Swingable Suction Nozzle for 90-Degree Component Orientation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Component mounting machines face inefficiencies when components from commercially available trays have a 90° orientation mismatch with the required mounting posture, leading to increased operational costs and time-consuming tray transfer processes.

Innovation Solution

A suction nozzle with a swingably mounted nozzle section that can change its orientation by 90° to accommodate components of different postures, allowing direct suction and mounting without the need for tray reorientation, utilizing magnetic holding and a simplified movement mechanism to adjust the nozzle's position.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the component mounting machine uses a fixed downward-oriented nozzle section, then the structure is simple, but it cannot accommodate components with 90° orientation mismatch from commercially available trays

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveorientation adaptabilityVSAvoidnozzle structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The nozzle section is designed to be swingable between a downward orientation and a lateral orientation, allowing dynamic adaptation to different component orientations on trays. This dynamic capability enables the system to handle both standard and mismatched component orientations without requiring multiple fixed nozzles or complex reconfiguration mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If the nozzle section is made swingable to change orientation by 90°, then components with orientation mismatch can be mounted directly, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent mounting efficiencyVSAvoidnozzle mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The swingable nozzle section enables direct mounting of components with 90° orientation mismatch by dynamically adjusting the nozzle orientation to match the component layout on commercially available trays, eliminating the need for manual tray reorientation and improving component mounting efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically adapts to different component orientations through the swingable nozzle mechanism, performing the orientation adjustment function itself without requiring external intervention or complex external positioning systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If the nozzle section is fixed in downward orientation, then the suction force is stable, but components cannot be mounted in lateral orientation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesuction stabilityVSAvoidmounting orientation flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The swingable nozzle section maintains stable suction force in both downward and lateral orientations by preserving the essential suction function while changing orientation. The mechanism ensures that the nozzle remains properly positioned relative to the component being suctioned, whether in downward or lateral orientation, thus maintaining suction reliability while providing orientation flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 efficient component mounting with reduced operational complexity and cost, allowing the use of commercially available trays without reorientation, and stabilizes the mounting process by increasing suction force and preventing component removal during operation.

Implementation Method 1

a plurality of nozzles for holding a component using a negative pressure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectNegative pressure: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

at least one magnet which holds the nozzle section by magnetic force in the state of being set in the downward orientation and in the state of being set in the lateral orientation respectively

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetic force: Magnetism

Data Source

PatentEP3697190B1Suction nozzle and component mounting machine
Publication Date: 2022.11.16 FUJI CORP
  • EP3697190B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3697190B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3697190B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A nozzle section 43 that sucks a component is swingably provided on a nozzle holder section 41 of an suction nozzle 40 which is held on a mounting head of a component mounting machine, and an orientation of the nozzle section 43 is changed by 90° to a downward orientation or a lateral orientation by swinging the nozzle section 43. The component is sucked by the nozzle section 53 from above in a state in which the orientation of the nozzle section 43 of the suction nozzle 40 is downward in a component suction operation, and the component is mounted on the object such as a circuit board in a state in which the orientation of the component that is sucked by the nozzle section 43 is set to the lateral orientation by the nozzle section the orientation of which is changed by 90° to the lateral orientation by swinging the nozzle section in the component mounting operation.