Interchangeable Backup Pin Holder for Automated Component Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing backup pin systems for component mounting machines require burdensome control and incur high costs due to the need for separate assortment and control of hard and soft pins, limiting flexibility and efficiency in pin placement and type selection.
Innovation Solution
A backup pin system with a holder portion that can interchangeably hold pin portions of different materials and shapes, featuring a magnetic attachment mechanism for flexible placement and an automatic exchange system with a stocker positioned on the side edge of the conveyor to minimize interference and travel distance, allowing for easy control and reduced costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate assortment and control of hard and soft pins are implemented, then appropriate pin selection for different board types is achieved, but control complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges hard pins and soft pins into a single backup pin unit that can be automatically selected and exchanged by the control unit, eliminating the need for separate manual assortment and control of different pin types
Solution Approach 2:
The backup pin unit is designed to perform multiple functions by automatically exchanging between hard and soft pin types based on the board type detected by the control unit, making a single unit universal for different mounting scenarios
2Adaptability or versatility
If operator manually picks and attaches pins based on component arrangement, then pin placement flexibility is achieved, but time consumption and labor intensity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service automatic pin exchange where the control unit automatically detects board types, selects appropriate pin types, and executes pin replacement without operator intervention, reducing both time and labor intensity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of pin selection and attachment with an automated control system that uses detection and automated exchange mechanisms to perform pin placement flexibly and efficiently
3Object-affected harmful factors
If stocker is positioned outside conveyor, then interference with mounted components is avoided, but travel distance and transfer time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions the stocker in the vertical dimension below the conveyor path, allowing pin storage and exchange operations to occur in a different spatial dimension that does not interfere with mounted components while minimizing travel distance
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables easy control and reduced costs by allowing interchangeable pin types and flexible placement, while preventing interference with mounted components and shortening transfer times, thus improving operational efficiency and reducing the risk of incorrect pin usage.
Implementation Method 1
a magnet that holds the holder portion on the backup plate due to a magnetic force
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
Backup pins 11 and 12 that support, from below, a circuit board on which a component is mounted at a component mounting station of a component mounting machine are configured to have a holder portion 13 on the lower side thereof and a pin portion 14 and 15 on the upper side thereof which are interchangeably held in the holder portion 13, respectively. The pin portions 14 and 15 are formed of different materials and/or have different shapes and one pin portion 14 is a hard pin portion formed of a hard material such as metal or plastic in a multi-step cylindrical shape and the other pin portion 15 is a soft pin portion formed of a soft elastic material such as urethane or rubber. The holder portion 13 is formed of a hard material such as metal or plastic and a fitting hole 16 having a circular shape in a cross-sectional view is formed on the upper side of the holder portion to fit to the lower side of the pin portions 14 and 15 and to hold the pin portions 14 and 15 facing upward.