JPH0328009Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] <Industrial application field> This invention is used to classify and extract electronic components such as ICs by type, or to separate and extract several pieces in the order in which they were supplied. Regarding electronic component handlers.

<Prior Art> As a conventional electronic component handler, there is one shown in FIG. This electronic component handler 1 includes one vertically oriented inputting chute 2. A sorting chute 3 having a straight electronic component path through which electronic components can flow down is connected to the lower end, which is the terminal end, of the input chute 2 so as to be swingable about its upper end. The terminal end of the sorting chute 3 is alternatively turned to the starting end of three take-out chute 4, . . . provided below.

By swinging the sorting chute 3, the electronic component handler 1 can guide the electronic components from the input chute 2 through the sorting chute 3 to a desired take-out chute 4.

<Problems to be solved by the invention> By the way, in such a conventional electronic component handler 1, when sorting electronic components, the sorting chute 3 is swung in advance in the direction of the required take-out chute 4, and the electronic components are sorted. After the input chute 2 and the output chute 4 are connected in a cross-linked manner by the sorting chute 3, electronic components are transferred from the input chute 2 to the output chute 4 through the sorting chute 3 under this condition. The starting end of the sorting chute 3 was always connected to the terminal end of the input chute 2, both when receiving electronic components into the sorting chute 3 and when sending out electronic components from the sorting chute 3.

Therefore, the sorting chute 3 is connected to the end of the input chute 2 in a bent position in a dogleg shape, except when transferring electronic components from the input chute 2 to the output chute 4 that is aligned with the input chute 2. Therefore, there is a risk that the electronic components may get caught and become jammed at the connection point between the two chute 2 and 3 that is bent in this manner.

Such inconveniences tend to occur as the number of take-out chute 4 increases and the swing angle of sorting chute 3 increases.

Therefore, in order to avoid this difficulty, in the conventional electronic component handler 1, the swing angle of the sorting chute 3 is
The bending angle is set within 10 degrees and is designed to minimize the bending angle at the connection point between both shoots 2 and 3.

However, since the swinging angle of the sorting chute 3 is narrowly limited in this way, if there are many types of sorting and the number of take-out chute 4 is large, it is necessary to make the sorting chute 3 longer or to use multiple electronic The component handlers 1 must be connected in multiple stages in a tree-like manner, and in any case, the apparatus as a whole becomes very large.

On the other hand, it has been proposed that the sorting chute is made of an elastic material and that the sorting chute is curved so that its terminal ends are selectively connected to a plurality of take-out chutes.

In such a sorting chute, the starting end of the sorting chute and the terminal end of the inputting chute can be connected almost linearly, which eliminates clogging of electronic components at the connection point between the two chute, but the number of unloading chute is reduced. If it increases, the amount of curvature of the sorting chute becomes large, and in that case, there is a risk that electronic components may become stuck in the middle of the sorting chute, and there is a limit to the amount of curvature.

Therefore, when there are many types of sorting, it is necessary to lengthen the sorting chute or connect the electronic component handlers in multiple stages in a tree-like manner, similar to the electronic component handler shown in Figure 1. It has the disadvantage of being large.

In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, the purpose of the present invention is to make it possible to classify and remove electronic components into various types without causing them to become caught or clogged, with an overall small and compact structure. .

<Means for solving the problem> By the way, in the conventional electronic component handler shown in FIG. This is because the starting end of the sorting chute is always kept connected to the ending end of the inputting chute even if the chute is changed.

If we consider it in detail, it is only necessary to connect the starting end of the sorting chute to the terminal end of the inputting chute only when receiving electronic components from the inputting chute into the sorting chute. When sending out electronic components to the take-out chute, there is no particular need to connect the sorting chute to the input chute.

On the other hand, since the electronic component path of the sorting chute is long compared to the size of the electronic components, it is possible to use the time when the electronic components are moving down this path and change the direction of the sorting chute during that time. Therefore, it should be possible to change the orientation of the sorting chute when accepting electronic components and the orientation when sending the electronic components to the extraction chute.

Based on the above knowledge, the present invention is based on the above knowledge, and when electronic components are supplied from the input chute to the sorting chute, the sorting chute is aligned almost in a straight line with the input chute, and the electronic components are placed in the sorting chute. After acceptance, we devised a method of operation in which the sorting chute is swung through the required angle and its end is connected to one of the extraction chute, and based on this method of operation, we adopted the following configuration. By doing so, the above-mentioned purpose is achieved.

That is, in order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an electronic component handler that selectively guides electronic components supplied from an input chute to one of a plurality of extraction chute via a sorting chute that can be freely sorted. , the guide groove of the sorting chute is linear and is swingably supported around an intermediate portion thereof, and the sorting chute is aligned approximately in a straight line with the input chute in response to parts supply from the input chute. A control means is provided for controlling the orientation of the sorting chute so as to swing the sorting chute from an angular position to an angular position corresponding to a predetermined take-out chute position, and a sensor provided at the starting end of the sorting chute is used to control the orientation of the sorting chute. The supply is detected and a control signal is issued to start the rocking.

<Function> According to the above configuration, when electronic components are supplied from the input chute to the sorting chute, the sorting chute is aligned almost in a straight line with the input chute, and the electronic parts are Parts clogging is prevented. Then, while the electronic component is moving through the passage of the sorting chute, the sorting chute is turned around and its terminal end is connected to one of the extraction chute.

<Example> Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on an example shown in the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line - in FIG. In the figure, parts corresponding to those in FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals.

This electronic component handler 1 consists of an upper vertically oriented inputting chute 2, a sorting chute 3 located below it and oscillated around an axis O perpendicular to the drawing, and a lower side of the sorting chute 3. and a take-out chute 4. Reference numeral 5 indicates a connecting frame, 6 indicates a motor for swinging the sorting chute 3, 7 and 7 indicate blower devices provided on both sides of the input chute 2, and E, . . . indicate electronic components, respectively.

A vertical guide groove 8 is recessed in the input chute 2 . Further, a guide groove 9 is recessed in the sorting chute 3 over its entire length in the longitudinal direction.
The take-out chute 4 is integrally formed and has a large number (12 in the embodiment) of guide grooves 10 arranged radially around the swing center O of the sorting chute 3. Each guide groove 8 of these chute 2, 3, 4,
9 and 10 are adapted to the shape of the electronic component E to be handled. In this example, the electronic component E has a cubic shape and a number of lead wires are lined up in a row and protrude from the center of one side thereof, and these guide grooves 8, 9, and 10 are formed in an inverted T shape. Ru.

The pivot axis of the sorting chute 3 is the same as the sorting chute 3.
is set in the middle of On the back of the sorting chute 3, as shown in FIG.
A drive shaft of a motor 6 is attached at a position, and the sorting chute 3 is supported by the drive shaft. The starting end of the sorting chute 3 is formed in an arc shape approximately centered on the swing axis O, and the starting end of the sorting chute 3
The terminal end of the sorting chute 3 is formed into a shape that matches the arc shape of the starting end of the sorting chute 3 (for example, an arc shape or a curved shape similar thereto).

A photo sensor 11 is installed at the starting end of the sorting chute 3 in order to detect whether an electronic component E has entered the guide groove 9 or not. At the end of the sorting chute 3, there is a photo sensor 12 for detecting whether the electronic component E has reached the end of the guide groove 9 and whether the electronic component E that has reached that point has come out of the guide groove 9. Can be assembled. Further, photo sensors 13, . . ., which detect whether or not the electronic component E has entered the guide grooves 10, . Furthermore, these photo sensors 1
In order to control the operation of the motor 6 and the blower devices 7, 7 based on the outputs of the motors 1, 12, and 13, a control means (not shown) is provided. The control operation of this control means will be described in detail later.

Next, the electronic component handler 1 configured as described above will be described.
Explain the operation.

First, the electronic component E is supplied to the input chute 2,
The guide groove 8 guides the material to the sorting chute 3. The sorting chute 3 is initially oriented vertically (FIG. 2, solid line diagram), aligned with the input chute 2, and in that position receives the electronic components E from the input chute 2 into its guide groove 9.

When the electronic component E enters the guide groove 9 by a required amount, the photo sensor 11 detects this and starts the motor 6 via the control means. The swinging direction and swinging angle of the sorting chute 3 are programmed in advance.
The sorting chute 3 swings in accordance with the program, and then is stopped at a position facing one of the guide grooves 10 of the extracting chute 4 (dotted chain line diagram in FIG. 2). The swinging and stopping of the sorting chute 3 are as follows:
The electronic component E is controlled to finish flowing down within the guide groove 9 from top to bottom due to its own weight.

Next, the electronic components E are transferred from the guide groove 9 of the sorting chute 3 to the take-out chute 4 facing thereto.
is transferred to the guide groove 10 of. The movement of electronic parts E is as follows:
This is mainly done using the weight of the electronic components, but when the swing angle of the sorting chute 3 is large,
The weight of the electronic component E alone will slow down the moving speed of the electronic component, and in some cases, it is conceivable that the electronic component E will stop within the sorting chute 3.

Therefore, when the swing angle of the sorting chute 3 is large, the compressed air is transferred to the sorting chute 3 by the blower device 7.
By ejecting into the guide groove 9 from the starting end side, the electronic component E is sent out from the guide groove 9 to the guide groove 10 by the ejected air. In this way, the electronic component E is taken out into one selected guide groove 10 of the take-out chute 4.

When the photo sensor 13 of the guide groove 10 of the extraction chute 4 detects the entry of the electronic component E, the control means controls the motor 6 based on the detection signal, so that the sorting chute 3 is returned to its original vertical position. will be reinstated.

<Effects of the invention> As explained above, in this invention, when supplying electronic components from the input chute to the sorting chute,
Since the sorting chute is aligned substantially in a straight line with respect to the input chute, electronic components are not caught at the connection point between the two chute, and clogging of electronic components can be prevented.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a conventional example, FIG. 2 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the - line. 2... Input chute, 3... Sorting chute, 4
...Take-out chute, 7...Blow-flow device.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Utility Model Registration Claim] In an electronic component handler that selectively guides electronic components supplied from an input chute to one of a plurality of take-out chute via a sorting chute that can be freely distributed, a guide groove of the sorting chute; is linear and swingably supported around the intermediate portion thereof, and in response to parts supply from the inputting chute, the sorting chute is moved from an angular position substantially in line with the inputting chute to a predetermined extraction chute. A control means is provided for controlling the orientation of the sorting chute so as to swing it to an angular position corresponding to the position, and a sensor provided at the starting end of the sorting chute detects the supply of parts to the sorting chute, and An electronic component handler characterized in that the electronic component handler is configured to emit a control signal to start the movement.