A method of swapping an upper and lower tray

Abstract

The application discloses a method for switching upper and lower tray plates, and sets two tray plate conveying modules in parallel, an empty tray plate feeding module and a full tray plate discharging module are respectively connected with the two tray plate conveying modules; the empty tray plate feeding module is connected with a jacking motor, a tray separating structure and a conveying belt to convey the empty tray plate to one side of the tray plate conveying module, and the tray plate is compressed by a tray compressing structure and waits for discharging; a material taking head is used to put a chip into a nest of the tray plate; when the tray plate is full, the full tray plate discharging module is moved to the side to be connected, the full tray plate is conveyed to a jacking position through the conveying belt, a side material shaking structure shakes the material, a jacking cylinder jacks up the full tray plate to the tray separating structure to complete the discharging; the left and right sides stagger to feed, discharge and discharge. When the tray plate is connected, the application does not affect the work of the material taking head, the material taking head can continuously work without stopping, and the size of the equipment is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor packaging equipment technology, and more specifically to a method for exchanging upper and lower trays. Background Technology

[0002] In the semiconductor packaging process, trays are typically used to carry chips, and empty trays are supplied and full trays are collected through loading and unloading devices.

[0003] There are two main existing methods for loading and unloading trays. One is a dual-track parallel method, where empty trays enter from the front of the equipment and full trays exit from the rear. The drawbacks of this method are: firstly, it increases the size of the equipment in the front-to-back direction, requiring a larger footprint; secondly, it is inconvenient for operators, who need to go around to the back of the equipment to retrieve full trays.

[0004] Another method is a three-track parallel arrangement, where loading and unloading both occur from the front of the equipment. Two tracks hold empty trays, while the other track holds full trays, which are then moved by grippers. The drawbacks of this method are: firstly, there is a risk of trays falling or vibrating during transport, which could damage or scatter the chips; secondly, to avoid affecting the unloading operation, the overall size of the equipment needs to be increased, resulting in a less compact structure. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, the purpose of this application is to provide a method for interchangeable upper and lower trays, employing an alternating upper and lower tray configuration and connecting with a dual-rail conveyor. This method does not interfere with the operation of the material handling head during tray docking, while simultaneously reducing the overall size of the equipment. This invention utilizes movable loading and unloading modules that alternately dock with the left and right conveyor modules, allowing the loading and unloading operations of the trays and the unloading operations of the material handling head to proceed in parallel on both sides. This overcomes the problems of large equipment size, inconvenient operation, and the risks of material spillage and vibration during gripper handling in existing technologies. To achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solution: This application provides a method for interchangeable upper and lower trays, including the following steps: Two tray conveying modules are arranged side by side. Each tray conveying module is equipped with a conveyor belt for conveying trays and a tray pressing structure for pressing trays. The movable empty tray loading module is moved to one of the tray conveying modules and docked with it. The empty tray loading module separates the stacked empty trays one by one through the lifting motor and the tray separating structure, and the separated empty trays are conveyed to the docked tray conveying module via the conveyor belt. After the empty trays reach the designated position, they are pressed by the tray pressing structure and wait for material to be released. The pick-up head places the chip into a cavity in an empty tray located on the tray conveyor module; When the tray on this side is full, the movable full tray unloading module is moved to the tray conveying module on this side and docked with it. The full tray is then conveyed to the lifting position by the conveyor belt, and then the lifting cylinder lifts the full tray to the tray structure to complete the unloading of the full tray. The left and right tray conveying modules alternately perform empty tray loading, chip unloading, and full tray unloading, so that the material pick-up head works continuously.

[0006] Furthermore, both the empty Tray loading module and the full Tray unloading module move along the guide rail, and before moving, the anti-collision sensor determines whether the moving path is safe. If it is safe, the empty Tray loading module or the full Tray unloading module is moved to the corresponding Tray conveying module for docking.

[0007] Furthermore, the specific steps for loading the empty tray loading module are as follows: the stacked empty trays are manually placed into the empty tray loading module, the lifting motor lifts the entire stack of empty trays, the tray separating structure separates a single empty tray from the entire stack of empty trays, and the conveyor belt transports the separated single empty tray to the docking tray conveying module.

[0008] Furthermore, after the empty tray is conveyed to the designated position of the tray conveying module via the conveyor belt, the tray pressing structure presses and positions the empty tray; when the material is unloaded or when the tray needs to be replaced, the tray pressing structure releases the tray.

[0009] Furthermore, during the process of the full tray being conveyed to the lifting position via the conveyor belt, the side vibrating structure on the full tray unloading module works to vibrate the tray and vibrate the chips in the tray into the nest, so as to prevent the chips from being pushed out during the conveying process.

[0010] Furthermore, after the full tray is conveyed to the lifting position, the lifting cylinder lifts the full tray upward to the tray distribution structure, where the tray distribution structure receives the full tray and allows multiple full trays that are fed in sequence to be stacked and collected.

[0011] Furthermore, the left and right tray conveying modules have the same structure. The empty tray loading module can selectively connect with the left tray conveying module or the right tray conveying module to supply empty trays, and the full tray unloading module can selectively connect with the left tray conveying module or the right tray conveying module to collect full trays.

[0012] Furthermore, the specific process of alternating operation on the left and right sides is as follows: When the left tray is full, the full tray unloading module is moved to the left tray conveying module to dock and unload the full tray. At the same time, the material pick-up head continues to feed material to the empty tray on the right side above the right tray conveying module. When the right tray is full, the full tray unloading module is moved to the right tray conveying module to dock and unload the full tray. At the same time, the material pick-up head continues to feed material to the empty tray on the left side above the left tray conveying module.

[0013] Furthermore, the tray is provided with a number of cells for accommodating chips, and the pick-up head puts the chips into the cells one by one; when all the cells on the tray are filled with chips or the number of chips put in reaches a set value, the tray is determined to be a full tray.

[0014] Furthermore, both the empty Tray loading module and the full Tray unloading module are equipped with the conveyor belt, the tray splitting structure, and the anti-collision sensor; the empty Tray loading module drives the Tray to be lifted by the lifting motor, and the full Tray unloading module drives the Tray to be lifted by the lifting cylinder.

[0015] Beneficial effects Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: The loading and unloading adopts an alternating operation mode. The empty Tray loading module and the full Tray unloading module can be moved and connected to the left and right Tray conveying modules respectively. There is no need to set up an outlet position at the rear of the equipment, nor is there an additional full Tray track as required by the three-track system, thus reducing the overall size of the equipment. The dual-track conveyor system allows for staggered loading, unloading, and discharge on both sides. While the tray is being changed or unloaded on one side, the material picker head can continue feeding on the other side, thus enabling the material picker head to work continuously without interruption and improving production efficiency. Trays are transported between modules via conveyor belts throughout the process, eliminating the need for grippers to handle them and avoiding the risk of material dropping or vibrating during gripper handling. During the full tray unloading process, the side vibrating structure vibrates the chip into the nest, preventing the chip from being dislodged during transportation and ensuring the reliability of the chip's position in the tray; By using anti-collision sensors to perform safety checks before and during the movement of the movable module, collisions between the module and personnel or obstacles during docking and repositioning are avoided, thus improving the safety of equipment operation. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The accompanying drawings are provided to illustrate the technical solutions of this disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of this disclosure to explain the technical solutions of this disclosure and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions of this disclosure. The shapes and sizes of the components in the drawings do not reflect actual proportions and are only intended to illustrate the content of this application.

[0017] Figure 1 This is an isometric view of the overall structure of an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is an isometric view of the module assembly structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is an isometric view of the empty Tray loading module according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is an isometric view of the full-tray unloading module according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is an isometric view of the Tray conveying module and guide rail according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a top view of the dual-track arrangement structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] In the above attached figures, 1. Tray tray; 2. Nest; 3. Empty Tray tray loading module; 4. Lifting motor; 5. Tray splitting structure; 6. Conveyor belt; 7. Anti-collision sensor; 8. Left empty Tray loading module; 9. Left Tray tray conveying module; 10. Pressing Tray structure; 11. Right empty Tray loading module; 12. Right Tray tray conveying module; 13. Full Tray unloading module; 14. Side vibrating structure; 15. Lifting cylinder; 16. Lifting position; 17. Material pick-up head; 18. Guide rail. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The above-described solution will be further illustrated below with reference to specific embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. The implementation conditions used in the embodiments may be further adjusted according to the conditions of specific manufacturers, and the implementation conditions not specified are generally those in routine experiments.

[0020] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in the embodiments of this disclosure shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in the embodiments of this disclosure do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Terms such as "comprising" or "including" mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the element or object listed following the word and its equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. Terms such as "connected" or "linked" are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. In this document, "electrical connection" includes the situation where constituent elements are connected together by an element having some electrical function. There is no particular limitation on the "electrically functioning element," as long as it enables the transmission and reception of electrical signals between the connected constituent elements. An "electrically functioning element" can be, for example, an electrode or wiring, a switching element such as a transistor, or other functional elements such as a resistor, inductor, or capacitor. "Up," "down," "left," and "right" are only used to indicate relative positional relationships. When the absolute position of the object being described changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0021] In this application, the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," "middle," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are primarily for the purpose of better describing this application and its embodiments, and are not intended to limit the indicated device, element, or component to having a specific orientation, or to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation.

[0022] like Figures 1 to 6As shown, this embodiment provides a method for exchanging trays, which is based on an exchangeable tray device. The device includes a frame, a left tray conveying module 9 and a right tray conveying module 12 arranged side by side, an empty tray loading module 3 movably mounted on the frame, and a full tray unloading module 13 movably mounted on the frame. The frame provides the mounting base for each module. The left tray conveying module 9 and the right tray conveying module 12 are fixedly mounted on the frame, while the empty tray loading module 3 and the full tray unloading module 13 are movably mounted on the frame. A guide rail 18 is provided on the frame, and both the empty tray loading module 3 and the full tray unloading module 13 can move along the guide rail 18 and can respectively dock with the left tray conveying module 9 or the right tray conveying module 12.

[0023] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the empty tray loading module 3 has two working positions in the device, namely the left empty tray loading module 8 corresponding to the left tray conveying module 9 and the right empty tray loading module 11 corresponding to the right tray conveying module 12. The left empty tray loading module 8 and the right empty tray loading module 11 have the same structure, both being the aforementioned empty tray loading module 3. Figure 1 and Figure 6 The diagram shows the empty Tray loading module 3 (i.e., the left empty Tray loading module 8) located on the left. When an empty Tray needs to be supplied to the right, the empty Tray loading module 3 moves along the guide rail 18 to the right, that is, it docks with the right empty Tray loading module 11 and the right Tray conveying module 12.

[0024] like Figure 3 As shown, the empty tray loading module 3 includes a lifting motor 4, a tray separating structure 5, a conveyor belt 6, and an anti-collision sensor 7. The lifting motor 4 is located at the bottom of the empty tray loading module 3 and is used to lift the stacked empty trays 1. The lifting motor 4 drives the pallet to rise and fall vertically through a transmission mechanism, raising the entire stack of empty trays 1 to the height of the tray separating structure 5. The tray separating structure 5 is located at the top of the empty tray loading module 3 and is used to separate individual empty trays 1 from the stacked empty trays 1, allowing each individual empty tray 1 to separate from the entire stack and fall onto the conveyor belt 6. The conveyor belt 6 is located below or to the side of the tray separating structure 5 and is used to transport the separated individual empty trays 1 towards the tray conveyor module. The anti-collision sensor 7 is installed on the empty Tray loading module 3. It is used to detect whether there are obstacles or people on the moving path before the empty Tray loading module 3 moves along the guide rail 18 and during the movement, so as to determine whether the movement is safe and avoid collisions.

[0025] like Figure 4 As shown, the full tray unloading module 13 includes a lifting cylinder 15, a tray-splitting structure 5, a conveyor belt 6, an anti-collision sensor 7, and a side-vibrating structure 14. The lifting cylinder 15 is located at the bottom of the full tray unloading module 13 and is used to vertically lift the full tray 1 conveyed to the lifting position 16. The tray-splitting structure 5 is located at the top of the full tray unloading module 13 and is used to receive the full tray 1 lifted by the lifting cylinder 15, and to stack and collect multiple full trays 1 that are unloaded sequentially. The conveyor belt 6 is used to transport the full tray 1 from the tray conveying module to the lifting position 16. The anti-collision sensor 7 is used to detect path safety before and during the movement of the full tray unloading module 13. The side vibration structure 14 is located on the side of the full tray unloading module 13 and close to the conveyor belt 6. It is used to apply vibration to the tray 1 during the conveying process of the full tray 1, so that the chips that may be lifted in the tray 1 due to the conveying process fall back into the material trough 2 under the action of vibration, ensuring that the chips are completely contained in the material trough 2.

[0026] like Figure 5 As shown, the left tray conveyor module 9 and the right tray conveyor module 12 have the same structure, both including a conveyor belt 6 and a tray pressing structure 10. The conveyor belt 6 carries and conveys the tray 1, allowing the tray 1 to move between the docking position and the unloading position. The tray pressing structure 10 is installed on the tray conveyor module and is used to press and position the tray 1 after it reaches the designated position, preventing the tray 1 from shifting during the unloading process and ensuring accurate chip placement; and to release the tray 1 when unloading is complete or when the tray 1 needs to be replaced, allowing the tray 1 to be conveyed by the conveyor belt 6.

[0027] like Figure 1 and Figure 6 As shown, the left tray conveying module 9 and the right tray conveying module 12 are arranged side by side, forming a dual-rail conveying structure. The guide rail 18 is arranged perpendicular to the conveying direction of the tray conveying modules, allowing the empty tray loading module 3 and the full tray unloading module 13 to move and interchange between the left and right tray conveying modules, thus enabling them to dock with either the left or right tray conveying module as needed. Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, the extension direction of the guide rail 18 is arranged at an angle to the conveying direction of the conveyor belt 6, so that the empty tray loading module 3 and the full tray unloading module 13 can move from the side of the tray conveying module and complete the docking.

[0028] Figure 1The overall structure of the device of the present invention is shown, including a frame, a left tray conveying module 9, a right tray conveying module 12, an empty tray loading module 3, a full tray unloading module 13, and a guide rail 18. Figure 2 The structure of each module after assembly is shown, and the arrangement of the plate frame of each module and the conveyor belt 6 can be seen. Figure 3 The specific structure of the empty Tray loading module 3 is shown, with a lifting motor 4 at the bottom and a tray structure 5 and an anti-collision sensor 7 at the top. Figure 4 The specific structure of the full tray unloading module 13 is shown, which has a lifting cylinder 15 at the bottom and a side vibrating structure 14 on the side. Figure 5 The structure of the Tray conveyor module and the guide rail 18 is shown. The Tray conveyor module is provided with a Tray pressing structure 10, and the Tray 1 is placed on the conveyor belt 6. Figure 6 The diagram is a top-down view, showing the dual-track arrangement of the left Tray conveyor module 9 and the right Tray conveyor module 12 side by side.

[0029] like Figure 2 As shown, the empty tray loading module 3, the full tray unloading module 13, and the tray conveying module form a multi-layer frame structure in the assembled state. Each module is supported by a plate frame, and the conveyor belt 6 is arranged along the length of the module. The belt is equipped with pulleys at both ends and is driven by a drive component. Each module's frame is provided with mounting positions for components such as the lifting motor 4, lifting cylinder 15, tray pressing structure 10, and anti-collision sensor 7. The components are connected by fasteners. The overall structure is compact, highly modular, and easy to assemble and maintain.

[0030] When the empty tray loading module 3 moves to dock with the left tray conveyor module 9, their conveyor belts 6 connect, allowing the empty tray 1 to smoothly transition from the empty tray loading module 3's conveyor belt 6 to the left tray conveyor module 9's conveyor belt 6. Similarly, when the full tray unloading module 13 moves to dock with the left tray conveyor module 9, their conveyor belts 6 connect, allowing the full tray 1 to smoothly transition from the left tray conveyor module 9's conveyor belt 6 to the full tray unloading module 13's conveyor belt 6. The docking method on the right side is the same as on the left.

[0031] The collision avoidance sensor 7 is oriented towards the movement direction of the module, and is used to detect whether there are obstacles or people on the movement path before and during the movement of the module along the guide rail 18. When the collision avoidance sensor 7 detects an obstacle or person on the movement path, the module stops moving or is prohibited from starting to move; only when the collision avoidance sensor 7 determines that it is safe will the module move along the guide rail 18 to dock with the corresponding tray conveyor module.

[0032] The tray pressing structure 10 moves towards or away from the tray 1 under the drive of the driving element. When the tray 1 reaches the designated position, the tray pressing structure 10 presses against the tray 1, pressing and positioning the tray 1 firmly on the conveyor belt 6; when the tray 1 needs to be conveyed, the tray pressing structure 10 lifts and releases the tray 1. The tray 1 is provided with several material slots 2 arranged in an array, each material slot 2 is used to hold one chip. The pick-up head 17 (not shown in the figure) is located above the tray conveyor module, and moves above the left tray conveyor module 9 and the right tray conveyor module 12 under the drive of the driving mechanism, placing the chips one by one into the material slots 2 of the tray 1.

[0033] The method for exchanging upper and lower trays in this embodiment specifically includes the following steps: Step S1, Empty Tray Loading: The stacked empty trays 1 are manually placed into the empty tray loading module 3. The lifting motor 4 operates, lifting the entire stack of empty trays 1 upwards. The tray separating structure 5 activates, separating individual empty trays 1 from the stack and allowing them to fall onto the conveyor belt 6, thus achieving the individual separation of empty trays 1. When the anti-collision sensor 7 determines the movement path is safe, the empty tray loading module 3 moves along the guide rail 18 to the left tray conveyor module 9 (now acting as the left empty tray loading module 8) and docks with it. The conveyor belt 6 operates, transporting the empty trays 1 onto the conveyor belt 6 of the left tray conveyor module 9. After the empty trays 1 reach the designated position on the left tray conveyor module 9, the tray pressing structure 10 activates, pressing the empty trays 1 tightly, awaiting the material dispensing head 17 to release them. After an empty tray 1 is separated and sent out, the lifting motor 4 continues to lift the entire stack of empty trays 1, so that the tray separating structure 5 can separate the next empty tray 1, thereby achieving a continuous supply of empty trays 1.

[0034] In the same manner, the empty Tray loading module 3 transports the empty Tray 1 on the right to the right Tray conveying module 12 (which at this time serves as the right empty Tray loading module 11), and the Tray pressing structure 10 presses the empty Tray 1 and waits for the material to be released.

[0035] Step S2, Chip Loading: The pick-up head 17 moves above the left tray conveyor module 9 and places the chips one by one into the slots 2 of the empty left tray 1. Simultaneously with or after loading the chips into the left tray 1, the pick-up head 17 can move above the right tray conveyor module 12 to load chips into the empty right tray 1. The tray pressing structure 10 maintains pressure on the tray 1 during loading to ensure accurate loading position and prevent the tray 1 from shifting under the loading force. The pick-up head 17 places chips into each slot 2 of the tray 1 sequentially according to the set path until all slots 2 of the tray 1 are filled with chips or the number of chips loaded reaches the set value.

[0036] Step S3, Full Tray Unloading: Once the tray 1 on the left is full of chips (or the number of chips reaches a set value), the tray pressing structure 10 releases the full tray. When the anti-collision sensor 7 determines it is safe, the full tray unloading module 13 moves along the guide rail 18 to the left tray conveyor module 9 and docks with it. The conveyor belt 6 of the left tray conveyor module 9 and the conveyor belt 6 of the full tray unloading module 13 work together to transport the full tray 1 from the left tray conveyor module 9 to the lifting position 16 of the full tray unloading module 13. During the transport of a full tray 1, to prevent chips from being lifted out of the tray 1 due to transport vibration or other reasons (i.e., chips not completely falling into the material trough 2 and protruding above the surface of the tray 1), the side vibration structure 14 operates, applying vibration to the tray 1. The vibration is transmitted to the tray 1 through the module frame or directly, vibrating the chips in the tray 1 into the material trough 2, ensuring that the chips fall completely into the material trough 2. After the full tray 1 reaches the lifting position 16, the lifting cylinder 15 operates, lifting the full tray 1 vertically upward to the tray-splitting structure 5. The tray-splitting structure 5 receives the full tray 1, and the multiple full trays 1 lifted in sequence are stacked and collected together, thus completing the unloading of the full tray 1.

[0037] In the same way, when the right Tray 1 is full, the full Tray unloading module 13 moves to the right Tray conveying module 12 to dock, and transports the full Tray 1 on the right to the lifting position 16. After being vibrated by the side vibrating structure 14, it is lifted by the lifting cylinder 15 to the tray structure 5 to complete the unloading.

[0038] Step S4, Staggered Operation: The left and right tray conveyor modules alternately perform the above-mentioned loading, unloading, and discharge actions. Specifically, when the left tray 1 is full, the full tray unloading module 13 moves to the left tray conveyor module 9 to dock and unload the full tray. At the same time, the pick-up head 17 moves above the right tray conveyor module 12 and continues to unload the empty tray 1 on the right. When the right tray 1 is full, the full tray unloading module 13 moves to the right tray conveyor module 12 to dock and unload the full tray. At the same time, the pick-up head 17 moves above the left tray conveyor module 9 and continues to unload the empty tray 1 on the left. The empty tray loading module 3 then alternately supplies empty trays 1 to the left tray conveyor module 9 and the right tray conveyor module 12 according to the usage of the left and right trays 1. This cycle repeats continuously, ensuring that the feeding head 17 always has an empty tray 1 on one side available for feeding, without interruption or waiting due to tray 1 replacement, thus enabling continuous operation of the feeding head 17.

[0039] In the initial state, empty trays 1 are placed and pressed on both the left tray conveying module 9 and the right tray conveying module 12. The pick-up head 17 first puts material onto one of the trays 1. When the tray 1 on that side is about to be full or has already been full, the pick-up head 17 switches to the other tray 1 to continue putting material on it. At the same time, the movable empty tray loading module 3 and full tray unloading module 13 complete the replenishment of empty trays and the unloading of full trays for the tray conveying module on that side. After the tray replacement on that side is completed, the pick-up head 17 switches back to that side, and the tray replacement on the other side begins. The pick-up head 17 alternates between the left and right sides to put material on the trays, and the tray replacement and unloading are completed simultaneously while the pick-up head 17 is working on the other side. Therefore, the pick-up head 17 does not need to stop and wait, achieving continuous operation.

[0040] During the aforementioned staggered operation, the operator only needs to add the stacked empty Tray trays 1 to the empty Tray tray loading module 3 from the front of the equipment and remove the stacked full Tray trays 1 from the full Tray tray unloading module 13. There is no need to go around to the rear of the equipment or use grippers to move the Tray trays 1 between the tracks. Under the safety detection of the anti-collision sensor 7, the empty Tray tray loading module 3 and the full Tray tray unloading module 13 move and change positions along the guide rail 18, docking with the left Tray tray conveying module 9 or the right Tray tray conveying module 12. The transfer of Tray trays 1 between the modules is completed via the conveyor belt 6. Throughout the process, the material feeding action of the material picker head 17 and the loading and unloading actions of the Tray trays 1 are performed in parallel on both sides without interfering with each other.

[0041] The working principle of this embodiment is as follows: This invention employs a parallel dual-rail conveyor structure, with the empty tray loading module 3 and the full tray unloading module 13 designed to move along the guide rail 18. This allows the loading and unloading modules to alternately dock with the left and right tray conveyor modules as needed. Through the staggered operation of the left and right sides, the tray replacement and unloading times overlap with the material feeding time of the pick-up head: while full tray unloading and empty tray replenishment are performed on one side, the pick-up head continues unloading on the other side. Since the trays are conveyed entirely by the conveyor belt 6, there is no need for gripper handling, thus avoiding the risks of material dropping and vibration during gripper handling. Furthermore, loading and unloading are both completed on the front of the equipment via moving modules, eliminating the need for a discharge position at the rear of the equipment and the need for an additional independent full tray track as required by a three-rail system, thereby significantly reducing the overall size of the equipment.

[0042] Furthermore, during the transport of a full tray, the side vibrating structure 14 vibrates the tray 1, causing any chips that may have been dislodged to fall back into the material tray 2. This ensures the reliability of the chip's position within the tray 1 and avoids subsequent collection problems caused by chip dislodging. The lifting motor 4 and lifting cylinder 15 are used for lifting during empty tray loading and full tray unloading, respectively. The tray-separating structure 5 is used for separating empty trays one by one and for stacking full trays. The structure is compact and reliable. The empty tray loading is driven by the lifting motor 4, which facilitates control of the lifting height and rhythm of the entire stack of empty trays, coordinating with the tray-separating structure 5 to separate empty trays one by one. The full tray unloading is driven by the lifting cylinder 15, which operates quickly and has a large lifting force, enabling rapid lifting of full trays to the tray-separating structure 5 for stacking and collection. The anti-collision sensor 7 performs a safety check before each module movement, ensuring safety during module movement and preventing collisions. The pressure tray structure 10 presses the tray 1 firmly during chip feeding, ensuring chip placement accuracy. In this invention, the supply of empty trays and the collection of full trays are both completed on the same side of the equipment via a movable module, eliminating the need for operators to go around to the rear of the equipment, making operation convenient. At the same time, due to the staggered arrangement of the movable module and the dual-rail docking, there is no need to increase the size of the equipment to avoid affecting chip feeding, resulting in a more compact overall structure.

[0043] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention. The specific structural form, driving method, and sensor type of each module involved in the present invention can be selected according to actual needs, as long as it adopts an interleaved upper and lower tray disk method, it falls within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0044] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of this application, and are intended to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of this application and implement it accordingly. They should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this application. All equivalent changes or modifications made in accordance with the spirit and essence of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A method for exchanging upper and lower trays, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Two tray conveying modules are arranged side by side. Each tray conveying module is equipped with a conveyor belt for conveying trays and a tray pressing structure for pressing trays. The movable empty tray loading module is moved to one of the tray conveying modules and docked with it. The empty tray loading module separates the stacked empty trays one by one through the lifting motor and the tray separating structure, and the separated empty trays are conveyed to the docked tray conveying module via the conveyor belt. After the empty trays reach the designated position, they are pressed by the tray pressing structure and wait for material to be released. The pick-up head places the chip into a cavity in an empty tray located on the tray conveyor module; When the tray on this side is full, the movable full tray unloading module is moved to the tray conveying module on this side and docked with it. The full tray is then conveyed to the lifting position by the conveyor belt, and then the lifting cylinder lifts the full tray to the tray structure to complete the unloading of the full tray. The left and right tray conveying modules alternately perform empty tray loading, chip unloading, and full tray unloading, so that the material pick-up head works continuously.

2. The method for exchanging upper and lower trays according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both the empty Tray loading module and the full Tray unloading module move along the guide rail. Before moving, the anti-collision sensor determines whether the moving path is safe. If it is safe, the empty Tray loading module or the full Tray unloading module is moved to the corresponding Tray conveying module for docking.

3. The method for exchanging upper and lower trays according to claim 1, characterized in that: The specific steps for loading the empty tray loading module are as follows: the stacked empty trays are manually placed into the empty tray loading module; the lifting motor lifts the entire stack of empty trays; the tray separating structure separates a single empty tray from the entire stack of empty trays; and the conveyor belt transports the separated single empty tray to the docking tray conveyor module.

4. The method for exchanging upper and lower trays according to claim 1, characterized in that: After the empty tray is conveyed to the designated position of the tray conveying module via the conveyor belt, the tray pressing structure presses and positions the empty tray; when the material is unloaded or the tray needs to be replaced, the tray pressing structure releases the tray.

5. The method for exchanging upper and lower trays according to claim 1, characterized in that: During the process of the full tray being conveyed to the lifting position by the conveyor belt, the side vibration structure on the full tray unloading module works to vibrate the tray and vibrate the chips in the tray into the nest, so as to prevent the chips from being pushed out during the conveying process.

6. The method for exchanging upper and lower trays according to claim 1, characterized in that: After a full tray is conveyed to the lifting position, the lifting cylinder lifts the full tray upward to the tray distribution structure, where the tray distribution structure receives the full tray and allows multiple full trays that are fed in sequence to be stacked and collected.

7. The method for exchanging upper and lower trays according to claim 1, characterized in that: The left and right tray conveying modules have the same structure. The empty tray loading module can be selectively connected to the left tray conveying module or the right tray conveying module to supply empty trays. The full tray unloading module can be selectively connected to the left tray conveying module or the right tray conveying module to collect full trays.

8. The method for exchanging upper and lower trays according to claim 1, characterized in that: The specific process of alternating operation on the left and right sides is as follows: When the left tray is full, the full tray unloading module is moved to the left tray conveying module to dock and unload the full tray. At the same time, the material pick-up head continues to feed material to the empty tray on the right side above the right tray conveying module. When the right tray is full, the full tray unloading module is moved to the right tray conveying module to dock and unload the full tray. At the same time, the material pick-up head continues to feed material to the empty tray on the left side above the left tray conveying module.

9. The method for exchanging upper and lower trays according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tray has several cells for holding chips, and the pick-up head puts the chips into the cells one by one. When all the cells on the tray are filled with chips or the number of chips put in reaches a set value, the tray is determined to be full.

10. The method for exchanging upper and lower trays according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both the empty Tray loading module and the full Tray unloading module are equipped with the conveyor belt, the tray splitting structure, and the anti-collision sensor; the empty Tray loading module is driven to lift the Tray by the lifting motor, and the full Tray unloading module is driven to lift the Tray by the lifting cylinder.

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