Feeder cleaning device and feeder processing machine

Abstract

This feeder cleaning device comprises: a base for setting a tape feeder that is detachably mounted to a component mounting machine; a cleaning mechanism for cleaning a predetermined cleaning target area of the tape feeder that has been set; and a status checking unit for checking the status of foreign matter in the cleaning target area.

Description

Feeder cleaning device and feeder processing machine

[0001] The present specification relates to a feeder cleaning device that cleans a tape feeder that is detachably mounted on a component mounting machine, and a feeder processing machine that includes the feeder cleaning device.

[0002] Mass-production technologies for substrate products, which involve performing substrate-related operations on substrates on which circuit patterns are formed, are becoming widespread. A typical example of a substrate-related operation machine is a component placement machine that performs component placement operations. Many component placement machines are equipped with a tape feeder that supplies components by feeding a carrier tape containing components along a tape transport path. If foreign matter gets mixed into the tape transport path, the tape feeder may be unable to smoothly feed the carrier tape, resulting in reduced operational stability. For this reason, operators have had to check for foreign matter and clean the tape feeder when loading the carrier tape into the tape transport path, for example. An example of technology related to cleaning this type of tape feeder is disclosed in Patent Document 1.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a cover tape removal device having a feeder placement section for placing a part feeder, a reel placement section for placing a reel wound with cover tape, a tape suction device for sucking the cover tape from the reel placed in the reel placement section, a brushing device for brushing the part feeder placed in the feeder placement section, and a debris suction device for sucking debris separated from the part feeder by brushing. This device is said to be able to quickly and easily remove the cover tape from the reel and to remove debris (paper deposits and statically charged deposits) attached to the part feeder, thereby preventing malfunctions.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-242640

[0005] The technical example of Patent Document 1 is advantageous in that it can brush (clean) a parts feeder (tape feeder) to automatically remove debris (foreign matter). However, because the state of debris attached to the parts feeder is unknown before and after brushing, it is difficult to perform proper brushing. For example, brushing may be stopped when debris is still attached, brushing may be continued when debris has been removed, or pointless brushing may be performed on an area that was originally free of debris.

[0006] Therefore, the problem to be solved in this specification is to provide a feeder cleaning device that can check the condition of foreign matter in the area to be cleaned of a tape feeder and enable optimal cleaning, and a feeder processing machine that is configured to include a feeder cleaning device.

[0007] This specification discloses a feeder cleaning device that includes a base for setting a tape feeder that is detachably mounted on a component mounting machine, a cleaning mechanism for cleaning a specified cleaning target area of ​​the set tape feeder, and a status confirmation unit for checking the status of foreign matter in the cleaning target area.

[0008] This specification also discloses a feeder processing machine including the above-mentioned feeder cleaning device and a tape loading device having a loading mechanism that loads a carrier tape containing components into the tape feeder.

[0009] This specification discloses the technical idea of ​​changing "the feeder cleaning device according to claim 1" to "the feeder cleaning device according to claim 1 or 2" in claim 3 as originally filed, the technical idea of ​​changing "the feeder cleaning device according to claim 1" to "the feeder cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 3" in claim 4 as originally filed, the technical idea of ​​changing "the feeder cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 4" to "the feeder cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 5" in claim 6 as originally filed, the technical idea of ​​changing "the feeder cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 4" to "the feeder cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 7" in claim 8 as originally filed, the technical idea of ​​changing "the feeder cleaning device according to claim 5" to "the feeder cleaning device according to any one of claims 5 to 10" in claim 11 as originally filed, and the technical idea of ​​changing "the feeder cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 4" to "the feeder cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 12" in claim 13 as originally filed.

[0010] This specification also discloses the technical idea of ​​changing "the feeder processing machine according to claim 14 or 15" in claim 17 as originally filed to "the feeder processing machine according to any one of claims 14 to 16," and the technical idea of ​​changing "the feeder processing machine according to claim 14 or 15" in claim 18 as originally filed to "the feeder processing machine according to any one of claims 14 to 17."

[0011] In the disclosed feeder cleaning device and feeder processing machine, the status confirmation unit checks the status of foreign matter in the cleaning target area of ​​the tape feeder set on the base, making it possible to optimize cleaning.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing a feeder processor configured to include a feeder cleaning device of an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing the feeder processor; FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the feeder cleaning device, tape loading device, and tape feeder; FIG. 4 is a perspective view schematically showing the cleaning mechanism, status confirmation unit, and movement mechanism that configure the feeder cleaning device; FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the cleaning mechanism, showing the lowered position of the brush; FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram showing the control configuration of the feeder processor; FIG. 7 is an operational flow diagram explaining the operation of the feeder processor for a tape feeder (carrier tape loaded) that has finished being used in a component mounting machine; and FIG. 8 is an operational flow diagram explaining the operation of the feeder processor for a tape feeder (carrier tape not loaded) that is to be used in a component mounting machine.

[0013] 1. Overall Configuration of Feeder Processor 6 The feeder cleaning device 1 of this embodiment is incorporated into the feeder processor 6. First, the overall configuration of the feeder processor 6 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. The feeder processor 6 performs predetermined processing on tape feeders 9 that have finished using a component mounting machine and tape feeders 9 that are scheduled to be used in the component mounting machine. More specifically, the tape feeder 9 is a device that supplies components using carrier tape, and as shown in FIG. 3 , it rotatably holds a reel 9R around which the carrier tape is wound. The feeder processor 6 removes the carrier tape and reel 9R from the tape feeder 9 that has finished using it. The feeder processor 6 also attaches the reel 9R to the tape feeder 9 that is scheduled to be used, pulls out the carrier tape from the reel 9R, and loads it into the tape transport path. The feeder processor 6 also cleans the tape feeder 9 from which the carrier tape has been removed to remove foreign matter.

[0014] The front, rear, left, and right of the feeder processor 6 are defined as indicated by the arrows at the upper left of Figures 1 and 2. The feeder processor 6 includes a feeder cleaning device 1, a reel attaching / detaching device 7, a tape loading device 8, and a control device 69 (see Figure 6). The feeder processor 6 is configured by arranging various components inside and outside a rectangular parallelepiped main housing 631. Specifically, a reel supply unit 61 is disposed in front of the main housing 631. The reel supply unit 61 is configured using a box-shaped mounting table 611 that is smaller than the main housing 631. A feeder supply unit 62 is disposed on the left side of the main housing 631. The feeder supply unit 62 is configured using a sub-housing 621 that is smaller than the main housing 631.

[0015] The reel supply unit 61 has a detachable reel holder 612 and a reel transfer mechanism 613. The reel holder 612 is formed of a shaft member that passes through the center holes of multiple (e.g., 20) reels 9R and a bottom plate on which the shaft member is upright. The reel holder 612 holds multiple reels 9R stacked sideways. A label 616 with a printed barcode or two-dimensional code is affixed to the reel holder 612. The label 616 is read by a code reader connected to the control device 69. The control device 69 then acquires various information about the held reels 9R, such as individual identification information and component type information, and reflects this information in its control. The reel holder 612 is transported to the loading platform 611 from a warehouse or setup area by, for example, an automated guided vehicle.

[0016] The reel transfer mechanism 613 is composed of a support 614 and an arm 615 that moves up and down and rotates horizontally relative to the support 614. The arm 615 holds the reel 9R using a negative pressure suction mechanism or grips the reel 9R using a chuck. The reel transfer mechanism 613 picks up the top reel 9R held by the reel holder 612 and transfers it in a horizontal position to a placement area 654 (described below) inside the main housing 631.

[0017] The feeder supply unit 62 has a detachable feeder housing 622 and further has a feeder transport unit 623. The feeder supply unit 62 can store two feeder housings 622 side by side in the storage space inside the sub-housing 621. The feeder housing 622 is formed in a box shape that opens to the front, and stores multiple tape feeders 9 side by side in the left-right direction. The feeder housing 622 is carried into the storage space of the sub-housing 621 from a component mounting machine or a setup area by, for example, an automatic guided vehicle. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the feeder supply unit 62 may store multiple tape feeders 9 directly in the storage space of the sub-housing 621 without using the feeder housing 622.

[0018] The feeder transport unit 623 travels left and right along guide rails 624 provided on the front lower part of the sub-housing 621. The feeder transport unit 623 is formed in a box shape that can hold the tape feeder 9 inside. The feeder transport unit 623 removes the tape feeder 9 stored in the sub-housing 621, holds it, and travels to carry the tape feeder 9 into the main housing 631. Furthermore, the feeder transport unit 623 sets the held tape feeder 9 on the base 2. The feeder transport unit 623 is also capable of transport in the reverse direction, that is, it can remove the tape feeder 9 from the base 2, carry it out of the main housing 631, and carry it to the sub-housing 621.

[0019] The feeder cleaning device 1, the reel attachment / detachment device 7, and the tape loading device 8 are configured inside the main housing 631. The feeder cleaning device 1 and the tape loading device 8 are shown in Figures 1 and 3, but are omitted from Figure 2. The feeder cleaning device 1, the reel attachment / detachment device 7, and the tape loading device 8 share the base 2, and operate on the tape feeder 9 set on the base 2.

[0020] The base 2 is where the tape feeder 9 is set before or after use in the component mounting machine. As shown in FIG. 3 , the base 2 is composed of a bottom plate 21, side plates 22, and a receiving connector 23. The bottom plate 21 is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate that is long in the front-to-rear direction. A slot extending in the front-to-rear direction is provided on the top surface of the bottom plate 21. The roughly rectangular side plate 22 is provided upright on the left edge of the bottom plate 21. The receiving connector 23 is provided near the upper rear portion of the side plate 22. The receiving connector 23 is connected to a power supply and a control device 69 (not shown).

[0021] As shown in FIG. 3 , the tape feeder 9 is formed to be wide in the front-rear and up-down directions and thin in the left-right direction. The tape feeder 9 is configured by assembling various components to a feeder main body 91 that forms the outer shape. A protrusion extending in the front-rear direction is provided on the underside of the feeder main body 91. An electrical connector 92 is provided near the upper part of the rear surface of the feeder main body 91. The tape feeder 9 is set on the base 2 by inserting the protrusion on the underside of the feeder main body 91 into a slot on the bottom plate 21 of the base 2. At this time, the electrical connector 92 automatically fits into the receiving connector 23 of the base 2. This supplies power to the tape feeder 9 and connects it to the control device 69 for communication, enabling it to be controlled by the control device 69. The side plates 22 are capable of surface contact with the tape feeder 9 placed nearby, stabilizing the set position of the tape feeder 9.

[0022] A reel holding portion 93 that rotatably holds the reel 9R is provided approximately in the center of the feeder main body 91. An opening / closing plate 94 is attached to the reel holding portion 93. The opening / closing plate 94 has its lower edge supported by the feeder main body 91 and can be opened around its lower edge toward the front side of the paper in Figure 3. The opening / closing plate 94 allows the reel 9R to be attached and detached by opening it, and prevents the attached reel 9R from coming off by closing it.

[0023] The reel 9R has a carrier tape wound around it. The carrier tape consists of a base tape with cavities for accommodating components, and a cover tape that is adhered to the base tape with two adhesive strips and covers the cavities. The tape feeder 9 uses a tape feeding mechanism (not shown) to feed the carrier tape along a tape transport path (not shown). Furthermore, the tape feeder 9 uses a tape peeling mechanism (not shown) to peel the cover tape from the base tape and supply the components at the specified positions.

[0024] The tape feeder 9 peels the cover tape using one of two peeling methods: a semi-peeling method, which peels only one adhesive line, and a full-peeling method, which peels two adhesive lines. Comparing the two types of tape feeders 9, in addition to the difference in the peeling section, the shape of the tape transport path that feeds the carrier tape also differs. The base 2 is configured so that either a semi-peeling tape feeder 9 or a full-peeling tape feeder 9 can be set. The feeder processing machine 6 is configured to be compatible with either of the two peeling tape feeders 9 by replacing some of its components or selecting the control program to be executed.

[0025] The reel attaching / detaching device 7 is composed of an opening / closing operation unit 64 (see FIG. 6 ), a reel attachment unit 65, a reel detaching unit 67, etc. The opening / closing operation unit 64 opens and closes the opening / closing plate 94 of the tape feeder 9 set on the base 2. The reel attachment unit 65 is arranged on the right side of the base 2. The reel attachment unit 65 is composed of a movable base 652 that is mounted on a pair of guide rails 651 and moves left and right, an attachment operation member 653 that is provided on the movable base 652 and swings between an upright position and a horizontal position and can operate the reel 9R, a placement area 654, and a temporary placement area 655. The placement area 654 and the temporary placement area 655 are arranged between the pair of guide rails 651, with the placement area 654 on the right side and the temporary placement area 655 on the left side.

[0026] When the movable base 652 is positioned at the pick-up position to the right, the attachment operation member 653 swings from an upright position to a horizontal position around a fulcrum 656 as shown by arrow SW1 in FIG. 2 to pick up the reel 9R lying on its side in the placement area 654. The attachment operation member 653 then returns to the upright position to convert the picked-up reel 9R to an upright position. Next, the movable base 652 moves toward the base 2 on the left, causing the attachment operation member 653 to attach the reel 9R to the reel holding portion 93 of the tape feeder 9. The temporary placement area 655 is an area for temporarily placing the reel 9R to be postponed when changing the order of the reels 9R to be set.

[0027] The reel removal section 67 is disposed on the right side of the base 2, extends in the front-rear direction, and is located above the reel mounting section 65. The reel removal section 67 is composed of a movable table 672 that is mounted on a guide rail 671 and moves in the front-rear direction, a removal operation member 673 that is provided on the movable table 672, swings between an upright position and a horizontal position, and can operate the reel 9R, and a collection box 674. When the movable table 672 is located in the front removal position, the removal operation member 673 swings from a horizontal position to a vertical position around a fulcrum 675 as shown by the arrow SW2 in FIG. 2 , and removes the reel 9R from the reel holding section 93 of the tape feeder 9.

[0028] Thereafter, the removal operation member 673 returns to a horizontal position and holds the removed reel 9R in a sideways position. Next, the movable base 672 moves to directly above the collection box 674 at the rear, whereby the removal operation member 673 can release the reel 9R and drop it into the collection box 674. The collection box 674 may be provided with a partition or may have multiple partitions so that reels 9R with remaining carrier tape can be collected separately from empty reels 9R.

[0029] 2. Tape Loading Device 8 and Control Device 69 As shown in FIG. 1, the feeder cleaning device 1 and the tape loading device 8 are arranged from above to the rear of the base 2 inside the main housing 631. As described above, the feeder cleaning device 1 and the tape loading device 8 share the base 2 and also share the moving mechanism 5. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the moving mechanism 5 is made up of a moving rail 51, a moving plate 52, a motor 53, a moving belt 54, a locking member 55, and the like. The moving rail 51 is arranged horizontally on the inner wall surface on the left side of the main housing 631 and extends in the front-to-rear direction. The moving plate 52 is a flat member that is long in the front-to-rear direction and is mounted on the moving rail 51 so as to be movable in the front-to-rear direction.

[0030] The motor 53 is disposed on the left inner wall surface of the main housing 631, near the rear end of the moving rail 51. The motor 53 is capable of switching between forward and reverse rotation, and the amount of rotation and rotation speed can be controlled. The motor 53 may be, for example, a servo motor or a stepping motor. A moving belt 54 is engaged with the output shaft of the motor 53 via a reduction mechanism. The moving belt 54 is an endless loop, and is supported so that it can be rotated while being stretched across in the front-to-rear direction. The lower end of a vertically elongated engaging member 55 is fixed to one point on the moving belt 54. The upper part of the engaging member 55 is connected to the moving plate 52.

[0031] Furthermore, a flexible duct 56 extending in a horizontal U-shape is provided at a position lower than the moving belt 54. The flexible duct 56 easily deforms in response to the forward and backward movement of the moving plate 52. A power cable and a control cable are routed inside the flexible duct 56. The power cable and the control cable are connected to electrical components arranged on the moving plate 52 and are used for power supply and control. Examples of the electrical components include the motor 53 mentioned above, the camera 82 and laser displacement meter 83 of the loading mechanism 81 described below, and the cleaning mechanism 3 described below.

[0032] According to the above-described configuration, the rotation of the motor 53 rotates the moving belt 54, and the engaging member 55 and the moving plate 52 move together in the front-to-rear direction. The cleaning mechanism 3 of the feeder cleaning device 1 is provided near the front of the moving plate 52. In addition, the loading mechanism 81 of the tape loading device 8 is provided near the rear of the moving plate 52.

[0033] The loading mechanism 81 performs a loading operation in which the carrier tape is pulled out from the reel 9R of the reel holding unit 93 and loaded into the tape transport path of the tape feeder 9. On the other hand, the removing operation in which the carrier tape is removed from the tape transport path is performed by the tape feeder 9 itself. However, the loading mechanism 81 may share the responsibility for performing part of the removing operation. For example, the loading mechanism 81 can perform an operation in which the leading end of the carrier tape returned from the tape transport path is fastened to the side of the reel 9R.

[0034] The loading mechanism 81 has a camera 82 and a laser displacement meter 83. The camera 82 and the laser displacement meter 83 are used for at least one of checking the leading edge of the carrier tape, checking the components housed on the carrier tape, and checking the status of the tape transport path, and may also be used for other purposes. The other components of the loading mechanism 81 are less relevant to the feeder cleaning device 1, so detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0035] The camera 82 is, for example, an optical camera that digitally captures color or black-and-white still images. The camera 82 transmits image data acquired by the imaging operation to the control device 69. The laser displacement meter 83 is a type of height measuring device that measures the height of an object without contact. The laser displacement meter 83 projects a laser beam obliquely toward the object below and detects the height of the object from the position of the reflected laser beam. The laser displacement meter 83 transmits the detected height data to the control device 69.

[0036] The control device 69 is a computer device, and its location is not limited. The control device 69 controls the overall operation of the feeder processing machine 6. In detail, as shown in FIG. 6 , the control device 69 controls the operation of the reel supply unit 61 and the feeder supply unit 62. The control device 69 also controls the operation of the opening / closing operation unit 64, the reel attachment unit 65, and the reel removal unit 67 of the reel attachment / detachment device 7. Furthermore, the control device 69 controls the operation of the tape feeder 9 set on the base 2 via the receiving connector 23 of the base 2. Regarding the control of the tape loading device 8, the control device 69 controls the motor 53 of the movement mechanism 5 and controls the operation of the loading mechanism 81 by referring to the image data of the camera 82 and the height data of the laser displacement meter 83.

[0037] 3. Configuration of Feeder Cleaning Device 1 of the Embodiment The feeder cleaning device 1 of the embodiment automatically performs cleaning to remove foreign matter from the tape feeder 9. The feeder cleaning device 1 operates at least one of before the tape loading device 8 starts a loading operation to load the carrier tape into the tape feeder 9 and after the tape removal operation to remove the carrier tape from the tape feeder 9 is completed. Proper cleaning can maintain high operational stability of component supply from the tape feeder 9. Specific examples of foreign matter include torn pieces of paper fibers or resin that make up the carrier tape, adhesive matter peeled off from the adhesive portion that bonds the cover tape, and components that have fallen after being collected from the cavity. The feeder cleaning device 1 is composed of the base 2, cleaning mechanism 3, status confirmation unit 4, and movement mechanism 5 described above.

[0038] The cleaning mechanism 3 cleans a predetermined cleaning area RC of the tape feeder 9 set on the base 2. The predetermined cleaning area RC may be the entire longitudinal length of the top surface of the tape feeder 9 shown in Fig. 3, or may be a part of the top surface where there is a risk of foreign matter entering the tape transport path. The cleaning area RC may also be changed depending on the peeling method or model of the tape feeder 9. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the cleaning mechanism 3 has a blowing unit 31, a brush 32, and a suction unit 33 arranged in the front-to-rear direction of the moving plate 52.

[0039] The blowing unit 31 blows air onto the cleaning target area RC to blow away foreign matter. The blowing unit 31 is composed of a flexible air tube 311 and a blowing member 312 made of metal or hard resin. The air tube 311 is connected to an air supply source (not shown) and supplies air to the blowing member 312. The blowing member 312 is disposed at an angle and has an opening 313 that opens diagonally downward and blows air. The opening 313 faces rearward and blows air toward the lower end of the brush 32. The blowing unit 31 may have a shape other than the above, for example, a tapered nozzle may be used. The operation and stop of the blowing unit 31 is switched by controlling the air supply source or operating an on-off valve (not shown).

[0040] The brush 32 scrubs and removes foreign matter adhering to the cleaning area RC. The brush 32 is composed of a support 321, a brush bundle 322, and an air cylinder (not shown). The brush bundle 322 is attached to the underside of the support 321, facing downward. In FIG. 5, the brush bundle 322 is depicted as two cylinders, but in reality, it is composed of numerous brush bristles. The brush 32 may be configured using a material other than the brush bundle 322, such as a sponge material capable of scrubbing away foreign matter. The air cylinder drives the support 321 and the brush bundle 322 to move up and down. The brush bundle 322 contacts the cleaning area RC in the lowered position shown in FIG. 5, enabling scrubbing cleaning. Furthermore, the brush bundle 322 is separated from the cleaning area RC in the raised position, preventing unnecessary friction during movement when scrubbing cleaning is not being performed.

[0041] The brush 32, with the brush bundle 322 lowered to the lower position, is driven by the moving mechanism 5 to perform short reciprocating motions in the forward and backward directions. The length of this reciprocating motion is set to be shorter than the overall length of the cleaning target area RC and longer than the expected length of foreign matter. Therefore, the brush 32 can target a portion of the cleaning target area RC and scrape off foreign matter. This is not a limitation; the brush 32 may be equipped with a dedicated drive source, such as a small motor, to perform a motion other than reciprocating motion in the forward and backward directions, such as rotating the brush bundle 322. By adopting a configuration in which the brush 32 is driven by the moving mechanism 5 without a dedicated drive source, the cost of the device can be reduced.

[0042] The suction unit 33 sucks foreign matter together with air near the cleaning target area RC. The suction unit 33 is disposed behind the brush 32, in other words, on the opposite side of the brush 32 from the blowing unit 31. The suction unit 33 can also be considered to be disposed downstream of the flow of air blown by the blowing unit 31.

[0043] The suction unit 33 is composed of a cylindrical suction tube 331 with a downward opening and a suction pump 332 disposed above the suction tube 331 to suck in air. The inner diameter of the suction tube 331 is set larger than the width of the area to be cleaned RC. The suction tube 331 may have a shape other than a cylinder with a vertical central axis, such as a rectangular tube or an inclined cylinder. The suction unit 33 includes an air hose 333 and a dust bag 334 attached to the discharge side of the suction pump 332. The suction unit 33 sends the sucked foreign matter along with air from the air hose 333 to the dust bag 334, where it collects without scattering. The suction unit 33 is switched on and off by controlling the suction pump 332.

[0044] The blowing unit 31 and the suction unit 33 can perform air purge cleaning over the entire cleaning target area RC. That is, the movement mechanism 5 can move at least one of the operating blowing unit 31 and the operating suction unit 33 over the entire cleaning target area RC, as illustrated by the arrow M1 in FIG. 3 . Operating the blowing unit 31 alone is not recommended because it may cause foreign matter to scatter. Operating the suction unit 33 alone does not pose any problems. The use of movable blowing units 31 and suction units 33 allows for compactness and efficient cleaning. If the blowing unit 31 and suction unit 33 were fixed, they would need to be large enough to clean the entire cleaning target area RC, making efficient cleaning difficult.

[0045] The blowing unit 31 and the suction unit 33 may operate in both directions when moving back and forth across the cleaning target area RC, or may operate in only one direction. Furthermore, the blowing unit 31 and the suction unit 33 can perform multiple air purge cleanings by moving back and forth multiple times. When both the blowing unit 31 and the suction unit 33 are operating, foreign matter blown away by the blowing unit 31 heads toward the suction unit 33, which is located downstream of the air flow, and is reliably captured by the suction unit 33. This removes most of the foreign matter, such as paper fibers and resin fragments.

[0046] However, sticky or statically charged foreign matter may not be removed by air purge cleaning, necessitating scrubbing cleaning using the brush 32. Operating the brush 32 over the entire cleaning target area RC requires a long cleaning time. For this reason, the brush 32 is controlled to operate only in a portion of the cleaning target area RC where foreign matter is attached. In this case, scrubbing cleaning is performed in which the blowing unit 31 and the suction unit 33 operate together. According to this configuration, foreign matter scraped off by the brush 32 is blown downstream toward the suction unit 33 by air from the blowing unit 31 and reliably captured by the suction unit 33. In both air purge cleaning, which does not use the brush 32, and scrubbing cleaning, which does use the brush 32, foreign matter is captured by the suction unit 33, thereby maintaining the interior of the main housing 631 clean.

[0047] The status confirmation unit 4 confirms the status of foreign matter in the cleaning target area RC. The status confirmation unit 4 shares the camera 82 and laser displacement meter 83 with the tape loading device 8. As described above, the camera 82 and laser displacement meter 83 are provided on the moving plate 52 and move in the front-to-rear direction integrally with the cleaning mechanism 3. The status confirmation unit 4 further has an image processing unit 41 and a height analysis unit 42 configured using software of the control device 69 (see FIG. 6 ).

[0048] The camera 82 can change imaging conditions such as focal length, shutter speed, and aperture when operating as the tape loading device 8 and when operating as the status monitoring unit 4. The camera 82 may be equipped with an automatic adjustment mechanism for imaging conditions. When operating as the status monitoring unit 4, the camera 82 captures an image of the area to be cleaned RC to acquire image data. The camera 82 does not need to capture the entire area to be cleaned RC within its imaging field of view. In other words, when the camera 82 moves in the longitudinal direction of the area to be cleaned RC, it only needs to perform an imaging operation every time it moves a predetermined distance equivalent to its imaging field of view. This allows the camera 82 to cover the entire area to be cleaned RC with multiple acquired image data.

[0049] The image processing unit 41 performs image processing on the image data received from the camera 82 to detect foreign objects. The image processing unit 41 preferably uses a method of detecting foreign objects by comparing the image data received with reference image data each time the image data is received. The reference image data is acquired by the camera 82 capturing an image of the cleaning target area RC in a clean state that is known to be free of foreign objects, and is stored in advance in the control device 69. The image processing unit 41 may also use a method of detecting foreign objects by extracting feature points in the image data where the brightness (luminance) or hue changes, or other detection methods. The image processing unit 41 stores the position where the foreign object was detected, in other words, a partial area of ​​the cleaning target area RC.

[0050] When operating as the situation confirmation unit 4, the laser displacement meter 83 measures the height distribution of the area to be cleaned RC. The laser displacement meter 83 performs multiple or continuous measurements while moving in the longitudinal direction of the area to be cleaned RC, thereby obtaining a height distribution consisting of multiple height data in the longitudinal direction. The laser displacement meter 83 may have multiple measuring elements arranged in the width direction to obtain the height distribution in the width direction of the area to be cleaned RC. Furthermore, the laser displacement meter 83 may be moved in the width direction by a movement mechanism (not shown), or the projection direction of the laser light may be changed in the width direction by a swing mechanism (not shown), thereby measuring the height distribution in the width direction.

[0051] The height analysis unit 42 detects foreign objects by analyzing a height distribution consisting of multiple height data received from the laser displacement meter 83. It is preferable that the height analysis unit 42 use a method of comparing the height distribution received with a reference height distribution to detect foreign objects each time it receives the height distribution. The reference height distribution is obtained by measuring a clean cleaning target area RC that is known to be free of foreign objects using the laser displacement meter 83, and is stored in advance in the control device 69. Without being limited to this, the height analysis unit 42 may use a method of detecting foreign objects by extracting characteristic points in the height distribution that are higher than the surrounding areas, or other detection methods. The height analysis unit 42 stores the position where the foreign object was detected, in other words, a partial area of ​​the cleaning target area RC.

[0052] The partial areas stored by the image processing unit 41 and the height analysis unit 42 usually match. However, there may be rare cases where they do not match. In this case, the situation confirmation unit 4 assumes that foreign matter is present in both the partial area stored by the image processing unit 41 and the partial area stored by the height analysis unit 42, and performs subsequent control. This allows the situation confirmation unit 4 to suppress detection errors in which a foreign matter is not detected despite its presence, and allows for safe control with the goal of removing the foreign matter.

[0053] The status confirmation unit 4 has a function of changing and controlling the cleaning content performed by the cleaning mechanism 3 depending on the status of the confirmed foreign matter. Specifically, the status confirmation unit 4 confirms a partial area of ​​the cleaning target area RC where foreign matter is attached before the brush 32 starts operating, and controls the brush 32 to operate only in that partial area. If there are multiple partial areas where foreign matter is attached, the brush 32 operates in multiple areas, and if there are no partial areas where foreign matter is attached, the brush 32 operation is omitted. In other words, the status confirmation unit 4 changes and controls the cleaning range where the brush 32 performs scrubbing cleaning. The status confirmation unit 4 may also change and control the cleaning method performed by the cleaning mechanism 3 depending on the status of foreign matter confirmed before the cleaning mechanism 3 starts cleaning. For example, the status confirmation unit 4 may increase or decrease the number of times air purge cleaning is performed depending on whether there is a large or small amount of foreign matter.

[0054] The status confirmation unit 4 also has a function of checking the condition of foreign matter after a series of cleaning operations has been performed and determining whether another cleaning operation is necessary. The status confirmation unit 4 counts the number of times N that the cleaning mechanism 3 has performed a series of cleaning operations, and controls the cleaning mechanism 3 to perform another cleaning operation as necessary within a specified number of times ND. If the condition of foreign matter does not improve (if foreign matter remains) even after the cleaning mechanism 3 has performed the specified number of cleaning operations ND, the status confirmation unit 4 executes a predetermined malfunction process. For example, the status confirmation unit 4 performs control as the control device 69 to stop the entire operation of the feeder processor 6 and then notify the operator.

[0055] 4. Operation of Feeder Cleaning Device 1 Next, the operation of the feeder cleaning device 1, including the overall operation of the feeder processor 6, will be described with reference to the operation flows shown in Figures 7 and 8. As a prerequisite, it is assumed that air purge cleaning is performed twice, and that the specified number of times ND for scrubbing cleaning is set to three. Furthermore, it is assumed that the number of cleaning operations N at the start of the operation flow is set to the default value of one.

[0056] The operational flow in Figure 7 targets a tape feeder 9 (with carrier tape loaded) that has finished use in a component mounting machine. In step S1 in Figure 7, the feeder transport unit 623 of the feeder supply unit 62 carries the tape feeder 9 with the carrier tape loaded into the main housing 631 and sets it on the base 2. In the next step S2, the control device 69 controls the tape feeding mechanism of the tape feeder 9 to operate in the reverse direction. This causes the tape feeder 9 to return the carrier tape and remove it from the tape transport path. In the next step S3, the opening / closing operation unit 64 and the reel removal unit 67 of the reel attachment / detachment device 7 operate to remove the reel 9R from the tape feeder 9. This completes preparations for the cleaning operation by the feeder cleaning device 1.

[0057] In the next step S4, the feeder cleaning device 1 performs a first air purge cleaning at the beginning of a series of cleaning operations. That is, the cleaning mechanism 3 raises the brush 32 to move it away from the area to be cleaned RC, and moves at least one of the operating blowing unit 31 and the operating suction unit 33 across the entire area to be cleaned RC using the movement mechanism 5. In this embodiment, the feeder cleaning device 1 moves only the suction unit 33 of the cleaning mechanism 3 while it is in operation.

[0058] In the next step S5, the feeder cleaning device 1 performs a second air purge cleaning, and in parallel, the status confirmation unit 4 performs a check. In this embodiment, the feeder cleaning device 1 moves the blowing unit 31 and the suction unit 33 in operation over the entire cleaning target area RC using the movement mechanism 5. At this time, movement from the rear to the front is adopted so that the status confirmation unit 4 can check the area after the second air purge cleaning has been performed. The status confirmation unit 4 checks and stores the partial area where foreign matter still remains after the second air purge cleaning has been performed.

[0059] In the next step S6, the feeder cleaning device 1 performs scrubbing cleaning on the partial area stored by the status confirmation unit 4. That is, during the third movement, the cleaning mechanism 3, in accordance with control from the status confirmation unit 4, moves the brush 32 to the partial area, lowers it, and contacts the partial area to perform scrubbing cleaning. Furthermore, the cleaning mechanism 3 also operates the blowing unit 31 and the suction unit 33. Note that if there are multiple partial areas, the cleaning mechanism 3 performs scrubbing cleaning on each of the multiple locations in the cleaning target area RC. Note that if there are no partial areas, step S6 is omitted.

[0060] In the next step S7, the feeder cleaning device 1 checks the condition of the foreign matter after the cleaning operation has been performed. That is, the feeder cleaning device 1 stops the cleaning mechanism 3, moves the camera 82 and the laser displacement meter 83 over the entire area of ​​the cleaning target area RC in the fourth movement, and has the condition checking unit 4 check the condition of the foreign matter. In the next step S8, the condition checking unit 4 determines whether the cleaning target area RC is in a good condition, with no foreign matter remaining.

[0061] In step S9, when foreign matter remains in the cleaning target area RC, the status confirmation unit 4 determines whether the number of cleaning operations N has reached the specified number of cleaning operations ND. In the first step S9, the number of cleaning operations N is 1, which does not reach the specified number of cleaning operations ND of 3. Therefore, the operation flow proceeds to step S10, where the status confirmation unit 4 counts up the number of cleaning operations N to 2. Thereafter, the operation flow returns to step S6, where scrubbing cleaning is repeated. Alternatively, the operation flow may return to step S4, where two sets of air purge cleaning and scrubbing cleaning are repeated (see the dashed arrow in FIG. 7 ).

[0062] If foreign matter still remains in the cleaning target area RC after performing step S6 three times, the operation flow proceeds from step S8 to step S9. At the third step S9, the number of times N is three, which means that the number of times N has reached the specified number of times ND, so the operation flow proceeds to step S11. At step S11, the status confirmation unit 4 executes a predetermined defect processing.

[0063] If it is determined in step S8 that no foreign matter remains in the cleaning target area RC, proper cleaning has been performed, and the operation flow proceeds to step S14. In step S14, the feeder transport unit 623 removes the tape feeder 9 from the base 2, carries it out of the main housing 631, and transports it to the sub-housing 621. This ends the operation flow, and the removal of the reel 9R of the tape feeder 9 and the cleaning operation are completed.

[0064] Next, the operational flow of Fig. 8 is directed to a tape feeder 9 (with no carrier tape loaded) to be used in a component mounting machine. Compared to the operational flow of Fig. 7, the operational flow of Fig. 8 does not include steps S2 and S3, but adds steps S12 and S13. Furthermore, the operations from step S4 to step S11 in Fig. 8 are the same as those in Fig. 7; in other words, the operations related to the feeder cleaning device 1 are the same.

[0065] 8, the feeder transport unit 623 carries the tape feeder 9 without the reel 9R attached into the main housing 631 and sets it on the base 2. This completes preparations for the cleaning operation. In the following steps S4 to S11, the feeder cleaning device 1 operates. If no foreign matter remains in the cleaning target area RC in step S8, the operation flow proceeds to step S12.

[0066] In step S12, the opening / closing operation unit 64 and the reel attachment unit 65 of the reel attachment device 7 operate to attach the reel 9R to the reel holding unit 93 of the tape feeder 9. In the next step S13, the tape loading device 8 performs a loading operation to pull out the carrier tape from the reel 9R in the reel holding unit 93 and load it into the tape transport path. This prepares the tape feeder 9 for use in the component mounting machine. In the next step S14, the feeder transport unit 623 removes the tape feeder 9 from the base 2, carries it out of the main housing 631, and transports it to the sub-housing 621. This completes the operation flow, and the cleaning operation of the tape feeder 9 and the loading of the carrier tape are completed.

[0067] In the feeder cleaning device 1 and feeder processor 6 of the embodiment, the status confirmation unit 4 confirms the status of foreign matter in the cleaning target area RC of the tape feeder 9 set on the base 2, thereby enabling optimization of cleaning. In other words, the cleaning mechanism 3 can perform appropriate cleaning based on the confirmation results of the status confirmation unit 4.

[0068] 5. Applications and Modifications of the Embodiment Note that it is possible to omit one of the camera 82 (including the image processing unit 41) and the laser displacement meter 83 (including the height analysis unit 42) that constitute the status confirmation unit 4. Also, in the embodiment, the feeder cleaning device 1 that is incorporated into the feeder processor 6 has been described, but it is also possible to configure a stand-alone feeder cleaning device 1 that is not incorporated into the feeder processor 6. The stand-alone feeder cleaning device 1 includes a base 2, a cleaning mechanism 3, a status confirmation unit 4, and a moving mechanism 5, and an operator sets a tape feeder 9 that does not have a carrier tape loaded on the base 2. Also, the stand-alone feeder cleaning device 1 includes a status confirmation unit 4 configured by software, and can have a simplified configuration in which the camera 82 and the laser displacement meter 83 are omitted.

[0069] In the simplified configuration described above, the status confirmation unit 4 checks the operation history of the tape feeder 9 when it was installed in the component mounting machine and operated, and estimates the status of foreign matter based on the operation history. For example, the status confirmation unit 4 estimates whether there is a large amount of foreign matter based on the supply error rate when the tape feeder 9 supplies components. The status confirmation unit 4 may also estimate whether there is a large amount of foreign matter based on the length of time the tape feeder 9 has been in operation since maintenance was performed. Furthermore, the status confirmation unit 4 controls the system to perform a simple cleaning in a short period of time when it estimates there is a small amount of foreign matter, and to perform a thorough cleaning over a long period of time when it estimates there is a large amount of foreign matter. For example, the status confirmation unit 4 can perform only one air purge cleaning when it estimates there is a small amount of foreign matter, and to perform multiple air purge cleanings and scrubbing cleaning by operating the brush 32 over the entire cleaning target area RC when it estimates there is a large amount of foreign matter.

[0070] Furthermore, step S4 may be omitted from the operation flows of Figures 7 and 8, and air purge cleaning may be performed only once. Also, in step S5, the second air purge cleaning and the confirmation by the status confirmation unit 4 may be performed separately, that is, two separate movements by the movement mechanism 5. Also, in the embodiment, a reel-integrated tape feeder 9 that holds the reel 9R internally has been described, but this is not limiting. That is, the feeder cleaning device 1 may be configured as a standalone type and applied to a separate-reel tape feeder in which the reel 9R is disposed externally. Various other applications and modifications of the embodiment are possible.

[0071] 1: Feeder cleaning device 2: Base 3: Cleaning mechanism 31: Spraying section 32: Brush 33: Suction section 4: Status confirmation section 41: Image processing section 42: Height analysis section 5: Movement mechanism 6: Feeder processing machine 61: Reel supply section 62: Feeder supply section 64: Opening and closing operation section 65: Reel attachment section 67: Reel removal section 69: Control device 7: Reel attachment / detachment device 8: Tape loading device 81: Loading mechanism 82: Camera 83: Laser displacement meter 9: Tape feeder 9R: Reel RC: Area to be cleaned

Claims

1. A pedestal for detachably mounting a tape feeder on a component mounting machine, a cleaning mechanism for cleaning a predetermined cleaning target area of the set tape feeder, and a situation confirmation unit for confirming the situation of foreign matter in the cleaning target area. A feeder cleaning device comprising:

2. The feeder cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the situation confirmation unit includes a camera that images the cleaning target area to acquire image data, and an image processing unit that performs image processing on the image data to detect the foreign matter.

3. The feeder cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the situation confirmation unit includes a height measuring device that measures the height distribution of the cleaning target area, and a height analysis unit that analyzes the height distribution to detect the foreign matter.

4. The feeder cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the situation confirmation unit checks the operation history when the tape feeder is mounted on the component mounting machine and operates, and estimates the situation of the foreign matter based on the operation history.

5. The cleaning mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4, having at least one of a blowing unit that blows air onto the cleaning target area to blow off the foreign matter, a suction unit that sucks the foreign matter together with the air in the vicinity of the cleaning target area, and a brush that rubs off the foreign matter adhering to the cleaning target area. Feeder cleaning device.

6. The feeder cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a moving mechanism that moves the cleaning mechanism and the situation confirmation unit along the cleaning target area extending in the longitudinal direction of the tape feeder.

7. The cleaning mechanism has at least one of a blowing unit that blows air onto the cleaning target area to blow off the foreign matter and a suction unit that sucks the foreign matter together with the air in the vicinity of the cleaning target area, and the moving mechanism includes the blowing unit during operation and the operation. The feeder cleaning device according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the suction units during operation is moved over the entire area of the cleaning target area.

8. The feeder cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the situation confirmation unit controls the cleaning range or the cleaning method of the cleaning mechanism in the cleaning target area according to the situation of the foreign matter confirmed before the cleaning mechanism starts cleaning.

9. The cleaning mechanism has a brush for rubbing off the foreign matter adhering to the cleaning target area, and the situation confirmation unit confirms a partial area of the cleaning target area where the foreign matter adheres before the brush starts operating, and controls the brush to operate only in the partial area. The feeder cleaning device according to claim 8.

10. The feeder cleaning device includes a moving mechanism that moves the cleaning mechanism and the situation confirmation unit along the cleaning target area extending in the longitudinal direction of the tape feeder. The brush is driven by the moving mechanism to rub back and forth in the partial area. The feeder cleaning device according to claim 9.

11. The cleaning mechanism has the brush, a blowing part that blows air toward a partial area of the cleaning target area that the brush rubs, and a suction part arranged on the opposite side of the blowing part with the brush in between. The feeder cleaning device according to claim 5.

12. The feeder cleaning device includes a moving mechanism that repeatedly moves the cleaning mechanism and the situation confirmation unit along the cleaning target area extending in the longitudinal direction of the tape feeder. The cleaning mechanism performs air purge cleaning in which, during movement up to a predetermined number of times, at least one of the operating blowing part and the operating suction part is moved over the entire area of the cleaning target area without separating the brush from the cleaning target area and operating it. The situation confirmation unit confirms a partial area of the cleaning target area where the foreign matter still remains after the air purge cleaning during movement up to the predetermined number of times. After the number of times exceeds the predetermined number, the cleaning mechanism performs wiping cleaning in which the brush contacts and operates only in the partial area according to the control from the situation confirmation unit, and the blowing part and the suction part operate together. The feeder cleaning device according to claim 11.

13. The tape feeder supplies the component using a carrier tape including a base tape having a cavity for accommodating the component and a cover tape adhered to the base tape by two adhesive portions to cover the cavity. The pedestal can be set with a semi-peeling type tape feeder that peels only one of the adhesive portions and a full-peeling type tape feeder that peels two of the adhesive portions. The cleaning mechanism performs cleaning in a state where the carrier tape is removed. A feeder cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

14. A feeder processing machine comprising: the feeder cleaning device according to claim 1; and a tape loading device including a loading mechanism for loading a carrier tape for accommodating components into the tape feeder.

15. The feeder cleaning device according to claim 14 operates at least at one of a time before the start of a loading operation in which the tape loading device loads the carrier tape into the tape feeder and after the end of a removal operation in which the carrier tape is removed from the tape feeder.

16. The feeder cleaning device and the tape loading device share at least one of the pedestal and the situation confirmation unit. The feeder processing machine according to claim 14 or 15.

17. The feeder processing machine according to claim 14 or 15 includes a moving mechanism that collectively moves the cleaning mechanism and the situation confirmation unit of the feeder cleaning device and the loading mechanism of the tape loading device.

18. The feeder processing machine according to claim 14 or 15 includes a reel attachment / detachment device for attaching / detaching a reel around which the carrier tape is wound to / from the tape feeder.

Images