Circuit board supply device and plating device

Abstract

To provide a circuit board supply device used in plating equipment that improves the production efficiency of the plating equipment. [Solution] The circuit board supply device includes a machine frame, a supply and transport mechanism, a positioning mechanism 110a, and a push mechanism provided on the machine frame. The supply and transport mechanism is used to horizontally place the circuit board and transport it horizontally to the plating transport mechanism of the plating device. The positioning mechanism is used to position the circuit board in the supply and transport mechanism to a preset position. The push mechanism includes a first drive member 131 and a first push member 132. The first push member is driven by the first drive member and is used to drive the first push member so that it reciprocates along a first direction and moves the circuit board.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of circuit board plating, and particularly to a circuit board supply device and a plating device.

Background Art

[0002] In the manufacturing process of conventional printed circuit boards (PCBs), the effect of primary plating often fails to achieve ideal standards, and secondary plating treatment is required. To obtain an ideal plating effect, usually, thin-layer plating is first performed, and then thick-layer plating is required. To achieve this purpose, conventional plating methods usually employ horizontal plating machines.

[0003] Before the substrate enters the plating machine, it has been required that the substrates be arranged to maintain a certain pitch along the edge. However, in conventional devices, due to the use of a roller conveying structure, the control accuracy of the pitch is insufficient, usually only reaching 10 - 15 mm. If the positioning is incorrect, an inclination problem will occur due to the difference in plate thickness, affecting the final plating quality and leading to a decrease in production efficiency.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The main object of the present invention is to propose a circuit board supply device and a plating device to solve the problem of low production efficiency of conventional plating devices.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] To achieve the above object, the present invention proposes a circuit board supply device for use in a plating device including a plating transport mechanism for moving a circuit board within a plating cylinder for plating and a plating cylinder, wherein the circuit board supply device includes a machine body frame, a supply transport mechanism, a positioning mechanism, and a push mechanism provided on the machine body frame. The supply and transport mechanism is used to horizontally place the circuit board and transport the circuit board along the horizontal direction to the plating transport mechanism. The positioning mechanism is used to position the circuit board in the supply and transport mechanism to a predetermined position so as to move the circuit board along a first direction to the plating transport mechanism. The push mechanism is used to push a circuit board so as to move it along the first direction in order to adjust the pitch between two adjacent circuit boards that are positioned by the positioning mechanism and arranged along the first direction.

[0006] In one embodiment, the first push member has a first position and a second position above the supply and transport mechanism, the positioning mechanism is located between the first position and the second position, and the first drive member is used to drive the first push member to reciprocate between the first position and the second position.

[0007] In one embodiment, the push mechanism includes a first drive member and a first push member, the first push member being drivenly connected to the first drive member and having a first position and a second position on the first drive member, the positioning mechanism being located between the first position and the second position, and the first drive member being used to drive the first push member to reciprocate between the first position and the second position.

[0008] In one embodiment, the first push member further includes a first lifting device, the first connecting plate is driven to the first drive member via the first lifting device, and the first lifting device is used to move the first connecting plate and the first guide wheel along a third direction such that the first guide wheel approaches or moves away from the supply and transport mechanism.

[0009] In one embodiment, the push mechanism is used to push a circuit board that is positioned by the positioning mechanism so as to move along the first direction, thereby the pitch between the circuit board being pushed and the circuit board before it is positioned by the positioning mechanism is a preset value L, the actual pitch between the two circuit boards is D, and L and D satisfy the condition L-1.5mm ≤ D ≤ L+1.5mm.

[0010] In one embodiment, the positioning mechanism includes a second drive member, a second push member, and a positioning member, wherein the positioning member and the second push member are provided on both sides of the supply and transport mechanism, a positioning region is formed between the second push member and the positioning member, the second push member is driven by the second drive member and is used to push a circuit board located in the positioning region so as to contact the positioning member.

[0011] In one embodiment, the positioning member includes a mounting plate and a second guide wheel, wherein a plurality of the second guide wheels are rotatably mounted on the mounting plate and spaced apart along the first direction so as to contact the circuit board. and / or the second push member includes a second connecting plate and a third guide wheel, wherein the second connecting plate is drivably connected to the second drive member, and a plurality of the third guide wheels are rotatably mounted on the side of the second connecting plate facing the supply transport mechanism and spaced apart along the first direction for pushing the circuit board.

[0012] In one embodiment, the supply and transport mechanism includes a plurality of rotating rollers, the plurality of rotating rollers are arranged at intervals along the first direction and form a transport line, and each of the rotating rollers is provided with a plurality of friction wheels at intervals, and the rotating rollers are used to rotate the friction wheels so that the friction wheels move the circuit board along the first direction.

[0013] In one embodiment, the supply and transport mechanism further includes a steering support assembly provided on the positioning mechanism, the steering support assembly including a bracket and guide members, the plurality of guide members being movably mounted on the bracket to slide against the circuit board when the circuit board moves along the first direction or is positioned and moved by the positioning mechanism.

[0014] The present invention further proposes a plating apparatus comprising a plating transport mechanism, a plating cylinder, and a circuit board supply device according to any one of the embodiments described above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] The circuit board supply device according to the technical solution of the present invention employs a positioning mechanism and a push mechanism to improve production efficiency by controlling the position and pitch of the circuit board in the supply and transport mechanism. Specifically, this circuit board supply device is used to be installed at the substrate supply end of a plating apparatus, and the plating apparatus typically includes a plating transport mechanism for moving the circuit board within a plating cylinder for plating, with one edge of the circuit board in between, and a plating cylinder containing a chemical solution.

[0016] The circuit board supply device includes a machine frame and a supply and transport mechanism, a positioning mechanism, and a push mechanism provided on the machine frame. The supply and transport mechanism is a transport line of a certain length used to horizontally place circuit boards and transport them horizontally to the plating transport mechanism of the plating apparatus. The positioning mechanism is used to position the circuit boards in the supply and transport mechanism to a predetermined position so that the edges of the circuit boards are aligned with the plating transport mechanism. Once the positioning is complete, the circuit boards move along a first direction to the plating transport mechanism. The push mechanism includes a first drive member and a first push member, the first push member being driven by the first drive member, which drives the first push member to reciprocate along a first direction and move the circuit boards. During production supply, the operator typically loads multiple circuit boards into the supply and transport mechanism, and the first push member is used to adjust the pitch between two adjacent circuit boards that are positioned and arranged along a first direction.

[0017] As can be seen from the above, the positioning mechanism positions the circuit board and aligns it with the plating transport mechanism, preventing the circuit board from being misaligned and tilted in the plating transport mechanism, and thus preventing the plating effect from being unideal. Furthermore, the push mechanism pushes the positioned circuit board to move, thereby precisely controlling the pitch between two adjacent circuit boards after they have been positioned, thereby improving plating uniformity and production efficiency. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] To more clearly illustrate embodiments of the present invention or technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings that may be used in the description of embodiments or the prior art are briefly described below. Clearly, the drawings described below represent only a few embodiments of the present invention, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on the structures shown in these drawings without expending any creative effort. [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of the structure of one embodiment of a circuit board supply device provided by the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of an embodiment of the circuit board supply device provided by the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a schematic diagram of the structures of the supply and conveyance mechanism, positioning mechanism, and push mechanism in an embodiment of the circuit board supply device provided by the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a top view of the supply and conveyance mechanism and positioning mechanism in an embodiment of the circuit board supply device provided by the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the push mechanism in an embodiment of the circuit board supply device provided by the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a schematic diagram showing the exploded structure of the first push member in an embodiment of the circuit board supply device provided by the present invention. [Figure 7] It is a schematic diagram of the assembled structure of the positioning mechanism and the steering support assembly in an embodiment of the circuit board supply device provided by the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a schematic diagram showing the exploded structure of the positioning mechanism and the steering support assembly in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] It is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the plating device provided by the present invention. [Figure 10] It is a top view of the connection location between the circuit board supply device, the plating cylinder, and the plating conveyance mechanism in an embodiment of the plating device provided by the present invention. The realization of the object, functional features, and advantages of the present invention will be further described in conjunction with the embodiments and the drawings.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] Hereinafter, in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention, the technical solution means in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor belong to the protection scope of the present invention.

[0020] In the embodiments of the present invention, if there are directional indicators such as (up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), these directional indicators are used solely to describe the relative positional relationships and motion conditions between each component in a specific posture, and when that specific posture changes, the directional indicators also change accordingly.

[0021] Furthermore, in the embodiments of the present invention, if there are descriptions of "first," "second," etc., these descriptions are used solely for descriptive purposes and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features described. Therefore, features limited as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one feature. Also, in the case of "and / or" or "and / or" appearing throughout the text, their meaning includes three parallel solutions, and, taking "A and / or B" as an example, includes solution A, or solution B, or a solution that satisfies both A and B simultaneously. Furthermore, while technical solutions between embodiments may be combined, this must be based on what a person skilled in the art could achieve. If a combination of technical solutions results in a contradiction or is unattainable, such a combination of technical solutions should be considered nonexistent and outside the scope of protection required by the present invention.

[0022] In conventional printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing processes, the primary plating often fails to achieve ideal standards, necessitating secondary plating. To obtain ideal plating results, it is usually necessary to perform thin-layer plating followed by thick-layer plating. To achieve this, conventional plating methods typically employ horizontal plating machines. Before the substrates enter the plating machine, they are required to be aligned to maintain a constant pitch along the edges. However, conventional equipment uses a roller transport structure, resulting in insufficient pitch control accuracy, typically only reaching 10-15 mm. Incorrect positioning leads to tilting problems due to differences in board thickness, affecting the final plating quality and reducing production efficiency.

[0023] This invention proposes a circuit board supply device.

[0024] Referring to Figures 1 to 3, in one embodiment of the present invention, the circuit board supply device 100 is used to be provided at the substrate supply end of a plating apparatus, and the plating apparatus typically includes a plating transport mechanism for moving the circuit board 200 within a plating cylinder in order to perform plating on one side edge of the circuit board 200, and a plating cylinder in which a chemical solution is contained.

[0025] The circuit board supply device 100 includes a machine frame 140 and a supply and transport mechanism 110, a positioning mechanism 120, and a push mechanism 130 provided on the machine frame 140. The supply and transport mechanism 110 is a transport line of a certain length used to horizontally place the circuit board 200 and transport the circuit board 200 along the horizontal direction to the plating transport mechanism of the plating apparatus. The positioning mechanism 120 is used to position the circuit board 200 in the supply and transport mechanism 110 to a predetermined position so that the edge of the circuit board 200 is aligned with the plating transport mechanism. Once the positioning is complete, the circuit board 200 moves along the first direction to the plating transport mechanism. The push mechanism 130 includes a first drive member 131 and a first push member 132. The first push member 132 is driven by the first drive member 131, and the first drive member 131 is used to drive the first push member 132 so that it reciprocates along the first direction and moves the circuit board 200. During production and supply, the operator typically loads multiple circuit boards 200 into the supply and transport mechanism 110, and the first push member 132 is used to adjust the pitch between two adjacent circuit boards 200 that are positioned and aligned along a first direction.

[0026] As can be seen from the above, the positioning mechanism 120 positions the circuit board 200 and aligns it with the plating transport mechanism, preventing the circuit board 200 from being misaligned and tilted in the plating transport mechanism, and preventing the plating effect from being unideal. Furthermore, the push mechanism 130 pushes the positioned circuit board 200 to move it, thereby precisely controlling the pitch of two adjacent circuit boards 200 after positioning, and thereby improving plating uniformity and production efficiency.

[0027] In one embodiment, the push mechanism 130 includes a first drive member 131 and a first push member 132, the first push member 132 being drivenly connected to the first drive member 131 and having a first position and a second position, the positioning mechanism 120 being located between the first position and the second position and used to drive the first push member 132 so that the first drive member 131 reciprocates between the first position and the second position.

[0028] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, in one embodiment of the present invention, the first drive member 131 is a linear motor extending along a first direction, the first push member 132 is provided below the first drive member 131, the ends of the maximum stroke of the first push member 132 in the first drive member 131 are the first position and the second position, respectively, and the positioning mechanism 120 is provided between the first position and the second position. Specifically, in Figure 3, the position of the first push member 132 is the first position. At this time, when the operator sequentially places multiple circuit boards 200 horizontally on the supply and transport mechanism 110, the multiple circuit boards 200 enter the operating range of the first push member 132 at intervals. Each time a circuit board 200 enters the operating range, the first push member 132 moves to the second position and pushes the circuit board 200 to the positioning mechanism 120. After the positioning mechanism 120 positions the circuit board 200 to a preset position, the first push member 132 continues to move to the second position and pushes the circuit board 200. A transition section (not shown) is further provided between the supply and transport mechanism 110 and the plating transport mechanism shown in the figure. The first push member 132 pushes the circuit board 200, which is positioned to maintain a constant pitch with the previous circuit board 200, to this transition section, then returns to the first position and repeats the pushing operation, so that the multiple circuit boards 200 in the transition section sequentially enter the plating transport mechanism along the first direction.

[0029] To ensure proper spacing for the circuit board 200 entering the plating transport mechanism, the movement speeds of the transition section and the plating transport mechanism are typically adjusted to match. However, considering factors such as sliding friction, the transport speed of the transition section may be slightly faster than that of the plating transport mechanism and can be adjusted based on the actual situation. If the specifications of the circuit boards 200 match, when the first push member 132 pushes the circuit board 200 to the positioning mechanism 120, the current position of the circuit board 200 in the supply and transport mechanism 110 is fixed, the time it takes for the first push member 132 to push the current circuit board 200 into the positioning mechanism 120 and then push it to the transition section after it has been positioned by the positioning mechanism 120 is fixed, and since the previous circuit board 200 moves at a first speed on the transition section, the travel distance of the previous circuit board 200 is determined within that time difference, and by simply adjusting the speed and distance of the first push member 132 moving from the first position to the second position, the pitch between the current circuit board 200 and the previous circuit board 200 can be precisely controlled, thereby improving the plating quality of the circuit board 200.

[0030] Of course, in some other embodiments of the present invention, the positions of the positioning mechanism 120 and the first push member 132 are not specifically limited as long as the pitch between the circuit boards 200 entering the plating transport mechanism can be precisely controlled. For example, the positioning mechanism 120 may be provided on the side away from the first position or the second position of the first position. The first drive member 131 and the first push member 132 may be provided below the supply transport mechanism 110, provided that the first push member 132 can penetrate the supply transport mechanism 110 and contact the circuit boards 200. In this case, the supply transport mechanism 110 may have relief grooves, which allow the first push member 132 to move the circuit boards along the first direction. Specifically, these may be provided according to the actual needs and are not specifically limited here.

[0031] In one embodiment, the first push member 132 includes a first connecting plate 1321 and a first guide wheel 1322, wherein the first connecting plate 1321 is drivably connected to a first drive member 131, and a plurality of first guide wheels 1322 are rotatably mounted on the side of the first connecting plate 1321 facing the supply transport mechanism 110 and spaced apart along a second direction in order to push the circuit board 200 so that it moves.

[0032] As shown in Figures 3, 5, and 6, in one embodiment of the present invention, the first push member 132 includes a first connecting plate 1321 and a first guide wheel 1322, the first connecting plate 1321 is drivenly connected to a first drive member 131, a plurality of first guide wheels 1322 are provided, a plurality of rotating shafts are provided at intervals on the side of the first connecting plate 1321 facing the supply transport mechanism 110, one first guide wheel 1322 is rotatably provided on each rotating shaft, the plurality of first guide wheels 1322 are arranged at intervals along a second direction, the second direction being the width direction of the supply transport mechanism 110, the surface of the first guide wheel 1322 is in contact with the side of the circuit board 200 and is used to move the circuit board 200 along the first direction, the circuit board 200 may move along the second direction when it is positioned, at which time the edge of the plate slides against the plurality of first guide wheels 1322, and wear can be reduced. In one embodiment, the first push member 132 further includes a first lifting device 1323, the first connecting plate 1321 being drivenly connected to the first drive member 131 via the first lifting device 1323, and the first lifting device 1323 is used to move the first connecting plate 1321 and the first guide wheel 1322 along a third direction such that the first guide wheel 1322 approaches or moves away from the supply and transport mechanism 110.

[0033] As shown in Figures 3, 5, and 6, in one embodiment of the present invention, the first push member 132 further includes a first lifting device 1323 and a box 1324, specifically, the box 1324 being connected to a first drive member 131 via a connecting member, the first lifting device 1323 being an air cylinder provided inside the box 1324, the first connecting plate 1321 being fixed to the first lifting device 1323, and the first lifting device 1323 being used to move the first connecting plate 1321 and a plurality of first guide wheels 1322 on the first connecting plate 1321 along a third direction such that the first guide wheels 1322 move toward or away from the supply and transport mechanism 110. Specifically, during the process in which the circuit board 200 moves to the positioning mechanism 120 in the supply and transport mechanism 110, the first lifting device 1323 raises the first guide wheel 1322 so as not to obstruct the circuit board 200, and when the circuit board 200 is fully within the operating range of the first push member 132, the first lifting device 1323 lowers the first guide wheel 1322 so that its side wall contacts the side edge of the circuit board 200, and at this time, the first drive member 131 moves the first push member 132 to push the circuit board 200.

[0034] In one embodiment, the push mechanism 130 is used to push a circuit board 200 that is positioned by a positioning mechanism 120 so as to move along a first direction, thereby the pitch between the circuit board 200 being pushed and the circuit board 200 before being positioned by the positioning mechanism 120 is a preset value L, the actual pitch value between the two circuit boards is D, and L and D satisfy the condition L-1.5mm ≤ D ≤ L+1.5mm.

[0035] Since multiple circuit boards 200 need to be sequentially entered into the plating cylinder, if the pitch between the circuit boards 200 is not aligned, the flow of the plating solution will become uneven, potentially affecting the overall performance by causing the plating layer in some areas to be too thick or too thin. However, conventional devices use a roller transport structure, which does not provide high accuracy in pitch control. As shown in Figure 3, in one embodiment of the present invention, the push mechanism 130 employs a linear motor and pushes the circuit board 200, positioned by the positioning mechanism 120, into the plating transport mechanism with the first push member 132 so as to catch up with the previous circuit board 200. The controller calculates the operating gap and transport distance and controls the positioning mechanism 120 and the push mechanism 130 to cooperate, controlling the pitch value of two adjacent circuit boards 200 to a preset value L. For example, the preset value L for the substrate pitch may be set to 5 mm, 10 mm, or 15 mm, but due to the influence of the control accuracy of the mechanical device, there is a difference between the actual pitch value D and the preset value L. By controlling with a linear motor, the error between the pitch value D and the preset value L can be further reduced compared to conventional roller transport. Specifically, L and D satisfy L-1.5 mm ≤ D ≤ L+1.5 mm, meaning the error can be controlled within a range of 1.5 mm. For example, if the preset value L for the pitch between substrates is set to 10 mm, the minimum value of the actual pitch value D may be 8.5 mm, the maximum value may be 11.5 mm, the pitch value D may be 9.5 mm, or any value within the aforementioned range. This is more accurate than the control of conventional roller transport structures, and the plating effect is also better.

[0036] In one embodiment, the positioning mechanism 120 includes a second drive member 121, a second push member 122, and a positioning member 123. The positioning member 123 and the second push member 122 are provided on both sides of the supply and transport mechanism 110, and a positioning region 110a is formed between the second push member 122 and the positioning member 123. The second push member 122 is driven by the second drive member 121 and is used to push the circuit board 200 located in the positioning region 110a so as to come into contact with the positioning member 123.

[0037] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, in one embodiment of the present invention, the positioning mechanism 120 includes a second drive member 121, a second push member 122, and a positioning member 123. Specifically, the positioning member 123 and the second push member 122 are provided on opposite sides of the supply and transport mechanism 110, with a positioning region 110a formed between them. The second push member 122 is driven by the second drive member 121, and when the first push member 132 pushes the circuit board 200 along the first direction to the positioning region 110a, the second drive member 121 drives the second push member 122 to push the circuit board 200 along the second direction so that its side comes into contact with the positioning member 123. The angle between the first and second directions may be 90° or other angles, and the contact position of the positioning member 123 coincides with the clamping position of the plating transport mechanism. By bringing the side edge of the circuit board 200 into contact with the positioning member 123, it can be aligned with the plating transport mechanism. Once alignment is complete, the first push member 132 pushes the current circuit board 200 from the positioning area 110a so that it catches up with the previous circuit board 200. In this embodiment, the second drive member 121 also employs a linear motor, and this second drive member 121 is provided on the machine frame 140 along the second direction. As can be understood, the different circuit boards 200 have different size specifications, so the second push member 122 and the positioning member 123 are provided to push circuit boards 200 of different specifications along the second direction so that they can be positioned by bringing them into contact with the positioning member 123.

[0038] In one embodiment, the positioning member 123 includes a mounting plate 1231 and second guide wheels 1232, wherein a plurality of second guide wheels 1232 are rotatably mounted on the mounting plate 1231 and spaced apart along a first direction in order to contact the circuit board 200. and / or the second push member 122 includes a second connecting plate 1221 and third guide wheels 1222, wherein the second connecting plate 1221 is drivably connected to the second drive member 121, and a plurality of third guide wheels 1222 are rotatably mounted on the side of the second connecting plate 1221 facing the supply transport mechanism 110 and are spaced apart along the first direction in order to push the circuit board 200.

[0039] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, in one embodiment of the present invention, the positioning member 123 includes a mounting plate 1231 and a second guide wheel 1232, and the second push member 122 includes a second connecting plate 1221 and a third guide wheel 1222. Specifically, the mounting plate 1231 extends along a first direction to one side of the supply and transport mechanism 110, and the mounting plate 1231 is provided with a plurality of rotatable second guide wheels 1232 spaced apart along the first direction, and the second connecting plate 1221 is also provided with a plurality of rotatable third guide wheels 1222 spaced apart, extending along the first direction. After the circuit board 200 enters the positioning region 110a, the second drive member 121 moves the second connecting plate 1221 toward the positioning member 123, and the multiple third guide wheels 1222 come into contact with the side of the circuit board 200 parallel to the first direction and push it toward the positioning member 123, the side of the circuit board 200 parallel to the second direction slides against the first guide wheel 1322, and the side of the circuit board 200 away from the third guide wheel 1222 comes into contact with the multiple second guide wheels 1232 to position it. At this time, the first push member 132 pushes the circuit board 200 along the first direction, and the two side of the circuit board 200 parallel to the first direction slides against the second guide wheel 1232 and the third guide wheel 1222, respectively, which reduces wear and extends the life of the device.

[0040] In one embodiment, the supply and transport mechanism 110 includes a plurality of rotating rollers 111, which are arranged at intervals along a first direction and form a transport line, and each rotating roller 111 is provided with a plurality of friction wheels 112 at intervals, and the rotating rollers 111 are used to rotate the friction wheels 112 so that the friction wheels 112 move the circuit board 200 along the first direction.

[0041] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, in one embodiment of the present invention, the supply and conveying mechanism 110 includes a plurality of rotating rollers 111, specifically, the plurality of rotating rollers 111 are arranged in parallel along a first direction on the machine frame 140 to form a conveying line, each rotating roller 111 is provided with a plurality of friction wheels 112, the machine frame 140 is further provided with a drive motor 114, meshing gears are provided at the ends of any two adjacent rotating rollers 111, the drive motor 114 rotates the plurality of rotating rollers 111 at the same speed by means of the gears, the friction wheels 112 contact the bottom of the board surface to move the circuit board 200, and a structure such as soft rubber can be used at the position where the friction wheels 112 contact the circuit board 200 to avoid scratching. The friction wheels 112 are provided with gaps between them so as to create clearance space for raising and lowering and moving the first guide wheel 1322 and avoid interference.

[0042] In one embodiment, the supply and transport mechanism 110 further includes a steering support assembly 113 provided on the positioning mechanism 120, the steering support assembly 113 including a bracket 1131 and guide members 1132, the plurality of guide members 1132 being movably mounted on the bracket 1131 to slide against the circuit board 200 as the circuit board 200 moves along a first direction or is positioned and moved via the positioning mechanism 120.

[0043] As shown in Figures 3, 7, and 8, in one embodiment of the present invention, the supply and transport mechanism 110 further includes a steering support assembly 113 provided in the positioning region 110a, specifically the steering support assembly 113 including two brackets 1131 and a plurality of guide members 1132 provided on the two brackets 1131, wherein the guide members 1132 are rollers, with the roller on one bracket 1131 rotatably mounted along a first direction and the roller on the other bracket 1131 rotatably mounted along a second direction, and one of the two brackets 1131 is connected to a second lifting device 1133 on the machine frame 140. In the process of the first push member 132 pushing the circuit board 200 to the positioning region 110a, the bottom surface of the circuit board 200 slides against the guide member 1132 which is rotatably mounted along the first direction. When the positioning operation begins, the second lifting device 1133 drives the bracket 1131 connected to it to move up and down, causing the guide member 1132, which is rotatably mounted along the second direction, to contact the bottom surface of the circuit board 200. When the second push member 122 pushes the circuit board 200 so that it moves toward the positioning member 123, the bottom surface of the circuit board 200 slides against a roller that is rotatably mounted along the second direction. As can be seen from the above, by providing the steering support assembly 113, scratches are avoided when the circuit board 200 is moved or positioned by the supply and transport mechanism 110, and the product quality of the circuit board 200 is guaranteed.

[0044] In another embodiment of the present invention, the steering support assembly 113 may employ a single bracket 1131, and the guide member 1132 may employ universal balls or universal beads. Multiple universal balls or universal beads are provided on the bracket 1131 and brought into contact with the circuit board 200. When the circuit board 200 enters the positioning region 110a and is displaced, the universal balls or universal beads rotate in accordance with the circuit board 200, thus avoiding scratches. Therefore, in this solution, the specific structure of the bracket 1131 and the guide member 1132 is not limited.

[0045] The present invention further proposes a plating apparatus 300 including a plating transport mechanism 310, a plating cylinder 320, and a circuit board supply device 100. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the plating transport mechanism 310 is provided inside the plating cylinder 320 and connected to the supply transport mechanism 110 of the circuit board supply device 100. The circuit board 200 moves from the supply transport mechanism 110 to the plating transport mechanism 310, is sandwiched by the plating transport mechanism 310, and moves horizontally within the plating cylinder 320 to undergo plating. The specific structure of this circuit board supply device 100 refers to the above embodiment, and since this plating apparatus employs all the technical solutions of the above embodiment, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiment, and will not be described in general terms here.

[0046] The foregoing describes only exemplary embodiments of the present invention and does not limit the scope of the patent. Any equivalent structural transformations performed using the contents of the specification and drawings of the present invention, or their direct or indirect application to other related technical fields, under the technical concept of the present invention, are all included within the scope of patent protection of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 100 Circuit board supply equipment 110 Supply and transport mechanism 110a Positioning area 111 Rotating Roller 112 Friction Wheels 113 Steering support assembly 1131 Bracket 1132 Guide member 1133 Second Lifting Device 114 Drive motor 120 Positioning mechanism 121 Second drive member 122 Second push member 1221 Second connecting plate 1222 Third Guide Wheel 123 Positioning member 1231 Mounting plate 1232 Second Guide Wheel 130 Push Mechanism 131 First drive member 132 First push member 1321 First connecting plate 1322 First Guide Wheel 1323 First Lifting Device 1324 Box 140 Aircraft Frames 200 circuit boards 300 Plating equipment 310 Plating transport mechanism 320 plated cylinder.

Claims

1. A circuit board supply device used in a plating apparatus, The plating apparatus includes a plating cylinder and a plating transport mechanism for moving a circuit board within the plating cylinder for plating, and the circuit board supply device includes a machine frame and a supply transport mechanism, a positioning mechanism and a push mechanism provided on the machine frame. The supply and transport mechanism is used to horizontally place the circuit board and transport the circuit board along the horizontal direction to the plating transport mechanism. The positioning mechanism is used to position the circuit board in the supply and transport mechanism to a predetermined position so as to move the circuit board along a first direction to the plating transport mechanism. The present invention proposes a circuit board supply device characterized in that the push mechanism is used to push a circuit board so as to move it along the first direction in order to adjust the pitch between two adjacent circuit boards that are positioned by the positioning mechanism and arranged along the first direction.

2. The push mechanism includes a first drive member and a first push member, The first push member is driven by the first drive member and has a first position and a second position on the first drive member, and the positioning mechanism is located between the first position and the second position. The circuit board supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first drive member is used to drive the first push member to reciprocate between the first position and the second position.

3. The first push member includes a first connecting plate and a first guide wheel. The first connecting plate is drivenly connected to the first driving member, The circuit board supply device according to claim 2, characterized in that a plurality of the first guide wheels are rotatably provided on the side of the first connecting plate facing the supply and transport mechanism and are spaced apart along the second direction in order to move the circuit board.

4. The circuit board supply device according to claim 3, wherein the first push member further includes a first lifting device, the first connecting plate is drivenly connected to the first drive member via the first lifting device, and the first lifting device is used to move the first connecting plate and the first guide wheel along a third direction such that the first guide wheel approaches or moves away from the supply and transport mechanism.

5. The circuit board supply device according to claim 1, wherein the push mechanism is used to push a circuit board positioned by the positioning mechanism so that it moves along the first direction, and thereby the pitch between the circuit board being pushed and the circuit board before being positioned by the positioning mechanism is a preset value L, the actual pitch value of the two circuit boards is D, and L and D satisfy L - 1.5 mm ≤ D ≤ L + 1.5 mm.

6. The circuit board supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the positioning mechanism includes a second drive member, a second push member, and a positioning member, the positioning member and the second push member are provided on both sides of the supply and transport mechanism, a positioning region is formed between the second push member and the positioning member, the second push member is drivenly connected to the second drive member and used to push a circuit board located in the positioning region so as to contact the positioning member.

7. The positioning member includes a mounting plate and a second guide wheel, wherein a plurality of the second guide wheels are rotatably mounted on the mounting plate and spaced apart along the first direction in order to contact the circuit board. The circuit board supply device according to claim 6, wherein the second push member includes a second connecting plate and a third guide wheel, the second connecting plate being drivenly connected to the second drive member, and a plurality of the third guide wheels being rotatably provided on the side of the second connecting plate facing the supply and transport mechanism and spaced apart along the first direction for pushing the circuit board.

8. The circuit board supply device according to claim 1, wherein the supply and transport mechanism includes a plurality of rotating rollers, the plurality of rotating rollers are arranged at intervals along the first direction to form a transport line, each of the rotating rollers is provided with a plurality of friction wheels at intervals, and the rotating rollers are used to rotate the friction wheels so that the friction wheels move the circuit board along the first direction.

9. The circuit board supply device according to claim 1, wherein the supply and transport mechanism further includes a steering support assembly provided on the positioning mechanism, the steering support assembly includes a bracket and guide members, and a plurality of the guide members are movably provided on the bracket to slide against the circuit board when the circuit board moves along a first direction or is positioned and moved by the positioning mechanism.

10. A plating apparatus comprising a plating transport mechanism, a plating cylinder, and a circuit board supply device as described in claim 1.

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