Electronic component feeding apparatus

• US 6,443,326 B1
• Filed: 08/13/2001
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Taiyo Yuden Company Limited (Taiyo Yuden Co)
• Original Assignee: Taiyo Yuden Company Limited (Taiyo Yuden Co)
• Inventors: Saito, Koji, Yasuda, Taro
• Primary Examiner(s): Noland, Kenneth W.
• Application Number:
  US09/927,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20020027059A1
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: 221/278, 221/256, 221/157, 221/223, 221/200, 221/172, 221/168, 221/263, 221/268, 221/211, 221/163, 406/137
• US Class Current: 221/163
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/001 Article feeders for assembling machines screws or nuts being carried by a disposable strip or disc B25B23/045
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/004 Feeding the articles from hoppers to machines or dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/1407 the articles being fed from a container, e.g. a bowl
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/028 Simultaneously loading a plurality of loose objects, e.g. by means of vibrations, pressure differences, magnetic fields

Abstract

A component transfer mechanism transfers chip components along a liner passage by applying an inhaling pressure or a discharging pressure of an air bag or an air cylinder directly to the chip components in the liner passage, or by operating a component transfer member through an air actuator by the inhaling pressure or the discharging pressure. A component take-in mechanism stirs chip components in a storage chamber and takes them into a feeding passage by applying the inhaling pressure or the discharging pressure of the air bag or the air cylinder directly to the chip components in the storage chamber, or by operating a component stirring member through the air actuator by the inhaling pressure or the discharging pressure. A component separating mechanism separates the foremost chip component from the succeeding chip components by applying the inhaling pressure or the discharging pressure of the air bag or the air cylinder directly to the foremost chip component in the liner passage, or by operating a component separating member through the air actuator by the inhaling pressure or the discharging pressure.

Claims

1. An electronic component feeding apparatus, comprising:

a transfer passage for transferring electronic components;

a stopper for stopping advancement of the electronic components in the transfer passage;

a source of varying pressure;

a structure for removing the foremost component one at a time from the transfer passage and wherein the foremost component is at the stopper; and

the stopper being connected in fluid flow relation to the source of varying pressure and including an arrangement responsive to the varying pressure source for separating the foremost component in the transfer passage from other components in the transfer passage and for facilitating removal by the removing structure of the foremost component from the transfer passage, the arrangement being arranged to separate the component by moving the component in a direction extending (i) in the same direction as the path of movement of the components in the transfer passage and (ii) at a right angle to the removal direction of the component from the transfer passage by the removing structure.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the arrangement is arranged to separate the foremost component by moving the foremost component in a direction extending (i) at a right angle to the path of movement of the components in the transfer passage and (ii) at a right angle to the removal direction of the foremost component from the transfer passage by the removing structure.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the arrangement is arranged to separate the component that is next to and behind the foremost component by moving the component that is next to and behind the foremost component in a direction extending (i) at a right angle to the path of movement of the components that are in the transfer passage and (ii) at a right angle to the removal direction of the component that is next to and behind the foremost components from the transfer passage by the removing structure.

4. An electronic component feeding apparatus, comprising:

a transfer passage for transferring electronic components;

a stopper for stopping advancement of the electronic components in the transfer passage;

a source of varying pressure;

a structure for removing one component at a time from the transfer passage and wherein the removed component is at the stopper; and

the stopper being connected in fluid flow relation to the source of varying pressure and including an arrangement responsive to the varying pressure source for separating one of the components in the transfer passage from other components in the transfer passage and for facilitating removal by the removing structure of one component at a time from the transfer passage, the arrangement being arranged to separate the component by moving the component in a direction extending (i) at a right angle to the path of movement of the components in the transfer passage and (ii) at a right angle to the removal direction of the component from the transfer passage by the removing structure.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the arrangement is arranged to apply a fluid force to the moved component.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the arrangement is arranged to apply an inhaling force resulting directly from pressure variations of the varying pressure source to the separated component.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the arrangement is arranged to apply a discharge force resulting directly from pressure variations of the varying pressure source to the separated components.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the arrangement is arranged to separate the foremost component in the transfer passage and the removing structure is arranged to remove the foremost component in the transfer passage.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the arrangement is arranged to separate the component in the transfer passage that is next to and behind the foremost component in the transfer passage and the removing structure is arranged to remove the foremost component in the transfer passage.

10. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the arrangement is arranged to apply a mechanical force to the moved component.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the arrangement includes a cylinder connected to the varying pressure source, a piston in the cylinder and a rod coupled with the piston so that the rod and piston move together in response to fluid force from the varying pressure source moving the piston in the cylinder, the rod extending into the transfer passage for engaging and moving the component so it is separated.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the arrangement is arranged to apply to the piston an inhaling force resulting from pressure variations of the varying pressure source.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the arrangement is arranged to apply to the piston a discharge force resulting from pressure variations of the varying pressure source to the piston.

14. The apparatus of 11 wherein the structure for removing includes a second cylinder connected to the varying pressure source, a second piston in the second cylinder and a second rod coupled with the second piston so that the second rod and second piston move together in response to fluid force from the varying pressure source moving the second piston in the cylinder the second rod extending in a direction at a right angle to the movement direction of the rod extending into the transfer passage for moving a gripper for the foremost component.

15. An electronic component feeding apparatus, comprising:

a transfer passage for transferring electronic components;

a stopper for stopping advancement of the electronic components in the transfer passage;

a source of varying pressure;

a structure for removing one component at a time from the transfer passage and wherein the removed component is at the stopper;

the stopper being connected in fluid flow relation to the source of varying pressure and including an arrangement responsive to the varying pressure source for separating one of the components in the transfer passage from other components in the transfer passage and for facilitating removal by the removing structure of one component at a time from the transfer passage; and

a fluid flow path between the source of varying pressure and the transfer passage for applying a force to the components in the transfer passage to move the components in the transfer passage toward the stopper.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the fluid flow path is arranged to be responsive to the source of varying pressure for applying a fluid discharge force to the components in the transfer passage to move the components in the transfer passage toward the stopper.

17. An electronic component feeding apparatus, comprising:

a transfer passage for tranferring electronic components;

a stopper for stopping advancement of the electronic components in the transfer passage;

a source of varying pressure;

a structure for removing one component at a time from the transfer passage and wherein the removed component is at the stopper;

the stopper being connected in fluid flow relation to the source of varying pressure and including an arrangement responsive to the varying pressure source for separating one of the components in the transfer passage from other components in the transfer passage and for facilitating removal by the removing structure of one component at a time from the transfer passage;

a chamber for storing the components in bulk form, the chamber having an outlet through which the components flow into the transfer passage; and

a stirrer for the components in the chamber, the stirrer including a vent in the chamber connected in fluid flow relation with the source of varying pressure for applying a fluid force to components in the chamber to move components in the chamber away from the outlet.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the vent is positioned in the chamber and connected in fluid flow relation with the source of varying pressure to apply a discharge pressure to the components in the chamber to push the components in the chamber away from the outlet.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the vent is positioned in the chamber and connected in fluid flow relation with the source of varying pressure to apply an inhaling pressure to the components in the chamber to suck the components in the chamber away from the outlet.

20. An electronic component feeding apparatus, comprising:

a transfer passage for transferring electronic components;

a stopper for stopping advancement of the electronic components in the transfer passage;

a vent hole at the stopper communicating with the transfer passage;

an air cylinder for generating an inhaling force at an intake port thereof in response to a driving force being applied to said air cylinder;

a lever for applying the driving force to the air cylinder; and

a transmitting path for communicating the inhaling force from the intake port to the vent hole;

wherein the electronic components in the transfer passage can be transferred by the inhaling force communicated to the vent hole at the stopper.

21. The electronic component feeding apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the transmitting path includes an air tube.

22. An electronic component feeding apparatus, comprising:

a transfer passage for transferring electronic components;

a stopper for stopping advancement of the electronic components in the transfer passage;

a first vent hole at the stopper communicating with the transfer passage;

a second vent hole at the transfer passage;

an air cylinder for generating an inhaling force at an intake port thereof in response to a driving force being applied to said air cylinder;

a lever for applying the driving force to the air cylinder; and

a transmitting path for communicating the inhaling force from the intake port to the first and second vent holes;

wherein the electronic components in the transfer passage can be transferred by the inhaling force communicated to the first vent hole at the stopper and at least a second of the electronic components, while stationary in the transfer passage, can be held by the inhaling force communicating to the second vent hole of the transfer passage.

23. The electronic component feeding apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the transmitting path includes an air tube.

24. An electronic component feeding apparatus comprising:

a transfer passage for transferring electronic components;

a stopper for stopping advancement of the electronic components in the transfer passage;

a first vent hole at the stopper and communicating with the transfer passage;

a second vent hole at the transfer passage;

an air cylinder for generating an inhaling force at an intake port thereof and a discharging force at a discharge port thereof in response to a driving force being applied to said air cylinder;

a lever for applying the driving force to the air cylinder;

a first transmitting path for communicating the inhaling force from the intake port to the first vent hole; and

a second transmitting path for communicating the discharging force from the discharge port to the second vent hole;

wherein the electronic components in the transfer passage can be transferred by the inhaling force communicating to the first vent hole of the stopper and at least a second of the electronic components while stationary in the transfer passage can be held by the discharging force communicated to the second vent hole of the transfer passage.

25. The electronic component feeding apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the first and second transmitting paths include an air tube.

26. An electronic component feeding apparatus, comprising:

a transfer passage for transferring electronic components;

a stopper for stopping advancement of the electronic components in the transfer passage;

a vent hole at the stopper communicating with the transfer passage;

an air cylinder for generating an inhaling force at an intake port thereof in response to a driving force being applied to said air cylinder; and

a transmitting path for communicating the inhaling force from the intake port to the vent hole;

wherein the electronic components in the transfer passage can be transferred by the inhaling force communicated to the vent hole at the stopper.

27. The electronic component feeding apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the transmitting path includes an air tube.

28. An electronic component feeding apparatus, comprising:

a transfer passage for transferring electronic components;

a stopper for stopping advancement of the electronic components in the transfer passage;

a first vent hole at the stopper communicating with the transfer passage;

a second vent hole at the transfer passage;

an air cylinder for generating an inhaling force at an intake port thereof in response to a driving force being applied to said air cylinder; and

a transmitting path for communicating the inhaling force from the intake port to the first and second vent holes;

wherein the electronic components in the transfer passage can be transferred by the inhaling force communicated to the first vent hole at the stopper and at least a second of the electronic components, while stationary in the transfer passage, can be held by the inhaling force communicating to the second vent hole of the transfer passage.

29. The electronic component feeding apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the transmitting path includes an air tube.

30. An electronic component feeding apparatus comprising:

a transfer passage for transferring electronic components;

a stopper for stopping advancement of the electronic components in the transfer passage;

a first vent hole at the stopper and communicating with the transfer passage;

a second vent hole at the transfer passage;

an air cylinder for generating an inhaling force at an intake port thereof and a discharging force at a discharge port thereof in response to a driving force being applied to said air cylinder;

a first transmitting path for communicating the inhaling force from the intake port to the first vent hole; and

a second transmitting path for communicating the discharging force from the discharge port to the second vent hole;

wherein the electronic components in the transfer passage can be transferred by the inhaling force communicating to the first vent hole of the stopper and at least a second of the electronic components while stationary in the transfer passage can be held by the discharging force communicated to the second vent hole of the transfer passage.

31. The electronic component feeding apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the first and second transmitting paths include an air tube.