Transport carriage

Abstract

This transport carriage comprises: a placement part on which a plurality of trays are placed in a stacked state; a holding device that has a plate disposed on the upper surface of a top tray positioned at the top of the plurality of trays placed on the placement part and that holds the plurality of trays in the stacked state; and a moving device that moves the plurality of trays held by the holding device upward and downward relative to the placement part and in a horizontal first direction.

Description

Transport carriage

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport carriage.

[0002] The transport carriage supports work for supplying or recovering trays to and from a tray feeder. The tray feeder supplies components accommodated in predetermined trays to a component mounting machine. Patent Document 1 discloses a tray feeder that holds a plurality of trays in a stacked state and uses trays starting from the lowermost tray for component supply. The tray feeder of Patent Document 1 supplies components accommodated in a tray by transporting the lowermost tray to a supply position. Used trays are held in a stacked state in a recovery unit.

[0003] International Publication No. 2019 / 146093

[0004] Supply and recovery of trays to and from the tray feeder are manually performed by an operator. Specifically, for example, work of stacking a plurality of trays according to the order of use in a setup area is performed, and the plurality of trays are placed on the transport carriage and transported to the tray feeder. The plurality of trays are loaded into the tray feeder by the operator while maintaining the stacked state. In addition, used trays are recovered by the operator while maintaining the stacked state.

[0005] An object of the present specification is to provide a transport carriage that can improve production efficiency using a tray feeder by supporting work for supplying or recovering trays to and from the tray feeder.

[0006] The present specification discloses a transport carriage applied to a tray feeder that supplies components accommodated in trays to a component mounting machine, comprising: a placement portion on which a plurality of the trays are placed in a stacked state; a holding device that has a plate disposed on an upper surface of a top tray positioned at the uppermost stage among the plurality of trays placed on the placement portion, and holds the plurality of trays in a stacked state; and a moving device that moves the plurality of trays held by the holding device up and down relative to the placement portion and in a horizontal first direction.

[0007] This specification applies to a tray feeder that supplies parts contained in trays to a parts mounting machine, wherein the tray feeder comprises a holding section that holds a plurality of trays in a stacked state, a transport section that transports one of the plurality of trays to a predetermined parts supply position in the parts mounting machine, and a recovery section that collects used trays and holds them in a stacked state, and a recovery base having an upper surface at the same height as the upper surface of the recovery section and that holds the plurality of stacked trays so as to be slidable in a horizontal first direction, and a pull-out device that pulls out and moves the plurality of trays held in the recovery section toward the recovery base when the recovery base is positioned so as to be aligned with the recovery section in the first direction, wherein the transport trolley comprises these components.

[0008] This specification also discloses the technical idea of ​​changing "the transport trolley described in claim 1 or 2" to "the transport trolley described in any one of claims 1-4" in claim 5 of the original application, the technical idea of ​​changing "the transport trolley described in claim 1 or 2" to "the transport trolley described in any one of claims 1-6" in claim 7 of the original application, and the technical idea of ​​changing "the transport trolley described in claim 1 or 2" to "the transport trolley described in any one of claims 1-7" in claim 8 of the original application. This specification also discloses the technical idea of ​​changing "the transport trolley described in claim 1 or 2" to "the transport trolley described in any one of claims 1-8" in claim 9 of the original application, and the technical idea of ​​changing "the transport trolley described in claim 10" to "the transport trolley described in claim 9 or 10" in claim 11 of the original application.

[0009] With this configuration, the use of a transport cart assists in the replenishment or retrieval of trays to the tray feeder, thereby reducing the workload. This prevents parts from running out in the tray feeder and improves the efficiency of production using the tray feeder.

[0010] This is a schematic perspective view showing the overall configuration of the tray feeder of the embodiment. This is a perspective view showing a tray. This is a schematic perspective view showing the overall configuration of the transport cart. This is a perspective view showing the holding device of the transport cart. This is a diagram schematically showing the operation of the holding device. This is a schematic perspective view showing tray replenishment work using the transport cart. This is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the clamper in tray replenishment work. This is a perspective view showing the pulling device of the transport cart. This is a schematic side view showing tray retrieval work using the transport cart.

[0011] 1. Overview of the Transport Cart 20 The transport cart 20 assists in the replenishment or retrieval of trays 80 to the tray feeder 10. The tray feeder 10 and the transport cart 20, together with various substrate-to-substrate work machines including a component mounting machine 90, constitute a production system for producing product substrates. The component mounting machine 90 performs the mounting process of mounting components onto the substrate as a predetermined substrate-to-substrate work.

[0012] The production system includes a production line that produces a series of predetermined product substrates. The production line consists of multiple substrate handling machines arranged in the direction of substrate transport. Each of the substrate handling machines is connected to a line management device and a host computer that centrally control the production line. The line management device manages the production line on which it is installed.

[0013] The production line is comprised of multiple solder printing machines, multiple component mounting machines 90, a reflow oven, and inspection machines, among other things, as substrate-facing work machines. The configuration of the production line can be appropriately added to or changed depending on, for example, the type of product substrate to be produced. Specifically, multiple production lines may be appropriately equipped with substrate-facing work machines such as substrate supply devices, substrate inversion devices, various inspection devices, shield mounting devices, adhesive application devices, and ultraviolet irradiation devices.

[0014] The production system includes multiple parking areas to serve as waiting areas for multiple transport carts 20. The transport carts 20 are connected to an automated guided vehicle (AMR) 52 and move between the parking areas and the tray feeders 10 to be transported. In addition to the production area where the production line is built and the aforementioned parking areas, the production system also includes a setup area for performing various external setup tasks and a storage area for storing various equipment and parts.

[0015] 2. Configuration of the tray feeder 10 The configuration of the tray feeder 10 in the embodiment will be explained with reference to Figure 1. The tray feeder 10 uses a plurality of stacked trays 80 in order from the bottom to supply parts to the component mounting machine 90. The component mounting machine 90 takes parts from the trays 80 at the component supply position 91 and performs a mounting process to mount the parts onto the substrate. As shown by the arrow in the upper left of Figure 1, the front, back, left, and right directions common to the tray feeder 10 and the component mounting machine 90 are defined.

[0016] The tray feeder 10 is mounted on the front side of the parts mounting machine 90 such that the conveying section 14 is located inside the parts mounting machine 90. The tray feeder 10 may be configured to be mobile, equipped with casters for movement, and detachable from the parts mounting machine 90.

[0017] 2-1. Feeder Body 11 The tray feeder 10 and tray 80 are configured to be generally symmetrical. The tray feeder 10 comprises a feeder body 11, a holding unit 12, a transfer unit 13, a transport unit 14, a collection unit 15, a reading unit 16, and a feeder control device 17. The feeder body 11 is a case to which the holding unit 12 and other components are assembled.

[0018] 2-2. Holding Section 12 The holding section 12 is located on the upper part of the feeder body 11. The holding section 12 holds a plurality of trays 80 in a stacked state. The holding section 12 is configured to allow the bottom tray 80 in the stacking direction to be detached. The holding section 12 consists of a rear holding guide 121, a pair of left and right side holding guides 122, and a pair of front and rear detachment mechanisms 123. The rear holding guide 121 is a generally rectangular plate-shaped member and is positioned upright on the rear side of the holding section 12. The pair of left and right side holding guides 122 are generally triangular plate-shaped members with a narrow upper part and are positioned upright on the left and right sides of the holding section 12. The rear holding guide 121 and the pair of left and right side holding guides 122 define the holding space for holding the plurality of trays 80.

[0019] The front and rear pair of detachment mechanisms 123 are positioned at the front and rear lower parts of the holding section 12. The front and rear pair of detachment mechanisms 123 have claw members (not shown) that engage between the bottom tray 80 and the second-to-last tray 80. The front and rear pair of detachment mechanisms 123 can detach the bottom tray 80 by supporting the trays 80 other than the bottom tray using the claw members. The detachment mechanisms 123 are driven by the raising of the transfer section 13, which will be described next, but a dedicated drive source may be provided.

[0020] 2-3. Transfer Section 13 The transfer section 13 is located below the holding section 12. The transfer section 13 transfers the tray 80 between the holding section 12 and the transport section 14, and further transfers the tray 80 between the transport section 14 and the collection section 15. The transfer section 13 is provided so as to be able to move up and down relative to the feeder body 11, and is configured to be able to engage with the tray 80 on both its upper and lower sides. In the raised position, the transfer section 13 uses its upper engaging section to support the tray 80 that has been detached by the detachment mechanism 123.

[0021] Furthermore, in the lowered position, the transfer unit 13 adjusts the height of the tray 80 supported by the upper engaging portion to match the height of the transport unit 14. This allows the transport unit 14 to receive the tray 80 from the transfer unit 13 and transport it backward. Also, in the raised position, the transfer unit 13 adjusts the height of the lower engaging portion to match the height of the transport unit 14. This allows the lower engaging portion to receive and support the tray 80 from the transport unit 14. In addition, in the lowered position, the transfer unit 13 releases the tray 80 supported by the lower engaging portion, allowing it to be collected by the recovery unit 15.

[0022] 2-4. Conveying Unit 14 The conveying unit 14 is located behind the transfer unit 13. The conveying unit 14 receives the tray 80 from the transfer unit 13 and conveys it to a predetermined parts supply position 91 in the parts mounting machine 90. The conveying unit 14 is composed of, for example, a pair of left and right guide rails, a locking member, and a reciprocating drive unit. The pair of left and right guide rails extend in the front-rear direction and guide the tray 80 in the front-rear direction between the transfer unit 13 and the parts supply position 91. The locking member detachably locks the tray 80 to be conveyed. The reciprocating drive unit drives the locking member and the locked tray 80 in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the conveying unit 14 can convey used trays 80U that have finished supplying parts at the parts supply position 91 back to the transfer unit 13. In other words, the conveying unit 14 reciprocates the tray 80.

[0023] 2-5. Collection Unit 15 The collection unit 15 is located below the transfer unit 13. The collection unit 15 receives and collects used trays 80U from the transfer unit 13. The collection unit 15 has a collection table 151 that is provided to be vertically movable. The collection table 151 is formed using a plate material of approximately the same size as the trays 80. The collection table 151 is configured to hold a plurality of trays 80 in a stacked state on its upper surface.

[0024] The collection platform 151 moves up and down by a lifting drive mechanism (not shown) so that its height is adjusted to match the transfer section 13 when receiving used trays 80U. For example, a ball screw feed mechanism or a linear motor mechanism can be used for the lifting drive mechanism. As the collection platform 151 approaches the trays 80, the receiving and stacking operations of the trays 80 by the collection section 15 are made smoother. The multiple trays 80 collected by the collection section 15 are removed from the device by a transport cart 20 or by an operator.

[0025] 2-6. Reading Unit 16 The reading unit 16 is positioned in front of the holding unit 12 of the feeder body 11. The reading unit 16 reads the identification code 83 (see Figure 2) attached to the bottom tray 80 before it is transported by the transport unit 14. The identification code 83 contains a tray ID as unique identification information for each of the multiple trays 80.

[0026] 2-7. Feeder Control Device 17 The feeder control device 17 is configured using a computer that includes a CPU, an input / output unit, a communication unit, and a storage unit. The feeder control device 17 receives a parts supply command from the parts mounting machine 90, which is connected via communication, according to the progress of the mounting process. This parts supply command specifies the type of parts required for the mounting process, or the individual tray 80. Based on the received parts supply command, the feeder control device 17 controls the holding unit 12, the transfer unit 13, the transport unit 14, and the recovery unit 15 to advance the parts supply operation. Furthermore, the feeder control device 17 performs control based on the tray ID read by the reading unit 16.

[0027] 2-8. Tray 80 As shown in Figure 2, the tray 80 is formed according to the shape of the parts 85 and has a plurality of cavities 81 arranged in a matrix. The plurality of cavities 81 accommodate the parts 85. The tray 80 has an overhang portion 82 formed to protrude outward from the side of the tray 80. An identification code 83, on which the tray ID as identification information is recorded, is attached horizontally to the upper surface of the overhang portion 82. For example, a barcode, 2D code, RFID, etc., can be applied to the identification code 83.

[0028] 3. Operation of the Tray Feeder 10 As shown in Figure 6, multiple trays 80 are loaded into the holding section 12 of the tray feeder 10 from the transport cart 20. Specifically, the worker arranges the stacking order of multiple trays 80 containing different types of parts in the setup area and loads them onto the transport cart 20 parked in the parking area. When a departure command is sent to move the transport cart 20 to the designated tray feeder 10 at a predetermined timing, the automatic driving device 52 connects to the transport cart 20 and moves the transport cart 20.

[0029] When the transport trolley 20 arrives at the designated tray feeder 10, it loads the stacked trays 80 into the holding section 12 of the tray feeder 10 all at once. At this time, the work support function of the transport trolley 20 stabilizes the stacked state of the multiple trays 80 and prevents parts from scattering from the top tray 80 (top tray 80T). Details of the work support function of the transport trolley 20 will be described later. After the work of replenishing the multiple trays 80 as described above is completed, the transport trolley 20 detaches from the tray feeder 10 by the operation of the automatic travel device 52.

[0030] The feeder control device 17 receives a parts supply command from the parts mounting machine 90. The reading unit 16 reads the identification code 83 of the bottom tray 80 and outputs the acquired tray ID to the feeder control device 17. The feeder control device 17 compares the parts supply command with the tray ID to determine whether the bottom tray 80 is suitable. The feeder control device 17 controls the detachment mechanism 123 and the transfer unit 13 of the holding unit 12 to detach the bottom tray 80.

[0031] The bottom tray 80 is separated from the other trays 80 and supported by the upper engaging portion of the transfer section 13, becoming the tray 80S for use. As shown in Figure 1, the feeder control device 17 controls the transport section 14 to transport the tray 80S for use to the parts supply position 91. In the holding section 12, all remaining trays 80 descend. As a result, the tray 80 that was initially the second from the bottom descends and becomes the bottom tray 80.

[0032] The component mounting machine 90 picks up components at the component supply position 91 and performs the mounting process. In other words, the tray feeder 10 supplies components from the tray 80S in use at the component supply position 91. When the tray 80S in use runs out of components, or when the current mounting process is completed and production of the next product board is started, even if there are still components remaining in the tray 80S, the tray 80S in use becomes a used tray 80U.

[0033] The feeder control device 17 controls the transport unit 14 and the transfer unit 13 to support the used tray 80U on the lower engaging part of the transfer unit 13. Furthermore, the feeder control device 17 controls the recovery unit 15 to raise the recovery table 151 to the vicinity of the transfer unit 13, and moves the used tray 80U from the transfer unit 13 to the recovery table 151 for recovery. After this, the recovery unit 15 lowers the recovery table 151 holding the used tray 80U to prepare for the next recovery operation.

[0034] As shown in Figure 8, the multiple used trays 80U held in a stacked state in the collection unit 15 are pulled out from the tray feeder 10 onto the transport trolley 20 for collection. The transport trolley 20 is moved to a predetermined parking area by an automatic driving device 52, and the multiple used trays 80U that it contained are removed by an operator. The above-described operation of collecting multiple trays 80 may be performed in conjunction with the operation of replenishing the tray feeder 10 with multiple trays 80 to be used, or it may be performed at different times.

[0035] 4. In order to continue the assembly process of the detailed components of the transport trolley 20 by the component mounting machine 90, it is necessary to periodically replenish the trays 80 to the tray feeder 10 and to collect the trays 80 from the tray feeder 10. Efficiently performing the replenishment and collection of multiple stacked trays 80 is useful from the standpoint of maintaining production efficiency. Therefore, the transport trolley 20 of this embodiment is configured to have work support functions for the replenishment and collection of multiple trays 80.

[0036] As shown in Figure 3, the transport trolley 20 includes a mounting section 21 and a holding device 30. Furthermore, as illustrated in this embodiment, the transport trolley 20 may also be configured to include a recovery base 23, a case 25, an input door 26, a recovery door 27, and a pull-out device 40. This facilitates the supply or retrieval of trays 80 to the tray feeder 10, thereby reducing the workload.

[0037] 4-1. Placement Section 21 The placement section 21 is on which multiple trays 80 are placed in a stacked state. In detail, the placement section 21 is a plate-shaped member with an outer diameter dimension approximately the same as that of the tray 80 when viewed from above. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the placement section 21 is provided with a pair of notches 211 in the center of the longitudinal direction (first horizontal direction, front-to-back direction) of the tray 80 on which it is placed, such that the notches are smaller than the width dimension (second horizontal direction, left-to-right direction) of the tray 80.

[0038] 4-2. Holding device 30 The holding device 30 targets a plurality of trays 80 placed on the mounting section 21 and holds the plurality of trays 80 in a stacked state by lifting the plurality of trays 80. Here, the top tray 80T is the uppermost tray among the plurality of trays 80 placed on the mounting section 21. As shown in Figure 4, the holding device 30 has a plate 31 that is positioned on the upper surface of the top tray 80T. The plate 31 is formed to have an outer dimension similar to that of the tray 80 when viewed from above, and closes the openings of the plurality of cavities 81 when positioned on the upper surface of the top tray 80T. This prevents parts from scattering from the cavities 81 during movement.

[0039] The holding device 30 comprises a slider 32, a rail 33, an elastic member 34, and a locking device 35. The slider 32 supports the plate 31 so that it can move relative to the plate 31 in the stacking direction (vertical direction). In this embodiment, the slider 32 is formed in a block shape that extends in the width direction of the plate 31 and is positioned in the center of the longitudinal direction of the plate 31. The rail 33 supports the slider 32 so that it can slide in the stacking direction. In this embodiment, the rail 33 is positioned on both sides of the width direction of the plate 31 and consists of a pair of plate-shaped members that extend vertically. The pair of rails 33 have elongated holes 331 that extend vertically. The slider 32 is supported so that it can move along the elongated holes 331 by rollers 321 provided at both ends rolling in the elongated holes 331.

[0040] The elastic member 34 is interposed between the slider 32 and the plate 31, biasing the plate 31 downward relative to the slider 32. As a result, the plate 31 is positioned at the lower end in the unloaded state during its vertically movable stroke relative to the slider 32. The elastic member 34 can be, for example, a coil spring. Alternatively, the elastic member 34 may be made of an elastic material and elastically deform in response to an upward external force applied to the plate 31.

[0041] The locking device 35 locks the slider 32 against the rail 33. In this embodiment, the locking device 35 is of the cam lever type and, as shown in Figure 5, has a lever 351 positioned outside the pair of rollers 321 in the width direction of the plate 31 (left-right direction in Figure 5). When the lever 351 is rotated around a rotation axis that extends in the longitudinal direction of the plate 31 (front-back direction in Figure 5), a cam portion eccentric with respect to the rotation axis acts to press the ring 352 against the rail 33.

[0042] Accordingly, the rail (33) and the ring (352) are sandwiched between the slider (32) and the lever (351), so that the lock device (35) can lock the slider (32) at any position of the rail (33). For example, the lock device (35) locks, relative to the rail (33), the slider (32) that has been moved against the biasing force of the elastic member (34) to the position Hp where the plate (31) is pressed against the top tray (80T). The lock device (35) can be switched between a locked state and an unlocked state (the state shown by the broken line in Fig. 5) according to the rotation angle of the lever (351).

[0043] The holding device (30) includes a detection sensor (36) that detects when the moving amount of the relative movement of the slider (32) in the stacking direction with respect to the plate (31) reaches a predetermined amount. As described above, the plate (31) is located at the lower end of the stroke in the no-load state with respect to the slider (32). Then, as the slider (32) descends, the plate (31) descends integrally with the slider (32) and comes into contact with the top tray (80T). Thereafter, when the slider (32) further descends, the plate (31) enters a state of being pressed against the top tray (80T) against the biasing force of the elastic member (34).

[0044] At this time, with respect to the plate (31) whose movement is restricted after coming into contact with the top tray (80T), the slider (32) is relatively moved downward in the stacking direction (vertical direction). Said moving amount correlates with the elastic coefficient of the elastic member (34) and the biasing force with which the plate (31) is pressed against the top tray (80T). As shown in Fig. 5, the detection sensor (36) is provided, for example, on the slider (32), and includes a light projector (361) that emits laser light and a light receiver (362) that receives the laser light. In the detection sensor (36), when the slider (32) moves relatively with respect to the plate (31), a light shielding plate (363) provided on the plate (31) enters between the light projector (361) and the light receiver (362) and blocks the laser light, and the detection sensor (36) detects that the moving amount has reached the predetermined amount based on the blocking of the laser light.

[0045] The holding device 30 has an indicator light (not shown) that illuminates during the period when the detection sensor 36 detects that the slider 32 has moved relative to the plate 31 by more than a predetermined amount. This allows, for example, an operator to lower the slider 32 and recognize that the plate 31 is sufficiently pressed against the top tray 80T when the indicator light illuminates. The operator then locks the slider 32 against the rail 33 by the locking device 35 by rotating the pair of levers 351 down while maintaining the vertical position of the slider 32 with the indicator light illuminated. This maintains the state in which the plate 31 is in close contact with the top tray 80T.

[0046] The holding device 30 includes a clamper 37 that holds a plurality of trays 80 by clamping them in the stacking direction between itself and the plate 31. In this embodiment, the clamper 37 has a pair of claw portions 371 and a claw support portion 372 that supports the pair of claw portions 371 so that they can be opened and closed in the left and right directions, in the width direction of the plate 31 (left and right direction in Figure 5). The pair of claw portions 371 are integral members with the pair of rails 33 and are formed at the lower end of the rails 33, bent toward the center in the left and right direction. When the pair of rails 33 rise, the pair of claw portions 371 pass through the notches 211 of the mounting portion 21 and engage with the edges on both sides of the bottom tray 80B, which is located in the lowest stage of the plurality of trays 80 placed on the mounting portion 21.

[0047] The claw support portion 372 is provided on the upper part of the pair of rails 33. The claw support portion 372 supports the pair of claw portions 371 so that the distance between the tips of the pair of claw portions 371 is switchable between a state in which the distance between the tips of the pair of claw portions 371 is less than the width of the tray 80 (closed state of the clamper 37) and a state in which it is greater than the width of the tray 80 (open state of the clamper 37). Details of the operation of the clamper 37 will be described later.

[0048] 4-3. Moving device 22 The moving device 22 moves the plurality of trays 80 held by the holding device 30 upward and downward relative to the placing section 21, and moves the trays 80 in the front-rear direction. The moving device 22 is housed in a case 25 of the transport carriage 20, and includes an elevating mechanism that elevates and lowers the holding device 30, and a linear motion mechanism (not shown) that moves the holding device 30 in the front-rear direction. Thereby, the transport carriage 20 can lift the plurality of trays 80 placed on the placing section 21 while being held by the holding device 30, and further move the holding device 30 toward the holding section 12 side of the tray feeder 10.

[0049] 4-4. Collection base 23 As shown in FIG. 8, the collection base 23 has an upper surface at the same height as the upper surface of the collection section 15 of the tray feeder 10, and holds the plurality of stacked trays 80 slidably in the front-rear direction. Specifically, the collection base 23 includes a pair of rail members 231 that are arranged side by side in the left-right direction and extend in the front-rear direction. To enable smooth transfer of the plurality of trays 80 from the collection section 15 to the collection base 23, rear end portions of the pair of rail members 231 are formed with guide surfaces inclined downward from the upper surface.

[0050] 4-5. Case 25, loading door 26, collection door 27 The case 25 is formed in a rectangular shape as a whole, and houses the placing section 21, the holding device 30, the moving device 22, the collection base 23, and the drawing device 40. The case 25 is formed with an opening for loading the plurality of trays 80 on one side in the front-rear direction (the front side in the present embodiment). The case 25 is provided with the loading door 26 that closes the loading opening in the closed state. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the loading door 26 rotates about a horizontal axis orthogonal to the front-rear direction to open and close. Further, the loading door 26 is formed with a guide 261 that communicates with the placing section 21 in the open state and guides loading of the plurality of trays 80.

[0051] Further, the case 25 is formed with an opening for taking out used trays 80U on one side in the front-rear direction (the front side in the present embodiment). The case 25 is provided with the collection door 27 that closes the taking-out opening in the closed state. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the collection door 27 rotates about a vertical axis to open and close.

[0052] 4-6. Pull-out device 40 As shown in Figure 8, the pull-out device 40 is positioned so that the collection base 23 is aligned in the front-to-back direction with respect to the collection section 15 of the tray feeder 10, and pulls out and moves the multiple trays 80 held in the collection section 15 toward the collection base 23. In this embodiment, the pull-out device 40 includes a pull-out claw 41, a switching device 42, and a linear motion mechanism 43. As shown in Figure 9, the pull-out claw 41 is configured to be able to lock onto the lower surface of the bottom tray 80B, which is located at the lowest level among the multiple trays 80 held in the collection section 15.

[0053] The pull-out claw 41 is provided to be vertically movable, and in the raised position, its upwardly bent tip engages with a locking portion (for example, a downwardly protruding edge) formed on the lower surface of the bottom tray 80B, resulting in a locked state. In the lowered position, the pull-out claw 41 is released, detached from the lower surface of the bottom tray 80B. The pull-out claw 41 is biased by a biasing member (not shown) so that it is in the raised position when unloaded.

[0054] The switching device 42 switches between the locked and unlocked states of the pull-out claws 41 relative to the bottom tray 80B. The switching device 42 switches between the locked and unlocked states of the pull-out claws 41 in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the recovery door 27. Specifically, the switching device 42 has an arm 421 that is biased to contact the inner surface of the recovery door 27 when it is closed. The arm 421 is rotatable around a horizontal axis that extends in the left-right direction, and rotates (clockwise in Figure 9) when the recovery door 27 moves to the open state.

[0055] When the arm 421 rotates, the flange portion (not shown) which is linked to the rotation of the arm 421 contacts the upper surface of the pull-out claw 41, pushing the pull-out claw 41 down. As a result, the pull-out claw 41 moves to the lowered position and detaches from the lower surface of the bottom tray 80B. In this way, when the pull-out claw 41 is located in front of the recovery base 23, the switching device 42 raises and lowers the pull-out claw 41 in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the recovery door 27 to switch between a locked state and a released state.

[0056] Furthermore, when the pull-out claw 41 is located behind the recovery base 23, the switching device 42 raises and lowers the pull-out claw 41 based on an external command. Specifically, when the pull-out claw 41 moves to a predetermined area behind the recovery base 23, it is positioned below a push-down part 422 that is provided so as to be able to contact the upper surface of the pull-out claw 41 and so as to be able to move up and down relative to the recovery base 23. The push-down part 422 is connected to a solenoid 423 which acts as a drive source and operates accordingly. When power is supplied to the solenoid 423, the push-down part 422 descends and pushes down the pull-out claw 41.

[0057] As a result, the pull-out claw 41 moves to the lowered position. If the retrieval unit 15 supports multiple trays 80, the pull-out claw 41 enters below the bottom tray 80B in its lowered state. In this way, when the pull-out claw 41 is located behind the retrieval base 23, the switching device 42 raises and lowers the pull-out claw 41 based on an external command to switch between the locked state and the unlocked state of the pull-out claw 41.

[0058] The linear motion mechanism 43 moves the pull-out claw 41 in the front-rear direction. The linear motion mechanism 43 can employ a shuttle transport mechanism using a belt drive or linear motor, or a ball screw mechanism. The linear motion mechanism 43 has a movable platform 431 that supports the pull-out claw 41 so that it can move up and down. The linear motion mechanism 43 moves the movable platform 431 in the front-rear direction relative to the recovery base 23. As a result, when the pull-out claw 41 is locked to the underside of the bottom tray 80B supported by the recovery unit 15, the linear motion mechanism 43 moves the movable platform 431 from the rear to the front, thereby allowing multiple trays 80 to be pulled out from the recovery unit 15 to the recovery base 23 while maintaining their stacked state.

[0059] 5. Work support using the transport trolley 20 5-1. Replenishing trays 80 The following describes the case in which the transport trolley 20 supports the work of replenishing trays 80 to the tray feeder 10 located on the production line. As described above, multiple stacked trays 80 are loaded onto the transport trolley 20 while it is parked in the parking area. In detail, as shown in Figure 3, the worker first opens the input door 26 provided on the case 25. Then, the worker places multiple trays 80 on the guide 261 provided on the open input door 26 and pushes them into the case 25.

[0060] As a result, the stacked trays 80 slide and are placed on the mounting section 21, as shown in Figure 5. At this time, the clamper 37 of the holding device 30 is in the closed position, but its pair of claws 371 are located below the mounting section 21. As a result, the trays 80 slide to their predetermined positions on the mounting section 21 without interfering with the rails 33 or the clamper 37.

[0061] Furthermore, a pair of work doors 251 provided on both sides of the input door 26 are left open to allow access to the case 25 (shown by dashed lines in Figure 3). Next, as shown in Figure 5, the worker pushes down a pair of levers 351 of the unlocked locking device 35 to lower the plate 31 and slider 32 of the holding device 30. This moves the plate 31 from a position Ht where it contacts the top tray 80T to a position Hp where it is pressed further, and when the slider 32 is lowered to a predetermined height, the indicator light illuminates. This allows the worker to recognize that the plate 31 is pressed against the top tray 80T, and to rotate the pair of levers 351 to pull them down, thereby locking the locking device 35.

[0062] The worker closes the pair of work doors 251 and input door 26 to complete the work in the setup area and parking area. Then, when a departure command is sent to move the transport cart 20 to the predetermined tray feeder 10 at a predetermined timing, the automatic travel device 52 connects to the transport cart 20 and moves the transport cart 20. As shown in Figure 6, after the transport cart 20 arrives at the predetermined tray feeder 10, it performs a batch loading process (movement process, transfer process) of the stacked trays 80.

[0063] The transport trolley 20 is first positioned so as to be aligned in the front-rear direction with respect to the holding section 12, and then the transport device 22 moves the multiple trays 80 held by the holding device 30 from the mounting section 21 to the holding section 12. In detail, the transport trolley 20 raises the holding device 30 using the transport device 22. As a result, a pair of claws 371 pass through the notches 211 of the mounting section 21 and engage with the edges on both sides of the bottom tray 80B. With the multiple trays 80 held by the clamps 37, the transport device 22 raises the holding device 30 to a position where the bottom tray 80B is higher than the top of the holding section 12 of the tray feeder 10. The transport device 22 moves the holding device 30 above the holding section 12.

[0064] Next, the transport trolley 20 performs a transfer process in which it transfers the multiple trays 80 by releasing the holding device 30. Specifically, the moving device 22 lowers the holding device 30, which has been moved above the holding section 12. When the holding device 30 is lowered to a predetermined height, the bottom tray 80B reaches the holding section 12, and the multiple trays 80 are held in the holding section 12 in a stacked state. When moving the multiple trays 80 in this stacked state, the plate 31 is kept pressed against the top tray 80T, so that parts do not scatter from the cavity 81 during movement.

[0065] As the moving device 22 further lowers the holding device 30, as shown in Figure 7, the cams 332 provided on the pair of rails 33 move outward in the left-right direction along the cam surface of the cam follower 124 provided on the holding part 12. As a result, the pair of claws 371, which are integrated with the pair of rails 33, spread apart from each other. Consequently, the clamper 37 transitions from the closed state shown by the dashed line in Figure 7 to the open state shown by the solid line in Figure 7. In this way, the holding device 30 releases the holding of the multiple trays 80.

[0066] When the clamp 37 is open, the distance between the tips of the pair of claws 371 is greater than the width of the tray 80. In this state, the moving device 22 raises, moves forward, and lowers the holding device 30 to return it to its initial position above the mounting section 21. Through this series of operations, multiple trays 80 are supplied to the tray feeder 10. After that, the transport trolley 20 is detached from the tray feeder 10 by the operation of the automatic driving device 52 and moved to a designated parking area.

[0067] 5-2. Tray 80 Recovery Operation This section describes a case where the transport cart 20 assists in the recovery of trays 80 from tray feeders 10 located on the production line. The recovery operation may be performed in conjunction with the replenishment operation described above, or it may be performed at a different time from the replenishment operation, such as when a certain amount of used trays 80U have accumulated. In either case, the transport cart 20 is moved to the designated tray feeder 10 by the automatic travel device 52 and positioned in front of the tray feeder 10, similar to the replenishment operation.

[0068] In the tray retrieval operation, first, the discharge door located at the front of the retrieval section 15 of the feeder body 11 is opened manually by the operator or automatically by the opening function of the transport trolley 20. This discharge door ensures safety during the operation of the tray feeder 10 and can be replaced with a safety sensor, for example, using a light curtain. In that case, by first turning off the safety sensor, the area where the discharge door is located can be made accessible to the used trays 80U and the components of the transport trolley 20.

[0069] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, with the recovery base 23 positioned in front of the recovery section 15 of the tray feeder 10, the pull-out device 40 moves the pull-out claw 41 closer to the bottom tray 80B. At this time, the switching device 42 supplies power to the solenoid 423 so that the push-down section 422 pushes down the pull-out claw 41. After the tip of the pull-out claw 41 has moved below the bottom tray 80B, the switching device 42 cuts off the power supply to the solenoid 423, stopping the action of the push-down section 422. As a result, the pull-out claw 41 rises and becomes ready to be locked to the underside of the bottom tray 80B.

[0070] Subsequently, the pull-out device 40 moves the pull-out claw 41 forward using the linear motion mechanism 43, and pulls out the stacked trays 80 that are locked to the pull-out claw 41 from the recovery unit 15 towards the recovery base 23. The stacked trays 80 slide along the upper surface of the rail member 231 of the recovery base 23 and are pulled out to a position where they can be removed from the recovery door 27. After that, the transport trolley 20 detaches from the tray feeder 10 by the operation of the automatic travel device 52 and is moved to a designated parking area. The tray feeder 10 is made operational by closing the discharge door or turning on the safety sensor using the light curtain.

[0071] The worker opens the recovery door 27 located on the case 25 of the transport cart 20 parked in a designated parking area. As shown in Figure 9, the arm 421 of the switching device 42 rotates, pushing down the pull-out claw 41, which then releases the pull-out claw 41 from the bottom tray 80B. Next, the worker removes the stacked trays 80 from the transport cart 20 and moves them to, for example, the setup area. Each of the trays 80 can be reused by placing parts in the multiple cavities 81.

[0072] 6. Effects of the Embodiment According to the embodiment, by using the transport trolley 20, the replenishment and retrieval of trays 80 to the tray feeder 10 is supported, thereby reducing the workload. This prevents parts from running out in the tray feeder 10 and improves the efficiency of production using the tray feeder 10.

[0073] 7. Modified Embodiments In one embodiment, the transport trolley 20 is configured to have both functions to support the replenishment and retrieval of the trays 80. In contrast, the transport trolley 20 may be configured to have only one of the functions to support the replenishment or retrieval of the trays 80. Specifically, the transport trolley for replenishment may have at least a mounting section 21, a holding device 30, and a moving device, while omitting the retrieval base 23 and the pull-out device 40. Similarly, the transport trolley for retrieval may have at least a retrieval base 23 and a pull-out device 40, while omitting the mounting section 21, the holding device 30, and the moving device.

[0074] The transport carts for replenishment and retrieval are parked in separate parking areas, for example, and when a departure command is sent at a predetermined time, they are connected to an automatic driving device 52 and moved to a predetermined tray feeder 10. With this configuration, replenishment and retrieval operations can be supported separately, and preparations for replenishment (such as loading stacked trays 80) can be made while retrieval is being performed. This is particularly useful when there is a large difference in timing between the request for replenishment of trays 80 and the request for retrieval at a tray feeder 10 located on a production line.

[0075] In this embodiment, the first horizontal direction in which the moving device 22 moves the multiple trays 80 held by the holding device 30 relative to the mounting section 21 is defined as the front-to-back direction of the tray feeder 10. The second horizontal direction intersecting the first direction is defined as the left-to-right direction of the tray feeder 10. However, the first and second directions may not coincide with the front-to-back and left-to-right directions of the tray feeder 10. For example, the moving device 22 may move the holding device 30 to replenish the multiple trays 80 from the left-to-right direction of the tray feeder 10.

[0076] 10: Tray feeder, 11: Feeder body, 12: Holding unit, 13: Transfer unit, 14: Conveying unit, 15: Collection unit, 20: Conveying trolley, 21: Mounting unit, 22: Moving device, 23: Collection base, 25: Case, 26: Input door, 261: Guide, 27: Collection door, 30: Holding device, 31: Plate, 32: Slider, 33: Rail, 34: Elastic member, 35: Locking device, 36: Detection sensor, 37: Clamper, 371: Claw unit, 372: Claw support unit, 40: Pull-out device, 41: Pull-out claw, 42: Switching device, 43: Linear motion mechanism, 52: Automatic travel device, 80: Tray, 80T: Top tray, 80B: Bottom tray, 80S: Tray in use 80U: Used tray, 81: Cavity, 85: Parts, 90: Parts mounting machine, 91: Parts supply position

Claims

1. A transport trolley applied to a tray feeder that supplies parts contained in trays to a parts mounting machine, comprising: a mounting section on which a plurality of the trays are placed in a stacked state; a holding device having a plate positioned on the upper surface of the top tray, which is located in the uppermost position among the plurality of trays placed on the mounting section, and holding the plurality of trays in a stacked state; and a moving device that moves the plurality of trays held by the holding device in a first direction, vertically and horizontally, relative to the mounting section.

2. The transport trolley according to claim 1, wherein the tray has a plurality of cavities formed therein for accommodating the components, and the plate closes the openings of the plurality of cavities when positioned on the upper surface of the top tray.

3. The transport trolley according to claim 1 or 2, comprising: a slider that supports the plate so as to be movable relative to the stacking direction; a rail that supports the slider so as to be slidable in the stacking direction; an elastic member interposed between the slider and the plate and biasing the plate downward relative to the slider; and a locking device that locks the slider against the rail when the slider has been moved to a position where the plate is pressed against the top tray against the biasing force of the elastic member.

4. The transport trolley according to claim 3, further comprising a detection sensor that detects when the amount of relative movement of the slider relative to the plate in the stacking direction reaches a predetermined amount, as the holding device is pressed against the top tray against the biasing force of the elastic member.

5. The transport trolley according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the holding device further comprises a clamp that engages with the lower surface of the bottom tray located in the lowest position among the plurality of trays placed on the aforementioned mounting section, and holds the plurality of trays by clamping them between itself and the plate in the stacking direction.

6. The transport trolley according to claim 5, wherein the clamp has a pair of claws that engage with the edges on both sides of the bottom tray in a second horizontal direction intersecting the first direction, and a claw support that supports the pair of claws so that they can be opened and closed in the second direction.

7. A transport trolley according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: a case housing the mounting section, the holding device, and the moving device, having an opening formed on one side in the first direction for loading a plurality of trays; and a door that closes the opening of the case when closed, and having a guide formed thereon that communicates with the mounting section when rotated around a horizontal axis perpendicular to the first direction for guiding the loading of a plurality of trays.

8. The tray feeder comprises a holding section for holding a plurality of trays in a stacked state, and the transport trolley, after being positioned so as to be aligned in the first direction with respect to the holding section, performs a moving step of moving the plurality of trays held by the holding device from the aforementioned placement section to the holding section using the moving device, and a transfer step of transferring the plurality of trays by releasing the holding device.

9. The transport trolley according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: a transport unit that transports one of a plurality of trays to a predetermined parts supply position in a parts mounting machine; a recovery unit that collects used trays and holds them in a stacked state; a recovery base having an upper surface at the same height as the upper surface of the recovery unit and holding the plurality of stacked trays so as to be slidable in a horizontal first direction; and a pull-out device that, with the recovery base positioned so as to be aligned with the recovery unit in the first direction, pulls out and moves the plurality of trays held in the recovery unit toward the recovery base.

10. A transport trolley applicable to a tray feeder that supplies parts contained in trays to a parts mounting machine, wherein the tray feeder comprises a holding section that holds a plurality of trays in a stacked state, a transport section that transports one of the plurality of trays to a predetermined parts supply position in the parts mounting machine, and a collection section that collects used trays and holds them in a stacked state, and a collection base having an upper surface at the same height as the upper surface of the collection section and that holds the plurality of trays in a stacked state so as to be slidable in a horizontal first direction, and a pull-out device that pulls out and moves the plurality of trays held in the collection section toward the collection base when the collection base is positioned so as to be aligned with the collection section in the first direction, with respect to the collection section.

11. The transport trolley according to claim 10, wherein the pull-out device comprises a pull-out claw that can be locked to the lower surface of the bottom tray located at the lowest of the plurality of trays held in the recovery section, a switching device for switching between a locked state and a released state of the pull-out claw with respect to the bottom tray, and a linear motion mechanism for moving the pull-out claw in the first direction.

12. The transport trolley according to claim 11, further comprising: a case housing the collection base and the drawer device, with an opening formed on one side in the first direction for removing the used tray; and a collection door that closes the opening of the case when closed, wherein the switching device switches between a locked state and a released state of the drawer claw in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the collection door.

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