, the leading chip component interferes with the second leading chip component to fail to be taken out when the leading chip component is taken out by the suction nozzle.
Specifically, when the leading chip component is lifted up by the suction nozzle in the state where the leading chip component is in contact with the second leading chip component, a similar lifting force acts on the second leading chip component to cause an inclination or flying-out of the second leading chip component, thereby preventing the subsequent chip components from being taken out. Also, a position deviation occurs in the electronic component absorbed by the suction nozzle, which results in reduction in position accuracy in component placement onto a substrate or the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a novel electronic component supplying apparatus capable of preventing the failure in taking-out as described above.
In order to achieve the object, the present invention comprises a conveying path for intermittently conveying electronic components in an aligned state in a predetermined direction; a component stopper on which a leading electronic component of the electronic components abuts during a component conveyance; a component suction portion for sucking the leading electronic component which has abutted on the component stopper; a slider for covering at least the leading electronic component which has abutted on the component stopper in a non-contacting state; a stopper displacement mechanism for displacing the component stopper in a component conveying direction in a state where the component conveyance by the conveying path is stopped to separate the leading electronic component from a second leading electronic component; and a slider displacement mechanism for displacing the slider in a direction opposite to the component conveying direction in the state where the component conveyance by the conveying path is stopped to allow the leading electronic component to be taken out.
When the leading electronic component abuts on the component stopper so that the component conveyance is stopped, at least the leading electronic component which has abutted on the component stopper is covered in a non-contacting state by the slider and the leading electronic component abutting on the component stopper is sucked by the component stopper. In a state where the component conveyance by the conveying path is stopped, the component stopper is displaced in the component conveying direction and the leading electronic component sucked to the component stopper is separated from the second leading electronic component. Then, the slider is displaced in the direction opposite to the component conveying direction and the covering with the slider is cancelled, thereby allowing the leading electronic component to be taken out.
That is, as at least the leading electronic component is covered in the non-contacting state by the slider until the leading electronic component abuts on the component stopper to be stopped, the leading electronic component is prevented from standing up or flying out outwards due to a force generated at a time of the component conveyance of the electronic components. Also, the leading electronic component is separated from the second leading electronic component and the leading electronic component is taken out in the state where the leading electronic component covered with the slider is uncovered, so that the leading electronic component is prevented from interfering with the second leading electronic component when the leading electronic component is taken out by a sucking nozzle or the like. Accordingly, the problems can be overcome about the failure in taking-out which has conventionally occurred due to the interference between the electronic components, and taking-out of the electronic components from the apparatus can be performed much satisfactorily.
The above object, the other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following explanation and the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4469709 (1984-09-01), Schrauf
patent: 5525023 (1996-06-01), Sage et al.
patent: 5636725 (1997-06-01), Saito et al.
patent: 5836437 (1998-11-01), Saito et al.
patent: 6032783 (2000-03-01), Saito et al.
patent: 6102188 (2000-08-01), Saito et al.
patent: 6135264 (2000-10-01), Saito et al.
patent: 6152283 (2000-11-01), Kondo et al.
patent: 6-232596 (1994-08-01), None

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