Circuit board vertical feeding device

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of circuit board processing, and particularly relates to a vertical circuit board feeding device. The device comprises a machine table, a thickness measuring mechanism, a multi-degree-of-freedom manipulator, a turnover mechanism and a vertical conveying mechanism. The machine table is provided with a conveying drum line and a material receiving station. The thickness measuring mechanism is used for obtaining thickness information of the circuit board. The multi-degree-of-freedom manipulator performs double-path operation based on the thickness information. When the circuit board is determined as a thick plate, the circuit board is moved and turned over to a vertical state by a clamping assembly and then released. When the circuit board is determined as a thin plate, the turnover mechanism drives a turnover piece to support the bottom of the circuit board and turn over to a vertical state. Meanwhile, a first limiting guide assembly and a second limiting guide assembly provide lateral rolling limiting for the circuit board. The technical scheme provided by the application can realize adaptive switching of thick and thin plate conveying modes, can avoid the risk of plate surface damage, and has the advantages of compact structure and exquisite layout.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of circuit board processing technology, and in particular to a vertical circuit board feeding device. Background Technology

[0002] In the automated production of printed circuit boards (PCBs), especially in processes involving vertical developing, etching, and stripping (DES), horizontally placed PCBs need to be converted to a vertical position before being fed into the production line. Currently, PCB flipping is mainly accomplished by a flipping mechanism. However, due to differences in the weight of different PCBs, the friction between them and the flipping mechanism also varies, leading to surface damage to heavier materials during the flipping process. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To overcome the problems existing in related technologies, this application provides a vertical circuit board feeding device that can adaptively switch between thick and thin board conveying modes, avoiding the risk of board surface damage while having the significant advantages of compact structure and ingenious layout.

[0004] This application provides a vertical circuit board loading device, comprising: The machine is equipped with a receiving station and a conveyor roller line for conveying circuit boards along a first direction. The conveyor roller line has a number of conveyor rollers arranged at intervals, and the receiving station is located on one side of the conveyor roller line. The thickness measuring mechanism is located upstream of the conveyor roller line and above the conveyor roller line, and is used to obtain the thickness information of the circuit board. The transfer mechanism, located on the other side of the conveyor roller line, includes a multi-degree-of-freedom robot, a mounting base, a gripping assembly, and a first limiting guide assembly. The mounting base is connected to the execution end of the multi-degree-of-freedom robot. The gripping assembly and the first limiting guide assembly are mounted on the mounting base. The multi-degree-of-freedom robot is used to grip the circuit board through the gripping assembly when it is determined to be a thick plate based on the thickness information, and then release the circuit board to the receiving station after flipping it to a vertical state. The flipping mechanism includes a driving component and several flipping components. Each flipping component is disposed in the gap between two adjacent conveying rollers. The flipping component is provided with a second limiting guide assembly. The driving component is used to drive the flipping component to support the bottom of the circuit board when it is determined to be a thin plate, and flip the circuit board to a vertical state to enter the receiving station. A vertical conveying mechanism, located at the receiving station, is used to receive and vertically convey circuit boards. The first limiting guide component and the second limiting guide component are used to laterally roll and limit the circuit board located at the receiving station.

[0005] In some embodiments, the thickness measuring mechanism includes a mounting frame, a rotating frame, a displacement sensor, and a thickness measuring wheel; The mounting frame is mounted on the machine base. The rotating frame is rotatably connected to the mounting frame via a first rotating shaft. The rotating frame is provided with a mounting shaft. The thickness measuring wheel is rotatably sleeved on the mounting shaft. The mounting shaft is provided with a contact arm. The displacement sensor is mounted on the mounting frame, and its output end abuts against the contact arm. The first rotating shaft is in the same direction as the mounting shaft, and the axial direction of the first rotating shaft is perpendicular to the first direction.

[0006] In some embodiments, the gripping assembly includes a first gripping unit, a second gripping unit, and a first lifting unit; The first gripping unit is located on the side of the mounting base near the receiving station, the first lifting unit is located on the side of the mounting base near the multi-degree-of-freedom robot, and the output end of the first lifting unit is connected to the second gripping unit. Both the first clamping unit and the second clamping unit include a clamping mounting plate and a plurality of clamping members arranged side by side along the first direction; The first limiting guide assembly includes a second lifting unit and a base plate. The second lifting unit is disposed on the clamping mounting plate of the first clamping unit. The output end of the second lifting unit is connected to the base plate. The base plate is provided with a plurality of anti-rolling balls arranged side by side along a first direction.

[0007] In some embodiments, the clamping member includes a clamping plate, a clamping cylinder, and a clamping block. The clamping plate is mounted and fixed on a clamping mounting plate. The clamping cylinder and the clamping block are both disposed on the clamping plate. The output shaft end of the clamping cylinder is provided with a clamping finger. The clamping finger is disposed opposite to the clamping block. The clamping finger and the clamping block are both made of elastic material.

[0008] In some embodiments, the transfer mechanism further includes an edge-following detection component and a telescopic drive component; The edge-following detection component is used to obtain the length and width information of the circuit board; Based on the length and width information, the telescopic drive component controls the first gripping unit to move closer to or further away from the second gripping unit, so that the first gripping unit and the second gripping unit enclose and form a clamping cavity adapted to the current circuit board. The machine is also equipped with a baffle, which is located on the downstream side of the conveyor roller line.

[0009] In some embodiments, the edge-tracking detection assembly includes a photoelectric sensor, a guide rail, a sliding seat, a drive module, a fixed bracket, and a side push block; At least two photoelectric sensors are distributed on both the upstream and downstream sides of the conveyor roller line. The photoelectric sensors are used to detect the leading and trailing edges of the circuit board to obtain the length information. The extension direction of the guide rail is perpendicular to the first direction. The guide rail is mounted on the machine base and located below the conveying roller. The sliding seat is slidably engaged with the guide rail via a slider. The drive module is used to drive the sliding seat to move. The fixed bracket is mounted on the sliding seat. The fixed bracket has multiple support arms, each of which is respectively inserted into the gap between two adjacent conveying rollers. Each support arm is provided with a side push block, and the side push block has a side reference surface parallel to the first direction.

[0010] In some embodiments, the driving component includes a drive motor, a cam linkage mechanism, and a tilting shaft, wherein the tilting shaft is fixedly connected to the tilting component, and the drive motor is rotatably connected to the tilting shaft via the cam linkage mechanism; The flipping component is a long strip-shaped plate structure. The second limiting guide assembly includes several flipping guide wheels arranged side by side. The flipping guide wheels are rotatably mounted on the flipping component, and the axis of the flipping guide wheels is parallel to the first direction.

[0011] In some embodiments, the vertical conveying mechanism includes a lower frame plate, an upper frame plate, an active conveying wheel, a first rotating rod, a second rotating rod, and a conveying drive assembly; The lower frame plate is provided with a plurality of first transmission seats at intervals along the first direction. Each first transmission seat is connected to a transmission shaft through a bearing. One end of the transmission shaft is provided with the active conveying wheel. The conveying drive assembly is used to drive several transmission shafts to rotate synchronously. One end of the first rotating rod is rotatably connected to the upper frame plate, and the other end is provided with a first gear. The first gear is rotatably connected to the first transmission seat. The first rotating rod is fixedly sleeved with a plurality of first driven guide wheels distributed vertically at intervals. The end face of the driving conveyor wheel facing the first rotating rod is provided with first teeth, and the first teeth are meshed with the first gear. The lower frame plate is provided with a plurality of second transmission seats at intervals along the first direction. The second transmission seats are located downstream of the first direction and correspond one-to-one with the first transmission seats. One end of the second rotating rod is rotatably connected to the upper frame plate, and the other end is provided with a second gear. The second gear is rotatably connected to the second transmission seat. The second rotating rod is fixedly sleeved with a plurality of second driven guide wheels distributed vertically at intervals. The end face of the driving conveying wheel facing the second rotating rod is provided with second teeth, and the second teeth are meshed with the second gear. The number of second transmission seats is less than the number of first transmission seats; the first rotating rod and the second rotating rod enclose each other to form a first double-sided limiting conveying channel, and the remaining unpaired first rotating rods form a single-sided transmission conveying surface; the single-sided transmission conveying surface cooperates with the first limiting guide assembly and the second limiting guide assembly to form a second double-sided limiting conveying channel.

[0012] In some embodiments, the conveying drive assembly includes a conveying shaft, a plurality of driving bevel gears, and a plurality of driven bevel gears; The lower frame plate is provided with a bearing seat, and a conveying shaft is supported in the bearing seat. The conveying shaft extends along a first direction and is connected to the drive motor for transmission. The conveying shaft is fitted with several driving bevel gears, and each of the drive shafts has a driven bevel gear at the end away from the driving conveying wheel. Each driving bevel gear is meshed with a driven bevel gear.

[0013] In some embodiments, the outer periphery of the active conveyor wheel, the first driven guide wheel, and the second driven guide wheel are all covered with an anti-slip buffer layer, which is made of an elastic and wear-resistant material.

[0014] Compared with existing technologies, the circuit board vertical loading device provided in this application obtains the thickness and length and width information of the circuit board through the thickness measuring mechanism and the edge inspection component, respectively, and automatically controls the multi-degree-of-freedom robot and the flipping mechanism to switch the operation mode, realizing the transfer and flipping conveying of thick boards and the in-situ flipping conveying of thin boards. This can avoid surface scratches when flipping thick boards and ensure the high efficiency of loading thin boards. At the same time, this application can also use the adaptive adjustment function of the clamping component to be compatible with circuit boards of different specifications, and form a stable conveying channel by means of the cooperation of the first limit guide component, the second limit guide component and the vertical conveying mechanism on one side, which can eliminate manual intervention and improve the automation level of PCB vertical production. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The above and other objects, features and advantages of this application will become more apparent from the more detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals generally represent the same components in the exemplary embodiments thereof.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the circuit board vertical loading device shown in the embodiments of this application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the transfer mechanism shown in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the clamping component shown in the embodiments of this application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the thickness measuring mechanism shown in the embodiments of this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the edge inspection component and the conveyor roller shown in an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the edge-tracking detection component shown in the embodiments of this application; Figure 7This is an assembly diagram of the conveying roller, the tilting mechanism and the vertical conveying mechanism shown in the embodiments of this application; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the telescopic drive assembly shown in the embodiments of this application; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the flipping mechanism shown in the embodiments of this application; Figure 10 This is another structural schematic diagram of the flipping mechanism shown in the embodiments of this application; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the vertical conveying mechanism shown in the embodiments of this application; Figure 12 yes Figure 11 Enlarged diagram of point A in the middle.

[0017] Figure label: 1. Machine tool; 2. Conveyor roller conveyor; 3. Thickness measuring mechanism; 30. Mounting bracket; 31. Rotating bracket; 32. Displacement sensor; 33. Thickness measuring wheel; 34. First rotating shaft; 35. Mounting shaft; 36. Contact arm; 4. Transfer mechanism; 41. Mounting base; 42. Clamping assembly; 420. First clamping unit; 421. Second clamping unit; 422. First lifting unit; 43. First limiting guide assembly; 430. Second lifting unit; 431. Base plate; 432. Anti-rolling ball; 44. Edge patrol detection assembly; 440. Photoelectric sensor; 441. Guide rail; 442. Sliding seat; 443. Drive module; 444. Fixed bracket; 445. Side push block; 45. Telescopic drive assembly; 46. Baffle; 5. Tilting mechanism; 50. Driving component; 500. Drive motor; 501. Cam linkage mechanism; 502. Tilting shaft; 51. Tilting component; 52. Second limit guide assembly; 6. Vertical conveying mechanism; 60. Lower frame plate; 61. Upper frame plate; 62. Active conveying wheel; 63. First rotating rod; 64. Second rotating rod; 65. Conveying drive assembly; 66. First transmission seat; 67. Transmission shaft; 68. First gear; 69. First tooth. Detailed Implementation

[0018] Preferred embodiments of the present application will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While preferred embodiments of the present application are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present application may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to make the present application more thorough and complete, and to fully convey the scope of the present application to those skilled in the art.

[0019] The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” used in this application and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used herein refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0020] It should be understood that although the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., may be used in this application to describe various information, this information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, without departing from the scope of this application, first information may also be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information may also be referred to as first information. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0021] See Figures 1 to 3 This application provides a circuit board vertical loading device, comprising: The machine 1 is equipped with a receiving station and a conveyor roller line 2 for conveying circuit boards along a first direction. The conveyor roller line 2 has a number of conveyor rollers arranged at intervals. The receiving station is located on one side of the conveyor roller line 2. Thickness measuring mechanism 3 is located upstream of conveyor roller 2 and above conveyor roller 2, and is used to obtain the thickness information of the circuit board. The transfer mechanism 4, located on the other side of the conveyor roller line 2, includes a multi-degree-of-freedom manipulator, a mounting base 41, a gripping assembly 42, and a first limiting guide assembly 43. The mounting base 41 is connected to the execution end of the multi-degree-of-freedom manipulator. The gripping assembly 42 and the first limiting guide assembly 43 are mounted on the mounting base 41. The multi-degree-of-freedom manipulator is used to grip the circuit board through the gripping assembly 42 when it is determined to be a thick plate based on the thickness information, and then release the circuit board to the receiving station after flipping it to a vertical state. The flipping mechanism 5 includes a driving member 50 and a plurality of flipping members 51. Each of the flipping members 51 is correspondingly disposed in the gap between two adjacent conveying rollers. The flipping member 51 is provided with a second limiting guide assembly 52. ​​The driving member 50 is used to drive the flipping member 51 to support the bottom of the circuit board when it is determined to be a thin plate, and flip the circuit board to a vertical state to enter the receiving station. Vertical conveying mechanism 6 is located at the receiving station and is used to receive and vertically convey circuit boards. The first limiting guide component 43 and the second limiting guide component 52 are used to laterally roll and limit the circuit board located at the receiving station.

[0022] Specifically, the machine base 1 can be welded from high-strength aluminum alloy profiles or square steel pipes. An installation platform is configured inside the machine base 1 via shelves. The first direction specifically refers to the length direction of the machine base 1. Several conveyor rollers of the conveyor roller line 2 are rotatably mounted on this installation platform at intervals via bearing seats. The conveyor rollers are rubber-coated roller shaft structures, and the shaft ends of each conveyor roller are connected to a motor drive via sprockets, forming a roller conveyor line to carry circuit boards and drive them to move along the first direction. A feed port is provided on the side plate of the machine base 1 corresponding to the starting end (i.e., the upstream side) of the conveyor rollers, allowing external equipment or personnel to guide the circuit boards into the device. The receiving station is located on one side of the roller conveyor line. Opposite to it, the other side of the machine base 1 is used to install the transfer mechanism 4. The multi-degree-of-freedom robot in this mechanism can be a six-axis articulated robot, with its base fixed to the ground and its arm extending above the installation platform to ensure that the working range covers the conveyor rollers and the receiving station.

[0023] Thickness measuring mechanism 3 is installed on the upstream side of the roller conveyor line, between the feed inlet and the conveying roller, spanning across the top of the conveying roller to form a gantry structure. During operation, the sensing end of thickness measuring mechanism 3 hangs down and contacts the surface of the circuit board it passes through, acquiring real-time thickness information and converting this physical quantity into an electrical signal, which is then sent to the control system of the device to provide data support for subsequent path switching.

[0024] The transfer mechanism 4 consists of a multi-degree-of-freedom manipulator, a mounting base 41, a gripping assembly 42, and a first limiting guide assembly 43. The mounting base 41 is fixed to the actuator end (such as the wrist flange) of the multi-degree-of-freedom manipulator. The mounting base 41 integrates the gripping assembly 42 and the first limiting guide assembly 43. The gripping assembly 42 is used to grasp the circuit board, and the first limiting guide assembly 43 is used to apply flexible lateral support to the circuit board at the receiving station, maintaining its vertical state and cooperating with the vertical conveying mechanism 6 to realize the vertical conveying of the circuit board. The control system makes logical judgments based on thickness measurement data. When it is determined to be a thick plate, the multi-degree-of-freedom manipulator drives the gripping assembly 42 to grip the circuit board. Then, through the coordinated movement of each joint, the circuit board is flipped from a horizontal state to a vertical state and transferred to the receiving station for release. When it is determined to be a thin plate, the multi-degree-of-freedom manipulator remains in standby mode, and the control system starts the flipping mechanism 5 to perform the loading action.

[0025] The flipping mechanism 5 includes a drive unit 50 and several flipping components 51. The number of flipping components 51 matches the number of gaps between the conveyor rollers. Each flipping component 51 extends into a corresponding gap to ensure uniform support for the bottom of the circuit board. In special working conditions, if the gap between the conveyor rollers is large, multiple flipping components 51 can be arranged side by side in a single gap to improve support stability. The surface of the flipping component 51 is integrated with a second limiting guide component 52. Both the second limiting guide component 52 and the first limiting guide component 43 are used to achieve unilateral rolling limit of the vertical circuit board. When the circuit board is determined to be thin, the drive unit 50 drives the flipping component 51 to flip upwards by 90 degrees, using its surface to support the bottom of the circuit board, bringing the circuit board from a horizontal state to a vertical state. During the flipping process, the circuit board is smoothly fed into the receiving station.

[0026] The vertical conveyor mechanism 6 is erected at the receiving station of the mounting platform, and the other side plate of the machine base 1 has a corresponding discharge port, which is connected to subsequent wet process equipment such as developing, etching, and descaling (DES). The vertical conveyor mechanism 6 is used to receive vertically positioned circuit boards from the multi-degree-of-freedom robot or the flipping mechanism 5, and continuously conveys them upward to the next process by means of friction.

[0027] In this embodiment, a thin plate specifically refers to a circuit board with a thickness of less than 1.0 mm; while a thick plate refers to a circuit board with a thickness greater than 1.0 mm.

[0028] Through the above technical solution, this application can automatically identify the thickness of the circuit board through the thickness measuring mechanism 3, and use the transfer mechanism 4 and the flipping mechanism 5 to adapt and transport thick and thin boards respectively. While avoiding instantaneous damage to the surface of the thick board, it can achieve efficient flipping of the thin board. At the same time, the circuit board is connected and transported in a vertical posture by the single-sided rolling limit of the first limiting guide component 43 and the second limiting guide component 52, which can improve the automation of feeding.

[0029] In one specific implementation, the thickness measuring mechanism 3 includes a mounting frame 30, a rotating frame 31, a displacement sensor 32, and a thickness measuring wheel 33; The mounting frame 30 is mounted on the machine base 1. The rotating frame 31 is rotatably connected to the mounting frame 30 via a first rotating shaft 34. The rotating frame 31 is provided with a mounting shaft 35. The thickness measuring wheel 33 is rotatably sleeved on the mounting shaft 35. The mounting shaft 35 is provided with a contact arm 36. The displacement sensor 32 is mounted on the mounting frame 30, and its output end abuts against the contact arm 36. The first rotating shaft 34 and the mounting shaft 35 are in the same direction, and the axial direction of the first rotating shaft 34 is perpendicular to the first direction.

[0030] like Figure 4As shown, the mounting frame 30 is a square-section aluminum profile frame, with its length direction perpendicular to the first direction (i.e., the mounting frame 30 extends along the width direction of the machine base 1). Leveling pads are fixed to both ends of the mounting frame 30, and these pads are secured to the mounting platform of the machine base 1 with anchor bolts, allowing the mounting frame 30 to be horizontally mounted directly above the conveyor roller line 2. A clearance is reserved between the bottom surface of the mounting frame 30 and the highest point of the conveyor roller to accommodate the circuit board of maximum thickness. Bearing seats are fixed to both ends of the top surface of the mounting frame 30 along its length direction, and the first rotating shaft 34 is supported between the two bearing seats by deep groove ball bearings. The rotating frame 31 consists of two L-shaped high-strength aluminum alloy swing arms, symmetrically arranged at both ends of the length direction of the first rotating shaft 34. The through holes at their turning points are rigidly fixed to the first rotating shaft 34 via key connections, allowing the two swing arms to swing synchronously around the axis of the first rotating shaft 34 within a preset angle range. The mounting shaft 35 is aligned with the first rotating shaft 34. Both ends of the mounting shaft 35 are rigidly connected to the front ends of the two swing arms via set screws. A thickness measuring wheel 33 is rotatably mounted on the mounting shaft 35 via a deep groove ball bearing. The outer circumference of the thickness measuring wheel 33 is covered with an elastic rubber layer to prevent hard contact from scratching the circuit board surface. A contact arm 36 is rigidly fixed to the mounting shaft 35. One end of the contact arm 36 is locked to the mounting shaft 35 by a set screw, and the other end faces the displacement sensor 32. The displacement sensor 32 can be an LVDT differential transformer displacement sensor 32 or a high-precision conductive plastic linear potentiometer, which is fixed to the top surface of the mounting bracket 30 via a bracket. The detection end (such as a probe or moving iron core) of the displacement sensor 32 abuts against the contact arm 36. During operation, the circuit board moves downward in the first direction along with the conveying roller. When the front end of the circuit board contacts the thickness measuring wheel 33, the upward lifting force on the board surface causes the thickness measuring wheel 33, the mounting shaft 35 and the rotating frame 31 to swing upward around the first rotating shaft 34 in sync, thereby causing the contact arm 36 to move upward in sync. The displacement sensor 32 collects the linear displacement of the contact arm 36 in real time. The control system calculates the real-time thickness value of the circuit board based on the difference between the displacement and the preset zero position, combined with the factory calibration coefficient.

[0031] In one specific implementation, the clamping assembly 42 includes a first clamping unit 420, a second clamping unit 421, and a first lifting unit 422; The first gripping unit 420 is located on the side of the mounting base 41 near the receiving station, and the first lifting unit 422 is located on the side of the mounting base 41 near the multi-degree-of-freedom robot. The output end of the first lifting unit 422 is connected to the second gripping unit 421. Both the first clamping unit 420 and the second clamping unit 421 include a clamping mounting plate and a plurality of clamping members arranged side by side along the first direction; The first limiting guide component 43 includes a second lifting unit 430 and a base plate 431. The second lifting unit 430 is disposed on the clamping mounting plate of the first clamping unit 420. The output end of the second lifting unit 430 is connected to the base plate 431. The base plate 431 is provided with a plurality of anti-rolling balls 432 arranged side by side along the first direction.

[0032] See Figure 2 and Figure 3 The first gripping unit 420 is located on the side of the mounting base 41 near the receiving station, responsible for gripping the circuit board on one side along the width direction of the machine platform 1. The second gripping unit 421 is located on the side of the mounting base 41 near the multi-degree-of-freedom robot, responsible for gripping the circuit board on the other side along the width direction of the machine platform 1. When the multi-degree-of-freedom robot vertically releases the thick plate to the receiving station, the first gripping unit 420 and the second gripping unit 421 release the circuit board. At the same time, the second lifting unit 430 drives the substrate 431 to extend, so that the anti-rolling ball 432 abuts against the surface of the thick plate and pushes one side of the thick plate abuts against the vertical conveying mechanism 6. The vertical conveying mechanism 6 conveys the thick plate, and during the subsequent vertical conveying process, the anti-rolling ball 432 rolls with the movement of the circuit board, which can not only provide lateral support to prevent the circuit board from tipping over, but also change sliding friction into rolling friction to avoid damage to the board surface.

[0033] Furthermore, the clamping component includes a clamping plate, a clamping cylinder, and a clamping block. The clamping plate is mounted and fixed on the clamping mounting plate. The clamping cylinder and the clamping block are both disposed on the clamping plate. The output shaft end of the clamping cylinder is provided with a clamping finger. The clamping finger is disposed opposite to the clamping block. The clamping finger and the clamping block are both made of elastic material.

[0034] In this embodiment, the clamping plate serves as the mounting reference and is secured to the clamping mounting plate with screws. The cylinder body of the clamping cylinder is fixed to the clamping plate, and a clamping finger is fixedly mounted to the end of its output shaft. The clamping block is fixed to the end of the clamping plate and positioned opposite the clamping finger, forming a clamping space. To ensure that the edges of the circuit board are not damaged during clamping and that no indentations remain, the working surfaces of the clamping finger and the clamping block are made of elastic materials, such as polyurethane rubber, silicone, or a metal block covered with a soft PVC layer. Through the elastic contact design, sufficient clamping friction can be provided to absorb clamping impact and protect the integrity of the circuit board edges and corners.

[0035] To accommodate circuit boards of different sizes, this application further expands the functionality of the transfer mechanism 4 based on the specific embodiments described above. Specifically, the transfer mechanism 4 also includes an edge-following detection component 44 and a telescopic drive component 45; The edge-following detection component 44 is used to obtain the length and width information of the circuit board; Based on the length and width information, the telescopic drive component 45 controls the first clamping unit 420 to move closer to or further away from the second clamping unit 421, so that the first clamping unit 420 and the second clamping unit 421 enclose and form a clamping cavity adapted to the current circuit board. The machine base 1 is also provided with a baffle 46, which is located on the downstream side of the conveyor roller line 2.

[0036] like Figure 3 As shown, the telescopic drive assembly 45 can specifically be a ball screw module or a synchronous belt module. The telescopic drive assembly 45 is connected to the first clamping unit 420 and drives it to move along a direction perpendicular to the first direction (i.e., towards or away from the second clamping unit 421). The edge-following detection assembly 44 is used to obtain the geometric dimensions of the circuit board. The baffle 46 is located on the downstream side of the machine base 1 in the first direction, serving as a hard limit for the circuit board's movement. When the circuit board is transported to the predetermined position, it is blocked by the baffle 46, ensuring that it stops at the detection station. After the circuit board is in place, the telescopic drive assembly 45, based on the data fed back by the edge-following detection assembly 44, precisely controls the distance between the first clamping unit 420 and the second clamping unit 421, making it exactly equal to the width of the circuit board, thereby enclosing a clamping cavity that tightly fits the edge of the circuit board. This allows the device to be compatible with circuit boards of various sizes without the need for manual adjustment of the clamps.

[0037] Furthermore, the edge inspection and detection component 44 includes a photoelectric sensor 440, a guide rail 441, a sliding seat 442, a drive module 443, a fixed bracket 444, and a side push block 445; At least two photoelectric sensors 440 are distributed on both the upstream and downstream sides of the conveyor roller line 2. The photoelectric sensors 440 are used to detect the leading and trailing edges of the circuit board to obtain the length information. The extension direction of the guide rail 441 is perpendicular to the first direction. The guide rail 441 is mounted on the machine base 1 and located below the conveying roller. The sliding seat 442 is slidably engaged with the guide rail 441 through a slider. The drive module 443 is used to drive the sliding seat 442 to move. The fixed bracket 444 is disposed on the sliding seat 442. The fixed bracket 444 has multiple support arms, each of which is respectively inserted into the gap between two adjacent conveying rollers. Each support arm is provided with a side push block 445, and the side push block 445 has a side reference surface parallel to the first direction.

[0038] Specifically, such as Figures 5 to 8As shown, the edge detection component 44 employs a combination of photoelectric sensing and mechanical pushing. Photoelectric sensors 440 are distributed on the upstream and downstream sides of the first direction, with at least two on each side. When the circuit board is conveyed, the photoelectric sensors 440 calculate the length of the circuit board by detecting the time difference in light occlusion at the leading edge of the circuit board. A guide rail 441 is laid along the width direction of the machine base 1 at the bottom of the machine base 1 and below the conveying rollers. A sliding seat 442 forms a sliding pair with the guide rail 441 via a slider. A drive module 443 (such as a lead screw mechanism driven by a stepper motor) is used to drive the sliding seat 442 to translate along the guide rail 441. A fixed bracket 444 is comb-shaped, its bottom fixed to the sliding seat 442, and its top extending upwards with multiple support arms. The support arms extend upwards through the gap between adjacent conveying rollers. A side push block 445 is fixed to the top of each support arm, and its inner side has a side-mounted reference surface parallel to the first direction. During the circuit board's movement, the side push block 445 is located at the end of the gap. After the circuit board stops in place, one side of the circuit board along the width direction of the machine tool 1 faces the side push block 445. During width detection, the drive module 443 pushes the sliding seat 442 to move, causing the side push block 445 to contact one edge of the circuit board and continue pushing the circuit board until its other edge is in close contact with the clamping plate of the first clamping unit 420. By reading the displacement of the drive module 443 or the position information of the sliding seat 442, the width information of the circuit board can be accurately obtained. Under this setting, the length and width of the circuit board can be quickly and accurately measured online without lifting the circuit board.

[0039] In this embodiment, when performing vertical feeding of thick plates, the first clamping unit 420 and the second clamping unit 421 clamp the circuit board from both sides of the machine base 1 along the width direction. After being flipped to a vertical state by a multi-degree-of-freedom robot, the circuit board is transferred to the receiving station. The clamping parts of the first clamping unit 420 and the second clamping unit 421 are released. At this time, the circuit board can move relative to the clamping parts in the vertical plane. The first lifting unit 422 drives its output end to extend, driving the first limiting guide component 43 (anti-rolling ball 432) to move closer to the circuit board until it abuts the surface of the circuit board. At the same time, the second lifting unit 430 drives its output end to extend, driving the second clamping unit 421 to move down relative to the mounting base 41. This action causes the clamping cavity originally formed by the second clamping unit 421 to be misaligned in the height direction relative to the clamping cavity of the first clamping unit 420, so that after the second lifting unit 430 extends into place, the second clamping unit 421 completely avoids the back area of ​​the circuit board. At this time, the first lifting unit 422 continues to push the first limiting guide assembly 43, smoothly pushing the circuit board towards the unilateral transmission conveying surface until the circuit board forms rolling contact with the active conveying wheel 62 and the first driven guide wheel on the conveying surface. During this process, since the second clamping unit 421 has completely avoided interference with the vertical conveying mechanism 6, the circuit board can be transferred from the clamping assembly 42 to the vertical conveying mechanism 6 without obstruction and with low friction, and the risk of the circuit board bending is prevented.

[0040] In one specific embodiment, the driving component 50 includes a driving motor 500, a cam linkage mechanism 501, and a flipping shaft 502. The flipping shaft 502 is fixedly connected to the flipping component 51, and the driving motor 500 is rotatably connected to the flipping shaft 502 through the cam linkage mechanism 501. The flipping component 51 is a long strip-shaped plate structure. The second limiting guide component 52 includes several flipping guide wheels arranged side by side. The flipping guide wheels are rotatably mounted on the flipping component 51, and the axis of the flipping guide wheels is parallel to the first direction.

[0041] like Figure 7 , Figure 9 and Figure 10As shown, the drive motor 500 can be a stepper motor or a servo motor. Its housing is fixed to the side wall of the machine base 1 via a flange. The motor output shaft is connected to the input end of the cam linkage mechanism 501 via a coupling, outputting a stable rotational torque. The cam linkage mechanism 501 converts the continuous rotational motion of the motor into intermittent oscillation or reciprocating oscillation at a specific angle of the tilting shaft 502. The tilting shaft 502 is arranged along the length of the machine base 1, and its two ends are supported on the mounting platform by bearings with mounting seats. Each tilting component 51 is evenly distributed along the length of the tilting shaft 502 and is rigidly fixed to the tilting shaft 502 by a flat key connection or a flange, so that when the tilting shaft 502 rotates, all tilting components 51 can maintain synchronous tilting action, avoiding circuit board twisting or jamming caused by inconsistent action of each tilting component 51.

[0042] The flipping component 51 is a long, strip-shaped plate structure, specifically made of high-strength aluminum alloy profile. In its non-working state (horizontal state), the flipping component 51 is housed in the gap between adjacent conveying rollers. The second limiting guide assembly 52 on the surface of the flipping component 51 includes several flipping guide wheels arranged side-by-side along a second direction. The flipping guide wheels are mounted on the cantilever arm of the flipping component 51 via miniature deep groove ball bearings or needle roller bearings, and their rotation axis is perpendicular to the first direction, ensuring that when the flipping component 51 is in a vertical state, the wheel surface is consistent with the direction of travel of the circuit board in the vertical conveying state.

[0043] During the circuit board's movement, the initial position of the upper tangential surface of the flipping guide wheel is slightly lower than the upper tangential surface of the conveying roller (e.g., 1-2 mm lower) to avoid interfering with the normal horizontal transport of the circuit board. When the thickness measuring mechanism 3 obtains the thickness information of the circuit board and determines that it is a thin board, the control system issues a command, and the drive motor 500 starts. The flipping component 51 flips upward under the drive of the drive component 50, and its surface first contacts and lifts the bottom of the circuit board, causing the circuit board to detach from the surface of the conveying roller. As the flipping component 51 continues to flip to a near-vertical state (approximately 80°-90°), the circuit board slides down to the entrance of the vertical conveying mechanism 6 located on one side under the action of gravity. The drive motor 500 continues to drive the flipping component 51 to flip to a completely vertical state. At this time, the flipping guide wheels are vertically distributed, and their wheel surfaces form rolling contact with the surface of the circuit board entering the vertical conveying channel, thereby providing necessary lateral support and guidance for the thin board. It is worth noting that when the circuit board is a thin board, the telescopic drive component 45 and the edge-tracking detection component 44 are both in standby mode. The circuit board can be flipped after being blocked by the baffle 46.

[0044] In one specific implementation, the vertical conveying mechanism 6 includes a lower frame plate 60, an upper frame plate 61, an active conveying wheel 62, a first rotating rod 63, a second rotating rod 64, and a conveying drive assembly 65; The lower frame plate 60 is provided with a plurality of first transmission seats 66 spaced apart along the first direction. Each first transmission seat 66 is connected to a transmission shaft 67 via a bearing. One end of the transmission shaft 67 is provided with the active conveying wheel 62. The conveying drive assembly 65 is used to drive several transmission shafts 67 to rotate synchronously. One end of the first rotating rod 63 is rotatably connected to the upper frame plate 61, and the other end is provided with a first gear 68. The first gear 68 is rotatably connected to the first transmission seat 66. The first rotating rod 63 is fixedly sleeved with a plurality of first driven guide wheels distributed vertically at intervals. The end face of the driving conveying wheel 62 facing the first rotating rod 63 is provided with a first tooth 69, and the first tooth 69 is meshed with the first gear 68. The lower frame plate 60 is provided with a plurality of second transmission seats at intervals along the first direction. The second transmission seats are located on the downstream side of the first direction and correspond one-to-one with the first transmission seats 66. One end of the second rotating rod 64 is rotatably connected to the upper frame plate 61, and the other end is provided with a second gear. The second gear is rotatably connected to the second transmission seat. The second rotating rod 64 is fixedly sleeved with a plurality of second driven guide wheels distributed vertically at intervals. The end face of the driving conveying wheel 62 facing the second rotating rod 64 is provided with second teeth, and the second teeth are meshed with the second gear. The number of the second transmission seats is less than the number of the first transmission seats 66; the first rotating rod 63 and the second rotating rod 64 form a first double-sided limiting conveying channel, and the remaining unpaired first rotating rods 63 form a single-sided transmission conveying surface; the single-sided transmission conveying surface cooperates with the first limiting guide component 43 and the second limiting guide component 52 to form a second double-sided limiting conveying channel.

[0045] like Figure 9 , Figure 11 and Figure 12As shown, a plurality of first transmission seats 66 are fixedly fixed at intervals along a first direction on the lower frame plate 60. A transmission shaft 67 is supported by a bearing within each first transmission seat 66. A drive conveyor wheel 62 is keyed to the upper end of the transmission shaft 67. The conveying drive assembly 65 drives all transmission shafts 67 to rotate synchronously, causing the drive conveyor wheel 62 to rotate to provide conveying power. A first rotating rod 63 is located on one side of the drive conveyor wheel 62. Its lower end is connected to the first transmission seat 66 via a bearing, and its upper end passes through the lower frame plate 60 and is rotatably connected to the upper frame plate 61. A first gear 68 is fixedly mounted on the lower end of the first rotating rod 63. The drive conveyor wheel 62 has annularly distributed first teeth 69 machined on its end face facing the first rotating rod 63. When the drive conveyor wheel 62 rotates, the first teeth 69 mesh with and drive the first gear 68 to rotate, thereby causing the first rotating rod 63 to rotate synchronously. A plurality of first driven guide wheels are fixedly sleeved on the first rotating rod 63 along a vertical direction. A second rotating rod 64 is located on the other side of the drive conveyor wheel 62. The number of second transmission seats is less than that of the first transmission seats 66, and they are located downstream in the first direction. The structure of the second rotating rod 64 is similar to that of the first rotating rod 63, and the second gear at its lower end meshes with the second tooth on the end face of the drive conveying wheel 62. Due to the smaller number of second transmission seats, the vertical conveying mechanism 6 can form a first double-sided limiting conveying channel and a single-sided transmission conveying surface that are interconnected. The first double-sided limiting conveying channel is formed by the pair of first rotating rods 63 and second rotating rods 64, and the single-sided transmission conveying surface is formed by the arrangement of unpaired first rotating rods 63. During conveying, the circuit board is conveyed through the first driven guide wheel, the second driven guide wheel, and the drive conveying wheel 62. In use, the circuit board enters and fits the single-sided transmission conveyor surface through the clamping component 42 or the flipping component 51, and is laterally rolled and limited by the first limiting guide component 43 or the second limiting guide component 52. It forms a second double-sided limiting conveyor channel with the first driven guide wheel on the first rotating rod 63, and enters the second double-sided limiting conveyor channel, and is finally conveyed to the discharge port.

[0046] Furthermore, the conveying drive assembly 65 includes a conveying shaft, a plurality of driving bevel gears, and a plurality of driven bevel gears; The lower frame plate 60 is provided with a bearing seat, and a conveying shaft is supported in the bearing seat. The conveying shaft extends along the first direction and is connected to the drive motor for transmission. The conveying shaft is fitted with several driving bevel gears, and each of the drive shafts 67 has a driven bevel gear at the end away from the driving conveyor wheel 62. Each driving bevel gear is meshed with a driven bevel gear.

[0047] Specifically, a bearing housing is fixed to the bottom of the lower frame plate 60, which internally supports a long-span conveyor shaft. The conveyor shaft extends along a first direction, and one end is connected to a drive motor (such as a servo motor) via a coupling. Multiple driving bevel gears are fixedly sleeved on the conveyor shaft along its length. The lower end of each drive shaft 67 extends below the first drive seat 66, and a driven bevel gear is fixed at its end. Each driving bevel gear meshes precisely with one driven bevel gear. During operation, the drive motor drives the conveyor shaft to rotate, and through the meshing transmission of each driving bevel gear and driven bevel gear, power is distributed to each drive shaft 67, thereby driving all the driving conveyor wheels 62 to rotate synchronously.

[0048] Furthermore, to prevent the circuit board from being damaged by slippage, squeezing or friction during vertical transport, the outer periphery of the active conveyor wheel 62, the first driven guide wheel and the second driven guide wheel are all covered with an anti-slip buffer layer. The anti-slip buffer layer is made of an elastic wear-resistant material, which may be, but is not limited to, polyurethane (PU), ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber or nitrile rubber (NBR).

[0049] The various embodiments of this application have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, nor are they limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical application, or improvement of the technology in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A vertical circuit board feeding device, characterized in that, include: The machine (1) is provided with a receiving station and a conveyor roller line (2) for conveying circuit boards along a first direction. The conveyor roller line (2) has a number of conveyor rollers arranged at intervals. The receiving station is located on one side of the conveyor roller line (2). Thickness measuring mechanism (3) is located on the upstream side of the conveyor roller line (2) and above the conveyor roller line (2) to obtain the thickness information of the circuit board; The transfer mechanism (4) is located on the other side of the conveyor roller line (2), including a multi-degree-of-freedom manipulator, a mounting base (41), a gripping assembly (42), and a first limiting guide assembly (43). The mounting base (41) is connected to the execution end of the multi-degree-of-freedom manipulator. The gripping assembly (42) and the first limiting guide assembly (43) are mounted on the mounting base (41). The multi-degree-of-freedom manipulator is used to grip the circuit board through the gripping assembly (42) when it is determined to be a thick plate based on the thickness information, and then flip the circuit board to a vertical state and release it to the receiving station. The flipping mechanism (5) includes a drive member (50) and a plurality of flipping members (51). Each of the flipping members (51) is disposed in the gap between two adjacent conveying rollers. The flipping member (51) is provided with a second limiting guide assembly (52). The drive member (50) is used to drive the flipping member (51) to support the bottom of the circuit board when it is determined to be a thin plate, and flip the circuit board to a vertical state to enter the receiving station. A vertical conveying mechanism (6) is located at the receiving station and is used to receive and vertically convey circuit boards. The first limiting guide component (43) and the second limiting guide component (52) are used to laterally roll and limit the circuit board located at the receiving station. The clamping assembly (42) includes a first clamping unit (420), a second clamping unit (421), and a first lifting unit (422); The first gripping unit (420) is located on the side of the mounting base (41) near the receiving station, and the first lifting unit (422) is located on the side of the mounting base (41) near the multi-degree-of-freedom robot. The output end of the first lifting unit (422) is connected to the second gripping unit (421). Both the first clamping unit (420) and the second clamping unit (421) include a clamping mounting plate and a plurality of clamping members arranged side by side along the first direction; The first limiting guide assembly (43) includes a second lifting unit (430) and a base plate (431). The second lifting unit (430) is disposed on the clamping mounting plate of the first clamping unit (420). The output end of the second lifting unit (430) is connected to the base plate (431). The base plate (431) is provided with a plurality of anti-rolling balls (432) arranged side by side along the first direction. The transfer mechanism (4) also includes a patrol detection component (44) and a telescopic drive component (45); The edge-following detection component (44) is used to obtain the length and width information of the circuit board; The telescopic drive assembly (45) controls the first clamping unit (420) to move closer to or further away from the second clamping unit (421) based on the length and width information, so that the first clamping unit (420) and the second clamping unit (421) enclose and form a clamping cavity adapted to the current circuit board. The machine (1) is also provided with a baffle (46), which is located on the downstream side of the conveyor roller line (2).

2. The circuit board vertical feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness measuring mechanism (3) includes a mounting frame (30), a rotating frame (31), a displacement sensor (32), and a thickness measuring wheel (33); The mounting frame (30) is mounted on the machine base (1). The rotating frame (31) is rotatably connected to the mounting frame (30) via a first rotating shaft (34). The rotating frame (31) is provided with a mounting shaft (35). The thickness measuring wheel (33) is rotatably sleeved on the mounting shaft (35). The mounting shaft (35) is provided with a contact arm (36). The displacement sensor (32) is mounted on the mounting frame (30), and its output end abuts against the contact arm (36). The first rotating shaft (34) is in the same direction as the mounting shaft (35), and the axial direction of the first rotating shaft (34) is perpendicular to the first direction.

3. The circuit board vertical feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping component includes a clamping plate, a clamping cylinder, and a clamping block. The clamping plate is mounted and fixed on the clamping mounting plate. The clamping cylinder and the clamping block are both located on the clamping plate. The output shaft end of the clamping cylinder is provided with a clamping finger. The clamping finger is arranged opposite to the clamping block. Both the clamping finger and the clamping block are made of elastic material.

4. The circuit board vertical feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The edge patrol detection component (44) includes a photoelectric sensor (440), a guide rail (441), a sliding seat (442), a drive module (443), a fixed bracket (444), and a side push block (445); At least two photoelectric sensors (440) are distributed on both the upstream and downstream sides of the conveying roller line (2). The photoelectric sensors (440) are used to detect the front and rear edges of the circuit board to obtain the length information. The extension direction of the guide rail (441) is perpendicular to the first direction. The guide rail (441) is mounted on the machine base (1) and located below the conveying roller. The sliding seat (442) is slidably engaged with the guide rail (441) through a slider. The drive module (443) is used to drive the sliding seat (442) to move. The fixed bracket (444) is mounted on the sliding seat (442). The fixed bracket (444) has multiple support arms, each of which is respectively inserted into the gap between two adjacent conveying rollers. Each support arm is provided with a side push block (445), and the side push block (445) has a side reference surface parallel to the first direction.

5. The circuit board vertical feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The driving component (50) includes a drive motor (500), a cam linkage mechanism (501), and a flip shaft (502). The flip shaft (502) is fixedly connected to the flip component (51), and the drive motor (500) is rotatably connected to the flip shaft (502) through the cam linkage mechanism (501). The flipping component (51) is a long strip plate structure. The second limiting guide component (52) includes several flipping guide wheels arranged side by side. The flipping guide wheels are rotatably mounted on the flipping component (51). The axis of the flipping guide wheels is parallel to the first direction.

6. The circuit board vertical feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vertical conveying mechanism (6) includes a lower frame plate (60), an upper frame plate (61), an active conveying wheel (62), a first rotating rod (63), a second rotating rod (64), and a conveying drive assembly (65); The lower frame plate (60) is provided with a plurality of first transmission seats (66) spaced apart along the first direction. Each first transmission seat (66) is connected to a transmission shaft (67) through a bearing. One end of the transmission shaft (67) is provided with the active conveying wheel (62). The conveying drive assembly (65) is used to drive several transmission shafts (67) to rotate synchronously; One end of the first rotating rod (63) is rotatably connected to the upper frame plate (61), and the other end is provided with a first gear (68). The first gear (68) is rotatably connected to the first transmission seat (66). The first rotating rod (63) is fixedly sleeved with a plurality of first driven guide wheels distributed vertically at intervals. The end face of the driving conveyor wheel (62) facing the first rotating rod (63) is provided with a first tooth (69), and the first tooth (69) meshes with the first gear (68). The lower frame plate (60) is provided with a plurality of second transmission seats at intervals along the first direction. The second transmission seats are located on the downstream side of the first direction and correspond one-to-one with the first transmission seats (66). One end of the second rotating rod (64) is rotatably connected to the upper frame plate (61), and the other end is provided with a second gear. The second gear is rotatably connected to the second transmission seat. The second rotating rod (64) is fixedly sleeved with a plurality of second driven guide wheels distributed at intervals along the vertical direction. The end face of the driving conveying wheel (62) facing the second rotating rod (64) is provided with a second tooth, and the second tooth is meshed with the second gear. The number of the second transmission seats is less than the number of the first transmission seats (66); the first rotating rod (63) and the second rotating rod (64) enclose each other to form a first double-sided limiting conveying channel, and the remaining unpaired first rotating rods (63) form a single-sided transmission conveying surface; the single-sided transmission conveying surface cooperates with the first limiting guide assembly (43) and the second limiting guide assembly (52) to form a second double-sided limiting conveying channel.

7. The circuit board vertical feeding device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The conveying drive assembly (65) includes a conveying shaft, a plurality of driving bevel gears and a plurality of driven bevel gears; The lower frame plate (60) is provided with a bearing seat, and a conveying shaft is supported in the bearing seat. The conveying shaft extends along the first direction and is connected to the drive motor for transmission. The conveying shaft is fitted with several driving bevel gears, and each of the drive shafts (67) has a driven bevel gear at one end away from the driving conveyor wheel (62). Each driving bevel gear is meshed with a driven bevel gear.

8. The circuit board vertical feeding device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The outer periphery of the active conveyor wheel (62), the first driven guide wheel, and the second driven guide wheel are all covered with an anti-slip buffer layer, which is made of an elastic wear-resistant material.

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