Mobile robot, a system including the mobile robot and a battery, an SMT production line, and a method for replacing a battery for a mobile robot

Abstract

To provide an automated power supply system for mobile robots.SOLUTION: A battery for a mobile robot operative to exchange feeders with a placement machine may be exchanged by using a feeder exchange mechanism to transfer a depleted battery from the mobile robot to a battery storage.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a mobile robot, a battery, an SMT production line, and a method for replacing a battery.

[0002] The present invention relates generally to the technical field of mounting electronic components on component carriers such as printed circuit boards (PCBs), substrates or workpieces in the so-called Surface Mount Technology (SMT) process. [Background technology]

[0003] The production of such electronic subassemblies typically involves so-called placement machines, by which electronic components are taken in an automated manner from a component supply device and placed onto a component carrier, e.g. a printed circuit board. The transport of the components from the component supply device to their respective placement positions is effected by a component handling device, e.g. a so-called placement head.

[0004] The most common packaging for small electronic components uses a carrier tape, sometimes called a "belt," in which small pockets are formed. Each of the pockets holds one component. Only one type of component is placed in each carrier tape. To save space and for easier transportation, the carrier tape is customarily formed into a reel by winding it on a spool. Typically, the tape reel is located in a feeder module, which includes a drive means for advancing the tape in a forward direction, such as a motor-driven pinwheel that engages holes provided along the length of the carrier tape, and a pick-up area or window that provides access to the components. The feeder module may be removably inserted into a placement machine.

[0005] More recently, cartridge systems have been proposed in which the reels are placed in passive cartridge modules or cassettes, which may conveniently be relatively inexpensive plastic containers or envelopes of a defined shape that can be easily held by a robot, which can be loaded at a central filling station and subsequently inserted into the feeder. As an alternative, the cartridge modules can be inserted directly into the placer, if the placer itself is provided with a tape drive. An example of a cartridge and feeder configuration is described, for example, in US Pat. No. 5,399,363. In such a system, the feeder unit can be used to drive the carrier tape placed in the cartridge unit, so that the components placed in the pockets of the carrier tape are moved to a picking area where the placement head of the placer can access the components. The picking area can be located in the cartridge or in the feeder, depending on the individual design.

[0006] The operation of the placement machine requires that a feeder (and / or cartridge depending on the configuration) containing the respective carrier tape can be fed into the placement machine.

[0007] Such equipment upgrades (i.e., installation of different feeders / cartridges) are currently manual processes that require a high level of personnel input. Considerable efforts have been made in recent years to automate material replenishment and changeovers.

[0008] As a particular background art, reference may be made to US Pat. No. 5,399,633. As described therein, an external exchange device may be provided for transporting a feeder, including both a supply capacity and material storage, between a storage location and an operating location, the exchange device being operable to move along a production line, including one or more placers, parallel to the direction of the workpiece throughput. The exchange device is operable to translate along and is supported by rails installed along the production line (so the device may be called a "rail-guided vehicle"). Such an approach has various advantages, for example, because the use of machine mounting rails keeps the exchange device in a constant vertical position relative to the placer, and furthermore, a high level of positioning accuracy along the production line is possible, thus avoiding any problems that may arise due to imperfections in the floor surface. One advantage of such a system is that the rail-guided vehicle can be continuously powered from the placer. However, there are also various disadvantages associated with such a system. For example, it is necessary to use a dedicated exchange device for each side of the production line, which may limit how close adjacent lines can be placed. The described system also lacks flexibility and is unable to manage, for example, cartridge-based supply systems. This system has proven to be relatively slow and expensive due to the significant requirement for dedicated equipment for each production line.

[0009] It has been recognized that a more flexible and potentially cheaper solution may be to equip an automated guided vehicle (AGV) or autonomous mobile robot (AMR) with a feeder / cartridge change mechanism. For convenience, throughout the remainder of this document, the term "AGV" is used to collectively refer to all such mobile robots that are not constrained to move along rails or other set paths. As is well known in the art per se, AGVs are generally small mobile robotic devices that have at least some degree of autonomy and can typically move on a floor by means of a wheeled chassis. AGVs are available from a number of manufacturers (and therefore relatively inexpensive, and suitable AGVs may already be owned by production line operators), and are typically provided with a top platform on which task-specific equipment can be mounted. Unfortunately, the use of AGVs for feeder / cartridge change is problematic due to their power requirements. Specifically, unless those AGVs have contact wires or cable drag chains that contact a power track (e.g., similar to trams or dodgem cars), they cannot be continuously powered and they can interfere with other AGVs, suffer damage from friction, and pose a tripping risk to human operators. Therefore, it is necessary to provide AGVs with mobile power sources, specifically rechargeable batteries.

[0010] A variety of battery solutions for AGVs are commercially available, but have drawbacks when trying to automate an SMT line.

[0011] i) Stationary battery It is possible to provide the AGV with a stationary battery. To recharge the battery, the AGV must either be connected to a charging point, i.e. a plug needs to be led to the AGV (which presents similar problems as the cable drag chain mentioned above), or the AGV must travel to the charging station. This option can be fully automated, but if more than one AGV needs to go to the charging station, delays will occur as one AGV waits for the other to finish charging. Furthermore, using short charging cycles to avoid this problem can have a negative impact on the life cycle of the batteries.

[0012] ii) Replaceable battery Alternatively, the AGV may be able to exchange the used batteries with fully charged batteries from a battery store, which can be done manually or automatically: manual exchange requires an operator, thus defeating the purpose of factory automation, whereas automatic exchange requires relatively expensive exchange stations that include complex mechanisms for physically exchanging the batteries. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0013] [Patent Document 1] German Patent No. 102019127299.8 [Patent Document 2] European Patent Application Publication No. 3419402 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0014] The present invention seeks to provide an automated power supply system for mobile robots, such as but not limited to AGVs associated with SMT production facilities, in which automatically replaceable batteries are used to provide power without the need for expensive exchange stations. According to the present invention, this objective is achieved by using for battery exchange the same exchange system used by the mobile robot to exchange feeders / cartridges, thus eliminating the need for expensive and complex exchange mechanisms at exchange stations. In particular, this can be done by using replaceable batteries with the same physical interface as the feeders / cartridges carried by the mobile robot in use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] For convenience, the following terms will be used in the remainder of this document with the following meanings: "Mobile robot" is understood to mean a robotic vehicle, including AGVs, AMRs, as well as rail-guided or other path-constrained vehicles. "Feeder" is considered to encompass both a feeder including a tape reel store and a drive means for feeding the carrier tape, as well as a modular cartridge-feeder system in which the tape reel store and drive means are disposed in separate interengaging cartridge and feeder sections. The X, Y, and Z axes are used as is conventional in the art; the X-axis is parallel to the direction of workpiece transport along the production line, increases in a downstream direction, and is substantially horizontal; the Y axis is perpendicular to the X axis, increases in a direction toward the placement machine, and is substantially horizontal; The Z-axis is perpendicular to the X-axis and Y-axis and is generally vertical and increases in the upward direction.

[0016] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile robot for exchanging a placement machine and a supply machine, comprising: a supply machine storage unit for temporarily storing the supply machine; an exchange mechanism configured to transfer the feeders from the feeder storage to the placement machine; a robot electrical contact for receiving power from a modular battery adapted for releasable and repeatable engagement with a mobile robot; Equipped with A mobile robot is provided, where the exchange mechanism is configured to transfer the modular batteries to an external battery storage location.

[0017] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a battery for providing power to a mobile robot, in particular adapted for transferring feeders to a placement machine, the mobile robot comprising an elongated feeder track in which each feeder can be temporarily stored, the battery comprising: a battery side engaging means configured to releasably and repeatedly engage with an elongated battery track mounted on a mobile robot arranged parallel to the elongated feeder track; a battery electrical contact for providing electrical power to the mobile robot when the battery side engagement means is physically engaged with the elongated battery track; A battery is provided comprising:

[0018] According to a third aspect of the present invention, A placement machine; A mobile robot according to a first aspect; a charging station for charging a modular battery according to the second aspect for providing power to a mobile robot; An SMT production line is provided, comprising:

[0019] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of replacing a battery for a mobile robot, the method comprising the steps of: a supply machine storage unit for temporarily storing the supply machine; an exchange mechanism configured to transfer the feeders from the feeder storage to the placement machine; The method comprises: i) moving the mobile robot to a battery storage location; ii) transferring the depleted battery from the mobile robot to a battery storage facility using an exchange mechanism; A method is provided, comprising:

[0020] Other particular aspects and features of the present invention are set forth in the accompanying claims.

[0021] The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings (not to scale): [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a mobile robot for carrying a dispenser according to an embodiment of the present invention approaching a charging station; [Diagram 2] 2A to 2C are schematic perspective views of the mobile robot of FIG. 1 approaching different types of charging stations. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a schematic diagram of an engagement means between a supply device and a battery according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a schematic diagram of the battery shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view showing a schematic diagram of an engagement means between a supplier and a battery according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic diagram of the mobile robot of FIG. 1 including an exchange mechanism. [Figure 7] 7A to 7C are side views that diagrammatically show the exchange mechanism of FIG. 6 at each stage of operation. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic diagram of a placement machine used as a charging station. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] FIG. 1 shows, in a perspective view, a mobile robot 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention for transporting a feeder 2, approaching an external battery storage, here a charging station 3 arranged in a line side stock station (LSS) 4. More specifically, the mobile robot 1, here an AGV-type mobile robot including steerable wheels 5 enabling movement with a component of horizontal motion along both orthogonal X and Y axes, merely shown, comprises a table 6 including at least one robot feeder track 7 (here five are provided), each robot feeder track 7 being of elongated form and extending parallel across the surface of the table 6. As will be explained in more detail below, each robot feeder track 7 is contoured to enable releasable and repeatable engagement with a feeder 2. The table 6 thus serves as a feeder storage for temporary storage of the feeder 2 while it is being transported, for example, between the LSS 4 and a placer (not shown) or between a separate feeder carousel (not shown) and the LSS 4. In FIG. 1, three of the five robot feeder tracks 7 have respective feeders 2 engaged therewith. Additionally, the table 6 also includes at least one robot battery track 8 (here two are provided), each robot battery track 8 being of elongated configuration and extending across the surface of the table 6 parallel to the robot feeder tracks 7. As will be explained in more detail below, each robot battery track 8 is contoured to allow for releasable and repeatable engagement with a battery 9, specifically a modular battery suitable for releasable and repeatable engagement with a mobile robot 1. In FIG. 1, one of the robot battery tracks 8 is engaged with a battery 9 and the other is free, although the outline of a battery 10 is shown, where the battery 10 will be placed.

[0024] As will be explained in more detail below, each battery 9 is capable of providing power to the mobile robot 1 when installed in a respective robot battery track 8. The presence of two robot battery tracks 8 is therefore advantageous as the mobile robot 1 can draw operating power from one of the batteries 9 while the depleted battery is being swapped with the charging station 3. However, this is not essential and a single robot battery track 8 may be used, for example if the mobile robot 1 is equipped with auxiliary means (not shown) such as a separate rechargeable battery or capacitor for storing power during battery swapping. Of course, more than two robot battery tracks 8 may be provided to provide further power backup, but this would use up space on the table 6 that could be better used for the robot supplier track 7.

[0025] Furthermore, the mobile robot 1 is provided with an exchange mechanism configured to transfer the supplier from the supplier storage section to the placement machine, which exchange mechanism is not shown in Figure 1 for clarity but will be described in more detail below with reference to Figures 6 and Figures 7A to 7C.

[0026] The LSS 4 as shown in FIG. 1 is installed in an SMT production line 11, which may comprise one or more placement machines, printers, inspection machines, reflow ovens, etc., as per se well known in the art, as the specific application requires, none of which are shown for clarity. Using conventional notation, the workpieces processed by the production line 11 move along the production line 11 in the indicated X-direction, the Y-direction is horizontal and perpendicular to the X-direction and thus relates to the width of the production line, while the Z-direction extends vertically upwards. The LSS 4 comprises an LSS table 12 including at least one LSS feeder track 13 (four are shown here for illustrative purposes), each LSS feeder track 13 being of elongated form and extending parallel across the surface of the LSS table 12. Each LSS feeder track 13 is contoured to enable releasable and repeatable engagement with the feeder 2, and thus has a contour similar to the robot feeder track 7. Thus, the LSS table 12 serves as a store for temporarily storing feeders 2, for example, when they arrive from the feeder carousel and await deployment at the placer. The LSS feeder track 13 extends parallel to the Y axis from the front of the LSS 4. Thus, when the mobile robot 1 approaches the LSS 4 in the orientation shown in FIG. 1, feeders can be swapped between the mobile robot 1 and the LSS 4 by sliding the feeder 2 between the adjacent and aligned robot feeder track 7 and LSS feeder track 13, respectively.

[0027] The LSS 4 also includes a battery storage, in this case the charging station 3, with an LSS battery track 14 mounted on the LSS table 12 in a dedicated area of ​​the LSS table 12 (here at the end of the LSS 4 furthest along the X-axis). The LSS battery track 14 is of elongated form and extends across the surface of the LSS table 12 parallel to the LSS supplier track 13. The LSS battery track 14 is contoured to allow releasable and repeatable engagement with the batteries 9, and thus has a contour similar to the robot battery track 8. The charging station 3 thus functions as a storage for temporarily storing the batteries 9. The batteries 9 may be automatically recharged by the charging station 3 while stored therein, and for this purpose electrical contacts (not shown) may be provided adjacent the LSS battery track 14 to engage with electrical contacts provided on the engaged batteries 9, as will be explained in more detail below.

[0028] The LSS battery track 14 extends parallel to the Y axis from the front of the LSS 4. Thus, when the mobile robot 1 approaches the LSS 4 in the orientation shown in FIG. 1, batteries 9 can be swapped between the mobile robot 1 and the charging station 3 by sliding the batteries 9 between the adjacent and aligned respective robot battery tracks 8 and LSS battery tracks 14.

[0029] In use, when the mobile robot 1 requires a charged battery 9 (e.g., as determined by use of a conventional charging monitoring system (not shown) provided on the mobile robot 1 and communicatively connected to the control system (not shown) of the mobile robot 1), the mobile robot 1 moves to the LSS 4 in the orientation shown in FIG. 1 such that the LSS battery track 14 is aligned with the empty (i.e., the leftmost one shown in FIG. 1 ) robot battery track 8. The charged battery 9 can then be transferred from the LSS battery track 14 to the empty robot battery track 8 using an exchange mechanism (described in more detail below) of the mobile robot. The mobile robot can then move parallel to the X-axis to align the rightmost robot battery track 8 with the LSS battery track 14, where the exchange mechanism can slide the depleted battery into the LSS battery track 14 where it begins to recharge. The mobile robot 1 can then continue to perform other missions as needed.

[0030] Although not described in detail here, it should be understood that the placer also includes a machine feeder track extending parallel to and similarly shaped to the LSS feeder track 13, such that the feeder 2 can be swapped between the mobile robot 1 and the placer by sliding the feeder 2 between the adjacent and aligned respective robot feeder track 7 and machine feeder track.

[0031] FIG. 2 shows, in a perspective view, the mobile robot 1 of FIG. 1 approaching a different type of charging station 15 in the LSS 16. This charging station 15 provides two LSS battery tracks 14, 14', each extending parallel to the LSS supplier track 13. Such a charging station allows two batteries 9 to be recharged simultaneously, which may be advantageous for certain high-power production lines or when more than one mobile robot 1 serves that section of the production line. Of course, in alternative embodiments (not shown), still further LSS battery tracks 14, 14' may be provided as required. Ideally, however, the number of LSS battery tracks 14, 14' should be minimized as much as possible to maximize the available space in the LSS 16 for the LSS supplier tracks 13.

[0032] 3 shows a schematic perspective close-up view of the engagement means between the feeder 2 and the battery 9 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The feeder 2 comprises a molded feeder slot 20 formed in its base (i.e., the side that is at its lowest Z position in use) which extends at least partially along the length of the feeder 2 (i.e., the dimension that extends parallel to the Y axis in use). The molded feeder slot 20 is dimensioned to fit snugly around a molded feeder member 21 that protrudes from the top surface of the respective robot feeder track 7 or LSS feeder track 13. It should be understood that since the contours of the robot feeder track 7 and the LSS feeder track 13 are similar, the track shown may be either the robot feeder track 7 or the LSS feeder track 13, hence the labelling of this track in FIG. 3 as "7 / 13".

[0033] Similarly, the battery 9 is provided with battery side engagement means in the form of a molded battery slot 22 formed at its base (i.e., the side that is at its lowest Z position in use) which extends at least partially along the length of the battery 9 (i.e., the dimension that extends parallel to the Y axis in use). The molded battery slot 22 is dimensioned to fit snugly around a molded battery member 23 that protrudes from a top surface of the respective robot battery track 8 or LSS battery track 14. Because the contours of the robot battery track 8 and the LSS battery track 14 are similar, it should be understood that the track shown may be either the robot battery track 8 or the LSS battery track 14, hence the labeling of this track in FIG. 3 as "8 / 14."

[0034] The battery 9 includes electrical battery contacts 24 located on an underside of the battery 9 adjacent the molded battery slots 22 that can be used to both provide power to an external device and to receive power to recharge the battery 9. Electrical track contacts 55 are provided adjacent the molded battery member 23 in a relative position similar to the battery contacts 24 to contact the battery contacts 24 when the battery 9 is fully engaged with the respective battery track 8, 14, and thus receive electrical energy (in the case of the LSS battery track 14) or provide electrical energy to the battery contacts 24 (in the case of the robot battery track 8).

[0035] The contours shown in Figure 3 for the battery and feeder slots are merely exemplary and many variations are possible, but in any case it is important that the respective battery or feeder can be repeatably and releasably engaged with the respective track by an exchange mechanism of the mobile robot 1, e.g., by sliding, and that the feeder or battery, once physically engaged with the track, is held sufficiently well to prevent accidental disengagement.

[0036] Figure 4 shows the battery 9 of Figure 3 in a schematic perspective view, with a molded battery slot 22 and battery contacts 24 shown at the base of the battery 9. The battery 9 comprises an exchange member 25, here formed as a recess in the upper surface 26 of the battery 9, for physical engagement with an exchange mechanism of the mobile robot 1. The recessed form of the exchange member 25 creates two internal side walls 27, 28 of the recess, which face each other and are spaced apart in the Y direction in use. These internal side walls 27, 28 provide handholds for the exchange mechanism, so that the exchange mechanism can push the battery 9 in the Y direction by pushing the side wall 27, and pull the battery 9 in the opposite direction by pulling the side wall 28, as will be explained in more detail below.

[0037] The illustrated exchange member 25 is only one of many possible designs, for example the exchange member could be provided with a protruding feature which can also be pushed or pulled by the exchange mechanism. In a particularly simple alternative, the outer casing of the battery 9 could serve as the exchange member, with the front wall (the side shown closest) being used to push the battery 9 in the Y direction and the far end wall (opposite the front wall) being used to pull the battery 9 in the opposite direction, depending on the design of the exchange mechanism.

[0038] It should also be understood that the feeder 2 may also include similar exchange members, and that the feeder 2 may also be pushed or pulled as required by the exchange mechanism.

[0039] FIG. 5 shows a schematic perspective close-up view of the engagement means of the feeder 2 and the battery 9 according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the feeder 2 is identical to that of FIG. 3, as is the shaped feeder member 21. However, in this embodiment, the battery 9 includes a shaped battery slot 32 in a similar configuration to the shaped feeder slot 20, and the track 8 / 14 includes a shaped battery member 33 in a similar configuration to the shaped feeder member 21. Such similar contours allow the battery 9 to be at least temporarily placed on the feeder track 7 / 13, and the feeder 2 to be at least temporarily placed on the battery track 8 / 14. Such a configuration allows for more flexibility of the system and optimizes the use of spare tracks. For example, a fully charged battery 9 may be temporarily placed on the feeder track 7 / 13 until it is needed, a depleted battery 9 may be temporarily placed on the feeder track 7 / 13 until an LSS battery track 13 is available, a feeder may be temporarily placed on the battery track 8 / 14 until it is needed for use, etc.

[0040] FIG. 6 shows the mobile robot 1 of FIG. 1 in a perspective view, including an exchange mechanism 40. The mobile robot 1 is shown without the feeder 2, the battery 9, or any housing that may be present, for clarity. The exchange mechanism 40 includes a front gantry 41 and a rear gantry 42, which extend above the table 6 parallel to the X-axis as shown. The front gantry 41 and the rear gantry 42 are supported by an upright support 43 that projects upwardly from the table 6. The front gantry 41 carries a front carriage 44 and the rear gantry 42 carries a rear carriage 45, each of which is movable along the length of its respective gantry 41, 42. For example, each of the front gantry 41 and the rear gantry 42 may be provided with a rotation screw rotatable relative to its support 43, which causes the front and rear carriages to move together along the respective front gantry 41 and rear gantry 42. Alternatively, the front carriage 44 and rear carriage 45 may be independently drivable along the respective front gantry 41 and rear gantry 42 by linear motors or conventional alternative means. A looped belt drive 46 is suspended between the front carriage 44 and rear carriage 45, which supports the beam 47 such that both the beam 47 and the belt drive 46 extend substantially parallel to the robot feeder track 7. An actuator (not shown) is provided for selectively rotating the belt drive 46 forwards or backwards, which causes movement of the beam 47 parallel to the indicated Y-axis in either direction as required. The beam 47 carries a paddle 48 which, in use, can engage and push or pull a replacement member of the feeder 2 or battery 9 as required. Coordinated movement of the beam 47 parallel to the Y-axis and movement of the carriages 44, 45 parallel to the X-axis allows the paddle 48 to be moved as required in the XY plane.

[0041] Figures 7A-7C show the exchange mechanism 40 of Figure 6 in more detail and diagrammatically from the side at various stages of operation. Looking first at Figure 7A, which shows the exchange mechanism 40 in a stored configuration, which may be used while the mobile robot 1 is moving, etc., it can be seen that a beam 47 carries an upper arm 49 and a lower arm 50, both of which are movable relative to the beam 47 in a direction parallel to the indicated Y-axis. Each of the upper arm 49 and the lower arm 50 comprises a toothed rack that meshes and engages with a gear 51 pivotally mounted on the beam 47. The upper arm 49 is held fixed relative to the belt drive 46 by a linkage 52. A paddle 48 is suspended directly from the lower arm 50.

[0042] In Figure 7B, the paddle 48 has been moved to the intermediate configuration. This is accomplished by moving the beam 47 in the Y direction by actuating the belt drive 46. The upper arm 49, which is prevented from moving by the linkage 52, engages the gear 51 causing clockwise rotation of the gear 51, which causes the lower arm 50, along with the paddle 48, to move in the Y direction relative to the beam 47.

[0043] 7C shows the paddle 49 moved to a fully extended configuration, with the beam 47 having been fully moved in the Y direction. It can be seen that using such a dual arm mechanism the range of movement of the paddle 48 is roughly twice that of the beam 47. This type of mechanism therefore allows the paddle 48 to be moved outside the footprint of the mobile robot 1 so that the feeder or battery can be fully inserted and removed from the LSS or placer as required.

[0044] To move the paddle 48 into the exchange part 25, the paddle may be moved next to the feeder 2 or battery 9, driven until aligned with the exchange part 25, and then moved laterally into the exchange part recess. The process may be reversed to withdraw the paddle 48 from the exchange part 25.

[0045] In the above description, the external battery storage comprises part of the LSS, but this is not the only possibility, for example, in some embodiments, individual deployment vehicles may include external battery storage, and the deployment vehicles themselves may include battery charging capabilities.

[0046] 8 shows such a placement machine 60 in an SMT production line 11. The placement machine 60 comprises a number of feeder / battery tracks 61 capable of accommodating both batteries 9 and feeders 2, and therefore in this embodiment it is essential that the formed battery and feeder slots, as well as the formed battery and feeder members, have similar configurations, for example as shown in FIG. 5. Such a placement machine 60 comprises electrical track contacts (similar to electrical track contacts 55 shown in FIG. 5) in each of the feeder / battery tracks 61, which may be capable of providing power to either the feeders 2 or the batteries 9, whichever is installed in the respective feeder / battery track 61.

[0047] Alternatively, the placement machine may be equipped with a dedicated charging station similar to the charging stations 3, 15 shown in Figures 1 and 2, separate from the feeder table of the placement machine.

[0048] Providing battery storage capability on the placement machine in this manner has the disadvantage of reducing space within the placement machine that might otherwise be used for the feeder machine, but on the other hand it reduces the need for an LSS, or at least an LSS that includes a battery charging station, and for certain production lines this results in an overall more economical system.

[0049] The above embodiments are merely illustrative; other possibilities and alternatives within the scope of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0050] For example, the external battery storage may include a separate "buffer" station where batteries are temporarily stored before being moved to a remote charging station, whether by a mobile robot or by other means. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 1. Mobile robot 2 Feeding machine 3, 15 Charging Station 4, 16 Line Side Stock Station (LSS) 5 wheels 6 Tables 7 Robot Supply Truck 8. Robot Battery Truck 9. Battery 10. Battery 11 SMT production lines 12 LSS Table 13 LSS supply truck 14, 14' LSS Battery Truck 20 Molding Feeder Slots 21 Molding supply machine parts 22, 32 Molded-in battery slot 23, 33 Molded battery components 24 Battery Contacts 25 Replacement parts 26 Top side 27, 28 Inner side wall 40 Exchange mechanism 41 Front gantry 42 Rear gantry 43 Support 44 Front Carriage 45 Rear Carriage 46 Belt Drive 47 Beam 48 Paddle 49 Upper Arm 50 Lower Arm 51 Gears 52 Linkage 55 Electrical Track Contacts 60 placement machine 61 Supply Machine / Battery Truck

Claims

1. A mobile robot for exchanging a placement machine and a supply machine, a supply machine storage unit for temporarily storing the supply machine; an exchange mechanism configured to transfer feeders from the feeder storage to a placement machine; a robot electrical contact for receiving power from a modular battery adapted for releasable and repeatable engagement with said mobile robot; Equipped with The mobile robot, wherein the exchange mechanism is configured to transfer the modular battery to an external battery storage location.

2. 2. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the exchange mechanism is configured to receive a supplier from the placement machine and place the supplier in the supplier storage section, and to receive the modular battery from the external battery storage.

3. 2. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the supplier storage section comprises an elongated supplier track in which each supplier can be temporarily stored, and the mobile robot comprises an elongated battery track arranged parallel to the elongated supplier track, and within the elongated battery track the modular batteries can be temporarily stored.

4. 4. The mobile robot of claim 3, comprising a plurality of elongated battery tracks, each arranged parallel to the elongated feeder track, in which the modular batteries can be temporarily stored.

5. The mobile robot of claim 3 , wherein the feeder track and the battery track each include a contoured engagement surface for engaging a feeder and a modular battery, respectively.

6. 6. The mobile robot of claim 5, wherein the shaped engagement surfaces of the feeder track and the battery track have the same contour such that a feeder can engage with the battery track and a modular battery can engage with the feeder track.

7. 7. The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the exchange mechanism comprises: a paddle movable along an extension axis in a direction away from the mobile robot to push the supplier from the supplier storage to the placer and to push the modular battery to the battery storage; and a paddle extension drive operably connected to the paddle for moving the paddle along the extension axis.

8. 8. The mobile robot of claim 7, wherein the paddle is movable along a selection axis perpendicular to the extension axis for selectively aligning with the supplier or the modular battery in the supplier storage area, the mobile robot comprising a paddle selection drive operatively connected to the paddle for moving the paddle along the selection axis.

9. A system including a mobile robot configured to transport a feeder to a placement machine, and a battery for providing power to the mobile robot, the mobile robot comprises an elongated feeder track in which each feeder can be temporarily stored; The battery, - battery side engagement means adapted to releasably and repeatedly engage with an elongated battery track mounted on said mobile robot arranged parallel to said elongated feeder track; - battery electrical contacts for providing power to said mobile robot when said battery side engagement means are physically engaged with said elongated battery track, system.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the mobile robot is the mobile robot of claim 1 .

11. The system of claim 10 comprising an exchange member for physically engaging the exchange mechanism.

12. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the battery side engagement means is capable of physically engaging the elongated feeder track.

13. A placement machine; A mobile robot according to claim 1 ; a charging station for a battery for providing power to said mobile robot; The SMT production line includes:

14. 14. The SMT production line of claim 13, wherein the placement machine comprises the charging station.

15. 1. A method of replacing a battery for a mobile robot, the method comprising: operating the mobile robot to replace a placement machine and a supply machine; and a supply machine storage unit for temporarily storing the supply machine; an exchange mechanism configured to transfer feeders from the feeder storage to a placement machine; Equipped with The method further comprising: i) moving the mobile robot to a battery storage; ii) transferring exhausted batteries from the mobile robot to the battery storage using the exchange mechanism; A method comprising:

16. iii) transferring the charged battery from the battery storage to the mobile robot using the exchange mechanism such that electrical contacts of the charged battery engage electrical contacts of the mobile robot.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising:

17. The method of claim 15 or 16, wherein the mobile robot comprises a mobile robot according to claim 1.

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