Metal working – Plural diverse manufacturing apparatus including means for... – Binding or covering and cutting
Patent
1992-03-13
1993-06-22
Briggs, William
Metal working
Plural diverse manufacturing apparatus including means for...
Binding or covering and cutting
198341, B23Q 714, B65G 4700
Patent
active
052207153
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION
1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a printed circuit board processing apparatus and, in particular, to a printed circuit board processing apparatus which is suitable for automatizing the processing of various kinds of printed circuit boards in small quantities.
2. Background Art
Examples of a printed circuit board processing machine equipped with an automatic printed circuit board feeder are disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications No. 59-227616, 60-259351, 61-244441, 62-297042, 63-47037, 63-295148, etc.
Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 60-263639 discloses an example of a printed circuit board feeder in which printed circuit boards are fed in an inclined posture.
The above printed circuit board processing machines are intended for the processing of limited kinds of printed circuit boards in large quantities. Thus, one printed circuit board processing machine is generally equipped with four to six spindles, processing four to six printed circuit boards at one time.
In such a printed circuit board processing machine, the printed circuit boards to be processed are placed on a single table, and all the spindles move simultaneously in the same direction, whereby it is possible to process printed circuit boards of the same kind efficiently at the same time.
On the other hand, it may happen that the number of printed circuits boards processed at one time is less than the number of spindles, which is the case when processing various types of printed circuit boards in small quantities, or odd pieces in mass production. In such a case, some of the spindles remain unused, with the result that the printed circuit board processing machine deteriorates in operation rate.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above problem, it is an object of this invention to provide a printed circuit board processing machine which makes it possible to process various kinds of printed circuit boards in small quantities at a high level of efficiency.
To achieve the above object, this invention provides a printed circuit board processing apparatus comprising: a plurality of printed circuit board processing machines arranged side by side, in each of which a printed circuit board placed on a table and a tool held by a single spindle are caused to make a relative movement in the X-, Y- and Z-directions of the machine to process the printed circuit board; tipping devices respectively mounted on the tables in such a manner as to be swingable and adapted to perform the delivery of printed circuit boards; conveying devices respectively arranged along the respective beds of the printed circuit board processing machines and each equipped with a feeding path and a discharging path which are adapted to convey printed circuit boards in an inclined posture; loading/unloading devices each arranged at a delivery position on the printed-circuit-board-processing-machine side of the feeding and discharging paths of each conveying device and adapted to effect the delivery of printed circuit boards between the associated tipping device and these paths; a printed-circuit-board feeder connected to one end of each feeding path; a printed circuit board collecting device connected to one end of each discharging path; and detectors allocated to the respective spindles of the printed circuit board processing machines and each adapted to read the kind of a printed circuit board fed onto the table associated therewith.
Before the processing of a printed circuit board has been completed by a printed circuit board processing machine, a next printed circuit board to be processed is sent out from the printed circuit board feeder and conveyed by the conveying devices to the feeding position of that printed circuit board processing machine. And when the processing of the first printed circuit board has been completed by this printed circuit board processing machine, the table of this machine moves to a printed circuit board discharging position, when the tipping device operates to raise the printed circuit board f
REFERENCES:
patent: 5109584 (1992-05-01), Irie
Kanaya Yasuhiko
Otani Tamio
Saitou Kunio
Briggs William
Hitachi Seiko Ltd.
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