Method and apparatus for mounting components, method and apparatus for manufacturing electronic components

Abstract

To provide a method and a device for mounting components which can properly place components in a predetermined posture without causing damage to the components, and a method and a device for manufacturing electronic components which can efficiently manufacture electronic components by the method and device for mounting components.SOLUTION: A method for mounting components includes a step of applying force without contact to legs 813a, 813b, etc. of an air-core coil 810 such that the air-core coil 810 which has the legs 813a, 813b as expected adhesion surfaces, attains a desired adhesion state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 25A

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a component mounting method, a mounting apparatus, and a method and apparatus for manufacturing an electronic component by using the same to manufacture an electronic component.

Background Art

[0002] For example, in the apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the flatness of a component mounted on a substrate is inspected, and when the component is floating from the substrate or the like, the component is pressed to correct the mounting state. In particular, as electronic components become smaller, generally, the mechanical strength of the electronic components becomes weaker and handling becomes difficult.

[0003] However, when correcting the mounting state by mechanically pressing the component, there are problems that an excessive force is applied to the component to damage the component or the surface of the component is damaged by mechanical contact, and improvement is required.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The present disclosure provides a component mounting method and a mounting apparatus capable of appropriately mounting a component in a predetermined posture without damaging the component, and a method and apparatus for manufacturing an electronic component capable of efficiently manufacturing an electronic component by using the same.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A component mounting method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a step of applying a force non-contactingly to a predetermined part of the component so that the component having an adhesion planned surface becomes a desired adhesion state.

[0007] Furthermore, a component placement device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes means for applying a non-contact force to a predetermined part of a component having an adhesive surface so that the component becomes adhesive to a desired state.

[0008] In such a method and apparatus for mounting components, force is applied to a predetermined part of the component without contact, allowing for a smaller force to be applied compared to cases where force is applied through mechanical contact. Therefore, the component can be moved to a predetermined location with precision without damaging it due to overload. As a result, even if the component is small, the adhesive surface of the component can be brought to the desired adhesive state with minimal force and precision, without damaging the component.

[0009] Furthermore, because force is applied to a predetermined part of the component without contact, structural elements such as tools or parts of equipment do not mechanically come into contact with the component. As a result, force can be applied to the component without damaging its surface, and the component with a surface intended for adhesion can be brought to the desired adhesive state.

[0010] In the above-described mounting method or mounting device, a force may be applied to multiple of the aforementioned parts simultaneously in a non-contact manner.

[0011] The above mounting method or mounting apparatus further includes a step of detecting the adhesive state of the component, For the component in which the detected adhesive state is unsuitable, a non-contact force may be applied to at least the predetermined portion of the component.

[0012] In the above-described placement method or placement apparatus, the adhesive state of the component to be detected may be the angle of the intended adhesive surface of the component.

[0013] In any of the above mounting methods or mounting devices, the force may be applied to the predetermined part of the component by blowing air onto the predetermined part.

[0014] In any of the above-described mounting methods or mounting devices, the predetermined portion of the component to which the air is blown may be the foot portion of the component on which the adhesive surface is to be formed.

[0015] In any of the above-described mounting methods or mounting devices, the air may be blown onto the predetermined portion of the component from a direction inclined with respect to the direction perpendicular to the adhesive surface.

[0016] A method for manufacturing an electronic component according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is: When attaching an electronic component to a substrate, the process includes applying a non-contact force to the predetermined portion of the electronic component using one of the component placement methods described above.

[0017] According to a method for manufacturing electronic components and a manufacturing apparatus according to one embodiment of this disclosure, a force is applied to a predetermined part of the component without contact, thereby achieving a desired adhesive state with high precision without damaging the component having an adhesive surface. Therefore, even small electronic components can be manufactured efficiently. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the hand section of a coil conveying device according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows the configuration of the columnar part of the hand section shown in Figure 1. Figure 2(A) is a cross-sectional view of the columnar part as seen from AA in Figure 2(B), and Figure 2(B) is a side view of the columnar part. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows the configuration of a suction nozzle in a coil transport device according to one embodiment; Figure 3(A) is a side view of the suction nozzle, and Figure 3(B) is a front view of the suction nozzle viewed from the longitudinal end side. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the air-core coil to be transported and the suction nozzle. [Figure 5]FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the arrangement of the columnar portion shown in FIG. 1, the suction nozzle shown in FIG. 3, and the hollow coil to be conveyed. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the processing flow in the coil conveying device according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically showing a hollow coil around which a wire is wound. FIG. 7(A) is a view seen from the horizontal direction, and FIG. 7(B) is a perspective view. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically showing a state where the hand portion and the suction nozzle have descended near the hollow coil. FIG. 8(A) is a view seen from the horizontal direction, and FIG. 8(B) is a perspective view. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram schematically showing a state where the hand portion and the suction nozzle have advanced toward the hollow coil side. FIG. 9(A) is a view seen from the horizontal direction, and FIG. 9(B) is a perspective view. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically showing a state where the hand portion closes. FIG. 10(A) is a view seen from the horizontal direction, and FIG. 10(B) is a perspective view. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram schematically showing a state where the hand portion and the suction nozzle hold the hollow coil and rise. FIG. 11(A) is a view seen from the horizontal direction, and FIG. 11(B) is a perspective view. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram schematically showing a state where the hand portion and the suction nozzle rotate and the hand portion opens. FIG. 12(A) is a view seen from the horizontal direction, and FIG. 12(B) is a perspective view. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the positioning of the hollow coil in the temporary placement portion. FIG. 13(A) is a diagram showing a state where the hollow coil is placed on the temporary placement table, FIG. 13(B) is a diagram showing a state where the hollow coil is positioned, and FIG. 13(C) is a diagram showing a state where the positioned hollow coil is re-sucked. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a state where the hollow coil is placed on the placement portion. FIG. 14(A) is a diagram showing a state where the hollow coil is placed on the placement portion, and FIG. 14(B) is a diagram for explaining the arrangement of the hollow coils sequentially aligned on the placement portion. [Figure 15] Figure 15 is a diagram illustrating the inspection of an air-core coil. Figure 15(A) illustrates the dimensional inspection of the air-core coil from one side, and Figure 15(B) illustrates the dimensional inspection of the air-core coil from another side. [Figure 16] Figure 16 is a diagram illustrating the inspection of the mounting state of the air-core coil. Figure 16(A) is a diagram illustrating the inspection of the mounting orientation of the air-core coil in the horizontal plane, and Figure 16(B) is a diagram illustrating the mounting orientation of the air-core coil in the height direction. [Figure 17] Figure 17 shows first and second modified forms of the air-core coil, where Figure 17(A) shows a form in which the air-core coil is arranged on protrusions formed on the upper surfaces of multiple columnar members, and Figure 17(B) shows a form in which the air-core coil is arranged on multiple protrusions formed in a matrix on a base plate. [Figure 18] Figure 18 shows a third modified form of the air-core coil, where Figure 18(A) shows a form in which the air-core coil is placed on a projection formed horizontally on the end face of a horizontally protruding column, and Figure 18(B) shows the operation of a hand part for explaining the method of removing the air-core coil shown in Figure 18(A). [Figure 19] Figure 19 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the hand section shown in Figure 1. [Figure 20] Figure 20 shows the configuration of the columnar part of the hand section as shown in Figure 19. Figure 20(A) is a cross-sectional view of the columnar part as seen from BB in Figure 20(B), and Figure 20(B) is a side view of the columnar part. [Figure 21] Figure 21 schematically shows the arrangement of the hand unit and suction nozzle when removing the edgewise coil, with Figure 21(A) being a view from above and Figure 21(B) being a view from the side. [Figure 22] Figure 22 schematically shows the arrangement of the hand section and suction nozzle when removing other edgewise coils, with Figure 22(A) being a view from above and Figure 22(B) being a view from the side. [Figure 23] Figure 23 schematically shows the arrangement of the hand unit and suction nozzle when removing the crosswise coil, with Figure 23(A) being a view from above and Figure 23(B) being a view from the side. [Figure 24] Figure 24 is a perspective view showing a coil component with an air-core coil, as shown in Figure 7, enclosed in an outer shell. [Figure 25A] Figure 25A is the first diagram illustrating the state of blowing air onto an air-core coil that is improperly positioned. [Figure 25B] Figure 25B shows an air-core coil whose mounting position has been corrected by blowing air onto it. [Figure 26A] Figure 26A is a second diagram illustrating the state of blowing air onto an air-core coil with an improper mounting position. [Figure 26B] Figure 26B shows an example of an air-core coil whose mounting position or shape has been modified by blowing air onto it. [Figure 27] Figure 27 is the first diagram illustrating an example of blowing air onto a poorly shaped air-core coil. [Figure 28] Figure 28 is a second diagram illustrating an example of blowing air onto a poorly shaped air-core coil. [Figure 29] Figure 29 shows an example of a configuration in which air is blown onto an air-core coil using multiple air injection nozzles. [Figure 30] Figure 30 is a plan view showing an example of a configuration in which air is blown simultaneously onto multiple air-core coils that are mounted on a surface. [Figure 31] Figure 31 is a side view showing an example of a configuration in which air is blown simultaneously onto multiple air-core coils that are mounted on the surface. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0019] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments of this disclosure described below are illustrative examples for illustrating the disclosure. Various components of the embodiments of this disclosure, such as numerical values, shapes, materials, manufacturing processes, etc., can be modified or changed to the extent that no technical problems arise.

[0020] Furthermore, the shapes and other details shown in the drawings of this disclosure may not necessarily match the actual shapes and other details, as the shapes and other details may have been altered for illustrative purposes.

[0021] A coil transport device to which a component placement method (placement device) of one embodiment of the present disclosure is applied will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 31. The coil transport device 10 of this embodiment is a device that places an air-core coil 810, formed around a core rod 710 by, for example, an automatic winding machine as shown in Figure 7, on a placement section 500 as shown in Figure 14 in a predetermined arrangement and in an appropriate posture as shown in Figures 25B and 26B.

[0022] More specifically, the coil transport device 10 removes (extracts) the air-core coil 810 wound around the core rod 710 from the core rod 710, transports it to the mounting section 500, and places it on the mounting section 500. The mounting section 500 is an adhesive sheet for supplying the air-core coil 810 to an outer sealing process for manufacturing coil components, for example, and the air-core coil 810 is placed on the adhesive surface 510 in a two-dimensional arrangement. At this time, if the mounting state (adhesion state) is not appropriate, for example, if the feet (intended adhesive surfaces) of the air-core coil 810 are floating, the coil transport device 10 corrects the mounting state of the air-core coil 810 to an appropriate position.

[0023] Furthermore, the electronic component according to this disclosure, which is manufactured by applying an external sealing process to the air-core coil 810 placed on the mounting section 500, is, for example, as shown in Figure 24, an electronic component in which an air-core coil (coil section) 810 as an electronic element is sealed and housed inside a base body 910, that is, a coil component 900 in which an air-core coil is embedded in a base body 910. The coil component 900 has a base body 910 and a coil section 810, and the coil section 810 has a winding section 812 and a pair of electrode terminals, which are foot sections 813a and 813b.

[0024] Furthermore, the coil component 900 is a small electronic component whose maximum side length in the planar direction is, for example, 5 mm or less, or 3 mm or less, or 0.6 mm or less, and whose height is, for example, 3 mm or less, or 2 mm or less, or 0.3 mm or less.

[0025] The coil transport device 10 described below will be explained in detail.

[0026] The coil transport device 10 includes a hand section 100 shown in Figures 1 and 2, a suction nozzle 210 shown in Figures 3 and 4, a transport nozzle 220 shown in Figures 13 and 14, a temporary storage section 300 shown in Figure 13, and an air injection nozzle 241 shown in Figure 25A. The coil transport device 10 also includes sensors and a camera to detect the position, orientation, and operating state of each component and the parts to be transported.

[0027] Furthermore, the coil conveying device 10 has a drive unit that drives each component, including the hand unit 100, the suction nozzle 210, and the air injection nozzle 241. The coil conveying device 10 also has a suction device that sucks air through the suction nozzle 210 and an air injection device that injects air through the air injection nozzle 241. The coil conveying device 10 also has a control unit (arithmetic processing unit) that controls each of these components and performs processing related to the inspection of the parts to be conveyed.

[0028] The following describes the structure of each part.

[0029] As shown in Figure 10, the handle portion 100 is a component for engaging (hooking) the air-core coil 810 to be removed between the columnar portions 101a and 101b, and for removing it from the core rod 710.

[0030] As shown in Figure 1, the hand section 100 has a pair of opposing columnar sections 101a and 101b. Each of the columnar sections 101a and 101b has a rectangular prism-shaped body 103. One end of the columnar section body 103, the tip 104, is configured as a free end, and the other end, the base end, is connected to a drive device (not shown).

[0031] When referring to Figure 1, as shown in the figure, the extension direction of the pair of columnar parts 101a and 101b is the Z-axis direction, the base end side (positive Z-axis direction) is the upper side (upward direction), and the tip end 104 side (negative Z-axis direction) is the lower side (downward direction). Also, the direction in which the pair of columnar parts 101a and 101b face each other is the X-axis direction, and the direction perpendicular to the Z-axis direction and the X-axis direction, respectively, is the Y-axis direction.

[0032] Each tip 104 of the pair of columnar sections 101a and 101b has a protrusion 140 that projects at a predetermined minute height W1 toward the other opposing columnar section 101b or 101a. As a result, a stepped surface 141 is formed on the opposing surface (inner surface of the columnar section) 151 of the columnar section body 103. The stepped surface 141 is the side surface on the base end side of the protrusion 140.

[0033] The stepped surface 141 has a contact surface 142 that occupies one side in the Y-axis direction and a widened portion 143 that occupies the other side in the Y-axis direction. The contact surface 142 is a portion with a constant length in the X-axis direction, and the widened portion 143 is a portion whose length in the X-axis direction gradually widens as it moves away from the contact surface 142. The widened portion 143 has a shape in which its width gradually widens because the inner surface 151 of the columnar portion adjacent to its upper side is formed as an inclined surface 153 where the distance between the opposing pair of columnar portions 101a and 101b gradually widens. Of the inner surface 151 of the columnar portion, the portion 152 adjacent to the upper side of the contact surface 142 is formed as a parallel surface where the distance between the opposing pair of columnar portions 101a and 101b does not change.

[0034] In each of the columnar portions 101a and 101b, the surface adjacent to the stepped surface 141 of the protrusion 140 is an inner end surface 145 parallel to the Z-axis direction, and is the closest (shortest distance) part of the pair of columnar portions 101a and 101b. The portion further towards the tip from the inner end surface 145 is formed as an inclined surface 146 where the distance between the opposing columnar portions 101a and 101b gradually increases.

[0035] A pair of columnar parts 101a and 101b of this shape are connected at their base ends to a drive unit (not shown) and are configured to be movable in the X direction. That is, the pair of columnar parts 101a and 101b are configured to be able to change the distance between them at will. In this embodiment, when the pair of columnar parts 101a and 101b handle (remove) a specific air-core coil 810, the pair of columnar parts 101a and 101b are opened and closed (moved) to at least a predetermined open state corresponding to the size of the air-core coil 810 and a predetermined closed state corresponding to the size of the air-core coil 810.

[0036] Furthermore, the hand unit 100, which has a pair of openable and closable columnar sections 101a and 101b, is further connected as a whole to a drive unit (not shown), and the hand unit 100 as a whole, that is, the pair of columnar sections 101a and 101b as a single unit, is configured to be able to move in parallel or rotational directions in any direction. The hand unit 100 is configured to move vertically upward or downward, horizontally, or rotate around any direction as an axis of rotation, as a single unit, whether the pair of columnar sections 101a and 101b are closed or open.

[0037] In the hand portion 100 with this shape, i.e., the pair of columnar portions 101a and 101b, as shown in Figure 5, the contact surfaces 142 and 142 of the columnar portions 101a and 101b contact the air-core coil 810 to be removed (extracted), engaging or supporting it. In the hand portion 100, the contact surfaces 142 and 142 are the only surfaces (parts) that contact the air-core coil 810.

[0038] The portions 152, 152 adjacent to the contact surfaces 142, 142 of the inner surfaces 151, 151 of the columnar parts are component-facing surfaces that face the circumferential surface of the air-core coil 810 when the air-core coil 810 is engaged with the hand portion 100. Although the component-facing surfaces 152, 152 are positioned close to the circumferential surface of the air-core coil 810, they are positioned with a predetermined small gap between them and the circumferential surface of the air-core coil 810 and do not come into contact with the circumferential surface of the air-core coil 810.

[0039] Figure 5 shows the state in which the pair of columnar parts 101a and 101b are closed in order to remove the air-core coil 810, which is wound around the core rod 710, from the core rod 710. As shown in Figure 5, the contact surfaces 142, 142 of the columnar parts 101a and 101b are in contact with the peripheral edge of the bottom surface of the air-core coil 810, while the component-facing surfaces 152, 152 are not in contact with the air-core coil 810.

[0040] In order to engage with the air-core coil 810 in this state, the pair of columnar parts 101a and 101b are designed such that when they are closed, the relationship La > W > Lb (W: width of the air-core coil 810 in the opening and closing direction of the columnar parts 101a and 101b, La: distance between the opposing surfaces 152, 152 of the columnar parts 101a and 101b, Lb: distance between the inner end faces 145, 145 of the columnar parts 101a and 101b) is satisfied, and the opening and closing are controlled.

[0041] Furthermore, the inner end faces 145, 145 of the pair of columnar parts 101a, 101b of the hand part 100 are designed so as not to come into contact with the core rod 710 even when the columnar parts 101a, 101b are closed, or the opening and closing of the columnar parts 101a, 101b is controlled.

[0042] The height W1 of the protrusion 140 of the hand portion 100, that is, the width W1 of the contact surface 142 and the length W2 of the contact surface 142 in the Y direction, may be set appropriately according to the size and wire diameter of the air-core coil 810 to be extracted. For example, the width W1 of the contact surface 142 may be smaller than the diameter of the wires forming the air-core coil 810.

[0043] As shown in Figure 5, when pulling out an air-core coil 810 from a vertically positioned core rod 710, the hand unit 100 not only engages its contact surface 142 with the air-core coil 810 and moves it, but also performs the function of supporting the air-core coil 810 from below in the vertical direction. On the other hand, when pulling out an air-core coil 810 horizontally from a rod-shaped member positioned horizontally, the hand unit 100 simply engages its contact surface 142 with the air-core coil 810 and moves it, without supporting the air-core coil 810. The function of the hand unit 100 differs in this way depending on the supply method of the part to be removed, but in the coil transport device 10 of this embodiment, the hand unit 100 holds and transports the air-core coil 810 together with the suction nozzle 210, which will be described later, so it is sufficient that it can at least perform the function of engaging with the part and moving it.

[0044] In the hand section 100, the widened inner surface section 153, the widened section 143 of the stepped surface 141, and the inclined surface 146 on the tip end 104 side of the inner end surface 145 are formed as so-called clearance spaces or space margins to prevent interference with the air-core coil 810 or other machinery, tools, or devices during the operation of removing the air-core coil 810 as described above. This configuration makes it possible to operate the hand section 100 safely.

[0045] Furthermore, in the hand portion 100, the opposing surfaces 152, 152 of the pair of columnar portions 101a, 101b are mirror-finished. When the air-core coil 810 is properly engaged by the hand portion 100, as described above, the opposing surfaces 152, 152 do not come into contact with the air-core coil 810. However, if the position of the air-core coil 810 is disrupted for any reason, the air-core coil 810 may come into contact with the opposing surfaces 152. In such cases, the opposing surfaces 152, 152 are mirror-finished to prevent damage to the air-core coil 810 or to mitigate damage.

[0046] As shown in Figure 3, the suction nozzle 210 is a component for adsorbing and holding the air-core coil 810. The suction nozzle 210 is a cylindrical member with a communication passage 202 formed inside, and a tip suction hole 205, which is the end opening of the communication passage 202, is formed at one end, the tip portion 204. The other end of the suction nozzle 210 is connected to a suction device via a tube (not shown), and when the suction device is activated and air is sucked in from the tip suction hole 205 of the tip portion 204 of the suction nozzle 210, negative pressure is generated at the tip suction hole 205, and the air-core coil 810 that the tip suction hole 205 contacts is attracted to it.

[0047] As shown in Figure 4, the outer diameter S1 of the suction nozzle 210 may be larger than the magnetic path length L1 of the air-core coil 810 to be extracted (corresponding to the height of the air-core coil 810 functioning as a coil), and the end of the suction nozzle 210 may protrude from the circumferential surface of the air-core coil 810 as shown in the figure. On the other hand, the hole diameter S2 of the tip suction hole 205 is preferably smaller than the magnetic path length L1 of the air-core coil 810. More preferably, the hole diameter S2 of the tip suction hole 205 is 40% to 90% of the magnetic path length L1 of the air-core coil 810. The shape of the hole in the suction nozzle can be round, oval, or square. In this case, the outer diameter S1 corresponds to the length of the longest part of the hole. (For example, in the case of a round hole, it corresponds to the diameter, and in the case of a square hole, it corresponds to the diagonal length.)

[0048] Furthermore, the tip portion 204 of the adsorption nozzle 210 may not have a configuration with a single tip adsorption hole 205, but may be made of a porous body with numerous micropores formed therein. The suction force from the suction device via the communication passage 202 of the adsorption nozzle 210 is applied to the air-core coil 810 through the micropores of the porous body, making it effective for adsorbing fine air-core coils 810 or air-core coils 810 with many irregularities on their circumferential surface.

[0049] The material of the suction nozzle 210 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to use a metallic steel material such as stainless steel. To prevent damage to the air-core coil 810 with which the tip 204 of the suction nozzle 210 makes contact, the tip 204 is surface-coated with an appropriate material.

[0050] The suction nozzle 210, having this shape, is connected to a drive unit (not shown) and is configured to move parallel or rotate in any direction. The suction nozzle 210 is configured to move vertically upward or downward, horizontally, or rotate around any direction as the axis of rotation, either integrally with the hand unit 100 described above, or independently of the hand unit 100.

[0051] Furthermore, the hand unit 100 and the suction nozzle 210 may be driven and controlled integrally by the same drive unit and control device. As will be described later, the hand unit 100 and the suction nozzle 210 can rotate around the same pivot point in many operations, and the parts that can be shared may be driven integrally by the same drive unit. Such a configuration is preferable as it simplifies the device configuration.

[0052] The temporary placement section 300 is configured to temporarily place the air-core coil 810, which has been removed from the core rod 710 by the hand section 100 and the suction nozzle 210, and to reattach it to the suction nozzle. As shown in Figure 13, the temporary placement section 300 includes a temporary placement table 310, a positioning member 320, and an airflow generating device (not shown).

[0053] The temporary support stand 310 is a base on which the air-core coil 810, removed from the core rod 710 by the hand unit 100 and the suction nozzle 210, is temporarily placed. The surface of the temporary support stand 310 is made slippery, allowing the placed air-core coil 810 to be easily moved.

[0054] As shown in Figure 13(A), the positioning member 320 is an L-shaped member and is fixedly installed on the upper surface of the temporary base 310. As shown in Figure 13(B), the air-core coil 810 placed on the upper surface of the temporary base 310 is moved toward the inner corner of the positioning member 320 by airflows f1 and f2, thereby precisely defining the position and orientation of the air-core coil 810 to be aligned with the inner corner of the positioning member 320.

[0055] The air-core coil 810, which has been precisely positioned and its orientation adjusted in this manner, is then re-attached by the transport nozzle 220 and transported to the mounting section 500, which is the destination location for transport, as shown in Figure 13(C).

[0056] In the coil transfer device 10 of this embodiment, such a temporary placement section 300 is used to transfer the air-core coil 810 from the suction nozzle 210 to the transfer nozzle 220, and to suction the air-core coil 810 in an appropriate position and orientation.

[0057] As described above, the transport nozzle 220 is a suction member for transporting the air-core coil 810 from the temporary storage section 300 to the mounting section 500. In this embodiment, the transport nozzle 220 has the same configuration as the suction nozzle 210.

[0058] The mounting section 500 is the destination location for transporting the air-core coil 810, and is a component for placing the transported air-core coil 810 in a predetermined arrangement. Typically, the mounting section 500 is a parts transfer location (position) for supplying the air-core coil 810 to the next process. In this embodiment, the mounting section 500 is an adhesive sheet for supplying the air-core coil 810 to the next process, which is the outer packaging sealing process. As shown in Figures 14 and 16, the sequentially transported air-core coil 810 are placed on the adhesive sheet 500 in a predetermined two-dimensional arrangement.

[0059] However, the specific configuration of the mounting section 500 is not limited to this, and it may be a pallet provided with recesses for accommodating individual air-core coils 810, a tape member provided with pockets for accommodating individual air-core coils 810, etc. Furthermore, it may not be a conveying member, but rather a location such as a parts input port (supply port) in a processing machine for the next process.

[0060] The coil transport device 10, although not shown in the illustration, has multiple cameras. Multiple cameras are installed throughout the coil transport device 10, but they can be broadly divided into three systems: a first system of cameras as sensor means for controlling the coil transport device 10, a second system of cameras for inspecting the air-core coils 810 which are the parts to be picked up and transported, and a third system of cameras for inspecting the alignment and placement of the air-core coils 810 in the placement section 500 which is the destination location for transport.

[0061] The first camera system captures images of the object to understand, for example, the formation state of the air-core coil 810 on the core rod 710, the movement state and position of the columnar parts 101a, 101b and the suction nozzle 210, the support state, suction state, and holding state of the air-core coil 810 by the columnar parts 101a, 101b and the suction nozzle 210, the position and orientation of the air-core coil 810 placed on the temporary storage section 300, and the relative positional relationships and operating status of each part constituting the coil transport device 10, and transmits the obtained image data to the control unit. Based on this, the control unit detects the operating status of the coil transport device 10 and controls each part using a control method including so-called feedback control so that the coil transport device 10 performs the desired operation.

[0062] The second camera system captures images of the air-core coil 810 as it is being picked up and transported by, for example, the suction nozzle 210 or the transport nozzle 220, and transmits the obtained image data to the control unit. Based on this, the control unit grasps the condition of the air-core coil 810 as a single component, i.e., its appearance, the position and shape of its terminals, the adhesion status of its lead terminals, etc., and performs processing such as determining whether it is a good or defective product, and marking or removing defective products.

[0063] The third camera system captures images of the air-core coil 810 placed on the mounting section 500 and transmits the obtained image data to the control unit. Based on this, the control unit detects the mounting state of the air-core coil 810, that is, the mounting position of the air-core coil 810, its mounting orientation and shape, etc., and determines whether it is appropriate or not. The determination of whether it is appropriate or not (good or bad judgment) is made by detecting the inclination of the air-core coil 810 and the pitch between the air-core coils 810, predicting and identifying the position, mounting orientation and shape of the mounted air-core coil 810, and determining whether it is within a predetermined range.

[0064] Specifically, for example, if there are air-core coils 810a to 810f placed on the adhesive surface 510 of the mounting section 500 as shown in Figure 16(A) or Figure 16(B), air-core coil 810d is placed at a large inclination within the adhesive surface 510 and is judged to be defective. Similarly, air-core coil 810f is placed at a large inclination perpendicular to the adhesive surface 510 and is judged to be defective. The other air-core coils 810a to 810c and 810e are properly positioned and within the predetermined range and are judged to be good products.

[0065] The third camera system preferably includes a camera that images the adhesive surface 510 of the mounting section 500 from above, so as to acquire image data as shown in Figure 16(A). Alternatively, the third camera system may include a camera that images the air-core coil 810 placed on the mounting section 500 from the side (either diagonally upward or diagonally sideways) at the height of the adhesive surface 510, so as to acquire image data as shown in Figure 16(B).

[0066] However, when detecting the mounting state, mounting orientation, and shape of the air-core coil 810 in the control unit, image data transmitted from the first and second cameras may be used in addition to image data transmitted from the third camera system. This makes it possible to detect defects in the shape of the feet of the air-core coil 810, which cannot be imaged from above, even if the third camera system does not include a camera that images the adhesive surface 510 of the mounting section 500 from the side.

[0067] Of the air-core coils 810 that are deemed defective, those whose placement on the surface parallel to the adhesive surface 510 is inappropriate will remain as defective products and will be marked as such. This is because it is not easy to rearrange them, as it requires changing the bonding position between the air-core coil 810 and the adhesive surface 510.

[0068] On the other hand, among the air-core coils 810 that are judged to be defective, those air-core coils 810 whose mounting position and shape are inappropriate are subjected to a process to correct the mounting position and shape of the air-core coil 810. The mounting position and shape of the air-core coil 810 are corrected by, for example, blowing air using an air injection nozzle 241 to a predetermined position corresponding to the inappropriate state of the air-core coil 810, as shown in Figure 25A. The reason for this is that this type of defect can be corrected without peeling off the parts that are already adhered to the adhesive surface 510 from the adhesive surface 510.

[0069] In this embodiment, the air-core coil 810 whose mounting position and shape have been corrected is sent to the next process as is. However, for air-core coils 810 whose mounting position and shape have been corrected by blowing air from the air injection nozzle 241, the mounting state may be imaged again to determine whether the mounting state is appropriate or not. As a result, air-core coils 810 that are determined to have an appropriate mounting state (determined to have been appropriately corrected) are judged to be good products, and air-core coils 810 that are determined to have an inappropriate mounting state again are judged to be defective products and may be marked or otherwise processed. Furthermore, if the inappropriate mounting position or shape of the air-core coil 810 is of a type or degree that cannot be corrected by blowing air, the mounting position and shape may not be corrected by blowing air from the air injection nozzle 241, and the product may be judged to be defective as is and marked or otherwise processed.

[0070] Furthermore, the markings may be physical markings or data processing markings.

[0071] A more specific method for inspecting the mounting state of the air-core coil 810 will be described later in the explanation of the parts transport method, specifically in the explanation of the parts alignment inspection (inspection 2) process S10 (see Figure 6).

[0072] Furthermore, for processing using image data captured by these cameras, sensors other than cameras (imaging means) may be used where possible.

[0073] As shown in Figure 25A, the air injection nozzle 241 is a component for injecting air onto the air-core coil 810. The air injection nozzle 241 blows air onto a predetermined position according to the defective state of the air-core coil 810, thereby correcting (changing) its posture and shape.

[0074] The air injection nozzle 241 has a configuration substantially the same as the suction nozzle 210 described above, with reference to Figure 3. That is, the air injection nozzle 241 is a cylindrical member with a communication passage 202 formed inside, and an end opening of the communication passage 202 is formed at one end, the tip portion 204. The other end of the air injection nozzle 241 is connected to an air supply device such as a compressor via a tube (not shown), and by ejecting the air supplied through the tube from the opening at the tip portion 204 of the air injection nozzle 241, air at a predetermined pressure is blown onto a predetermined part of the air core coil 810.

[0075] The pressure of the blown air is such that it does not cause the air-core coil 810 to peel off (be blown away) from the adhesive surface 510, but is still sufficient to change the mounting position and shape of the air-core coil 810; in other words, it is a pressure that can correct the mounting position and shape. The part of the air-core coil 810 to which the air is blown will be described later in the explanation of the part transport method as part of the explanation of the part mounting state correction process S11 (see Figure 6).

[0076] Furthermore, the material of the air injection nozzle 241 is not particularly limited, but a metal steel material such as stainless steel may be used.

[0077] The air injection nozzle 241 is installed in a drive unit (not shown) and is movable to any position on the adhesive surface 510 (see Figure 16) of the mounting section 500. Furthermore, the air injection nozzle 241 can be tilted at any angle relative to the direction perpendicular to the adhesive surface 510 on the mounting section 500. With this configuration, the air injection nozzle 241 can blow air at any position and angle on the air-core coils 810 placed on the adhesive surface 510 of the mounting section 500. Therefore, a single air injection nozzle 241 can correct the mounting posture of multiple (many) air-core coils 810 placed at relatively narrow pitches on the adhesive surface 510 of the mounting section 500, simplifying the configuration of the coil transport device 10.

[0078] However, the coil transport device 10 may be configured to have multiple air injection nozzles. For example, as shown in Figure 29, it may be configured to have two air injection nozzles 241, 241 so that air can be simultaneously blown onto the two legs 813a, 813b of one air-core coil 810.

[0079] In such a configuration, the multiple air injection nozzles 241, ..., 241 (for example, two air injection nozzles 241, 241) may be configured to be independently movable at any position and angle on the adhesive surface 510 and capable of blowing air, by a control unit and a drive unit (not shown). Alternatively, for example, a predetermined set of multiple air injection nozzles 241, ..., 241, or each set of predetermined multiple air injection nozzles 241, ..., 241, may be configured to be integrally movable at any position and angle on the adhesive surface 510 and capable of blowing air. Or, each set of predetermined multiple air injection nozzles 241, ..., 241 may be integrally movable to any position on the adhesive surface 510, while at the moved position, the position and angle of each individual air injection nozzle 241 can be finely adjusted, and each individual air injection nozzle 241 can blow air onto individual target parts.

[0080] This configuration allows air to be blown simultaneously onto multiple air-core coils 810 or onto multiple defective areas, improving the mounting efficiency of the air-core coils 810 and, consequently, enabling efficient manufacturing of the coil components 900 (see Figure 24).

[0081] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 30 and 31, for example, a configuration in which two air injection nozzles 241, 241 are fixedly installed for each of the multiple (numerous) air-core coils 810 placed on the adhesive surface 510 of the mounting section 500 is also possible. By using these air injection nozzles 241, ..., 241 and using a control unit and drive unit (not shown) to blow air onto all the air-core coils 810 placed on the adhesive surface 510 at once, it becomes possible to simultaneously correct the mounting state of all the air-core coils 810 placed on the adhesive surface 510, further improving the mounting efficiency of the air-core coils 810 and enabling more efficient manufacturing of the coil components 900.

[0082] Furthermore, in a configuration in which air injection nozzles 241, 241 are fixedly installed for all air-core coils 810 placed on the adhesive surface 510, corresponding to the feet 813a, 813b, the detection process for air-core coils 810 with inappropriate placement postures or shapes via the third system or other cameras mentioned above does not need to be performed. By blowing air onto all air-core coils 810, ..., 810, including those placed in an appropriate placement state, the placement state of air-core coils 810 that were in a poor placement state is selectively corrected, and the configuration and processing time related to the detection of defective air-core coils 810 can be omitted.

[0083] As shown in Figure 16, multiple air-core coils 810 are arranged on the adhesive surface 510 of the mounting section 500 at predetermined pitches D8 (X direction) and D9 (Y direction) between adjacent air-core coils 810. Furthermore, as described above, in this embodiment, the air-core coils 810 themselves are extremely small (miniature) in size, for example, 0.6 mm × 0.6 mm × 0.3 mm or less, and their arrangement pitches D8 and D9 are generally narrow.

[0084] Therefore, as shown in Figures 30 and 31, in a configuration in which multiple air injection nozzles 241, 241 are fixedly installed corresponding to the feet 813a, 813b of all (or more) air core coils 810, ..., 810 placed on the adhesive surface 510, each air injection nozzle 241, ..., 241 is installed with its position and angle adjusted so as not to interfere with adjacent air injection nozzles 241. Alternatively, the arrangement pitch of the air core coils 810, ..., 810 on the adhesive surface 510 of the mounting section 500 is determined so that the air injection nozzles 241, ..., 241 can be installed in this manner.

[0085] The configuration of the coil transport device 10 has been described above. The operation of each part of the coil transport device 10 is controlled and executed by a control unit (not shown). The coil transport device 10 has a control unit for this purpose. The control unit may be in the form of a processor installed in the coil transport device 10, or it may be a general-purpose computer connected via a communication interface.

[0086] Next, the process of removing the air-core coil 810 using the coil transport device 10 and transporting it to the destination location will be explained with reference to Figures 6 to 16.

[0087] In the following explanation, referring to Figures 7 to 12, the vertical direction is defined as the Z-axis direction, the opening and closing direction of the columnar parts 101a and 101b of the hand part 100 when removing the air-core coil 810 formed on the core rod 710 is defined as the X-axis direction, and the direction perpendicular to the Z-axis direction and the X-axis direction is defined as the Y-axis direction. In addition, the positive Z-axis direction may be referred to as up, the negative Z-axis direction as down, the negative Y-axis direction as front, and the positive Y-axis direction as back.

[0088] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the processing steps.

[0089] First, as shown in Figure 7, the air-core coil 810 to be removed and transported is formed on the core rod 710 (step S1). In this embodiment, the core rod 710 is a winding core shaft around which wire is wound by an automatic winding machine (not shown). The core rod 710 is installed on a base 700. The base 700 may be an attached component of the automatic winding machine, or it may be a separate component from the automatic winding machine. In addition, multiple core rods 710 may be configured on the base 700.

[0090] The core rod 710 is a rod-shaped member that extends vertically (in the Z-axis direction) upward from the base 700, and its upper end is configured as an open free end. Wire is sequentially wound around the core rod 710 by an automatic winding machine (not shown) to form a coil 810. In this embodiment, the wire wound around the core rod 710 is a round wire 811 (see Figure 4).

[0091] In Figures 7 to 12, from the viewpoint of explaining the process and state in which the wire is wound around the core rod 710, both ends of the wire constituting the air-core coil 810 are shown in their rounded state. However, although a detailed explanation is omitted, the air-core coil 810 is supplied to a foot-forming means (not shown) while wound around the core rod 710, or before being placed on the temporary support stand 300, and feet 813a and 813b are formed as shown in Figure 14(A).

[0092] In this embodiment, the feet 813a and 813b are formed by, for example, attaching flat plate-shaped members to both ends of the wire constituting the air-core coil 810, or by flattening both ends of the wire into a flat plate shape. However, the feet 813a and 813b may be of any shape and may be formed by any method, as long as they allow the air-core coil 810 to stand on its own.

[0093] Once the air-core coil 810 is ready, that is, once the manufacturing of the air-core coil 810 for the core rod 710 is complete, the hand portion 100 of the coil transport device 10 is moved to the vicinity of the air-core coil 810, and the air-core coil 810 is picked up by the suction nozzle 210 (step S2).

[0094] To do this, first, as shown in Figure 8, the pair of columnar parts 101a, 101b and the suction nozzle 210 are lowered (moved downward in the Z-axis direction). At this time, the pair of columnar parts 101a, 101b are in the open position. The lowered position is such that, for the suction nozzle 210, the tip suction hole 205 of the tip part 204 is at the same height as the circumferential surface of the air-core coil 810, and for the pair of columnar parts 101a, 101b, the contact surfaces 142, 142 of the columnar parts 101a, 101b are further below the bottom surface of the air-core coil 810.

[0095] Next, as shown in Figure 9, the pair of columnar parts 101a, 101b and the suction nozzle 210 are advanced. That is, the columnar parts 101a, 101b and the suction nozzle 210 are moved in a direction that brings them closer to the air-core coil 810 in the Y-axis direction. The columnar parts 101a, 101b are moved until the Y-axis position of the contact surfaces 142, 142 is the same as the Y-axis position of the contact surface 142, 142 of the bottom peripheral edge of the air-core coil 810. The suction nozzle 210 is moved until its tip 204 contacts the circumferential surface of the air-core coil 810.

[0096] When the tip 204 of the suction nozzle 210 comes into contact with the air-core coil 810, air is drawn in through the communication passage 202 of the suction nozzle 210 via a suction device (not shown). This generates negative pressure at the tip suction hole 205 of the suction nozzle 210, causing the circumferential surface of the air-core coil 810 to be vacuum-adsorbed to the tip 204 of the suction nozzle 210, and the air-core coil 810 becomes held in place by the suction nozzle 210.

[0097] In this case, the suction nozzle 210 will adsorb the circumferential surface of the air-core coil 810 to the surface of the air-core coil 810 that is perpendicular to the direction (y direction) in which the columnar parts 101a and 101b open and close (x direction) (the surface in which the direction of the suction nozzle 210 is the surface direction in the y direction). The suction nozzle 210 may adsorb to any location where it can adsorb without interfering with the hand part 100 or the core rod 710.

[0098] Furthermore, since the circumferential surface of the air-core coil 810 is curved and there are recesses between the wound round wires 811, even if suction is applied by the suction nozzle 210, leakage occurs and it is difficult to achieve a tight seal. However, if sufficient suction force is applied, the suction nozzle 210 can still suction even if some leakage occurs. In addition, in the coil transport device 10, the hand unit 100 also engages with and supports the air-core coil 810, so even if the suction force is somewhat weak, the air-core coil 810 can be properly held in cooperation with the hand unit 100.

[0099] Next, as shown in Figure 10, the hand portion 100 is closed (step S3). That is, the pair of columnar portions 101a and 101b are moved inward. The pair of columnar portions 101a and 101b are moved until they are in the positional relationship described above, referring to Figure 5. That is, the contact surfaces 142, 142 are positioned below the bottom surface of the air-core coil 810 (engageable position, pull-out position), and the inner end surfaces 145, 145 are positioned so as not to contact the side surface 715 of the core rod 710. Also, the component opposing surfaces 152, 152 do not contact the circumferential surface of the air-core coil 810, but are positioned close to the circumferential surface of the air-core coil 810 at a predetermined distance. At this time, as shown in Figure 10, the contact surfaces 142, 142 of the columnar portions 101a and 101b are not in contact with the bottom surface of the air-core coil 810 and are positioned at a predetermined distance apart.

[0100] Thus, once the suction nozzle 210 has attracted the air-core coil 810 and the contact surfaces 142, 142 of the columnar portions 101a, 101b are positioned in the withdrawal position, the hand portion 100 and the suction nozzle 210 are raised, as shown in Figure 11, to withdraw the air-core coil 810 from the core rod 710 (step S4).

[0101] Since the contact surfaces 142, 142 of the columnar parts 101a, 101b are located on the lower side of the air-core coil 810 in the Z-axis direction, when the columnar parts 101a, 101b rise, the contact surfaces 142, 142 come into contact with the air-core coil 810, and the air-core coil 810 moves upward together with the columnar parts 101a, 101b.

[0102] At this time, the suction nozzle 210 continues to hold the air-core coil 810 in suction and moves upward together with the air-core coil 810. To achieve this, the suction nozzle 210 begins its upward movement after a delay from the start of the upward movement of the pair of columnar portions 101a, 101b, starting when the contact surfaces 142, 142 of the columnar portions 101a, 101b come into contact with the lower surface of the air-core coil 810. As a result, while maintaining suction by the suction nozzle 210, the air-core coil 810 is moved upward by the engagement of the contact surfaces 142, 142 of the hand portion 100 and detached from the core rod 710.

[0103] Once the air-core coil 810 has detached from the core rod 710, the air-core coil 810 is transported to the temporary storage section 300 (step S5).

[0104] In this embodiment, the hand unit 100 and the suction nozzle 210 transport the air-core coil 810 to the upper part of the temporary storage unit 300 in the state in which the air-core coil 810 has been pulled out from the core rod 710. When the air-core coil 810 is transported in this manner, its bottom end is supported by the contact surfaces 142, 142 of the columnar parts 101a, 101b, so even if the suction force of the suction nozzle 210 is released, it will not fall. If the suction of the suction nozzle 210 is unexpectedly released, a mechanism and control unit may be provided to detect this and re-suction.

[0105] Once the air-core coil 810 is transported to the upper part of the temporary storage section 300, the air-core coil 810 is temporarily placed on the temporary storage stand 310 (step S6). As shown in Figure 12, the hand unit 100 and the suction nozzle 210 rotate approximately 90° around the X-axis, so that the legs of the air-core coil 810 are facing downwards in the vertical direction, and the suction nozzle 210 is adsorbing the air-core coil 810 from above. This positions the air-core coil 810 so that it can be placed on the temporary storage unit 300. Also, this rotation releases the support of the air-core coil 810 by the hand unit 100, so the pair of columnar parts 101a and 101b open outwards and retract to a separate position so as not to interfere with the air-core coil 810.

[0106] Once the air-core coil 810 is in a position where it can be placed on the temporary placement section 300, the suction nozzle 210 descends and places the air-core coil 810 on the temporary placement base 310. Once the placement is complete, the suction nozzle 210 releases its grip on the air-core coil 810 and returns to the top of the temporary placement section 300. At this point, the roles of the hand unit 100 and the suction nozzle 210 are finished, so the hand unit 100 and the air-core coil 810 move on to the process of removing the next air-core coil 810.

[0107] On the other hand, for example, when the air-core coil 810 is placed on the temporary support stand 310 in the state shown in Figure 13(A), airflows f1 and f2 are applied to it as shown in Figure 13(B), and the air-core coil 810 is moved to the inner corner of the positioning member 320. The airflows f1 and f2 can be generated, for example, through negative pressure generating holes formed in the positioning member 320. Alternatively, the airflows f1 and f2 can also be generated by placing a positive pressure generating nozzle upstream in the direction shown in Figure 13(B). Then, with the air-core coil 810 whose position and orientation have been corrected in this way, a transport nozzle 220 having substantially the same configuration as the suction nozzle 210 descends, as shown in Figure 13(C), and suction is applied to it, and it is then transported (process S7) to the mounting section 500, which is the final transport destination location for the coil transport device 10.

[0108] When the air-core coil 810 is transported to the mounting section 500 by the transport nozzle 220, the air-core coil 810 is inspected as a standalone unit (inspection 1) by the second camera system mentioned above (process S8). In this inspection process, the air-core coil 810 is imaged from multiple directions using a camera (not shown) to check, for example, whether the dimensions of the air-core coil 810 are within the specified range, and whether there are any scratches or deformations on the air-core coil 810.

[0109] Here, for example, as shown in Figure 15, external dimensions such as the width D1 of one coil, the coil height D2, the lead widths D3a and D3b, the width D4 of the other coil, and the height D5 of the lead terminals are inspected based on the camera image.

[0110] After undergoing such inspections and being transported to the top of the mounting section 500, the air-core coil 810 is placed in a predetermined position on the mounting section 500 (step S9). As shown in Figure 14, the transport nozzle 220 descends and places the air-core coil 810 at a predetermined position on the mounting surface 510 of the mounting section 500. In this embodiment, the mounting section 500 is an adhesive sheet on which the air-core coils 810 are placed in a two-dimensional arrangement. As shown in Figure 14(B), the newly placed air-core coil 810 is placed at a desired position on the mounting surface 510 with its distance from surrounding air-core coils 810 strictly controlled, and its orientation is also appropriately controlled.

[0111] Once the air-core coil 810 is placed on the mounting section 500, an inspection (inspection 2) is performed on the mounting state (adhesion state) of the air-core coil 810 on the mounting section 500 (step S10).

[0112] In this inspection process, the state of the upper surface of the mounting surface 510, including the reference line 511 as shown in Figure 16(A), is imaged, or, as shown in Figure 16(B), the upper part of the mounting section 500 is imaged from approximately the same height (viewpoint) as the mounting surface 510, and the mounting state of the air-core coil 810 is inspected (judged as good or bad) based on the image data captured. Alternatively, in this inspection process, image data captured by a second camera during transport from the temporary stand 300 to the mounting section 500 is also referenced, and the mounting state of the air-core coil 810 is inspected.

[0113] Specifically, for each air-core coil 810a to 810d in the mounting state shown in Figure 16(A), the mounting position is inspected to check whether the distances D6 and D7 from the reference line 511 are appropriate, whether the distances D8 and D9 from adjacent air-core coils 810 are appropriate, whether they are properly positioned within the predetermined areas P1 to P4, or whether they are mounted without tilting in a plane parallel to the adhesive surface 510. As a result, for example, an abnormality in the parallelism of the air-core coil 810d with respect to the reference line 511, or an abnormality in not conforming to area P4, is detected and it is judged to be defective.

[0114] Furthermore, for the mounting state shown in Figure 16(B), the following are inspected: whether the height D10 from the mounting surface 510 is appropriate, whether the air-core coil 810 is tilted in the height direction, whether the feet 813a and 813b are floating away from the mounting surface 510 (i.e., whether they are adhered to the adhesive surface 510), and whether the shape of the air-core coil 810 is appropriate. As a result, for example, the air-core coil 810f is judged to be defective because its height D10 is outside the specified range.

[0115] When the mounting condition (adhesion condition) of the air-core coil 810 is detected, the mounting condition of the air-core coil 810 that has become improperly mounted is corrected (step S11). The mounting condition of the air-core coil 810 is corrected by blowing air onto a predetermined part of the air-core coil 810 using the air injection nozzle 241.

[0116] The inspection of the mounting position and shape of the air-core coil 810 in process S10, and the correction of the position of defective air-core coils 810 in process S11, will be explained using specific examples.

[0117] As shown in Figure 25A, there are cases where the foot portion 813a is floating while the foot portions 813a and 813b are placed on the adhesive surface 510 of the mounting portion 500. That is, in this embodiment, since the mounting surface 510 is adhesive, if one foot portion 813b is attached to the adhesive surface 510, the air-core coil 810 may be maintained in that position even if the other foot portion 813a is floating. In such a case, the air-core coil 810 will be placed on the adhesive surface 510 in an inappropriate position, tilted perpendicular to the adhesive surface, as shown in Figure 25A.

[0118] In this embodiment, based on image data obtained from a third camera or the like, the inclination angle θ1 of the upper surface 812a of the winding portion 812 of the air-core coil 810 with respect to the adhesive surface 510 is detected. If this angle exceeds a predetermined range, it is determined that the foot portion 813a is not adhered and is floating. In other words, it is determined that the foot portion 813a (lower surface), which is the intended adhesion surface when the air-core coil 810 is placed on the adhesive surface 510 of the mounting portion 500, is not in an appropriate adhesive state (mounting state).

[0119] Based on this determination, the control unit (not shown) controls the air injection nozzle 241 to be moved diagonally above the foot portion 813a of the air-core coil 810, and the tip portion 204 is directed at a predetermined angle α1 with respect to the direction perpendicular to the adhesive surface 510, and air f3 is ejected onto the foot portion 813a. As a result, the air f3 acts on the foot portion 813a, applying a force F3 that moves the foot portion 813a toward the adhesive surface 510, and as shown in Figure 25B, the foot portion 813a becomes adhered to the adhesive surface 510. In other words, the air-core coil 810 is placed on the adhesive surface 510 in an appropriate position.

[0120] An improper mounting condition can also occur in a direction parallel to the winding axis of the winding portion 812 of the air-core coil 810, as shown in Figure 26A. In the air-core coil 810 shown in Figure 26A, the base portion (the part connected to the winding portion 812) of the foot portion 813a (or foot portion 813b) is attached to the adhesive surface 510, but the tip portion is floating above the adhesive surface 510. In this case as well, the air-core coil 810 will be mounted on the adhesive surface 510 in an improper posture, tilted perpendicular to the adhesive surface, as shown in Figure 26A.

[0121] In this case as well, the coil transport device 10 detects the inclination angle θ2 of the upper surface 812a of the winding portion 812 of the air-core coil 810 based on image data obtained from a third camera or the like, and determines that the tip portion of the foot portion 813a (813b) is not adhered and is floating when this angle exceeds a predetermined range.

[0122] Based on this judgment, the air injection nozzle 241 is moved to a position opposite the upper surface 812a of the winding portion 812 of the air-core coil 810, and corresponding to the tip of the foot portion 813a, and air f4 is injected onto the upper surface 812a of the winding portion. As a result, a torque F4 acts on the entire air-core coil 810 with the base of the foot portion 813a (the part where the foot portion 813a and the adhesive surface 510 are adhered) as the fulcrum, and the tip of the foot portion 813a is moved toward the adhesive surface 510. As a result, as shown in Figure 26B, the entire lower surface (intended adhesion surface) of the foot portion 813a (foot portion 813b) becomes adhered to the adhesive surface 510. In other words, the air-core coil 810 is placed on the adhesive surface 510 in the appropriate posture.

[0123] Figure 27 shows a state in which the feet 813a (or 813b) of the air-core coil 810 are not parallel to the lower surface 812b of the winding portion 812, but are opened at an angle θ3 toward the tip of the feet 813a. In other words, the shape of the air-core coil 810 is not appropriate.

[0124] In this state, the upper surface 812a of the winding section is approximately parallel to the adhesive surface 510, making detection difficult using only an image of the air-core coil 810 taken from above. However, detection is possible based on image data taken of the air-core coil 810 from the side, or image data taken by a second camera when the air-core coil 810 is transported from the temporary storage stand 300 to the mounting section 500.

[0125] For such an air-core coil 810, the air injection nozzle 241 is moved to approximately the center of the winding portion 812 of the air-core coil 810, facing the upper surface 812a of the winding portion, and air f5 is ejected onto the upper surface 812a of the winding portion. As a result, a downward force F5 acts on the winding portion 812 of the air-core coil 810 in a direction that brings the entire winding portion 812 closer to the adhesive surface 510.

[0126] As a result, the winding portion 812 moves in the direction of the adhesive surface 510 while maintaining a posture parallel to the adhesive surface 510 on its upper and lower surfaces 812a and 812b. In the foot portion 813a, the tip portion does not move as it is in contact with the adhesive surface 510, and only the base portion is pushed in the direction of the adhesive surface 510. Consequently, as shown in Figure 26B, the entire lower surface (intended adhesive surface) of the foot portion 813a (foot portion 813b) becomes adhered to the adhesive surface 510. In other words, the shape of the air-core coil 810 is appropriately corrected, and the air-core coil 810 is placed on the adhesive surface 510 in an appropriate posture.

[0127] Furthermore, Figure 28 shows a state in which the foot portion 813a (or 813b) of the air-core coil 810 is not parallel to the lower surface 812b of the winding portion 812, but narrows at an angle θ4 toward the tip of the foot portion 813a. This state also indicates that the shape of the air-core coil 810 is not appropriate.

[0128] In this state, since the upper surface 812a of the winding portion is approximately parallel to the adhesive surface 510, it is difficult to detect the air-core coil 810 using only an image taken from above. However, it can be detected based on image data taken from the side of the air-core coil 810 or image data taken by a second camera system.

[0129] For such an air-core coil 810, the air injection nozzle 241 is directed at the tip of the foot portion 813a of the air-core coil 810 at a predetermined angle α2 with respect to the direction perpendicular to the adhesive surface 510, and air f6 is ejected between the foot portion 813a and the lower surface 812b of the winding portion.

[0130] As a result, a force F6 acts on the foot portion 813a, causing the tip to move towards the adhesive surface 510 due to the air f6. Also, as air f6 enters the recess between the lower surface 812b of the winding portion and the foot portion 813a (813b), a force acts on the winding portion 812, causing it to move upward. At this time, the base of the winding portion 812 that connects to the foot portion 813a (812b) does not move because the foot portions 813a and 813b are adhered to the adhesive surface 510, so a force F7 acts on the portion of the winding portion 812 that faces the tip of the foot portion 813a, causing it to move upward.

[0131] As a result, as shown in Figure 26B, the foot portion 813a becomes adhered to the adhesive surface 510. In addition, the portion of the winding portion 812 corresponding to the tip of the foot portion 813a moves slightly upward, correcting the narrowed state between the lower surface 812b of the winding portion 812 and the tip of the foot portion 813a. In other words, the shape of the air-core coil 810 is appropriately corrected, and any defects in the shape of the air-core coil 810 are corrected.

[0132] For air-core coils 810 that are determined to have a poor mounting condition in the second inspection step (see Figure 6), a process to correct the mounting condition or shape is applied in the mounting condition correction step S11. On the other hand, air-core coils 810 that are determined to be defective as a result of the inspection are marked as defective products and processed to prevent them from being mixed with good products in the next step. A mechanism and control unit for re-applying and repositioning the air-core coils 810 that are determined to be defective may also be provided.

[0133] The coil transport device 10 performs the above-described process and then removes and transports the air-core coil 810.

[0134] Regarding the manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus for electronic components related to this disclosure, a process for manufacturing a coil component 900 shown in Figure 24 using the air-core coil 810 transported by the coil transport device 10 as described above will be explained.

[0135] The air-core coils 810 placed on the mounting section 500 are supplied to the next step, the outer packaging sealing step. In the outer packaging sealing step, for example, a mold is formed around the multiple air-core coils 810 placed on the adhesive surface 510 of the adhesive sheet 500 which serves as the mounting section, and resin is injected into the mold and hardened to form individual pieces. At this time, a plating film may be formed on the exposed surfaces of the leg portions 813a and 813b as needed. As a result, as shown in Figure 24, an electronic component is manufactured in which the air-core coils (coil portions) 810 as electronic elements are sealed and housed inside the base body 910, that is, a coil component 900 in which air-core coils are embedded in the base body 910.

[0136] With this coil conveying device configuration and method, air ejected from the air injection nozzle 241 is blown onto a predetermined part of the component, thereby applying force to a predetermined part of the air-core coil 810, or to the air-core coil 810 without contact. Therefore, compared to the case where force is applied by mechanical contact with the air-core coil 810, a small force can be applied to predetermined parts of the air-core coil 810, such as the feet 813a and 813b, to correct the mounting state and shape of the air-core coil 810. As a result, the air-core coil 810 is less likely to be damaged by overload, and the mounting state and shape of the air-core coil 810 can be corrected with precision.

[0137] The coil transport device 10 of this embodiment is particularly effective when the air-core coil 810 is small. That is, because the coil transport device 10 of this embodiment applies force to the component by means of non-contact airflow, even when the air-core coil 810 is small and has low mechanical strength, the air-core coil 810 is less likely to be damaged, and the component with the intended adhesive surface (e.g., the foot portion) can be placed in the desired mounting state (adhesive state) with high precision.

[0138] Furthermore, according to the coil transport device 10 of this embodiment, since force is applied to a predetermined part of the air-core coil 810, or to the air-core coil 810 without contact, structural parts such as tools or parts of the device do not mechanically come into contact with the air-core coil 810. As a result, it is difficult to damage the surface of the air-core coil 810. In other words, damage to the coating on the wires forming the air-core coil 810 can be suppressed. Therefore, from this point of view as well, by appropriately applying force to the air-core coil 810, the air-core coil 810 having adhesive surfaces (foot portions 813a, 813b) can be placed in the desired mounting state (adhesive state).

[0139] Furthermore, the coil transport device 10 of this embodiment makes it possible to properly remove and transport even minute parts with weak mechanical strength, such as air-core coils 810 arranged around the core rod 710 at a supply source such as a manufacturing device or a loading device, without damaging or dropping them.

[0140] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various optional modifications are possible, as illustrated below.

[0141] For example, the method of applying force in the direction of the adhesive surface 510 to the feet 813a (813b) or winding portion 812 of the air-core coil 810 (i.e., a method of applying force to a predetermined part of the component without contact) is not limited to the injection of air via the air injection nozzle 241. For example, a number of micro-holes may be made in the mounting surface on which the component is placed (for example, the mounting portion 500 including the adhesive surface 510), and by drawing in gas (air, etc.) from around the mounted air-core coil 810 through these holes, a non-contact force (suction force) in the direction of the mounting surface may be applied to the feet 813a (813b), etc., of the air-core coil 810.

[0142] Alternatively, a magnetic field may be formed in the space on which the air-core coil 810 is placed, causing a magnetic force to act on the winding portion 812, the base portion 813a (813b), or the entire air-core coil 810, thereby applying a non-contact force in the direction of the mounting surface (adhesive surface) 510 to the winding portion 812, the base portion 813 (813b), etc. of the air-core coil 810. Alternatively, an electric field may be formed in the space on which the air-core coil 810 is placed, causing an electrostatic force to act on the winding portion 812, the base portion 813a (813b), or the entire air-core coil 810, thereby applying a non-contact force in the direction of the mounting surface (adhesive surface) 510 to the winding portion 812, the base portion 813 (813b), etc. of the air-core coil 810. These methods may be appropriately applied depending on the material of the part to which the force is applied (for example, whether it is a conductor or a dielectric).

[0143] For example, when removing the air-core coil 810 installed on the core rod 710, the order of suction by the suction nozzle 210 and contact by the hand part 100 does not matter. Furthermore, the timing of operations such as the movement of the columnar parts 101a and 101b, the movement of the suction nozzle 210, and suction (adsorption) by the suction nozzle 210 may be arbitrarily and suitably set and controlled from the viewpoint of the efficiency of removing the component (air-core coil 810) or the safety during removal.

[0144] Alternatively, the air-core coil 810 removed from the core rod 710 may be transported directly to the mounting section 500 without being placed on the temporary storage section 300. In this case, the extent to which the air-core coil 810 is supported by the contact surfaces 142, 142 of the hand section 100, and the point at which the suction nozzle 210 is rotated to position the air-core coil 810 so that it can be placed on the mounting section 500, can be configured arbitrarily.

[0145] Furthermore, the supply method of the air-core coil 810 is not limited to the removal and transport of the air-core coil 810 wound around a single core rod 710.

[0146] For example, as shown in Figure 17(A), there are cases where a projection 723 is provided on the upper surface of multiple base columns 722, and the air-core coil 810 is sequentially wound around these projections and supplied. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 17(B), there are cases where a projection 733 is provided on the surface of a base plate 731, and the air-core coil 810 is sequentially wound around each of these projections and supplied. In both of these cases, the coil transport device 10 described above can be used to remove and transport the air-core coil 810 using the same procedure as described above.

[0147] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 18(A), for example, multiple columns 741 protrude horizontally from the vertical wall portion 741, and projections 743 are formed on the end faces of these vertical wall portions 741, and the air-core coil 810 is sequentially wound around these projections and supplied. For such a configuration, as shown in Figure 18(B), the handle portion 100 can be positioned so that the opposing surfaces of the pair of columnar portions 101a and 101b are in the vertical direction, and the air-core coil 810 can be extracted by pulling the handle portion 100 horizontally.

[0148] In this case, the contact surfaces 142, 142 of the pair of columnar parts 101a, 101b do not support the air-core coil 810 in the direction of gravity. Therefore, the air-core coil 810 needs to be held by the suction force of the suction nozzle 210. However, since one of the opposing surfaces 152, 152 is located close to the lower side of the air-core coil 810, even if the suction force of the suction nozzle 210 weakens, it will hit the opposing surface 152 and remain in place, preventing it from falling all the way down. Thus, damage can be prevented even in this configuration.

[0149] Furthermore, in Figure 18(B), the pair of columnar parts 101a and 101b of the hand unit 100 are arranged in a pair in the Z direction, but the columnar parts 101a and 101b may also be arranged in a pair in the Y direction. In this case, the suction nozzle is positioned toward the air-core coil 810 from either the upper or lower side in the Z direction.

[0150] Furthermore, the configuration of the columnar portion of the hand portion 100 may be, for example, as shown in Figures 19 and 20. In the pair of columnar portions 171a and 171b shown in Figures 19 and 20, a convex portion 180 is formed on the tip portion 174, and a stepped surface 182 is formed on the inner surface 192 of the columnar portion body 173, which is the same as the configuration shown in Figure 1. However, in the columnar portions 171a and 171b shown in Figure 19, the entire area of ​​the stepped surface 182 is formed as a contact surface, and there is no part like the widened portion 143. Also, the entire area of ​​the inner surface 192 is formed as an opposing surface 192, and there is no configuration like the widened portion 153. The pair of columnar portions of the hand portion may be configured in such a shape. With such a configuration, processing is easy, and the hand portion 100 can be manufactured at low cost.

[0151] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiment described a configuration for removing and transporting an air-core coil 810 wound around a round wire, the coil transport device 10 can also be applied to other types of coils.

[0152] For example, as shown in Figure 21, the coil transport device 10 can also be applied to the removal and transport of an edgewise coil 820, which is made by winding a flat wire 821 edgewise. In this configuration, for example, as shown in Figure 21, the suction nozzle 210 may be brought into contact with the upper surface of the edgewise coil 820 and the upper surface of the edgewise coil 820 may be adsorbed. When the flat wire 821 is wound edgewise, a flat surface is created on the upper surface, so if this is adsorbed by the suction nozzle 210, sufficient suction force can be achieved. In addition, in the case of a coil using a flat wire 821, especially a fine coil, as shown in Figure 21, the area of ​​the air core portion 824 may be smaller than the area of ​​the flat wire 821, and in such cases, adsorbing the upper surface of the edgewise coil 820 is particularly effective.

[0153] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 22, for example, the edgewise coil 830 may be adsorbed from above by two adsorption nozzles 230. The edgewise coil 830 shown in Figure 22 has a wider width of the flat wire 831 than the edgewise coil 820 shown in Figure 21. For such an edgewise coil 830, there may be adsorption nozzles 210 whose tip adsorption holes 205 are smaller than the width of the flat wire 831, and the adsorption nozzles 230 may be adsorbed by two adsorption nozzles 210, or even more adsorption nozzles 210, as shown in Figure 22.

[0154] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 23, for example, the coil transport device 10 can also be applied to the removal and transport of a crosswise coil 840, which is made by double-spindle winding of a flat wire 841. In this crosswise coil 840, a flat surface is formed on the main surface, so as in the embodiment described above, it is effective to bring the suction nozzle 210 into close contact with the circumferential surface of the crosswise coil 840 from the horizontal direction. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0155] 10... Coil transport device 100,170…Handball Club 101a, 171a...first columnar part 101b, 171b...Second columnar part 103,173…Columnar body 104,174...Tip 105...Proximal columnar part 140,180… protrusions 141...Step surface 142,182…Contact surface 143... Widening section 145, 185...Inner end surface 146,186…Slope surface 151...Inner surface of columnar part 152,192…Parts facing each other 153... Widened inner surface (inclined surface) 210, 230… Suction nozzle (suction part) 220... Conveying nozzle (suction part) 240...Attitude correction unit (air injection unit) 241... Air injection nozzle 202…Inner tube 204...Tip 205…Tip suction hole 300... Temporary placement section 310... Temporary stand 320…Positioning member 500... Placement section (destination for transport, adhesive sheet) 510... Mounting surface (adhesive surface) 511...Reference line 700... Core rod base 710...Core rod (rod-shaped member) 715... Core rod side 722... Base column 723…Protrusion (rod-shaped member) 731...Base plate 733...Protrusion (rod-shaped member) 741...Vertical wall part 742…Horizontal column 743…Protrusion (rod-shaped member) 810...Air-core coil 811... Round wire 812...Rotation section 812a…Top surface 812b…Bottom surface 812c,812d…side 813a,913b…foot part 820, 830… Edgewise Coil 840... Crosswise Coil 821, 831, 841... Hirakaku Line 824…Air core part 900... Coil components (electronic components) 910... Base body 913…Implementation aspects

Claims

1. The process involves applying a non-contact force to a predetermined part of a component so that the component having an adhesive surface achieves a desired adhesive state. The above process involves a method for placing components in which force is applied to multiple components simultaneously and without contact.

2. A step of applying a non-contact force to a predetermined part of a part having an adhesive surface so that the part becomes adhesive to a desired state, The process includes detecting the adhesive state of the aforementioned component, A method for placing a component in which, in order to detect that the adhesive state of the component is unsuitable, a non-contact force is applied to at least the predetermined portion of the component.

3. The method for placing a component according to claim 2, wherein the adhesive state of the component to be detected is the predicted angle of the adhesive surface of the component.

4. The process involves applying a non-contact force to a predetermined part of a part having an adhesive surface so that the part becomes adhesive to a desired state. In the above process, by blowing air onto the predetermined part of the component, a non-contact force is applied to the predetermined part. A method for placing a component, wherein the predetermined portion of the component on which the air is blown is the foot portion of the component on which the adhesive surface is to be formed.

5. The process involves applying a non-contact force to a predetermined part of a part having an adhesive surface so that the part becomes adhesive to a desired state, In the above process, by blowing air onto the predetermined part of the component, a non-contact force is applied to the predetermined part. A method for placing a part, wherein the air is blown onto the predetermined part of the part from a direction inclined with respect to the direction perpendicular to the adhesive surface.

6. A method for manufacturing an electronic component, comprising the step of applying a non-contact force to a predetermined portion of the electronic component by any one of claims 1 to 5 when adhering the electronic component to a substrate.

7. The system includes means for applying a non-contact force to a predetermined part of a component so that the component having an adhesive surface achieves a desired adhesive state. The means is a component mounting device that applies force to a plurality of components simultaneously and without contact.

8. A means for applying a non-contact force to a predetermined part of a part having an adhesive surface so that the part becomes adhesive to a desired state, The means for detecting the adhesive state of the aforementioned component is provided. The means for applying force to a predetermined part of the part without contact is a part mounting device that applies the force to at least the predetermined part of the part in response to the part in which the detected adhesive state is unsuitable.

9. A means for applying a non-contact force to a predetermined part of a part having an adhesive surface so that the part becomes adhesive to a desired state, The means applies a non-contact force to the predetermined part of the component by blowing air onto the predetermined part. The predetermined portion of the component from which the air is blown is the foot portion of the component on which the adhesive surface is to be formed, in a component mounting device.

10. A means for applying a non-contact force to a predetermined part of a part having an adhesive surface so that the part becomes adhesive to a desired state, The means applies a non-contact force to the predetermined part of the component by blowing air onto the predetermined part. The component placement device blows the air onto the predetermined portion of the component from a direction inclined with respect to the direction perpendicular to the intended adhesive surface.

11. An electronic component manufacturing apparatus having a component mounting device according to any one of claims 7 to 10.

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