Circuit-substrate-related-operation performing apparatus, and method of supplying constituent element to the apparatus
First Claim
1. A method of, in an operation-performing-apparatus line including a plurality of operation performing apparatuses which perform respective predetermined operations related to a circuit substrate and a substrate conveyor which extends through each of the operation performing apparatuses and conveys the circuit substrate to said each operation performing apparatus, exchanging at least one first exchangeable constituent element of at least one operation performing apparatus of the plurality of operation performing apparatuses, with at least one second constituent element, said at least one operation performing apparatus including an element stocker, a transferring head movable relative to the element stocker, and at least one apparatus-side element-holding portion for holding said at least one first exchangeable constituent element, the method comprising the steps ofcausing an element carrier plate to hold said at least one second constituent element such that said at least one second constituent element is detachable from the element carrier plate,causing the substrate conveyor to convey the element carrier plate from one of opposite ends of the operation-performing- apparatus line toward an other end thereof,stopping the element carrier plate in said at least one operation performing apparatus,automatically transferring, with the transferring head of said at least one operation performing apparatus, said at least one second constituent element from the element carrier plate to the element stocker of said at least one operation performing apparatus, andautomatically replacing said at least one first constituent element held by said at least one apparatus-side element-holding portion of said at least one operation performing apparatus, with said at least one second constituent element transferred to the element stocker.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A component mounting apparatus including an exchangeable suction nozzle is easily supplied with another suction nozzle to replace the former suction nozzle. A plurality of mounting modules 12 having respective identical constructions are arranged adjacent to each other such that the mounting modules are oriented in a same direction, so that the mounting modules 12 constitute a mounting-apparatus line. When the mounting-apparatus line is reset, a mounting head 40 is used to exchange automatically suction nozzles 158 between a nozzle stocker 330 and a nozzle carrier plate 400, so that a current arrangement of suction nozzles on the nozzle stocker 330 is changed to a new arrangement of suction nozzles for the next component mounting operation. The nozzle carrier plate 400 can hold a plurality of sorts of suction nozzles 158 that are needed for the next component mounting operation but are not held by the mounting modules 12. A wiring-board conveying device 34 is used to convey sequentially the nozzle carrier plate 400 to each of the mounting modules 12 and, in a state in which the nozzle carrier plate 400 is positioned and held, one or more unnecessary suction nozzles 158 are returned to the nozzle carrier plate 400 and one or more suction nozzles 158 needed for the next mounting operation are held by one or more vacant nozzle holders.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of, in an operation-performing-apparatus line including a plurality of operation performing apparatuses which perform respective predetermined operations related to a circuit substrate and a substrate conveyor which extends through each of the operation performing apparatuses and conveys the circuit substrate to said each operation performing apparatus, exchanging at least one first exchangeable constituent element of at least one operation performing apparatus of the plurality of operation performing apparatuses, with at least one second constituent element, said at least one operation performing apparatus including an element stocker, a transferring head movable relative to the element stocker, and at least one apparatus-side element-holding portion for holding said at least one first exchangeable constituent element, the method comprising the steps of
causing an element carrier plate to hold said at least one second constituent element such that said at least one second constituent element is detachable from the element carrier plate, causing the substrate conveyor to convey the element carrier plate from one of opposite ends of the operation-performing- apparatus line toward an other end thereof, stopping the element carrier plate in said at least one operation performing apparatus, automatically transferring, with the transferring head of said at least one operation performing apparatus, said at least one second constituent element from the element carrier plate to the element stocker of said at least one operation performing apparatus, and automatically replacing said at least one first constituent element held by said at least one apparatus-side element-holding portion of said at least one operation performing apparatus, with said at least one second constituent element transferred to the element stocker.
Specification