Component Mounter Cavity Addressing for Image Data Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing number of components that can be collected by a component mounter leads to a surge in result information from image processing, reducing usability and manageability due to changes in component positions and numbers within the supply region of the bulk feeder.

Innovation Solution

A component mounter is configured to use a bulk feeder with multiple cavities to efficiently supply and manage components, incorporating a camera for image processing to recognize accommodation states and generate accommodation information associated with unique addresses for each cavity, enabling controlled collection operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the number of components that can be collected is increased, then the component supply capacity is improved, but the amount of result information from image processing increases, reducing usability and manageability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent supply capacityVSAvoidusability and manageability of result information

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The supply region is divided into multiple cavities, each with a unique address. Image processing results are segmented by cavity, organizing the information into manageable units. This allows the system to handle more components while keeping the information structure organized and manageable through spatial segmentation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A cavity address assignment mechanism serves as an intermediary between the physical component positions and the image processing results. By assigning unique addresses to cavities and linking image data to these addresses, the system creates a manageable intermediate layer that organizes the information flow and improves usability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If components are supplied in a bulk state with varying positions and numbers, then the flexibility of the supply system is improved, but the consistency and manageability of image processing results deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility of supply systemVSAvoidconsistency of image processing results

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

Cavity addresses are assigned in advance to specific positions in the supply region before components are supplied. This preliminary structuring of the supply region into addressed cavities provides a stable reference framework that remains consistent even when component positions and numbers vary, enabling reliable image processing regardless of supply variations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Each cavity is given a unique address identifier, creating local quality differentiation across the supply region. This allows the system to treat each cavity as a distinct, identifiable unit with stable characteristics, enabling consistent image processing and tracking even when the overall component configuration changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS12336105B2Component mounter

Publication Date: 2025.06.17 FUJI CORP

AI summary

A component mounter includes a camera configured to image the supply region, an image processing section configured to execute image processing on image data acquired by imaging of the camera to recognize an accommodation state of the component for each of the multiple cavities and acquire accommodation information in which the accommodation state of the component is associated with a unique address for each of the multiple cavities, and an operation control section configured to execute a collection operation of the component accommodated in the cavity based on the accommodation information.