Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Product assembly or manufacturing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-21
2003-09-30
Picard, Leo (Department: 2125)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Product assembly or manufacturing
C700S097000, C700S242000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06629007
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for notifying in advance the lack of a component at a component feed device which is set in a component mounting apparatus for mounting, e.g., electronic components onto a circuit board and feeds the electronic components, an apparatus for notifying in advance lack of component and carrying out the method for notifying in advance the lack of a component, a component mounting apparatus including the apparatus for notifying in advance the lack of a component or carrying out the method, and an article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium for the apparatus for notifying in advance the lack of a component.
An example of a constitution of a conventional component mounting apparatus will be described with reference to
FIGS. 10-13
.
FIG. 10
shows an appearance of a conventional component mounting apparatus
1
which roughly comprises an orthogonal table
12
which is movable to directions of X and Y orthogonal to each other, a component feed device
13
, a feed table
14
, a component hold device
15
, a circuit board transfer device
18
, and a control device
20
. In
FIG. 10
, a display part
10
has a screen for displaying a state of the component mounting apparatus
1
and contents of data. An input device
11
has a keyboard for use in inputting data, etc.
The orthogonal table
12
is a table for holding and positioning a circuit board
2
to mount electronic components to the circuit board
2
. The table is movable in X, Y directions orthogonal to each other.
The component feed device
13
in the example is constituted of reel-type parts cassettes
13
a
, each of which has a mechanism for continuously supplying the electronic component from a reel to which a tape storing the electronic components is wound. As shown in the drawing, a plurality of parts cassettes
13
a
are arranged side by side in the X direction.
FIG. 13
indicates an appearance of one parts cassette
13
a
.
13
a
-
1
is a component suction part positioned to correspond to a nozzle
15
b
of the component hold part
15
which will be described later, where the electronic component to be sucked by the nozzle
15
b
is located.
13
a
-
2
is a reel hold part holding the reel.
13
a
-
3
is a component feed part for sending the tape from the reel to the component suction part
13
a
-
1
every time the component mounting apparatus
1
pushes in a feed lever.
The feed table
14
loads the component feed device
13
removably and can move in the X direction along a rail
16
extending in the X direction. The feed table
14
has unique numbers (referred to as Z numbers hereinafter) at each position in the X direction where the feed table loads each of the parts cassettes
13
a
to recognize each of the
43
positions.
According to the example, the component hold device
15
is of a rotary head type including a plurality of mounting heads
15
a
and a plurality of nozzles
15
b
corresponding, respectively, to the mounting heads
15
a
for sucking and thereby holding the electronic components. Although the component hold device
15
is rotatable in a direction about a rotational center axis designated by an arrow
17
, the device never moves in the X, Y directions. Each nozzle
15
b
can move up and down in parallel to a direction in which the nozzle extends.
The circuit board transfer device
18
transfers the circuit boards
2
to the component mounting apparatus
1
and sends the circuit boards
2
out of the component mounting apparatus
1
.
The control device
20
controls operations of the above-described parts constituting the apparatus thereby controlling a mount operation for electronic components to the circuit boards
2
.
Components are mounted in the following manner in the component mounting apparatus
1
constituted as described above.
The feed table
14
moves the parts cassette
13
a
holding a desired electronic component to be mounted to the circuit board
2
to a component hold position where the electronic component can be sucked by the nozzle
15
b
. On the other hand, the orthogonal table
12
moves in the X, Y directions to position the nozzle
15
b
in holding the electronic component to a desired mount position on the circuit board
2
. After holding the electronic component from the parts cassette
13
a
positioned by the feed table
14
, the nozzle
15
b
of the component hold device
15
rotates in the direction
17
about the axis, lowers and mounts the electronic component to the mount position positioned by the orthogonal table
12
.
FIG. 11
shows a structure of data for use in executing the above-described mount operation, i.e., data regulating positions of the components to be mounted on the circuit board
2
and a mount order. The data structure is called an NC program. In
FIG. 11
,
30
designates the structure of the entire NC program,
31
is a block number showing the mount order.
32
is a mount coordinate showing positions of components to be mounted on the circuit board
2
. The position of each component is defined by two-dimensional coordinates based on a reference position on the circuit board
2
as an origin.
33
is the earlier-mentioned Z number showing an arrangement position of each parts cassette
13
a
at the feed table
14
.
FIG. 12
shows a structure of data regulating types of electronic components stored in the parts cassettes
13
a
arranged on the feed table
14
. The data structure is called as an array program.
40
in
FIG. 12
indicates an entire structure of the array program, and “Z numbers” in the array program
40
correspond to the Z numbers
33
in the NC program
30
.
42
is a component name of the electronic component stored in each parts cassette
13
a
with the Z number, which consists of a character string defining a type of the component uniquely.
FIG. 14
is an example of a screen display pattern for use in inputting a count of remaining components and an advance notice count of remaining components for each Z number
33
in the array program
40
in the component feed device
13
placed on the feed table
14
. “Z numbers” in
FIG. 14
correspond to the Z numbers
33
in the array program
40
.
45
is the count of remaining components in each parts cassette
13
a
corresponding to each Z number
33
which is input by a worker before a start of production.
46
is the advance notice count of remaining components. When the count of components actually remaining in each parts cassette
13
a
with the Z number
33
becomes smaller than the input advance notice count of remaining components, the fact is informed to the worker.
FIG. 15
is a block diagram of the conventional processing structure for notifying the lack of components in advance. In
FIG. 15
,
50
is an input part including the display part
10
shown in
FIG. 10
for displaying the screen display pattern of
FIG. 14
, etc. and the input device
11
having a keyboard or the like input device.
51
is a management part for managing the count of remaining components which subtracts one from the count
45
of remaining components input through the input part
50
every time a component is used during the production and keeps the count.
52
is an advance notice judgment part which compares the advance notice count
46
of remaining components input through the input part
50
with the count
45
of remaining components kept by the management part
51
and sends out a signal to a notification part
53
when the count
45
becomes smaller than the advance notice count
46
. The notification part
53
informs the worker upon receipt of the signal from the advance notice judgment part
52
that the lack of components is nearing.
The above management part
51
and advance notice judgment part
52
are included in the control device
20
.
The procedure for checking component names and registering the count of remaining components when product types are to be switched in the thus-constituted component mounting apparatus
1
will be described with reference to
FIGS. 10 through 15
and flow charts of
FIGS
Hattori Yoshiyuki
Kuribayashi Takeshi
Nonaka Satoshi
Picard Leo
Rapp Chad
Wenderoth , Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.
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