Patent Application
20080035697
The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:
The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown.
The tape discharging apparatus 100 is used in the tape feeder of a component mounter. When assembled, the tape feeder is attached to one side of the component mounter. The tape feeder includes a tape separating unit 101 and the tape discharging apparatus 100. The tape separating unit 101 separates a top cover tape from a top surface of a carrier tape on which chips are attached. The separated top cover tape is fed to the tape discharging apparatus 100 where the tape is discharged into a tape collector 110.
The tape discharging apparatus 100 receives a top cover tape stripped from a carrier tape and discharges the top cover tape to the outside.
In the current embodiment, the tape discharging apparatus 100 includes the tape collector 110 and a discharge guide 120. The tape collector 110 has an inlet 111 and an outlet 112, and the discharge guide 120 opens and closes the outlet 112. The tape discharging apparatus 100 is included in the tape feeder to discharge a used top cover tape to the outside.
A top cover tape is introduced into the tape collector 110 through the inlet 111 and is discharged to the outside through the outlet 112. In the tape collector 110, a passage 113 is defined between the inlet 111 and the outlet 112. A top cover tape introduced through the inlet 111 is accommodated in the passage 113 and discharged through the outlet 112.
The inlet 111 may be higher than the outlet 112. In this case, the passage 113 slopes down from the inlet 111 toward the outlet 112. Because of this arrangement of the inlet 111, the outlet 112, and the passage 113, a top cover tape introduced into the tape collector 110 through the inlet 111 can smoothly move to the outlet 112 by its weight and a pushing force applied by entering into the tape collector 110.
The tape discharging apparatus 100 may further include the tape pulling unit 130 to pull a top cover tape into the passage 113 through the inlet 111. The tape pulling unit 130 is installed at the inlet 111 and includes first and second gears 131 and 135. The first and second gears 131 and 135 are engaged with each other and rotate simultaneously, and a top cover tape is transferred between the first and second gears 131 and 135.
The first gear 131 may include a protruded portion 133 formed along its circumference. As shown in
The tape pulling unit 130 may further include an inlet guide 139. The inlet guide 139 guides a top cover tape toward the inlet 111. Since a top cover tape is flexible, the top cover tape can be bent toward and around the second gear 135 after passing between the first and second gears 131 and 135. For this reason, the inlet guide 139 is disposed at a side of the second gear 135 to guide the top cover tape to pass between the first and second gears 131 and 135 toward the inlet 111 without failure.
In the current embodiment, the inlet guide 139 is disposed at a side of the second gear 135. Alternatively, the inlet guide 139 can be disposed at a side of the first gear when a top cover tape is bent toward the first gear 131 after passing between the first and second gears 131 and 135.
When the engaged first and second gears 131 and 135 rotate, the protruded portion 133 of the first gear 131 and the groove 136 of the second gear 135 are in engagement with each other. Therefore, when passing between the first and second gears 131 and 135, the top cover tape 10 is deformed by the protruded portion 133 and the groove 136, a groove 11 being thereby formed along the length of the top cover tape 10. In detail, when the top cover tape 10 passing between the first and second gears 131 and 135, the protruded portion 133 presses the top cover tape 10 against the groove 136. Thus, the groove 11 can be formed on the top cover tape 10 in an advancing direction of the top cover tape 10 as shown in
When a top cover tape 10 is introduced into the tape collector 110 through the inlet 111 after passing through the tape pulling unit 130, the top cover tape 10 is not readily bent since the groove 11 is formed in the top cover tape 10. In a conventional tape discharging apparatus, since a flexible top cover tape is easily bent at an inlet of a tape collector, the top cover tape is irregularly folded, and thus the tape collector is filled with the irregularly folded tape from the inlet. However, in the current embodiment, the top cover tape 10 is not easily bent at the inlet 111 of the tape collector 110 because of the groove 11 formed therein. Thus, the top cover tape 10 can advance straight along the passage 113 of the tape collector 110.
Therefore, in the current embodiment of the present invention, the top cover tape 10 can be more uniformly filled in the tape collector 110, reducing the possibility of substantially more densely gathering in a certain area of the tape collector 110.
The tape discharging apparatus 100 includes the discharge guide 120 hinged on an inner wall of the tape collector 110. In detail, one end of the discharge guide 120 is attached to an upper wall of the passage 113 by a hinge 121, and other end of the discharge guide 120 extends from the end attached to upper wall of the passage 113 toward a lower wall of the passage 113. Therefore, the discharge guide 120 can be vertically rotated about the hinge 121.
When the top cover tape 10 is fully filled in the passage 113, the discharge guide 120 is rotated up since the filled top cover tape 10 presses the discharge guide 120. Thus, the outlet 112 is opened, and the top cover tape 10 is discharged from the tape collector 110.
After the top cover tape 10 is discharged to the outside, the discharge guide 120 rotates downward by its weight, and thus the outlet 112 is closed.
The passage 113 formed inside the tape collector 110 includes an inlet passage 114 and an outlet passage 115. The inlet passage 114 adjoins the inlet 111 and increases in height in a direction away from the inlet 111.
The outlet passage 115 adjoins the outlet 112. The outlet passage 115 is defined between an inner surface of the discharge guide 120 and an inner wall of the passage 113. The outlet passage 115 decreases in height in a direction toward the outlet 112.
When the discharge guide 120 is closed, the inlet passage 114 and the outlet passage 115 are substantially symmetric with respect to a vertical centerline of the tape collector 110. Thus, the inlet passage 114 and the outlet passage 115 have substantially the same slope, but opposite directions.
In a conventional tape discharging apparatus, since an outlet passage has a higher height than an inlet passage, a top cover tape is not uniformly filled in a tape collector. That is, the top cover tape is densely filled in the narrow inlet passage but is not densely filled in the outlet passage.
As described above, in the current embodiment, the inlet passage 114 and the outlet passage 15 have substantially the same slope, but opposite directions, so that the top cover tape 10 can be uniformly filled in the passage 113 from the inlet 111 to the outlet 112.
An operation of the tape discharging apparatus 100 will now be described with reference to
In a component mounter, the tape discharging apparatus 100 discharges a top cover tape 10 separated from a carrier tape (not shown).
The top cover tape 10 separated from the carrier tape is inserted into the tape collector 110 through the inlet 111 by the tape pulling unit 130. That is, the top cover tape 10 is inserted into the tape collector 110 after passing between the engaged first and second gears 131 and 135.
When the top cover tape 10 passes between the first and second gears 131 and 135, the protruded portion 133 (refer to
The top cover tape 10 enters the tape collector 110 through the inlet 111. In the tape collector 110, the top cover tape 10 is not easily bent because of to the groove 11 formed along the length of the top cover tape 10. Thus, the top cover tape 10 can advance straight along the passage 113 in the tape collector 110.
As the component mounter continues to operate, the top cover tape 10 is continuously separated from the carrier tape and collected into the tape collector 110, and thus the tape collector 110 is uniformly filled with the top cover tape 10 as shown in
The top cover tape 10 filled in the passage 113 of the tape collector 110 moves along the passage 113 toward the outlet 112 by its weight and a pushing force applied by entering into the tape collector 110. The inlet 111 is higher than the outlet 112, and the passage 113 slopes down from the inlet 111 to the outlet 112, so that the top cover tape 10 can smoothly move to the outlet 112 along the passage 113.
The discharge guide 120 stays in a downwardly-rotated position by its weight, and thus a free end of the discharge guide 120 makes contact with a lower wall of the passage 113. Therefore, the outlet passage 115, which is formed by the discharge guide 120 and the passage 113, decreases in height in a direction toward the outlet 112. The shape of the outlet passage 115 corresponds to that of the inlet passage 114, which is formed adjacent to the inlet 111 and increases in height in a direction away from the inlet 111. Therefore, the density of the top cover tape 10 filled in the passage 113 does not substantially vary from the inlet 111 to the remote outlet 112. That is, the top cover tape 10 is uniformly filled in the passage 113 of the tape collector 110.
When the top cover tape 10 is fully filled in the passage 113 of the tape collector 110, a pushing force is applied to an inner surface of the discharge guide 120 because of the weight of the folded top cover tape 10 and a pushing force applied by entering of the top cover tape 10 into the inlet 111. As a result, the discharge guide 120 is rotated upwards and the outlet 112 is opened. The top cover tape 10 filled in the passage 113 is discharged to the outside through the opened outlet 112 as shown in
When a certain amount of the top cover tape 10 is discharged from the tape collector 110, the pushing force acting on the discharge guide 120 reduces, and thus the discharge guide 120 rotates downward toward its original position by its own weight as shown in
A tape receiving box (not shown) can be disposed under the outlet 112 of the tape collector 110 to receive the top cover tape 10 discharged from the tape collector 110. Then, when the tape receiving box is filled with the discharged top cover tape 10, an operator can empties the tape receiving box.
In the tape discharging apparatus 100 of the current embodiment, the top cover tape 10 is not discharged to the outside until a certain amount of the top cover tape 10 is filled in the tape collector 110. That is, a predetermined amount of top cover tape 10 is discharged from the tape discharging apparatus 100 at a time. Therefore, when a component mounter operates, a used top cover tape 10 can be efficiently discharged, and thus the surroundings of the component mounter can be kept clean since the top cover tape 10 in not discharged at random.
Furthermore, the top cover tape 10 can be uniformly filled in the tape collector 110 and discharged regularly from the tape collector 110 by the discharge guide 120. That is, although conventional component mounters should be stopped and thus chips cannot be supplied when a used top cover tape is not smoothly discharged due to the top cover tape being concentrated and compressed around an inlet of a tape collector, the tape mounter employing the tape discharging apparatus of the present invention can supply chips stably without this problem.
The tape discharging apparatus 200 of the current embodiment is used in a tape feeder of a component mounter to receive and discharge a top cover tape separated from a carrier tape.
In the tape discharging apparatus 200 of the current embodiment, a top cover tape filled in a tape collector 210 is discharged to the outside when a discharge guide 220 is rotated up by a weight of the filled top cover tape like in the tape discharging apparatus 100 of the previous embodiment. However, in the current embodiment, the tape discharging apparatus 200 includes a door 240 at an outlet 212 of the tape collector 210. The door 240 interlocks with the discharge guide 220.
The tape discharging apparatus 200 of the current embodiment includes the tape collector 210 having an inlet 211 and the outlet 212, the door 240 installed on the outlet 212, and the discharge guide 220 hinged on the tape collector 210 and interlocked with the door 240.
A top cover tape is introduced into the tape collector 210 through the inlet 211 and discharged to the outside through the outlet 212. A passage 213 is formed in the tape collector 210 from the inlet 211 to the outlet 212. A top cover tape introduced through the inlet 211 is accommodated in the passage 213 and is guided to the outlet 212 along the passage 213.
The tape discharge apparatus 200 may further include a tape pulling unit 130 that pulled a top cover tape towards the inlet 211. The tape pulling unit 130 includes a first gear 131 and a second gear 135 that are disposed at the inlet 211. The first and second gears 131 and 135 are enmeshed and rotate simultaneously, and a top cover tape passes between the first and second gears 131 and 135.
The first gear 131 may include a protruded portion 133 formed along a circumference. The protruded portion 133 may be a washer fitted around a groove formed in the circumference of the first gear 131. The second gear 135 may include a groove 136 formed along its circumference in correspondence with the protruded portion 133 of the first gear 131.
The tape pulling unit 130 may further include an inlet guide 139. The inlet guide 139 guides a top cover tape toward the inlet 211.
The tape pulling unit 130 of the current embodiment has the same structure and function as that of the embodiment illustrated in
The door 240 is coupled to the outlet 212. The door 240 is hinged on a lower end of the outlet 212, such that the door 240 can rotate up and down to close and open the outlet 212.
Like in the previous embodiment, the discharge guide 220 of the current embodiment is rotated upward by a pushing force exerted by a top cover tape fully filled in the passage 213. However, in the current embodiment, the discharge guide 220 does not directly open or close the outlet 212. Instead, the discharge guide 220 opens or closes the outlet 212 by interlocking with the door 240.
The discharge guide 220 is rotatably coupled to an upper wall of the passage 213 by a hinge 221 formed on one end of the discharge guide 220. A connecting portion 222 is formed on the other end of the discharge guide 220 and is inserted into an elongated slot 241 formed in the door 240, and a supporting portion 223 extends to an outside of the door 240 from the connecting portion 222.
The elongated slot 241 of the door 240 is vertically formed, and an extension slot 242 is connected to an upper end of the slot 241. The connecting portion 222 of the discharge guide 220 is inserted into the elongated slot 241 of the door 240. When the discharge guide 220 rotates about the hinge 221, the connecting portion 222 can move along the elongated slot 241. When the connecting portion 222 is inserted into the elongated slot 241, the supporting portion 223 keeps the door 240 in a closed position. The supporting portion 223 has a width larger than that of the elongated slot 241, such that the supporting portion 223 cannot pass through the elongated slot 241.
The extension slot 242 connected to the upper end of the elongated slot 241 is sized such that the supporting portion 223 of the discharge guide 220 can pass through the extension slot 242. Therefore, when the discharge guide rotates up, the connecting portion 222 can move up to the extension slot 242 along the elongated slot 241, and then the supporting portion 223 can be inserted into the extension slot 242. As a result, the door 240 can rotate down to open the outlet 212.
In the tape discharge apparatus 200 of the present invention, when the passage 213 of the tape collector 210 is fully filled with a top cover tape, the discharge guide 220 is rotated up and the outlet 212 is opened. Here, the door 240 is rotated downward by interlocking with the discharge guides 220, and thus the outlet 212 is opened. After the top cover tape is discharged to the outside through the opened outlet 212, the door 240 is not automatically closed although the discharge guide 220 rotates downward by its weight. Thus, an operator may rotate upward the door 240 and pass the supporting portion 223 through the extension slot 242 of the door 240 to couple the discharge guide 220 and the door 240 to close the outlet 212.
When a top cover tape 10 is introduced into the tape collector 210 through the inlet 211 after passing through the tape pulling unit 130, the top cover tape 10 is not readily bent since a groove 11 (refer to
When the top cover tape 10 is being filled into the tape collector 210, the door 240 keeps the outlet 212 closed. The discharge guide 220 is hinged to the upper wall of the passage 213 by the hinge 221 formed on one end of the discharge guide 220. The connecting portion 222 formed on the other end of the discharge guide 220 is inserted into the elongated slot 241 of the door 240, and the supporting portion 223 extending to an outside of the door 240 from the connecting portion 222 is used to support the door 240.
When the top cover tape 10 is fully filled in the passage 213 of the tape collector 210, the discharge guide 220 is rotated up by a pushing force exerted by the filled top cover tape 10. When the discharge guide 220 is rotated upward, the connecting portion 222 of the discharge guide 220 moves up along the elongated slot 241. When the connecting portion 222 reaches the extension slot 242 formed on the top end of the elongated slot 241, the supporting portion 223 passes through the extension slot 242, such that the door 240 can rotate down to open the outlet 212. Here, the top cover tape 10 fully filled in the passage 213 pushes the door 240 as well as the discharge guide 220, the supporting portion 223 can automatically pass through the extension slot 242 without an additional manipulation of an operator. After that, the top cover tape 10 fully filled in the passage 213 is discharged to the outside through the opened outlet 212.
In a conventional tape discharging apparatus, an outlet is closed by a door using a magnet, and when a force applied to the door by a top cover tape filled in the tape collector is greater than a magnetic force of the magnet, the door is rotated to open the outlet. Therefore, in the conventional tape discharging apparatus, the discharging time of the top cover tape is determined by the strength of the magnet.
When the tape collector is large, a large amount of top cover tape can be accommodated in the tape collector. Thus, in the conventional tape discharging apparatus, the tape collector can be emptied after a long time using a strong magnet. On the contrary, when the tape collector is small, only a small amount of top cover tape can be accommodated in the tape collector. Thus, the tape collector can be frequently emptied using a relatively weak magnet. That is, since it is difficult to precisely adjust tape discharging time in the conventional tape discharging apparatus, the top cover tape is not stably discharged from the tape discharging apparatus, and thus the efficiency of a component mounter decreases.
However, in the tape discharging apparatus of the present invention, a top cover tape can be stably discharged to the because the discharge guide is hinged to the upper wall of the passage of the tape collector. That is, when the top cover tape is fully filled in the passage of the tape collector, the discharge guide is automatically rotated upward to open the outlet by a pushing force exerted by the filled top cover tape. Therefore, tape discharging time can be adjusted to a desired level by designing the discharge guide based on the size of the tape collector.
In the tape discharging method of the current embodiment, a top cover tape is introduced into a tape collector through an inlet in operation S100. The introduced top cover tape moves in the tape collector in operation S200. A discharge guide is rotated upward to discharge the top cover tape to the outside in operation S300. The discharge guide rotates downward to close an outlet in operation S400.
Specifically, in operation S100, a top cover tape is pulled into the tape collector through the inlet by passing the top cover tape between first and second gears that are disposed at the inlet.
In operation S100, a groove can be formed along a length of on the top cover tape. For this, the top cover tape may be pressed by a protruded portion formed along a circumference of the first gear and a corresponding groove formed along a circumference of the second gear.
Because of the groove formed in the top cover tape, the top cover tape is not readily bent and thus advances straight in a passage of the tape collector. Therefore, the top cover tape can be uniformly filled in the tape collector, and thus a locally overfilled region is not present in the tape collector.
In operation S200, the top cover tape introduced into the tape collector advances along the passage of the tape collector and fills the passage. Operations S100 and S200 are associated. That is, operation S200 can be performed after the top cover tape is introduced through the inlet in operation S100.
In operation S300, the top cover tape fully filled in the tape collector pushes up a discharge guide rotatably mounted on an upper wall of the tape collector to open the outlet of the tape collector, and thus the filled top cover tape is discharged to the outside through the opened outlet.
In operation S400, after the top cover tape is discharged through the outlet, the discharge guide rotates down by its weight to close the outlet, or an operator close the outlet manually.
When operations S100 and 200 are repeated after the outlet is closed in operation S400, the passage of the tape collector is filled with the top cover tape again. Accordingly, operations S300 and S400 may be repeated. That is, operations S100, S200, S300, and S400 can be repeated to automatically receive a predetermined amount of top cover tape in the tape collector and discharge the received top cover tape.
As described above, according to the present invention, the tape discharging apparatus receives a top cover tape separated from a carrier tape in a tape feeder and discharges the top cover tape stably.
Furthermore, in the tape discharging apparatus, when the tape collector is fully filled with a top cover tape, the discharge guide is rotated to open the outlet of the tape collector by a pushing force exerted by the fully filled top cover tape. Thus, the top cover tape filled in the tape collector can be automatically discharged to the outside through the outlet.
Therefore, a used top cover tape generated during an operation of a component mounter can be efficiently discharged and thus the surroundings of the chip mount can be kept clean since the top cover tape is received in the tape collector and discharged by a predetermined amount.
In addition, because of the groove formed in the top cover tape and the arrangement of the inlet, the outlet, the discharge guide, and the passage of the tape collector, the top cover tape can be smoothly move in the tape collector, and thus the tape collector can be uniformly filled with the top cover tape.
While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2006-0075308 | Aug 2006 | KR | national |
