Used tape collection device, parts supply device, and parts mounting machine

Abstract

The present invention provides a used tape collection device that can effectively utilize the collection space within the collection box and optimize the timing of the movement mechanism that moves the cut pieces of tape. [Solution] The used tape collection device comprises a collection box for collecting tape pieces that fall when a carrier tape containing multiple components is cut by a cutting mechanism; a moving mechanism for moving at least a portion of the multiple tape pieces collected in the fall area, which is the area below the cutting mechanism in the collection box, to another area in the collection box that is other than the fall area; and a control unit for operating the moving mechanism each time the cutting mechanism operates a predetermined number of times.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present specification relates to a used tape collection device that collects used tape, which is the used portion of a carrier tape used for supplying components.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Technologies for mass-producing board products by performing board-to-board work on boards with formed circuit patterns are widespread. A representative example of a board working machine that performs board work is a component mounter that performs component mounting work. Many component mounters are equipped with tape feeders that supply components using carrier tapes that accommodate a plurality of components. The tape feeder feeds the carrier tape to a predetermined supply position to supply components. The carrier tape from which components have been extracted at the supply position and which has become used (used tape) is sent from the tape feeder to the used tape collection device for collection. Many used tape collection devices collect cut tape pieces obtained by cutting the used tape. Technical examples related to this type of used tape collection device are disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a component mounter comprising: a tape discharge unit that cuts and discharges the tape after components are extracted; a tape collection container (collection box) that receives the tape (cut tape pieces) that has fallen from the tape discharge unit; and a gas blowing unit that adjusts the collection position of the tape in the tape collection container by blowing gas onto the tape that has fallen from the tape discharge unit. According to this, it is possible to suppress the accumulation of tape concentrated in one place in the tape collection container, and to use the volume of the tape collection container efficiently.

[0004] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses a component mounting machine comprising a dust box for storing tape (tape cut pieces) from which components have been collected and cut, a scraping device capable of scraping the tape out of the dust box, and a control device that controls the scraping device to scrape out the stored tape when a predetermined amount of tape has been stored in the dust box. According to this, even if a large amount of tape is generated in a short time after cutting, the tape can be temporarily stored in the dust box, and when the amount of tape in the dust box reaches a predetermined amount, the tape can be automatically scraped out of the dust box, thereby improving the efficiency of tape processing. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-69438 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2014 / 006670 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] Incidentally, in Patent Document 1, just before the tape cut by the cutter falls to the bottom of the tape collection container, the gas blow unit operates to blow the tape behind the point of free fall (see paragraph 0035). Alternatively, just before the cutter cuts the tape, the gas blow unit operates to blow away the tape that has already fallen to the point of free fall (see paragraph 0036). This method is advantageous because it allows for efficient use of the volume of the tape collection container. However, since the gas blow unit operates every time the cutter operates, there are concerns about accelerated wear and tear and a shortened lifespan of the gas blow unit due to frequent operation.

[0007] In response to the above concerns, Patent Document 2 provides a storage sensor that detects when a certain amount of tape has accumulated in the dust box, and activates the scraping device when the storage sensor is turned on (see paragraphs 0032 and 0050). This is preferable because it reduces the number of times the scraping device operates compared to Patent Document 1. However, the detection accuracy of the storage sensor is not always sufficient, and the detection accuracy decreases, for example, when the tape is not accumulated uniformly. This may cause the scraping device to operate prematurely when there is still a large storage space in the dust box, or conversely, the tape to overflow from the dust box before the scraping device operates. Thus, it is difficult to properly set the operating timing of the gas blowing unit in Patent Document 1 and the scraping device in Patent Document 2.

[0008] Therefore, this specification aims to provide a used tape collection device that can effectively utilize the collection space within the collection box and optimize the timing of the movement mechanism for moving the cut pieces of tape, as well as a parts supply device and a parts mounting machine that include this used tape collection device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] This specification discloses a used tape collection device comprising: a collection box for collecting tape pieces that fall when a carrier tape containing multiple components is cut by a cutting mechanism; a moving mechanism for moving at least a portion of the multiple tape pieces collected in a fall area, which is the area below the cutting mechanism within the collection box, to another area within the collection box that is other than the fall area; and a control unit for operating the moving mechanism each time the cutting mechanism operates a predetermined number of times.

[0010] Furthermore, this specification discloses a component supply device comprising the used tape recovery device described above and a tape feeder that supplies the component using the carrier tape. Furthermore, this specification discloses a component mounting machine comprising the component supply device described above, a cutting mechanism, and a component transfer device that uses a component picking tool to pick up the component from the tape feeder and transfer the picked-up component to a substrate.

[0011] Furthermore, this specification discloses the technical idea of ​​changing "the used tape recovery device described in any one of claims 1-4" to "the used tape recovery device described in any one of claims 1-10" in claim 11 of the original application, and the technical idea of ​​changing "the used tape recovery device described in any one of claims 1-4" to "the used tape recovery device described in any one of claims 1-10" in claim 12 of the original application. In addition, this specification discloses the technical idea of ​​changing "a parts supply device comprising the used tape recovery device described in any one of claims 1-4" to "a parts supply device comprising the used tape recovery device described in any one of claims 1-12" in claim 13 of the original application. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] In the disclosed used tape collection device, the moving mechanism moves multiple tape cut pieces collected in the drop area of ​​the collection box to other areas, thereby effectively utilizing the collection space within the collection box. Furthermore, the control unit operates the moving mechanism each time the cutting mechanism operates a predetermined number of times, thereby optimizing the timing of the movement mechanism's operation. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a schematic plan view showing the overall configuration of a component mounting machine that includes a used tape recovery device according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic side view showing a parts supply device equipped with a used tape collection device, and a used tape cutting device equipped in a parts mounting machine. [Figure 3] This is a side cross-sectional view showing the collection box and moving mechanism of a used tape collection device, showing the state before the leveling plate of the moving mechanism moves. [Figure 4] This is a side cross-sectional view showing the state after the leveling plate has moved and performed the leveling operation, compared to the state shown in Figure 3. [Figure 5] This is a side cross-sectional view showing the state before the next movement, after the leveling plate has moved further from the state shown in Figure 4 to perform the leveling operation. [Figure 6] This is a side cross-sectional view showing the movement mechanism in its transformed form, illustrating the state before the leveling plate of the movement mechanism moves. [Figure 7] This is an operation flow diagram illustrating the operation of the used tape collection device in this embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a side cross-sectional view showing the collection box and moving mechanism in an applied configuration, illustrating the state before the discharge plate of the moving mechanism moves. [Figure 9] This figure shows the state after the discharge plate has moved to the operating position and performed the discharge operation, as well as a side cross-sectional view showing the operating position of the discharge plate for subsequent operations. [Figure 10] This is an operation flow diagram illustrating the operation of a used tape collection device equipped with a mobile mechanism in an applied configuration. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] 1. Overall configuration of parts mounting machine 1 A used tape recovery device 6 of the embodiment is provided in a component supply device 3. This component supply device 3 is detachably mounted to a component mounting machine 1, or is fixedly provided on the component mounting machine 1. First, the overall configuration of the component mounting machine 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The component mounting machine 1 constitutes a production line for substrate products, and performs a mounting operation of mounting components on a substrate K. As indicated by the arrow in the lower right of FIG. 1, the direction from the left side to the right side of the drawing sheet is the X-axis direction for transporting the substrate K, and the direction from the lower side (front side) to the upper side (rear side) of the drawing sheet is the Y-axis direction. The component mounting machine 1 is configured by assembling a substrate transport device 2, a component supply device 3, a component transfer device 4, a used tape cutting device 5, a control device 12, and the like to a base 10.

[0015] The substrate transport device 2 is constituted by a pair of guide rails 21, a pair of unillustrated transport belts, a clamp mechanism 23, and the like. The pair of guide rails 21 extend in the X-axis direction across a slightly rearward portion of the upper surface of the base 10, and are assembled to the base 10 in parallel with each other. The pair of transport belts rotate along the guide rails 21 in a state where two parallel sides of the substrate K are placed thereon, and carry the substrate K into a work execution position near the center of the base 10. The clamp mechanism 23 pushes up the carried-in substrate K, and clamps and positions it between itself and the guide rails 21. After the component mounting operation by the component transfer device 4 is completed, the clamp mechanism 23 releases the substrate K, and the transport belts carry the substrate K out of the machine.

[0016] The component supply device 3 includes a tray unit 3T and a feeder unit 3F on the upper surface of a pallet table 31. The tray unit 3T supplies components using a tray 3T1. The feeder unit 3F is configured by arranging a plurality of tape feeders 3F1. Each of the plurality of tape feeders 3F1 supplies components using a carrier tape that accommodates a plurality of components. By using the two types of units in combination, the types of components that can be supplied are diversified, and the range of component sizes is expanded.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 2, the pallet base 31 is provided with moving casters 32 and formed into a carriage shape. Thereby, the component supply device 3 is detachably mounted on the front side of the base 10. Details of the component supply device 3 will be described later. Note that there are other types of carriage-shaped component supply devices. For example, there are a tray-dedicated component supply device in which only the tray unit 3T is provided on the pallet base 31, a feeder-dedicated component supply device in which only the tape feeder 3F1 is provided on the pallet base 31, and the like. These three types of component supply devices have mounting compatibility with respect to the base 10.

[0018] The component transfer device 4 performs a transfer operation of picking a component from the tray or the tape feeder of the component supply device 3 using a component picking tool, and transferring the picked component to the substrate K. The component transfer device 4 is constituted by a pair of guide rails 40, a Y-axis moving body 41, an X-axis moving body 42, a mounting head 43, a rotary tool 44, suction nozzles 45, a substrate recognition camera 46, a component recognition camera 49, and the like. The pair of guide rails 40 are arranged at the left edge and the right edge of the base 10, extend in the Y-axis direction in parallel while being spaced apart from each other. The Y-axis moving body 41 is formed of a long member in the X-axis direction, and is mounted across the pair of guide rails 40. The Y-axis moving body 41 is driven by a Y-direction drive mechanism (not shown) to move in the Y-axis direction. The X-axis moving body 42 is mounted on the Y-axis moving body 41, and is driven by an X-direction drive mechanism (not shown) to move in the X-axis direction.

[0019] The mounting head 43 is provided on the front surface of the X-axis moving body 42, and moves in two horizontal directions together with the X-axis moving body 42. Below the mounting head 43, the rotary tool 44 is provided so as to be capable of rotating on its own axis. The rotary tool 44 rotates on its own axis around the vertical central axis. The rotary tool 45 has a plurality of (eight in the example of FIG. 1) suction nozzles 45 at equal distances from the vertical central axis. The suction nozzles 45 perform lifting and lowering operations, and rotation operations around the vertical axis. Further, when the rotary tool 44 rotates on its own axis, the suction nozzles 45 revolve around the vertical central axis of the rotary tool 44. The suction nozzles 45 are selectively supplied with negative pressure air or positive pressure air from an air supply mechanism (not shown), so as to perform suction and mounting of components.

[0020] The mounting head 43 and suction nozzle 45 are a form of parts picking device for picking parts from the tray 3T1 or tape feeder 3F1. The number of suction nozzles 45 provided on the rotary tool 44 is not limited to 8, but may be 2, 4, or other numbers. Alternatively, the rotary tool 44 may be omitted, and a single suction nozzle 45 may be provided rotatably on the underside of the mounting head 43. Furthermore, multiple suction nozzles 45 may be provided on the underside of the mounting head 43 in a single row or in a two-dimensional grid. In addition, other forms of parts picking devices, such as chucks for gripping parts, may be used instead of the suction nozzles 45.

[0021] The substrate recognition camera 46 is mounted on the X-axis moving body 42 alongside the mounting head 43. The substrate recognition camera 46 is positioned so that its optical axis points downward and captures a position reference mark attached to the substrate K from above. The acquired image data is processed to accurately determine the work position on the substrate K. The component recognition camera 49 is mounted on the base 10 between the substrate transport device 2 and the component supply device 3. The component recognition camera 49 is positioned so that its optical axis points upward and captures a component held by the suction nozzle 45 from below as the mounting head 43 moves from the component supply device 3 to the substrate K. This determines whether the component is correct or incorrect, and also detects the position and orientation of the component relative to the suction nozzle 45, which is then reflected in the mounting operation. The substrate recognition camera 46 and the component recognition camera 49 are digital imaging devices having image sensors such as CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor).

[0022] The component transfer device 4 can repeat a suction mounting cycle, which corresponds to the mounting operation, on the positioned substrate K. In the suction mounting cycle, first, the mounting head 43 moves above the component supply device 3, and each suction nozzle 45 picks up a component. Next, the mounting head 43 moves above the component recognition camera 49, and the component recognition camera 49 takes an image. Then, the mounting head 43 moves above the substrate K, and each suction nozzle 45 mounts the component to the substrate K. Finally, the mounting head 43 moves back towards the component supply device 3. The suction mounting cycle is a general term for the series of operations described above.

[0023] The used tape cutting device 5 is mounted on the base 10. The used tape cutting device 5 cuts the used tape TP, which is the used portion of the carrier tape discharged from the tape feeder 3F1. The used tape cutting device 5 has a width dimension (dimension in the X-axis direction) that is about the same as the pallet stand 31, so as to correspond to the feeder-dedicated parts supply device described above. The used tape cutting device 5 consists of a duct 51, a cutting mechanism 52, and a chute 56, as shown in Figure 2.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1, the duct 51 is formed to be long in the X-axis direction and has a rectangular cross-section. The duct 51 extends in the Y-axis direction (horizontally backward) starting from the tape discharge position at the upper rear end of the tape feeder 3F1, and then bends and changes direction downward. Furthermore, the lower end of the duct 51 enters the chute 56 and faces the cutting mechanism 52. The duct 51 guides the used tape TP, which is discharged horizontally backward from the tape discharge position of the tape feeder 3F1, downward while bending, to the cutting mechanism 52.

[0025] The cutting mechanism 52 is located at the top of the chute 56. The cutting mechanism 52 consists of a fixed blade 53, a movable blade 54, and a drive mechanism 55, etc. The fixed blade 53 and the movable blade 54 are common to multiple tape feeders 3F1 and are formed to be long in the X-axis direction. At least one of the fixed blade 53 and the movable blade 54 may be divided into multiple blades in the middle of the X-axis direction. The fixed blade 53 is located towards the rear of the lower part of the duct 51. The cutting edge of the fixed blade 53 faces forward. The movable blade 54 is located in front of the fixed blade 53. The cutting edge of the movable blade 54 faces backward and is located lower than the cutting edge of the fixed blade 53. The movable blade 54 moves horizontally in the Y-axis direction and moves forward and backward relative to the fixed blade 53. The used tape TP guided by the duct 51 descends between the fixed blade 53 and the retracted movable blade 54.

[0026] The forward and backward movement of the movable blade 54 is driven by a drive mechanism 55. Preferably, the drive mechanism 55 is an air-driven mechanism using an air supply source and an air cylinder. This allows the drive mechanism 55 and the suction nozzle 45 of the parts transfer device 4 to share an air supply source. However, it is not limited to this, and the drive mechanism 55 may have a dedicated drive source such as a motor or an electromagnetic solenoid. The cutting mechanism 52 shears (cuts) the used tape TP with the cutting edge of the fixed blade 53 and the cutting edge of the movable blade 54 which is driven forward by the drive mechanism 55 to produce tape cut pieces TC. The chute 56 is generally formed in a vertical rectangular tube shape. The chute 56 guides the fall of the tape cut pieces TC cut by the cutting mechanism 52.

[0027] The used tape cutting device 5 operates when the parts supply device 3 is installed. At this time, only a portion of the fixed blade 53 and movable blade 54, corresponding to the width dimension of the feeder unit 3F, rather than the entire length of the blades, is substantially involved in cutting. The used tape cutting device 5 is deactivated when the tray-dedicated parts supply device is installed. When the feeder-dedicated parts supply device is installed, the entire length of the fixed blade 53 and movable blade 54 is substantially involved in cutting.

[0028] The control device 12 is mounted on the base 10, and its position is not particularly limited. The control device 12 is configured using a computer device. The control device 12 may also be configured with multiple CPUs distributed within the machine and connected via communication. Based on mounting operation data created for each type of substrate product (substrate K), the control device 12 controls the substrate transport device 2, the component supply device 3, and the component transfer device 4 to carry out the mounting operation. The mounting operation data includes material information such as the type and shape of the substrate K and components, as well as coordinate information for the component suction position and mounting position.

[0029] Furthermore, the control device 12 controls the used tape cutting device 5 based on the aforementioned mounting work data. Specifically, the control device 12 operates the cutting mechanism 52 each time the suction nozzle 45 picks up a component from the tape feeder 3F1 and moves to the substrate K. Moreover, the operation of the cutting mechanism 52 is completed before the suction nozzle 45 moves to the tape feeder 3F1 after mounting a component and begins picking up the next component. As a result, the used tape TP does not descend while the cutting mechanism 52 is operating, ensuring smooth cutting.

[0030] In other words, the control device 12 operates the cutting mechanism 52 after each suction mounting cycle. Therefore, the cutting mechanism 52 operates when it has discharged an amount of used tape TP equivalent to the number of parts supplied by the tape feeder 3F1 in one suction mounting cycle, and the conditions for cutting (cutting operation conditions) are met. The length of the tape cut piece TC cut according to the cutting operation conditions is determined by multiplying the pitch dimension of the cavity (described later) by the number of parts supplied. However, the control device 12 may also operate the cutting mechanism 52 after a predetermined number of suction mounting cycles, and the length of the tape cut piece TC will increase by the predetermined number of cycles.

[0031] 2. Detailed configuration of parts supply device 3 The parts supply device 3 includes, in addition to the pallet stand 31, tray unit 3T, and feeder unit 3F described above, a control device 33 and a used tape collection device 6. The tray unit 3T is positioned slightly to the left of the upper surface of the pallet stand 31. The tray unit 3T supplies parts using trays 3T1, each containing parts in a plurality of storage compartments formed in a two-dimensional grid. The tray unit 3T consists of a tray rack 3T2 and a drawer section 3T3, etc.

[0032] The tray rack 3T2 houses a tray magazine (not shown) containing multiple trays 3T1 arranged vertically, which can be raised and lowered. By adjusting the height of the tray magazine within the tray rack 3T2, the tray 3T1 to be used is selected. The drawer unit 3T3 pulls the selected tray 3T1 out of the tray magazine to the rear supply position, enabling the parts to be picked up by the suction nozzle 45. In Figure 1, the tray 3T1 at the supply position is shown by a solid line, and the trays 3T1 in the tray magazine are shown by a dashed line.

[0033] The feeder unit 3F is positioned slightly to the right of the upper surface of the pallet stand 31. The feeder unit 3F is composed of multiple sets (three sets in the example in Figure 1) of feeder set sections 3F5 and reel holding sections 3F6 arranged in a row. A tape feeder 3F1 is detachably set in each of the multiple feeder set sections 3F5. A reel with carrier tape wound on it is detachably held in each of the multiple reel holding sections 3F6. The carrier tape consists of a base tape in which multiple cavities are formed at a predetermined pitch dimension, and a cover tape that is attached to the base tape and covers the cavities. The tape feeder 3F1 supplies parts at the rear upper supply position 3F2 by pulling the carrier tape from the reel and feeding it.

[0034] Multiple types of carrier tapes with different dimensional specifications are used to accommodate the various sizes of the supplied parts. Specifically, the dimensions of the carrier tape include the tape width, the tape thickness in cavities, and the pitch dimension in which multiple cavities are formed. Furthermore, the structure of the carrier tape can be of various types, such as resin embossed tape or paper tape. Tape shape information regarding the dimensions and structure of the carrier tape is included in the material information of the aforementioned mounting work data, or is stored linked to the material information.

[0035] Furthermore, to accommodate various dimensions of carrier tapes, multiple types of tape feeders 3F1 with different dimensional specifications are used interchangeably. In addition, the tape feeder 3F1 has two structural types: a semi-peeling type and a fully peeling type. The semi-peeling type tape feeder 3F1 peels one side edge of the cover tape from the base tape to supply the components and discharges the used tape TP with the cover tape and base tape in an integrated state. On the other hand, the fully peeling type tape feeder 3F1 completely peels both side edges of the cover tape from the base tape to supply the components and discharges the used tape TP consisting only of the base tape. The cover tape is either recovered inside the feeder or discharged through a separate route. The used tape cutting device 5 and the used tape recovery device 6 are compatible with both the semi-peeling type and the fully peeling type tape feeder 3F1.

[0036] The control device 33 is configured using a computer. The control device 33 controls the component supply operation of the tray unit 3T and the feeder unit 3F according to the component supply command received from the control device 12 of the component mounting machine 1. With regard to the control of the feeder unit 3F, the control device 33 controls the timing and amount at which the tape feeder 3F1 feeds the carrier tape, based on the component supply command, tape shape information, and status information of the tape feeder 3F1.

[0037] 3. Configuration of the used tape collection device 6 The used tape collection device 6 of this embodiment collects the tape pieces TC cut by the used tape cutting device 5. The used tape collection device 6 consists of a collection box 7, a moving mechanism 8, a moving control unit 34, and a guide unit 35, etc. As shown in Figure 2, the collection box 7 and the moving mechanism 8 are located at the bottom of the pallet stand 31. The moving control unit 34 and the guide unit 35 are mainly composed of software on the control device 33.

[0038] The collection box 7 collects the tape pieces TC that are cut and fall by the cutting mechanism 52. The collection box 7 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape with an opening at the top. The width dimension of the collection box 7 in the X-axis direction (left-right direction) is approximately the same as the width dimension of the feeder unit 3F, as shown in Figure 1. The length dimension of the collection box 7 in the Y-axis direction (front-back direction) is several times the length dimension of the chute 56 of the used tape cutting device 5.

[0039] As shown by the arrow DS in Figure 2, the collection box 7 is configured to be pullable forward from the pallet base 31. The worker pulls out the collection box 7, which has collected a large number of tape cut pieces TC, and performs the extraction operation to remove the tape cut pieces TC from the collection box 7. After this, the worker inserts the empty collection box 7 into the pallet base 31 to prepare for collection. During the time when the collection box 7 is pulled out, the operation of the cutting mechanism 52 is suspended. In other words, the suction attachment cycle is temporarily interrupted, or the suction attachment cycle continues, resulting in the generation of exceptionally long tape cut pieces TC.

[0040] The collection box 7 is positioned so that its rear end is directly below the chute 56. The area inside the collection box 7 below the cutting mechanism 52 and the chute 56 becomes the drop area 71 where the tape cut pieces TC fall. The area inside the collection box 7 other than the drop area 71 becomes the other area 72. In Figure 2, the boundary between the drop area 71 and the other area 72 is shown by a dashed line, and it should be noted that there is no member separating the boundary.

[0041] In this embodiment, the region ratio RC, obtained by dividing the volume of the recovery space in the other region 72 by the volume of the recovery space in the fall region 71, is approximately 4. In other words, the other region 72 is about four times larger than the fall region 71. There are no special constraints on the value of the region ratio RC, but the larger the region ratio RC, the more pronounced the effect of moving the tape cut pieces TC. The region ratio RC is used to set the leveling height HK, which will be described later.

[0042] In the conventional technology, the large area ratio RC (the large size of the collection box 7 compared to the chute 56) resulted in the inability to effectively utilize the collection space within the collection box 7. In other words, a large portion of the falling tape pieces TC accumulated in the falling area 71 and overflowed, requiring the removal operation to be performed even though a large collection space remained in other areas 72. Alternatively, it was necessary to move the tape pieces TC from the falling area 71 to other areas 72 and perform a leveling operation. As a result, the removal operation or leveling operation became excessively frequent. To solve this problem, this embodiment provides a moving mechanism 8 and a moving control unit 34. Furthermore, a guide unit 35 is provided with the aim of reducing the labor of the operator.

[0043] The moving mechanism 8 is provided above the collection box 7 of the pallet stand 31. The moving mechanism 8 moves at least a portion of the multiple tape cut pieces TC collected in the drop area 71 to the other area 72. In this embodiment, the moving mechanism 8 moves and levels the multiple tape cut pieces TC so that they are evenly distributed in the drop area 71 and the other area 72. The moving mechanism 8 has a leveling drive unit 83 which includes a leveling plate 81 and a height adjustment unit 82 as shown in Figure 3. Note that in Figures 3-5 and 8-9, the numerous collected tape cut pieces TC are not shown individually but are shown as clumps with hatched rectangular cross-sections.

[0044] The leveling plate 81 is a component that leveles the material by pushing and moving the tape cut pieces TC. The leveling plate 81 is formed from an upright rectangular plate, and its material is not limited. The width dimension of the leveling plate 81 in the X-axis direction is equal to or slightly smaller than the inner width dimension of the collection box 7. The height dimension of the leveling plate 81 is larger than the inner height dimension of the collection box 7. The leveling plate 81 is held by a height adjustment unit 82 and is positioned so that it can descend into the collection box 7 from the upper limit position and traverse the drop area 71.

[0045] The height adjustment unit 82 adjusts the height position of the leveling plate 81. This adjusts the leveling height HK, which corresponds to the height position of the lower end of the leveling plate 81. The height adjustment unit 82 retracts the leveling plate 81 to its upper limit position (see dashed line in Figure 4) when the collection box 7 is pulled out and inserted, thereby avoiding collision with the collection box 7. The height adjustment unit 82 can be configured, for example, to include a linear rack gear provided on the leveling plate 81 and extending vertically, a small-diameter pinion gear that meshes with the rack gear and rotates to raise and lower the rack gear, and a motor that rotationally drives the pinion gear.

[0046] The leveling drive unit 83, together with the height adjustment unit 82, moves the leveling plate 81 from the drop area 71 to the other area 72. Specifically, as shown in Figure 3, the standby position of the leveling plate 81 is set at the rear end of the drop area 71, and as shown in Figure 4, the operating position of the leveling plate 81 is set at the front end of the other area 72. The leveling drive unit 83 horizontally moves the leveling plate 81, whose leveling height HK has been adjusted at the standby position in the drop area 71, to the operating position in the other area 72. The leveling drive unit 83 can be configured using, for example, a ball screw feed mechanism or a linear motor mechanism.

[0047] In Figure 3, the conditions for the initial scraping operation are met, with the other area 72 being empty and the tape cut pieces TC being collected in the falling area 71. In reality, some of the tape cut pieces TC may slide and move from the falling area 71 to the other area 72, but the accumulation and movement of the tape cut pieces TC will be briefly explained below. The height adjustment unit 82 has adjusted the initial scraping height HK1 of the scraping plate 81, which is located in the standby position. The scraping drive unit 83, as shown by arrow M1, performs a scraping operation together with the height adjustment unit 82 to move the scraping plate 81 from the standby position to the operating position.

[0048] The initial leveling operation of the moving mechanism 8 results in the state shown in Figure 4. As shown, the multiple tape cut pieces TC are moved and leveled so as to be evenly distributed in the dropping area 71 and other areas 72. The height of the stack of tape cut pieces TC is equal to or less than the initial leveling height HK1 everywhere in the dropping area 71 and other areas 72. After the leveling operation is completed, the leveling drive unit 83 moves the leveling plate 81 from the operating position to the standby position together with the height adjustment unit 82, as shown by arrow M2. At this time, the height adjustment unit 82 retracts the leveling plate 81 to the upper limit position to avoid interference with the leveled tape cut pieces TC.

[0049] The movement control unit 34 is provided primarily for the purpose of optimizing the timing of the movement mechanism 8's operation. The movement control unit 34 operates the movement mechanism 8 each time the cutting mechanism 52 of the used tape cutting device 5 operates a specified number of times NN. To elaborate, the movement control unit 34 obtains operation information of the cutting mechanism 52 from the control device 12 of the component mounting machine 1, counts up the number of operations N1, compares it with the specified number of operations NN, and determines whether or not to operate the movement mechanism 8. Here, the feeder unit 3F has three tape feeders 3F1 arranged in it. Hereafter, we will assume a suction mounting cycle in which the three tape feeders 3F1 supply components, and will omit the explanation of component supply by the tray unit 3T. In this assumption, the movement mechanism 8 will operate each time three times the specified number of operations NN of tape cut pieces TC fall.

[0050] If the moving mechanism 8 operates before the appropriate operating time, it may operate excessively, leading to concerns about accelerated wear and a shortened lifespan. On the other hand, if the moving mechanism 8 operates after the appropriate operating time, there is a concern that the tape pieces TC will overflow from the dropping area 71 to the outside of the collection box 7. The appropriate operating time for the moving mechanism 8 means the time when the amount of tape pieces TC collected in the dropping area 71 is appropriate, which can be rephrased as the time when the collection space within the dropping area 71 is nearly full with tape pieces TC.

[0051] The movement control unit 34 sets the number of specified operations NN variably based on the dimensions of at least one of the components supplied from the tape feeder 3F1 and the carrier tape used by the tape feeder 3F1. Furthermore, the movement control unit 34 sets a second number of specified operations NN smaller than the first number of specified operations NN set based on the first dimension, based on a second dimension that is larger than the first dimension. The setting or modification of the number of specified operations NN is performed at least when the circuit board product is changed, in other words, when at least one of the type and number of components supplied from the tape feeder 3F1 is changed.

[0052] To elaborate, a large carrier tape that accommodates large parts has larger tape width, tape thickness, and pitch dimensions compared to a small carrier tape that accommodates small parts. Therefore, the volume per piece of tape cut off TC produced from a large carrier tape is larger than that of tape cut off TC produced from a small carrier tape. For this reason, the second set of specified operation counts NN based on the large tape cut off TC must be set smaller than the first set of specified operation counts NN based on the small tape cut off TC. In other words, the movement control unit 34 can set the specified operation counts NN so that the number of large tape cut off TC is reduced compared to the number of small tape cut off TC, so that in either case, the timing of the movement mechanism 8's operation is set to coincide with the time when the drop area 71 is nearing full. It is also possible to take into account the length dimension of the tape cut off TC, which changes with the change in the number of parts supplied.

[0053] Furthermore, the movement control unit 34 can variably set the number of specified operations NN based on the volume of tape cut pieces TC, which can be calculated from the dimensions of the carrier tape and the cutting operation conditions of the cutting mechanism 52. Here, tape cut pieces TC cannot be accumulated without gaps, but accumulate while forming some gaps. To take this into account, the accumulation efficiency EF is estimated for multiple tape cut pieces TC to be accumulated. The accumulation efficiency EF is obtained by dividing the "net volume of multiple tape cut pieces TC" by the "apparent volume of multiple identical tape cut pieces TC (volume including gaps)". The accumulation efficiency EF depends on the dimensions and structure of the carrier tape, but it can be conservatively estimated to be around 60-90%. Therefore, the movement control unit 34 should set the appropriate operation time of the movement mechanism 8 to the time when the sum of the net volumes of multiple tape cut pieces TC in the drop area 71 reaches 60-90% of the volume of the collection space in the drop area 71. Note that the estimation accuracy of the accumulation efficiency EF can be improved by experiments or simulations.

[0054] Furthermore, the movement control unit 34 is provided for a second purpose: to control the movement mechanism 8 to operate smoothly. More specifically, the movement control unit 34 controls the scraping drive unit 83 of the movement mechanism 8 to move the scraping plate 81 and the height adjustment unit 82 between the standby position and the operating position. In addition, the movement control unit 34 controls the height adjustment unit 82 to adjust the scraping height HK. More specifically, the movement control unit 34 gradually increases the scraping height HK when scraping multiple tape cut pieces TC as the number of movements of the scraping plate 81 increases.

[0055] For example, Figure 5 shows the state after the second leveling operation by the moving mechanism 8 (leveling plate 81). The leveling height HK2 of the second leveling operation shown is set higher than the leveling height HK1 of the first leveling operation shown in Figure 4. Furthermore, the leveling height HK3 of the leveling plate 81 located in the standby position has been adjusted and is set higher than the leveling height HK2 of the second leveling operation. The leveling heights (HK1, HK2, HK3) for each operation can be appropriately calculated from the previous leveling height (zero, HK1, HK2) set during the previous leveling operation, the volume of the tape cut pieces TC in the drop area 71 that is the target of the leveling operation, and the area ratio RC mentioned above.

[0056] Furthermore, immediately after the second scraping operation shown in Figure 5, tape cut pieces TC have already accumulated in the dropping area 71 up to the scraping height HK2, and the effective recovery space (unused recovery space) has decreased accordingly. In other words, the number of tape cut pieces TC2 that can be recovered in the dropping area 71 after this is limited. Therefore, the movement control unit 34 changes the specified number of operations NN for performing the third scraping operation to a smaller number compared to the specified number of operations NN for the first scraping operation. Thus, it is preferable for the movement control unit 34 to gradually decrease the specified number of operations NN in response to the decrease in the effective recovery space in the dropping area 71 as the number of operations of the scraping plate 81 increases.

[0057] The guide unit 35 guides the operator to perform a retrieval operation to remove multiple tape cut pieces TC from the collection box 7 when the number of operations N2 of the moving mechanism 8 reaches a predetermined number NS. The predetermined number NS can be appropriately set from the number of operations of the moving mechanism 8 (scraping plate 81) until the scraping height HK approaches the top of the collection box 7. There is little need to change the predetermined number NS. The operator only needs to perform the retrieval operation according to the guidance of the guide unit 35, eliminating the need for the conventional confirmation work of frequently checking the status of tape cut pieces TC in the collection box 7. In addition, even if the confirmation work is omitted, there is no risk of tape cut pieces TC overflowing from the collection box 7.

[0058] Furthermore, the guide unit 35 may also guide the user to perform the removal operation if the operating condition of the moving mechanism 8 changes due to an increase in the amount of tape cut pieces TC collected in the collection box 7. For example, there is a possibility that the moving mechanism 8 may change to a heavy or overloaded operating condition if the number of tape cut pieces TC becomes excessive and exceeds the leveling height HK, or if multiple tape cut pieces TC become entangled and the accumulation condition becomes poor. Also, there is a possibility that the moving mechanism 8 may change to a light load operating condition if the tape cut pieces TC adhere to the chute 56 due to the effects of static electricity or moisture, or if the tape cut pieces TC are scattered due to their own elasticity during the leveling operation.

[0059] Such changes in operating status can be detected by changes in load current if the moving mechanism 8 is an electrical mechanism, or by providing various sensors (e.g., speed sensors). It is preferable that the guidance display on the guidance unit 35 when the operating status of the moving mechanism 8 changes is different from the guidance display when the number of operations N2 reaches a predetermined number NS, in order to draw attention. Furthermore, it is preferable that the guidance unit 35 temporarily stops the operation of the moving mechanism 8 when the operating status of the moving mechanism 8 changes. By having the operator perform the retrieval work according to the guidance, the risk of tape cut pieces TC overflowing from the collection box 7 is reduced. In addition, even if problems such as adhesion or scattering of tape cut pieces TC or malfunction of the moving mechanism 8 occur, early response to minor problems is possible.

[0060] 4. Transformation mechanism 8A The moving mechanism 8 of the embodiment can be transformed into the moving mechanism 8A shown in Figure 6. The transformed moving mechanism 8A has a scraping drive unit 86 which includes a scraping plate 84 and an inclination angle adjustment unit 85. The scraping plate 84 has the same shape as the scraping plate 81 of the embodiment and is held so as to extend diagonally downward and rearward from the inclination angle adjustment unit 85. The inclination angle adjustment unit 85 adjusts the inclination angle AF of the scraping plate 84. This adjusts the scraping height HK4 which corresponds to the height position of the lower end of the scraping plate 84. The inclination angle adjustment unit 85 can be configured to include, for example, an arc-shaped rack gear provided on the scraping plate 84, a pinion gear that rotates in mesh with the rack gear to cause the rack gear to oscillate, and a motor that rotationally drives the pinion gear.

[0061] The scraping drive unit 86, together with the inclination angle adjustment unit 85, moves the scraping plate 84 horizontally from a standby position in the drop area 71 to an operating position in another area 72 (see arrow M3) to perform the scraping operation. After the scraping operation is completed, the scraping drive unit 86, together with the inclination angle adjustment unit 85, moves the scraping plate 84 from the operating position to the standby position (see arrow M4). At this time, the inclination angle adjustment unit 85 swings the scraping plate 84 up to a horizontal position to avoid interference with the scraped tape cut pieces TC. Therefore, the modified moving mechanism 8A can perform the same scraping operation as the moving mechanism 8 of the embodiment.

[0062] The movement control unit 34, as in the embodiment, can optimize the timing of operation of the modified movement mechanism 8A. In addition, instead of controlling the height adjustment unit 82 in the embodiment to adjust the leveling height HK, the movement control unit 34 controls the inclination angle adjustment unit 85 in the modified form to adjust the leveling height HK4. Furthermore, the movement control unit 34 performs the same control on the leveling drive unit 86 in the modified form as on the leveling drive unit 83 in the embodiment. As a result, the movement control unit 34 can operate the modified movement mechanism 8A smoothly.

[0063] 5. Operation of the used tape collection device 6 Next, the operation of the used tape recovery device 6 of the embodiment will be explained with reference to the operation flow shown in Figure 7. This operation flow can also be applied to the modified form of the moving mechanism 8A. This operation flow is mainly controlled by the control device 33 (including the moving control unit 34 and the guide unit 35). At the start of the operation flow, the number of operations N1 of the cutting mechanism 52 and the number of operations N2 of the moving mechanism 8 are reset to zero. Steps S1-S4 of the operation flow are performed when the component mounting machine 1 is started and when the board product is changed during setup changes. Steps S5 onwards are performed in parallel with the mounting work of the component mounting machine 1.

[0064] In step S1 of the operation flow, the movement control unit 34 obtains tape shape information of the carrier tapes used by the three tape feeders 3F1 and the cutting operation conditions of the cutting mechanism 52 from the control device 12 of the component mounting machine 1. In the next step S2, the movement control unit 34 calculates the volume V1 of the tape cut pieces TC produced by one cut by the cutting mechanism 52. That is, for each of the three tape cut pieces TC to be cut, the movement control unit 34 calculates the volume based on the tape width dimension, tape thickness dimension, and the length dimension of the tape cut piece TC obtained from the cutting operation conditions, and adds the three volumes to obtain the volume V1.

[0065] In the next step S3, the movement control unit 34 sets the specified number of operations NN for the cutting mechanism 52, which serves as the criterion for determining whether to have the movement mechanism 8 perform a scraping operation. The movement control unit 34 can appropriately set the specified number of operations NN based on the current volume of the effective recovery space within the drop area 71, the accumulation efficiency EF, and the volume V1 calculated in step S2. In the next step S4, the movement control unit 34 sets the scraping height HK. After this, the parts mounting machine 1 starts the mounting operation, and the control device 33 controls the parts supply operation.

[0066] In the next step S5, the movement control unit 34 obtains operation information of the cutting mechanism 52 from the control device 12 and counts up its operation count N1. In the next step S6, the control device 33 checks whether the circuit board product to be produced is changed or not. In most cases, the circuit board product is not changed, and the operation flow proceeds to step S7. In step S7, the movement control unit 34 determines whether the operation count N1 of the cutting mechanism 52 has reached the specified operation count NN. If it has not, the operation flow returns to step S5. The operation loop from step S5 to step S7 is repeated, and when the operation count N1 reaches the specified operation count NN, the operation flow proceeds to step S8.

[0067] In step S8, the movement control unit 34 causes the movement mechanism 8 to perform a scraping operation and simultaneously resets the operation count N1 of the cutting mechanism 52. The next step S9 is executed in parallel with the scraping operation. That is, the guide unit 35 advances the operation flow to step S12 if the operating status of the movement mechanism 8 changes, and advances the operation flow to step S10 if it does not change.

[0068] In step S10, the guide unit 35 counts up the number of operations N2 of the moving mechanism 8. In the next step S11, the guide unit 35 determines whether the number of operations N2 of the moving mechanism 8 has reached a predetermined number NS. If it has, in step S12, the guide unit 35 guides the operator to perform the removal operation and resets the number of operations N2. After this, the operation flow returns to step S3. The operator can perform the removal operation in parallel with the mounting operation of the parts mounting machine 1 by following the guidance.

[0069] If the number of operations N2 has not reached a predetermined number in step S11, the operation flow returns to step S3 without going through step S12. In this case, no removal operation by the operator is required. In the second step S3, the predetermined number of operations NN is reset, and in the second step S4, the leveling height HK is reset. The reset predetermined number of operations NN and leveling height HK will differ from the first values. Furthermore, the predetermined number of operations NN and leveling height HK that are reset from the third time onward will differ from the previous values. As described above, the predetermined number of operations NN is set to be gradually smaller, and the leveling height HK is set to be gradually larger.

[0070] In rare cases, the substrate product may be changed in step S6, and the operation flow returns to step S1. In this case, in step S1, the movement control unit 34 obtains the tape shape information of the carrier tape that has been changed to accommodate the next substrate product, and the changed cutting operation conditions of the cutting mechanism 52. In the next step S2, the movement control unit 34 recalculates the volume V1. Furthermore, the movement control unit 34 changes the predetermined number of operations NN set in step S3 as necessary, and changes the scraping height HK set in step S4 as necessary. In addition, the movement control unit 34 retains the number of operations N1 that has been counted up so far in step S5 and can use it for the determination in step S7.

[0071] In the used tape collection device 6 of this embodiment, the moving mechanism 8 moves the multiple tape cut pieces TC collected in the drop area 71 within the collection box 7 to another area 72 and levels them, thereby making effective use of the collection space within the collection box 7. Furthermore, the moving control unit 34 operates the moving mechanism 8 every time the cutting mechanism 52 operates a predetermined number of times NN, thereby optimizing the timing of the operation of the moving mechanism 8. In other words, it eliminates the risk of tape cut pieces TC overflowing from the collection box 7, while also eliminating concerns about accelerated wear and shortened lifespan due to excessive operation of the moving mechanism 8. In addition, it eliminates the need for operators to frequently remove tape cut pieces TC. Moreover, the guide unit 35 eliminates the need to check the collection status of tape cut pieces TC within the collection box 7.

[0072] 6. Applied form of mobile mechanism 8B The function of the movable mechanism 8 in the embodiment can be changed by changing the control method without changing its structure. In other words, by changing the software of the control device 33, the movable mechanism 8 in the embodiment can be used as the movable mechanism 8B in the applied form without changing the hardware. Hereafter, the movable mechanism 8B in the applied form will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9, changing the names and reference numerals from those in the embodiment.

[0073] The applied version of the moving mechanism 8B discharges all of the multiple tape cut pieces TC collected in the drop area 71 to another area 72. The moving mechanism 8B has a discharge drive unit 89 which includes a discharge plate 87 and a height adjustment unit 88 as shown in Figure 8. The discharge plate 87 has the same structure as the leveling plate 81, the height adjustment unit 88 has the same structure as the height adjustment unit 82, and the discharge drive unit 89 has the same structure as the leveling drive unit 83.

[0074] In Figure 8, the conditions for the initial discharge operation are met, with the other area 72 being empty and the tape cut piece TC being collected in the drop area 71. The height adjustment unit 88 adjusts the discharge plate 87, which is located in a standby position at the rear end of the drop area 71, to the lower limit position, so that the lower end of the discharge plate 87 contacts the inner bottom surface of the collection box 7. The height adjustment unit 88 retracts the discharge plate 87 to the upper limit position when the collection box 7 is pulled out and inserted, and holds the discharge plate 87 at the lower limit position at other times.

[0075] As indicated by arrow M5, the discharge drive unit 89, together with the height adjustment unit 88, performs a discharge operation to move the discharge plate 87 from the standby position to the operating position PL (initial operating position PL1). After the initial discharge operation, the state shown in Figure 9 is reached. As shown in the figure, all of the multiple tape cut pieces TC that were collected in the falling area 71 are discharged to a forward position in the other area 72 (a position farther from the falling area 71). As a result, the collection space within the falling area 71 returns to an empty state. After the discharge operation is completed, as indicated by arrow M6, the discharge drive unit 89, together with the height adjustment unit 88, moves the discharge plate 87 from the operating position PL1 to the standby position. At this time, the height adjustment unit 88 does not change the height position of the discharge plate 87. Note that during the time when the discharge plate 87 is moving from the standby position, the operation of the cutting mechanism 52 is suspended so that tape cut pieces TC do not fall behind the discharge plate 87.

[0076] The movement control unit 34 sets the specified number of operations NN for the cutting mechanism 52, similar to the embodiment, but the setting method differs from the embodiment. That is, in the applied form, even if the number of operations of the discharge plate 87 increases, the recovery space in the drop area 71 returns to an empty state each time, so the movement control unit 34 does not need to change the specified number of operations NN. In other words, the movement control unit 34 only needs to change the specified number of operations NN when the substrate product is changed and at least one of the type of component supplied from the tape feeder 3F1 and the number of supplied components are changed.

[0077] Furthermore, the movement control unit 34 controls the discharge drive unit 89 to adjust the operating position PL of the discharge plate 87. Specifically, for the first operation of the discharge plate 87, the movement control unit 34 controls the discharge plate 87 to move to an operating position PL1 that is far from the drop area 71 in the other area 72. Furthermore, as the number of operations of the discharge plate 87 increases, the movement control unit 34 controls the discharge plate 87 to move to operating positions (PL2, PL3, PL4) that are gradually closer to the drop area 71 in the other area 72, as shown in Figure 9. It is preferable that the multiple operating positions (PL1, PL2, PL3, PL4) are set with a pitch dimension that is approximately equal to the length dimension in the Y-axis direction of the drop area 71 (chute 56).

[0078] In the example shown in Figure 9, it can be seen that the other area 72 becomes nearly full after four discharge operations corresponding to the four operating positions (PL1, PL2, PL3, PL4). After this, the tape cut pieces TC are collected and accumulated in the drop area 71, requiring removal by an operator. Therefore, the guide unit 35 sets the predetermined number of operations NS to 4, and guides the operator to perform the removal operation when the number of operations N2 of the moving mechanism 8B reaches 4.

[0079] Figure 10 shows the operation flow of the used tape recovery device 6 equipped with the applied mobile mechanism 8B. Compared to the operation flow in Figure 7, step S4 is changed to step S4A, step S8 is changed to step S8A, and step S9 is omitted. In step S4A, the movement control unit 34 sets the operating position PL of the discharge plate 87 instead of the scraping height HK. In step S8A, the movement control unit 34 causes the mobile mechanism 8B to perform the discharge operation and also resets the number of operations N1 of the cutting mechanism 52. Also, by omitting step S9, the guide unit 35 omits guidance based on changes in the operating status of the mobile mechanism 8B.

[0080] In the used tape collection device 6 equipped with the applied-mode moving mechanism 8B, the moving mechanism 8B discharges all of the multiple tape cut pieces TC collected in the drop area 71 within the collection box 7 to another area 72, thereby enabling effective use of the collection space within the collection box 7. In addition, similar to the embodiment, the timing of operation of the moving mechanism 8 is optimized, the frequency of retrieval work is eliminated, and the work of checking the collection status of tape cut pieces TC is no longer required.

[0081] 7. Applications and Variations of Embodiments Furthermore, if the used tape collection device 6 of this embodiment is to be installed on a feeder-dedicated parts supply device, a design change will be necessary to increase the X-axis dimensions of the collection box 7 and the leveling plate 81. Also, the used tape cutting device 5 may be provided on the side of the parts supply device 3, or it may be provided distributed on the base 10 and the parts supply device 3. In addition, the drive source for the moving mechanisms (8, 8A, 8B) may be an air-operated mechanism. Various other applications and modifications are possible for this embodiment. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0082] 1: Component mounting machine 2: Circuit board transport device 3: Component supply device 31: Pallet stand 33: Control device 34: Movement control unit 35: Guide unit 3F: Feeder unit 3F1: Tape feeder 4: Component transfer device 5: Used tape cutting device 51: Duct 52: Cutting mechanism 56: Chute 6: Used tape collection device 7: Collection box 71: Dropping area 72: Other areas 8, 8A, 8B: Movement mechanism 81: Scraping plate 82: Height adjustment unit 83: Scraping drive unit 84: Scraping plate 85: Inclination angle adjustment unit 86: Scraping drive unit 87: Discharge plate 88: Height adjustment unit 89: Discharge drive unit TP: Used tape TC: Tape cut piece HK, HK1-HK4: Scraping height PL, PL1-PL4: Operating position

Claims

1. A carrier tape containing multiple components is cut by a cutting mechanism, and a collection box collects the tape pieces that fall. A moving mechanism for moving at least a portion of the multiple tape cut pieces collected in the drop area, which is the area below the cutting mechanism within the collection box, to another area within the collection box that is other than the drop area, A control unit that operates the moving mechanism each time the cutting mechanism operates a predetermined number of times, A used tape collection device equipped with [a specific feature].

2. The used tape recovery device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit sets the number of specified operations to be variable based on the dimensions of at least one of the component and the carrier tape.

3. The used tape recovery device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit sets the second predetermined number of operations to be smaller than the first predetermined number of operations set based on the first predetermined number of operations based on the second predetermined number of operations which is larger than the first predetermined number of operations.

4. The used tape recovery device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit variably sets the number of specified operations based on the volume of the tape cut piece which can be calculated from the dimensions of the carrier tape and the cutting operation conditions of the cutting mechanism.

5. The used tape collection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the moving mechanism moves the plurality of tape cut pieces by scraping them so that they are evenly distributed in the falling area and the other area.

6. The used tape collection device according to claim 5, wherein the moving mechanism comprises a scraping plate that pushes and moves the cut pieces of tape, and a scraping drive unit that moves the scraping plate from the dropping area to the other area.

7. The used tape collection device according to claim 6, wherein the scraping drive unit adjusts the height position of the scraping plate or the inclination angle of the scraping plate, thereby gradually increasing the scraping height when scraping the multiple tape cut pieces as the number of operations of the scraping plate increases.

8. The used tape collection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the moving mechanism discharges all of the plurality of tape cut pieces collected in the dropping area to the other area.

9. The used tape collection device according to claim 8, wherein the moving mechanism comprises a discharge plate provided so as to be able to traverse the falling area and for pushing and discharging the cut pieces of tape, and a discharge drive unit for moving the discharge plate from the falling area to another area.

10. The used tape collection device according to claim 9, wherein the discharge drive unit moves the discharge plate to a position far from the falling area in the other area during the first operation of the discharge plate, and as the number of operations of the discharge plate increases, moves the discharge plate to a position gradually closer to the falling area in the other area.

11. The used tape collection device according to any one of claims 1-4, further comprising a guide unit that guides the execution of a collection operation to remove a plurality of the cut tape pieces from the collection box when the number of operations of the moving mechanism reaches a predetermined number.

12. The used tape collection device according to any one of claims 1-4, further comprising a guide unit that guides the execution of a collection operation to remove a plurality of tape pieces from the collection box when the operating state of the moving mechanism changes due to an increase in the number of tape pieces collected in the collection box.

13. A used tape collection device according to any one of claims 1-4, A tape feeder that supplies the components using the carrier tape, A parts supply device equipped with the following.

14. A parts supply device as described in claim 13, The aforementioned cutting mechanism, A component transfer device that uses a component sampling tool to collect the component from the tape feeder and transfers the collected component to a circuit board, A parts mounting machine equipped with the following features.

15. The component mounting machine according to claim 14, wherein the cutting mechanism operates each time the component picking tool moves from the tape feeder to the substrate.

Images