Component Mounter Height Measurement Using Intermediary Marker

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional component mounters face issues with accurate height measurement due to varying materials of the upper surface of lower components, leading to inadequate mounting accuracy and potential damage during the stacking process.

Innovation Solution

A component mounter system that includes a head with a holding member, a raising and lowering device, a raising and lowering position detector, and a contact detector to acquire position information of the first component upon contact with a mounting target, allowing precise control for mounting subsequent components, thereby improving accuracy and reducing impact force.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If laser light is emitted to measure height of the lower component, then height measurement is performed, but reflected light may not be received appropriately depending on the material of the upper surface, resulting in insufficient measurement accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheight measurement accuracyVSAvoidmeasurement reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A marker is attached to the upper surface of the lower component to serve as an intermediary measurement target. This marker has high reflectivity and provides a consistent, material-independent surface for laser measurement, eliminating the problem of varying material properties affecting measurement accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of measuring the original component surface directly, a standardized marker is used as a copy or substitute measurement target. This marker replicates the measurement function with consistent optical properties, ensuring reliable laser reflection regardless of the underlying component material.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Manufacturing precision

If mounting position is not accurately corrected, then mounting process is simple, but mounting accuracy of the upper component deteriorates and excessive force is applied to the components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemounting accuracyVSAvoidmounting system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical measurement and correction systems with a simpler optical marker-based approach. By using a standardized marker with known properties, the system achieves accurate positioning through optical detection rather than complex mechanical sensing and adjustment mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11134599B2Component mounter and component mounting system for mounting stacked components

Publication Date: 2021.09.28 FUJI CORP

AI summary

During mounting of an upper component on a lower component, after mounting the lower component on a board, the Z-axis position of a suction nozzle tip is detected during mounting of the lower component on the board and memorized as a lower component height, and when mounting the upper component PU, the suction nozzle is lowered at relatively high speed until reaching a specified position that is a distance above the lower component height, and the suction nozzle is lowered at a speed that is slower than the speed after arriving at the specified position until contact with the lower component.