Component supply device and component mounting machine

Abstract

This component supply device includes: a pallet base which has a pedestal on which a component feeder is detachably set, and which is detachably mounted on a component mounting machine; and a feeder cover which is movably or detachably disposed at an upper restriction position spaced above the component feeder set on the pedestal, and which is disposed at the upper restriction position when the pallet base is mounted on the component mounting machine.

Description

Parts supply device and parts mounting machine

[0001] This specification relates to a parts supply device that is detachably mounted on a parts mounting machine and supplies parts.

[0002] The technology for mass-producing circuit board products by performing board-to-board operations on circuit boards with pre-formed circuit patterns is widespread. Furthermore, it has become common to arrange multiple types of board-to-board machines in a row to form a production line for circuit board products. A typical example of a board-to-board machine is a component mounting machine that performs the operation of attaching components to a circuit board. Many component mounting machines are equipped with a component supply device that arranges tape feeders, which supply components using carrier tapes, on a pallet stand. The component supply device is formed in a trolley shape and can be detached from the component mounting machine, making it possible to efficiently perform the insertion and removal of tape feeders (setting and removal operations). Technical examples of this type of component supply device are disclosed in Patent Documents 1-3.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a parts supply unit that is detachable from the main body of a parts mounting machine, comprising a feeder setting stand having a slot for setting a feeder, and a first cover member that covers the top of the set tape feeder and guides the setting work (see paragraphs 0012-0014). Furthermore, it is disclosed that a second cover member covering the top of the feeder is provided on the main body side alongside the first cover member (see paragraph 0019). With this, since the first cover member and the second cover member restrict the floating of the feeder, parts can be inserted and removed to replenish parts even when the parts mounting machine is performing mounting work.

[0004] Further, Patent Document 2 describes that the lower guide and the upper guide that form the movement path when the feeder is inserted and removed sandwich the feeder from above and below, and the feeder is fitted so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction (Claim 1). Further, it is described that the upper guide is movable between a fitting position where the upper end portion of the feeder is fitted and a retracted position where the movement path is opened upward (Claim 2). According to this, since the feeder is supported by the lower guide and the upper guide, it is prevented from being accidentally inserted outside the movement path and can be replaced without stopping the mounting operation.

[0005] Further, Patent Document 3 discloses a component supply device including a feeder table on which a tape feeder is mounted, and a cover that can be changed between a closed state covering the upper part except the component supply position of the mounted tape feeder and an open state in which the upper part is open. According to this, it is said that the cover can be opened in the open state to widely open the direction in which the carrier tape returns, and the carrier tape can be smoothly rewound in the reverse direction.

[0006] International Publication No. 2023 / 166733, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-125880, International Publication No. 2023 / 026457

[0007] By the way, in the configuration of Patent Document 1, it is preferable that the first cover member can regulate the floating of the feeder when the component mounting machine is performing the mounting operation, prevent interference with the mounting operation, and enable the insertion and removal operation of the feeder. On the other hand, in the setup change operation when changing the substrate product to be produced, the insertion and removal operations of a plurality of feeders can be made more efficient by detaching the component supply unit from the component mounting machine. At this time, since the first cover member is located above the feeder set table, there is a drawback that the workability of the insertion and removal operation of the feeder (particularly the set operation corresponding to the insertion operation) deteriorates.

[0008] To address this drawback, Patent Document 2 does not assume that the feeder insertion operation will be performed with the upper guide moved to the retracted position. If this insertion operation were performed, the insertion operation itself would be easier, but there is a risk that the upper guide would not smoothly fit into the feeder or that it would be damaged when moved to the fitting position after the insertion operation. Furthermore, in Patent Document 3, even when the cover is in the open position, the entire area above the feeder table is not opened, so the feeder insertion operation cannot be made more efficient.

[0009] Therefore, the problem to be solved in this specification is to provide a parts supply device that allows the parts feeder to be set while it is mounted on the parts mounting machine, while improving the workability of the parts feeder setting operation when it is detached from the parts mounting machine, and a parts mounting machine comprising this parts supply device.

[0010] This specification discloses a parts supply device comprising: a pallet stand detachably mounted on a parts loading machine, having a base for detachably setting a parts feeder; and a feeder cover movably or detachably positioned at an upper restricting position spaced above the parts feeder set on the base, and positioned at the upper restricting position when the pallet stand is mounted on the parts loading machine.

[0011] Furthermore, this specification discloses a component mounting machine comprising: a component supply area detachably equipped with the component supply device described above; a cover moving mechanism for moving the feeder cover from the retracted position to the upward restricting position when the component supply device is to be installed in the component supply area while the feeder cover is in the retracted position; and a component transfer device for picking up the components from the component feeder of the component supply device installed in the component supply area and transferring the picked up components to a substrate.

[0012] Furthermore, this specification discloses a technical concept in which the original claim 7 changed from "a parts mounting machine that references the parts supply device described in claim 2" to "a parts mounting machine that references the parts supply device described in any one of claims 2-6," and also discloses in the original claim 11 that "a parts mounting machine that references the parts supply device described in claim 1" was changed to "a parts mounting machine that references the parts supply device described in any one of claims 1-6."

[0013] In the disclosed configuration, the parts supply device, while mounted on the parts mounting machine, can position the feeder cover in an upward restricting position to prevent faulty work that causes the parts feeder to lift off the base during the setting operation of setting the parts feeder on the base. Therefore, there is no risk of the parts feeder lifting and interfering with the mounting operation, and the setting operation of the parts feeder can be performed. In addition, since the feeder cover of the parts supply device can be moved from the upward restricting position or removed while detached from the parts mounting machine, the workability of the setting operation can be improved.

[0014] This is a schematic plan view showing the overall configuration of a parts mounting machine equipped with a parts supply device of an embodiment that can be detachably mounted. This is a perspective view of the parts supply device of the embodiment. This is a side view of the parts supply device. This is a perspective view showing the configuration of a tape feeder, which is a form of parts feeder, and the groove-shaped base of the pallet stand. This is a front partial cross-sectional view showing the tape feeder set on the base and illustrating defective work. This is a perspective view showing the situation in which the parts supply device is approaching the parts supply area of ​​the parts mounting machine. This is a side view showing the situation just before the first pushing member of the parts mounting machine pushes the operating lever of the parts supply device as the parts supply device approaches the parts supply area. This is a side view showing the situation just before the operation by the first pushing member is completed and the second pushing member of the parts mounting machine pushes the restricted part of the parts supply device, progressing from the situation in Figure 7. This is a side view showing the situation in the middle of the operation by the second pushing member, progressing from the situation in Figure 8. This is a side view showing the situation in which the operation by the second pushing member is completed and the second pushing member is restricting the swing of the arm and restricting the rotation of the feeder cover, progressing from the situation in Figure 9.

[0015] 1. Overall Configuration of Component Mounting Machine 1 The component supply device 3 in this embodiment is detachably mounted on the component mounting machine 1. First, the overall configuration of the component mounting machine 1 will be explained with reference to Figure 1. The component mounting machine 1 performs the mounting operation of mounting components onto a substrate K. In Figure 1, the direction from the left to the right of the paper is the X-axis direction for transporting the substrate K, and the direction from the bottom (front) to the top (rear) of the paper is the Y-axis direction. In addition to the component supply device 3 in this embodiment, the component mounting machine 1 consists of a substrate transport device 2, a component transfer device 4, a base 10, and a control device (not shown), etc.

[0016] The substrate transport device 2 consists of a pair of guide rails 21, a pair of transport belts (not shown), and a clamping mechanism 23. The pair of guide rails 21 extend in the X-axis direction, traversing slightly towards the rear of the upper surface of the base 10, and are assembled to the base 10 parallel to each other. The pair of transport belts rotate along the guide rails 21 with two parallel sides of the substrate K placed on them, transporting the substrate K to the work position near the center of the base 10. The clamping mechanism 23 pushes up the transported substrate K and clamps it between itself and the guide rails 21 to position it. After the component mounting work by the component transfer device 4 is completed, the clamping mechanism 23 releases the substrate K, and the transport belts transport the substrate K out of the machine.

[0017] The parts supply device 3 consists of a pallet stand 5, a plurality of tape feeders 6, and a feeder cover 6A. The pallet stand 5 is formed in a generally rectangular shape when viewed from above. The pallet stand 5 may also be formed in the shape of a trolley with casters for movement. The pallet stand 5 is detachably mounted on the parts supply area 11 provided on the upper front part of the base 10. The plurality of tape feeders 6 are arranged on the pallet stand 5 in a left-right direction.

[0018] The tape feeder 6 feeds a carrier tape (not shown) containing multiple parts, and supplies parts at a supply position 61 near the rear end, making them available for collection. The tape feeder 6 is formed to be thin with a small width dimension in the left-right direction. Multiple types of tape feeders 6 can be mixed to accommodate differences in the tape width dimensions of the carrier tape. The tape feeder 6 is a form of parts feeder. When the pallet stand 5 is mounted on the parts mounting machine 1, the feeder cover 6A is positioned at an upper restriction position (see Figures 1-3) above the tape feeder 6. Furthermore, the feeder cover 6A is movable from the upper restriction position. Details of the parts supply device 3 will be described later.

[0019] The component transfer device 4 picks up components from the tape feeder 6 of the component supply device 3, which is installed in the component supply area 11, and transfers the picked-up components to the substrate K. The component transfer device 4 consists of a pair of guide rails 40, a Y-axis moving body 41, an X-axis moving body 42, a mounting head 43, a rotary tool 44, a suction nozzle 45, a substrate recognition camera 46, and a component recognition camera 49. The pair of guide rails 40 are positioned on the left and right edges of the base 10, extending in the Y-axis direction parallel to each other while being spaced apart. The Y-axis moving body 41 is formed from a member that is long in the X-axis direction and is mounted on the pair of guide rails 40. The Y-axis moving body 41 moves in the Y-axis direction driven by a Y-direction drive mechanism (not shown). The X-axis moving body 42 is mounted on the Y-axis moving body 41 and moves in the X-axis direction driven by an X-direction drive mechanism (not shown).

[0020] The mounting head 43 is located on the front of the X-axis moving body 42 and moves horizontally in two directions together with the X-axis moving body 42. A rotary tool 44 is mounted below the mounting head 43 so as to be rotatable. The rotary tool 44 rotates around a vertical central axis. The rotary tool 44 has a plurality of (12 in the example in Figure 1) suction nozzles 45 equidistant from the vertical central axis. The suction nozzles 45 are a form of component mounting device that mounts components at predetermined mounting positions on the substrate K. The suction nozzles 45 perform vertical movement and rotation around the vertical axis. Also, when the rotary tool 44 rotates, the suction nozzles 45 revolve around the vertical central axis of the rotary tool 44. The suction nozzles 45 are selectively supplied with negative or positive pressure air from an air supply mechanism (not shown) to suction and mount components. Alternatively, the rotary tool 44 may be omitted, and a single suction nozzle 45 may be provided on the underside of the mounting head 43 so as to be rotatable.

[0021] The substrate recognition camera 46 is mounted on the X-axis moving body 42 alongside the mounting head 43. The substrate recognition camera 46 is positioned so that its optical axis is facing downwards, and it captures images of the position reference marks attached to the substrate K from above. The acquired image data is processed to accurately determine the work position on the substrate K. As an example of the substrate recognition camera 46, a digital imaging device having an image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) can be used.

[0022] The component recognition camera 49 is mounted on a base 10 between the substrate transport device 2 and the component supply device 3. The component recognition camera 49 is positioned so that its optical axis is facing upward. The component recognition camera 49 images and recognizes the component held by the suction nozzle 45 from below as the mounting head 43 moves from the component supply device 3 to the substrate K. This determines whether the component is of the correct type, and also detects the position and orientation of the component relative to the suction nozzle 45, which is then reflected in the mounting operation. As the component recognition camera 49, a digital imaging device having an image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS can be exemplified.

[0023] The component transfer device 4 can repeat multiple suction mounting cycles on the positioned substrate K. In a suction mounting cycle, first, the mounting head 43 moves above the component supply device 3, and each suction nozzle 45 picks up a component. Next, the mounting head 43 moves above the component recognition camera 49, and the component recognition camera 49 takes an image. Then, the mounting head 43 moves above the substrate K, and each suction nozzle 45 attaches the component to the substrate K. Finally, the mounting head 43 moves back towards the component supply device 3. The suction mounting cycle is a general term for the series of operations described above.

[0024] The control device, not shown in the figure, is mounted on the base 10, and its placement is not particularly limited. The control device consists of a computer device that has a CPU and operates by software. The control device may also consist of multiple CPUs distributed within the machine and connected by communication. Based on mounting work data created for each type of substrate K, the control device controls the substrate transport device 2, the component supply device 3, and the component transfer device 4 to proceed with the component mounting work.

[0025] 2. Detailed Configuration of Parts Supply Device 3 Next, the detailed configuration of the parts supply device 3 of the embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 2-5. In addition to the pallet stand 5, a plurality of tape feeders 6, and feeder cover 6A described above, the parts supply device 3 includes an arm 7 and a holding mechanism 8. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the pallet stand 5 is composed of a pair of left and right side plates 51, a base member 52, a connecting part 55, and a pair of left and right arm support parts 56, etc.

[0026] The left and right side panels 51 are arranged upright and parallel to each other, spaced apart from each other. Each of the left and right side panels 51 is formed from a plate material that extends in the front-to-back direction, with its front end extending downwards. Leg members and casters for movement (not shown) are provided at the bottom of the side panels 51. As a result, the pallet platform 5 is formed in the shape of a trolley.

[0027] The base member 52 is formed from a rectangular plate and is horizontally spanned over a pair of left and right side plates 51. Below the base member 52 are a power supply unit (not shown) for supplying power to the multiple tape feeders 6, and a control unit (not shown) for controlling the multiple tape feeders 6. The base member 52 has multiple pedestals 54 for detachably setting the tape feeders 6. As shown in Figure 4, each of the multiple pedestals 54 is formed in a groove shape extending in the front-to-back direction by cutting out the upper surface 53 of the base member 52. Furthermore, the multiple pedestals 54 are arranged at equal pitches in the left-to-right direction.

[0028] The specific groove shape of the base 54 is as shown in Figure 5, with the groove width W2 at the bottom of the groove being larger than the groove width W1 at the upper groove entrance. On the other hand, the tape feeder 6 has a fitting portion 62 at its lower part that fits into the base 54 from the horizontal direction. The shape of the fitting portion 62 corresponds to the groove shape of the base 54, with the lower width being larger than the upper width. The tape feeder 6 is set up in two stages, as shown by arrows A1 and A2 in Figure 4.

[0029] More specifically, in the first stage indicated by arrow A1, the height of the tape feeder 6 relative to the base member 52 is adjusted so that the height of the rear end of the fitting portion 62 matches the height of the front end of the base 54. Next, in the second stage indicated by arrow A2, the tape feeder 6 is inserted horizontally into the base member 52, and the fitting portion 62 is fitted into the base 54 from the horizontal direction. By fitting the fitting portion 62 into the base 54, the tape feeder 6 is set on the base member 52 in a way that prevents it from floating up.

[0030] Furthermore, the removal operation of the tape feeder 6 from the base 54 involves pulling the tape feeder 6 horizontally, which is easier than the setting operation. The grooved base 54 is often referred to as a slot. The base 54 is deformable; for example, it can have a groove shape with an isosceles trapezoidal cross-section, where the sides of the groove are sloped, making the top narrower and the bottom wider. In this case, the cross-sectional shape of the fitting portion 62 of the tape feeder 6 is naturally deformed into an isosceles trapezoid.

[0031] The connecting portion 55 is positioned vertically on the rear side of the base member 52 and extends in the left-right direction. The connecting portion 55 has upper and lower positioning holes (not shown) at positions corresponding to each of the multiple bases 54. Furthermore, a receiving connector (not shown) is provided between the upper and lower positioning holes. On the other hand, the tape feeder 6 has upper and lower positioning pins 63 on its rear surface, as shown in Figure 4. Furthermore, the tape feeder 6 has a connecting connector 64 between the upper and lower positioning pins 63. When the tape feeder 6 is inserted into the base member 52, the positioning pins 63 fit into the positioning holes of the connecting portion 55 to position the tape feeder 6. In parallel with the insertion of the positioning pins 63, the connecting connector 64 automatically mates with the receiving connector of the connecting portion 55, supplying power and establishing a communication connection from the pallet base 5 to the tape feeder 6.

[0032] A pair of left and right arm support sections 56 are positioned on the outer upper part of a pair of left and right side plates 51. The length of the arm support section 56 in the front-rear direction is less than half that of the side plates 51. A pivot axis 57 extending in the left-right direction is set towards the rear of the arm support section 56. The arm 7 is pivotably mounted around the pivot axis 57 of the arm support section 56. In Figures 2 and 3, the forward pivot position of the arm 7 is shown by a solid line, and the rearward pivot position is shown by a dashed line. A rear stopper 58 that defines the rearward pivot position of the arm 7 is provided at the rear end of the arm support section 56. In this embodiment, the pivot angle range of the arm 7 is set to 110° as shown in Figure 3, but is not limited thereto.

[0033] The arms 7 are arranged in a pair, left and right configuration, and are provided above the pair of left and right arm support parts 56. Each of the left and right arms 7 is formed in a plate shape. In the forward swing position, the arms 7 extend diagonally upward and forward from above the arm support part 56. The arms 7 support the feeder cover 6A and rotate it between an upward restricting position and a retracted position. The arms 7 have a torque hinge 71, a restricted part 72, and an operating lever 73.

[0034] The feeder cover 6A is provided on the upper front part of the arm 7 in the forward swing position. Furthermore, the feeder cover 6A spans across the left and right arms 7. When the arm 7 is in the forward swing position, the feeder cover 6A is positioned in a floating restriction position spaced above the tape feeder 6 set on the base 54. The feeder cover 6A employs a divided structure of a main cover 6B and an auxiliary cover 6C, corresponding to the shape of the upper surface of the tape feeder 6. The main cover 6B is provided in a generally horizontal position. The auxiliary cover 6C has a smaller width dimension in the front-to-back direction than the main cover 6B. The auxiliary cover 6C is provided at a position further back than the main cover 6B and is inclined in the front-to-back direction. However, the feeder cover 6A may be a single piece.

[0035] The feeder cover 6A in the upward restricting position allows the standard setting operation to be performed when setting the tape feeder 6 on the base 54, in which the fitting portion 62 is fitted to the base 54 from the horizontal direction. However, since the feeder cover 6A is located above the base 54, it reduces the workability of the first stage of the two-stage setting operation of the tape feeder 6 described above (see arrows A1 and A2 in Figure 4). On the other hand, the feeder cover 6A in the upward restricting position has almost no effect on the workability of the second stage.

[0036] The feeder cover 6A in the upper regulating position prevents faulty work during the setting process, which could cause the tape feeder 6 to lift off the base 54. More specifically, as shown in Figure 5, the distance DS between the feeder cover 6A in the upper regulating position and the set tape feeder 6 is smaller than the height dimension HT of the fitting portion 62 of the tape feeder 6. Therefore, the feeder cover 6A prevents faulty work (see dashed line in Figure 5) in which the fitting portion 62 of the tape feeder 6 is inserted while resting on the upper surface 53 of the base member 52 without fitting into the base 54. In other words, the feeder cover 6A prevents the insertion of the tape feeder 6 if it is lifted above the normal height. On the other hand, during the removal of the tape feeder 6, the fitted fitting portion 62 can be pulled out horizontally, so there is no risk of faulty work causing the tape feeder 6 to lift off the base.

[0037] The feeder cover 6A pivots from the upper regulating position to the retracted position in accordance with the forward-to-rear swinging motion of the arm 7. As shown by the dashed lines in Figures 2 and 3, the feeder cover 6A is positioned in the retracted position when the arm 7 swings to the rearward swinging position. Regardless of its position, the feeder cover 6A allows for normal setting operations. It is also possible to configure the system in a different configuration in which the feeder cover 6A in the upper regulating position is detachable from the arm 7, and the arm 7 does not swing. For this alternative configuration, "feeder cover 6A in the retracted position" in the following description can be appropriately interpreted as "removed feeder cover 6A".

[0038] In Figures 2 and 3, the feeder cover 6A in the retracted position, indicated by the dashed line, is detached from above the tape feeder 6 set on the base 54. Therefore, compared to the feeder cover 6A in the upper-restricted position, the feeder cover 6A in the retracted position simplifies the first stage of the two-stage setting operation of the tape feeder 6, thereby ensuring good workability.

[0039] Torque hinges 71 are provided at the rear ends of each of the left and right arms 7 in their forward swing positions. The torque hinges 71 support the arms 7 so that they can swing around the pivot axis 57. The torque hinges 71 allow the feeder cover 6A to be stopped at any position during its rotation if the swing operation of the operating lever 73 (described later) is interrupted. To elaborate, when an external torque is applied to the operating lever 73, causing the arms 7 to swing and the feeder cover 6A to rotate, the torque hinges 71 generate a braking torque in the opposite direction to the external torque. The torque hinges 71 then restrict the swing of the arms 7 and the rotation of the feeder cover 6A when the external torque decreases or disappears. This prevents damage caused by excessive operating speed or shocks.

[0040] The restricted portion 72 is provided on the front side of the torque hinge 71 when the left and right arms 7 are in their forward swinging positions. The restricted portion 72 is an elongated rectangular plate-shaped member in the front-rear direction and is positioned horizontally on the outside of the lower part of the arm 7. The restricted portion 72 is a part that restricts the feeder cover 6A from rotating from the upper restricted position when the parts supply device 3 is equipped on the parts mounting machine 1 (details will be described later). The restricted portion 72 is made of a magnetic material such as iron and also serves as the attracted portion of the holding mechanism 8, which will be described later. Naturally, not only the restricted portion 72, but the entire arm 7 may be made of a magnetic material.

[0041] The operating levers 73 are provided at the front ends of each of the pair of left and right arms 7 in their forward swing positions. The operating levers 73 protrude horizontally outward from the arms 7. The operator can rotate the feeder cover 6A by applying external force to the operating levers 73 to swing the arms 7.

[0042] The holding mechanism 8 is provided to stably hold the feeder cover 6A in the upward restricted position. The holding mechanism 8 has an attractive part and a magnet 81. The attractive part is provided on the arm 7 and is made of a magnetic material. In this embodiment, the attractive part is also used for the restricted part 72 described above. The magnet 81 is positioned on the upper front part of the arm support part 56 of the pallet base 5. The magnet 81 attracts the attractive part (restricted part 72) by magnetic force and restricts the swinging of the arm 7. In other words, by the contact between the magnet 81 and the attractive part (restricted part 72), the arm 7 is held in the forward swinging position and the feeder cover 6A is held in the upward restricted position. As can be seen from this, the magnet 81 also serves as a forward stopper that defines the forward swinging position of the arm 7. Note that the attractive part of the holding mechanism 8 may be provided on the pallet base 5 and the magnet 81 may be provided on the arm 7. Furthermore, the magnet 81 can be omitted, thereby eliminating the function of the holding mechanism 8. However, the restricted part 72, which also serves as the attracted part, is necessary for the restricting mechanism 95 of the component mounting machine 1, which will be described later.

[0043] 3. Method of Using Component Feeding Device 3 and Effects The component feeding device 3 of the embodiment is installed and used in the component feeding area 11 of the component mounting machine 1. When the mounting operation of the component mounting machine 1 progresses, any of the tape feeders 6 may run out of components. In this case, the component feeding device 3 installed in the component feeding area 11 allows the replenishment operation of components during the operation of the component transfer device 4, or in other words, allows the replacement operation of the tape feeder 6. That is, during the operation of the component transfer device 4, the removal operation of removing the tape feeder 6 out of components from the pedestal 54 and the setting operation of setting the replenishment tape feeder 6 on the pedestal 54 are allowed. As a prerequisite for allowing, it is a requirement to place the feeder cover 6A in the upper regulation position to regulate defective operations. According to this, the component replenishment operation can be performed without interrupting the operation of the component transfer device 4, so a high production efficiency is maintained.

[0044] On the other hand, in the setup operation when changing the substrate product produced by the component mounting machine 1, it is often necessary to perform the replacement operation (removal operation and setting operation) of a large number of tape feeders 6. In this case, the operator can improve the workability of the replacement operation of a large number of tape feeders 6 by detaching the component feeding device 3 from the component mounting machine 1 and setting the feeder cover 6A in the retracted position. In particular, as described above, the effect of facilitating the first stage of the two-stage setting operation of the tape feeder 6 and improving its workability becomes remarkable.

[0045] The component feeding device 3 of the embodiment can regulate the defective operation of floating the tape feeder 6 from the pedestal 54 during the setting operation by placing the feeder cover 6A in the upper regulation position in the state of being installed in the component mounting machine 1. Therefore, there is no risk that the tape feeder 6 will float and interfere with the mounting operation, and the setting operation of the tape feeder 6 becomes possible. Further, the component feeding device 3 can move or remove the feeder cover 6A from the upper regulation position in the state of being detached from the component mounting machine 1. Therefore, the workability of the setting operation of the tape feeder 6 can be improved.

[0046] 4. Cover Movement Mechanism 90 and Regulation Mechanism 95 of Component Mounting Machine 1 As described above, in the replacement operation of the tape feeder 6 during the operation of the component transfer device 4, it is a requirement to place the feeder cover 6A in the upper regulation position. If a defective operation is performed in which the tape feeder 6 is lifted from the pedestal 54, a problem may occur in that the lifted tape feeder 6 interferes with the suction nozzle 45 (interferes with the mounting operation). Therefore, in the component supply device 3 equipped in the component supply area 11, there arises a problem of regulating the movement (swiveling) of the feeder cover 6A from the upper regulation position. The above-described holding mechanism 8 holds the feeder cover 6A in the upper regulation position using magnetic force, but it cannot necessarily be said that it is sufficient. As a countermeasure against this problem, a regulation mechanism 95 can be provided on the side of the component mounting machine 1.

[0047] Also, after the above-described setup change operation is completed, there is a non-negligible possibility that the operator may neglect to swivel the feeder cover 6A from the retracted position to the upper regulation position. In this case, since the component supply device 3 in a state where the feeder cover 6A is located at the retracted position is equipped in the component supply area 11, it becomes impossible to regulate defective operations. Therefore, there arises a problem of not equipping the component supply area 11 with the component supply device 3 in a state where the feeder cover 6A is located at the retracted position. As a countermeasure against this problem, a cover movement mechanism 90 can be provided on the side of the component mounting machine 1.

[0048] The cover movement mechanism 90 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 - 10. In FIGS. 6 - 10, the tape feeder 6 is not shown, and actually, a plurality of tape feeders 6 are set in the component supply device 3. The cover movement mechanism 90 moves the feeder cover 6A from the retracted position to the upper regulation position when the component supply device 3 in a state where the feeder cover 6A is located at the retracted position is about to be equipped due to an operator's mistake or misunderstanding. On the other hand, when the component supply device 3 in a state where the feeder cover 6A is located at the upper regulation position is about to be equipped, the cover movement mechanism 90 does not need to function.

[0049] In the following description, we will focus on the parts supply device 3 (see Figure 6) in the state where the arm 7 is swung to the rearward swing position and the feeder cover 6A is in the retracted position. The cover moving mechanism 90 swings the arm 7 as the parts supply device 3 approaches the parts supply area 11, causing the feeder cover 6A to rotate from the retracted position to the upward restricting position. The cover moving mechanism 90 has a first pushing member 91 and a second pushing member 92. The cover moving mechanism 90 will be described in detail below.

[0050] As shown in Figure 6, an openable and closable front cover 12 is provided above the parts supply area 11 of the parts mounting machine 1. The first pushing members 91 are provided in a left and right pair on both the left and right sides of the base 10, flanking the front cover 12. The left and right pair of first pushing members 91 are positioned opposite the left and right pair of operating levers 73 of the parts supply device 3 that approaches the parts supply area 11. Each of the left and right pair of first pushing members 91 is a vertically elongated member, and the operating levers 73 can contact the front surface of each member.

[0051] As shown in Figure 7, the operating lever 73 contacts the first pushing member 91 at the initial stage when the parts supply device 3 approaches the parts supply area 11. After this, the first pushing member 91 pushes the operating lever 73 and swings the arm 7 until the parts supply device 3 is partway to approach the parts supply area 11. The contact point 93 where the first pushing member 91 and the operating lever 73 contact moves vertically in accordance with the change in the swing angle of the arm 7. As shown in Figure 8, the first pushing member 91 swings the arm 7 forward by 60° from the rearward swing position to the intermediate swing position. As a result, the feeder cover 6A rotates from the retracted position to the intermediate position, resulting in the situation shown in Figure 8.

[0052] In the situation shown in Figure 8, the second pushing member 92 comes into contact with the restricted portion 72 of the parts supply device 3 as it approaches the parts supply area 11. The second pushing member 92 is provided inside the base 10 in a left-right pair configuration. The left-right pair of second pushing members 92 are positioned opposite the left-right pair of restricted portions 72 of the parts supply device 3 as it approaches the parts supply area 11. Each of the left-right pair of second pushing members 92 is a horizontally elongated member extending in the front-rear direction, and the restricted portion 72 can come into contact with its front surface. In the situation shown in Figure 8, the second pushing member 92 is in contact with the lower part of the restricted portion 72 at an inclination angle of 50°. After this, the second pushing member 92 swings the arm 7 in place of the first pushing member 91.

[0053] In other words, the second pushing member 92 pushes the restricted portion 72 as the parts supply device 3 approaches the parts supply area 11, gradually reducing its inclination angle, and swings the arm 7 until the restricted portion 72 is in a horizontal position. This leads to the situation shown in Figure 9, and then to the situation shown in Figure 10. In the situation shown in Figure 10, the arm 7 has swung 50° from the intermediate swing position to reach the forward swing position. Also, the feeder cover 6A has rotated from the intermediate position to the upper restriction position. According to the configuration and operation of the cover movement mechanism 90 described above, when the parts supply device 3 is equipped in the parts supply area 11 with the feeder cover 6A in the retracted position, the feeder cover 6A automatically rotates to the upper restriction position, enabling the restriction of defective work.

[0054] Next, the regulating mechanism 95 will be explained with reference to Figure 10. The regulating mechanism 95 restricts the movement of the feeder cover 6A of the parts supply device 3, which is installed in the parts supply area 11, from its upper restricted position. The regulating mechanism 95 consists of a restricted portion 72 provided on the arm 7, and a regulating member. The regulating member restricts the movement of the restricted portion 72, thereby restricting the swinging of the arm 7 and the rotation of the feeder cover 6A. In this embodiment, the regulating member is also performed by a second pushing member 92.

[0055] To elaborate, as shown in Figure 10, the second pushing member 92 is positioned above the restricted portion 72 after pushing it. Furthermore, when the parts supply device 3 is equipped with the feeder cover 6A in the upper restricted position, the second pushing member 92 will be positioned above the restricted portion 72, which is initially in a horizontal position. Therefore, the second pushing member 92 can restrict the lifting of the restricted portion 72, thereby preventing the arm 7 from swinging from the forward swing position. This ensures that the upper restricted position of the feeder cover 6A is reliably maintained, thus reliably preventing improper work.

[0056] 5. Application and Modification of the Embodiment In this embodiment, the feeder cover 6A is supported by the arm 7 and rotates between an upward restricting position and a retracted position, but it may also be driven by a slide drive mechanism to move in parallel. The slide drive mechanism is composed of, for example, a guide rail extending from the upward restricting position to the retracted position, a movable member that can move along the guide rail while supporting the feeder cover 6A, and a drive source that drives the movable member. In this embodiment, a tape feeder 6 using a carrier tape was exemplified as one form of parts feeder, but other forms of parts feeders can be applied. For example, bulk feeders that do not use a specific parts supply medium, or stick feeders that use rectangular tubular sticks can be applied. The embodiment can be applied and modified in various other ways.

[0057] 1: Component mounting machine 10: Base 11: Component supply area 2: Circuit board transport device 3: Component supply device 4: Component transfer device 5: Pallet stand 51: Side plate 52: Base member 53: Top surface 54: Base 55: Connection part 56: Arm support part 57: Swivel axis 6: Tape feeder 62: Fitting part 6A: Feeder cover 7: Arm 71: Torque hinge 72: Restricted part 73: Operating lever 8: Holding mechanism 81: Magnet 90: Cover moving mechanism 91: First pushing member 92: Second pushing member 95: Restricting mechanism

Claims

1. A parts supply device comprising: a pallet stand that is detachably mounted on a parts loading machine and has a base for detachably setting a parts feeder; and a feeder cover that is movably or detachably positioned at an upper restricting position spaced above the parts feeder set on the base, and which is positioned at the upper restricting position when the pallet stand is mounted on the parts loading machine.

2. The parts supply device according to claim 1, wherein the feeder cover moves between the upper restricting position and a retracted position away from above the parts feeder set on the base, and regardless of the position, allows for the setting operation of setting the parts feeder on the base.

3. The parts supply device according to claim 2, comprising an arm that rotates the feeder cover between the upper restricting position and the retracted position, the arm having an operating lever that is oscillated by an operator, and a torque hinge that allows the feeder cover to be stopped at any position during rotation if the oscillation operation of the operating lever is interrupted.

4. The parts supply device according to claim 3, further comprising a holding mechanism for holding the feeder cover in the upper restricting position.

5. The parts supply device according to claim 4, wherein the holding mechanism comprises a part to be attracted, which is provided on one of the arm and the pallet stand and is made of a magnetic material, and a magnet, which is provided on the other of the arm and the pallet stand and attracts the part to be attracted by magnetic force to restrict the swinging of the arm.

6. The parts supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the pallet base has a groove-shaped base for setting the parts feeder in a position where it cannot be lifted, and the parts feeder has a fitting portion that fits horizontally into the groove-shaped base.

7. A component mounting machine comprising: a component supply area detachably equipped with a component supply device as described in claim 2; a cover moving mechanism for moving the feeder cover from the retracted position to the upward restricting position when the component supply device is to be installed in the component supply area with the feeder cover in the retracted position; and a component transfer device for picking up components from the component feeder of the component supply device installed in the component supply area and transferring the picked up components to a substrate.

8. The parts supply device comprises an arm for rotating the feeder cover between the upper restricting position and the retracted position, and the cover moving mechanism swings the arm to rotate the feeder cover as the parts supply device approaches the parts supply area with the feeder cover in the retracted position.

9. The parts mounting machine according to claim 8, wherein the arm has an operating lever that is swung by an operator, and a restricted portion for restricting the feeder cover from rotating from the upper restricted position, and the cover moving mechanism has a first pushing member that pushes the operating lever to swing the arm until the parts supply device is approaching the parts supply area, thereby rotating the feeder cover from the retracted position to an intermediate position, and a second pushing member that pushes the restricted portion to swing the arm after the parts supply device has approached the parts supply area, thereby rotating the feeder cover from the intermediate position to the upper restricted position.

10. The component mounting machine according to claim 9, wherein the second pushing member restricts the movement of the restricted portion after the component supply device is installed in the component supply area, thereby restricting the swinging of the arm and the rotation of the feeder cover.

11. A component mounting machine comprising: a component supply area detachably equipped with a component supply device as described in claim 1; a regulating mechanism that restricts the movement of the feeder cover of the component supply device equipped in the component supply area from the upper regulating position; and a component transfer device that picks up components from the component feeder of the component supply device equipped in the component supply area and transfers the picked-up components to a substrate.

12. The parts supply device comprises an arm that rotates the feeder cover between the upper restricting position and the retracted position, and the restricting mechanism comprises a restricting member that restricts the movement of a restricted portion provided on the arm, thereby restricting the swinging of the arm and the rotation of the feeder cover, as described in claim 11.

13. The parts supply device equipped in the parts supply area allows for setting the parts feeder onto the base and removing the parts feeder from the base while the parts transfer device is in operation, according to any one of claims 7-12.

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