Electronic component processing handler

Abstract

The present invention relates to a handler for electronic component processing and a teaching point setting method thereof. The present invention is equipped with a first camera for confirming the position of a reference pickup and a second camera for confirming a teaching point, and is realized so that the teaching point can be set according to images captured by the first camera and the second camera. According to the present invention, the accuracy of setting the teaching point can be improved.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the invention patent application filed on December 1, 2020, with application number 202011384347.2 and title "Sorting Machine for Electronic Component Processing and Method for Setting Teaching Points Thereon". Technical Field

[0002] This invention relates to a sorting machine for processing electronic components. Background Technology

[0003] After production, electronic components undergo various processing steps (testing, sorting, pallet resetting, etc.) before being shipped as final products. These multiple processing steps utilize electronic component sorting machines.

[0004] Sorting machines for electronic component processing are equipped with various moving devices for moving electronic components in order to process electronic components.

[0005] Figure 1 An example of an electronic component sorting machine HR is shown in a test process as one of various processing procedures for electronic components.

[0006] Figure 1 The electronic component sorting machine HR requires a test tray TT that circulates along a closed path C, passing through a loading position LP, a testing position TP, and an unloading position UP, and then reconnecting to the loading position LP. The machine includes a loading device LA, a connecting device CA, and an unloading device UA. The test tray TT is a device element used to supply multiple electronic components to the tester (TESTER) at once.

[0007] The loading device LA can be a moving device for moving the electronic components to be tested from the customer tray CT to the test tray TT located at the loading position LP, and multiple moving devices can be provided as in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2011-0108204 to improve the device speed. The customer tray CT is a loading element used to supply the electronic components to be tested to the electronic component sorting machine HR.

[0008] The connection device CA can electrically connect the electronic components mounted on the test tray TT located at the test position TP to the test machine, so that the electronic components can be tested by the test machine.

[0009] The unloading device UA can be a mobile device that unloads the tested electronic components from the test tray TT located at the unloading position UP, sorts them according to their test level, and then moves them to the customer tray CT. Similarly, to improve the unloading speed, a mobile device called a classifier and a device called a mover can be provided for the test tray TT. The classifier can be a mobile device that unloads the electronic components on the test tray TT, sorts them according to their test level, and moves them to the sorting station; multiple classifiers can be provided. Similarly, the mover can be a mobile device that moves the electronic components on the sorting station to the customer tray CT, and multiple movers can be provided according to the implementation.

[0010] That is, the electronic component handling sorting machine HR is configured such that multiple moving devices are provided at the required locations, thereby moving electronic components from one loading element (e.g., customer pallet, test pallet, sorting table) to another loading element (e.g., test pallet, sorting table, customer pallet). For reference, the loading elements provided in the electronic component handling sorting machine HR may include, in addition to the elements mentioned above, buffer zones or other loading platforms for temporary loading of electronic components.

[0011] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an example of the mobile device 100 shown in the figure.

[0012] Reference Figure 2 The mobile device 100 may include 16 pickups P arranged in an 8×2 row and column configuration, capable of picking up or releasing electronic components. That is, Figure 2 The mobile device 100 has eight pickups P that are modularly grouped into a set of two columns. Therefore, the spacing between the columns of the pickups P can be adjusted, but the spacing between the rows of the pickups P cannot be adjusted.

[0013] Furthermore, for the use of the electronic component sorting machine HR, the pickup P should accurately pick up the electronic component at the starting point (the location of the electronic component to be moved) and accurately release the electronic component at the destination point (the location where the moved electronic component will be placed). Recently, this issue has become increasingly important as the size of electronic components has decreased and the distance between terminals has become finer. Therefore, when an electronic component moves from the starting point to the destination point, the pickup should be accurately positioned at either the pickup point (starting point) for picking up the electronic component or the release point (destination point) for releasing the electronic component. That is, the pickup point or release point of the pickup is called the teaching point; if the teaching point is set incorrectly, unexpected problems may occur.

[0014] If the teaching of the pickup point for an electronic component is faulty, unintentional pickup cancellation may occur during transport due to faulty or incomplete pickup. Furthermore, in such cases, not only may the electronic component be lost, but misoperation may also occur due to the contamination of other components with a cancelled or damaged electronic component.

[0015] Furthermore, if the teaching of the release point is inadequate, the following situations may occur: electronic components may detach due to failure to be properly positioned; the electronic components may be repeatedly loaded at the same position; test failures, misoperations, and malfunctions may occur due to contact between the electronic components and the test equipment when they are improperly positioned.

[0016] Therefore, it is very important to accurately set the teaching point for picking up electronic components when the center of the pad 1, which forms the lower end of the pickup P and contacts the electronic component, is precisely aligned with the starting point, or when the center of the pad 1 is precisely aligned with the target point (release point).

[0017] Therefore, when the sorting machine needs to be started for the first time, or when the specifications of electronic components need to be changed and the pickup block or device elements are replaced with other specifications, it is necessary to go through the operation of setting teaching points.

[0018] Typically, the loading element has a container capable of housing electronic components. Since the containers are spaced at standardized intervals, knowing the coordinates of the teaching point for any one container allows us to know the coordinates of the teaching points for the remaining containers. Furthermore, since the spacing between the pickups P formed by the moving device is also standardized, knowing the coordinates of the center of any one reference pickup P allows us to know the coordinates of the centers of the remaining pickups P. Therefore, by accurately determining the position of any specific reference container and any specific reference pickup, the teaching point can be precisely set.

[0019] Initially, the teach point setting of the pickup P was performed manually. One example of manual setting was as follows: a separate teach pendant fixture with a teach hole was set up, and the teach pin attached to the pickup P (hereinafter referred to as the "reference pickup") was inserted into the teach hole to capture the point where it smoothly entered. However, in the case of manually adjusting the teach point in this way, the time consumed by manually setting a large number of teach points, which was comparable to a large number of moving devices, was considerable. Furthermore, considering the trend towards miniaturization of electronic components, the accuracy of teaching point setting decreased due to the operator's skill level or viewing angle, making it more difficult to achieve precise teach point setting based on visual identification. That is, since whether the teach pin smoothly inserts into the teach hole depends on the operator's field of vision and tactile sense, each operator's reference is different, and the time consumed varies depending on the operator's skill level. Furthermore, the limited operating space makes operation cumbersome, and the operator must extend their arms or other equipment inside the electronic component sorting machine (HR) to perform tasks, thus incurring associated risks. Therefore, for these reasons, setup typically takes approximately 5 hours. Additionally, when setting the teach point, the differences in rigidity between components lead to significant damage to contact structures, resulting in wasted costs. Moreover, after setting the teach point, the teach fixture must be removed and the appropriate loading elements for the electronic components installed before operating the equipment; this process presents difficulties due to the need to consider tolerance settings.

[0020] In particular, in the past when electronic components were relatively large, the problem of setting the teaching point as described above was not prominent. However, as the size of electronic components gradually becomes smaller, the above problem is becoming more prominent.

[0021] Therefore, methods for automatically setting teaching points were studied, and various techniques for setting teaching points using cameras were developed.

[0022] Using a camera to set teaching points allows for more accurate, easy, and faster setup through an automated process. However, this still involves the setup or disassembly of various components and materials, and the setting of teaching points can still be distorted due to design or setup tolerances of various instruments (even the setting tolerances of the reference pickup or the distortion of the reference location). In other words, the proposed camera-based teaching point setting method to date ignores the problem of reference point deviation in confirming various coordinates.

[0023] [Existing Technical Documents]

[0024] [Patent Documents]

[0025] Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2016-0120880

[0026] Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2016-0123502

[0027] Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2018-0041048 Summary of the Invention

[0028] This invention is motivated by the following: minimizing the amount of component materials and precisely setting the teaching point by comparing relative to each other rather than by absolute reference, despite the existence of various design or setting tolerances.

[0029] A sorting machine for handling electronic components according to the present invention, for achieving the above-mentioned objectives, comprises: a moving device that picks up an electronic component at a starting point and moves to a target location to contact and pick it up, thereby moving the electronic component from the starting point to the target location; a setting device for accurately setting the starting point for picking up the electronic component to be moved by the moving device or the target location for releasing the picking up of the electronic component; and a control device for controlling the moving device and the setting device to move the electronic component from the starting point to the target location after setting the starting point and the target location by the setting device, wherein the moving device comprises: at least one picker for picking up the electronic component. Alternatively, the device may release pickup; a lifter that raises or lowers the at least one pickup vertically to a height at which the pickup can pick up or release electronic components; and a horizontal mover that moves the at least one pickup horizontally, wherein the setting device includes: a first camera for confirming the position of a reference pickup among the at least one pickup; a second camera for confirming the position of at least one of the starting point or the target point; and a determiner that determines the position of the reference pickup based on first image information from the first camera and determines the starting point or the target point based on second image information from the second camera.

[0030] It also includes a switcher to enable the determiner to selectively receive either the first image information or the second image information, wherein the first image information and the second image information are video information captured continuously by the first camera and the second camera.

[0031] It also includes a lighting device that illuminates downwards when the first camera is used to photograph the reference pickup located above.

[0032] The lenses of the first and second cameras are glued together to fix the focal length.

[0033] When the first camera and the second camera are located on the same vertical line or at least the shooting centers are located on the same vertical line, the sum of the first focal length of the first camera and the second focal length of the second camera is longer than the distance between the first camera and the second camera. Therefore, a confirmation fixture is required to confirm the position of the first camera and the second camera relative to each other. The confirmation fixture has a structure in which there is a height difference between a first confirmation location confirmed by the first camera and a second confirmation location confirmed by the second camera.

[0034] The confirmation fixture also includes a third confirmation location, which is confirmed by a second camera that moves together with the at least one pickup and is horizontally separated from the second confirmation location. The judge compares the relative positions of the second confirmation location and the third confirmation location to confirm the setting state of the confirmation fixture.

[0035] Furthermore, the teaching point setting method of the electronic component processing sorting machine according to the present invention for achieving the above-mentioned objectives includes: a first confirmation step, in which the position of a reference container for picking up or unpicking up an electronic component is confirmed by shooting an upward direction using a first camera; a second confirmation step, in which the relative positions of the first camera and a second camera that moves together with the reference pickup for shooting a downward direction are confirmed, thereby confirming the distance between the reference pickup and the second camera; a third confirmation step, in which a reference teaching point (at least one of a starting point for picking up an electronic component or a target point for unpicking up an electronic component) is confirmed by the second camera; and a setting step, in which other teaching points are set based on the reference teaching point confirmed in the third confirmation step.

[0036] The first confirmation step includes: a shooting step, in which, with the reference pickup positioned above the first camera, the first camera is used to photograph the pad (part of the pickup electronic component) constituting the lower end of the reference pickup under backlight conditions; a selection step, in which any dark point is selected from the image information captured in the shooting step; a first drawing step, in which three points are selected from the arbitrary points chosen in the selection step and a circle is drawn; a second drawing step, in which the center of the circle drawn in the first drawing step is found, and a circle larger or smaller than the circle drawn in the first drawing step is drawn using that center as a reference; and a memory step, in which the information from the first drawing step and the memory step are confirmed. After identifying the region with the most arbitrary points among the circles drawn in the second drawing step, remember the circle formed by that region; repeat the first drawing step, the second drawing step, and the memory step for the other three arbitrary points that were selected and discarded multiple times according to a preset rule; in the selection step, after the repeating step ends, select the circle containing the most arbitrary points from the circles remembered through the repeated memory step; in the determination step, compare the circle selected in the selection step with the circle that the edge of the actual pad should have, thereby determining the circle that is most similar to the edge of the actual pad; in the identification step, identify the center of the circle determined in the determination step as the center of the pad.

[0037] In a configuration with a confirmation fixture having a first confirmation location to be confirmed using the first camera and a second confirmation location to be confirmed using the second camera, the second confirmation step includes: a first search step, using the first camera to locate the first confirmation location; a second search step, locating the second confirmation location with the second camera positioned above the second confirmation location; and an identification step, confirming the relative positions of the first camera and the second camera using the results obtained in the first search step and the second search step, and identifying the relative positions of the second camera and the reference pickup by comparing the position of the reference pickup obtained in the first confirmation step.

[0038] The third confirmation step includes: a first movement step, moving the second camera to the center of the reference container of the loading element according to the design value; a shooting step, using the second camera to shoot the reference container; a second movement step, calculating the degree to which the reference pickup is separated from the center of the image from the image obtained in the shooting step, and moving the second camera equivalent to the calculated value, so that the reference container is located at the center of the image; and an identification step, performing the shooting step and the second movement step at least once, so that if the reference container is located at the center of the image, an identifier located at the center of the reference container is found and the position of the identifier is identified as the center of the reference container, wherein the setting step uses the center of the reference container identified in the identification step as the reference teaching point to set other teaching points.

[0039] The third confirmation step includes: a loading step, loading electronic components into a reference container located at the loading element; a first moving step, moving the second camera above the reference container according to design values; a first shooting step, shooting the reference container using the second camera; a calculation step, calculating the center of the reference container by finding a dark square ring in the gap between the electronic components and the wall constituting the loading space from the image acquired in the first shooting step; a removal step, removing the electronic components loaded in the loading step from the reference container; a second moving step, moving the second camera to the center of the reference container calculated in the calculation step; a second shooting step, shooting the reference container using the second camera moved to the center of the reference container by the second moving step; and an identification step, finding an identifier located at the center of the reference container from the image captured in the second shooting step, thereby identifying the position of the identifier as the center of the container, wherein the setting step uses the center of the reference container identified in the identification step as a reference teaching point and sets other teaching points.

[0040] According to the present invention, the following effects are achieved.

[0041] First, by using two cameras to obtain the relative positions between the reference locations and setting the teaching points, the accuracy of the teaching point settings required for normal operation is improved, even with design errors.

[0042] Second, by using a switcher, the decision-maker selectively receives image information. Although the number of cameras increases, the number of decision-makers does not increase, thereby suppressing the increase in production unit price.

[0043] Third, because there is no concern about changes in the lens focal distance due to other factors (operator error or vibration during operation), accurate confirmation can be achieved, and the reliability of teaching point settings is improved.

[0044] Fourth, since the setup of accessory materials is minimized to a single confirmation fixture, the complexity is greatly reduced, and since the teaching point is set based on the setting status of the confirmation fixture, the setting accuracy is very high. Attached Figure Description

[0045] Figure 1 This is a schematic plan view of an electronic component sorting machine for testing electronic components.

[0046] Figure 2 It is for applicable Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the moving device of a sorting machine for handling electronic components.

[0047] Figure 3 This is a block diagram of a sorting machine for processing electronic components according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Figure 4 It is for applicable Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the moving device of a sorting machine for handling electronic components.

[0049] Figure 5 It is for applicable Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the setting device for a sorting machine used for processing electronic components.

[0050] Figure 6 This is a reference diagram used to illustrate another embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Figures 7 to 10 It is used to explain the applicability Figure 5 Reference diagram of the first and second cameras of the setting device.

[0052] Figures 11 to 18 This is a reference diagram illustrating the method for setting the teaching point of a sorting machine for processing electronic components according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0053] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention as described above will be described. For the sake of brevity, descriptions of the main components or repeated descriptions will be omitted or shortened as much as possible.

[0054] <Illustrative explanation of the main components of the sorting machine>

[0055] like Figure 3As shown in the block diagram, an electronic component processing sorting machine HR according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a moving device 100, a setting device 200, an illumination device 300, and a control device 400. Of course, in an actual electronic component processing sorting machine HR, multiple moving devices 100 may be provided; however, for ease of explanation, only one moving device 100 will be described.

[0056] After picking up the electronic component at the starting point, the mobile device 100 moves it to the target location and releases the pickup, thereby moving the electronic component from the starting point to the target location. For this purpose, as... Figure 4 As shown, the moving device 100 has 16 pickups P, a lift 110, a first horizontal mover 120, and a second horizontal mover 130.

[0057] The 16 pickups P are arranged in two columns, each with eight modules. The lower end of each pickup P is constructed using a flexible pad 1, such as rubber or silicone, with the lower surface of the pad 1 being annular. In this embodiment, 16 pickups P are provided to move 16 electronic components at once; however, according to other embodiments, at least one pickup P is sufficient. For reference, in Figure 4 In this document, the symbol P0 refers to a pickup that, although having the same structure and function as other pickups P, is arbitrarily chosen for setting the teach point. Therefore, for convenience, it is referred to as the reference pickup and marked with the symbol P0. Thus, in this description, all pickups are marked with the symbol P, but when specifically mentioned as a reference pickup, the symbol P0 is used.

[0058] The lifter 110 raises or lowers the pickup P, thereby allowing the pickup P to be positioned at a height where it can pick up or release electronic components, or at a height where it can move.

[0059] The first horizontal mover 120 moves the pickup P in a left-right direction, which is a first direction, and the second horizontal mover 130 moves the pickup P in a front-back direction, which is a second direction. Of course, depending on the function of the moving device 100, either the first horizontal mover 120 or the second horizontal mover 130 can be omitted.

[0060] The setting device 200 accurately sets the starting point for picking up an electronic component that will be moved by the moving device 100, or the target point for releasing the picking up of the electronic component. For this purpose, such as... Figure 5 As shown in the schematic diagram, the setting device 200 is equipped with a first camera 210, a second camera 220, a judge 230, and a switcher 240.

[0061] The first camera 210 is equipped to confirm the position of the reference pickup P0, and is set to be fixed to the substrate BP, etc., in an upward shooting manner.

[0062] The second camera 220 is equipped to confirm the location of the starting point or target point (more specifically, in other words, the center of the container holding the electronic components) and is set in a downward shooting direction. For example, in Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 For reference, the second camera 220 is positioned on the mobile device 100 in a manner that allows it to move together with the pickup P. Therefore, the first camera 210 needs to be located below the second camera 220.

[0063] Since the first camera 210 and the second camera 220 described above need to continuously generate images until an accurate position is found within the area according to design values, they are configured as webcams to generate video information through continuous shooting. Furthermore, the captured video is provided to the judgment unit 230 in real time. The reason for configuring cameras 210 and 220 in a network configuration as described above is that it is difficult to match the shooting time points for each situation, and if a sensor with perfect situation recognition is desired, the cost increases. The first camera 210 and the second camera 220 described above will be explained in more detail in a separate section later.

[0064] The determiner 230 determines the position of the reference pickup P0 based on the first image information from the first camera 210, and determines the position of the teaching point based on the second image information from the second camera 220. This determiner 230 is equipped with a small computer that incorporates computational processing capabilities.

[0065] In order to switch between the first image information and the second image information selectively received by the determiner 230, a switcher 240 is provided. Accordingly, the determiner 230 selectively receives the first image information and the second image information from the first camera 210 or the second camera 220. The switcher 240 may be configured as hardware or as software integrated into the determiner 230.

[0066] Furthermore, from the perspective of manufacturers of electronic component processing sorting machines (HR), since the judgment unit 230, which is a small computer, is not specially ordered, they can only purchase and install commercially available models. Therefore, if the judgment unit 230 is a low-end model and its quantity is increased (for example, one judgment unit per camera), it is difficult to ensure sufficient space, resulting in not only a larger size for the electronic component processing sorting machine HR but also design difficulties. However, if a high-end model of judgment unit 230 is purchased, although it can process video from multiple cameras 210, 220 almost simultaneously, the unit price of the electronic component processing sorting machine HR will increase significantly. As described in the background section, when an electronic component processing sorting machine HR is equipped with five to six or more moving devices 100, a significantly larger number of judgment units 230 is required, and the aforementioned problems become even more severe in this regard.

[0067] Therefore, in this embodiment, the switch 240 mentioned above is provided, so that the determiner 230 can be selectively connected to the first camera 210 or the second camera 220. This is because when searching for the position of the reference pickup P0, only the image information of the first camera 210 is needed, and when searching for the teaching point, only the image information of the second camera 220 is needed, and the operation of searching for the position of the reference pickup P0 and the operation of searching for the teaching point are not performed in parallel.

[0068] Furthermore, such as Figure 6 As shown, it is also necessary to consider the scenario where a mobile device 100 is equipped with two or more second cameras 220. Typically, since the electronic component sorting machine HR incorporates multiple components, there may be blind spots that cannot be identified using a single second camera 220. For example, when it is necessary to move an electronic component from a first loading element to a second loading element, both the teaching points of the first loading element and the teaching points of the second loading element need to be set. The first loading element and the second loading element can be two locations existing on an integrated loading platform or on a customer tray, and depending on the situation, they can also be different configurations (e.g., an area of ​​the loading platform and a portion of the customer tray).

[0069] While a second camera 220 can be designed to be located vertically above both teaching points, there are situations where a second camera 220 may be unable to reach one teaching point due to obstacles H such as other structures or walls. Therefore, in such cases, it is necessary to equip two second cameras 220. Furthermore, when the moving device 100 needs to selectively move electronic components from a first loading element (e.g., a customer tray) to a second loading element (e.g., a test tray) or a third loading element (e.g., a buffer table), it is also possible to equip four or more second cameras 220, depending on the circumstances. In such cases, since image information from the first camera 210 and multiple second cameras 220 is not required simultaneously, the switcher 240 operates by connecting the second camera 220 that captures the currently needed image information to the determiner 230. Moreover, it is also possible that not all image information from multiple second cameras 220 is required simultaneously, so the switcher 240 can also operate by selectively connecting only the specific second camera 220 that generates image information for the desired area to the determiner 230.

[0070] The illumination device 300 is configured to illuminate downwards when the reference pickup P0 is photographed using the first camera 210. That is, instead of illuminating the area of ​​the pad 1 on the reference pickup P0 from below upwards, the illumination device 300 illuminates downwards from above the reference pickup P0, making the bottom surface of the pad 1 appear darker than other areas in the captured image. This allows the judgment unit 230 to use an algorithm to locate the darker area of ​​the pad 1. By making the bottom surface of the pad 1 darker, the pad 1 can be clearly distinguished from other parts of the instrument, making it easier and more accurate to locate the center of the pad 1. Here, "above" should be interpreted not only as vertically above the pad 1, but also as encompassing the direction tilted upwards at a certain angle relative to the vertical. In other words, "above" indicates a position higher than the pad 1, where the light source is positioned higher than the pad 1 so that the light cannot directly illuminate the lower surface of the pad 1.

[0071] The control device 400 controls the mobile device 100, the setting device 200, and the lighting device 300 in such a way that after a teaching point is set by the setting device 200, the electronic components can be moved from the starting point to the target point.

[0072] <Specific instructions regarding the camera>

[0073] Cameras purchased on the market allow you to adjust the focal length by rotating the lens.

[0074] However, the first camera 210 and the second camera 220, applicable to the electronic component processing sorting machine HR according to this embodiment, are set with a fixed focal length. That is, the lenses of the purchased cameras are glued together to prevent rotation before setting. At this time, the focal length (hereinafter, the first focal length) of the first camera 210 is set to the distance from the pad 1 of the reference pickup P0, and the focal length (hereinafter, the second focal length) of the second camera 220 is set to the distance up to the bottom surface of the reference container (a container arbitrarily selected among the containers of the device elements to serve as the reference for setting the teaching point, the same below). The reason for this is to clearly observe the pad 1 using the first camera 210 and to clearly observe the bottom surface of the reference container using the second camera 220. The reason for fixing the focal lengths of the first camera 210 and the second camera 220 in this way is to eliminate the problem of focal length changes due to vibration or unintentional interference when performing setting operations or when operating the electronic component processing sorting machine HR.

[0075] For reference, areas within the focal length will be seen very clearly, while areas outside the focal length will be seen blurry. Therefore, even slight distance differences from the focal length will create a sharp contrast in the image, dividing it into areas of sharpness and areas of blurriness. Thus, the desired portion can be seen clearly.

[0076] Furthermore, preferably, the pickups P are arranged to be spaced apart by the minimum distance that allows them to move on the bottom surface. This contributes to minimizing the size of the sorting machine HR for handling electronic components, minimizing the lifting distance of the pickups P to reduce errors, and increasing speed.

[0077] According to the present invention, although described later, a process for confirming the relative positions of the first camera 210 and the second camera 220 will be performed. The purpose is to accurately confirm the position of the second camera 220 and simultaneously confirm the position of the reference pickup P0, thereby determining the relative position (coordinates) between the second camera 220 and the reference pickup P0. That is, the reference pickup P0 or the second camera 220 may not be able to accurately determine their relative positions according to design values, resulting in errors due to various tolerances; therefore, it is also necessary to confirm the relative position between the second camera 220 and the reference pickup P0.

[0078] However, since the second camera 220 moves together with the pickup P, it needs to be positioned higher than the pad 1 of the pickup P to avoid interference with other instruments. Therefore, the second camera 220 cannot be located at the first focal length of the first camera 210. That is, since there is a limit to the height that the reference pickup P0 and the second camera 220 can descend for shooting, the second camera 220, which needs to descend with the reference pickup P0, cannot be lowered to the first focal length, which is fixed at the distance between it and the pad 1. Therefore, the second camera 220 cannot be clearly identified using the first camera 210. Furthermore, since the first camera 210 is mounted on the base plate, it is not within the second focal length, which is set to the distance to the bottom surface of the reference container providing the loading element at a position higher than the base plate. Therefore, the first camera 210 cannot be clearly identified using the second camera 220.

[0079] That is, since the focal lengths of the first camera 210 and the second camera 220 are fixed, it is impossible to accurately acquire the image of the second camera 220 using the first camera 210, and it is impossible to accurately acquire the image of the first camera 210 using the second camera 220.

[0080] Therefore, an additional confirmation fixture is needed to confirm the position of the second camera 220.

[0081] If the first camera 210 and the second camera 220 are located on the same vertical line, and the shooting centers are located on the same vertical line, then... Figure 7 As shown, if the sum of the first focal length F1 and the second focal length F2 is equal to the distance between the two cameras 210 and 220 when the first camera 210 and the second camera 220 are in a position where they can be used for shooting, then a flat-shaped confirmation clamp CJ' is sufficient. Of course, the confirmation clamp CJ' needs a separate confirmation point (hole or marker, etc.) CP for confirming the position. However, as mentioned above, since the lifting distance of the pickup P is minimized, the sum of the first focal length F1 and the second focal length F2 is as follows: Figure 8 The distance shown can only be longer than the vertical distance L between the two cameras 210 and 220. Therefore, it is impossible to use... Figure 7 The flat confirmation fixture CJ' shown needs to replace the confirmation fixture CJ with a structure having a height difference between the first confirmation location CP1 and the second confirmation location CP2. Of course, since a structure with a height difference between the first confirmation location CP1 and the second confirmation location CP2 is sufficient, its shape does not need to be limited to the form shown. Figure 8 The shape shown.

[0082] Figure 9 It is aimed at Figure 8 A schematic 3D view of the CJ confirmation fixture.

[0083] The confirmation fixture CJ has a first confirmation point CP1 that needs to be confirmed by the first camera 210 and a second confirmation point CP2 that needs to be confirmed by the second camera 220. There is a height difference between the first confirmation point CP1 and the second confirmation point CP2; that is, the first confirmation point CP1 is located at a higher position than the second confirmation point CP2. Furthermore, the confirmation fixture CJ has a third confirmation point CP3 for monitoring the setting state of the confirmation fixture CJ. The third confirmation point CP3 is located at the same height as the second confirmation point CP2 and is located to the side of the second confirmation point CP2, separated from it. Of course, the horizontal distance between the first confirmation point CP1 and the second confirmation point CP2, and the horizontal distance between the second confirmation point CP2 and the third confirmation point CP3, are precisely set, thereby allowing the accurate determination of the relative positions of the first camera 210 and the second camera 220.

[0084] For reference, depending on the placement of the first camera 210, the pad 1 of the pickup P may not be spaced apart from the first focal length F1 of the first camera 210. In such a case, a macro lens can be applied to the first camera 210 to adjust the first focal length F1 to some extent. However, the refractive index of the macro lens varies slightly from macro lens to macro lens, thus reducing accuracy. Furthermore, the application of the macro lens varies slightly depending on the operator, resulting in the inability to accurately represent the first focal length F1. Therefore, as... Figure 10 As shown, the first camera 210 is configured to face horizontally instead of upward, and instead forms a reflector M, thereby enabling the pad 1 of the pickup P to be positioned at a distance equivalent to the first focal length F1 of the first camera 210.

[0085] <Explanation of the method for setting up teaching points>

[0086] Next, we observed the teaching point setting method implemented in the electronic component processing sorting machine HR having the above-described configuration.

[0087] Figure 11 This is a basic flowchart for the teaching point setting method, consisting of a first confirmation (S10), a second confirmation (S20), a third confirmation (S30), and a setting (S40). Of course, before executing this teaching point setting method, necessary information such as the position of the design value of the first camera 210, the relative position of the design value between the reference pickup P0 and the second camera 220, and the position of the reference container are pre-input to the judgment unit 230 via the control device 400.

[0088] 1. First confirmation (S10)

[0089] In step S10, the position of the reference pickup P0 is confirmed by the first camera 210. Since this step S10 utilizes the image information of the first camera 210, the switch 240 connects the first camera 210 and the determiner 230.

[0090] At this point, the ideal edge of pad 1 is round, but in reality, after injection molding, it may become a shape that is close to round but not round due to twisting, etc. Therefore, the ideal center of pad 1 needs to be found through a series of detailed processes. Therefore, as Figure 12 The first confirmation step can be broken down into detailed procedures.

[0091] (1) Filming (S11)

[0092] With the reference pickup P0 positioned above the first camera 210, the control device 400 uses the first camera 210 to photograph the pad 1 on the bottom surface of the reference pickup P0. At this time, the control device 400 operates the lighting device 300 to turn on the lighting, thereby achieving the photographing of the pad 1 under backlighting conditions.

[0093] (2) Select (S12)

[0094] The detector 230 selects any darker point from the image information captured in step S11. The degree of darkness can be determined by setting an arbitrary reference brightness and identifying any brightness below that reference brightness as a dark point. Here, any point can also be equivalent to a pixel.

[0095] (3) First description (S13)

[0096] The judge 230 selects three points from the more arbitrary points selected in step S12, and, as in Figure 13 Using the reference points, draw a circle that passes through all three points.

[0097] (4) Second description (S14)

[0098] Find the center of the circle drawn in step S13, as shown in Figure 14 Using the reference point as a reference, draw circles that are larger or smaller than the circle drawn in step S13. The number of circles drawn varies depending on the setting; in this embodiment, approximately 100 circles are drawn.

[0099] (5) Memory (S15)

[0100] After confirming that there is a region with the most arbitrary points among the circles drawn in step S14, remember the circle formed by that region.

[0101] (6) Repeat (S16)

[0102] Repeat steps S12 to S15 above for the other three arbitrary points that are selected or discarded a predetermined number of times (several to dozens of times).

[0103] (7) Select (S17)

[0104] After step S16 is completed, select a circle that includes as many arbitrary points as possible from the circles that have been memorized through repeated step S15.

[0105] (8) Determine (S18)

[0106] The circle selected in step S17 is compared with the ideal circle that the edge of the actual pad 1 should have, thereby determining the circle that most closely approximates the edge of the actual pad 1.

[0107] (8) Identification (S18)

[0108] The center of the circle determined in step S18 is identified as the center of pad 1.

[0109] 2. Second confirmation (S20)

[0110] In step S20, the relative positions of the first camera 210 and the second camera 220 are confirmed, thereby confirming the distance between the reference pickup P0 and the second camera 220. This step S20 can be implemented using the confirmation fixture CJ mentioned above, and, as... Figure 15 As shown, the process can be divided into more detailed steps.

[0111] (1) First search (S21)

[0112] The first camera 210 is used to locate the first confirmation location CP1. Therefore, it can be determined how far the first confirmation location CP1 is from the center of the image. During this process, the first image information is also used, thereby the switcher 240 connects the first camera 210 to the determiner 230.

[0113] (2) Second search (S22)

[0114] The control device 400 activates the moving device 100 to locate the second confirmation location CP2 while the second camera 220 is positioned approximately above the second confirmation location CP2. Since the second camera 220 is movable, the second confirmation location CP2 can be accurately centered in the image. Furthermore, during this process, the switcher 240 is switched using the second image information to connect the second camera 220 to the determiner 230.

[0115] Furthermore, in step S22, a third confirmation point CP3 is simultaneously located, and the positional relationship between the second confirmation point CP2 and the third confirmation point CP3 is confirmed, thereby confirming the setting state of the fixture CJ (a state such as being set at a slight tilt). Of course, the information regarding the setting state of the confirmation fixture CJ is taken into account in the calculation for confirming the relative position of the first camera 210 and the second camera 220.

[0116] (3) Identification (S23)

[0117] The relative positions of the first camera 210 and the second camera 220 are confirmed by the results obtained in steps S21 and S22, and the position of the reference pickup P0 obtained in step S10 is compared and calculated to identify the relative position of the second camera 220 and the reference pickup P0.

[0118] 3. Third confirmation (S30)

[0119] After the control device 400 activates the moving device 100 to position the second camera 220 approximately above the reference container GP, the reference teaching point is confirmed by means of the second camera 220. Here, the reference teaching point refers to the teaching point for the reference container. Of course, as mentioned above, when there are multiple loading elements, there may be multiple reference teaching points, so this step S30 can be repeated multiple times.

[0120] For reference, step S30 can be achieved by searching in Figure 16 The schematic diagram illustrates the confirmation hole CH at the center of the bottom surface of the reference container GP. The confirmation hole CH, located at the center of the reference container GP, is a hole formed to reduce air resistance or weight when the original electronic components land. However, in this invention, such a confirmation hole CH is used as an identifier for locating the center (reference teaching point) of the reference container GP.

[0121] Similarly, such as Figure 17 As shown, step S30 can be broken down into more detailed processes.

[0122] (1) First move (S31)

[0123] The control device 400 activates the moving device 100 according to the design values, thereby moving the second camera 220 to the center position of the reference container GP.

[0124] (2) Filming (S32)

[0125] The reference container GP was photographed using the second camera 220.

[0126] (3) Second move (S33)

[0127] The distance between the center of the image and the center of the reference container GP is calculated from the image acquired in step S32, and the calculated value is moved by the second camera 220 so that the center of the reference container GP is located at the center of the image.

[0128] (4) Identification (S34)

[0129] If steps S32 and S33 are performed at least once to center the reference container GP in the image, the confirmation hole CH at the center of the reference container GP is located and its position is identified as the center of the reference container GP. However, to accurately confirm the confirmation hole CH in the image, diffuse reflection from illumination may interfere with the confirmation process. Therefore, it is preferable that at least the bottom surface of the reference container GP is matte. Furthermore, the inner wall surface constituting the confirmation hole CH also has a thickness equal to its height; preferably, this inner wall surface is also matte. This is because if the inner wall surface and the edge of the confirmation hole CH become indistinguishable due to diffuse reflection from illumination, the edge of the confirmation hole CH becomes blurred, making it difficult to confirm the center of the reference container GP. Therefore, it is preferable to consider making the bottom surface and the inner wall surface different colors.

[0130] 4. Settings (S40)

[0131] The center of the reference container GP confirmed in step S30 is set as the reference teaching point, and the remaining teaching points are set using calculations based on the design values. For example, the device element has multiple containers, each of which has a teaching point. However, since the spacing between the containers is fixed and can be calculated, if the teaching point of the reference container GP is found, the remaining teaching points can also be calculated, and thus all teaching points of the loading element can be set. The information used for calculating the remaining teaching points is called design information. The operator can either directly input the design information into the sorting machine HR, or the sorting machine HR can download the design information from a higher-level device (e.g., a higher-level server) via communication.

[0132] <Another example of third confirmation>

[0133] Because the verification aperture CH is small, if the second camera 220 is photographing the reference container GP from a slightly detached position from vertical above, the verification aperture CH may not be accurately sensed in the image due to the walls constituting the verification aperture CH. Therefore, in such cases, the use of electronic components, such as... Figure 18 The deformation process is shown.

[0134] (1) Loading (S31')

[0135] The electronic components are loaded into the reference container GP of the loading elements. In this way, no matter how meticulously the reference container GP is designed, a gap will still occur between the electronic components and the walls of the device space that constitutes the reference container GP, and this gap will appear darker in the image.

[0136] (2) First move (S32')

[0137] Once the electronic components are loaded, the control device 400 activates the moving device 100 and moves the second camera 220 above the reference container GP according to the design values.

[0138] (3) First shot (S33')

[0139] The second camera 220 captures the reference container GP.

[0140] (4) Calculate (S34')

[0141] The center of the reference container GP is calculated by finding a darker square ring in the gap between the electronic component and the wall constituting the loading space from the image acquired in step S33'. The center of the reference container GP will be the point where the two straight lines connecting the diagonal corners of the square ring intersect. For reference, in this embodiment, a darker square ring is assumed to be found for a quadrilateral electronic component; however, if the electronic component is circular, a darker circular ring should be found.

[0142] (5) Remove (S34')

[0143] The electronic components loaded in step S31' are removed from the reference container GP.

[0144] (6) Second move (S36')

[0145] Move the second camera 220 to the center of the reference container GP calculated in step S34'.

[0146] (7) Second shot (S37')

[0147] The reference container GP is photographed using a second camera 220 that has been moved to the center of the reference container GP by step S36'.

[0148] (8) Recognition (S38')

[0149] Locate the confirmation hole CH (or other marker) located at the center of the reference container GP from the image captured in step 37', and identify that location as the center of the reference container GP.

[0150] For reference, the teaching point setting method described above is executed simultaneously by each mobile device 100, so that the teaching point setting can be performed very quickly and accurately.

[0151] In addition, if the teaching point is set in the manner described above, the actual electronic component is provided to confirm the teaching status. If it is confirmed that the teaching point is set accurately, the electronic component processing sorting machine HR is started normally.

[0152] As described above, according to the present invention, even if the centers of the first camera 210, the second camera 220, the reference pickup P0, and the reference container GP are not at the accurate design values ​​and have errors, the moving device 100 can accurately move the electronic components by means of the control device 400 when the sorting machine HR for actual electronic component processing is running, because the teaching point is set by confirming the relative positions of each other.

[0153] Additionally, the present invention includes recording information that can be executed on a computer as described above. Figures 11 to 18 The recording medium for the procedure of setting up the teaching points as described.

[0154] As described above, the specific description of the present invention has been carried out with reference to the embodiments in the accompanying drawings. However, the above embodiments are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the present invention to the above embodiments. The scope of the present invention should be understood as the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A sorting machine for processing electronic components, comprising: The mobile device picks up the electronic component at the starting point and then moves to the target location to pick it up again, thereby moving the electronic component from the starting point to the target location; A setting device for accurately setting the starting point for picking up an electronic component that will be moved by the moving device or the target point for releasing the picking up of the electronic component; The control device controls the moving device and the setting device, so that after setting the starting point and the target point by means of the setting device, the electronic components are moved from the starting point to the target point. The mobile device includes: At least one pickup device is used to pick up or de-pick up electronic components; A lift mechanism that causes the at least one pickup to move vertically up or down, thereby positioning it at a height at which the pickup can pick up or release electronic components; and A horizontal mover moves the at least one pickup in a horizontal direction. The setting device includes: A first camera is used to determine the position of a reference pickup among the at least one pickup; A reflector is used to position the pad of the reference pickup at a distance from the focal length of the first camera; A second camera is used to confirm at least one of the departure point or the target point; The determiner determines the position of the reference pickup based on the first image information from the first camera, and determines the starting point or the target point based on the second image information from the second camera; and The confirmation fixture is configured with a first confirmation location confirmed by the first camera and a second confirmation location confirmed by the second camera, in order to determine the relative positions of the first camera and the second camera. The first confirmed location and the second confirmed location have an elevation difference.

2. The sorting machine for electronic component processing as described in claim 1, wherein, The first camera is used to determine the position of the reference pickup used to pick up or remove electronic components. The confirmation fixture is used to confirm the relative positions of the first camera and the second camera, which moves together with the reference pickup to capture images in the downward direction, thereby confirming the distance between the reference pickup and the second camera. The reference teaching point is confirmed by the second camera, wherein the reference teaching point is at least one of a starting point for picking up the electronic component or a target point for releasing the picking up of the electronic component. Other teaching points are set based on the aforementioned benchmark teaching point.

3. The sorting machine for electronic component processing as described in claim 1, further comprising: The lighting device illuminates downwards when the first camera is used to photograph the reference pickup located above.

4. The sorting machine for electronic component processing as described in claim 1, wherein, The first camera is set to shoot in a horizontal direction. The reflector changes the shooting angle of the first camera to face upwards, so that the first camera can capture images of the reference pickup.

Images