Tape Curving Feeder Attachment for Stable Component Orientation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Components stored in component storage tape tend to adhere to the top tape due to adhesiveness, especially at the curved end of the reel, leading to orientation errors and potential pickup failures during image processing and component mounting.

Innovation Solution

A tape curving attachment with three curving sections, including first, second, and third rollers, is integrated into the feeder to stretch the adhering points, ensuring components fall to the bottom of the cavity, maintaining proper orientation and preventing components from flipping or jumping during top tape peeling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the component storage tape is fed from the reel with small radius of curvature at the end, then the tape can be continuously supplied, but the components adhere to the top tape due to increased adhesiveness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontinuous tape supplyVSAvoidcomponent adherence to top tape
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies curvature by introducing a tape curving attachment that creates a curved path for the component storage tape. The attachment includes a curved surface that forces the tape to bend, thereby stretching the adhering locations of components to the top tape and preventing adhesion. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining continuous supply while eliminating the harmful adhesion effect through geometric curvature.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Ease of operation

If the top tape is peeled from the carrier tape while components are stored with clearance, then the components can be accessed, but the components may flip inside the cavity or fall from the cavity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent access during peelingVSAvoidcomponent orientation and position stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by curving the component storage tape before the top tape peeling process. The tape curving attachment stretches the adhering locations of components to the top tape in advance, causing components to fall to the bottom of cavities before peeling occurs. This preliminary stretching action prevents component flipping and falling during the subsequent peeling operation, ensuring reliable component access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3383155B1Tape curving attachment and feeder
Publication Date: 2021.11.10 FUJI CORP
  • EP3383155B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2A
  • EP3383155B1 patent drawingFigure 2B~4
  • EP3383155B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6C

AI summary

A tape curving attachments (20, 30) is provided with tape curving sections (12c, 22, and 23, or 31, 32, and 33) configured to curve component storage tape (1) wound around a reel (Rb), the component storage tape (1) being carrier tape (2) with cavities (4a) in which components (P) are stored and top tape (3) attached to an upper surface of the carrier tape (2), such that the top tape (3) side of the component storage tape (1) has a smaller radius of curvature than the carrier tape (2) side of the component storage tape (1) (r3 < r2), the tape curving attachment (20, 30) being attached to a feeder (10) that pitch feeds the component storage tape (1) from the reel (Rb).