Component storage device and production management system

Abstract

The present application provides a component storage device and a production management system. The component storage device can automatically store a plurality of components in a housing and can perform component management. The component storage device is provided with: a conveying section (210) that continuously conveys a plurality of electronic components (50); a discharge section (230) that makes the electronic components conveyed by the conveying section fall one by one by self-weight; a setting section (240) in which the housing (1) is set in a state in which the electronic components discharged from the discharge section fall toward a discharge port, i.e., an opening (6), of the housing; a component detection section (270) that detects the electronic components at an arbitrary position of a path between the conveying section and the discharge port of the housing set in the setting section; a reader-writer, i.e., an information read-write section (243), that performs read-write of information with respect to an RFID tag (5) of the housing set in the setting section, and writes information detected by the component detection section to the RFID tag through the reader-writer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a component storage device for storing electronic components such as chip components in a housing and a production management system. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a box-shaped housing for collectively storing a plurality of small electronic components such as chip components in a separated state when collectively transporting the electronic components (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-295618 Summary of the Invention

[0006] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0007] A housing that stores multiple components in a separate state is more efficient than carrier tape in storing multiple components within a certain volume. To improve efficiency, a device that can automatically store multiple components in such a housing and manage the components is sought.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a component storage device and a production management system that can automatically store a plurality of components in a housing and manage the components.

[0009] Solutions for solving problems

[0010] The component storage device of the present invention is a component storage device that stores multiple components from an opening in a shell having the opening and equipped with an RFID tag, wherein the component storage device comprises: a conveying section that continuously conveys multiple components; a discharge section that causes the components conveyed by the conveying section to fall one by one by their own weight; a setting section, in which the shell is set in a state where the components discharged from the discharge section fall toward the opening; a component detection section that detects components at any position of the path between the conveying section and the opening of the shell set in the setting section; and an information reading and writing section that reads and writes information relative to the RFID tag of the shell set in the setting section, and writes the detection information detected by the component detection section to the RFID tag through the information reading and writing section.

[0011] The production management system of the present invention is a production management system that includes the above-mentioned component storage device of the present invention, wherein the production management system includes a server for storing component information, and the component information is written from the server to the RFID tag through the information reading and writing unit, or read from the RFID tag through the information reading and writing unit.

[0012] Effects of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a component storage device and a production management system that can automatically store a plurality of components in a housing and manage the components. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the housing according to the embodiment as seen from obliquely above, showing a state in which the discharge port is open.

[0015] Figure 2 It is a perspective view showing the internal state of the housing according to the embodiment, showing a state in which the discharge port is open.

[0016] Figure 3 It is a perspective view showing the internal state of the housing according to the embodiment, showing a state in which the discharge port is closed.

[0017] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of the housing according to the embodiment as seen from an oblique lower side, showing a state in which the discharge port is closed.

[0018] Figure 5 It is a plan view schematically showing the component storage device according to the embodiment.

[0019] Figure 6 is with Figure 5 The partial cross-sectional view corresponding to the VI-VI line.

[0020] Figure 7 It is a partial cross-sectional side view schematically showing a discharge portion according to the embodiment.

[0021] Figure 8 It is a partial cross-sectional side view showing a housing and a setting portion for setting the housing according to the embodiment.

[0022] Figure 9 It is a partial cross-sectional side view showing a state in which the housing according to the embodiment is installed in the installation portion and the discharge port of the housing is closed.

[0023] Figure 10 It is a partial cross-sectional side view showing a state in which the housing according to the embodiment is installed in the installation portion and the discharge port of the housing is opened.

[0024] Figure 11It is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of a production management system according to an embodiment.

[0025] Description of Reference Numerals

[0026] 1. Housing; 5. RFID tag; 6. Discharge port (opening); 50. Electronic component (component); 200. Component storage device; 210. Conveying unit; 230. Discharge unit; 240. Setting unit; 243. Reader / writer (information reading / writing unit); 270. Component detection unit; 271. First component detection unit (pass detection unit); 272. Second component detection unit (shape detection unit); 273. Third component detection unit (performance detection unit); 274. Pass detection unit; 320. Server (storage device). DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.

[0028] Figures 1 to 4 It is a diagram relating to the housing 1 according to the embodiment. Figures 5 to 10 This is a diagram of a component storage device 200 according to an embodiment. The component storage device 200 is a device that automatically stores a plurality of components in a housing 1. First, the housing 1 will be described.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the housing 1 viewed from an oblique upper side. The housing 1 includes an electronic component 50 ( Figure 2 The housing 1 is detachably assembled to the feeder 100. The feeder 100 is a device that discharges the electronic component 50 from the housing 1 by vibration and supplies the electronic component 50 to an installation device (not shown). The electronic component 50 of this embodiment is, for example, a tiny rectangular electronic component with a length of 1.2 mm or less in the longitudinal direction. Examples of such electronic components include capacitors and inductors, but this embodiment is not limited thereto.

[0030] Figure 2 and Figure 3 Each of the perspective views shows the internal state of the housing 1 from which a second member 22 described later is removed. Figure 2 The discharge port 6 for discharging the electronic component 50 is opened. Figure 3 The discharge port 6 is shown in a closed state. The discharge port 6 is an example of an opening. Figure 4 It is a perspective view of the housing 1 viewed from an oblique lower side.

[0031] The housing 1 includes a housing body 2 , an opening and closing member 3 , a slider 4 integrated with the opening and closing member 3 , and an RFID tag 5 .

[0032] The housing body 2 includes a first member 21 and a second member 22. The housing 1 is a container in which a storage space S is formed internally by combining and joining the first and second members 21, 22. The housing body 2 includes a top plate 2U, a bottom plate 2D, a front wall 2F, a rear wall 2B, a right side wall 2R on the side of the first member 21, and a left side wall 2L on the side of the second member 22. A plurality of electronic components 50 are housed in a separate state within the housing 1.

[0033] In this specification, the vertical direction of the housing 1 is defined as the vertical direction when the housing 1 is assembled to the feeder 100. The side of the housing 1 on which the discharge port 6 is provided is defined as the front, and the opposite side is defined as the rear. The left and right directions are defined as the left and right directions when the housing 1 is viewed from the front. The first member 21 is located on the right side, and the second member 22 is located on the left side.

[0034] The front wall 2F, rear wall 2B, right wall 2R, and left wall 2L are each a wall extending in the vertical direction, that is, in the up-down direction. The top plate 2U and bottom plate 2D are each a plate extending in the horizontal direction.

[0035] like Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown in FIG, the housing 1 is formed by combining and joining a first member 21 and a second member 22 that are symmetrical with each other. That is, the first member 21 and the second member 22 are each a half body divided into left and right.

[0036] The housing body 2 has a discharge port 6 on the lower side of the front wall portion 2F. The discharge port 6 is a quadrilateral opening in the embodiment. However, the discharge port 6 is not limited to a quadrilateral and may be an opening having a circular or elliptical outline, for example.

[0037] like Figure 2 As shown, within the storage space S, the plate member 7 extends between the first member 21 and the second member 22. The upper surface of the plate member 7 is an inclined surface 7a that extends from the rear toward the lower edge 6a of the discharge port 6 and is inclined so that the lower edge 6a side is the lowest side. When the housing 1 is assembled to the feeder 100, the inclination angle θ of the inclined surface 7a is preferably 3° to 10° relative to the horizontal direction, and is more preferably 5° to 7°.

[0038] like Figure 2As shown, the opening and closing member 3 for opening and closing the discharge port 6 extends continuously from the bottom plate portion 2D to the front side wall portion 2F. The opening and closing member 3 opens and closes the discharge port 6 by sliding along its own extension direction. The opening and closing member 3 extends continuously from the bottom plate portion 2D to the front side wall portion 2F and can slide along its extension direction. The opening and closing member 3 is a relatively slender strip-shaped membrane member. The opening and closing member 3 is made of a flexible material such as PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) that has a certain degree of rigidity and can be bent. The width of the opening and closing member 3 is slightly larger than the width of the discharge port 6 and has a width that can cover the discharge port 6 without a gap.

[0039] The opening and closing member 3 has an opening 3a at its front end that is substantially the same shape as the discharge port 6. When the opening 3a is aligned with the discharge port 6, the discharge port 6 is open. When the opening and closing member 3 covers the discharge port 6, the discharge port 6 is sealed by the opening and closing member 3. The opening 3a does not necessarily need to be the same shape as the discharge port 6; it only needs to be of a shape and size that allows the discharge port 6 to open.

[0040] A recessed portion 61, recessed from the outside toward the inside of the housing body 2, is provided above the discharge port 6 of the front side wall 2F of the housing body 2. A pair of guide grooves 62 extending vertically are provided in the thickness direction, i.e., the left-right direction, of the portion of the front side wall 2F where the discharge port 6 and recessed portion 61 are located. The longitudinally extending portions of the opening and closing member 3 are inserted into the left and right guide grooves 62, respectively. The opening and closing member 3 is guided by the guide grooves 62 and slides vertically along the front side wall 2F.

[0041] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown in FIG. 3 , a circular hole 3b is provided at the rear end of the opening and closing member 3. The slider 4 is mounted integrally with the opening and closing member 3 using the hole 3b. The slider 4 is a rectangular parallelepiped member. Figure 4 As shown, it has a lower opening portion 4c that opens downward, and has a front end plate portion 4d and a rear end plate portion 4e.

[0042] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the slider 4 has flanges 4a extending in the left and right directions at its upper end. The slider 4 has a protrusion 4b on its upper surface. The protrusion 4b fits into the hole 3b of the opening and closing member 3 and protrudes upward, thereby forming a single unit with the opening and closing member 3.

[0043] like Figure 4As shown, the bottom plate portion 2D of the housing 1 is provided with a recessed portion 23 that is recessed upward and is elongated in the front-to-back direction. A slit 24 is provided on the front surface of the recessed portion 23. The rear end portion of the opening and closing member 3 extends through the slit 24 and along the lower surface of the recessed portion 23. A pair of recessed portions 26a and 26b are provided on the lower surface of the recessed portion 23 in a front-to-back arrangement. The protrusion 4b of the slider 4 can be fitted into the recessed portions 26a and 26b, respectively.

[0044] Grooves 25 extending front-to-back are provided on both sides of the left-right surface of the portion of the bottom plate 2D where the recess 23 is located. The left and right flanges 4a of the slider 4 extend through the respective grooves 25. The flanges 4a slide back and forth along the grooves 25, allowing the slider 4 to slide in the front-to-back direction. The slider 4's sliding range is between the position where the protrusion 4b engages with the front recess 26a and the position where the protrusion 4b engages with the rear recess 26b.

[0045] like Figure 3 As shown, when the convex portion 4b of the slider 4 is fitted into the concave portion 26a on the front side, the opening 3a of the shutter member 3 is located in the concave portion 61 and is not aligned with the discharge port 6. At this time, the discharge port 6 is completely closed by the shutter member 3, and the electronic component 50 will not be discharged from the discharge port 6 to the outside. On the other hand, when the shutter member 3 slides backward and Figure 2 When the convex portion 4b is fitted into the concave portion 26b on the rear side, the opening 3a of the shutter member 3 is aligned with the discharge port 6. At this time, the discharge port 6 is opened, and the electronic component 50 can be discharged from the discharge port 6.

[0046] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the housing body 2 has an upper grip portion 10A and a rear grip portion 10B. The upper grip portion 10A is a pair of front and rear recessed portions provided at the front and rear ends of the upper side of the housing body 2. The rear grip portion 10B is a pair of upper and lower recessed portions provided at the upper and lower ends of the rear side of the housing body 2. The upper grip portion 10A and the rear grip portion 10B are each gripped by a robot, for example, when the robot is transporting the housing 1.

[0047] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a through hole 9 is provided at the lower part of the housing body 2 and at a position roughly corresponding to the above-mentioned recess 23. The through hole 9 is a slit-shaped hole extending in the front-to-back direction. A strip-shaped RFID tag 5 that is long in the front-to-back direction is attached to the upper surface inside the through hole 9. The RFID tag 5 has a well-known structure and includes a transceiver, a memory, an antenna, etc. Figure 1 As shown, the feeder 100 is provided with a reader / writer 105 that reads and writes information with respect to the RFID tag 5 in a contactless manner.

[0048] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the housing body 2 further includes a claw portion 8 and a T-shaped groove portion 13 extending downward from the outer surface of the bottom plate portion 2D.

[0049] Claw 8 includes a front claw 8A and a rear claw 8B. Both claw 8A and claw 8B have the same shape, extending downward from top to bottom, with the lower end bent rearward at approximately 90 degrees, forming an L-shaped plate when viewed from the side. However, claw 8A and claw 8B do not necessarily have the same shape.

[0050] The T-shaped groove 13 includes a front T-shaped groove 13A and a rear T-shaped groove 13B. Both the front T-shaped groove 13A and the rear T-shaped groove 13B are protrusions shaped like an inverted T when viewed from the front. The front T-shaped groove 13A has a tapered portion at its front end.

[0051] The feeder 100 has an engaging portion (not shown), with which the claw portion 8 and the T-shaped groove portion 13 are removably engaged, allowing the housing 1 to be assembled to the feeder 100. The claw portion 8 and the T-shaped groove portion 13 are respectively engaged with the engaging portion, thereby removably assembling the housing 1 to the feeder 100. With the housing 1 thus assembled to the feeder 100, the feeder 100 is vibrated with the discharge port 6 open, causing the electronic component 50 to descend along the inclined surface 7a and be discharged from the discharge port 6. The discharged electronic component 50 is supplied to the mounting device as described above.

[0052] Next, refer to Figures 5 to 10 The component storage device 200 according to the embodiment will be described.

[0053] Figure 5 2 is a plan view showing an overview of the component storage device 200. Figure 6 is with Figure 5 The partial cross-sectional view corresponding to the VI-VI line.

[0054] The component storage device 200 is a device that automatically stores a plurality of electronic components 50 in the storage space S in the housing 1 through the discharge port 6. Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the component storage device 200 of the embodiment includes: a conveying unit 210 that conveys electronic components 50; a discharge unit 230 that drops and discharges the electronic components 50 from the conveying unit 210; a setting unit 240 for setting the above-mentioned housing 1; and a component detection unit 270.

[0055] The conveying section 210 conveys the plurality of electronic components 50 to the discharging section 230 in succession. The conveying section 210 of the embodiment has a linear feeder 211 that conveys the plurality of electronic components 50 linearly in succession, and a turret 212 that receives the plurality of components conveyed by the linear feeder 211 one by one and performs intermittent conveyance by rotating the electronic components 50 by a rotating action.

[0056] The plurality of electronic components 50 are conveyed toward the turret 212 in a state of being aligned in one column by the linear feeder 211 that is disposed substantially horizontally. The linear feeder 211 is vibrated by, for example, a vibration machine not shown, and the electronic components 50 are sequentially conveyed toward the turret 212 in the arrow F direction by the vibration. The electronic components 50 are conveyed on the linear feeder 211 while being pressed by the succeeding electronic components 50. The linear feeder 211 extends toward the center of rotation of the turret 212, and the distal end portion thereof reaches the vicinity of the outer periphery of the turret 212.

[0057] The turret 212 is a rotating member in the shape of a disc that is disposed horizontally. The material of the turret 212 is composed of, for example, ceramic, glass epoxy resin, or the like. The turret 212 is disposed on the base 214 in a rotatable manner by means of a rotating shaft 213 that extends in the vertical direction. The turret 212 is rotated intermittently in the arrow R direction in Figure 5 FIG. 13 by a drive source 217 that drives the rotating shaft 213. On the outer periphery of the turret 212, a plurality of notches 215 that are open on the outer peripheral side are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. One electronic component 50 is accommodated inside one notch 215. Furthermore, the direction of rotation of the turret 212 is not limited to the R direction in Figure 5 FIG. 13, but can also be the reverse direction of the R direction.

[0058] As shown in Figure 6 FIG. 14, the turret 212 is disposed on the upper surface 216 of the base 214. The notches 215 are open on the outer peripheral surface side and the upper and lower surfaces of the turret 212. The turret 212 has an air suction passage not shown that communicates with each of the notches 215 inside thereof. The air suction passage is open on the inner side surface of each of the notches 215. The air suction passage communicates with a suction source such as a vacuum pump, and by the operation of the suction source, the air inside the notches 215 is suctioned to the inner side surface to become a state of negative pressure. By this, the electronic components 50 accommodated in the notches 215 are adsorbed to the inner side surface by the action of the negative pressure, and thereby are held inside the notches 215.

[0059] The electronic components 50, which are delivered by the linear feeder 211 to the vicinity of the turntable 212, are subsequently stored from the side, one by one, in each of the plurality of notches 215 of the intermittently rotating turntable 212, and are held by suction on the inner surface as described above. As the turntable 212 rotates, the electronic components 50 stored and held in the notches 215 are intermittently transported in the direction of arrow R to the discharge unit 230. The electronic components 50 stored in the notches 215 move on the upper surface 216 of the base 214.

[0060] The discharge unit 230 is positioned corresponding to the turntable 212. Specifically, the discharge unit 230 is arranged along a circular conveying path corresponding to the rotational trajectory of the notch 215 of the turntable 212. The discharge unit 230 is positioned approximately 270° relative to the portion of the feeder 211 that transfers the electronic components 50 from the turntable 212 to the discharge port 6 of the housing 1 provided in the receiving unit 240.

[0061] like Figure 7 As shown, the discharge section 230 includes a cylindrical member 231 and a pressing pin 236. In the portion of the discharge section 230 directly below the turntable 212, a through hole 218 is provided that corresponds to the notch 215 of the turntable 212. The through hole 218 is sized to allow the electronic component 50 to pass through. Furthermore, the discharge section 230 is provided with a suction release mechanism (not shown) that releases the suction holding of the electronic component 50 by sucking air from the notch 215. The suction release mechanism may, for example, be one that ejects air to stop or weaken the flow of the sucked air. When the turntable 212 rotates and the notch 215 aligns with the through hole 218, the suction release mechanism releases the electronic component 50 from the notch 215, releasing the grip on the electronic component 50. The electronic component 50, which has been moving on the upper surface 216 of the base 214, falls from the notch 215 into the through hole 218, and then passes through the through hole 218 and into the interior of the cylindrical member 231.

[0062] Preferably, the inner diameter of the upper cylinder 233 is larger than the longitudinal dimension of the electronic component 50 , and the inner diameter of the lower cylinder 234 is larger than the longitudinal dimension of the electronic component 50 and smaller than the inner diameter of the upper cylinder 233 .

[0063] The electronic component 50 that falls through the through hole 218 passes through the interior of the funnel-shaped cylindrical member 231 and is thereby guided toward the discharge port 6 of the housing 1. The cylindrical member 231 includes an upper cylindrical portion 233 having an inverted conical shape whose inner diameter increases as it goes upward, and a lower cylindrical portion 234 that extends downward from the center of the lower end of the upper cylindrical portion 233. The upper cylindrical portion 233 and the lower cylindrical portion 234 are integral. The electronic component 50 that passes through the through hole 218 falls toward the inner side of the upper cylindrical portion 233 and reaches the interior of the lower cylindrical portion 234, and then falls through the interior of the lower cylindrical portion 234. Sometimes, the electronic component 50 slides while contacting the inner surface 232 of the cylindrical member 231.

[0064] In order to prevent the electronic component 50 from being electrically damaged by static electricity generated by friction, it is preferred that at least the inner surface 232 of the cylindrical member 231 be formed of a material containing a conductive material, such as a conductive metal. Furthermore, in order to allow the electronic component 50 to slide smoothly, the inner surface 232 of the cylindrical member 231 is preferably a smooth, low-friction surface, preferably having a surface finish using a resin such as a fluororesin.

[0065] The discharge portion 230 is provided with a pressing pin 236 for forcibly causing the electronic component 50 to fall from the notch 215. The pressing pin 236 is arranged above the notch 215 and aligned with the through hole 218. The pressing pin 236 is a rod-shaped member extending in the vertical direction and is driven in the vertical direction by an actuator (not shown). When the pressing pin 236 is driven downward, the electronic component 50 in the notch 215 is pressed downward, so that the electronic component 50 passes through the through hole 218 and falls into the interior of the cylindrical member 231. By being pressed by the pressing pin 236, the electronic component 50 will not be stuck in the notch 215 and can be reliably detached from the notch 215 and fall.

[0066] Alternatively, the discharge portion 230 may be provided with an air flow generating portion 237 that utilizes air flow to cause the electronic component 50 to drop from the notch 215, instead of or in addition to the pressing pin 236. Examples of such an air flow generating portion 237 include one that has the function of blowing air from above to cause the electronic component 50 to drop, or one that has the function of sucking air from the side to cause the electronic component 50 to drop.

[0067] The discharge section 230 is also provided with a cleaning section 238, which cleans the path of the electronic components 50 passing through the discharge section 230. Specifically, the cleaning section 238 is positioned above the pressing pin 236 and comprises an air intake mechanism. By drawing air through the cleaning section 238, air is drawn into the path of the electronic components 50, through the notch 215, through the hole 218, and into the interior of the cylindrical member 231. This allows debris, dust, and other particles in this path to be sucked in and cleaned.

[0068] Alternatively, the cleaning unit 238 may be a unit that blows away debris, dust, etc. by ejecting air, thereby cleaning the path of the electronic component 50. In this case, in order to prevent debris, dust, etc. from entering the housing 1, it is preferable to operate the cleaning unit 238 while the outlet 6 is closed by the opening and closing member 3.

[0069] Figure 8 The figure shows a state where the housing 1 is installed in the installation portion 240. The housing 1 is installed in the installation portion 240 so that the electronic components 50 discharged from the discharge portion 230 fall toward the discharge port 6. The housing 1 is installed in the installation portion 240 so that the front-to-back direction of the housing 1 is in the vertical direction, that is, in a vertical position.

[0070] The installation portion 240 includes a wall portion 241 , a holding portion 250 that holds the housing 1 in a vertical position on the wall portion 241 , and an opening and closing mechanism 260 that opens and closes the opening and closing member 3 of the housing 1 .

[0071] The wall portion 241 has a wall surface 241 a which is a surface extending substantially along the vertical direction.

[0072] The retaining portion 250 includes a pair of upper and lower hooks protruding from the wall surface 241a, namely an upper hook 251 and a lower hook 252. The upper hook 251 and the lower hook 252 have the same shape, and are plates with the top end bent upward by approximately 90 degrees and having an L-shaped shape when viewed from the side. Figure 9 As shown, the front claw portion 8A of the housing 1 is removably engaged with the upper hook portion 251 from above, and the rear claw portion 8B of the housing 1 is removably engaged with the lower hook portion 252 from above. Thus, the housing 1 is removably held in the retaining portion 250 in a longitudinal position with the discharge port 6 facing upward and the front-to-back direction, i.e., the longitudinal direction, extending vertically along the wall surface 241a. The bottom plate portion 2D of the housing 1 is parallel to the wall surface 241a with a gap therebetween. Furthermore, the upper hook portion 251 and the lower hook portion 252 do not need to have the same shape.

[0073] A recess 242 extending in the vertical direction and opening on the wall surface 241a side is formed in the wall portion 241. An opening and closing mechanism 260 for sliding the opening and closing member 3 is arranged in the recess 242. The opening and closing mechanism 260 has a driving pin 261, which is configured to be movable in the vertical direction along the bottom surface of the recess 242. The top end of the driving pin 261 protrudes relative to the wall surface 241a. The driving pin 261 is supported so as to be movable in the vertical direction along a guide groove provided on the bottom surface of the recess 242, and is driven back and forth in the vertical direction by an actuator or the like. A reader / writer 243 is arranged in the recess 242 of the wall portion 241, and the reader / writer 243 reads and writes information relative to the RFID tag 5. The reader / writer 243 is an example of an information reading and writing unit.

[0074] like Figure 9 As shown, the driving pin 261 is engaged with the slider 4 of the housing 1 held by the holding portion 250 . Figure 9 The opening and closing member 3 of the housing 1 shown is forward (at Figure 9 The convex portion 4b of the slider 4 is fitted into the concave portion 26a on the front side, and the discharge port 6 is closed by the opening and closing member 3. On the other hand, the driving pin 261 moves upward. When the driving pin 261 is at the upper position, if the housing 1 with the discharge port 6 closed by the opening and closing member 3 is held in the holding portion 250, the driving pin 261 is inserted into the housing 1. Figure 4 The lower opening portion 4c of the slider 4 shown is positioned between the front end plate portion 4d and the rear end plate portion 4e.

[0075] exist Figure 9 When the driving pin 261 moves downward from this state, the driving pin 261 contacts the rear end plate portion 4e of the slider 4, pressing the slider 4 downward to slide it. As the slider 4 slides downward, the opening and closing member 3 slides toward the rear of the housing 1. Figure 10 As shown, the convex portion 4b of the slider 4 is fitted into the concave portion 26b on the rear side, and the opening portion 3a of the opening and closing member 3 is aligned with the discharge port 6 of the housing 1, thereby opening the discharge port 6. When the driving pin 261 returns upward from this state, the driving pin 261 contacts the front end plate portion 4d of the slider 4, pressing the slider 4 upward to slide it. As the slider 4 slides upward, the opening and closing member 3 slides toward the front of the housing 1, as shown in FIG. Figure 9 As shown, the convex portion 4 b is fitted into the concave portion 26 a on the front side, so that the discharge port 6 is closed by the opening and closing member 3 .

[0076] The component detection unit 270 detects the electronic component 50 at any position on the path of the electronic component 50 from the conveying unit 210 to the discharge port 6 of the housing 1 provided in the installation unit 240. The component detection unit 270 of the embodiment includes Figure 5 The first component detection unit 271 arranged at a predetermined position on the side of the linear feeder 211, the second component detection unit 272 and the third component detection unit 273 arranged on the turntable 212, and Figure 7 The fourth component detection unit 274 provided in the discharge unit 230 is shown.

[0077] The first component inspection unit 271 inspects the electronic components 50 conveyed by the linear feeder 211 at a fixed position. The second component inspection unit 272 is located upstream of the conveyance path of the turntable 212. The third component inspection unit 273 is located downstream of the second component inspection unit 272 on the conveyance path of the turntable 212.

[0078] The first component detection unit 271, the second component detection unit 272, and the third component detection unit 273 each detect any items related to the electronic component 50. The first component detection unit 271, for example, functions as a counter that detects the passage of the electronic component 50 and counts the number of electronic components 50 that have passed. The second component detection unit 272, for example, functions as an image sensor that detects the shape of the electronic component 50 and, based on the detected shape, detects whether the electronic component 50 has a shape defect. The third component detection unit 273, for example, functions as a performance detection unit that detects the performance of the electronic component 50. If the electronic component 50 is a capacitor, for example, this performance detection unit uses a capacitance sensor that detects whether the capacitance has a predetermined value.

[0079] The fourth component detection unit 274 includes an upstream passage detection unit 275 and a downstream passage detection unit 276, each located at a position upstream and downstream of the cylindrical member 231. The upstream passage detection unit 275 is located upstream of the cylindrical member 231 and functions as a passage detection unit, counting the number of electronic components 50 that pass through the through-hole 218 and enter the cylindrical member 231. The upstream passage detection unit 275 utilizes a known optical sensor comprised of a light-emitting element 275a and a light-receiving element 275b. The downstream passage detection unit 276 is located downstream of the cylindrical member 231 and functions as a passage detection unit, counting the number of electronic components 50 that pass through the cylindrical member 231 and enter the discharge port 6 of the housing 1. Like the upstream passage detection unit 275, the downstream passage detection unit 276 utilizes a known optical sensor comprised of a light-emitting element 276a and a light-receiving element 276b. Alternatively, the optical sensor may be a type that receives reflection of light emitted from an object, and the light emitting element and the light receiving element may be integrated without being separated.

[0080] According to the component storage device 200 of the above embodiment, the electronic component 50 is stored in the housing 1 as follows.

[0081] Electronic components 50 are fed one by one to the turntable 212 by the linear feeder 211. The electronic components 50 are inspected by the first component inspection unit 271. The first component inspection unit 271 counts, for example, the number of electronic components 50 being fed. Each electronic component 50 is stored from the linear feeder 211 in the notch 215 of the intermittently rotating turntable 212. During the intermittent rotation of the turntable 212, the electronic components 50 in the notch 215 are inspected by the second component inspection unit 272 and the third component inspection unit 273.

[0082] The second component inspection unit 272 inspects, for example, the shape of the electronic component 50 and, based on the detected shape, checks whether the electronic component 50 has any shape defects. The third component inspection unit 273 inspects, for example, the performance of the electronic component 50. If an electronic component 50 is determined to be defective by the inspections of the second and third component inspection units 272, 273, the electronic component 50 is removed from the turntable 212.

[0083] The electronic components 50 are transported one by one by the turntable 212 to the discharge section 230. In the discharge section 230, as the notch 215 is aligned with the through hole 218, the pressing pin 236 descends, pressing the electronic component 50 downward. The electronic component 50 falls from the notch 215 to the through hole 218, then passes through the through hole 218 into the interior of the cylindrical member 231, falls within the cylindrical member 231, and falls from the discharge port 6 of the housing 1 into the housing 1, where it is stored. At this time, the upstream side of the fourth component detection unit 274 detects whether the electronic component 50 that has fallen from the notch 215 has entered the cylindrical member 231, and the downstream side of the fourth component detection unit 274 detects whether the electronic component 50 that has fallen from the cylindrical member 231 has entered the housing 1.

[0084] The above-described operations are performed continuously, thereby storing a plurality of electronic components 50 within the housing 1. During the conveyance period at the linear feeder 211, the first component detection unit 271 counts the number of electronic components 50 conveyed. Furthermore, the fourth component detection unit 274, comprising an upstream passage detection unit 275 and a downstream passage detection unit 276, counts the number of electronic components 50 that have fallen from the notch 215 and are ultimately stored within the housing 1. When the number of electronic components 50 stored within the housing 1 reaches a predetermined number, the conveyance unit 210 interrupts the conveyance of the electronic components 50, and after a new, empty housing 1 is replaced with a new one in the setting unit 240, the storage of electronic components 50 within the housing 1 resumes.

[0085] like Figure 11 As shown, the component storage device 200 of the embodiment further includes a memory 310 and a server 320 . Figure 11It is a block diagram schematically showing the structure of a production management system for managing the information possessed by the component storage device 200. The server 320 is an example of a storage device. The detection information detected by the component detection unit 270 is input into the memory 310. The detection information input into the memory 310 is stored in the server 320. The detection information and the ID corresponding to the RFID tag 5 installed on the housing 1 are stored in the server 320. In addition, the server 320 may also include the processing conditions of the component storage device 200. The processing conditions refer to the screening range of the electronic components 50, the number of components stored, etc. The server 320 is configured in a facility such as a factory together with other structures possessed by the component storage device 200, or is configured in any place outside the facility. Alternatively, the server 320 may also be a cloud server on the Internet.

[0086] If the first component detector 271 is a counter (passage detector) that counts the number of electronic components 50 that pass through, it inputs the passing records of the electronic components 50 one by one into the memory 310. The number of passed electronic components 50 is provided as information to the server 320 for storage.

[0087] Regarding the second component detection unit 272, in the case where it is an image sensor (shape detection unit) that detects shape defects by detecting the shape of the electronic component 50, when a defective product is detected, the information is input to the memory 310 and provided to the server 320 for storage.

[0088] The third component detection unit 273, when it is a performance detection unit that detects the performance of the electronic component 50, inputs the performance information of the electronic component 50 into the memory 310 and provides it to the server 320 for storage. Specifically, for example, if the electronic component 50 is a capacitor, as a function, the performance information indicating that the capacitance does not have a specified value is provided as information. Alternatively, based on the detected capacitance, the distribution of the capacitance of the plurality of electronic components 50 being transported is provided as information.

[0089] The fourth component detector 274 inputs information on the passage of the electronic component 50 detected by the upstream passage detector 275 and the downstream passage detector 276 into the memory 310 one by one, and provides the information to the server 320 for storage.

[0090] The component storage device 200 of the embodiment is assigned a device number, and the device number is stored in the memory 310. If a component storage device 200 has previously failed, the number of failures is input into the memory 310 as failure history information and provided to the server 320 for storage.

[0091] In the component storage device 200 of the embodiment, the various information described above is read and written to the RFID tag 5 of the housing 1 by the reader / writer 243, for example, as follows. Furthermore, arbitrary information such as the serial number of the housing 1 (housing number) or information indicating that the housing 1 is empty and can now store electronic components 50 may be written to the RFID tag 5 of the housing 1 by a reader / writer (not shown).

[0092] When housing 1 is held in holding portion 250 of installation unit 240 and electronic components 50 are stored, information related to housing 1 written to RFID tag 5 is read by reader / writer 243 of installation unit 240. Examples of information related to housing 1 include the aforementioned housing number and whether housing 1 is empty. Furthermore, when housing 1 is placed in installation unit 240, the device number and failure history information of component storage device 200 are written to RFID tag 5 of housing 1 installed in installation unit 240.

[0093] The plurality of electronic components 50 begins to be stored in the housing 1. As described above, the plurality of electronic components 50 are continuously stored in the housing 1 installed in the installation portion 240 from the conveying portion 210 via the discharge portion 230. During the storage process of the electronic components 50, detection information related to the electronic components 50 detected by the first component detection portion 271, the second component detection portion 272, the third component detection portion 273, and the fourth component detection portion 274 is input to the memory 310 and provided to the server 320 for storage.

[0094] The device number of the component storage device 200, which is read from the RFID tag 5 by the reader / writer 243 and stored in the server 320, is stored in the server 320 together with the ID corresponding to the RFID tag 5 on which the housing number of the housing 1 is written. Furthermore, detection information related to the electronic component 50 detected by the first component detection unit 271, the second component detection unit 272, the third component detection unit 273, and the fourth component detection unit 274, respectively, is stored in the server 320 together with the ID corresponding to the RFID tag 5 of the housing 1.

[0095] In this way, during the storage process of the electronic component 50 in the housing 1, the detection signal related to the electronic component 50 detected by the component detection unit 270 is stored in the server 320. When the predetermined number of electronic components 50 are stored in the housing 1, the various information related to the electronic component 50 stored in the server 320 is provided to the reader / writer 243 via the memory 310 as needed, and is written to the RFID tag 5 by the reader / writer 243. In other words, the various information related to the electronic component 50 shared by the server 320 linked to the ID is written to the RFID tag 5. For example, in the case where the electronic component 50 is a capacitor, the distribution data of the capacitance of the capacitor detected by the third component detection unit 273 as a performance detection unit is written to the RFID tag 5 by the reader / writer 243. Thus, by reading the information in the RFID tag 5, the distribution data of the capacitance of the electronic component 50 in the housing 1 can be obtained.

[0096] According to the component storage device 200 of the embodiment, various information about the plurality of electronic components 50 stored in the housing 1 can be read using the RFID tags 5, and the various information can be externally confirmed and managed by the server 320. Furthermore, the device number of the component storage device 200 storing the electronic components 50 in the housing 1 can be determined. In this manner, in the embodiment, the electronic components 50 can be stored in the housing 1 while simultaneously performing component management.

[0097] In the embodiment, the various types of information provided to the server 320 are merely examples and are not limiting. For example, information such as the lot number of the electronic component 50, the factory number of the component storage device 200, manufacturing dates (such as manufacturing date and storage date in the housing 1), and the supplier number is arbitrary.

[0098] According to the component storage device 200 of the embodiment described above, the following effects can be achieved.

[0099] (1) The component housing device 200 of the embodiment is a component housing device that houses a plurality of electronic components 50 in a case 1 having a discharge port 6 and in which an RFID tag 5 is installed, from the discharge port 6 that is an opening, wherein the component housing device 200 includes: a conveying section 210 that continuously conveys the plurality of electronic components 50; a discharge section 230 that causes the electronic components 50 conveyed by the conveying section 210 to fall one by one by gravity; a setting section 240 in which the case 1 is set in a state in which the electronic components 50 discharged from the discharge section 230 fall toward the discharge port 6; a component detection section 270 that detects the electronic components 50 at an arbitrary position of a path between the conveying section 210 and the discharge port 6 of the case 1 set in the setting section 240; and a reader / writer 243 that is an information read / write section that reads and writes information with respect to the RFID tag 5 of the case 1 set in the setting section 240, and writes detection information detected by the component detection section 270 to the RFID tag 5 through the reader / writer 243.

[0100] Thus, the plurality of electronic components 50 can be housed in the case 1 automatically while component management is performed.

[0101] (2) In the component housing device 200 of the embodiment, it is preferable that a server 320 that is a storage device also be provided, and the detection information detected by the component detection section 270 and an ID corresponding to the RFID tag 5 be stored in the server 320.

[0102] Thus, the various detection information of the case 1 and the electronic components 50 housed can be confirmed or managed from the outside with respect to the ID through the server 320.

[0103] (3) In the component housing device 200 of the embodiment, it is preferable that the component detection section 270 be a passage detection section that detects the presence or absence of passage of the electronic components 50, and the information on the presence or absence of passage of the electronic components 50 detected by the passage detection section be written to the RFID tag 5 by the reader / writer 243.

[0104] Thus, the number of passages of the electronic components 50 at the conveying section 210 can be detected, and thus the number of electronic components 50 housed in the case 1 can be accurately grasped.

[0105] (4) In the component housing device 200 of the embodiment, it is preferable that the component detection section 270 include a shape detection section (for example, a second component detection section 272) that detects the shape of the electronic components 50, and unqualified product information based on the shape of the electronic components 50 detected by the shape detection section be written to the RFID tag 5 by the reader / writer 243.

[0106] Thus, it is possible to understand whether a defective product is stored in the housing 1 by reading the RFID tag 5 .

[0107] (5) In the component storage device 200 of the embodiment, it is preferred that the component detection unit 270 includes a performance detection unit (for example, the third component detection unit 273) for detecting the performance of the component, and the reader / writer 243 writes the performance information of the electronic component 50 detected by the performance detection unit to the RFID tag 5.

[0108] Thus, the performance of the electronic component 50 housed in the housing 1 can be understood by reading the RFID tag 5 .

[0109] (6) In the component storage device 200 of the embodiment, it is preferable that a device number unique to the component storage device 200 itself is given, and the device number is written as information to the RFID tag 5 by the reader / writer 243 .

[0110] Thus, by reading the RFID tag 5 , it is possible to understand in which component storage device 200 the electronic component 50 is stored in the housing 1 .

[0111] (7) In the component storage device 200 of the embodiment, it is preferable that the failure history of the component storage device 200 is written as information to the RFID tag 5 by the reader / writer 243.

[0112] Thus, by reading the RFID tag 5 , it is possible to grasp the failure history of the component storage device 200 storing the electronic component 50 .

[0113] (8) The production management system of the embodiment is a production management system including a component storage device 200, wherein the production management system includes a server 320 for storing information of the electronic component 50, and the information of the electronic component 50 is written from the server 320 to the RFID tag 5 through the reader / writer 243, or read from the RFID tag 5 through the reader / writer 243.

[0114] Thus, various information of the electronic component 50 can be confirmed or managed externally through the server 320 .

[0115] Although the embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and modifications and improvements within the scope of achieving the object of the present invention are included in the present invention.

Claims

1. A component storage device for electronic components, which stores a plurality of components in a housing through an opening, the housing having the opening, an opening and closing member for opening and closing the opening, and a slider integral with the opening and closing member, and having an RFID tag installed thereon, wherein: The component storage device comprises: a conveying portion for continuously conveying a plurality of components; a discharge portion that causes the components conveyed by the conveying portion to fall by their own weight; a setting portion on which the housing is set in a state where the component discharged from the discharge portion falls toward the opening; a component detection unit configured to detect a component at any position on a path from the conveying unit to the opening of the housing provided in the setting unit; and an information reading and writing unit for reading and writing information relative to the RFID tag provided on the housing of the setting unit, The detection information detected by the component detection unit is written to the RFID tag through the information reading and writing unit. The opening and closing member continuously extends to the opening and opens and closes the opening by sliding. The installation portion has a wall surface, the slider is a rectangular parallelepiped member having an opening portion opened toward the wall surface, and the housing is detachably engaged with the wall surface. The installation portion further includes an opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the opening and closing member of the housing, wherein the opening and closing mechanism is movable in the vertical direction of the slider along the wall surface. For the shell provided in the setting portion, the shell is provided in the setting portion with the opening facing upward and closed by the opening and closing component, the opening and closing mechanism is located at the top of the moving range to maintain the opening closed by the opening and closing component, and then the opening and closing mechanism moves downward, and the opening and closing component is opened by the opening and closing mechanism to open the opening, and the component is received in the shell from the opening.

2. The component storage device for electronic components according to claim 1, wherein The component storage device also has a storage device, The detection information and the ID corresponding to the RFID tag are stored in the storage device.

3. The component storage device for electronic components according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The component detection unit is a passage detection unit that detects whether a component has passed through. The information reading / writing unit writes information on whether or not a component has passed, detected by the passage detection unit, into the RFID tag.

4. The component storage device for electronic components according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The component detection unit is a shape detection unit that detects the shape of the component. The information reading / writing unit writes defective product information obtained based on the shape of the component detected by the shape detecting unit into the RFID tag.

5. The component storage device for electronic components according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The component detection unit is a performance detection unit that detects the performance of the component. The performance information of the component detected by the performance detection unit is written into the RFID tag by the information reading and writing unit.

6. The component storage device for electronic components according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: Assigning a device number unique to the component storage device itself, The device number is written as the information into the RFID tag by the information reading / writing unit.

7. The component storage device for electronic components according to claim 6, wherein: The failure history of the component storage device is written as the information to the RFID tag by the information reading / writing unit.

8. A production management system comprising the component storage device for electronic components according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: The production management system includes a server for storing component information. The component information is written from the server to the RFID tag through the information reading and writing unit, or read from the RFID tag through the information reading and writing unit.

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