Material or article handling – Device for emptying portable receptacle – Nongravity type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-04
2004-03-16
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3651)
Material or article handling
Device for emptying portable receptacle
Nongravity type
C221S224000, C221S236000, C221S31200B
Reexamination Certificate
active
06705819
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to feeders for chip components, and in particular relates to a feeder for intermittently feeding chip components in one direction by using the driving force of a chip mounter.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, a feeder for chip components is known, wherein chip components accommodated in a hopper are dropped one at a time from a discharge hole on the bottom of the hopper onto an endless belt by a vertically moving pipe linked to the operation of a chip mounter while the chip components conveyed to an end portion of the endless belt by intermittently driving the endless belt forwardly by a belt driving mechanism are picked up one by one by the chip mounter (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 8-48419, for example).
In the above-mentioned feeder, the pipe for dropping chip components in the hopper from the discharge hole is vertically driven by a driving lever pushed down by the chip mounter and the belt driving mechanism drives a belt driving pulley intermittently via a ratchet claw by a driving lever swung by retracting means moving simultaneously with the chip mounter. Since by utilizing the input load of the chip mounter, the chip components are taken out from the hopper onto the belt and the chip components are intermittently conveyed by the belt, the feeder has an advantage that a specific driving source is not required and synchronization between the feeder and the chip mounter can be readily obtained.
Recently, high feeding capacity is required for a feeder of the type and feeders having a capacity of 0.1 s per one chip component or less-have been put to practical use. When chip components are fed in such a short time, jumping and slippage of the chip components occur on the belt, so that a problem that the chip components cannot be fed in a stable state arises. The reasons thereof will be described with reference to
FIGS. 1A
to
1
C.
FIGS. 1A and 1B
show an example of operations of the chip mounter and the belt for driving the feeder.
As shown in
FIG. 1A
, the chip mounter starts to descend at the time t
1
and reaches the bottom dead center at the time t
2
. From the time t
2
through the time t
3
, the chip mounter is stopped while the forefront chip component conveyed on the belt is sucked up. At the time t
3
, the chip mounter starts to ascend and reaches the top dead center at the time t
4
. From the time t
4
through the time t
5
, a suction nozzle is moved and orientation of the chip component is recognized, so that the sucked chip component is mounted on a circuit board, etc.
On the other hand, as shown in
FIG. 1B
, since the belt is driven in synchronization with the ascent of the chip mounter, the belt is forwardly driven only during the ascent of the chip mounter &Dgr;t
a
(t
3
to t
4
) and is stopping for the rest of the time.
In such a high-speed operation having a tact time of 0.1 s as described above, the belt driving time &Dgr;t
a
is to be smaller in proportion to the tact time. Therefore, the belt has to be driven at a high-speed, so that the frictional force between the chip component and the belt is not effectively exerted, and the chip components cannot be thereby fed in a stable state due to jumping and slippage of the chip components on the belt.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a feeder for chip components capable of feeding chip components in a stable state even in the high-speed operation by driving a conveying section at a lower speed than that of the chip mounter and even when the chip mounter is stopped.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a feeder for chip components, including a feed lever operated according to the input load from a chip mounter and a conveyor belt connected to the feed lever via a one-way feeding mechanism, the feeder feeding chip components on the conveyor belt in one direction by intermittently driving the conveyor belt in one direction, the feeder for chip components comprising: an urging means for urging the feed lever in the returning direction by storing the input load of the chip mounter in the operating direction as energy; and a delay mechanism for delaying the returning operation of the feed lever relative to the operation of the chip mounter in the returning direction, wherein when the chip mounter operates in the operating direction, the feed lever is moved in the operating direction by linking to the chip mounter while the conveyor belt is maintained in a stationary state by the one-way feeding mechanism, and wherein when the chip mounter operates in the returning direction, the feed lever is moved in the returning direction so as to be delayed relative to the chip mounter by the urging means and the delay mechanism while the conveyor belt is driven via the one-way feeding mechanism.
The feeder for chip components according to the first aspect of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
1
C.
In the feeder, when the chip mounter operates (t
1
to t
2
), the belt is stopped, and when the chip mounter is retracted (t
3
to t
4
), the belt is driven; however, the belt is out of synchronization with the retraction of the chip mounter due to a delay mechanism and continues to be driven at a low speed even after the chip mounter reaches the top dead center. Therefore, the belt driving time &Dgr;t
b
(t
3
to t
6
) can be prolonged compared with the conventional driving time &Dgr;t
a
(t
3
to t
4
), so that the belt can be driven at a lower speed for the same feeding amount. Thereby, the frictional force between the belt and the chip components are effectively exerted and the chip components can be supplied with high stability even in high-speed operation.
In particular, in the feeder, the belt is not driven by the input load of the chip mounter but when the chip mounter is retracted, driven by the energy stored in the urging means. Therefore, the belt can be driven at a low speed without being restricted by the operation of the chip mounter.
The belt drive termination time t
6
may be any time as long as it is before the next ascent starting time t
5
of the chip mounter, so that the belt driving time can be secured as long as possible within the time range of t
3
to t
5
. The operating speed of the belt is adjustable by the delay mechanism.
As a delay mechanism, a known delay mechanism such as an eddy current damper, a damper utilizing viscosity of a fluid, and an air damper can be employed. The set-up place for the delay mechanism is not limited to the feed lever portion; it may be arranged around the one-way feeding mechanism or a driving unit for the belt.
As operating characteristics of the delay mechanism, the resistance force may be exerted in both operating and returning directions of the feed lever, or it may be exerted only in the returning direction while it is not exerted in operating direction.
As the urging means, means for storing elastic energy such as a spring and means for storing potential energy such as a weight may be used.
In a second aspect of the present invention, a reciprocating conveying member is used instead of the belt in the first aspect. That is, in accordance with the second aspect, there is provided a feeder for chip components, including a feed lever operated according to the input load from a chip mounter and a conveying member connected to the feed lever via a transmission mechanism, the feeder feeding chip components on the conveying member in one direction by reciprocating the conveying member using a frictional force, the feeder for chip components comprising: an urging means for urging the feed lever in the returning direction by storing the input load of the chip mounter in the operating direction as energy; and a delay mechanism for delaying the returning operation of the feed lever relative to the operation of the chip mounter in the returning direction, wherein when the chip mounte
Kaishita Nihei
Namura Mitsuhiro
Nemoto Akira
Takahashi Shigeki
Burns Doane , Swecker, Mathis LLP
Crawford Gene O.
Ellis Christopher P.
Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
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