Feeder

Abstract

A feeder according to the present invention comprises: a plurality of stages that include a plurality of cavities capable of individually accommodating components and that are arranged side by side in a horizontal first direction; a plurality of squeegee units that include a container accommodating a plurality of the components in a bulk state and provided with an opening in a lower portion thereof, and a pair of squeegee members arranged so as to sandwich the opening in a horizontal second direction intersecting the first direction and that are arranged on the upper side of the plurality of stages correspondingly thereto; and a movement device that causes the plurality of squeegee units respectively corresponding to the plurality of stages to move in the second direction, thereby accommodating, in at least some of the plurality of cavities, the plurality of components discharged between the pair of squeegee members from the opening.

Description

Feeder

[0001] The present invention relates to a feeder.

[0002] A feeder is detachably equipped on a component mounting machine and is used for supplying components. There is a type of feeder that supplies components in a bulk state where the components are not packaged in a carrier tape or a stick (see Patent Documents 1 and 2). Patent Document 1 accommodates solder balls in cavities arranged in a predetermined pattern on a stage by reciprocating a container containing solder balls on the stage. The solder balls are collected in a batch, for example, by a dedicated nozzle. Patent Document 2 accommodates components in cavities in a supply area by applying vibration to a member forming a component conveyance path.

[0003] International Publication No. 2016 / 181502 International Publication No. 2022 / 162916

[0004] In Patent Document 1, since a plurality of supplied solder balls are collected in a batch by a dedicated nozzle, it is required that the solder balls be accommodated in all cavities so that they can be collected during the supply operation. If the operating speed is increased to improve the efficiency of the supply operation, the probability of a state where the solder balls are not accommodated in some cavities increases, and there is a concern that the overall required time will be extended by performing the recovery process. However, if the required time for the supply operation becomes longer than the required time for the mounting operation of mounting the solder balls on the substrate, a waiting time for the end of the supply operation occurs. In addition, the feeder is required to extend the continuous supply time of components and to accommodate various components.

[0005] The purpose of this specification is to provide a feeder that can improve the efficiency of component supply and improve the productivity in a component mounting machine.

[0006] This specification discloses a feeder comprising: a plurality of stages arranged in a horizontal first direction, each having a plurality of cavities capable of individually accommodating parts; a plurality of squeegee units arranged above the plurality of stages, each having a pair of squeegee members positioned on either side of the opening in a horizontal second direction intersecting the first direction; and a moving device that moves the plurality of squeegee units corresponding to the plurality of stages in the second direction, thereby accommodating the plurality of parts discharged from the opening between the pair of squeegee members into at least a portion of the plurality of cavities.

[0007] This specification discloses a feeder comprising: a stage having a plurality of cavities capable of individually accommodating parts; a container having an opening at the bottom for accommodating the plurality of parts in bulk; and a squeegee unit having a pair of squeegee members positioned on either side of the opening in a horizontal second direction; and a moving device for moving the squeegee unit in the second direction to accommodate the plurality of parts discharged from the opening between the pair of squeegee members into at least a portion of the plurality of cavities, wherein the container has an inclined base having an inclined surface inclined in the second direction to guide the accommodated plurality of parts to the opening; and a case portion interchangeably provided on the inclined base and forming a storage chamber for accommodating the plurality of parts in bulk together with the inclined base.

[0008] This specification also discloses the technical idea of ​​changing "the feeder described in any one of claims 1-5" to "the feeder described in any one of claims 1-8" in claim 9 of the original application, the technical idea of ​​changing "the feeder described in any one of claims 1-5" to "the feeder described in any one of claims 1-9" in claim 10 of the original application, and the technical idea of ​​changing "the feeder described in claim 1" to "the feeder described in any one of claims 1-11" in claim 12 of the original application.

[0009] A configuration in which multiple squeegee units are moved to multiple stages allows for an increase in the number of parts supplied relative to the overall supply operation time, thereby improving efficiency. Furthermore, since more parts can be stored in multiple containers, the continuous supply time for parts can be extended. Additionally, a configuration in which the case section is interchangeable on the inclined platform allows for the formation of storage chambers by reusing the inclined platform, thereby extending the continuous supply time for parts while suppressing increases in equipment costs, by replacing the case section with one that corresponds to the required storage capacity and type of parts.

[0010] This is a schematic plan view of a component mounting machine equipped with a solder ball supply device. This is a perspective view of the solder ball supply device. This is a side view showing an enlarged view of the main part of the solder ball supply device. This is a plan view showing an enlarged view of the main part of the solder ball supply device. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V in Figure 4. This is a cross-sectional view of the squeegee unit in a moved state. This is a perspective view of the squeegee unit viewed from below. This is a perspective view showing an enlarged view of the adjustment device of the squeegee unit.

[0011] 1. Overview of Feeder 122 As shown in Figure 1, the feeder 122 is equipped on the parts mounting machine 10 and used for supplying parts. There are various types of feeders 122, including tape feeders that supply parts by feeding and moving carrier tapes in which parts are packaged at predetermined intervals, stick feeders that supply parts by sequentially pushing out parts arranged on sticks, and bulk feeders that supply parts by discharging parts stored in a bulk state (a loose state where each part is in an irregular position) from parts cases.

[0012] The component mounting machine 10 performs a mounting process to attach components supplied by the feeder 122 to the substrate 101, thereby producing a product substrate. Multiple substrate-to-substrate work machines, including the component mounting machine 10, are installed in multiple locations, for example, in the direction of substrate transport, to constitute a production line Ln. The production line Ln includes multiple solder printing machines, multiple component mounting machines 10, a reflow oven, and an inspection machine, which serve as multiple substrate-to-substrate work machines.

[0013] 2. As shown in Figure 1, the component mounting machine 10 includes a substrate transport device 11 that sequentially transports the substrate 101 in the transport direction and positions the substrate 101 at a predetermined position within the machine. The component supply device 12 of the component mounting machine 10 supplies the components to be mounted on the substrate 101. The component supply device 12 has feeders 122 set in each of the multiple slots 121.

[0014] The component transfer device 13 of the component mounting machine 10 transfers components supplied by the component supply device 12 to predetermined mounting positions on the substrate 101. The head drive device 131 of the component transfer device 13 moves the mobile table 132 horizontally (X and Y directions) by a linear motion mechanism. The mounting head 133, which is detachably fixed to the mobile table 132, supports a plurality of suction nozzles 134 that are rotatable and vertically movable. The suction nozzles 134 pick up components supplied by the feeder 122 using supplied negative pressure air.

[0015] The component camera 14 and the substrate camera 15 of the component mounting machine 10 perform imaging based on control signals and transmit the image data acquired through such imaging. The component camera 14 is configured to be able to image components held by the suction nozzle 134 from below. The substrate camera 15 is mounted on a movable table 132 so as to be able to move horizontally integrally with the mounting head 133. The substrate camera 15 is configured to be able to image the substrate 101 from above.

[0016] Furthermore, in addition to imaging the surface of the substrate 101, the substrate camera 15 can also image various devices and other objects as long as they are within the movable range of the mobile platform 132. For example, the substrate camera 15 can capture a reference mark provided on the top of the feeder 122 or the supply area where the bulk feeder supplies components within its camera field of view. In this way, the substrate camera 15 can be used to image different objects in order to acquire image data that can be used for various image processing applications.

[0017] The control device 16 of the component mounting machine 10 is mainly composed of a CPU, various memories, and control circuits. The control device 16 stores various data, such as control programs used to control the mounting process. The control program indicates the mounting position, mounting angle, and type of component to be mounted on the substrate 101 in the planned mounting order. The above mounting process includes a picking operation to pick up components and a mounting operation to mount the picked components onto the substrate 101.

[0018] 3. Solder Ball Supply Device 20 As shown in Figure 1, the solder ball supply device 20 is mounted on the component mounting machine 10 and functions as part of the component supply device 12. The solder ball supply device 20 is sometimes classified as a type of bulk feeder that supplies components stored in bulk. Here, the bulk feeder of Patent Document 2 transports components to the supply area and supplies components by having at least some of the numerous cavities accommodate the components in a way that allows them to be picked up. Even with such a bulk feeder, solder balls having a spherical outer surface can be supplied by changing the shape of the cavities, etc.

[0019] A component mounting machine using a bulk feeder as described above picks up individual components that have been supplied in a way that allows them to be picked up, and mounts them onto the substrate 101. In contrast, the solder ball supply device 20 of Patent Document 1 and this embodiment supplies solder balls in a way that allows them to be picked up in a pattern corresponding to the mounting positions of multiple solder balls to be mounted on the substrate 101. The component mounting machine 10 picks up the supplied solder balls all at once with a dedicated nozzle and mounts them onto the substrate 101 all at once. This reduces the time required for the mounting operation by the component mounting machine 10.

[0020] However, in the bulk supply type feeder described above, it is required that solder balls be contained in all cavities in a way that allows for collection, in order to eliminate the need for recovery processing. On the other hand, if the operating speed is increased to improve the efficiency of the supply operation, the probability of a missing state where solder balls are not contained in some cavities increases, requiring recovery processing. Also, if the time required for the component supply operation by the feeder is longer than the time required for the mounting operation, a waiting period will occur for the supply operation to finish. Furthermore, the feeder is required to extend the continuous supply time of components and to be able to handle various components.

[0021] Therefore, the feeder 122 of this embodiment employs a configuration that can improve the efficiency of component supply and increase productivity in the component mounting machine 10. As an example of the feeder 122, solder balls as components are supplied, and a batch supply type solder ball supply device 20 is provided. The solder ball supply device 20 has a plurality of cavities 34 arranged to form a predetermined pattern, and supplies solder balls in a state where they are housed in the plurality of cavities 34.

[0022] 3-1. Overall Configuration of Solder Ball Supply Device 20 As shown in Figure 2, the solder ball supply device 20 comprises a plurality of stages 30 having cavities 34, a plurality of squeegee units 50 having a pair of squeegee members 70, and a unit moving device 40 for moving the squeegee units 50. The squeegee units 50 are appropriately selected according to the type of solder ball to be supplied by the solder ball supply device 20, the type of mounting process, etc., and are detachably fixed to the slide 42 of the unit moving device 40.

[0023] The solder ball supply device 20 is provided on the upper part of the base 21 and includes a beam 22 that extends in the front-rear direction (Y direction). Two guide rails 221 that extend in the front-rear direction are provided on the upper surface of the beam 22. A table 222 that extends in the left-right direction (X direction) is also positioned on the upper surface of the beam 22. The table 222 is installed at a height such that its upper surface is on the same plane as the upper surfaces of the multiple stages 30.

[0024] 3-2. Stage 30, Stage Moving Device 24 Each of the multiple stages 30 is provided to be movable in the front-rear direction along the beam 22. In this embodiment, the three stages 30 are arranged side by side in the first direction (X direction, left-right direction). The three stages 30 are each provided on the upper part of a common base plate 31, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. A carriage 32 that engages with two guide rails 221 is fixed to the lower part of the base plate 31. This configures the three stages 30 to be movable in the front-rear direction along the guide rails 221.

[0025] Since the three stages 30 are substantially identical in configuration, one stage 30 will be described below. Stage 30 has a template 33 and a frame 35. The template 33 has a plurality of through holes, each capable of accommodating one solder ball. When this template 33 is placed on top of the base plate 31, the upper surface of the base plate 31 and the through holes in the template 33 form cavities 34 capable of accommodating individual components.

[0026] Multiple cavities 34 are arranged, for example, in a matrix, to form a pattern corresponding to the mounting positions of multiple solder balls to be mounted on the substrate 101. The diameter of the cavity 34 is set according to the diameter of the solder balls to be housed. The template 33 is positioned relative to the base plate 31 by the frame 35 and is removably fixed to the base plate 31. The template 33 is appropriately selected, for example, according to multiple types of solder balls with different diameters and materials, or according to the required pattern, to form a predetermined cavity 34.

[0027] Furthermore, the thickness of the template 33 is set to be greater than or equal to the diameter of the solder balls that the solder ball supply device 20 is intended to supply. As a result, the cavity 34 formed by the template 33 is deep enough so that when the solder balls are contained within it, the solder balls do not protrude from the top surface of the template 33.

[0028] The solder ball supply device 20 includes a stage moving device 24 that moves a plurality of stages 30 in the front-rear direction between a supply position Ps and a filling position Pd. The "supply position Ps" is the position of the stage 30 in the Y direction when solder balls are supplied in a collectible manner within the component mounting machine 10, as shown in Figure 1. The "filling position Pd" is the position of the stage 30 in the Y direction when a filling process is performed to accommodate solder balls in a plurality of cavities 34. The stage moving device 24 is composed of a linear motion mechanism (e.g., a ball screw mechanism) and an electric motor, etc., as shown in the figure.

[0029] 3-3. Squeegee Unit 50 The squeegee unit 50 is a unit that accommodates solder balls and, during the filling process, moves horizontally relative to the corresponding stage 30 to accommodate the solder balls in the cavity 34. In this embodiment, the three squeegee units 50 are arranged above the three stages 30, each corresponding to one of them. Since the three squeegee units 50 have substantially the same configuration, one squeegee unit 50 will be described below.

[0030] The squeegee unit 50 comprises a unit body 51, a housing 60, and a pair of squeegee members 70. The unit body 51 extends in the front-rear direction and has a rectangular shape when viewed from above. The unit body 51 supports the housing 60 and the squeegee members 70. The unit body 51 is also attached to the slide 42 of the unit moving device 40 via an adjustment device 80, which will be described later.

[0031] 3-3-1. Container 60 The container 60 is a container for storing multiple components (solder balls) in bulk. In detail, the container 60 comprises an inclined base 62 and a case section 63. The inclined base 62 is detachably attached to the upper part of the unit body 51. A rectangular through-hole is formed in the rear of the unit body 51. Part of the through-hole in the unit body 51 constitutes an opening 66 through which the squeegee unit 50 discharges solder balls.

[0032] The inclined base 62 has an inclined surface 621 that is tilted in a second direction (a horizontal Y-direction intersecting the first direction) to guide the multiple components housed within it to the opening 66. The case section 63 is interchangeably provided with the inclined base 62 and together with the inclined base 62 forms a storage chamber 65 for housing multiple components in bulk. In this embodiment, the inclined base 62 is shared among multiple types of case sections 63. By appropriately selecting the case section 63, the volume of the storage chamber 65 and the size of the supply port 631 are changed.

[0033] Specifically, as shown in Figure 2, the container 60 is configured by setting one of several types of case sections 63A-63C, each having a different maximum capacity for accommodating components (solder balls), on the inclined base 62. The several types of case sections 63A-63C include a case section 63 having a supply port 631 and a lid section 632. The supply port 631 is formed at a position shifted in the Y direction relative to the opening 66 formed at the bottom (in this embodiment, a position shifted backward). The supply port 631 is located outside the component mounting machine 10 when the solder ball supply device 20 is equipped on the component mounting machine 10, and accepts the supply of components from the outside.

[0034] The lid portion 632 closes the area from at least where the opening 66 is provided in an upward view to the end of the supply port 631 on the opening 66 side. This guides the solder balls to the opening 66 located inside the component mounting machine 10 when the solder ball supply device 20 is mounted on the component mounting machine 10, and prevents solder balls from leaking out of the storage chamber 65.

[0035] 3-3-2. Pair of Squeegee Members 70 The pair of squeegee members 70, as shown in Figure 7, are a front first squeegee member 70A and a rear second squeegee member 70B, which are positioned on either side of the opening 66 in the second direction (Y direction). The pair of squeegee members 70 restrict the movement of solder balls accompanying the movement of the squeegee unit 50 during the filling process. As a result, the pair of squeegee members 70 promote the filling of solder balls into the cavity 34 and remove any excess solder balls so that they do not remain on the template 33.

[0036] Each of the pair of squeegee members 70 has a base 71 and a brush 72. The base 71 is a block-shaped resin member extending in the X direction and is fixed to the unit body 51. The brush 72 is formed by fixing a plurality of bristle bundles to the lower part of the base 71 so as to protrude downward from the lower surface of the base 71. The base 71 is also provided with a cover plate 75 that covers the upper side and the opening 66 side from the brush 72, with its lower end functioning as a skirt 74. The pair of squeegee members 70 may have, in place of or in addition to the brush 72, an elastic blade that slides on the upper surface of the stage 30.

[0037] The first squeegee member 70A is positioned in front of the through-hole of the unit body 51. The first squeegee member 70A is positioned between the unit body 51 and the inclined base 62 and supports the lower part of the inclined base 62 via a spacer 54. The spacer 54 has a wedge-shaped cross-section. The second squeegee member 70B is positioned behind the through-hole of the unit body 51. The space enclosed by the left and right side walls of the through-hole of the unit body 51 and the pair of cover plates 75 corresponds to the opening 66 of the housing 60. The opening 66 constitutes the bottom of the solder ball housing chamber 65.

[0038] 3-4. Unit Moving Device 40 The unit moving device 40 moves a plurality of squeegee units 50, each corresponding to a plurality of stages 30, in the second direction (Y direction). As a result, the unit moving device 40 causes the plurality of parts discharged from the opening 66 between the pair of squeegee members 70 to be housed in at least a portion of the plurality of cavities 34. In this embodiment, the unit moving device 40 employs a configuration that moves the plurality of squeegee units 50 integrally in the Y direction. Furthermore, in the filling process, it is preferable that one solder ball is housed in each of the cavities 34 formed in each of the plurality of templates 33.

[0039] The unit moving device 40 includes a guide rail 41 and a slide 42. The guide rail 41 extends in the Y direction and, in this embodiment, is provided on the left and right sides of the slide 42. The slide 42 is formed in an overall plate shape with a predetermined thickness and has a rectangular shape when viewed from above. The slide 42 is supported by a pair of support plates 44 provided on the table 222. The pair of support plates 44 are provided so as to face each other in the X direction. The pair of support plates 44 support the slide 42 so as to be movable in the Y direction via carriages that engage with a pair of guide rails 41. Alternatively, the guide rail 41 may be provided on the support plates 44 and the carriages may be provided on the sides of the slide 42.

[0040] Each of the multiple squeegee units 50 is detachably attached to the slide 42. The unit moving device 40 can move the slide 42 in the forward / backward direction (Y direction) at a predetermined speed using a linear motion mechanism (e.g., a ball screw mechanism) and an electric motor, etc. (not shown). As a result, the multiple squeegee units 50 attached to the slide 42 move relative to the multiple stages 30 in the forward / backward direction (Y direction).

[0041] As shown in Figure 5, when the squeegee unit 50 is located at one end (the front end) of the range of motion, the entire opening 66 of the container 60 is located above the table 222. This prevents solder balls from leaking out of the opening 66 even when the stage 30 moves in the front-rear direction. Also, as shown in Figure 6, when the squeegee unit 50 is located at the other end (the rear end) of the range of motion, at least a portion of the opening 66 of the container 60 extends behind the rear end of the template 33.

[0042] 3-5. Adjustment Device 80In order to reduce the probability of occurrence of defective states and prevent leakage of solder balls during the filling process of solder balls, it is necessary that the vertical positions of the squeegee unit 50 and the stage 30 be adjustable. Further, the solder ball supply device 20 includes a plurality of squeegee units 50. Therefore, the solder ball supply device 20 of the present embodiment includes an adjustment device 80 to absorb individual differences between the plurality of squeegee units 50 and mounting errors on the slide 42.

[0043] A plurality of adjustment devices 80 are provided for each of the plurality of squeegee units 50 to adjust the vertical position of the unit body 51 with respect to the slide 42. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the adjustment device 80 is respectively arranged at three different positions between the unit body 51 and the slide 42. As shown in FIG. 8, the adjustment device 80 has three support members 81 that can expand and contract in the vertical direction. The support member 81 is a bolt that fits into a vertical screw portion 511 formed on the unit body 51. The three screw portions 511 are provided at a portion where the lower surface of the unit body 51 faces the upper surface of the slide 42.

[0044] The lower end portion of the support member 81 protrudes downward from the lower surface of the unit body 51. The protruding amount of the support member 81 is adjusted by the amount of rotation in a state where it is fitted into the screw portion 511. When the support member 81 protrudes by a predetermined amount, the interval between the lower surface of the unit body 51 and the upper surface of the slide 42 is determined according to the protruding amount. In this state, the unit body 51 is screwed and fastened to the slide 42 by a fixing bolt 52. Thus, by adjusting the lengths of the three support members 81, the vertical positions and angles of the pair of squeegee members 70 with respect to the stage 30 are adjusted.

[0045]

[0046] As the detection device 90, various modes can be adopted. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the detection device 90 includes a proximity sensor 91 and a holder 92. The proximity sensor 91 detects the distance to the solder ball to be detected. The proximity sensor 91 is disposed at the central portion in the left-right direction of the container 60, and as shown in FIG. 5, the detection portion (lower end portion) of the proximity sensor 91 is supported by the holder 92 so as to be located inside the container 60.

[0047] The holder 92 supports the proximity sensor 91 so as to be inclined with respect to the horizontal plane and to project the detection portion from the cover plate 75. Thus, the holder 92 is configured to be able to adjust the installation height of the detection portion inside the container 60. The proximity sensor 91 detects that the installation height of the detection portion becomes lower as the protruding amount from the cover plate 75 increases, and that the remaining amount of the solder ball is relatively small. On the other hand, when the proximity sensor 91 is supported by the holder 92 so that the installation height of the detection portion becomes higher, the proximity sensor 91 detects that the remaining amount of the solder ball has reached a certain level or less (for example, the level at which the solder ball overflowing onto the inclined surface 621 of the inclined table 62 disappears).

[0048] The feeder control device 25 grasps whether or not the remaining amount of the solder ball has become less than a specified value for each of the plurality of squeegee units 50 by the plurality of detection devices 90. When the remaining amount of the solder ball in a predetermined squeegee unit 50 becomes less than the specified value, the feeder control device 25 notifies, for example, an operator and prompts the execution of a replenishment operation. According to such a configuration of the detection device 90, the remaining amount can be grasped for each of the plurality of squeegee units, and corresponding processing such as a replenishment operation according to the remaining amount can be performed.

[0049] 4. Operation of the Solder Ball Supply Device 20 The operation of the solder ball supply device 20 will now be described. The feeder control device 25 performs a filling process for components (solder balls 102 in this embodiment) based on commands from an external source, for example. The feeder control device 25 controls the operation of the stage moving device 24 and the unit moving device 40 based on a control program, parameters, and detection values ​​from various sensors (including the proximity sensor 91).

[0050] In the standby state before the filling process is executed, the stage 30 is positioned at the front end of the filling position Pd by the stage moving device 24, and the squeegee unit 50 is positioned at the front end by the unit moving device 40. In the above standby state, the opening / closing lid 26 (see Figure 1) provided on the top of the solder ball supply device 20 is opened, and an appropriate amount of solder balls 102 are supplied to the container 60 in advance from the supply port 631. The supplied solder balls 102 roll along the inclined surface 621 of the inclined table 62 and are stored in the storage chamber 65 so as to accumulate, as shown in Figure 5.

[0051] In the state shown in Figure 5, all the solder balls 102 are located directly above the opening 66. In contrast, if the upper end of the aggregate of solder balls 102 is below the supply port 631, the container 60 can accommodate the solder balls 102 in the storage chamber 65 without leakage. When the filling process is performed, the squeegee unit 50 is moved from the front end to the rear end by the unit moving device 40 from the standby state, with the opening 66 of the container 60 and the upper surface of the stage 30 facing each other (see Figure 6). After that, the squeegee unit 50 is moved from the rear end to the front end and returned to the standby state.

[0052] As a result of the reciprocating movement of the squeegee unit 50 in the forward and backward direction as described above, the solder balls 102 located in the opening 66 of the container 60 move by sliding along the upper surface of the table 222 and the upper surface of the stage 30. In this way, one solder ball 102 is placed in each of the cavities 34 formed in the stage 30.

[0053] Here, the distance between the lower ends of the skirts 74 of the pair of squeegee members 70 and the upper surfaces of the stage 30 and table 222 is adjusted using the adjustment device 80 so that it is slightly larger than the diameter of the solder balls 102. Also, the distance between the tips of the brushes 72 of the pair of squeegee members 70 and the upper surface of the stage 30 is adjusted so that it is smaller than the diameter of the solder balls 102 and that they can come into contact. This allows the brushes 72 to facilitate the containment of the solder balls 102 into the multiple cavities 34. The brushes 72 also function to prevent any excess solder balls 102 from remaining on the upper surface of the stage 30 after the opening 66 has passed.

[0054] After the filling of the cavity 34 of the stage 30 with solder balls 102 is complete, the feeder control device 25 moves the multiple stages 30 from the filling position Pd to the supply position Ps using the stage moving device 24. As a result, the solder ball supply device 20 supplies the solder balls 102 to the component mounting machine 10 in a state where the cavities 34 of the multiple stages 30 are filled with solder balls 102.

[0055] If the solder balls 102 supplied by the component mounting machine 10's sampling operation run out, the feeder control device 25 moves the multiple stages 30 to the front end using the stage moving device 24. By performing the filling process and the stage 30 movement process as described above, the feeder control device 25 performs the solder ball supply process according to the component mounting machine 10's request.

[0056] Furthermore, the control device 16 of the component mounting machine 10 processes image data acquired by, for example, a circuit board camera 15, of the solder balls 102 supplied to the supply position Ps. This allows the control device 16 to recognize the supply status of the solder balls 102 supplied by each of the three stages 30. The supply status includes a normal state where all cavities 34 contain solder balls 102 in a collectible manner, a defective state where some cavities 34 do not contain solder balls 102, and a defective state where unwanted solder balls 102 exist outside the cavities 34.

[0057] The control device 16 controls the system to collect multiple solder balls 102 at once using a dedicated nozzle from a normal stage 30 if the supply status of any of the three stages 30 includes a missing or defective state. If the supply status of all three stages 30 is normal, the control device 16 can maintain the stage 30 at the supply position Ps until three collection operations are performed. The control device 16 may also perform a recovery process to identify the location of the missing cavity 34 and individually mount the solder balls 102 at the corresponding mounting positions if the supply status of a predetermined stage 30 is missing.

[0058] Furthermore, if the supply status at a predetermined stage is missing or defective, the control device 16 may send a command to the solder ball supply device 20 to re-execute the filling process as a type of recovery process. With this configuration, the solder ball supply device 20 can supply a number of solder balls 102 equal to the number of stages 30 (3 in this embodiment) in one filling process, and the number of solder balls 102 supplied relative to the total supply operation time can be increased. As a result, the efficiency of the supply operation can be improved, and the time spent waiting for the solder ball 102 supply operation to finish can be suppressed.

[0059] Furthermore, the control device 16 of the component mounting machine 10 can collect solder balls 102 from the normal stage 30 even if the supply state of solder balls 102 includes conditions other than the normal state. This prevents interruptions in the mounting process and suppresses production delays. In addition, by providing the solder ball supply device 20 with multiple squeegee units 50, the total amount of solder balls 102 that the device can hold can be increased. This allows for extending the intervals between replenishment processes to the container 60, thereby increasing the continuous supply time for components.

[0060] 5. Modified Embodiment In one embodiment, the unit moving device 40 is configured to move multiple squeegee units 50 integrally in the Y direction relative to multiple stages 30. This allows multiple squeegee units 50 to be supported by a single slide 42, and the linear motion mechanism and the like can be shared. Alternatively, the unit moving device 40 may be configured to move multiple squeegee units 50 independently in the Y direction relative to multiple stages 30.

[0061] Furthermore, the multiple stages 30 are arranged side by side on a common base plate 31. Alternatively, the multiple stages 30 may be configured to move independently between the filling position Pd and the supply position Ps with respect to the beam 22. With such a configuration of multiple stages 30 and multiple unit moving devices 40, for example, one stage 30 can be moved to the supply position Ps to maintain a state in which solder balls can be supplied for collection, while the other stages 30 can be moved to the filling position Pd to perform the filling process.

[0062] In this embodiment, the solder ball supply device 20 is configured to include three stages 30 and three corresponding squeegee units 50. Alternatively, the solder ball supply device 20 may be configured to include four or more stages 30 and squeegee units 50. Furthermore, the solder ball supply device 20 may be configured to include one stage 30 and one corresponding squeegee unit 50.

[0063] Even in such a configuration, if the housing 60 has a configuration as illustrated in the embodiment, which includes an inclined base 62 and a case section 63 that is interchangeably provided on the inclined base 62 and forms a housing chamber 65 for housing multiple components (solder balls) in bulk together with the inclined base 62, then by replacing the case section 63 with one that corresponds to the required storage capacity and type of components, the inclined base 62 can be reused to form the housing chamber 65, thereby increasing the supply time of components while suppressing an increase in equipment costs.

[0064] In this embodiment, the feeder 122 is a solder ball supply device 20 that supplies solder balls 102 as components. However, the components to be supplied may be other than solder balls 102, such as chip components. Specifically, as shown in Patent Document 2, a squeegee unit 50 may be placed on the upper part of a track member (stage 30) in which a cavity is formed in the component supply area, and the squeegee unit 50 may be moved back and forth to accommodate and supply the components in the cavity.

[0065] In the configuration described above, the bulk feeder is equipped with multiple stages 30, multiple squeegee units 50 corresponding to these stages, and a moving device for moving the multiple squeegee units 50, thereby achieving the same effects as in the embodiment. Furthermore, if the bulk feeder is equipped with one stage 30, one squeegee unit 50, and one moving device, it becomes possible to perform filling processes into multiple cavities using these components. This also achieves the same effects as in the embodiment.

[0066] 10: Component mounting machine, 12: Component supply device, 121: Slot, 122: Feeder, 13: Component transfer device, 14: Component camera, 15: PCB camera, 16: Control device, 20: Solder ball supply device (feeder), 24: Stage moving device, 25: Feeder control device, 30: Stage, 33: Template, 34: Cavity, 35: Frame, 40: Unit moving device, 41: Guide rail, 42: Slide, 44: Support plate, 50: Squeegee unit, 51: Unit body, 60: Housing, 62: Inclined stand, 621: Inclined surface, 63, 63A-63C: Case section, 631: Supply port, 632: Lid section, 65: Storage chamber, 66: Opening, 70, 70A-70B: Squeegee member 71: Base, 72: Brush, 80: Adjustment device, 81: Support member, 90: Detection device, 91: Proximity sensor, 92: Holder, 101: Substrate, 102: Solder ball (component), Ps: Supply position, Pd: Filling position

Claims

1. A feeder comprising: a plurality of stages arranged in a horizontal first direction, each having a plurality of cavities capable of individually accommodating parts; a plurality of squeegee units arranged above the plurality of stages, each having a container for accommodating the plurality of parts in bulk and having an opening at the bottom, and a pair of squeegee members arranged on either side of the opening in a horizontal second direction intersecting the first direction; and a moving device that moves the plurality of squeegee units corresponding to the plurality of stages in the second direction, thereby accommodating the plurality of parts discharged from the opening between the pair of squeegee members into at least a portion of the plurality of cavities.

2. The feeder according to claim 1, wherein the moving device moves a plurality of the squeegee units integrally in the second direction.

3. The feeder according to claim 2, wherein the moving device comprises a guide rail extending in the second direction and a slide movable along the guide rail in the second direction, and each of the plurality of squeegee units is detachably attached to the slide.

4. The feeder according to claim 3, wherein the squeegee unit comprises a unit body that supports the housing and the squeegee member, and an adjustment device for adjusting the vertical position of the unit body with respect to the slide.

5. The feeder according to claim 4, wherein the adjustment device has three support members that are extendable and retractable in the vertical direction and are arranged at three different locations between the unit body and the slide, and the vertical position and angle of the pair of squeegee members with respect to the stage are adjusted by adjusting the lengths of the three support members.

6. The feeder according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the squeegee unit is equipped with a detection device for detecting the remaining amount of the component housed in the container.

7. The feeder according to claim 6, wherein the detection device comprises a proximity sensor for detecting the distance to the component to be detected, and a holder for supporting the proximity sensor such that the detection part of the proximity sensor is located inside the housing.

8. The feeder according to claim 7, wherein the holder is configured to allow adjustment of the installation height of the detection unit inside the container.

9. The feeder according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein each of the pair of squeegee members comprises a block-shaped base extending in the first direction and a brush formed by fixing a plurality of bristle bundles to the lower part of the base so as to protrude downward from the lower surface of the base.

10. The feeder according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the plurality of cavities are arranged to form a predetermined pattern, and the feeder is a solder ball supply device that supplies solder balls as components in the plurality of cavities.

11. The feeder according to claim 10, wherein the solder ball supply device further comprises a stage moving device for moving the stage between a supply position in which solder balls are supplied in a manner that allows them to be collected within the component mounting machine and a filling position in which a filling process is performed in which the solder balls are placed in a plurality of cavities by moving the squeegee unit by the moving device.

12. The feeder according to claim 1, wherein the container comprises: an inclined base having an inclined surface inclined in the second direction to guide a plurality of the contained parts to the opening; and a case portion provided interchangeably on the inclined base and forming a storage chamber for storing a plurality of the parts in bulk together with the inclined base.

13. A feeder comprising: a stage having a plurality of cavities capable of individually accommodating parts; a container having an opening at the bottom for accommodating the plurality of parts in bulk and a pair of squeegee members arranged on either side of the opening in a horizontal second direction; and a moving device for moving the squeegee unit in the second direction to accommodate the plurality of parts discharged from the opening between the pair of squeegee members into at least a portion of the plurality of cavities, wherein the container has an inclined base having an inclined surface inclined in the second direction to guide the plurality of parts accommodated to the opening; and a case portion interchangeably provided on the inclined base and forming a storage chamber for accommodating the plurality of parts in bulk together with the inclined base.

14. The feeder according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the container is configured by setting one of a plurality of types of case sections, each having a different maximum capacity for accommodating the components, on the inclined base, and the plurality of types of case sections include a case section having a supply port formed at a position offset in the second direction from the opening for receiving the components from the outside, and a lid section that, when viewed from above, closes from at least the region where the opening is provided to the end of the supply port on the opening side.

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