Methods for loading and unloading circuit boards, loading and unloading devices, and PCB board processing equipment

Abstract

This invention discloses a method, device, and PCB board processing equipment for loading and unloading circuit boards. The method includes the following steps: a robotic arm transfers the circuit board from the loading area to the processing area; the robotic arm then transfers the circuit board from the processing area to the unloading area. This automated loading and unloading process via the robotic arm allows for timely loading and unloading of circuit boards to the processing area, improving loading and unloading efficiency. Furthermore, an unloading assembly abuts the circuit board against the processing or unloading area, unloading it from the robotic arm. This facilitates rapid unloading by the robotic arm, improving its unloading efficiency and further enhancing the overall loading and unloading efficiency of the circuit boards. This solves the problem of low processing efficiency caused by manual loading and unloading in PCB board processing equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of PCB board processing technology, and in particular to a method, device and equipment for loading and unloading circuit boards. Background Technology

[0002] PCB board processing equipment includes drilling machines, forming machines, or integrated milling and cutting machines. In the past, the loading and unloading method for PCB boards was to manually pick up a PCB board from the loading cart next to the machine and place it on the processing platform. The PCB board was fixed on the processing platform by vacuum adsorption, and a CCD positioning module was used to locate the target points on the PCB board. After the PCB board was processed, the manual person removed the processed PCB board from the processing platform. This processing method has high requirements for manual labor. One worker needs to continuously load and unload materials, which cannot take care of multiple machines. The machine also has the problem of intermittent downtime when waiting for materials. It can be seen that using manual loading and unloading leads to low machine processing efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method, device and equipment for loading and unloading circuit boards, and PCB board processing equipment, in order to solve the problem of low processing efficiency caused by manual loading and unloading in existing PCB board processing equipment.

[0004] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method for loading and unloading circuit boards, the method being applied to a loading and unloading device, the device comprising a worktable and a robotic arm mechanism; the worktable having a processing area, and loading and unloading areas outside the processing area; the robotic arm mechanism comprising a first driving component, an adsorption component, and an unloading component; the method comprising the following steps:

[0005] During the process of the robotic arm transferring the circuit board in the loading area to the processing area, or the process of the robotic arm transferring the circuit board in the processing area to the unloading area, the first driving member drives the adsorption assembly away from the processing area or the unloading area, and controls the adsorption assembly to release the circuit board. The unloading assembly then abuts the circuit board against the processing area or the unloading area, and removes the circuit board from the robotic arm.

[0006] In one embodiment, the first driving member is a double-stroke cylinder; the first driving member drives the adsorption assembly away from the processing area or the unloading area, specifically including:

[0007] One cylinder stroke of the first driving component drives the adsorption assembly to bring the circuit board closer to the processing area or the unloading area;

[0008] The other cylinder stroke of the first drive unit drives the adsorption assembly away from the processing area or the unloading area.

[0009] In one embodiment, the robotic arm mechanism transfers the circuit board from the loading area to the processing area, specifically including:

[0010] One cylinder stroke of the first driving member drives the adsorption assembly to approach the feeding area, and the adsorption assembly adsorbs and fixes the circuit board. The other cylinder stroke of the first driving member drives the adsorption assembly to move the circuit board away from the feeding area.

[0011] The robotic arm mechanism moves from a position corresponding to the loading area to a position corresponding to the processing area;

[0012] During the stroke of one cylinder of the first driving member, the adsorption assembly is driven to move the circuit board closer to the processing area. During the stroke of the other cylinder of the first driving member, the adsorption assembly is driven to move away from the processing area. At the same time, the unloading assembly moves closer to the processing area and abuts the circuit board against the processing area. The adsorption assembly releases the circuit board and moves away from the circuit board and the processing area under the drive of the first driving member. The adsorption assembly separates from the circuit board. The unloading assembly holds the circuit board in the processing area and unloads the circuit board into the processing area.

[0013] And / or,

[0014] The robotic arm mechanism transfers the circuit board from the processing area to the unloading area, specifically including:

[0015] One cylinder stroke of the first driving member drives the adsorption assembly to approach the processing area, and the adsorption assembly adsorbs and fixes the circuit board. The other cylinder stroke of the first driving member drives the adsorption assembly to move the circuit board away from the processing area.

[0016] The robotic arm mechanism moves from a position corresponding to the processing area to a position corresponding to the unloading area;

[0017] During the stroke of one cylinder of the first driving member, the adsorption assembly moves the circuit board closer to the unloading area. During the stroke of the other cylinder of the first driving member, the adsorption assembly moves away from the unloading area. At the same time, the unloading assembly moves closer to the unloading area and abuts the circuit board against the unloading area. The adsorption assembly releases the circuit board and moves away from the circuit board and the unloading area under the drive of the first driving member. The adsorption assembly separates from the circuit board. The unloading assembly holds the circuit board in the unloading area and unloads the circuit board into the unloading area.

[0018] Secondly, the present invention also provides a loading and unloading device, the loading and unloading device including a worktable and a robotic arm mechanism; the worktable is provided with a processing area, and a loading area and a unloading area outside the processing area, the processing area is provided with a plurality of suction holes, the loading area is used to place circuit boards, and the robotic arm mechanism is used to transfer the circuit boards in the loading area to the processing area, and to transfer the circuit boards in the processing area to the unloading area;

[0019] The robotic arm mechanism includes a first driving component, a mounting plate, an adsorption assembly, and an unloading assembly;

[0020] The first driving component is connected to the mounting plate and is used to drive the mounting plate closer to or further away from the worktable;

[0021] The adsorption component is mounted on the mounting plate and is used to adsorb and fix the circuit board.

[0022] The unloading assembly is mounted on the mounting plate and is used to abut the circuit board against the processing area or the unloading area to unload the circuit board from the robotic arm mechanism.

[0023] In one embodiment, the loading and unloading device is used in conjunction with PCB board processing equipment for loading and unloading, the PCB board processing equipment including a processing spindle, and the robotic arm mechanism being disposed beside the processing spindle; and / or,

[0024] The unloading assembly includes an unloading drive and an unloading pressure plate. The unloading drive is mounted on the mounting plate and connected to the unloading pressure plate. The unloading drive is used to drive the unloading pressure plate to move closer to the circuit board.

[0025] During the process of the first driving component driving the mounting plate away from the worktable, the unloading pressure plate can move closer to the worktable, and the unloading pressure plate abuts the circuit board against the processing area or the unloading area of ​​the worktable. The adsorption component can follow the mounting plate away from the circuit board and the worktable, the adsorption component separates from the circuit board, and the unloading pressure plate holds the circuit board in the processing area or the unloading area of ​​the worktable.

[0026] In one embodiment, the robotic arm mechanism further includes an elastic component that elastically connects the first drive member and the mounting plate; and / or,

[0027] The first driving component is a double-stroke cylinder. One stroke of the first driving component is used to drive the mounting plate closer to the worktable along the straight line of the first direction, and the other stroke of the first driving component is used to drive the mounting plate away from the worktable along the straight line of the first direction.

[0028] In one embodiment, the circuit board has adjacent first and second sides, the length of the first side being between 50mm and 350mm, and the length of the second side being between 50mm and 350mm; and / or,

[0029] The workbench includes an adsorption platform and a hopper platform. The hopper platform is located at the edge of the loading and unloading device, while the adsorption platform is located closer to the center of the loading and unloading device than the hopper platform. The adsorption platform forms the processing area, and the hopper platform forms the loading area and the unloading area. Both the loading area and the unloading area are located at the edge of the loading and unloading device, are close to each other, and are also close to the processing area.

[0030] In one embodiment, the workbench further includes a board-forming mechanism. Two board-forming mechanisms are provided and respectively located in the loading area and the unloading area. Each board-forming mechanism includes a first positioning block, a second positioning block, a first abutting component, and a second abutting component. The first positioning block and the first abutting component are distributed at intervals along a second direction in the loading area or the unloading area. The second positioning block and the second abutting component are distributed at intervals along a third direction in the loading area or the unloading area. The first abutting component can push the circuit board to abut against the first positioning block, and the second abutting component can push the circuit board to abut against the second positioning block, so as to arrange the circuit board in the loading area or the unloading area. The second direction is set at an angle to the third direction.

[0031] Thirdly, the present invention also provides a PCB board processing device, the PCB board processing device comprising:

[0032] Multiple machining spindles, said machining spindles for machining circuit boards, said machining spindles including at least one type used for drilling and forming machining; and

[0033] The loading and unloading device of any of the above embodiments configured corresponding to the machining spindle.

[0034] In one embodiment, the PCB board processing equipment further includes:

[0035] A first drive mechanism is connected to the machining spindle and is used to drive the machining spindle to move closer to or away from the circuit board along a straight line in a first direction.

[0036] A second drive mechanism, connected to the first drive mechanism and the robotic arm mechanism, is used to drive the first drive mechanism and the robotic arm mechanism to move along a straight line in a second direction; and

[0037] A third driving mechanism is connected to the worktable and is used to drive the worktable to move along a straight line containing a third direction. The first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are arranged at an angle to each other.

[0038] In one embodiment, the PCB board processing equipment further includes a vision positioning mechanism mounted on the processing spindle and used to locate target points on the circuit board; and / or,

[0039] The robotic arm mechanism further includes a fixed plate and a knife-picking and placing robotic arm. The fixed plate is mounted on the moving end of the second drive mechanism, and the knife-picking and placing robotic arm and the first drive component are both mounted on the fixed plate.

[0040] The embodiments of the present invention have the following beneficial effects:

[0041] The circuit board loading and unloading method of this invention involves a robotic arm transferring circuit boards from the loading area to the processing area, and also transferring them from the processing area to the unloading area. This automated loading and unloading process improves the efficiency of circuit board loading and unloading, thereby increasing overall processing efficiency. Furthermore, the unloading assembly abuts the circuit board against the processing or unloading area, removing it from the robotic arm. This facilitates rapid unloading by the robotic arm, further improving its unloading efficiency and thus enhancing overall circuit board loading and unloading efficiency, ultimately leading to improved processing efficiency.

[0042] The loading / unloading device and PCB board processing equipment of this invention employ a robotic arm mechanism to transfer circuit boards from the loading area to the processing area, and to transfer circuit boards from the processing area to the unloading area. This automated loading / unloading mechanism ensures timely loading and unloading of circuit boards in the processing area, guaranteeing the processing efficiency of the PCB board processing equipment and solving the problem of low processing efficiency caused by manual loading / unloading. Furthermore, the unloading component can abut the circuit board against the processing area or the unloading area to unload the circuit board from the robotic arm mechanism, facilitating rapid unloading and improving the loading / unloading efficiency of the robotic arm mechanism, thereby increasing the processing efficiency of the PCB board processing equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0043] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0044] in:

[0045] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a PCB board processing equipment in one embodiment.

[0046] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A partial schematic diagram of the PCB board processing equipment shown.

[0047] Figure 3 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a schematic of the robotic arm mechanism in the PCB board processing equipment.

[0048] Figure 4 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a worktable in the PCB board processing equipment.

[0049] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the material silo platform in the workbench shown.

[0050] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of a material loading and unloading method in one embodiment.

[0051] Figure 7 for Figure 6 The flowchart of step S800 in the loading and unloading method shown is shown.

[0052] Figure 8 for Figure 6 The flowchart of step S900 in the loading and unloading method shown is shown.

[0053] Icon labels:

[0054] 10. Circuit board;

[0055] 100. Workbench;

[0056] 110. Processing area;

[0057] 120. Material loading area;

[0058] 130. Material feeding area;

[0059] 140. Cutter head;

[0060] 150. Adsorption platform;

[0061] 160. Silo platform;

[0062] 170. Plate-mounting mechanism; 171. First positioning block; 172. Second positioning block; 173. Third positioning block; 174. First abutment assembly; 1741. First clamping cylinder; 1742. First clamping plate; 1743. First pin; 175. Second abutment assembly; 1751. Second clamping cylinder; 1752. Second clamping plate; 1753. Second pin;

[0063] 200. Robotic arm mechanism; 210. First driving component; 220. Mounting plate; 230. Adsorption assembly; 231. Suction cup; 240. Unloading assembly; 241. Unloading driving component; 242. Unloading pressure plate; 250. Elastic component; 251. First side fixing seat; 252. Second side fixing seat; 253. Buffer spring; 254. Positioning sleeve; 260. Connecting rod; 270. Negative pressure gauge; 280. Fixing plate; 290. Tool pick-and-place robotic arm;

[0064] 300. Machining the spindle;

[0065] 400. First drive mechanism;

[0066] 500. Second drive mechanism;

[0067] 600. Third drive mechanism;

[0068] 700. Visual positioning mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0069] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0070] It should be noted that all directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0071] Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" in this invention is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of the stated features. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but only on the basis of being achievable by those skilled in the art. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, such a combination of technical solutions should be considered non-existent and not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0072] This invention provides a PCB board processing device; please refer to [link / reference]. Figures 1 to 5 One embodiment of the PCB board processing equipment includes a processing spindle 300 and a loading / unloading device. The processing spindle 300 is used to process circuit boards 10. The processing spindle 300 includes at least one of the following: a drilling machine and a forming machine. When the processing spindle 300 is used for drilling, it is used to drill holes in the circuit board 10. When the processing spindle 300 is used for forming, it is used to perform router cutting on the circuit board 10. When the processing spindle 300 is used for both drilling and forming, it is a router-cutting integrated machine. The processing spindle 300 can not only drill holes in the circuit board 10 but also perform router cutting on the circuit board 10. Furthermore, there are multiple processing spindles 300 and multiple loading / unloading devices, each corresponding to one of the processing spindles 300.

[0073] In this embodiment, the loading and unloading device includes a worktable 100 and a robotic arm mechanism 200. The worktable 100 is provided with a processing area 110, and a loading area 120 and a unloading area 130 located outside the processing area 110. The processing area 110 is provided with a plurality of suction holes, each suction hole being used to suction and fix the circuit board 10. The loading area 120 is used to place the circuit board 10. The robotic arm mechanism 200 is used to transfer the circuit board 10 in the loading area 120 to the processing area 110 and to transfer the circuit board 10 in the processing area 110 to the unloading area 130. The robotic arm mechanism 200 is used to grip the circuit board 10 and load and unload the processing area 110. By using the automated device of the robotic arm mechanism 200 to load and unload the processing area 110 in a timely manner, the processing efficiency of the PCB board processing equipment can be guaranteed, solving the problem of low processing efficiency caused by manual loading and unloading of PCB forming machines.

[0074] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 The robotic arm mechanism 200 includes a first driving component 210, a mounting plate 220, an adsorption component 230, and an unloading component 240. The first driving component 210 is connected to the mounting plate 220 and is used to drive the mounting plate 220 to move closer to or away from the worktable 100. The adsorption component 230 is mounted on the mounting plate 220 and is used to adsorb and fix the circuit board 10, so that the circuit board 10 can be transferred with the adsorption component 230.

[0075] In this embodiment, the unloading assembly 240 is mounted on the mounting plate 220 and is used to abut the circuit board 10 against the processing area 110 or the unloading area 130 to unload the circuit board 10 from the robot arm mechanism 200, thereby facilitating the robot arm mechanism 200 to unload quickly, improving the loading and unloading efficiency of the robot arm mechanism 200, and thus improving the processing efficiency of the PCB board processing equipment.

[0076] During the specific unloading operation, the first driving component 210 drives the mounting plate 220 to move the adsorption component 230 away from the worktable 100. At the same time, the adsorption component 230 releases the circuit board 10, and the unloading component 240 works to bring the circuit board 10 abut against the processing area 110 or the unloading area 130. At this time, the unloading component 240 applies a force to the circuit board 10 close to the processing area 110 or the unloading area 130, and the adsorption component 230 moves away from the processing area 110 or the unloading area 130 to separate the adsorption component 230 from the circuit board 10, and quickly unload the circuit board 10 at a preset position in the processing area 110 or the unloading area 130.

[0077] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4The unloading assembly 240 includes an unloading drive 241 and an unloading pressure plate 242. The unloading drive 241 is mounted on the mounting plate 220 and connected to the unloading pressure plate 242. The unloading drive 241 is used to drive the unloading pressure plate 242 to move closer to the circuit board 10.

[0078] During the process of the first driving member 210 driving the mounting plate 220 away from the worktable 100, the unloading pressure plate 242 can move closer to the worktable 100. The unloading pressure plate 242 abuts the circuit board 10 against the processing area 110 or the unloading area 130 of the worktable 100. The adsorption component 230 can follow the mounting plate 220 to move away from the circuit board 10 and the worktable 100. The adsorption component 230 separates from the circuit board 10, and the unloading pressure plate 242 holds the circuit board 10 in place. The processing area 110 or unloading area 130 of the worktable 100, thereby using the movement of the unloading pressure plate 242 in the opposite direction to the adsorption component 230, pushes the circuit board 10 off the adsorption component 230. Furthermore, as the first driving member 210 drives the mounting plate 220 to continue moving away from the worktable 100, the unloading driving member 241 drives the unloading pressure plate 242 to move close to the circuit board 10 to a preset position, and then the unloading pressure plate 242 follows the mounting plate 220 to move away from the circuit board 10 and the worktable 100.

[0079] By providing the unloading pressure plate 242, the force-bearing area of ​​the unloading pressure plate 242 abutting against the circuit board 10 is relatively large, thereby protecting the circuit board 10 from damage during unloading. Furthermore, two unloading assemblies 240 are provided and symmetrically arranged on both sides of the mounting plate 220, thereby applying a more uniform abutment force to the circuit board 10 and protecting it from damage during unloading. Specifically, the unloading drive component 241 is a needle cylinder or a linear motor. Of course, in other embodiments, three, four, or more unloading assemblies 240 may be provided, with each unloading assembly 240 distributed circumferentially at intervals on the mounting plate 220.

[0080] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 3 The adsorption component 230 includes a plurality of suction cups 231, which are distributed circumferentially on the mounting plate 220 to stably adsorb the circuit board 10 onto the robotic arm mechanism 200 through the suction cups 231.

[0081] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 3 The robotic arm mechanism 200 also includes an elastic component 250, which elastically connects the first drive component 210 and the mounting plate 220. Thus, when the adsorption component 230 contacts the circuit board 10, the elastic component 250 can provide elastic buffer for the adsorption component 230, thereby protecting the circuit board 10 from damage.

[0082] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the elastic component 250 includes a first side fixing seat 251, a second side fixing seat 252, a buffer spring 253, and a positioning sleeve 254. The first side fixing seat 251 is installed on the front end of the first driving member 210, the second side fixing seat 252 is installed on the mounting plate 220, the positioning sleeve 254 is connected to the first side fixing seat 251 and slidably connected to the second side fixing seat 252, the buffer spring 253 is sleeved on the positioning sleeve 254 and elastically abuts between the first side fixing seat 251 and the second side fixing seat 252, thereby providing elastic buffering for the adsorption component 230 to adsorb and fix the circuit board 10. The buffer spring 253 is compressed when the suction cup 231 is subjected to force, playing a buffering and protective role, which can effectively ensure that the adsorbed circuit board 10 will not be crushed.

[0083] Specifically, the robotic arm mechanism 200 also includes a connecting rod 260 and a negative pressure gauge 270. The connecting rod 260 connects the first side fixed base 251 and the front end of the first driving member 210. The negative pressure gauge 270 is installed on the robotic arm mechanism 200 and is used to display the negative pressure data of the adsorption component 230. Furthermore, the negative pressure gauge 270 is used to detect the negative pressure when the suction cup 231 is working. When the negative pressure of the suction cup 231 is insufficient, an alarm signal will be output.

[0084] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 3 The first driving component 210 is a double-stroke cylinder. One stroke of the first driving component 210 is used to drive the mounting plate 220 to approach the worktable 100 along the straight line of the first direction, and the other stroke of the first driving component 210 is used to drive the mounting plate 220 away from the worktable 100 along the straight line of the first direction. The double-stroke cylinder helps to improve the working efficiency of the robot arm mechanism 200.

[0085] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 The robotic arm mechanism 200 is located beside the machining spindle 300. Further, in this embodiment, please refer to... Figures 1 to 5 The PCB board processing equipment includes a first drive mechanism 400, a second drive mechanism 500, and a third drive mechanism 600. The first drive mechanism 400 is connected to the processing spindle 300 and is used to drive the processing spindle 300 to move closer to or away from the circuit board 10 along a straight line in a first direction. The second drive mechanism 500 is connected to the first drive mechanism 400 and the robot arm mechanism 200 and is used to drive the first drive mechanism 400 and the robot arm mechanism 200 to move along a straight line in a second direction. The third drive mechanism 600 is connected to the worktable 100 and is used to drive the worktable 100 to move along a straight line in a third direction. The first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are set at an angle to each other.

[0086] Furthermore, the first direction and the second direction are set at an angle of 85-95 degrees, and the angle between the first direction and the second direction can be selected as 85 degrees, 90 degrees, or 95 degrees. Similarly, the second direction and the third direction are set at an angle of 85-95 degrees, and the angle between the second direction and the third direction can be selected as 85 degrees, 90 degrees, or 95 degrees. Specifically, the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are set perpendicular to each other. The line containing the first direction is the Z-axis of the PCB board processing equipment, the line containing the second direction is the Y-axis of the PCB board processing equipment, and the line containing the third direction is the X-axis of the PCB board processing equipment.

[0087] Understandably, the robotic arm mechanism 200 can move left and right along the Y-axis under the drive of the second drive mechanism 500. At the same time, the worktable 100 on which the material board is placed can move back and forth along the X-axis under the drive of the third drive mechanism 600. Combined with the up and down movement of the first drive component 210 in the robotic arm mechanism 200 along the X-axis, the circuit board 10 can be transferred in three-dimensional space, thereby automating the loading and unloading of materials.

[0088] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 The PCB board processing equipment also includes a vision positioning mechanism 700, which is installed on the processing spindle 300 and used to position the target points on the circuit board 10, thereby facilitating the processing spindle 300 to process the circuit board 10.

[0089] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 3 The robotic arm mechanism 200 also includes a fixed plate 280 and a tool pick-and-place robot 290. The fixed plate 280 is mounted on the moving end of the second drive mechanism 500. The tool pick-and-place robot 290 and the first drive component 210 are both mounted on the fixed plate 280. The tool pick-and-place robot 290 is used to pick up and place tools. Specifically, the worktable 100 is also provided with a tool disc 140, and the tool pick-and-place robot 290 is used to pick up and place tools in the tool disc 140.

[0090] In one embodiment, the circuit board 10 has an adjacent first side and a second side, the length of the first side is between 50mm and 350mm, and the length of the second side is between 50mm and 350mm. The circuit board 10 is a small PCB board. The robotic arm mechanism and loading / unloading device of this embodiment are mainly used to solve the problem of insufficient loading / unloading efficiency of small PCB boards. The PCB board processing equipment of this embodiment is mainly used to solve the problem of insufficient processing efficiency of small PCB boards.

[0091] Furthermore, the length of the first side can be selected as 50mm, 60mm, 80mm, 100mm, 150mm, 200mm, 250mm, 300mm, or 350mm, and the length of the second side can be selected as 50mm, 60mm, 80mm, 100mm, 150mm, 200mm, 250mm, 300mm, or 350mm. Specifically, the circuit board 10 can be selected as a board material with dimensions of 50mm×50mm, 50mm×60mm, 90mm×120mm, or 350mm×250mm, etc.

[0092] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 The workbench 100 includes an adsorption platform 150 and a hopper platform 160. The hopper platform 160 is located at the edge of the loading and unloading device, while the adsorption platform 150 is located closer to the center of the loading and unloading device than the hopper platform 160. The adsorption platform 150 forms a processing area 110, and the hopper platform 160 forms a loading area 120 and a unloading area 130. Both the loading area 120 and the unloading area 130 are located at the edge of the loading and unloading device. The loading area 120 and the unloading area 130 are located close to each other, and both are close to the processing area 110. This facilitates manual placement of the circuit board 10 to be processed in the loading area 120 and manual removal of the processed circuit board 10 from the unloading area 130.

[0093] Understandably, when a worker places a circuit board 10 in the loading area 120, they can place one board at a time or multiple boards at a time, stacking multiple circuit boards 10 in the loading area 120. At the same time, when a worker removes a finished circuit board 10 from the unloading area 130, they can remove one board at a time or multiple boards at a time. When no worker removes a circuit board 10 in the unloading area 130, the robotic arm mechanism 200 can stack newly unloaded circuit boards 10 in the unloading area 130, thereby facilitating uninterrupted processing of the PCB board processing equipment and improving processing efficiency.

[0094] Of course, in other embodiments, the PCB board processing equipment may also include a transfer device for placing the circuit board 10 to be processed in the loading area 120 and removing the processed circuit board 10 from the unloading area 130.

[0095] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5The workbench 100 also includes a plate-forming mechanism 170. Two plate-forming mechanisms 170 are provided, respectively located in the loading area 120 and the unloading area 130. Each plate-forming mechanism 170 includes a first positioning block 171, a second positioning block 172, a first abutting component 174, and a second abutting component 175. The first positioning block 171 and the first abutting component 174 are spaced apart along a second direction in the loading area 120 or the unloading area 130. The second positioning block 172 and the second abutting component 175 are spaced apart along a third direction. The circuit boards 10 are spaced apart in the loading area 120 or unloading area 130. The first abutting component 174 can push the circuit board 10 to abut against the first positioning block 171, and the second abutting component 175 can push the circuit board 10 to abut against the second positioning block 172, so as to arrange the circuit board 10 in the loading area 120 or unloading area 130, thereby positioning the circuit board 10 in the preset position of the loading area 120 and unloading area 130, so as to facilitate the gripping of the robotic arm mechanism 200 or the external transfer mechanism. It can be understood that the circuit board 10 to be processed can be placed in the loading area 120 by the external transfer mechanism or manually, and the processed circuit board 10 can also be transferred from the unloading area 130 to the next process by the external transfer mechanism or manually.

[0096] Furthermore, adjustment holes are distributed on both the loading area 120 and the unloading area 130. The first positioning block 171 and the second positioning block 172 are adjustablely inserted into part of each adjustment hole so that the first positioning block 171 and the second positioning block 172 can be adjusted and installed in the loading area 120 and the unloading area 130. Furthermore, the board assembly mechanism 170 also includes a third positioning block 173, which is a right-angle positioning block. The third positioning block 173 is adjustablely inserted into a portion of each adjustment hole to be installed at a right angle between the loading area 120 and the unloading area 130. This allows the loading area 120 to form a loading space for the circuit board 10 by means of the first positioning block 171, the second positioning block 172, the third positioning block 173, the first abutting component 174, and the second abutting component 175. Similarly, the unloading area 130 also forms a unloading space for the circuit board 10 by means of the same components. Specifically, each adjustment hole is a threaded hole, allowing adjustment of the placement of the first positioning block 171, the second positioning block 172, and the third positioning block 173 to accommodate the size of the circuit board 10.

[0097] In this embodiment, the first abutting component 174 includes a first clamping cylinder 1741, a first clamping plate 1742, and a plurality of first pins 1743. The first pins 1743 are spaced apart on the first clamping plate 1742. The first clamping cylinder 1741 is mounted on the hopper platform 160 and connected to the first clamping plate 1742, enabling it to push the first clamping plate 1742 to abut against the circuit board 10, thereby positioning the circuit board 10 against the first positioning block 171. The second abutting component 175 includes a second clamping cylinder 1751, a first clamping cylinder 1742, a first clamping cylinder 1743, and a plurality of first pins 1743. Two clamping plates 1752 and multiple second pins 1753 are spaced apart on the second clamping plates 1752. A second clamping cylinder 1751 is installed on the hopper platform 160 and connected to the second clamping plates 1752 so that it can push the second clamping plates 1752 to drive the second pins 1753 to abut against the circuit board 10, thereby positioning the circuit board 10 on the second positioning block 172, and thus positioning the circuit board 10 at a preset position in the loading area 120 and the unloading area 130, so as to facilitate the gripping of the robot arm mechanism 200 or the external transfer mechanism hand.

[0098] This invention also discloses a method for loading and unloading circuit boards, which is applied to a loading and unloading device. Please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figures 1 to 5 The loading and unloading device includes a worktable 100 and a robotic arm mechanism 200. The worktable 100 has a processing area 110, and a loading area 120 and a unloading area 130 outside the processing area 110. The robotic arm mechanism 200 includes a first driving component 210, an adsorption component 230, and a unloading component 240. Please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 6 The loading and unloading method includes the following steps:

[0099] S800, the robotic arm mechanism 200 transfers the circuit board 10 in the loading area 120 to the processing area 110, thereby completing the loading of the processing area 110.

[0100] S900 and the robotic arm mechanism 200 transfer the circuit board in the processing area 110 to the unloading area 130, thereby completing the unloading of the processing area 110.

[0101] By performing the above steps, the automated loading and unloading device of the robotic arm mechanism 200 can load and unload materials in the processing area 110 in a timely manner, thereby improving the loading and unloading efficiency of the circuit board 10.

[0102] In this embodiment, steps S800 and S900 include an unloading step of unloading the circuit board 10 to the processing area 110 or the unloading area 130. This unloading step includes: the first driving member 210 driving the adsorption component 230 away from the processing area 110 or the unloading area 130, and controlling the adsorption component 230 to release the circuit board 10; the unloading component 240 abutting the circuit board 10 against the processing area 110 or the unloading area 130, and unloading the circuit board 10 from the robot arm mechanism 200, thereby facilitating the rapid unloading of the robot arm mechanism 200, improving the unloading efficiency of the robot arm mechanism 200, and further improving the loading and unloading efficiency of the circuit board 10, thereby improving the processing efficiency.

[0103] In one embodiment, the first driving member 210 is a double-stroke cylinder; the above unloading step specifically includes: one cylinder stroke of the first driving member 210 drives the adsorption assembly 230 to move the circuit board 10 closer to the processing area 110 or the unloading area 130; the other cylinder stroke of the first driving member 210 drives the adsorption assembly 230 away from the processing area 110 or the unloading area 130, and controls the adsorption assembly 230 to release the circuit board 10; the unloading assembly 240 abuts the circuit board 10 against the processing area 110 or the unloading area 130, and unloads the circuit board 10 from the robot arm mechanism 200.

[0104] Understandably, by using a dual-stroke cylinder, the robotic arm mechanism 200 can quickly execute the first action of moving the adsorption component 230 and the circuit board 10 closer to the processing area 110 or the unloading area 130, and quickly execute the second action of moving the adsorption component 230 away from the processing area 110 or the unloading area 130. The first and second actions are driven by the two strokes of the dual-stroke cylinder, which helps to improve the working efficiency of the robotic arm mechanism 200, thereby further improving the processing efficiency.

[0105] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 7 Step S800 specifically includes:

[0106] S820, the stroke of one cylinder of the first driving member 210 drives the adsorption component 230 to approach the loading area 120, the adsorption component 230 adsorbs and fixes the circuit board 10, the stroke of the other cylinder of the first driving member 210 drives the adsorption component 230 to move the circuit board 10 away from the loading area 120, thereby completing the material picking step of the robot arm mechanism 200 in the loading area 120.

[0107] S840, the robotic arm mechanism 200 moves from the position corresponding to the loading area 120 to the position corresponding to the processing area 110, thereby completing the step of the robotic arm mechanism 200 driving the circuit board 10 to be processed to be transferred.

[0108] S860, during the stroke of one cylinder of the first driving member 210, the adsorption assembly 230 is driven to move the circuit board 10 closer to the processing area 110. During the stroke of the other cylinder of the first driving member 210, the adsorption assembly 230 is driven to move away from the processing area 110. At the same time, the unloading assembly 240 moves closer to the processing area 110. The unloading assembly 240 abuts the circuit board 10 against the processing area 110. The adsorption assembly 230 releases the circuit board 10 and moves away from the circuit board 10 and the processing area 110 under the drive of the first driving member 210. The adsorption assembly 230 separates from the circuit board 10. The unloading assembly 240 holds the circuit board 10 in the processing area 110 and unloads the circuit board 10 into the processing area 110, thereby completing the unloading step of the robot arm mechanism 200 in the processing area 110.

[0109] The combination of the double-stroke cylinder and the unloading assembly 240 enables the rapid loading of the processing area 110, saving the loading time of the circuit board 10.

[0110] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 8 Step S900 specifically includes:

[0111] S920, the stroke of one cylinder of the first driving member 210 drives the adsorption assembly 230 to approach the processing area 110, the adsorption assembly 230 adsorbs and fixes the circuit board 10, and the stroke of the other cylinder of the first driving member 210 drives the adsorption assembly 230 to move the circuit board 10 away from the processing area 110, thereby completing the material picking step of the robot arm mechanism 200 in the processing area 110.

[0112] S940, the robotic arm mechanism 200 moves from the position corresponding to the processing area 110 to the position corresponding to the unloading area 130, thereby completing the step of the robotic arm mechanism 200 driving the processed circuit board 10 to move.

[0113] S960, during the stroke of one cylinder of the first driving member 210, the adsorption assembly 230 is driven to move the circuit board 10 closer to the unloading area 130. During the stroke of the other cylinder of the first driving member 210, the adsorption assembly 230 is driven away from the unloading area 130. At the same time, the unloading assembly 240 moves closer to the unloading area 130. The unloading assembly 240 abuts the circuit board 10 against the unloading area 130. The adsorption assembly 230 releases the circuit board 10 and moves away from the circuit board 10 and the unloading area 130 under the drive of the first driving member 210. The adsorption assembly 230 separates from the circuit board 10. The unloading assembly 240 holds the circuit board 10 in the unloading area 130 and unloads the circuit board 10 into the unloading area 130, thereby completing the unloading step of the robot arm mechanism 200 in the unloading area 130.

[0114] The combination of the dual-stroke cylinder and the unloading assembly 240 enables the rapid execution of the unloading step in the processing area 110, saving the unloading time of the circuit board 10.

[0115] In one embodiment, please refer to Figures 1 to 8 One cylinder stroke of the first driving member 210 is used to drive the adsorption assembly 230 to approach the worktable 100 along the straight line of the first direction, and the other cylinder stroke of the first driving member 210 is used to drive the adsorption assembly 230 away from the worktable 100 along the straight line of the first direction.

[0116] Steps S840 and S940 also include a second drive mechanism 500 and a third drive mechanism 600. The second drive mechanism 500 is connected to the robot arm mechanism 200 and is used to drive the robot arm mechanism 200 to move along the straight line in the second direction. The third drive mechanism 600 is connected to the worktable 100 and is used to drive the worktable 100 to move along the straight line in the third direction. The first direction, the second direction and the third direction are set at an angle to each other.

[0117] The second drive mechanism 500 can drive the robot arm mechanism 200 to move along the straight line in the second direction, and the third drive mechanism 600 can drive the worktable 100 to move along the straight line in the second direction. Thus, the second drive mechanism 500 and the third drive mechanism 600 work together to transfer the robot arm mechanism 200 from the position corresponding to the loading area 120 to the position corresponding to the processing area 110 in step S840, and transfer the robot arm mechanism 200 from the position corresponding to the processing area 110 to the position corresponding to the unloading area 130 in step S940.

[0118] The above description discloses only preferred embodiments of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. Therefore, equivalent variations made in accordance with the claims of the present invention are still within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for loading and unloading circuit boards, characterized in that, The loading and unloading method is applied to a loading and unloading device, which includes a worktable and a robotic arm mechanism. The worktable has a processing area, as well as a loading area and a unloading area outside the processing area. The robotic arm mechanism includes a first driving component, an adsorption component, and a unloading component. The loading and unloading method includes the following steps: The robotic arm transfers the circuit board from the loading area to the processing area. Alternatively, during the process of the robotic arm transferring the circuit board in the processing area to the unloading area, the first driving member drives the adsorption assembly away from the processing area or the unloading area, and controls the adsorption assembly to release the circuit board. The unloading assembly then holds the circuit board against the processing area or the unloading area and removes the circuit board from the robotic arm. The first driving component is a double-stroke cylinder; the first driving component drives the adsorption assembly away from the processing area or the unloading area, specifically including: One cylinder stroke of the first driving component drives the adsorption assembly to bring the circuit board closer to the processing area or the unloading area; The other cylinder stroke of the first driving component drives the adsorption assembly away from the processing area or the unloading area; The robotic arm mechanism transfers the circuit board from the loading area to the processing area, specifically including: One cylinder stroke of the first driving member drives the adsorption assembly to approach the feeding area, and the adsorption assembly adsorbs and fixes the circuit board. The other cylinder stroke of the first driving member drives the adsorption assembly to move the circuit board away from the feeding area. The robotic arm mechanism moves from a position corresponding to the loading area to a position corresponding to the processing area; During the stroke of one cylinder of the first driving member, the adsorption assembly is driven to move the circuit board closer to the processing area. During the stroke of the other cylinder of the first driving member, the adsorption assembly is driven to move away from the processing area. At the same time, the unloading assembly moves closer to the processing area and abuts the circuit board against the processing area. The adsorption assembly releases the circuit board and moves away from the circuit board and the processing area under the drive of the first driving member. The adsorption assembly separates from the circuit board. The unloading assembly holds the circuit board in the processing area and unloads the circuit board into the processing area. And / or, The robotic arm mechanism transfers the circuit board from the processing area to the unloading area, specifically including: One cylinder stroke of the first driving member drives the adsorption assembly to approach the processing area, and the adsorption assembly adsorbs and fixes the circuit board. The other cylinder stroke of the first driving member drives the adsorption assembly to move the circuit board away from the processing area. The robotic arm mechanism moves from a position corresponding to the processing area to a position corresponding to the unloading area; During the stroke of one cylinder of the first driving member, the adsorption assembly moves the circuit board closer to the unloading area. During the stroke of the other cylinder of the first driving member, the adsorption assembly moves away from the unloading area. At the same time, the unloading assembly moves closer to the unloading area and abuts the circuit board against the unloading area. The adsorption assembly releases the circuit board and moves away from the circuit board and the unloading area under the drive of the first driving member. The adsorption assembly separates from the circuit board. The unloading assembly holds the circuit board in the unloading area and unloads the circuit board into the unloading area.

2. A loading and unloading device, characterized in that, The loading and unloading device includes a workbench and a robotic arm mechanism; the workbench is provided with a processing area, as well as a loading area and a unloading area outside the processing area. The processing area is provided with multiple suction holes. The loading area is used to place circuit boards. The robotic arm mechanism is used to transfer the circuit boards in the loading area to the processing area, and to transfer the circuit boards in the processing area to the unloading area. The robotic arm mechanism includes a first driving component, a mounting plate, an adsorption assembly, and an unloading assembly; The first driving component is connected to the mounting plate and is used to drive the mounting plate closer to or further away from the worktable; The adsorption component is mounted on the mounting plate and is used to adsorb and fix the circuit board. The unloading assembly is mounted on the mounting plate and is used to abut the circuit board against the processing area or the unloading area to unload the circuit board from the robotic arm mechanism; The loading and unloading device is used in conjunction with PCB board processing equipment for loading and unloading materials. The PCB board processing equipment includes a processing spindle, and the robotic arm is located beside the processing spindle; and / or, The unloading assembly includes an unloading drive and an unloading pressure plate. The unloading drive is mounted on the mounting plate and connected to the unloading pressure plate. The unloading drive is used to drive the unloading pressure plate to move closer to the circuit board. During the process of the first driving component driving the mounting plate away from the worktable, the unloading pressure plate can move closer to the worktable, and the unloading pressure plate abuts the circuit board against the processing area or the unloading area of ​​the worktable. The adsorption component can follow the mounting plate away from the circuit board and the worktable, the adsorption component separates from the circuit board, and the unloading pressure plate holds the circuit board in the processing area or the unloading area of ​​the worktable.

3. The loading and unloading device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The robotic arm mechanism further includes an elastic component that elastically connects the first drive element and the mounting plate; and / or The first driving component is a double-stroke cylinder. One stroke of the first driving component is used to drive the mounting plate closer to the worktable along the straight line of the first direction, and the other stroke of the first driving component is used to drive the mounting plate away from the worktable along the straight line of the first direction.

4. The loading and unloading device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The circuit board has adjacent first and second sides, the length of the first side being between 50mm and 350mm, and the length of the second side being between 50mm and 350mm; and / or, The workbench includes an adsorption platform and a hopper platform. The hopper platform is located at the edge of the loading and unloading device, while the adsorption platform is located closer to the center of the loading and unloading device than the hopper platform. The adsorption platform forms the processing area, and the hopper platform forms the loading area and the unloading area. Both the loading area and the unloading area are located at the edge of the loading and unloading device, are close to each other, and are also close to the processing area.

5. The loading and unloading device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that, The workbench also includes a board-assembly mechanism. Two board-assembly mechanisms are provided and respectively located in the loading area and the unloading area. Each board-assembly mechanism includes a first positioning block, a second positioning block, a first abutting component, and a second abutting component. The first positioning block and the first abutting component are distributed at intervals along a second direction in the loading area or the unloading area. The second positioning block and the second abutting component are distributed at intervals along a third direction in the loading area or the unloading area. The first abutting component can push the circuit board to abut against the first positioning block, and the second abutting component can push the circuit board to abut against the second positioning block, so as to arrange the circuit board in the loading area or the unloading area. The second direction is set at an angle to the third direction.

6. A PCB board processing equipment, characterized in that, The PCB board processing equipment includes: Multiple machining spindles, said machining spindles for machining circuit boards, said machining spindles including at least one type used for drilling and forming machining; and The loading and unloading device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, configured corresponding to the machining spindle.

7. The PCB board processing equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that, The PCB board processing equipment also includes: A first drive mechanism is connected to the machining spindle and is used to drive the machining spindle to move closer to or away from the circuit board along a straight line in a first direction. A second drive mechanism, connected to the first drive mechanism and the robotic arm mechanism, is used to drive the first drive mechanism and the robotic arm mechanism to move along a straight line in a second direction; and A third driving mechanism is connected to the worktable and is used to drive the worktable to move along a straight line containing a third direction. The first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are arranged at an angle to each other.

8. The PCB board processing equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, The PCB board processing equipment further includes a vision positioning mechanism, which is mounted on the processing spindle and used to locate target points on the circuit board; and / or, The robotic arm mechanism further includes a fixed plate and a knife-picking and placing robotic arm. The fixed plate is mounted on the moving end of the second drive mechanism, and the knife-picking and placing robotic arm and the first drive component are both mounted on the fixed plate.

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