Tape feeder and carrier tape loading method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11596090-B2
Application number	US-201716620557-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2017
Priority date	Jun 16, 2017
Publication date	Feb 28, 2023
Grant date	Feb 28, 2023

Abstract

The control device of a tape feeder, during the loading processing, in a case in which carrier tape that is preadjusted such that a length from a first cavity, which houses the electronic component and which is first from the leading end of the carrier tape among the multiple cavities, to the leading end of the carrier tape is a regulated length is inserted into the insertion section, starts conveyance of the carrier tape and makes a position of the first cavity a specified position in the feeder main body in accordance with a detection result of the detection sensor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tape feeder comprising:
a feeder main body including an insertion section into which a leading end of a carrier tape housing electronic components is inserted, and a supply section at which the electronic components are supplied to an electronic component mounting machine;
a driving device provided on the feeder main body and configured to convey the carrier tape, the driving device including a sprocket on which engagement protrusions are formed that are configured to engage with the carrier tape;
a detection sensor configured to detect a leading end of the carrier tape at a conveyance path provided between the insertion section and the supply section;
control circuitry configured to control the driving device such that the carrier tape inserted into the insertion section is conveyed to the supply section, and perform loading processing of loading the carrier tape, wherein
multiple cavities housing the electronic components are formed in the carrier tape at a specified interval in a conveyance direction of the carrier tape, wherein the carrier tape is preadjusted such that a length from a first cavity, which is a cavity among the multiple cavities closest to the leading end of the carrier tape that houses one of the electronic components, to the leading end of the carrier tape is a regulated length, and
an angle detecting sensor configured to determine an angle of the sprocket, wherein when one of the multiple cavities is at the supply position, one of the engagement protrusions is oriented at a predetermined angle of the sprocket above a rotational center of the sprocket, wherein
during the loading processing, the control circuitry is configured to start conveyance of the carrier tape to make a position of the first cavity a specified position in the feeder main body with respect to the supply position in accordance with a detection result of the leading end of the carrier tape detected by the detection sensor, a detection result of an angle of the sprocket with respect to the predetermined angle detected by the angle detecting sensor, and the interval between the multiple cavities.

2. The tape feeder according to claim 1 , wherein
the carrier tape includes
base tape in which the cavities are formed, and
cover tape configured to cover opening sections of the cavities,

the tape feeder includes a tape guide provided on the supply section of the feeder main body, wherein
the tape guide includes
a guide main body,
a peeling device provided on the guide main body and configured to peel the cover tape from the base tape in a manner that leaves a portion of the cover tape in a width direction connected to the base tape, and
a folding device provided on the guide main body and configured to fold a portion of the cover tape peeled from the base tape.

3. The tape feeder according to claim 2 , wherein
the folding device includes a regulating section configured to contact an edge section in the width direction of a surface of the cover tape that has been folded and to maintain the cover tape in a folded state, and
the regulated length is set to a length at least equal to a length from the supply section to the regulating section in the conveyance direction of the carrier tape.

4. The tape feeder according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a biasing device configured to bias the guide main body towards a rail that configures the conveyance path such that the carrier tape is held between the rail and the guide main body.

5. The tape feeder according to claim 4 , wherein
the peeling device includes a peeling blade configured to separate a connection section connecting the base tape and the cover tape, wherein
when the peeling blade first starts separating at the leading end of the carrier tape, a leading end of the base tape that has passed a separating position of the peeling blade pushes up the peeling blade against a biasing force of the biasing device to a side opposite to the rail, and
the regulated length is set at least equal to a length in the conveyance direction of the carrier tape from the separating position to a position at which the pushing up by the base tape ends.

6. The tape feeder according to claim 1 , wherein
the engagement protrusions are arranged at even intervals in a circumferential direction of the sprocket,
multiple engagement holes configured to engage with the protrusions of the sprocket and formed in the carrier tape at a specified interval in the conveyance direction of the carrier tape, and
the regulated length is set to a length at least twice the interval between the engagement holes from a leading end side of the first cavity and equal to or less than five times the interval between the engagement holes.

7. The tape feeder according to claim 1 , wherein
the regulated length is set to a length such that the regulated length ends at a position shifted from any cavities that do not house one of the electronic components further to the leading end of the carrier tape than the first cavity.

8. The tape feeder according to claim 1 , wherein
the specified position at which the first cavity is positioned in the loading processing is a standby position at which the first cavity is positioned when a cavity one to the leading end side of the first cavity is positioned at the supply section.

9. The tape feeder according to claim 1 , wherein
the engagement protrusions are formed at even intervals in the circumferential direction of the sprocket and are configured to engage with the multiple engagement holes formed at the specified interval in the carrier tape.

10. A carrier tape loading method for loading a carrier tape housing electronic components to a tape feeder, the tape feeder being provided with
a feeder main body including an insertion section into which a leading end of a carrier tape is inserted, and a supply section at which the electronic components are supplied to an electronic component mounting machine,
a driving device provided on the feeder main body and configured to convey the carrier tape, the driving device including a sprocket on which engagement protrusions are formed that are configured to engage with the carrier tape,
a detection sensor configured to detect a leading end of the carrier tape at a conveyance path provided between the insertion section and the supply section,
control circuitry configured to control the driving device such that the carrier tape inserted into the insertion section is conveyed to the supply section, and perform loading processing of loading the carrier tape, wherein
multiple cavities housing the electronic components are formed in the carrier tape at a specified interval in a conveyance direction of the carrier tape, and
an angle detecting sensor configured to determine an angle of the sprocket, wherein when one of the multiple cavities is at the supply position, one of the engagement protrusions is oriented at a predetermined angle of the sprocket above a rotational center of the sprocket,
the loading method comprising:
during the loading processing, performing an adjusting process of preadjusting the carrier tape such that a length from a first cavity, which is a cavity among the multiple cavities closest to the lead end of the carrier tape that houses one of the electronic components, to the leading end of the carrier tape is a regulated length, and,
when the preadjusted carrier tape is inserted into the insertion section, performing a positioning process of starting conveyance of the carrier tape and making a position of the first cavity a specified position in the feeder main body with respect to the supply position in accordance with a detection result of the leading end of t

Assignees

• Fuji Corp

Inventors

• Ohashi Hiroyasu
• Murase Hiroki

Classifications

• Y10T29/53174

  Means to fasten electrical component to wiring board, base, or substrate · CPC title

• B65H23/18

  by controlling or regulating the web-advancing mechanism, e.g. mechanism acting on the running web · CPC title

• H05K13/086

  Supply management, e.g. supply of components or of substrates · CPC title

• H05K13/021 Primary

  Loading or unloading of containers (H05K13/028 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05K13/02

  Feeding of components · CPC title