Electronic component processing system and storage box

Abstract

To provide an electronic component processing system capable of preventing other electronic components from being mixed in a process of processing of electronic components.SOLUTION: An electronic component processing system includes: an accommodation box 10 with a lid 20 which can be opened and closed and which can take in and out an electronic component; a first facility to which the storage box 10 can be attached and which inputs the electronic component to the storage box 10; and a second facility 200 to which the storage box 10 can be attached and which takes out the electronic component from the storage box 10 and processes the electronic component.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic component processing system and a storage box.

Background Art

[0002] Chip-type electronic components such as multilayer ceramic capacitors (hereinafter referred to as electronic components) have been miniaturized in recent years in order to cope with miniaturized electrical appliances and high-density mounting. The number of components used on a single substrate has also increased, and mass production is required. Because of the small size and mass production, it is impossible to attach an identification mark to each electronic component, and it has to be handled in a scattered state during the manufacturing process. For quality assurance of such small electronic components, the electrical characteristics of the electronic components are measured by a device as described in Patent Document 1, heat treatment is performed as in Patent Document 2, and an appearance inspection is performed by a device as in Patent Document 3. When performing heat treatment with a device as in Patent Document 2, the heat is distributed to each electronic component, and they are arranged so as not to overlap on a pallet once, and then the heat treatment is performed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] After measuring the electrical characteristics using the apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the electronic components are placed in small boxes. However, in order to perform heat treatment using an apparatus like the one described in Patent Document 2, the electronic components need to be placed on a pallet, so they are removed from the boxes. Removing the electronic components from the boxes increases the risk of contamination by other electronic components. In this process, if electronic components with different characteristics but no change in appearance are mixed in, even if a visual inspection is performed using the apparatus described in Patent Document 3, there is a problem in that the contaminated electronic components cannot be removed. If the contaminated electronic components are mounted on the substrate, it may lead to defects in the product's characteristics.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems and aims to provide an electronic component processing system that can prevent the contamination of other electronic components during the processing of electronic components, and a storage box applicable to the above electronic component processing system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention relates to an electronic component processing system comprising: a storage box having an openable and closable lid, into which electronic components can be inserted and removed; a first apparatus to which the storage box can be attached, for loading the electronic components into the storage box; and a second apparatus to which the storage box can be attached, for removing the electronic components from the storage box and processing the electronic components, wherein in the electronic component processing system, the storage box is attached to the first apparatus, the lid is opened by the first apparatus, the electronic components are processed by the first apparatus, and the first apparatus processes the electronic components. This is an electronic component processing system in which the electronic components processed by the first equipment are placed into the storage box, the lid of the storage box containing the electronic components is closed by the first equipment, the storage box is attached to the second equipment, the lid of the storage box containing the electronic components is opened by the second equipment, the electronic components are removed from the storage box by the second equipment, the electronic components are processed by the second equipment, and the lid is closed by the first equipment and then opened by the second equipment, during which the processing of the electronic components is carried out.

[0007] The present invention relates to a housing box used for housing electronic components, having a rectangular parallelepiped shape, comprising a first end face, a second end face opposite the first end face, a first side surface connecting the first end face and the second end face, a second side surface opposite the first side surface, a bottom surface connecting the first end face, the second end face, the first side surface and the second side surface, and an opening opposite the bottom surface, wherein the wall material constituting the housing box mainly contains aluminum, has a thickness of 1 mm or more and 10 mm or less, and the inner wall surface of the wall material has a surface roughness The storage box has a Ra of 1.0 μm or more and 2.0 μm or less, the inner wall surface is covered with black conductive anodized aluminum, the outer wall surface of the wall material has a surface roughness less than that of the inner wall surface, the radius of curvature of the connecting ridge between the end face and the side surface of the inner wall surface is 0.05 mm or more, the first end face, the second end face, the first side surface, the second end face and the bottom surface are formed as a single unit without joints, the opening is provided with a sliding lid that slides in the direction of the end face, and the first end face is provided with a handle for carrying the storage box. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an electronic component processing system that can prevent the contamination of other electronic components during the processing of electronic components, and a storage box applicable to the above-mentioned electronic component processing system. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of a storage box. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the storage box with the lid slid open to expose the opening. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 2. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the area near the lid on the first end face of the storage box. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an example of the procedure for attaching a containment box to the first equipment. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an example of the procedure for attaching a containment box to the first equipment. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a schematic side view illustrating an example of the procedure for attaching a storage box to the second piece of equipment and opening the lid of the storage box. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a schematic side view illustrating an example of the procedure for attaching a storage box to the second piece of equipment and opening the lid of the storage box. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another example of a storage box. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another example of a storage box. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The electronic component processing system and housing box of the present invention will be described below. However, the present invention is not limited to the following configurations and can be modified and applied as appropriate without altering the essence of the invention. Furthermore, combinations of two or more of the preferred configurations described below also constitute the present invention.

[0011] The general configuration of the electronic component processing system of the present invention will be described below. The electronic component processing system of the present invention comprises a first apparatus, a second apparatus, and a storage box. The first facility performs specific processing on electronic components. Hereinafter, the processing performed on electronic components by the first facility will also be referred to as the first process. The electronic components that have undergone the first processing are placed into the storage box, and the lid of the storage box is closed. A storage box is attached to the second piece of equipment, the lid of the storage box is opened, and the electronic components are removed from the storage box. In the second facility, specific processing is performed on the electronic components. Hereafter, the processing performed on the electronic components by the second facility will also be referred to as the second process. By the above procedure, the first process and the second process are performed on the electronic component. In this process, the electronic component is put into, stored in, and taken out of the storage box. The conveyance of the electronic component from the first facility to the second facility is performed with the electronic component stored in the storage box. In this process, after the lid of the storage box is closed in the first facility, until the lid of the storage box is opened in the second facility, the lid of the storage box is never opened, so that it is possible to prevent the mixing of other electronic components and foreign matters between the first process and the second process for the electronic component.

[0012] <Electronic component> Examples of the electronic component to be processed by the electronic component processing system of the present invention include chip components. Examples of the electronic component that is a chip component include a multilayer ceramic capacitor, a multilayer coil, etc. The electronic component preferably has external electrodes, and preferably the external electrodes have a metallic luster. The size of the electronic component is preferably 01005, 0201, or 0402 size (including all tolerances) according to the EIA standard. Also, it is preferable to fill the storage box with the electronic component up to a maximum of 70% of the internal volume of the storage box.

[0013] <Storage box> Hereinafter, the storage box that can be used in the electronic component processing system of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of the storage box, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a state where the lid of the storage box is slid to expose the opening.

[0014] The storage box 10 shown in FIG. 1 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and includes a first end face 11, a second end face 12 facing the first end face 11, a first side face 13 connecting the first end face 11 and the second end face 12, a second side face 14 facing the first side face 13, a bottom face 15 connecting the first end face 11, the second end face 12, the first side face 13, and the second side face 14, and an opening 16 facing the bottom face 15. It is preferable that at least two adjacent faces among the first end face 11, the second end face 12, the first side face 13, the second side face 14, and the bottom face 15 are formed as a single unit. For example, the first end face 11, the second end face 12, the first side surface 13, and the second side surface 14 may be formed as a single unit, or the first side surface 13, the second side surface 14, and the bottom surface 15 may be formed as a single unit. It is more preferable that the first end face 11, the second end face 12, the first side surface 13, the second side surface 14, and the bottom surface 15 are formed as a single unit without any seams. The body 17 of the storage box 10 is the part of the storage box 10 other than the lid 20.

[0015] In Figure 1, the height direction of the storage box 10 is indicated by a double-headed arrow H, the width direction by a double-headed arrow W, and the end face direction by a double-headed arrow L. In the height direction, the bottom surface 15 and the opening 16 (lid 20) are arranged opposite each other; in the width direction, the first side surface 13 and the second side surface 14 are arranged opposite each other; and in the end surface direction, the first end surface 11 and the second end surface 12 are arranged opposite each other. The height dimension of the storage box is preferably 120 mm or more and 150 mm or less, the width dimension is preferably 60 mm or more and 80 mm or less, and the end face dimension is preferably 120 mm or more and 180 mm or less. The end face dimension does not include the dimensions of the handle. The weight of the storage box, including the lid, should preferably be between 0.9 kg and 2.0 kg.

[0016] The opening 16 is provided with a sliding cover 20 that slides in the direction of the end face. The lid 20 slides toward the first end face 11 and the second end face 12. When the lid 20 slides toward the first end face 11, the lid 20 opens, and when the lid 20 slides toward the second end face 12, the lid 20 closes.

[0017] The first end face 11 is provided with a handle 21 for carrying the storage box 10.

[0018] The wall material constituting each side of the storage box 10 is preferably made of metal, and preferably mainly contains aluminum. Furthermore, the wall material is preferably 1 mm or more and 10 mm or less in thickness, and preferably 1 mm or more and 3 mm or less. The first end face 11 is particularly preferably thicker. The side of the wall material that faces the outside of the storage box 10 is the outer wall surface 40, and the side that faces the inside of the storage box 10 is the inner wall surface 30. Regarding the thickness of the wall material, it is preferable that the wall material at the first end face is thicker than the wall material at the second end face.

[0019] Furthermore, the wall material, lid, and handle are preferably made of metal, and preferably mainly composed of aluminum. The heat resistance temperature of the wall material, lid, and handle is preferably between -30°C and 260°C.

[0020] Figure 2 shows the inner wall surface 30 of the wall material. It is preferable that a connecting ridge portion 31 is provided in the portion of the inner wall surface 30 that connects the end face (first end face or second end face) and the side surface (first side surface or second side surface). It is preferable that the connecting ridge portion 31 has an R-chamfered shape on the inside. It is preferable that the radius of curvature of the connecting ridge portion is 0.04 mm or more, preferably 0.05 mm or more, and also preferably 5.0 mm or less. Furthermore, it is preferable that the corners connecting three of the inner wall surfaces also have curved surfaces on the inside, and that the radius of curvature of the corners is preferably 0.04 mm or more, preferably 0.05 mm or more. It is also preferable that it is 5.0 mm or less. If the radius of curvature of the connecting ridges and corners is within the above range, the surfaces constituting the ridges and corners of the electronic component will not come into contact with the inner wall surface of the housing, thereby preventing the electronic component from getting caught.

[0021] The inner wall surface 30 is preferably black, preferably covered with black conductive anodized aluminum or black electroless plating, and more preferably covered with black conductive anodized aluminum. When the inner wall surface is black, light is reflected off the external electrodes of electronic components where external electrodes are formed, making the electronic components easier to see. This makes it easier to determine whether the electronic components remain inside the housing using the external electrodes as a guide. Furthermore, the outer wall surface 40 is preferably black, preferably covered with black conductive anodized aluminum or black electroless plating, and more preferably covered with black conductive anodized aluminum. Electronic components may adhere to the outer wall surface, and it is preferable that it be black in order to make it easier to identify electronic components that have adhered to the outer wall surface.

[0022] Furthermore, it is preferable that the inner wall surface 30 is subjected to electrical discharge machining or surface roughening. The surface roughness of the inner wall surface 30 is preferably 1.0 μm or more and 10 μm or less in Ra, more preferably 1.0 μm or more and 2.0 μm or less, and even more preferably 1.2 μm or more and 1.5 μm or less. When the surface roughness of the inner wall surface is within this range, electronic components housed in the housing box are less likely to adhere to it. The same treatment may also be performed on the outer wall surface to prevent electronic components attached to the outer wall surface from adhering to the surface of the housing box. In this specification, surface roughness Ra is defined in accordance with JIS B 0601 (2013).

[0023] The outer wall surface 40 is the surface of the first end face 11, the second end face 12, the first side face 13, the second side face 14, and the bottom face 15. It is preferable that the surface roughness of the outer wall surface 40 is smaller than the surface roughness of the inner wall surface 30. A smaller surface roughness of the outer wall surface allows the storage box to be installed in the first or second equipment without getting caught.

[0024] It is preferable that the outer wall surfaces of the first side 13 and the second side 14 have irregularities. The irregularities referred to here are a concept that is different from the surface roughness described above and refers to large, visible irregularities. By providing irregularities, the surface area is increased, and the electronic components housed in the housing can be efficiently heated or cooled. Examples of irregularities include cylindrical protrusions with a diameter of 1 mm or more and a height difference of 1 mm or more. Furthermore, the inner wall surface of the enclosure may also have irregularities. Examples of such irregularities include cylindrical protrusions. The presence of irregularities on the inner wall surface allows heat to be efficiently transferred to the electronic components housed in the enclosure. Furthermore, the bumps and grooves can be in the shape of a heat sink, for example. Furthermore, the irregularities may be multiple recesses provided on the surface of the storage box (at least one of the inner wall surface and the outer wall surface).

[0025] Preferably, the storage box 10 further includes a storage mechanism for storing information about the electronic components to be stored. Examples of the storage mechanism include identification codes, and it is preferable that the identification codes are arranged on the outer wall surface 40 of the storage box 10 (the surface of the first end face 11, the second end face 12, the first side surface 13, the second side surface 14, and the bottom surface 15). Examples of identification codes include one-dimensional codes (barcodes) and two-dimensional codes (QR codes (registered trademark)). The identification code holds information about a unique identifier (hereinafter referred to as the unique ID) specific to each container. When the identification code is read, the unique ID of the container is sent to the server, where the information about the electronic components is recognized. Furthermore, the storage mechanism may be a read / write device, such as an RFID tag. Information about electronic components includes various details such as product name, quantity, and characteristics.

[0026] The mechanism for opening and closing the lid of the storage box will be explained in detail. The lid 20 is a sliding type and covers the entire opening 16 of the storage box 10. Figure 1 shows the lid 20 in the closed position, and Figure 2 shows the lid 20 in the open position. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 2. Grooves 13a and 14a are provided on the first side 13 and second side 14 of the storage box 10, respectively, along the end face direction (L direction). A portion of the lid 20 is bent from the top side to the side side of the storage box 10, and the groove 20a of the lid 20 is also provided along the end face direction (L direction). The lid 20 and the first side surface 13 and the second side surface 14 are fitted together via their respective grooves. In this way, the lid and the side of the storage box interlock, allowing the lid to slide in the direction of the end face (L direction) without coming off towards the top. The inner wall surface of the lid 20 may have a conductive anodized coating or a black nickel coating. The presence of a conductive coating makes it difficult for static electricity to be generated, preventing electronic components from adhering to the lid.

[0027] It is preferable that the sliding portion of the inner wall surface of the lid be given a smooth surface treatment to improve its sliding properties.

[0028] To enable the lid to slide smoothly, it is preferable to have a certain clearance between the inner wall surface of the lid and the groove on the side of the storage box. The clearance is preferably 0.01 mm or more and 0.15 mm or less. If the clearance is less than 0.01 mm, the lid may not slide smoothly when fitted together. On the other hand, if the clearance exceeds 0.15 mm, electronic components may get stuck between the side of the storage box and the lid when fitted together, and sliding the lid with the electronic components stuck in this position may damage the electronic components.

[0029] Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the area near the lid on the first end face of the storage box. On the first end face 11 side of the storage box 10, the lid 20 has a pin-shaped projection 22 that extends toward the storage box. When the lid 20 is slid from the first end face 11 side to the second end face 12 side, the pin 22 comes into contact with the first end face 11 of the storage box 10, preventing the lid 20 from sliding far beyond the second end face 12. This mechanism prevents the lid 20 from opening unintentionally.

[0030] A plunger 23 is positioned on the upper side of the side of the storage box 10 (the first side 13 and the second side 14) and on the first end face 11 side, projecting outward from the storage box 10. The plunger 23 protrudes after the lid 20 is closed, locking the lid 20 on the first end face 11 side, thereby preventing the lid 20 from opening. The plunger 23 protrudes outward with a force of 0.4N or more, preventing it from opening unintentionally. The pin 22 and plunger 23 allow the lid 20 to remain closed.

[0031] The storage boxes described above are usable in the electronic component processing system of the present invention, but among the storage boxes usable in the electronic component processing system of the present invention, those that satisfy the following requirements are preferred as storage boxes, and storage boxes that satisfy the following requirements are the storage boxes of the present invention.

[0032] In other words, the housing box of the present invention is used to house electronic components, has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and comprises a first end face, a second end face opposite the first end face, a first side surface connecting the first end face and the second end face, a second side surface opposite the first side surface, a bottom surface connecting the first end face, the second end face, the first side surface and the second side surface, and an opening opposite the bottom surface, the wall material constituting the housing box mainly contains aluminum, has a thickness of 1 mm or more and 10 mm or less, and the inner wall surface of the wall material has a rough surface. The surface roughness Ra is 1.0 μm or more and 2.0 μm or less, the inner wall surface is covered with black conductive anodized aluminum, the outer wall surface of the wall material has a lower surface roughness than the inner wall surface, the radius of curvature of the connecting ridge between the end face and the side surface of the inner wall surface is 0.05 mm or more, the first end face, the second end face, the first side surface, the second end face and the bottom surface are formed as a single unit without joints, the opening is provided with a sliding lid that slides in the direction of the end face, and the first end face is provided with a handle for carrying the storage box.

[0033] Furthermore, it is preferable that the storage box of the present invention is provided with a plunger on the first end face side of the side surface of the storage box, which can protrude from the side surface of the storage box, so that when the lid closes the opening, the plunger protrudes outward and prevents the lid from opening. Furthermore, in the storage box of the present invention, it is preferable that the wall material of the first end face is thicker than the wall material of the second end face.

[0034] <Electronic component processing system> The electronic component processing system of the present invention will be described below. The electronic components to be processed and the housing boxes used in the electronic component processing system of the present invention are as described above.

[0035] <First Equipment> The first facility performs the processing of electronic components (first processing). The processing of electronic components by the first equipment is preferably either a visual inspection to check the appearance of the electronic components or a characteristic sorting to check the electrical characteristics of the electronic components. In other words, the first equipment is preferably a visual inspection device or an electrical characteristics inspection device. Preferably, the first apparatus is equipped with a funnel-shaped hopper into which the parts are fed. The parts fed into the first apparatus are placed on a disc-shaped table. When the processing of electronic components involves visual inspection, images of the electronic components are taken, and these images are processed to perform visual inspections such as measuring the dimensions of the electronic components and determining whether or not there are any defects. When electronic components are being sorted based on their characteristics, measuring terminals are applied to them to measure their electrical properties. These electrical properties include, in the case of a multilayer ceramic capacitor, insulation resistance and capacitance.

[0036] In the electronic component processing system of the present invention, a storage box is attached to a first piece of equipment, and the lid of the storage box is opened by the first piece of equipment. The process of processing the electronic components using the first equipment and the process of attaching the storage box to the first equipment and opening the lid may be performed in either order. That is, the electronic components may be processed using the first equipment first, and then the storage box may be attached to the first equipment and the lid may be opened, or the electronic components may be processed using the first equipment after the storage box has been attached to the first equipment and the lid has been opened. A storage box may be attached to the first equipment, the electronic components may be processed by the first equipment, and the lid may be opened immediately after the processing of the electronic components is finished, so that the electronic components processed by the first equipment are immediately placed into the storage box. Leaving the storage box lid open for a long time increases the possibility of foreign matter entering the storage box.

[0037] An example of how to attach a containment box to the first piece of equipment will be described. The first equipment may include a reader for reading information from a storage mechanism attached to a storage box. For example, if the storage mechanism attached to the storage box is a barcode, the first equipment may include a barcode reader. Before the storage box is attached to the first equipment, the barcode information is read and transmitted via the barcode reader to a server (not shown). Within the server, information about the storage box, such as the unique ID of the storage box, is read and linked to information about the electronic components to be stored in the storage box. If the first piece of equipment is an electrical characteristics testing device, the information about the electronic component may include the component's characteristics or its name. Furthermore, the storage mechanism attached to the container may be a read / write device such as an RFID tag, rather than a barcode. In this case, a reader compatible with the first equipment will be provided.

[0038] Figures 5 and 6 are schematic perspective views illustrating an example of the procedure for attaching a storage box to the first equipment. Figure 5 shows the storage box 10 attached to the receiving portion 110 of the first equipment 100. The receiving portion 110 is provided with two rails, and the tip 111 of the receiving portion protrudes to the front right side in the drawing. The tip 111 of the receiving portion protrudes towards the handle 21 of the storage box 10. The storage box 10 is set on the receiving part 110 of the first equipment 100 using the handle 21. The ends of the lid 20 of the storage box 10 are placed on the two rails of the receiving section 110, and the ends of the two rails are bent upwards.

[0039] Figure 6 shows the main body of the storage box pushed into the receiving part of the first equipment. The first device 100 is equipped with a pressing mechanism (not shown) that pushes down the top surface of the storage box 10, pressing the plunger of the storage box 10. When the plunger is pressed, the lock between the body 17 and the lid 20 of the storage box, which is held in place by the plunger, is released. By pushing the main body 17 of the storage box towards the rear of the receiving portion 110 of the first equipment 100, the lid 20 is held in place by the receiving portion 110, and the lid 20 of the storage box 10 is opened.

[0040] In this state, the electronic components processed by the first equipment can be placed into the storage box. The placement of the electronic components into the storage box can be done according to the measurement results of the electronic components in the first equipment. Based on the results of visual inspection or characteristic sorting, only good products may be placed in the storage box, or only defective products may be placed in the storage box. In addition, the amount of electronic components placed in the storage box is adjusted to match the capacity of the storage box.

[0041] After inserting the electronic components, pull the container towards you (towards the handle) and lift it off the two rails. This releases the ends of the rails from the plunger, which then locks back into place, closing the lid of the container. Then, the storage box is removed from the first equipment. After removing the storage box from the first equipment, the number of parts placed inside the storage box is recorded by reading the information from the memory mechanism attached to the storage box.

[0042] <Heat treatment> Between the first processing by the first equipment and the second processing by the second equipment, heat treatment may be performed on the electronic components housed in the storage box. If heat treatment is performed, the electronic component processing system of the present invention is equipped with a heating device. However, since heat treatment is not essential, the heating device is not essential in the electronic component processing system of the present invention.

[0043] When the electronic component is a multilayer ceramic capacitor, especially one with temperature characteristics, if the electrical characteristics of the electronic component are measured in the first equipment, the polarization will advance due to the voltage applied during the measurement, so it is necessary to heat it above the Curie temperature. The heating conditions should be, for example, 130°C or higher for 20 minutes or more.

[0044] Heat treatment can be performed by placing the container holding the electronic components into a heating device such as an oven and heating it. Before heat treatment, it is preferable to read the information on the storage box using a reading device. Furthermore, if the memory mechanism is an RFID tag, it is preferable that the heat resistance temperature is above the heat treatment temperature (or above the Curie temperature if the electronic component is a multilayer ceramic capacitor). Also, if the memory mechanism is a printed barcode or the like, it is preferable that the printing is done with ink that does not change (disappear) due to heat treatment.

[0045] During heat treatment, it is preferable that heat be evenly distributed throughout the electronic components housed in the enclosure. Therefore, heating can be done using a heating device such as an oven, or the heater can be applied directly to the bottom, side, end, or lid of the enclosure. In this case, the enclosure can be heated quickly.

[0046] Furthermore, considering that heat treatment will be performed, it is preferable that the heat resistance temperature of the storage box be 250°C or higher. Furthermore, in order to improve heat transfer during heat treatment, it is preferable that the wall material constituting the housing box mainly contains aluminum, and that the surface of the housing box has multiple recesses. By using a material with high thermal conductivity for the wall material and increasing the surface area of ​​the housing box, heat transfer can be improved.

[0047] After heat treatment, the information in the storage box is read again using a reading device, linking the heat treatment conditions with the information of the electronic components stored in the box. From the initial processing of the equipment to the heat treatment, the lid of the containment box is never opened, thus preventing other electronic components or foreign objects from entering the inside of the containment box.

[0048] <Second facility> The second facility is used for processing electronic components (second processing). The processing of electronic components by the second equipment is preferably an appearance inspection to inspect the appearance of the electronic components, a characteristic sorting to inspect the electrical characteristics of the electronic components, or a packaging process to package the electronic components in a package. In other words, the second piece of equipment is preferably a visual inspection device, an electrical characteristics inspection device, or a packaging device.

[0049] The second device may include a reader for reading information from a storage mechanism attached to the storage box. For example, if the storage mechanism attached to the storage box is a barcode, the second device may include a barcode reader. Before the storage box is attached to the second device, the barcode information is read and transmitted via the barcode reader to a server (not shown). Within the server, information about the storage box, such as the unique ID of the storage box, is read and linked to information about the electronic components to be stored in the storage box. Furthermore, the storage mechanism attached to the container may be a read / write device such as an RFID tag, rather than a barcode. In this case, a reader compatible with the second facility will be provided.

[0050] If the wrong container is attached to the second piece of equipment, the worker will be notified. If the correct container is installed in the second equipment, the processing conditions are determined by the component information of the electronic components, and these processing conditions are transmitted to the second equipment. Processing conditions include data such as thresholds for good / bad image processing, which are used when performing visual inspection.

[0051] This section describes an example of how to attach a storage box to the second piece of equipment and how to open the lid of the storage box. Figures 7 and 8 are schematic side views illustrating an example of the procedure for attaching a storage box to the second equipment and opening the lid of the storage box. Figure 7 shows the containment box attached to the second piece of equipment. The second piece of equipment 200 includes a lid lock release mechanism 210 and a lid opening and closing cylinder 220. As shown in Figure 7, the storage box is held so that the ridge portion 18, which is composed of the lid 20 and the second end face 12, is in the lowest vertical position. It is preferable that the top surface of the storage box is tilted at an angle of 30° or more and 60° or less with respect to the vertically downward direction.

[0052] The second equipment 200 is equipped with a holding part 230, and the storage box 10 is held in the second equipment 200 by the holding part 230. As the storage box 10 is attached to the second equipment 200, the lid release mechanism 210 contacts the plunger of the storage box 10 and presses the plunger. When the plunger is pressed, the lock between the storage box body 17 and the lid 20, which was held in place by the plunger, is released.

[0053] Figure 8 shows the storage box with the lid open. By moving the lid opening / closing cylinder 220, the lid 20 is slid toward the first end face 11. By sliding the lid 20, the lid 20 can be opened to expose the opening 16, and the electronic components can be removed vertically downwards from the opening 16 of the storage box 10 by gravity.

[0054] In the second piece of equipment, it is preferable that a feeder or hopper for receiving electronic components removed from the storage box is provided vertically below the storage box. The feeder transports electronic components to the linear feeder using either a belt conveyor or vibration. Furthermore, the second device may be equipped with a vibration excitation mechanism that applies vibration to the housing box. The vibration excitation mechanism makes it easier to remove the electronic components from the housing box and acts to remove all of the electronic components from the housing box. Furthermore, if electronic components are adhering to the inner wall of the enclosure due to static electricity or other reasons, it is possible to drop all of them to the feeder by dislodging them with an impact.

[0055] When opening the lid of the storage box using the second piece of equipment, the width of the opening (opening width in the direction of the end face) is preferably 3 mm or more and 10 mm or less. If the opening width is less than 3 mm, the electronic components may not be removed smoothly, and if it exceeds 10 mm, the electronic components may flow out of the storage box all at once.

[0056] Visual inspection and other processing are carried out in the second facility. Electronic components that are judged to be good after inspection may be placed back into the storage box. Furthermore, the data from the visual inspection is sent to a server and linked to information about the electronic components.

[0057] The processing of electronic components by the second facility may be a packaging process in which the electronic components are packaged in a packaging body. In the containment process, the electronic components are packaged in a packaging body (packaging material). The packaging body may be a long material such as tape, or it may be a separate case that contains the containment box. Alternatively, the container box may be delivered directly to the customer without any additional packaging.

[0058] In the electronic component processing system of the present invention, the electronic component is processed without the lid being opened by a person from the time the lid is closed in the first equipment until it is opened in the second equipment. This prevents contamination of the electronic component with other electronic components or foreign matter during the processing of the electronic component.

[0059] <Other Embodiments> In the storage box of the present invention, the lid may slide open in the direction of the first end face, and a slope may be provided from the opening on the second end face side toward the bottom surface on the first end face side. Figure 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another example of a storage box. Figure 9 shows the state in which the lid 20 of the storage box 50 is slid open, revealing an opening 51. The storage box 50 is provided with a partition plate 52. The partition plate 52 is a slope that extends from the opening 51 on the second end face 12 side to the bottom surface 15 on the first end face 11 side. When the storage box 50 is placed in the orientation shown in Figure 9, the electronic components on the partition plate 52 slide down towards the opening 51. Figure 9 shows arrows indicating the direction in which the electronic components slide down. The presence of partition plates can slow down the falling speed of electronic components and mitigate the impact on them. Such a storage box can be applied to the electronic component processing system of the present invention.

[0060] The housing box of the present invention can be installed on the starting end side of a linear feeder, and electronic components may be discharged from the housing box by vibration of the linear feeder. Figure 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another example of a storage box. Figure 10 shows the linear feeder 60, which vibrates in the diagonal direction indicated by the double arrow in Figure 10. The vibration of the linear feeder causes electronic components to be discharged from the opening 51 of the storage box 10, and the electronic components are transported in the direction of arrow P. The expression "can be installed on the starting end side of the linear feeder" indicates that the storage box can be installed on the upstream side in the direction of transport of the electronic components. By combining the storage box with a linear feeder, the electronic components will not fall out of the storage box, thus mitigating the impact on the electronic components. Such a storage box can be applied to the electronic component processing system of the present invention. Furthermore, a linear feeder may also be used as one of the components of the electronic component processing system of the present invention.

[0061] This specification discloses the following:

[0062] <1> A storage box with a lid that can be opened and closed, allowing electronic components to be inserted and removed, The first apparatus is capable of attaching the aforementioned storage box and for placing the electronic components into the storage box, An electronic component processing system comprising: a second apparatus to which the aforementioned storage box can be attached, for removing the electronic component from the storage box and processing the electronic component; In the aforementioned electronic component processing system, the storage box is attached to the first equipment. The first apparatus described above opens the lid, The first equipment processes the electronic components, The first equipment is used to place the electronic components processed by the first equipment into the storage box. The first apparatus closes the lid of the container in which the electronic components are placed, The storage box is attached to the second equipment. The second apparatus opens the lid of the container in which the electronic components are placed, The second apparatus removes the electronic component from the storage box, The electronic components are processed by the second equipment described above. An electronic component processing system that processes electronic components while keeping the lid closed by the first equipment and remaining closed until the lid is opened by the second equipment.

[0063] <2> The processing of the electronic component by the first equipment is either a visual inspection to examine the appearance of the electronic component or a characteristic sorting to examine the electrical characteristics of the electronic component. <1> The electronic component processing system described above.

[0064] <3> Between the first processing by the first equipment and the second processing by the second equipment, a heating device is provided to perform heat treatment on the electronic components housed in the storage box. <1> or <2> The electronic component processing system described above.

[0065] <4> The heat resistance temperature of the aforementioned storage box is 250°C or higher. <3> The electronic component processing system described above.

[0066] <5> The processing of the electronic components by the second equipment described above includes visual inspection to inspect the appearance of the electronic components, characteristic sorting to inspect the electrical characteristics of the electronic components, or packaging processing to package the electronic components in a package. <1> ~ <4> An electronic component processing system as described in any of the following.

[0067] <6> The storage box further comprises a storage mechanism for storing information about the electronic components, and based on the information stored in the storage mechanism, a first process is performed by the first equipment and a second process is performed by the second equipment. <1> ~ <5> An electronic component processing system as described in any of the following.

[0068] <7> The shape of the aforementioned storage box is a rectangular parallelepiped. The aforementioned storage box is equipped with a sliding lid on its top surface. The upper surface is tilted at an angle of 30° to 60° with respect to the vertically downward direction, the electronic component is removed from the storage box, and the electronic component is placed into the second equipment. <1> ~ <6> An electronic component processing system as described in any of the following.

[0069] <8> The second apparatus further comprises a vibration excitation mechanism that applies vibration to the housing box, The electronic component is removed from the housing box by vibration by the vibration mechanism. <1> ~ <7> An electronic component processing system as described in any of the following.

[0070] <9> The wall material constituting the aforementioned storage box mainly contains aluminum, and the surface of the storage box has a plurality of recesses. <1> ~ <8> An electronic component processing system as described in any of the following.

[0071] <10> Used to house electronic components, Its shape is that of a rectangular prism, A first end face and a second end face opposite the first end face, A first side surface connecting the first end face and the second end face, The second side opposite the first side, The first end face, the second end face, the first side surface and the bottom surface connected to the second side surface, A storage box having an opening opposite the bottom surface, The wall material constituting the aforementioned storage box mainly contains aluminum and has a thickness of 1 mm or more and 10 mm or less. The inner wall surface of the aforementioned wall material has a surface roughness of Ra of 1.0 μm or more and 2.0 μm or less. The inner wall surface is covered with black conductive anodized aluminum. The outer surface of the aforementioned wall material has a lower surface roughness than the inner surface. The radius of curvature of the connecting ridge between the end face and the side face of the aforementioned inner wall surface is 0.05 mm or more. The first end face, the second end face, the first side face, the second end face, and the bottom face are formed as a single unit without any seams. The opening is provided with a sliding cover that slides in the direction of the end face. A storage box having a handle on the first end face for carrying the storage box.

[0072] <11> A plunger is provided on the first end face side of the side of the storage box, which is capable of protruding from the side of the storage box, so that when the lid closes the opening, the plunger protrudes outward and prevents the lid from opening. <10> The storage box described.

[0073] <12> The wall material on the first end face is thicker than the wall material on the second end face. <10> or <11> The storage box described.

[0074] <13> The lid slides open in the direction of the first end face, and a slope is provided from the opening on the second end face side toward the bottom surface on the first end face side. <10> ~ <12> The storage box described in any of the following.

[0075] <14> The aforementioned storage box can be installed on the starting end side of the linear feeder, and the vibration of the linear feeder allows the electronic components to be discharged from the storage box. <10> ~ <13> The storage box described in any of the following.

[0076] Furthermore, this specification describes a method for processing electronic components using the electronic component processing system of the present invention. The processing methods for electronic components described herein are: A method for processing electronic components using the electronic component processing system of the present invention, The process of attaching the storage box to the first equipment, The first equipment described above performs the step of opening the lid, The first equipment described above performs the process of processing the electronic components, The process involves placing the electronic components processed by the first equipment into the storage box, The first equipment is used to close the lid of the container in which the electronic components are placed, The process of attaching the storage box to the second equipment, The second apparatus includes the step of opening the lid of the storage box in which the electronic components are placed, The second apparatus allows for the process of removing the electronic components from the storage box and The second apparatus comprises a process for processing the electronic components, This is a method for processing electronic components in which the lid is not opened from the step of closing the lid with the first equipment until the step of opening the lid with the second equipment. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0077] 10 storage boxes 11 First end face 12 Second end face 13. First Aspect 13a Groove 14. Second Aspect 14a groove 15. Base 16 Opening 17 Main body of the storage box 18 Ridge section consisting of the lid and the second end face 20 Lid 20a groove 21 Handle 22 pins 23 Plungers 30 Interior wall surface 31 Connecting ridge section 40 Exterior wall surface 50 storage boxes 51 Aperture 52 partition plates 60 Linear Feeder 100 First Equipment 110 Receiving part of the first equipment 111 The tip of the receiving part (the tip on the handle side of the storage box) 200 Second facility 210 Lid release mechanism 220 Cylinder for opening and closing the lid 230 Holding part

Claims

1. A storage box with a lid that can be opened and closed, allowing multiple electronic components to be inserted and removed, A first apparatus to which the aforementioned storage box can be attached and to which a plurality of the aforementioned electronic components are placed, An electronic component processing system comprising: a second apparatus to which the aforementioned storage box can be attached, for removing a plurality of the aforementioned electronic components from the storage box and processing the plurality of the aforementioned electronic components, In the aforementioned electronic component processing system, the storage box is attached to the first equipment. The first apparatus opens the lid, The first apparatus processes a plurality of the aforementioned electronic components, The processing of the plurality of electronic components by the first equipment is either a visual inspection to inspect the appearance of the plurality of electronic components or a characteristic sorting to inspect the electrical characteristics of the plurality of electronic components. The first equipment is used to place the plurality of electronic components processed by the first equipment into the storage box. The first apparatus closes the lid of the storage box in which the multiple electronic components are placed, The storage box is attached to the second equipment. The second apparatus opens the lid of the storage box containing the multiple electronic components, The second apparatus removes a plurality of the electronic components from the storage box, The second apparatus processes multiple electronic components, An electronic component processing system that processes multiple electronic components while keeping the lid closed by the first equipment and remaining closed until the lid is opened by the second equipment.

2. The electronic component processing system according to claim 1, further comprising a heating device that performs heat treatment on a plurality of electronic components housed in the storage box between the first processing by the first equipment and the second processing by the second equipment.

3. The electronic component processing system according to claim 2, wherein the heat resistance temperature of the storage box is 250°C or higher.

4. The electronic component processing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the processing of the plurality of electronic components by the second equipment is an appearance inspection for inspecting the appearance of the plurality of electronic components, a characteristic sorting for inspecting the electrical characteristics of the plurality of electronic components, or a packaging process for packaging the plurality of electronic components in a packaging body.

5. The electronic component processing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the storage box further comprises a storage mechanism for storing information of a plurality of electronic components, and a first processing by the first equipment and a second processing by the second equipment are performed based on the information stored in the storage mechanism.

6. The shape of the aforementioned storage box is a rectangular parallelepiped. The aforementioned storage box is equipped with a sliding lid on its top surface. The electronic component processing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the upper surface is tilted at an angle of 30° or more and 60° or less with respect to the vertically downward direction, a plurality of the electronic components are removed from the storage box, and the plurality of the electronic components are loaded into the second equipment.

7. The second apparatus further comprises a vibration excitation mechanism that applies vibration to the housing box, The electronic component processing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of the electronic components are removed from the housing box by vibration by the vibration mechanism.

8. The electronic component processing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the wall material constituting the housing box mainly contains aluminum, and the surface of the housing box has a plurality of recesses.

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