Tape Feeder Segmented End Guide for Suction Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing tape feeder systems suffer from poor suction of electronic components when the carrier tape is cut by hand without using a tool, leading to reduced production efficiency due to deformation of the tape guide.
Innovation Solution
A detachable tape feeder system with a separate end portion guide that can be easily replaced, ensuring the tape guide remains undamaged and functional, even when the carrier tape is cut by hand, and includes a guide portion to direct waste tape below the plane of the tape guide to prevent interference with the suction nozzle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the carrier tape is cut by hand without using a tool such as scissors, then the setup change is simplified and faster, but the end portion of the tape guide is deformed causing poor suction
Solution Approach 1:
The tape guide is divided into two separate segments: the main body and the end portion guide. The end portion guide is detachably attached to the main body, allowing it to be replaced independently when deformed by hand cutting, while the main body remains intact and functional.
Solution Approach 2:
The end portion guide is designed with different material properties or structural parameters compared to the main body, making it more resistant to deformation from hand cutting or easier to replace. This parameter differentiation allows the critical suction area to be protected while maintaining ease of operation.
2Ease of manufacture
If the tape guide is made as a single integrated piece, then the structure is simpler and manufacturing is easier, but the tape guide cannot be easily replaced when deformed
Solution Approach 1:
The tape guide is segmented into a main body and a detachable end portion guide. This segmentation allows the end portion to be manufactured separately and replaced easily when deformed, while the main body maintains its structural integrity and manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment between the end portion guide and main body is designed to be detachable rather than permanent. This dynamic connection allows for easy replacement of the end portion guide when needed, while maintaining a stable integrated structure during normal operation.
3Ease of repair
If the end portion guide is made as a separate detachable member, then it can be replaced quickly when deformed, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The tape guide is divided into a main body and a detachable end portion guide, allowing selective replacement of only the worn component rather than the entire assembly. This segmentation enables easy replacement while keeping the overall structural complexity minimal through simple attachment mechanisms.
Data Source
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AI summary
A tape feeder that is capable of preventing poor suction of electronic components and thus preventing reduction in production efficiency when a carrier tape is cut by hand or the like without using a tool such as scissors. A tape feeder 31 is detachably mounted on a component mounting machine configured to mount an electronic component on a circuit board with the use of a suction nozzle, the tape feeder 31 including a main body 31a including a carrier tape in which the electronic component is enclosed, and a tape guide 31c disposed on an upper surface of a end portion of the main body at which a component suction position Pn where the electronic component is sucked is provided, and configured to guide the carrier tape, wherein the tape feeder 31 includes an end portion guide 31d (60) formed as a separate member from the main body 31a and the tape guide 31c that is detachably attached to the main body 31a.