External Operation Panel for Compact Tape Feeders
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Solution Overview
Problem
The compactness of modern tape feeders has resulted in narrower operation sections, leading to poor operability and efficiency in setting component supply tapes, with some feeders even eliminating the operation section, necessitating manual operation and increased difficulty in performing setting work.
Innovation Solution
A tape-feeder setting work apparatus with an external operation section that allows for easier operation, providing a dedicated panel for controlling the tape feeding device, even in compact or operation-section-less tape feeders, ensuring efficient setting of component supply tapes by supplying power and communication through a connector.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the tape feeder is made thinner and more compact, then the size of the tape feeder is reduced, but the space for the operation section becomes narrower, leading to worse operability
Solution Approach 1:
The operation section is extracted from the tape feeder body and relocated to the feeder set base. This allows the tape feeder to be made compact while the operation section maintains its original size and position on the base, resolving the contradiction between compact feeder size and operability.
Solution Approach 2:
The operation section is moved from the vertical space within the tape feeder to the horizontal surface of the feeder set base. This dimensional relocation provides sufficient operating space while allowing the tape feeder itself to be thinner and more compact.
2Volume of moving object
If the operation section is eliminated from the tape feeder to achieve compactness, then the tape feeder size is reduced, but manual operation becomes necessary, increasing work difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The operation section is extracted from the tape feeder and placed on the feeder set base. This maintains automated operation capability while allowing the tape feeder to be compact, thus reducing both physical size and operational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The feeder set base serves as an intermediary platform that hosts the operation section. This mediator enables automated control of the compact tape feeder without requiring manual intervention, resolving the contradiction between compactness and ease of operation.
3Ease of operation
If the operation section is provided inside the tape feeder, then automated operation is enabled, but the tape feeder requires larger size to accommodate the operation section
Solution Approach 1:
The operation section is extracted from the tape feeder body and relocated to the feeder set base. This separation allows the tape feeder to be compact while the operation section maintains sufficient size on the base for automated operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The operation section is relocated from the internal vertical space of the tape feeder to the external horizontal surface of the feeder set base. This dimensional change provides adequate operating space without increasing the tape feeder's volume.
4Volume of moving object
If the operation section is made smaller to fit in compact tape feeders, then the tape feeder size is reduced, but the efficiency of setting work decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The operation section is extracted from the compact tape feeder and placed on the feeder set base where it can maintain a larger size. This preserves high setting work efficiency while allowing the tape feeder itself to be compact.
Solution Approach 2:
The operation section is moved to the horizontal plane of the feeder set base, providing sufficient workspace area that would be unavailable within the limited vertical space of a compact tape feeder. This maintains productivity while enabling compact feeder design.
Data Source
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AI summary
Tape-feeder setting work apparatus (40), which is used when an operator performs a work of setting a component supply tape wound on tape reel (12), in tape feeder (10), includes feeder set base (41) configured to hold the tape feeder in the setting work of the component supply tape, power supply section (47) configured to supply a power to tape feeding device (29) inside the tape feeder, and operation section (51) configured to allow the operator to operate the tape feeding device inside the tape feeder. When a work of setting a tip portion of the component supply tape by pulling out the tip portion from the tape reel set in the tape feeder held by the feeder set base is performed, the operator operates the operation section of the tape-feeder setting work apparatus to operate a tape feeding operation of the tape feeding device inside the tape feeder, and feeds the tip portion of the component supply tape pulled out from the tape reel to a component pickup position of the tape feeder.