PCB board rest machine

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of PCB board manufacturing equipment technology, and discloses a PCB board holding machine, comprising: a frame, a lifting assembly, and a PCB board conveying assembly; the lifting assembly includes at least two sets arranged parallel to each other along the X-direction on the frame, each set of the lifting assembly having multiple mounting members arranged at intervals along the Z-direction, the mounting members being detachably connected to a board holder for placing PCB boards, the lifting assembly being used to raise or lower the board holder along the Z-direction; the PCB board conveying assembly is mounted on the frame below the lifting assembly and includes a conveyor capable of transporting PCB boards along the X-direction, the conveyor having a gap through which the board holder can pass along the Z-direction; wherein, the board holder on the lifting assembly can pass through the gap of the conveyor to realize the loading or unloading of PCB boards. This invention can achieve PCB board holding without removing the PCB boards from the production line.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of PCB board manufacturing equipment technology, and more specifically to a PCB board static settling machine. Background Technology

[0002] In existing PCB manufacturing processes, it is often necessary to allow the PCB to stand still. For example, CN109413882 A discloses a solder mask manufacturing process for PCBs used in LED displays, which includes the following steps: (1) Pretreatment: The surface of the PCB is treated with a browning process; (2) Screen printing: The copper surface of the PCB is screen printed. During the screen printing process, the ink viscosity, squeegee angle, squeegee ink amount, and squeegee speed are strictly controlled. The standing time after screen printing is 15-30 minutes; (3) Pre-baking; (4) Exposure; (5) Development; (6) Appearance inspection; (7) Micro-etching; (8) Ink color inspection. In step (2), the PCB after screen printing needs to be laid flat and left to stand for a period of time. This allows the ink to self-level and evenly distribute on the board surface. After standing for a period of time, the thinner on the board surface can evaporate, thus preventing bubbling on the board surface after baking. In existing technologies, PCB boards are typically removed manually from the production line and left to stand for a settling time before being reintroduced. This method inevitably leads to low production efficiency. How to achieve a settling time for PCB boards in a continuously operating production line is a crucial step in improving PCB board production efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to enable PCB boards to be stationary in a continuously operating production line, and to provide a PCB board stationary machine that has the advantage of being able to station PCB boards without removing them from the production line.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention discloses a PCB board settling machine, the PCB board settling machine comprising:

[0005] frame;

[0006] The lifting assembly has at least two sets and is arranged parallel to each other along the X direction on the frame. Each set of the lifting assembly has multiple mounting parts arranged at intervals along the Z direction. The mounting parts are detachably connected to a board holder for placing PCB boards. The lifting assembly is used to raise or lower the board holder along the Z direction.

[0007] A PCB board conveying assembly is mounted on a frame below the lifting assembly and includes a conveying component capable of transporting the PCB board along the X direction, the conveying component having a gap;

[0008] The plate holder on the lifting assembly can pass through the gap of the transport component to realize the loading or unloading of PCB boards.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present invention, the lifting assembly includes chain groups arranged opposite to each other on both sides of the frame in the Y direction, and each chain group is connected to the mounting member, such that the mounting members at the same height on both sides of the chain groups jointly support the lifting or lowering of opposite sides of the same mounting plate frame.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present invention, the plate holder includes a plurality of support rods equally spaced along the X direction and a fixing rod connecting the two ends of the support rods, wherein the fixing rod is provided with at least one overlapping member that overlaps with the mounting component.

[0011] In some embodiments of the invention, each of the overlapping members has a horizontal bottom surface and the mounting member is configured as a bent member with a flat plate portion that overlaps with the horizontal bottom surface of the overlapping member to support the plate holder.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, each of the overlapping members includes a hinge support and an overlapping piece connected to the outside of the fixed rod. The overlapping piece is connected to the hinge support via a pivot shaft fitted with a torsion spring. The overlapping piece is provided with the horizontal bottom surface and forms an inclined downward angle with the hinge support. The flat plate portion is bent downward on the side near the plate holder to form a limiting portion that can limit the up and down movement of the overlapping piece.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present invention, the PCB board stationary machine is provided with a lifting assembly located below the lifting assembly. The lifting assembly includes a first telescopic member fixedly mounted on the frame. The telescopic end of the first telescopic member can extend and retract along the Z direction and is connected to a lifting plate. The lifting plate is provided with a slot for supporting the board mounting frame.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, the PCB board stationary machine is provided with a board placement frame transport assembly, the board placement frame transport assembly including a slide rail mounted on the frame and extending in the X direction, a slide plate sliding on the slide rail, and at least one first clamp for clamping the board placement frame connected to the slide plate.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present invention, the frame at each end of the lifting assembly in the Z direction is provided with a plate rack transport assembly, and at least two sets of the plate rack transport assemblies at each end are arranged opposite each other in the Y direction, such that at least two sets of the plate rack transport assemblies at each end jointly transport the plate rack from one set of the lifting assembly to the other set.

[0016] In some embodiments of the present invention, the PCB transport assembly includes a sliding frame connected to the frame, the sliding frame being slidable along the Z direction, and the conveying member being configured as roller groups equally spaced along the X direction on the sliding frame, each roller group including a rotating shaft and a plurality of rollers sleeved on the rotating shaft, the interval between two adjacent roller groups forming a gap through which the board holder can pass.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present invention, the rollers and the plate holder are each provided with anti-slip components.

[0018] Through the above technical solution, the present invention, by setting at least two sets of lifting components, enables the PCB board to be raised and lowered in the height direction, achieving PCB board stationary without removing the PCB board from the production line. The stationary time can be adjusted by adjusting the lifting speed of the PCB board in the lifting components, and the throughput of PCB boards can be adjusted by adjusting the height of the lifting components, the number of mounting parts and the number of board racks. The PCB board lifting machine of the present invention enables the PCB board to be in a continuous stationary state of dynamic movement, and ensures that the stationary time of each PCB board is the same, thereby improving production efficiency while meeting production quality requirements. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a PCB board static setter according to a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Enlarged view of a portion of the image (A);

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the XZ plane structure of a PCB board static setter according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 Structural diagram of the central plate frame and mounting components;

[0023] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Enlarged view of a portion of the image (B);

[0024] Figure 6 yes Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of the mounting components;

[0025] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the pallet rack transport assembly located at the top of the frame;

[0026] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the pallet rack transport assembly located at the bottom of the frame;

[0027] Figure 9 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of the PCB board conveying assembly;

[0028] Figure 10 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the PCB board static curing machine from another perspective;

[0029] Figure 11 yes Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the PCB centering mechanism.

[0030] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0031] 1. Frame; 2. Lifting assembly; 21. Mounting component; 211. Flat plate section; 212. Limiting section; 22. Chain assembly; 3. Plate holder; 31. Support rod; 32. Fixing rod; 321. Hinge support; 322. Overlapping piece; 4. PCB board conveying assembly; 41. Conveying component; 42. Sliding frame; 43. Roller assembly; 5. Lifting assembly; 52. Lifting plate; 53. Locking position; 6. Plate holder transport assembly; 61. Slide rail; 62. Sliding plate; 63. Second telescopic component; 64. First clamp; 7. Anti-slip component; 8. PCB board centering mechanism; 81. Guide post; 82. Limiting post. Detailed Implementation

[0032] In this invention, unless otherwise stated, directional terms such as "upper," "lower," "top," and "bottom" are generally used to describe the relative positions of components in relation to the directions shown in the accompanying drawings or in relation to the vertical, perpendicular, or gravitational directions; "Z direction" or "vertical direction" refers to the up-down direction on the paper shown in the drawings; "inner" and "outer" generally refer to the inner and outer sides of the cavity relative to the chamber or the radial inner and outer sides relative to the center of the circle.

[0033] It should be noted that on some PCB production lines, it is often necessary to allow PCBs to rest after a certain process, either for cooling or to prepare for subsequent processes. For example, in the PCB production process, to improve production efficiency, all or some processes are often combined into an assembly line. After screen printing, PCBs need to rest to allow the ink to self-level before entering the drying equipment for drying. The traditional method is to remove the PCB from the assembly line and insert it into a placement rack. After the resting time is reached outside the assembly line, it is then loaded back onto the assembly line and flows to the drying equipment for drying. However, this method results in an actual resting time that far exceeds the required resting time, which is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and has low production efficiency and low automation.

[0034] To solve the above problems, such as Figures 1-11This invention discloses a PCB board settling machine, comprising: a frame 1 and a lifting assembly 2 and a PCB board conveying assembly mounted on the frame; wherein, the lifting assembly 2 is provided in at least two sets and is arranged parallel to each other along the X direction on the frame 1, each set of lifting assembly 2 is provided with a plurality of mounting parts 21 arranged at intervals along the Z direction, the mounting parts 21 are detachably connected to a board holder 3 for placing PCB boards, and the lifting assembly 2 is used to raise or lower the board holder 3 along the Z direction to meet the settling time; the PCB board conveying assembly 4 is mounted on the frame 1 below the lifting assembly 2 and includes a conveying part 41 capable of transporting PCB boards along the X direction, the conveying part 41 having a gap through which the board holder 3 can pass along the Z direction; wherein, the board holder 3 on the lifting assembly 2 can pass through the gap of the conveying part 41 to realize the loading or unloading of PCB boards.

[0035] It should be noted that, as Figure 3 As shown, this invention uses only two sets of lifting components as an example to illustrate its advantages, but the invention is not limited to this; the number of lifting components can be increased according to actual needs. Specifically, the two sets of lifting components are identical, except that along the Z direction, one set is configured to lift and the other set to lower; as shown... Figure 3 As indicated by the arrows, PCBs requiring static placement are fed from the bottom of the lifting assembly, lifted to the top, and then lowered to the bottom by the descending lifting assembly for discharge. This allows the PCBs to be lifted and lowered vertically, achieving static placement without removing them from the production line. The static placement time can be adjusted by changing the lifting speed of the two sets of lifting assemblies, and the throughput can be adjusted by changing the height of the lifting assemblies, the number of mounting components, and the number of board holders. This PCB lifting machine of the present invention keeps the PCBs in a continuous, dynamic static state, ensuring that each PCB has the same static placement time, thus improving production efficiency while meeting production quality requirements.

[0036] To achieve smooth and long-distance vertical transmission, in some embodiments of the present invention, the lifting assembly 2 includes chain groups 22 arranged opposite each other on both sides of the frame in the Y direction. Each chain group 22 includes chains arranged parallel and spaced apart in the X direction. The chains can be segmented bent plate chains, and the number can be increased or decreased according to actual production. They are fitted onto a driven sprocket and a driving sprocket connected to a motor, both arranged in the Z direction of the frame. Each of the chain groups on both sides is connected to a mounting piece 21. Thus, as... Figure 2 As shown, the mounting pieces 21 at the same height on the chain groups 22 arranged opposite each other on both sides in the Y direction jointly support the lifting or lowering of the opposite sides of the same mounting plate frame 3.

[0037] To be suitable for both rigid and flexible boards, especially flexible boards with a thickness of 0.3mm or more, such as HDI boards, Figure 4As shown, in some embodiments of the present invention, the plate holder 3 includes a plurality of support rods 31 arranged at equal intervals along the X direction and a fixing rod 32 connecting the two ends of the support rods 31. The fixing rod 32 is provided with at least one overlapping member that overlaps with the mounting member 21.

[0038] To facilitate the circulation of the tray holder 3 between the rising and falling lifting components, the tray holder and the mounting components are connected by an overlapping, detachable connection, such as... Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments of the present invention, each overlap member has a horizontal bottom surface and the mounting member 21 is configured as a bent member with a flat plate portion 211, which overlaps with the horizontal bottom surface of the overlap member to support the mounting plate frame 3.

[0039] Based on the foregoing, each overlapping member includes a hinge support 321 connected to the outside of the fixed rod 32 and an overlapping piece 322 connected to the hinge support 321 via a pivot shaft fitted with a torsion spring. The overlapping piece 322 has a horizontal bottom surface, and one side adjacent to the horizontal bottom surface forms a downward angle with the hinge support 321. That is, as shown... Figure 5 As shown, the overlapping piece 322 and the hinge support 321 form a movable clamping structure with pre-tension. Correspondingly, the flat plate portion 211 is bent downwards at an angle near the mounting frame 3 to form a limiting portion 212. Thus, in the Z direction, when the mounting frame 3 overlaps the flat plate portion 211 of the lower mounting member 21 via the horizontal bottom surface of the overlapping piece 322 between two adjacent mounting members, the limiting portion 212 of the upper mounting member 21 can limit the vertical movement of the mounting frame by abutting against the overlapping piece. It can be understood that the other side of the flat plate portion 211 is bent vertically downwards to form a mounting surface, and both ends of this mounting surface are connected to a chain.

[0040] To improve stability when both ends of the plate holder overlap the mounting pieces 21 on both sides in the Y direction, such as Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments of the present invention, the PCB board stationary machine is provided with a lifting assembly 5 located below the lifting assembly 2. Each lifting assembly 5 is provided on the frame below the chain group 22 of each lifting assembly. The lifting assembly 5 includes a first telescopic member fixedly installed on the frame 1. The first telescopic member can be a cylinder. The piston rod of the cylinder can extend and retract in the Z direction and is connected to a lifting plate 52. The lifting plate 52 is provided with a locking position 53 for supporting the fixing rod 32 of the board holder 3.

[0041] To enable the PCB placement frame 3 to circulate and transport PCBs between the rising and falling lifting components, in some embodiments of the present invention, the PCB placement machine is equipped with a PCB placement frame transport assembly 6. The PCB placement frame transport assembly 6 includes a slide rail 61 mounted on the frame 1 and extending along the X direction. A sliding plate 62 slides on the slide rail 61. The sliding plate 62 is provided with at least one first clamp 64 for holding the PCB placement frame 3. It is understood that the sliding plate 62 slides linearly along the slide rail 61. Any kinematic pair capable of linear motion can be applied in the present invention, and the present invention has no special requirements in this regard. For example, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the sliding plate can be mounted on the synchronous belt of the synchronous pulley pair connected to the motor to achieve the sliding of the sliding plate 62.

[0042] Furthermore, each of the two ends of the frame 1 located in the Z direction of the lifting assembly is provided with a plate-holding frame transport assembly 6. At least two sets of plate-holding frame transport assemblies 6 are arranged opposite each other in the Y direction at each end, so that at least two sets of plate-holding frame transport assemblies 6 at each end jointly transport the plate-holding frame 3 from one set of lifting assemblies 2 to the other set. It should be noted that, as... Figure 7 As shown, the sliding plate 62 of the top-mounted board-mounting transport assembly 6 is connected to a clamping plate extending in the X direction via a second telescopic member 63 (e.g., a cylinder). Each end of the clamping plate is provided with a first clamp 64, which can be selected from pneumatic sprue clamps in the prior art. In this way, the board-mounting frame lifted to the top of the rising lifting assembly is moved to the top of the descending lifting assembly by the pneumatic sprue clamp holding the support rod of the board-mounting frame, and then moved downward to the bottom. After unloading the PCB board on the board-mounting frame, the board-mounting frame 3 is unloaded from the mounting member 21 by the lifting assembly 5 and then transported by the bottom-mounted board-mounting transport assembly 6 in the X direction to the bottom of the rising lifting assembly. The lifting assembly 5 then attaches the board-mounting frame 3 to the mounting member 21 on the rising lifting assembly, and the PCB board to be placed continues to be loaded. In this way, the PCB board is placed in the height direction and the board-mounting frame is cyclically raised and lowered between the rising and descending lifting assemblies.

[0043] It should be noted that, as Figure 8 As shown, unlike the pallet rack transport assembly 6 located at the top, the pallet rack transport assembly 6 located at the bottom does not have a second telescopic member. It mainly uses the lifting member 5 to lift the pallet rack to achieve unloading from the mounting member 21. Therefore, the first clamp of the pallet rack transport assembly 6 located at the bottom can be set as an upward-facing V-shaped opening for placing the support rod of the pallet rack.

[0044] To facilitate automated PCB board feeding, such as Figure 9As shown, in some embodiments of the present invention, the PCB board transport assembly 4 includes a sliding frame 42 connected to the frame 1. A cylinder is connected between the sliding frame 42 and the frame 1, which can move along the Z direction. The conveying component 41 is configured as roller groups 43 evenly spaced along the X direction on the sliding frame 42. Each roller group 43 includes a rotating shaft and a plurality of rollers fixedly sleeved on the rotating shaft. The interval between two adjacent roller groups 43 is formed as a gap through which the board holder 3 can pass. Each rotating shaft is connected to a drive (e.g., a motor).

[0045] In this way, when the PCB board is placed onto the mounting frame, the PCB board transport assembly 4 descends along the Z direction, facilitating the mounting frame transport assembly 6 to transport the mounting frame from the descending lifting assembly 2 along the X direction to below the rising lifting assembly. The lifting assembly 5 then connects the mounting frame 3 to the mounting component 21. Afterwards, the PCB board transport assembly rises along the Z direction. At this point, the support rod of the mounting frame is located in the gap between the roller groups 43 and below the top of the roller groups. The PCB board enters the roller group along the X direction and moves to the top of the mounting frame. The roller groups stop rotating, and the mounting frame 3 follows. The lifting assembly 2 rises to receive the PCB board located on the roller assembly 43. The roller assembly continues to rotate to feed the next PCB board to the placement rack. The roller assembly stops rotating, and the placement rack rises with the lifting assembly... This process is repeated to load the PCB board. Conversely, unloading the PCB board from the placement rack also means placing the placement rack below the PCB board transport assembly below the lowering lifting assembly. The PCB board is then transported out of the PCB board stationary machine along the X direction by the roller assembly of the PCB board transport assembly below the lowering lifting assembly.

[0046] Furthermore, to prevent slippage on the surface in contact with the PCB board and achieve better transportation, the anti-slip component 7 can be a rubber protrusion set along the circumference on the roller surface in contact with the PCB board, or it can be a rubber ring evenly spaced along the circumference on each support rod 32 on the board holder 3.

[0047] In some embodiments of the present invention, a PCB centering mechanism 8 for centering the PCB board is provided on the frame 1 at the discharge end of the PCB board stationary machine; specifically, as shown in the figure... Figure 9 As shown, the PCB board centering mechanism 8 is arranged across the frame 1 above the X-direction transport component near the PCB board transport component 6 along the Y direction. The X-direction transport component is used to continue transporting the PCB board that has been unloaded after being left to stand to the next process. The X-direction transport component is existing technology. For example, it can be set as multiple sets of conveyor belt mechanisms spaced apart along the Y direction as shown in the figure. Rubber protrusions can be provided on the conveyor belt.

[0048] Furthermore, such as Figure 11As shown, the PCB centering mechanism 8 includes guide posts 81 fixedly mounted on both sides of the frame in the Y direction and a main body sleeved on the guide posts 81. The main body is connected to the frame by a cylinder (not shown), which allows the main body to move along the axial direction of the guide posts. The main body includes limiting posts 82 mounted on both sides in the Y direction and sliding plates 83 connected to the limiting posts 82 and capable of moving in the Y direction. The sliding plates 83 on both sides move towards each other to center the PCB board on the transport assembly in the X direction.

[0049] It should be noted that the cylinders of the present invention are all connected to the air source through pipes equipped with control valves and sealed using existing technology. Position sensors can be installed as needed, for example, on the board rack transport assembly or PCB board transport assembly. The present invention is also convenient for PLC programming to achieve automated control. The present invention has no special requirements in this regard, so it will not be described in detail.

[0050] Some embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings; however, the present invention is not limited thereto. Within the scope of the inventive concept, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention, including combinations of various specific technical features in any suitable manner. To avoid unnecessary repetition, the present invention will not describe the various possible combinations separately. However, these simple modifications and combinations should also be considered as the content disclosed in the present invention and are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A PCB board static settling machine, characterized in that, The PCB board static setter includes: Rack (1); The lifting assembly (2) is provided in at least two sets and is arranged parallel to each other along the X direction on the frame (1). Each set of the lifting assembly (2) is provided with multiple mounting parts (21) arranged at intervals along the Z direction. The mounting parts (21) are detachably connected to a board holder (3) for placing PCB boards. The lifting assembly (2) is used to raise or lower the board holder (3) along the Z direction. The PCB board conveying assembly (4) is mounted on a frame (1) below the lifting assembly (2) and includes a conveyor (41) capable of transporting the PCB board in the X direction. The conveyor (41) has a gap, and the board holder (3) on the lifting assembly (2) can pass through the gap of the conveyor (41) to realize the loading or unloading of the PCB board. The PCB board static machine is provided with a lifting assembly (5) located below the lifting assembly (2). The lifting assembly (5) includes a first telescopic member fixedly installed on the frame (1). The telescopic end of the first telescopic member can extend and retract along the Z direction and is connected to a lifting plate (52). The lifting plate (52) is provided with a slot (53) for supporting the board frame (3). The PCB board static machine is provided with a board placement frame transport assembly (6). The board placement frame transport assembly (6) includes a slide rail (61) installed on the frame (1) and extending along the X direction. A sliding plate (62) slides on the slide rail (61). The sliding plate (62) is connected to at least one first clamp (64) for clamping the board placement frame (3). The lifting assembly (2) has a plate rack transport assembly (6) on each of the two ends of the frame (1) in the Z direction. The plate rack transport assembly (6) is arranged in at least two sets in the Y direction, so that at least two sets of the plate rack transport assembly (6) at each end can transport the plate rack (3) from one set of the lifting assembly (2) to the other set.

2. The PCB board static settling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting assembly (2) includes chain groups (22) arranged opposite each other on both sides of the frame (1) in the Y direction. Each chain group (22) is connected to the mounting piece (21), so that the mounting pieces (21) at the same height on both sides of the chain group (22) jointly support the opposite sides of the same plate frame (3).

3. The PCB board static settling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plate holder (3) includes multiple support rods (31) arranged at equal intervals along the X direction and a fixing rod (32) connecting the two ends of the support rods (31). The fixing rod (32) is provided with at least one overlapping member that overlaps with the mounting member (21).

4. The PCB board static settling machine according to claim 3, characterized in that, Each of the said lap joints has a horizontal bottom surface and the mounting member (21) is configured as a bent member with a flat plate portion (211) that overlaps with the horizontal bottom surface of the lap joint to support the plate holder (3).

5. The PCB board static settling machine according to claim 4, characterized in that, Each of the aforementioned joints includes a hinge support (321) and a joint piece (322) connected to the outside of the fixed rod (32). The joint piece (322) is connected to the hinge support (321) via a pivot shaft fitted with a torsion spring. The joint piece (322) has a horizontal bottom surface that forms a downward angle with the hinge support (321). The flat plate portion (211) is bent downward on the side near the plate holder (3) to form a limiting portion (212) that can limit the up and down movement of the joint piece.

6. The PCB board static settling machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The PCB board conveying assembly (4) includes a sliding frame (42) connected to the frame (1). The sliding frame (42) is capable of sliding along the Z direction. The conveying member (41) is configured as roller groups (43) evenly spaced along the X direction on the sliding frame (42). Each roller group (43) includes a rotating shaft and multiple rollers sleeved on the rotating shaft. The interval between two adjacent roller groups (43) is formed as the gap through which the board holder (3) can pass.

7. The PCB board static settling machine according to claim 6, characterized in that, The rollers and the plate holder are each equipped with anti-slip components (7).

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