Method for inspecting a film carrier tape for mounting electronic components

Abstract

An apparatus and method for inspecting a film carrier tape for mounting electronic components, in which film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components provided with a plurality of electronic component mounting portions in multiple strips in a transverse direction are exactly used and which can be inspected simultaneously, so that inspection efficiency can be greatly enhanced. Furthermore, the film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components are separated into individual strips after inspection and can be taken up on individual reels without a winding shift. A film carrier tape for mounting electronic components in multiple strips, which are unwound from an unwinding device, is cut into individual film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components in strips by a slit device, then caused to run in parallel with each other and simultaneously inspected in an inspecting section, then they are simultaneously taken up on a plurality of take-up reels attached to an identical take-up shaft of a take-up device in parallel with each other, respectively.

1 . A method for inspecting a film carrier tape for mounting electronic components in which a plurality of electronic component mounting portions is provided in multiple strips in a transverse direction, comprising the steps of: 
 unwinding, from an unwinding device, the film carrier tape for mounting electronic components in multiple strips in which the individual film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components previously cut into strips are wound upon an unwinding reel, respectively;    simultaneously inspecting the film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components, which are cut into strips, in an inspecting section while causing them to run in parallel with each other; and    simultaneously taking up the film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components cut into strips, which are inspected in the inspecting section, upon a plurality of take-up reels attached to an identical take-up shaft of a take-up device in parallel, respectively.    
     
     
         2 . A method for inspecting a film carrier tape for mounting electronic components in which a plurality of electronic component mounting portions is provided in multiple strips in a transverse direction, comprising the steps of: 
 unwinding, from an unwinding device, the film carrier tape for mounting electronic components in multiple strips in which the individual film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components previously cut into strips are wound upon an unwinding reel, respectively;    simultaneously inspecting the film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components, which are cut into strips, in an inspecting section while causing them to run in parallel with each other; and    simultaneously taking up the film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components, which are cut into strips, which are inspected in the inspecting section, upon a plurality of take-up reels attached to separate take-up shafts of a take-up device in parallel, respectively.    
     
     
         3 . A method for inspecting a film carrier tape for mounting electronic components in which a plurality of electronic component mounting portions is provided in multiple strips in a transverse direction, comprising the steps of: 
 unwinding, from an unwinding device, the film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components in multiple strips which are wound upon an unwinding reel;    cutting the film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components in multiple strips, which are unwound from the unwinding device, into individual film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components in strips by a slit device;    causing the film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components, which are cut into strips by the slit device, to run in parallel with each other and simultaneously inspecting them in an inspecting section; and    simultaneously taking up the film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components cut into strips which are inspected in the inspecting section, upon a plurality of take-up reels attached to an identical take-up shaft of a take-up device in parallel, respectively.    
     
     
         4 . A method for inspecting a film carrier tape for mounting electronic components in which a plurality of electronic component mounting portions is provided in multiple strips in a transverse direction, comprising the steps of: 
 unwinding, from an unwinding device, the film carrier tape for mounting electronic components in multiple strips which are wound upon an unwinding reel;    cutting the film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components in multiple strips which are unwound from the unwinding device, into individual film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components in strips by a slit device;    causing the film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components, which are cut into strips by the slit device, to run in parallel with each other and simultaneously inspecting them in an inspecting section; and    simultaneously taking up the film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components cut into strips which are inspected in the inspecting section, upon a plurality of take-up reels attached to separate take-up shafts of a take-up device in parallel, respectively.    
     
     
         5 . The method for inspecting a film carrier tape for mounting electronic components according to  claim 1 , wherein the inspecting section includes a guide member for causing film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components, which are cut into strips, to run in parallel with each other, 
 the guide member comprising:    a side guide portion on both ends which serves to guide both end side portions of the film carrier tape for mounting electronic components on an outermost side; and    an adjacent part guide portion, which is protruded to guide adjacent side portions of the film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components cut into strips between the guide portions on the both ends.    
     
     
         6 . The method for inspecting a film carrier tape for mounting electronic components according to  claim 1 , further comprising a drive gear for conveying the film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components, which are unwound from the unwinding device and cut into strips by the slit device, while causing them to run in parallel with each other, 
 the drive gear including:    a both end gear mated with a sprocket hole in side portions on both ends of the film carrier tape for mounting electronic components on the outermost side; and    an intermediate gear mated with a sprocket hole provided in the adjacent side portions of the film carrier tape for mounting electronic components cut into strips between both end gears.    
     
     
         7 . The method for inspecting a film carrier tape for mounting electronic components according to  claim 6 , further comprising a guide roller, 
 the guide roller including:    a side guide protruded portion on both ends which serves to guide both end side portions of the film carrier tape for mounting electronic components on an outermost side; and    an adjacent part guide protruded portion protruded to separate and guide adjacent side portions of the film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components cut into strips between the side guide protruded portions on both ends.    
     
     
         8 . The method for inspecting a film carrier tape for mounting electronic components according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of take-up reels, which are attached to the identical take-up shaft of the take-up device in parallel with each other, are fixed into through holes provided in the vicinity of centers of the reels by means of removable engaging bar members.  
     
     
         9 . The method for inspecting a film carrier tape for mounting electronic components according to  claim 2 , wherein a plurality of take-up reels, which are attached to the separate take-up shafts of the take-up device in parallel with each other, are fixed into through holes provided in the vicinity of centers of the reels by means of removable engaging bar members, respectively.  
     
     
         10 . The method for inspecting a film carrier tape for mounting electronic components according to  claim 1 , wherein the identical take-up shaft of the take-up device is constituted by an air shaft capable of expanding to increase a diameter thereof upon receipt of supply or air, and 
 a plurality of take-up reels attached to the take-up shaft in parallel with each other is thus fixed to each other.    
     
     
         11 . The method for inspecting a film carrier tape for mounting electronic components according to  claim 2 , wherein the separate take-up shafts of the take-up device are constituted by an air shaft capable of expanding to increase a diameter thereof upon receipt of supply of air, and 
 a plurality of take-up reels attached to the take-up shaft in parallel with each other is thus fixed, respectively.    
     
     
         12 . The method for inspecting a film carrier tape for mounting electronic components according to  claim 1 , wherein the inspecting section includes an illuminating device for irradiating a light on the film carrier tape for mounting electronic components in order to carry out an inspection, 
 the illuminating device having two illuminating lamps, which are provided apart from each other and are serving to irradiate a light on an inspecting position from rearward and above to be simultaneously focused with respect to the film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components, which are cut into strips and run in parallel with each other.    
     
     
         13 . The method for inspecting a film carrier tape for mounting electronic components according to  claim 1 , wherein the inspecting section includes a magnifying lens device for magnifying the film carrier tape for mounting electronic components in order to carry out an inspection, 
 the magnifying lens device including a magnifying lens for magnifying, in a total width direction, the film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components, which are cut into strips and running in parallel with each other.    
     
     
         14 . The method for inspecting a film carrier tape for mounting electronic components according to  claim 1 , wherein the magnifying lens device has a magnification of 1.4 or more at an enlargement ratio of a length.  
     
     
         15 . The method for inspecting a film carrier tape for mounting electronic component according to  claim 1 , wherein separate dancer rollers are provided for the film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components, which are cut into strips, between the unwinding device and the inspecting section.  
     
     
         16 . The method for inspecting a film carrier tape for mounting electronic components according to  claim 1 , wherein separate dancer rollers are provided for the film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components, which are cut into strips, between the take-up device and the inspecting section.  
     
     
         17 . The method for inspecting a film carrier tape for mounting electronic components according to  claim 1 , wherein an identical dancer roller is provided for the film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components, which are cut into strips, between the unwinding device and the inspecting section.  
     
     
         18 . The method for inspecting a film carrier tape for mounting electronic components according to  claim 1 , wherein an identical dancer roller is provided for the film carrier tapes for mounting electronic components, which are cut into strips, between the take-up device and the inspecting section.  
     
     
         19 . The method for inspecting a film carrier tape for mounting electronic components according to  claim 15 , further comprising a looseness control device for detecting a position of the dancer roller to control an amount of looseness of the film carrier tape for mounting electronic components.  
     
     
         20 . The method for inspecting a film carrier tape for mounting electronic components according to  claim 19 , wherein the looseness control device includes a guide member for separately changing a guide path for the film carrier tape for mounting electronic components in each strip which is to be guided by the dancer roller.