Tape Feeder Width Regulation for Component Positioning Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tape feeders for electronic components suffer from deviations in the path width direction, leading to reduced positional accuracy due to an invariant conveyance path width, which is not adaptable to different tape widths.
Innovation Solution
A tape feeder with a conveyance path featuring a base width section and a narrower section, along with a width regulating section that adjusts the path width near the extraction position, ensuring the tape is properly aligned and minimizing deviations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the conveyance path has a fixed width, then the structure is simple, but the tape deviation in the path width direction cannot be suppressed
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyance path is segmented into a base width section and a narrow width section. The base width section has a width equal to or larger than the tape width for smooth conveyance, while the narrow width section has a width smaller than the tape width to suppress deviation. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both smooth conveyance and deviation suppression without requiring complete path redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the entire conveyance path narrow to suppress deviation, only a local section (the narrow width section) is made narrower. This local quality change allows deviation suppression at the critical extraction position while maintaining smooth conveyance in other sections. The narrow width section is positioned within a specific interval (2C to 4C upstream or downstream from the extraction position) to achieve the desired effect.
2Manufacturing precision
If the conveyance path width is adjusted to suppress tape deviation, then positional accuracy improves, but adaptability to different tape widths decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyance path is divided into a base width section that accommodates various tape widths and a narrow width section that suppresses deviation. The base width section maintains sufficient width for different tape types, while the narrow width section provides the necessary constraint for alignment accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The width regulating section is designed to be adjustable, allowing the narrow width section's position and dimensions to be dynamically modified based on the specific tape width being used. This enables the system to adapt to different tape widths while maintaining the deviation suppression function.
3Manufacturing precision
If a width regulating section is added to adjust path width, then tape deviation is suppressed, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The width regulating section is implemented as a separate, modular component that creates the narrow width section. This segmentation allows the regulation function to be added without redesigning the entire conveyance path, making the system easier to manufacture and maintain despite the added functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of regulating the width along the entire conveyance path, the width regulating section applies partial action only at the critical location within 2C to 4C interval from the extraction position. This partial regulation is sufficient to achieve the desired alignment accuracy without the complexity of full-path regulation.
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided a tape feeder (1) including: a feeder main body (2) including a conveyance path (A) through which a tape (4) having electronic components (P) accommodated therein is conveyed and a base width section (A1) wider than the tape (4) and a narrow width section (A2) narrower than the base width section (A1) are provided; and a width regulating section (3) that abuts against the tape (4) conveyed through the conveyance path (A) from a path width direction of the conveyance path (A), and sets the narrow width section (A2) on the conveyance path (A).