Suction nozzle management device

Abstract

This suction nozzle management device includes: an inspection unit that inspects a suction nozzle used in a component mounting machine; a defective article storage unit that can store a plurality of suction nozzles determined to be defective in the inspection unit in an internal storage space; and a notification unit that notifies the outside according to a storage state indicating a ratio occupied by the plurality of stored suction nozzles in the storage space.

Description

Suction nozzle management device

[0001] The present specification relates to a suction nozzle management device that manages suction nozzles used in a component mounting machine.

[0002] A technology for mass-producing circuit board products by performing substrate-to-substrate operations on boards on which circuit patterns are formed is becoming widespread. A typical example of a substrate-to-substrate operation machine is a component placement machine that performs component placement operations. Many component placement machines use suction nozzles that use a supply of negative pressure air to pick up components and place them on the board. When suction nozzles are used over a long period of time, there is a risk of performance degradation and other problems. To address this issue, suction nozzle management devices are used that inspect, maintain, and manage inventory of suction nozzles. An example of technology related to this type of suction nozzle management device is disclosed in Patent Document 1.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a nozzle management machine that includes first and second nozzle inspection devices that inspect suction nozzles used in component mounting machines for multiple inspection items, a defective box that stores defective nozzles, and a nozzle transfer device that transports the defective nozzles from the nozzle inspection devices to the defective box. The defective box is provided with four partitioned spaces corresponding to four defect factors, and a defective nozzle is placed in one space corresponding to the identified defect factor.

[0004] Patent No. 6129201

[0005] In the technical example of Patent Document 1, as the nozzle management machine continues to operate, the number of defective nozzles determined to be defective by the nozzle inspection device increases, which can lead to the defective nozzles overflowing from the defective box (a form of defective product storage section). In this case, there is a risk of malfunction, such as damage to the nozzle transfer device due to interference between the defective nozzles transported by the nozzle transfer device and the defective nozzles stored in the defective box, or the overflowing defective nozzles scattering within the device. To resolve this risk, it is necessary to occasionally check the storage status of the defective box, which makes the operator's checking work cumbersome. Furthermore, if the checking work is delayed for some reason, the malfunction will not be resolved.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present specification is to provide a suction nozzle management device that can reduce the risk of suction nozzles overflowing from a defective product storage section.

[0007] This specification discloses a suction nozzle management device that includes an inspection unit that inspects suction nozzles used in component mounting machines, a defective product storage unit that can store multiple suction nozzles determined to be defective by the inspection unit in an internal storage space, and a notification unit that notifies the outside in accordance with the storage status, which indicates the ratio of the stored multiple suction nozzles to the storage space.

[0008] This specification also discloses a suction nozzle management device that includes an inspection unit that inspects suction nozzles used in component mounting machines, a defective product storage unit that can store multiple suction nozzles determined to be defective by the inspection unit in an internal storage space, and a notification unit that calculates a storage status that indicates the proportion of the storage space that the suction nozzles occupy based on the number of suction nozzles stored in the storage space and notifies the user of the storage status.

[0009] In this specification, the technical idea of ​​changing "the suction nozzle management device according to claim 1 or 2" in claim 4 as originally filed to "the suction nozzle management device according to any one of claims 1 to 3"; the technical idea of ​​changing "the suction nozzle management device according to claim 1 or 2" in claim 6 as originally filed to "the suction nozzle management device according to any one of claims 1 to 5"; the technical idea of ​​changing "the suction nozzle management device according to claim 6" in claim 8 as originally filed to "the suction nozzle management device according to claim 6 or 7"; the technical idea of ​​changing "the suction nozzle management device according to claim 1 or 2" in claim 10 as originally filed to "the suction nozzle management device according to claims 1 to 9"; The technical idea of ​​changing "the suction nozzle management device according to claim 1 or 2" in claim 11 at the time of filing to "the suction nozzle management device according to any one of claims 1 to 10"; the technical idea of ​​changing "the suction nozzle management device according to claim 11" in claim 14 at the time of filing to "the suction nozzle management device according to any one of claims 11 to 13"; and the technical idea of ​​changing "the suction nozzle management device according to claim 1 or 2" in claim 15 at the time of filing to "the suction nozzle management device according to any one of claims 1 to 14".

[0010] According to the disclosed suction nozzle management device, the risk of suction nozzles overflowing from the defective product storage section is reduced.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing an example of the configuration of a component mounting machine that uses a suction nozzle. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing the appearance of a suction nozzle. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a suction nozzle. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a suction nozzle management device of an embodiment. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the suction nozzle management device with the outer case removed, including a block diagram of the control unit. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a defective product storage section as seen from diagonally above the front. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of notification in which the notification unit notifies by displaying the storage status of the defective product storage section on a touch panel. FIG. 8 is an operational flow diagram explaining the operation of the suction nozzle management device in response to a defective suction nozzle.

[0012] 1. Configuration Example of Component Mounting Machine 1 First, an example of the configuration of a component mounting machine 1 that uses a suction nozzle will be described with reference to Figure 1. The component mounting machine 1 performs a mounting operation to mount components on a board K. As indicated by the arrow in the upper left of Figure 1, the horizontal direction from left to right on the paper is the X-axis direction along which the board K is transported, the horizontal direction from the bottom (front) to the top (rear) of the paper is the Y-axis direction, and the vertical direction is the Z-axis direction. The component mounting machine 1 is configured by assembling a board transport device 2, a component supply device 3, a component transfer device 4, a control device 5, and the like on a base 10.

[0013] The board transport device 2 has a pair of guide rails 21 that form a transport path for the board K. The board transport device 2 transports the board K that has been carried into the carry-in end (left end in FIG. 1 ) of the guide rails 21 by a board carry-in device or an external transport device along the guide rails 21 to a predetermined work position. The board transport device 2 has a positioning mechanism 22 that pushes up the board K at the work position and clamps it between the guide rails 21. The component transfer device 4 performs a component mounting operation on the positioned board K. After the mounting operation is completed, the board transport device 2 transports the board K from the work position to the carry-out end (right end in FIG. 1 ) and removes it from the machine.

[0014] The component supply device 3 is disposed at the front in the Y-axis direction on the top surface of the base 10. The component supply device 3 is composed of a plurality of component supply units 31 arranged in a line in the X-axis direction. Each of the component supply units 31 supplies a component. In this embodiment, a tape feeder is used for the component supply unit 31. The tape feeder feeds a carrier tape on which a plurality of components are stored in a line toward a supply position at the tip end. Note that the component supply unit 31 may be a tray feeder that uses a tray in which components are stored in a plurality of storage compartments arranged in a grid pattern, or a stick feeder that stores components in a line inside a cylindrical stick.

[0015] The component transfer device 4 is composed of a Y-axis movable body 41, an X-axis movable body 42, a mounting head 43, a nozzle tool 44, a suction nozzle 60, a board camera 46, and a component camera 47. The Y-axis movable body 41 is formed of a member that is long in the X-axis direction, and is driven by a Y-axis drive mechanism (not shown) to move in the Y-axis direction. The X-axis movable body 42 is mounted on the Y-axis movable body 41, and is driven by an X-axis drive mechanism (not shown) to move in the X-axis direction. The mounting head 43 is attached to the front of the X-axis movable body 42. The mounting head 43 is driven in two horizontal directions together with the X-axis movable body 42, and moves to above the component supply device 3 and above the board K.

[0016] An axisymmetric nozzle tool 44 is rotatably mounted below the mounting head 43. The nozzle tool 44 is driven by an R-axis drive mechanism (not shown) to rotate about a vertical central axis. The nozzle tool 44 holds a plurality of suction nozzles 60 below it. The mounting head 43 and the nozzle tool 44 move between the component supply unit 31 and the board K while holding the plurality of suction nozzles 60.

[0017] In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the nozzle tool 44 has four suction nozzles 60 equidistant from a vertical center axis. The suction nozzles 60 are driven to move up and down by a not-shown lift drive mechanism and rotate around the vertical axis by a not-shown Q-axis drive mechanism. The suction nozzles 60 are also selectively supplied with negative pressure air or positive pressure air from a not-shown air supply mechanism. This allows each suction nozzle 60 to pick up a component at the supply position of the component supply unit 31 and place it at the placement position on the board K. The placement head 43 may omit the nozzle tool 44 and have multiple suction nozzles 60 arranged in a row or in a grid pattern. Instead of the nozzle tool 44 and the suction nozzles 60, the placement head 43 may be provided with a chuck that clamps and picks up a component.

[0018] A plurality of mounting heads 43, nozzle tools 44, and suction nozzles 60 are provided, and are automatically or manually replaced as needed. In this embodiment, the suction nozzles 60 are automatically replaced. Specifically, three nozzle stations (48L, 48C, 48R) on the left, center, and right sides are arranged side by side in the X-axis direction on the base 10 between the board transport device 2 and the component supply device 3. Each of the nozzle stations (48L, 48C, 48R) is equipped with a nozzle tray 49 that accommodates a plurality of suction nozzles 60 in an automatically replaceable manner. There are several types of nozzle trays 49, each differing in the number and size of the suction nozzles 60 that can be accommodated. In the nozzle stations (48L, 48C, 48R), the suction nozzles 60 held by the nozzle tools 44 are automatically replaced with the suction nozzles 60 accommodated in the nozzle tray 49 as needed. The nozzle tray 49 is detachable from the nozzle stations (48L, 48C, 48R), and can be carried in and out of a suction nozzle management device 80, which will be described later.

[0019] The board camera 46 is mounted on the X-axis movable body 42 facing downward, alongside the mounting head 43. The board camera 46 captures an image of a position reference mark on the board K from above. The acquired image data is processed to accurately determine the work position on the board K. The component camera 47 is mounted on the base 10 facing upward, between the central nozzle station 48C in the X-axis direction and the right-side nozzle station 48R. The component camera 47 captures an image of the component held by the suction nozzle 60 from below as the mounting head 43 moves from the component supply device 3 to the board K. The acquired image data is processed to determine whether the component type is correct, and further, the position and orientation of the component relative to the suction nozzle 60 are detected and reflected in the mounting operation. Examples of the board camera 46 and the component camera 47 include digital imaging devices having imaging elements such as CCDs (Charge Coupled Devices) and CMOSs ​​(Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductors).

[0020] The component transfer device 4 performs the mounting operation by repeating a mounting cycle. To describe the mounting cycle in detail, the component transfer device 4 first moves the mounting head 43 to the component supply unit 31, where the multiple suction nozzles 60 each pick up a component. The component transfer device 4 then moves the mounting head 43 above the component camera 47. The component camera 47 then captures images of the components being held by the multiple suction nozzles 60. The component transfer device 4 then moves the mounting head 43 to the board K, where it mounts multiple components. The component transfer device 4 then moves the mounting head 43 back to the component supply unit 31, completing one mounting cycle.

[0021] The control device 5 is mounted on the base 10, and its position is not limited. The control device 5 is configured as a computer device having a CPU and operating on software. The control device 5 stores mounting job data received from a host management device (not shown). Based on the mounting job data, the control device 5 controls the board transport device 2, component supply device 3, and component transfer device 4 to repeat the mounting cycle and proceed with the mounting work.

[0022] 2. Detailed Configuration of the Suction Nozzle 60 Next, the detailed configuration of the suction nozzle 60 will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. The suction nozzle 60 is composed of a body tube 61, two latching pins 62, a flange portion 64, a suction tube 66, and a biasing spring 74. The body tube 61 has an upright cylindrical shape. The two latching pins 62 are provided at height positions near the upper end of the body tube 61, at positions 180° apart in the circumferential direction. Each of the latching pins 62 extends radially outward from the outer circumferential surface of the body tube 61 and protrudes radially inward from the inner circumferential surface of the body tube 61 (see Figure 3).

[0023] The flange portion 64 is formed of an annular plate-shaped member and is fixed to the underside of the tubular body 61. The flange portion 64 protrudes circumferentially outward and inward beyond the tubular body 61. A two-dimensional code 65 is attached to the upper surface of the flange portion 64. The two-dimensional code 65 includes various information, including at least individual identification information for the suction nozzle 60. Note that a code in a format different from the two-dimensional code 65, such as a barcode or a numeric string code, may be attached to the suction nozzle 60.

[0024] The suction tube 66 has an upright cylindrical shape with a smaller diameter than the body tube 61 and is longer than the body tube 61. The suction tube 66 is disposed inside the body tube 61 and the flange portion 64 and protrudes downward from the flange portion 64. The upper surface of the suction tube 66 forms the base end 67 of the suction nozzle 60, and the lower surface of the suction tube 66 forms the tip end 68 of the suction nozzle 60. The interior of the suction tube 66 forms an air flow path 70. The air flow path 70 communicates from the base end 67 to an opening 71 at the tip end 68. An example of the shape of the opening 71 is an oval. However, the shape of the opening 71 is not limited to this and may be circular, elliptical, gourd-shaped, or the like.

[0025] As shown in Figure 3, a flange 73 protruding radially outward is provided at approximately the midpoint of the outer circumferential surface of the suction tube 66. A coil-shaped biasing spring 74 is inserted in a compressed state around the outside of the suction tube 66. The biasing spring 74 is located between the latch pin 62 protruding radially inward of the body tube 61 and the flange 73 of the suction tube 66. The biasing spring 74 biases the suction tube 66 downward with respect to the body tube 61. With this configuration, the suction tube 66 can be raised and lowered relative to the body tube 61 while sliding relative to it; in other words, it is extendable and retractable. Furthermore, the suction tube 66 is normally in an extended state in which the flange 73 contacts the flange 64 (the state shown in Figure 3).

[0026] When the suction nozzle 60 held by the nozzle tool 44 descends to pick up a component, the tip 68 of the suction tube 66 abuts against the component, and then the body tube 61 further descends slightly. At this time, the suction tube 66 compresses the biasing spring 74, and changes to a contracted state in which the collar 73 is separated from the flange 64. Also, when the suction nozzle 60 descends to attach a component, the component held by the tip 68 of the suction tube 66 abuts against the circuit board K, and then the body tube 61 further descends slightly. At this time, the suction tube 66 changes from an extended state to a contracted state, as described above. Note that even if no component is present, the suction tube 66 will also change to a contracted state when it descends and abuts against some object. This configuration is applied to the sliding inspection described below.

[0027] When the suction nozzle 60 is used over a long period of time, there is a risk of defects such as a decrease in performance. Specifically, the following four types of defects are expected for the suction nozzle 60. (1) A defect in which the air flow rate is reduced due to the intrusion of foreign matter into the air flow path 70 or deformation of the opening 71, and a defect in which the apparent air flow rate is increased due to air leaks caused by damage to the suction tube 66, etc. (2) A defect in which the sliding load increases when the suction tube 66 slides against the body tube 61. (3) A defect in which the suction state of the component becomes unstable due to deformation or damage to the tip 68 or opening 71, etc. (4) A reading error due to dirt adhering to the two-dimensional code 65 or partial peeling, etc. To address these defects, a suction nozzle management device 80 of this embodiment is used, which inspects, maintains, and manages inventory of the suction nozzle 60.

[0028] 3. Overall Configuration of Suction Nozzle Management Device 80 The overall configuration of the suction nozzle management device 80 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. As shown in Figure 4, the suction nozzle management device 80 has a generally vertically elongated rectangular parallelepiped appearance. A door 82 is provided at approximately the middle height on the front of the suction nozzle management device 80. Opening the door 82 allows the nozzle tray 49 described above to be brought in and taken out, and also makes it possible to remove suction nozzles 60 that have been determined to be defective, as will be described later. A touch panel 86 is provided above the door 82. The touch panel 86 displays various information and allows the operator to input information.

[0029] 5 , the suction nozzle management device 80 is composed of a housing 90, a pallet storage unit 92, a nozzle transport unit 94, a first inspection unit 96, a cleaning unit 98, a drying unit 100, a control unit 160, and a second inspection unit 170. The housing 90 is composed of a frame unit 102 with a hollow frame structure and a beam unit 104 spanning above the frame unit 102.

[0030] The pallet storage section 92 is provided inside the frame section 102 and is exposed on the upper surface of the frame section 102. The pallet storage section 92 has a plurality of pallet mounting shelves 106 and support arms 108. The plurality of pallet mounting shelves 106 are arranged in a line in the vertical direction. The pallet mounting shelves 106 are shelves on which nozzle pallets 110 are placed. Each of the nozzle pallets 110 stores a plurality of suction nozzles 60.

[0031] The support arm 108 is driven by an arm drive mechanism (not shown) to rise and fall behind the multiple pallet mounting shelves 106, and to move toward and away from the pallet mounting shelves 106. As a result, the support arm 108 removes the nozzle pallet 110 to be operated from the pallet mounting shelves 106, and stores the nozzle pallet 110 in the opposite direction. The nozzle pallet 110 removed from the pallet mounting shelves 106 moves to the upper surface side of the frame section 102 as the support arm 108 rises. This makes it possible to remove the suction nozzles 60 from the nozzle pallet 110. The nozzle tray 49 has substantially the same shape as the nozzle pallet 110, and may be handled in the same way as the nozzle pallet 110. The nozzle tray 49 may also differ from the nozzle pallet 110 in terms of the number of suction nozzles 60 that can be accommodated.

[0032] The nozzle transport unit 94 is disposed in the beam unit 104. The nozzle transport unit 94 has a transport head 120 and a head drive mechanism 122. The head drive mechanism 122 is an XYZ-type drive mechanism that moves the transport head 120 in the front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-and-down directions on the frame unit 102. On the underside of the transport head 120, there are provided a downward-facing camera 126, a nozzle holder 128 that detachably holds the suction nozzle 60, and an air supply device 130.

[0033] Meanwhile, two fixed stages 131 for setting the nozzle trays 49 are provided on the upper surface of the front side of the frame section 102. The nozzle transport section 94 transports the suction nozzles 60 held by the nozzle holding sections 128 between the nozzle trays 49 that have been brought in and set on the fixed stages 131 and the nozzle pallets 110 that are supported by the support arms 108 of the pallet storage section 92. Furthermore, the nozzle transport section 94 operates in various situations to move the suction nozzles 60.

[0034] The first inspection unit 96 is responsible for two inspection items using sensors, namely, a sliding inspection and a flow rate inspection. The first inspection unit 96 includes a load cell 142 and a joint 146, as well as the nozzle transport unit 94. The load cell 142 is disposed on the upper surface of the frame unit 102. A sliding inspection is performed using the load cell 142 to measure the sliding load applied when the suction tube 66 of the suction nozzle 60 slides. Specifically, the suction nozzle 60 to be inspected has its body tube 61 held by the nozzle holder 128 of the transport head 120. Next, the head drive mechanism 122 lowers the transport head 120 and the suction nozzle 60, bringing the suction tube 66 into contact with the load cell 142. At this time, the load cell 142 measures the downward load acting from the tip 68 of the suction tube 66. Based on the measured load, the sliding condition of the suction tube 66 is determined.

[0035] The joint 146 is disposed on the underside of the air supply device 130, and air is supplied from the air supply device 130. A flow rate test of the suction nozzle 60 is performed using air supplied from the air supply device 130 to the joint 146. More specifically, the joint 146 is driven by the head drive mechanism 122 to move above the suction nozzle 60 placed on a cleaning pallet 158 ​​(described later), and connects to the suction nozzle 60. Next, air is supplied from the air supply device 130 to the suction nozzle 60 via the joint 146. During the air supply, the air flow rate is measured, and the quality of the air flow rate in the air flow path 70 of the suction nozzle 60 is determined. For example, positive pressure air with a known pressure is used as the air supplied for the test. Note that instead of the flow rate test, a test may be performed in which the pressure of the flowing air is measured.

[0036] The second inspection unit 170 is responsible for two inspection items that use image processing: a code reading inspection and a nozzle tip shape inspection. The second inspection unit 170 is composed of the downward-facing camera 126, the upward-facing camera 182, an image processing unit (not shown), and the nozzle conveying unit 94. The camera 126 captures an image of the two-dimensional code 65 of the suction nozzle 60 held by the nozzle holding unit 128 of the nozzle conveying unit 94 from above to obtain image data. The image processing unit reads the two-dimensional code 65 from the image data and obtains various pieces of information contained in the two-dimensional code 65. If the image processing unit cannot read the two-dimensional code 65, it determines that the code reading has failed.

[0037] The camera 182 is disposed facing upward at a position next to the load cell 142 on the upper surface of the frame portion 102. The camera 182 captures an image of the tip 68 and opening 71 of the suction nozzle 60 held by the nozzle holding portion 128 from below to obtain image data. The image processing portion processes the image data to extract the shapes of the tip 68 and opening 71 and determines whether they are within a predetermined tolerance range. If the shapes of the tip 68 and opening 71 in the image data deviate from the tolerance range, the image processing portion determines that the nozzle tip shape is defective.

[0038] The cleaning unit 98 and drying unit 100 are responsible for cleaning and maintaining the suction nozzles 60. The cleaning unit 98 is provided next to the pallet storage unit 92. The cleaning unit 98 has an exposed position (the position where the cleaning pallet 158 ​​is shown in FIG. 4 ) and is composed of a cleaning and drying mechanism 150 and a cleaning pallet moving mechanism 152. At the exposed position, the suction nozzles 60 are transferred to the cleaning pallet 158 ​​by the nozzle transport unit 94. The cleaning and drying mechanism 150 cleans the suction nozzles 60 transferred to the cleaning pallet 158 ​​using a liquid such as cleaning water and dries them by spraying them with a gas such as air. The cleaning pallet moving mechanism 152 moves the cleaning pallet 158 ​​between the exposed position and the interior of the cleaning and drying mechanism 150.

[0039] The drying unit 100 is provided next to the cleaning pallet 158, which is positioned in the exposed position. The drying unit 100 performs final drying of the suction nozzle 60. Specifically, the cleaning and drying mechanism 150 dries the suction nozzle 60 while it is mounted on the cleaning pallet 158, which may result in insufficient drying. In particular, cleaning water may remain between the relatively movable body tube 61 and the suction tube 66 of the suction nozzle 60, potentially affecting the sliding inspection. Therefore, the drying unit 100 alternately blows drying air into the suction nozzle 60 from the base end 67 and the tip end 68, thereby performing sufficient final drying. The cleaning unit 98 and the drying unit 100 clean the interior of the suction nozzle 60 with liquid and may be replaced with a cleaning unit that blows gas into the interior of the suction nozzle 60.

[0040] Typically, the suction nozzle 60 undergoes cleaning and maintenance in the cleaning unit 98 and drying unit 100, and then undergoes inspection in the first inspection unit 96 and the second inspection unit 170. A defective product storage unit 200 is provided to store suction nozzles 60 that have been determined to be defective in any of the inspection items. The nozzle transport unit 94 holds the suction nozzle 60 that has been determined to be defective in the first inspection unit 96 or the second inspection unit 170 in the nozzle holding unit 128 and transports it to the defective product storage unit 200. Furthermore, the nozzle transport unit 94 releases the suction nozzle 60 that it is holding and drops it into a storage space that opens upward in the defective product storage unit 200.

[0041] On the other hand, suction nozzles 60 that have been determined to be good in all inspection items are returned to the nozzle pallet 110 or the nozzle tray 49 by the nozzle transport unit 94. The suction nozzle management device 80 may operate to re-inspect the suction nozzles 60 that have been determined to be defective after performing cleaning maintenance again by the cleaning unit 98 and the drying unit 100, rather than immediately storing the suction nozzles 60 in the defective product storage unit 200.

[0042] The control unit 160 is configured using a computer including a CPU, memory, etc. The location of the control unit 160 is not particularly limited. The control unit 160 controls the display of the communication-connected touch panel 86 and accepts input operations from the operator. The control unit 160 controls the pallet storage unit 92, the nozzle transport unit 94, the first inspection unit 96, the cleaning unit 98, the drying unit 100, the air supply device 130, and the second inspection unit 170. The control unit 160 manages the current positions of the multiple suction nozzles 60, the implementation status of inspection and cleaning maintenance, and inventory status, using individual identification information contained in the two-dimensional codes 65 read by a code reader or camera 126 appropriately disposed within the housing 90.

[0043] 4. Detailed Configuration of the Defective Container 200 Next, the detailed configuration of the defective container 200 will be described with reference to FIG. 6 . The defective container 200 is located near the front of the top surface of the frame 102 within the housing 90, within easy reach of the operator when the door 82 is open. The defective container 200 has a bottom, front, rear, and two side surfaces, and is formed in a horizontally elongated box shape with an upward opening. The front and side surfaces of the defective container 200 are generally upright relative to the bottom surface. The rear surface of the defective container 200 is inclined relative to the bottom surface, and the opening area of ​​the upper part of the defective container 200 is larger than the bottom surface. The interior of the defective container 200 is divided into seven storage spaces by six partition plates 210 parallel to the side surfaces. Labels (201-207) indicating the purpose of each storage space are affixed to the front of each storage space.

[0044] 6, the leftmost storage space of the defective product storage section 200 will be referred to as the first storage space R1, and the storage spaces will be numbered sequentially from right to right, with the rightmost storage space being referred to as the seventh storage space R7. The label 201 of the first storage space R1 reads "Code reading failure: nozzle station left." In other words, the first storage space R1 accommodates a suction nozzle 60 that has been determined to be defective in the code reading inspection by the second inspection section 170 and that has been brought in from the nozzle station 48L on the left side of the component mounting machine 1.

[0045] Furthermore, the label 202 of the second accommodation space R2 reads "Code reading failure: nozzle station middle." In other words, the second accommodation space R2 accommodates the suction nozzle 60 that has been determined to be defective in the code reading inspection and that has been brought in from the central nozzle station 48C. Similarly, the label 203 of the third accommodation space R3 reads "Code reading failure: nozzle station right." In other words, the third accommodation space R3 accommodates the suction nozzle 60 that has been determined to be defective in the code reading inspection and that has been brought in from the right-side nozzle station 48R.

[0046] Next, the label 204 of the fourth housing space R4 reads "Flow Rate Inspection Failed." In other words, the fourth housing space R4 accommodates suction nozzles 60 that have been determined to be defective in the flow rate inspection by the first inspection unit 96, regardless of which nozzle station (48L, 48C, 48R) the suction nozzles 60 were brought from. The label 205 of the fifth housing space R5 reads "Sliding Inspection Failed." In other words, the fifth housing space R5 accommodates suction nozzles 60 that have been determined to be defective in the sliding inspection by the first inspection unit 96. Furthermore, the label 206 of the sixth housing space R6 reads "Nozzle Tip Shape Failed." In other words, the sixth housing space R6 accommodates suction nozzles 60 that have been determined to be defective in the nozzle tip shape inspection by the second inspection unit 170.

[0047] Next, the label 207 of the seventh housing space R7 reads "Inspection stopped midway." In rare cases, the first inspection unit 96 and the second inspection unit 170 are unable to complete the inspection of a suction nozzle 60 for some reason and have to stop midway, without making a pass / fail judgment. In such cases, the suction nozzle 60 cannot be used until the pass / fail judgment result has been confirmed. Therefore, the seventh housing space R7 accommodates suction nozzles 60 whose inspection has been stopped midway by the first inspection unit 96 and the second inspection unit 170.

[0048] As described above, the first to seventh storage spaces R1 to R7 are partitioned to correspond to each of the multiple inspection items of the first inspection unit 96 and the second inspection unit 170. This allows suction nozzles 60 determined to be defective to be separated by inspection item, thereby making future handling more efficient. For example, the two-dimensional codes 65 have been determined to be the cause of the defects in the suction nozzles 60 stored in the first storage space R1, the second storage space R2, and the third storage space R3. Therefore, an operator can easily reuse the suction nozzles 60 by cleaning or replacing the two-dimensional codes 65.

[0049] Furthermore, it has been determined that the suction nozzle 60 housed in the sixth housing space R6 is defective due to deformation or damage to the tip 68 and opening 71. Therefore, the operator discards the suction nozzle 60 without attempting the difficult task of repairing the suction nozzle 60. If the interior of the defective product housing section 200 were a single housing space, the cause of the defect for each of the multiple suction nozzles 60 determined to be defective would be unknown, making future handling complicated and difficult to understand.

[0050] Furthermore, the first to seventh storage spaces R1 to R7 are partitioned into different internal volumes based on the defect rate or number of defects for each of the multiple inspection items. To give a specific example, the inspection results of the first inspection unit 96 and the second inspection unit 170 show that the code reading inspection has a higher number of defects and a higher defect rate than the other inspection items. Furthermore, there is no significant difference in the number of defects or defect rate between the three inspection items: the sliding inspection, the flow rate inspection, and the nozzle tip shape inspection. Furthermore, only a very small number of suction nozzles 60 were stopped midway through the inspection. It is expected that the trend in the distribution of the number of defects for each inspection item in this specific example will continue into the future without any sudden changes.

[0051] Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6 , the combined internal volume of the first storage space R1, the second storage space R2, and the third storage space R3 corresponding to defects in the code reading inspection is partitioned large. The internal volume of the fourth storage space R4 corresponding to defects in the sliding inspection is partitioned medium, smaller than the combined internal volume. Similarly, the internal volumes of the fifth storage space R5 corresponding to defects in the flow rate inspection and the sixth storage space R6 corresponding to defects in the nozzle tip shape inspection are partitioned medium. The internal volume of the seventh storage space R7 corresponding to an intermediate stop in the inspection is partitioned smaller than the medium volume. This prevents the storage status of suction nozzles 60 determined to be defective from being significantly uneven across the multiple storage spaces. This enables effective use of the defective product storage section 200. If the internal volumes of the multiple storage spaces were uniform, only certain storage spaces corresponding to inspection items with a high number of defects would frequently become full. This prevents effective use of the defective product storage section 200, requiring the operator to frequently remove suction nozzles 60.

[0052] Furthermore, the first storage space R1, the second storage space R2, and the third storage space R3 are partitioned to correspond to each of the multiple nozzle stations (48L, 48C, 48R) of the component mounting machine 1. In other words, the storage space corresponding to the multiple defects in the code reading inspection is subdivided into three sections, one for each nozzle station (48L, 48C, 48R). This allows the multiple suction nozzles 60 determined to be defective to be stored roughly evenly in the three sections. If a single large storage space were used, there would be a risk that the suction nozzles 60 would pile up like a mountain in one portion of the large storage space, which is undesirable.

[0053] 5. Control Functions Related to Defective Suction Nozzle 60 Next, a description will be given of control functions related to the handling of a suction nozzle 60 that has been determined to be defective. As shown in Fig. 5, the control unit 160 includes four control function units that are mainly configured by software: a storage status calculation unit 161, a notification unit 162, a transport regulation unit 163, and a recovery control unit 164. Note that the storage status calculation unit 161 may be included as part of the notification unit 162.

[0054] The accommodation status calculation unit 161 calculates an accommodation status that indicates the ratio of the suction nozzles 60 determined to be defective to the accommodation space for each of the first accommodation space R1 to the seventh accommodation space R7. In this embodiment, the accommodation status is expressed as the accommodation number converted into the quantity of small suction nozzles 60. As mentioned above, there are multiple types of suction nozzles 60 with different sizes, for example, three types: small, medium, and large. Therefore, the accommodation status calculation unit 161 needs to calculate the accommodation number corresponding to the accommodation status based not only on the quantity of suction nozzles 60 accommodated in the accommodation space but also on the multiple types of sizes.

[0055] As a specific example, the storage status calculation unit 161 counts a small suction nozzle 60 as one nozzle, and converts one medium suction nozzle 60 into two small suction nozzles 60. Furthermore, the storage status calculation unit 161 converts one large suction nozzle 60 into three small suction nozzles 60. The above-mentioned "1:2" and "1:3" conversion rates can be changed in accordance with the actual situation of multiple sizes. Furthermore, conversion rates including decimal points (such as "1:2.5") are also allowed.

[0056] Each time a suction nozzle 60 is transported to and accommodated in one of the first to seventh accommodation spaces R1 to R7, the accommodation status calculation unit 161 acquires the size of the suction nozzle 60 and recalculates and updates the number of suction nozzles that can be accommodated in that accommodation space. The accommodation status calculation unit 161 is configured by software, and does not require additional hardware such as a sensor to detect the accommodation status. This prevents an increase in the manufacturing cost of the suction nozzle management device 80.

[0057] The notification unit 162 targets each of the first storage space R1 to the seventh storage space R7 as a notification target. The notification unit 162 issues a notification according to the storage status (storage number) of each of the first storage space R1 to the seventh storage space R7, or notifies the storage status itself. However, the seventh storage space R7, whose storage status is unlikely to increase, may be excluded from the notification targets. As a specific notification method, for example, the notification unit 162 issues a notification by displaying on the touch panel 86 or another display unit. However, the notification unit 162 is not limited to this, and may also issue a notification using a notification lamp or a notification sound, or may issue a notification by transmitting information via wireless communication to a mobile terminal carried by the operator.

[0058] The notification unit 162 notifies the user when at least one of the first through seventh storage spaces R1 through R7 is full. For example, the notification unit 162 displays a message on the touch panel 86 stating, "The defective storage space 200 is full. Please remove the suction nozzles 60." The notification unit 162 may also notify the user by displaying a graphic, such as a pictogram, instead of text. Regarding the full state, a predetermined threshold value is set for each of the first through seventh storage spaces R1 through R7 to define fullness. The full state occurs when the storage status increases up to this threshold value. In this embodiment, the threshold value is expressed as the number of small suction nozzles 60 that fill the storage space, i.e., the full number. However, the stacking of multiple suction nozzles 60 stored in each of the first through seventh storage spaces R1 through R7 is not uniform and is difficult to reproduce. In other words, the full state is unclear.

[0059] To address this issue, the nozzle transport unit 94 horizontally shifts the release position at which each of the suction nozzles 60 is released in each of the first through seventh storage spaces R1 through R7. This ensures that the upper heights of the suction nozzles 60 stored in a horizontal row in each of the first through seventh storage spaces R1 through R7 are uniform, preventing them from forming a mountain-like mass. Controlling the release positions in this way significantly stabilizes the situation in which the suction nozzles 60 pile up, but it is still not uniform. In other words, there is no clear standard for defining when a storage space is full. Therefore, a small, safe number (threshold) is set to prevent the suction nozzles 60 from overflowing from the storage space.

[0060] When the notification unit 162 notifies the above-mentioned full state, the transport restriction unit 163 also functions. The transport restriction unit 163 restricts the transport operation of the nozzle transport unit 94 depending on the storage status in the storage space. Specifically, the transport restriction unit 163 restricts the transport operation of the nozzle transport unit 94 when the storage status has increased to a threshold value and the storage space is full. This restricts further suction nozzles 60 from being transported and stored in the full storage space, thereby eliminating the risk of the suction nozzles 60 overflowing.

[0061] In addition to the above-described notification of the full state, the notification unit 162 may also notify the storage status (capacity) before it increases to the threshold (fullness number). For example, in response to a notification request via an input operation on the touch panel 86, the notification unit 162 can display the example notification shown in FIG. 7 on the touch panel 86. In the list of notification examples in FIG. 7, the top row displays the purpose of each of the first storage space R1 to the seventh storage space R7. Furthermore, each column in the second row displays the fullness number corresponding to the threshold, and each column in the third row displays the storage number corresponding to the storage status. The fullness number remains constant, and the storage number increases sequentially under normal circumstances. Furthermore, each column in the fourth to sixth rows displays a breakdown of the size of the suction nozzle 60 used to calculate the storage number.

[0062] For example, for the "left nozzle station with code reading failure" corresponding to the first storage space R1, the full number is displayed as 20 and the number of units stored is displayed as 12. Furthermore, the breakdown of the 12 number of units stored is displayed as 7 small, 1 medium, and 1 large suction nozzle 60. In other words, the calculation process of the storage status calculation unit 161 is shown as follows: number of units stored: 12 = 7 + 2 × 1 + 3 × 1. Furthermore, for the "flow rate inspection failure" corresponding to the fourth storage space R4, the full number is displayed as 40 and the number of units stored is displayed as 15. Furthermore, the breakdown of the 15 number of units stored is displayed as 11 small, 2 medium, and 0 large suction nozzles 60. In other words, the calculation process of the storage status calculation unit 161 is shown as follows: number of units stored: 15 = 11 + 2 × 2 + 3 × 0.

[0063] The operator can input a notification request from the menu screen of the touch panel 86 at any time, display the example notification shown in Fig. 7, and check the displayed content. This allows for a more accurate confirmation of the storage status compared to the conventional technology of visually checking the defective product storage section 200 through the viewing window in the door 82. Note that the notification section 162 may provide a notification using a graphic display such as a pie chart instead of the numerical display in the form of a list shown in Fig. 7.

[0064] The operator must also respond to the notification of the full state from the notification unit 162. That is, the operator opens the door 82 and removes all of the suction nozzles 60 from the defective product storage unit 200, not just the storage space that is full, but also from the first storage space R1 to the seventh storage space R7. After this, the operator operates a reset switch on the menu screen of the touch panel 86 to request recovery control. This causes the recovery control unit 164 to function. The recovery control unit 164 sends a reset signal to the storage status calculation unit 161. Upon receiving the reset signal, the storage status calculation unit 161 performs a reset process to set the storage status (number of storage spaces) of the first storage space R1 to the seventh storage space R7 to zero. This cancels the function of the transport restriction unit 163.

[0065] As a first modified example for dealing with the notification of a full state, the operator may open the door 82 and remove the suction nozzle 60 of the storage space that is full from the device, while leaving the suction nozzles 60 of the other storage spaces that are not full. In the first modified example, the above-mentioned reset switch and reset signal are individually provided for each of the first storage space R1 to the seventh storage space R7, and the above-mentioned reset process is performed individually.

[0066] As a second modified example, the defective product accommodation section 200 can be configured to be detachably attached to the frame section 102. In the second modified example, the operator opens the door 82, carries the defective product accommodation section 200 out of the apparatus, removes the suction nozzle 60 outside the apparatus, and reattaches the emptied defective product accommodation section 200 to the frame section 102. Depending on the size of the defective product accommodation section 200 and the total weight when the suction nozzle 60 is accommodated, the amount of work in the second modified example may be reduced compared to the embodiment.

[0067] In a third modified example, instead of the operator operating the reset switch on the touch panel 86, the door 82 can be opened. In the third modified example, a detection unit is provided that detects the open state of the door 82, and an output line from the detection unit is connected to the control unit 160, so that the recovery control unit 164 functions based on the detection signal from the detection unit. On the other hand, the operator must always remove the suction nozzle 60 from the defective product storage unit 200 when opening the door 82. In other words, the operator must also remove the suction nozzle 60 from the defective product storage unit 200 when inserting or removing the nozzle tray 49. In the third modified example, the operator does not need to operate the reset switch.

[0068] Furthermore, in the embodiment and the first and second modified examples, the operator may remove the suction nozzle 60 from the defective product storage section 200 and operate the reset switch even if he or she is not notified of the full state. By doing so, if the operator comes close to the suction nozzle management device 80 and finds that any of the first to seventh storage spaces R1 to R7 is close to being full, the operator can remove the suction nozzle 60 in advance, thereby saving the operator the trouble of returning once the storage spaces are full.

[0069] 6. Operation of the Suction Nozzle Management Device 80 Next, the operation of the suction nozzle management device 80 in response to a defective suction nozzle 60 will be described with reference to Figure 8. The operation flow shown in Figure 8 is mainly controlled by the control unit 160, with some operations involving the operator. Furthermore, this operation flow omits operations such as inserting and removing the nozzle tray 49, moving the nozzle pallet 110, and cleaning and maintenance of the suction nozzle 60. It is assumed that the first storage space R1 to the seventh storage space R7 are not full at the start of the operation flow.

[0070] In step S1 of Fig. 8, the control unit 160 causes the first inspection unit 96 and the second inspection unit 170 to inspect the suction nozzle 60. In the next step S2, the control unit 160 branches the operation flow depending on whether the inspection result is good or not. If the inspection result is good, the control unit 160 returns the operation flow to step S1 and inspects the next suction nozzle 60. As long as the inspection result is good, steps S1 and S2 are repeatedly executed. If a bad inspection result occurs, the operation flow proceeds to step S3.

[0071] In step S3, the control unit 160 branches the operation flow depending on whether a predetermined storage space (one of the first storage space R1 to the seventh storage space R7) that should store the suction nozzle 60 determined to be defective is full. In step S4, if the predetermined storage space is not full, the transport restriction unit 163 is not functioning, so the nozzle transport unit 94 holds the suction nozzle 60 determined to be defective by the first inspection unit 96 or the second inspection unit 170 and transports it to the defective product storage unit 200. In the next step S5, the nozzle transport unit 94 releases the suction nozzle 60 while controlling the release position, and stores it in the predetermined storage space.

[0072] In the next step S6, the storage status calculation unit 161 obtains the size of the accommodated suction nozzles 60 and recalculates and updates the storage status (number of suction nozzles) of that storage space. In the next step S7, the notification unit 162 determines whether the storage space is full based on the updated storage status, and branches the operation flow. If the storage space is not full, the operation flow returns to step S1, and the control unit 160 causes the next suction nozzle 60 to be inspected. If the storage space is full, in step S8, the notification unit 162 notifies that the storage space is full, and records which storage space (any of the first storage space R1 to the seventh storage space R7) is full. This record is referenced in step S3.

[0073] After executing step S8, the control unit 160 returns the operation flow to step S1. Therefore, even if any of the first storage space R1 to the seventh storage space R7 is full, the operation continues. Then, the operation of storing the suction nozzle 60 determined to be defective in a storage space that is not full is carried out without any problems. Furthermore, if the operator who received the notification removes the suction nozzle 60 from the defective product storage unit 200 at the appropriate time, the recovery control unit 164 will function and the operation will continue.

[0074] If the operator is unable to perform the removal operation at the appropriate time and is delayed, the storage space corresponding to the suction nozzle 60 determined to be defective may be full. In other words, in step S3, the specified storage space may be full, and in this case, the operation flow branches to step S11. In step S11, the transport restriction unit 163 is functioning, so the nozzle transport unit 94 does not transport the suction nozzle 60 determined to be defective. Furthermore, the control unit 160 suspends operation and temporarily waits. At this time, the notification unit 162 preferably notifies the operator that urgent action is required. For example, the notification unit 162 displays on the touch panel 86, "The defective product storage unit 200 is full and is waiting. Please remove the suction nozzle 60 immediately."

[0075] In the next step S12, the operator who has received the notification removes the suction nozzle 60 from the defective product storage section 200 and operates the reset switch on the touch panel 86. As a result, in the next step S13, the recovery control section 164 functions and sends a reset signal to the storage status calculation section 161. The storage status calculation section 161 performs a reset process to set the storage status (number of storage spaces) of the first storage space R1 to the seventh storage space R7 to zero. Therefore, the function of the transport restriction section 163 is canceled.

[0076] After executing step S13, the control unit 160 returns the operation flow to step S4 and continues operation. In step S4, the nozzle transport unit 94 resumes transporting the suction nozzle 60 determined to be defective to the defective product storage unit 200. In the next step S5, the nozzle transport unit 94 releases the suction nozzle 60 and stores it in a predetermined storage space that is now empty.

[0077] According to the suction nozzle management device 80 of the embodiment, a notification is made according to the storage status of the suction nozzles 60 in the first storage space R1 to the seventh storage space R7 of the defective product storage section 200, or a notification of the storage status is made. Therefore, by checking the content of the notification, the operator can omit or simplify the work of checking the storage status. Furthermore, the operator can refer to the content of the notification and perform the work of removing the suction nozzles 60 from the defective product storage section 200 at the appropriate time. Therefore, the risk of the suction nozzles 60 overflowing from the defective product storage section 200 is reduced.

[0078] 7. Applications and Modifications of the Embodiments In the embodiments, the storage status of each of the first to seventh storage spaces R1 to R7 is expressed as the number of small suction nozzles 60 stored therein, but it may also be expressed as a percentage calculated by (storage number / full number) x 100%. Furthermore, the multiple storage spaces of the defective product storage section 200 may be partitioned to correspond to multiple sizes of suction nozzles 60. In this embodiment, the multiple suction nozzles 60 stored in the storage spaces are all the same size, so the storage status calculation unit 161 can calculate the storage status based on the number of suction nozzles 60.

[0079] Furthermore, the defective product storage section 200 is not limited to the box shape described in the embodiment, and may be formed, for example, by partitioning the upper surface of the frame section 102. Furthermore, the aspects of the embodiment can also be applied to a defective product storage section having a single storage space without partitions inside. Furthermore, even if multiple unpartitioned box-shaped defective product storage sections are provided instead of the box-shaped defective product storage section 200 partitioned into multiple storage spaces, the same functions and effects as those of the embodiment can be achieved. The embodiment can be applied and modified in various other ways.

[0080] 1: Component placement machine 48L, 48C, 48R: Nozzle station 49: Nozzle tray 60: Suction nozzle 61: Body tube 66: Suction tube 68: Tip 70: Air flow path 71: Opening 80: Suction nozzle management device 82: Door 86: Touch panel 94: Nozzle transport section 96: First inspection section 110: Nozzle pallet 128: Nozzle holding section 160: Control section 161: Storage status calculation section 162: Notification section 163: Transport regulation section 164: Recovery control section 170: Second inspection section 200: Defective product storage section 210: Partition plate R1 to R7: First to seventh storage spaces

Claims

1. A suction nozzle management device comprising: an inspection unit that inspects suction nozzles used in a component mounting machine; a defective product storage unit that is capable of storing a plurality of suction nozzles determined to be defective by the inspection unit in an internal storage space; and a notification unit that issues an external notification in accordance with a storage status that indicates the ratio of the stored plurality of suction nozzles to the storage space.

2. A suction nozzle management device comprising: an inspection unit that inspects suction nozzles used in a component mounting machine; a defective product storage unit that is capable of storing a plurality of suction nozzles determined to be defective by the inspection unit in an internal storage space; and a notification unit that calculates the storage status based on the number of suction nozzles stored in the storage space and notifies the user of the storage status.

3. The suction nozzle management device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the notification unit calculates the accommodation status based on the number and multiple sizes of the suction nozzles accommodated in the accommodation space.

4. The suction nozzle management device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the notification unit notifies that the storage state has increased to a predetermined threshold value that defines the storage space as being full.

5. The suction nozzle management device according to claim 4, wherein the notification unit notifies the storage status before it increases to the threshold value.

6. The suction nozzle management device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a nozzle transport section which holds the suction nozzle determined to be defective by the inspection section and transports it to the defective product storage section.

7. The suction nozzle management device described in claim 6, wherein the nozzle transport unit releases the suction nozzles it holds and drops them into the storage space which opens upward, and by horizontally moving a release position at which each of the plurality of suction nozzles is released, the upper heights of the plurality of suction nozzles stored in a row horizontally in the storage space are made uniform.

8. The suction nozzle management device according to claim 6, further comprising a transport regulating section that regulates a transport operation of the nozzle transport section depending on the storage state.

9. The suction nozzle management device according to claim 8, wherein the transport regulating section regulates the transport operation of the nozzle transport section when the storage state increases to a predetermined threshold value that defines the storage space as full.

10. The suction nozzle management device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a return control unit that resets the accommodation state after the suction nozzle is removed from the accommodation space.

11. The suction nozzle management device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the defective product storage section has a plurality of partitioned storage spaces, and the notification section targets each of the plurality of storage spaces for notification.

12. The suction nozzle management device according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of accommodation spaces are partitioned so as to correspond to each of a plurality of inspection items for which the inspection section judges whether the suction nozzle is defective.

13. The suction nozzle management device according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of storage spaces are partitioned into different internal volumes based on the actual defect rate or number of defects for each of the plurality of inspection items.

14. The suction nozzle management device according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of accommodation spaces are partitioned to correspond to a plurality of nozzle stations provided on the component mounting machine and on which the suction nozzles are placed.

15. The suction nozzle management device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the suction nozzle management device comprises a plurality of the defective product storage sections, and the notification section targets each of the plurality of defective product storage sections for notification.

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