Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Electrical device making
Patent
1998-01-09
1999-11-09
Arbes, Carl J.
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Electrical device making
29740, 29830, H05K 330, B23P 1900
Patent
active
059790458
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for picking up by a sucking action electronic components and mounting the electronic components or the like on a substrate such as a printed circuit board.
BACKGROUND ART
Recently, there have been more and more need for increasing productivity without expanding the facility of production, and it is thus highly desired to provide an electronic component mounting apparatus with high operating efficiency and productivity per factory space.
Such conventional component mounting apparatuses for electronic devices include known component feeders such as disclosed in Japanese Published Examined Patent Application 3-221326. The disclosed component feeder is now explained by referring to FIG. 5.
As shown in FIG. 5, the component feeder 21 comprises a first feeder table 23 and a second feeder table 24, each table having a plurality of component supply units 22 aligned in parallel rows for storage of multiple electronic components and arranged movable independently in a direction of the parallel alignment. Desired ones of the components are fed from the first and the second feeder tables 23, 24 to a predetermined component feeding position. The components supplied by the component feeder 21 at the component feeding position are then mounted by a component mounting apparatus 20 on a board 28 positioned by an X-Y table 27 by way of the sucking action of nozzles 26 on a rotary head 25.
When one of the component supply units 22 on the first feeder table 23 is exhausted, its corresponding component supply unit 22 on the second feeder table 24 is advanced to the component feeding position for supplying supplements for the exhausted components. Accordingly, the feeding of the components can be continued without interruption while the first feeder table 22 is loaded again with new sets of the components, hence maintaining the efficiency of production.
However, the conventional apparatus has the first and the second feeder tables 23, 24 arranged in a row on a rail which is disposed in parallel to a direction P of conveying the board 28, thus requiring a considerably large area for installation of the component feeder 21 including two extra spaces S1 and S2 for stand-by of their respective tables 23 and 24 which are located on both sides of a main space F for feeding the components. When the component mounting apparatus 20 is installed across a production line, it will prevent the entire length of the production line from being minimized and will hardly contribute to an increase of the productivity per factory space.
It is an object of the present invention, in view of the foregoing aspects, to provide a method of and an apparatus for mounting components in at a smaller space and at a higher level of productivity.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
A method of mounting components according to the present invention is provided for use in a component mounting apparatus comprising: a first feeder table having a plurality of component supply units disposed in parallel rows and loaded with multiple components thereon, the first feeder table being movable in a direction of parallel alignment of the component supply units; a second feeder table arranged behind the first feeder table and mounted with a plurality of component supply units disposed in parallel rows thereon; and a transfer unit for receiving a component from the component supply units disposed on the second feeder table and transferring the component to the predetermined component feeding position. The components are fed from the first feeder table to the component feeding position and mounted on the board, and when it is judged that a particular group of the components on the first feeder table has been run out, the supplements are provided from the second feeder table by the transfer unit to the component feeding position and mounted on the board. Therefore, while there is no need of spaces for stand-by of the two feeder tables in the direction of conveying the board, the component mounting appara
REFERENCES:
patent: 4999909 (1991-03-01), Eguchi et al.
patent: 5329692 (1994-07-01), Kashiwagi
patent: 5365452 (1994-11-01), Imafuku et al.
patent: 5743001 (1998-04-01), Baker et al.
patent: 5778525 (1998-07-01), Hata et al.
Nakashima Makoto
Nishimori Yuzo
Seno Makito
Arbes Carl J.
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd
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