Geometrical instruments – Gauge – Collocating
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-29
2004-02-10
Fulton, Christopher W. (Department: 2859)
Geometrical instruments
Gauge
Collocating
C033S0010PT, C033S618000, C033S626000, C033S645000, C033S832000, C033S833000, C033S642000, C033S0010MP, C269S153000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06688016
ABSTRACT:
This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-107243 filed on Apr. 5, 2001, the contents of which are incorporated hereinto by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a device for adjusting an angular position of an object about an axis or centerline of the object, and more particularly to reduction in size of the device.
2. Discussion of Related Art
For example, an angular position adjusting device is provided in an electric-component mounting device, and is used to adjust the angular position of an image-taking device. The image-taking device is used, for instance, to take an image of an electric component as held by a component holding device, for detecting positioning errors of the electric component as held by the component holding device, on the basis of image data indicative of the image of the electric component. The image-taking device is rotated about its axis or centerline, by the angular position adjusting device, so that an imaging area on which the image is formed is rotated about the axis of the image-taking device. The imaging area is perpendicular to the axis and has a center on the axis. By rotating the image-taking device, the angular position of the imaging area about its axis can be adjusted as desired, in order to prevent a detecting error of the positioning errors of the electric component on the basis of the image data, which detecting error takes place due to an angular positioning error of the imaging area of the image-taking device.
A known angular position adjusting device to adjust the angular position of the image-taking device includes a fitting portion formed on a first bracket holding the image-taking device, and has a fitting hole formed in a second bracket which holds the first bracket. The fitting portion has a circular cross sectional shape, and is coaxial with the axis of the image-taking device, having a diameter larger than that of the image-taking device. The fitting hole also has a circular cross sectional shape, and the fitting portion is slidably fitted in and guided by the fitting hole at an outer circumferential surface of the fitting portion and an inner circumferential surface of the fitting hole. The angular position adjusting device includes a rotating device operable to rotate the first bracket relative to the second bracket about the axis of the image-taking device, for thereby rotating the image-taking device about axis, so as to adjust the angular position of the image-taking device. Thus, the angular position adjusting device uses the fitting portion and the fitting hole which engage each other such that the fitting portion and hole are rotatable relative to each other.
The known angular position adjusting device is associated with the entire circumference of the image-taking device, and therefore tends to be relatively large-sized, requiring a comparatively large space for installation of the image-taking device. Accordingly, the known angular position adjusting device lowers the freedom of designing of component members surrounding the image-taking device, and may make it difficult to suitably install the image-taking device.
While the angular position adjusting device as applied to the image-taking device used in an electric-component mounting system has the above-indicated drawback, a similar drawback is encountered where the angular position adjusting device is used for an image-taking device in other systems, and for adjusting the angular position of any object other than the image-taking device, which objects has an axis or centerline.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to reduce the size of an angular position adjusting device. This above object may be achieved according to any one of the following modes of the present invention in the form of an angular position adjusting device, a position adjusting device, and an electric-component mounting system. Each of the following modes of the invention is numbered like the appended claims and depends from the other mode or modes, where appropriate, to indicate and clarify possible combinations of elements or technical features. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the technical features or any combinations thereof which will be described for illustrative purpose only. It is to be further understood that a plurality of elements or features included in any one of the following modes of the invention are not necessarily provided all together, and that the invention may be embodied without some of the elements or features described with respect to the same mode.
(1) An angular position adjusting device for adjusting an angular position of an object about an axis of rotation of the object, the angular position adjusting device comprising:
a first member which holds the object;
a second member which holds the first member such that the first member is rotatable about the axis of the object; and
a rotating mechanism interposed between the first and second members, and operable to rotate the first member relative to the second member about the axis,
and wherein the second member has an arcuate guiding surface formed to extend along an arc of a circle having a center at the axis of rotation of the object, the arc having a center angle smaller than 180°, and the first member has a guided surface for sliding contact with the arcuate guiding surface to guide a rotary movement of the first member by the rotating mechanism relative to the second member, for rotating the object about the axis.
Each of the guiding and guided surfaces may be a part-cylindrical surface having a predetermined radius of curvature (a predetermined distance from the axis of rotation of the object), an inclined surface whose radius of curvature continuously changes in the axial direction of the object, or a stepped part-cylindrical surface having two or more radii of curvature.
When the first member is rotated by the rotating mechanism about the axis of the object, to adjust the angular position of the object, the guided surface is guided by the guiding surface so that the object is rotated about its axis. The center angle of the arc of the arcuate guiding and guided surfaces is smaller than 180° of the circle having its center at the axis of rotation of the object. Accordingly, the angular position adjusting device is disposed along only a part of the periphery of the object and can be made comparatively compact, so that the required space for installing the object together with the angular position adjusting device can be reduced, leading to an increased freedom of designing of the component members surrounding the object and simplification of a device or system provided with the object, or making it possible to provide a compact device or system with the object such that the angular position of the object is adjustable.
Further, the angular position of the object can be adjusted by rotating the object about its axis, without a deviation of the axis from the nominal position. Thus, the angular position can be adjusted with high efficiency, without calculating an amount of such a deviation and re-establishing the nominal position of the axis of the object.
Since the angular position adjusting device can be made compact as described above, the sizes of the workpieces to be machined to manufacture the angular position adjusting device can be made accordingly small, and the required time of machining the workpieces can be shortened.
(2) The angular position adjusting device according to the above mode (1), further comprising a biasing device interposed between the first and second members and operable to bias the first and second members toward each other, for pressing contact of the guiding and guided surfaces with each other.
Since the guiding and guided surfaces are held in pressing contact with each other, the axis of rotation of the object is not moved in a plane perpendicular to the axis, when the first member is rotated relative to the second memb
Mizuno Takayuki
Suhara Shinsuke
Tanaka Akiyoshi
Fuji Machine Mfg. Co. Ltd.
Fulton Christopher W.
Hoolahan Amanda J
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
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