Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Product assembly or manufacturing
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-30
2004-09-07
Picard, Leo (Department: 2125)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Product assembly or manufacturing
C700S003000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06788989
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric-circuit board assembling line for assembling an electric-circuit board by mounting an electric component (e.g., an electronic component) on a circuit-support board; an electric-circuit board producing method; and an electric-circuit board assembling line controlling program.
2. Discussion of Related Art
There is known an electric-circuit board assembling line in which a plurality of electric-circuit-board-assembling-related devices are arranged and each of the devices performs an electric-circuit-board-assembling-related step that is related to an operation in which an electric-circuit board is assembled by mounting an electric component on a circuit-support board. In this assembling line, usually, the assembling-related devices are provided with respective control devices that are independent of each other, and accordingly it has been a conventional practice that the assembling-related devices are operated, by an operator, independent of each other. For example, when the assembling line is started, respective start/stop switches of the assembling-related devices are turned ON by the operator. Likewise, when the operation of the assembling line is ended, the respective start/stop switches of the devices are turned OFF by the operator. This is true with all the other operations of the assembling-related devices, that is, the operator must operate the individual devices independent of each other, which complicates the management of the assembling line and lowers the efficiency of management of the operator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to simplify management of an electric-circuit board assembling line and improve efficiency with which an operator manages the assembling line. This object may be achieved according to any one of the following numbered modes of the present invention in the form of an electric-circuit board assembling, an electric-circuit board producing method, and an electric-circuit board assembling line controlling program, each of which may depend from the other mode or modes, where appropriate, to indicate and clarify possible combinations of technical features. It is, however, to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the technical features or any combinations thereof that will be described below for illustrative purposes 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 altogether, and that the invention may be embodied without some of the elements or features described with respect to the same mode.
(1) An electric-circuit board assembling line, comprising:
a plurality of electric-circuit-board-assembling-related apparatuses which include respective control devices independent of each other and which perform respective electric-circuit-board-assembling-related operations that are related to assembling of an electric-circuit board including a substrate board and at least one electric component mounted thereon, the respective control devices of the electric-circuit-board-assembling-related apparatuses including a master control device, and at least one slave control device subject to the master control device;
at least one communication device which connects the master control device and the slave control device, to each other; and
at least one of (a) the master control device being operable to control the electric-circuit-board-assembling-related apparatus including the slave control device, (b) the master control device supplying, to the slave control device, information about the electric-circuit board to be assembled, and (c) the slave control device supplying, to the master control device, information about a state of the electric-circuit-board-assembling-related apparatus including the slave control device, so that the master control device recognizes the state.
According to this mode, the master control device and the slave control device are connected to each other by the communication device. If the master control device can be operated by an operator to control the slave control device, the operator need not move to the place where the slave control device is located. In addition, if the master control device can supply, to the slave control device, information about the electric-circuit board to be assembled, the operator need not input the information to the slave control device. Moreover, if the slave control device can supply, to the master control device, information about a state of the assembling-related apparatus including the slave control device, so that the master control device can recognize the state, the assembling line as a whole can be easily controlled. In the last case, the operator working at the place where the master control device is located can recognize the state of the assembling-related apparatus including the slave control device, whereby the operator can easily monitor the assembling line. If at least one of the above-indicated features (a), (b), (c) is employed, the assembling line can be more easily used. And, if all those features (a), (b), (c) are employed, the operator can operate, without needing to move away from the master control device, the assembling line as a whole, input control information to the assembling line, and monitor the assembling line, whereby the assembling line can be most easily used. In addition, if the master control device is arranged to automatically monitor and/or control the slave control device, the plurality of assembling-related apparatuses can be controlled in cooperation with each other, so that the production efficiency of the assembling line can be improved.
(2) An electric-circuit board assembling line according to the mode (1), wherein the slave control device as a first slave control device is capable of operating as a second master control device, and the master control device as a first master control device is capable of operating as a second slave control device subject to the second master control device.
According to this mode, if the master control device as a first master control device has failed, the slave control device as a first slave control device can be operated as a second master control device, so as to continue the electric-circuit-board-assembling-related operations. In addition, in the case where the operator is required, for some reason, to stay with a specific one of the respective control devices of the assembling-related apparatuses, the specific control device can be operated as the master control device so as to monitor the assembling line as a whole. Assembling of a specific sort of electric-circuit board may not need operation of a specific sort of assembling-related apparatus. If the control device of that assembling-related apparatus has been operated as the master control device, the control device of another assembling-related apparatus may be newly operated as a master control device.
(3) An electric-circuit board assembling line according to the mode (2), wherein each of the respective control devices of the electric-circuit-board-assembling-related apparatuses is capable of operating as each of a master control device and a slave control device.
The present electric-circuit board assembling line can enjoy a very high degree of freedom.
(4) An electric-circuit board assembling line according to any of the modes (1) to (3), wherein each one of the respective control devices of the electric-circuit-board-assembling-related apparatuses performs a plurality of operations identical with a plurality of operations that are performed by each of the other control devices of the electric-circuit-board-assembling-related apparatuses.
According to this mode, any of the respective control devices of the assembling-related apparatuses can be operated as a master control device, and the remaining control devices can all be operated as slave control devices. Thus, a degree of freedo
Fuji Machine Mfg. Co. Ltd.
Jarrett Ryan
Picard Leo
LandOfFree
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