Electric-component mounting system

• US 6,739,036 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2001
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fuji Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Fuji Machine Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Suhara, Shinsuke, Ito, Toshiya, Koike, Hirokazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Peter
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trinh, Minh
• Application Number:
  US09/948,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20020029468A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 297/40, 297/41, 297/43, 297/59, 298/32, 298/34, 29D/IG.44, 297/39, 297/20, 297/21, 298/33, 294/64.1, 294/2, 414/737, 414/752.1, 901/40, 901/47, 359/212, 359/630
• US Class Current: 29/743
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/0409 Sucking devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/041 having multiple pick-up tools
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/0413 with orientation of the component while holding it; Drive mechanisms for gripping tools, e.g. lifting, lowering or turning of gripping tools
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/0812 the monitoring devices being integrated in the mounting machine, e.g. for monitoring components, leads, component placement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 29/044 Vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49131 by utilizing optical sighting device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49133 with component orienting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53087 with signal, scale, illuminator, or optical viewer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53091 for work-holder for assembly or disassembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53178 Chip component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53183 Multilead component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53187 Multiple station assembly apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53191 Means to apply vacuum directly to position or hold work part

Abstract

A mounting system for an electric component operates by transferring the electric component from a component supply device to a suction nozzle of a component-holding head on a circuit substrate. A relative position between a sucking surface of the suction nozzle and an axis of rotation of the component-holding head is obtained. A component-holding head and the component supply device are moved relative to each other on the basis of the obtained relative position, so as to minimize an error of relative positioning between the sucking surface and a predetermined sucking position of the electric component positioned at the component-supply portion. The head and the component supply device are then moved toward each other, for transferring the electronic components from the component supply device to the suction nozzle.

Claims

1. An electric-component mounting system for mounting electric components on a circuit substrate, comprising:

a component supply device having a component-supply portion from which said electronic components are supplied one after another;

a circuit-substrate support device that supports said circuit substrate;

a component-holding head rotatable about an axis of rotation thereof and arranged to removably hold a suction nozzle having a sucking surface such that said suction nozzle extends in an axial direction of said component-holding head, said suction nozzle holding each one of said electric components supplied from said component-supply portion of said component supply device, and mounting said each one electric component on said circuit substrate supported by said circuit-substrate support device;

a head rotating device operable to rotate said component-holding head;

a relative-movement device operable to move at least one of said component-holding head and said component supply device relative to an other of said component-holding head and said component supply device, in a direction intersecting said axis of rotation of said component-holding head;

an axial-movement device operable to move at least one of said component-holding head and said component supply device in said axial direction toward and away from an other of said component-holding head and said component supply device;

an image-taking device operable to take an image of said sucking surface in said axial direction toward said sucking surface; and

a control device operable to control said head rotating device, said relative-movement device, said axial-movement device and said image-taking device,

and wherein said control device includes

a relative-position obtaining portion operable to obtain a relative position between said sucking surface and said axis of rotation of said component-holding head;

a relative-movement control portion operable to control said relative-movement device, for effecting a relative movement between said component-holding head and said component supply device on the basis of said relative position obtained by said relative-position obtaining portion, so as to minimize an error of relative positioning between said sucking surface and a predetermined sucking position of said each one electric component positioned at said component-supply portion of said component supply device; and

a component-transfer control portion operable after said relative movement between said component-holding head and said component supply device by said relative-movement device, to control said axial-movement device to move said at least one of said component-holding head and said component supply device toward said other of said component-holding head and said component supply device, for transferring said each one electric component from said component-supply portion of said component supply device to said suction nozzle.

2. The electric-component mounting system according to claim 1, wherein said relative-position obtaining portion, said relative-movement control portion and said component-transfer control portions are all operable when said component-holding head is placed in a predetermined angular position.

3. The electric-component mounting system according to claim 1, wherein said relative-movement device comprises:

a head turning device operable to turn said component-holding head about a turning axis, such that said component-holding head can be sequentially stopped at a plurality of working positions which are arranged along a circular path of turning of said component-holding head; and

a component-supply-device positioning device operable to move said component supply device in a direction of tangency to said circular path of turning, to bring said component-supply portion into alignment with one of said working positions.

4. The electronic-component mounting system according to claim 1, wherein said relative-movement control portion is operable to control said component-supply-device positioning device for positioning said component supply device such that said error of relative positioning between said sucking surface and said predetermined sucking position of said each one electric component in said direction of tangency is substantially zeroed.