Article dispensing – Plural sources – stacks or compartments
Patent
1998-01-21
1999-11-23
Noland, Kenneth W.
Article dispensing
Plural sources, stacks or compartments
221258, B65G 5900
Patent
active
059884304
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a component supply apparatus for supplying components to a working machine such as an electronic component mounting apparatus.
BACKGROUND ART
In recent years, the component supply apparatus for supplying electronic components to an electronic component mounting apparatus which mounts the electronic components onto a printed board has had the practices of diversification in the amount of mounted component supply cassettes and division of its supply table in order to cope with the requirements for multi-sort small-quantity production and an increase in the operating rate.
Conventionally, this kind of component supply apparatus has generally had a construction as disclosed in Examined Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-221326. The construction will be described below with reference to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6.
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a first supply table 2 and a second supply table 3 which are able to set a plurality of component supply cassettes 1 are reciprocatingly movably guided by a rail 4. Below these supply tables 2 and 3 is provided a threaded shaft 5 fixed parallel to the rail 4. On the lower surface side of the supply tables 2 and 3 are provided a nut section 6 meshed with the threaded shaft 5 and a hollow motor 7 which rotationally drives the nut section 6 around the threaded shaft 5. The reference numeral 8 denotes a mounting head which attracts by suction a component at the component supply cassette 1 and transfers and mounts it onto a board 10 positioned by an X-Y table 9.
When a pair of component supply cassettes 1 of identical electronic components are set at the supply tables 2 and 3 in the aforementioned construction and when a depletion of components occurs in one supply table, the table is switched to the other supply table for alternative use, thereby allowing the component supply cassette 1 in which the depletion of components occurs to be supplied with components in the meantime.
When there are many sorts of the components to be used, it can be performed to set component supply cassettes 1 of electronic components of different sorts at the supply tables 2 and 3 and supply the components to the mounting head 8 through successive switching between the supply tables 2 and 3.
However, since the constituent elements of the rail 4, threaded shaft 5 and so on are arranged on one base in the aforementioned prior art, various kinds of component supply apparatuses are required to be prepared depending on the amount, installation space condition and so on of necessary component supply cassettes 1. Furthermore, it is difficult to flexibly change the number of component supply cassettes and the number of supply tables depending on a change in the production state and the like.
The present invention has an object to provide a component supply apparatus capable of freely using a plurality of component supply units by connecting them.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
In order to achieve the aforementioned object, the present invention is constructed as follows.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a component supply apparatus comprising: a plurality of component supply units,
the component supply units each comprising:
a component supply table mounted with a plurality of component supply cassettes having a plurality of components;
a driving member which moves in a direction in which the component supply table moves while being able to be positioned in the base; and
a coupling member which can releasably couple the component supply table with the driving member, whereby the component supply cassette of the component supply table is able to be positioned in an arbitrary position on the base by driving the driving member based on coupling between the driving member and the coupling member,
wherein the component supply table of the component supply unit can be moved and positioned in another component supply unit by its driving member by being coupled with the driving member of another component supply unit in a state in which the
REFERENCES:
patent: 3051286 (1962-08-01), Stange et al.
patent: 5154316 (1992-10-01), Holcomb et al.
Morito Sugio
Nishimori Yuzo
Seno Makito
Tanino Masato
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Noland Kenneth W.
LandOfFree
Part supply apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Part supply apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Part supply apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1211302