Tape Feeder Zig-Zag Guide Mechanism Width Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tape feeders are limited in minimizing their width dimension due to the requirement of two guides along both edges of the component supply tape, making it impossible to make the feeder thinner than the combined thickness of the guides, clearance, and tape width.
Innovation Solution
A tape feeder with guide materials arranged in a zig-zag pattern on one side of the component supply tape, supporting it from one side only and slightly offset, allowing the tape to be tilted diagonally, thereby reducing the width dimension to match or be close to the tape width.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If two guides are placed along both edges of the component supply tape, then the tape can be properly guided to the pickup position, but the width dimension of the tape feeder becomes larger
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the guidance function from the conventional two-guide configuration and implements it using a single guide structure with zig-zag arranged guide materials. This reduces the number of guide components from two to one, directly addressing the contradiction by removing unnecessary guide elements while preserving the essential tape guidance function.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide materials are arranged in a zig-zag pattern that alternates between the left and right edges of the tape path. This dimensional arrangement allows the single guide to effectively control tape positioning in both lateral directions, achieving proper guidance with reduced width dimension compared to conventional two-guide structures.
2Length of stationary object
If guide materials are arranged in a zig-zag pattern alternating on both sides of the tape, then the width dimension can be reduced, but the tape may become contorted or tilted
Solution Approach 1:
The guide materials are arranged with alternating offset positions on the left and right sides of the tape path. This local variation in guide material positioning creates a zig-zag pattern that provides localized support points, guiding the tape through the feeder while maintaining proper alignment and preventing excessive contortion.
Solution Approach 2:
The zig-zag arrangement of guide materials creates a curved or diagonal tape path rather than a straight line. This curved guidance path allows the tape to be supported on one side only while maintaining proper alignment, reducing the width dimension without causing harmful tape contortion.
3Length of stationary object
If the guide mechanism width is reduced to match the tape width, then space efficiency is improved, but the clearance between guides and tape becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The guide materials are arranged in a dynamic zig-zag pattern that alternates offset positions, creating an effective guidance mechanism with minimal width. This dynamic arrangement allows the guide mechanism width to be reduced to match the tape width while maintaining sufficient functional clearance through the alternating offset configuration.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(a)~2(d)
AI summary
On the upper surface of tape path material 15 for pitch indexing component supply tape 12 to a component pickup position, multiple (for example 3 or more than 3) C-shaped guides 36 to 38 which support component supply tape 12 from one side only are arranged so that one supports component supply tape 12 from one side while the other supports it from the other side in an alternating zig-zag pattern. Component supply tape 12 is supported in a state that is slightly contorted in a widthwise direction or tilted diagonally by having the multiple guides 36 to 38 arranged slightly offset towards the inside in a widthwise direction of each component supply tape 12. By this, the width dimension of the guide mechanism for guiding component supply tape 12 to the component pickup position can be made thinner up to the point of having just about the same dimension as the width dimension of component supply tape 12.