CN117852554A

CN117852554A - RFID module for chip mounter

Info

Publication number: CN117852554A
Application number: CN202311174033.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 菲利普·米滕多夫; 西尔维斯特·德梅尔; 杨福彦
Original assignee: ASM Assembly Systems GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: ASMPT GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2022-10-05
Filing date: 2023-09-12
Publication date: 2024-04-09
Also published as: JP2024054850A; JP7678861B2; DE102022125639A1

Abstract

An RFID reader module for interrogating an RFID tag located within a chip mounter, the RFID reader module comprising: an interface adapted for releasable and repeatable engagement with a movable component of the placement machine (e.g., a placement head); and a power supply including an energy storage portion for at least temporarily storing electrical energy. The RFID reader module may be stored in a docking module when not in use, where it may be recharged and/or communicate the read data to the chip mounter.

Description

RFID module for chip mounter

Technical Field

The invention relates to an RFID reader module, an RFID system and a chip mounter.

Background

The present invention relates generally to the field of equipping component carriers with electronic components. These components may be packaged electronic components or unpackaged electronic components designed as chips that are directly removed from the finished process wafer and provided to an SMT (surface mount technology) mounting process.

The production of electronic components is generally carried out using so-called chip mounters, by means of which the electronic components are removed from the component supply in an automated manner and placed on a component carrier, for example a printed circuit board. The transfer of components from the component supply device to their respective patch positions is performed by component handling means, e.g. a so-called patch head.

In order to provide traceability of devices used in a chip mounter (e.g., tape feeders, suction nozzle cartridges, skip cars, etc., as are well known in the art), such devices may be provided with a machine-readable unique identifier that can both identify the type of device and uniquely identify the particular item. For example, a bar code, two-dimensional code, or similar optically readable code may be provided on the device. However, such codes are passive and cannot write any information to them. In addition, all relevant information (i.e., data) stores must reside in an external database linked to the bar code.

An alternative to optical codes such as bar codes is to use RFID tags attached to the device, and this sophisticated technology has different benefits over optical codes, e.g. no illumination is required for the information to be read, and some RFID tags can be written. RFID tags can be broadly classified as "close range" or "long range" indicating the distance over which an RFID reader can interrogate. Each of these two distances has corresponding problems. For example, "long range" RFID tags, which can be read from greater distances, typically operate in the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) region and are under different regulations in different countries and regions of the world. Thus, they present logistical and authentication problems. Furthermore, the exact position of the tag within the placement machine cannot be determined with such a device. On the other hand, a "remote" RFID tag requires a reader that needs to be mounted on the robot and located close to the RFID tag. For example, the reader may be mounted to a chip mounter head. However, this requires that the reader be directly hardwired into the patch system through a power and information/data interface. Furthermore, depending on the application, the chip heads may be replaced within the chip mounter, e.g. the "matrix" heads may be replaced by rotating heads, which may require that the corresponding RFID readers be mounted in different arrangements, which may affect reliability.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention seeks to address these problems and provides a system that provides an RFID tag reader that is capable of interrogating an RFID tag, has corresponding advantages over optical codes, is capable of using "short-range" systems and thus avoids the logistical problems of known "long-range" systems, and that also does not require hard wiring.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by providing an RFID reader in the form of a dedicated module which can be selectively picked up by the pick-up head of the pick-and-place machine and advantageously by any type of pick-and-place head. Advantageously, the module may be provided with energy storage means or energy harvesting means, thereby eliminating the need for a wired power interface. Furthermore, the module may advantageously be provided with wireless data transmission means to enable wireless data transmission. When not in a read operation, the RFID reader module may be stored in a docking module located within the pick-and-place machine, may be recharged within the pick-and-place machine, and/or may communicate read data to the pick-and-place machine.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an RFID reader module for interrogating an RFID tag located within a chip mounter, the RFID reader module comprising:

a reader module interface adapted for releasable and repeatable engagement with a movable component of the placement machine;

a reader module data connection for outputting data to the chip mounter;

an RFID reader for receiving data from the RFID tag and transmitting the received data to the data connection part; and

a power supply for an RFID reader comprising an energy storage portion for at least temporarily storing electrical energy.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an RFID system for use in a chip mounter, comprising:

an RFID reader module according to the first aspect; and

a docking module positionable in the chip mounter and including a docking portion for receiving and storing the RFID reader module.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a chip mounter including the RFID system according to the second aspect.

Other specific aspects and features of the present invention are set out in the appended claims.

Drawings

The invention will now be described, not to scale, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a side cross-sectional view of an RFID reader module and associated docking module, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

fig. 2 schematically illustrates a side cross-sectional view of the RFID reader module of fig. 1 in use.

Reference numerals:

1-RFID reader module

2-docking module

3-upper body portion

4-lower body portion

5-nozzle interface

6-energy storage section

7-module charging interface

8-data connection

9-RFID reader

10-Butt joint part body

11-docking charging interface

12-paster head

13-feeding part

14-RFID tag

15-socket

16-socket

17-female nozzle receiver.

Detailed Description

An embodiment of the invention is shown in fig. 1. Here, the RFID reader module 1 and the associated docking module 2 are shown separately. In use, both items are located within a chip mounter (not shown). For example, the docking module 2 may be provided at any suitable location near the die attach area of the die attach machine, e.g. in a magazine (not shown) which may also be used for storing die attach nozzles, jigs etc. When there is no need to perform any RFID reading, the RFID reader module 1 may be stored within the docking module 2, and during this time the RFID reader module 1 may be charged by the docking module 2, as described in more detail below. When an RFID reading is required, the RFID reader module 1 may be picked up from the docking module 2, for example by means of a patch head 12, as shown in fig. 2.

The RFID reader module 1 comprises an upper body part 3 adapted for repeatable and releasable engagement with a movable component of the chip mounter, such as a chip head. To this end, the upper body part 3 comprises a nozzle interface 5, so that the RFID reader module 1 can be picked up and held by the patch head in a nozzle-like manner. It should be appreciated that the nozzle interface may be a standardized interface so that the chip mounter's chip mounter head may be selectively engaged with various nozzles, all of which have such nozzle interfaces. Different patch heads, such as patch heads produced by different manufacturers, may be configured to engage with dedicated or at least differently designed nozzle interfaces.

The RFID reader module 1 further comprises a lower body portion 4, the lower body portion 4 being dimensioned to fit snugly within the docking module 2. As shown, the lower body portion 4 includes a power source, here shown as a rechargeable battery, having an energy storage portion 6 for at least temporarily storing electrical energy. The energy storage 6 receives energy from a module charging interface 7, which module charging interface 7 is adapted to cooperate with a docking portion charging interface 11 provided in the docking module 2. A data connection 8 is provided in the lower body part 4 for outputting data to the chip mounter, in particular for outputting data that have been read by the RFID reader module. Advantageously, as shown, the data connection 8 comprises a wireless data transmitter or transceiver, such as a bluetooth device, or a device using other wireless protocols (e.g. Zigbee), and which receives power from the energy storage 6. In this case, the chip mounter may be provided with a wireless data receiver (not shown) to receive data transmitted from the data connection part 8. Conveniently, the data receiver may be located in the docking module 2. A wireless data connection is preferred because the data read by the RFID reader can be immediately transmitted to the data receiver. Alternatively, however, instead of a wireless data connection, the read data may be stored at least temporarily in the RFID reader module 1, and then transferred by a physical connection to a data receiver (not shown) located in the docking module 2 when the RFID reader module 1 receives it therein.

The lower body part 4 further comprises an RFID reader 9 for receiving data from an RFID tag (14, see fig. 2) and transmitting the received data to the data connection 8. Advantageously and as shown, the RFID reader 9 is located at the lower end of the lower body portion 4 so that it can be positioned close to the underlying RFID tag. The RFID reader 9 receives power from the energy storage 6.

In other embodiments (not shown), the energy storage 6 and/or the data connection 8 may be enclosed within the upper body portion 3 or span the upper and lower body portions 3, 4.

The docking module 2 comprises a docking body 10 having a recess in its upper surface forming a socket 15 for receiving the lower body portion 4. The docking charging interface 11 is disposed adjacent the socket 15 and is adapted to mate with the module charging interface 7. As shown, the module charging interface 7 and the docking charging interface 11 are each comprised of an annular ring extending around the lateral extent of the lower body portion 4 and the socket 15, respectively. This arrangement is particularly advantageous because the rotational position of the RFID reader module 1 within the socket 15 need not be very precise. However, this arrangement is not required and other alternatives are possible. The mating between the docking portion charging interface 11 and the module charging interface 7 may be a contact and conductive mating such that power is transferred directly from the docking module 2 to the RFID reader module 1, or may be a non-contact mating, such as using inductive charging. To achieve charging, the docking charging interface 11 is connected to a power supply (not shown) via a chip mounter through a socket 16.

Fig. 2 schematically shows a side cross-sectional view of the RFID reader module 1 shown in fig. 1 in use. As shown, the RFID reader module 1 has been picked up by the die head 12 of the die bonder 12 with the upper body portion 3 positioned within the female nozzle receiver 17 of the die head 12 and engaged therein by the nozzle interface 5. With the RFID reader module 1 engaged with the patch head 12, the patch head 12 may be used to orient the RFID reader module 1 toward the RFID tag 14, here shown at the feed portion 13, while the RFID reader 9 is proximate to the RFID tag 14.

The above-described embodiments are merely exemplary, and other possibilities and alternatives within the scope of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, while the energy storage has been shown as a rechargeable battery, other implementations are possible. The energy storage 6 may for example comprise a capacitor. Such an implementation may be particularly suitable if the power supply comprises an energy harvester, for example an energy harvester adapted to collect kinetic energy during movement or vibration of the RFID reader module with the patch head.

Claims

1. An RFID reader module for interrogating an RFID tag located within a chip mounter, the RFID reader module comprising:

a reader module interface adapted for releasable and repeatable engagement with a movable component of the pick & place machine;

a reader module data connection for outputting data to the chip mounter;

a power supply for the RFID reader includes an energy storage portion for at least temporarily storing electrical energy.

2. The RFID reader module of claim 1, wherein the reader module data connection comprises a wireless data transmitter or transceiver.

3. The RFID reader module of claim 2, wherein the wireless data transmitter or transceiver comprises a bluetooth device.

4. The RFID reader module of claim 1, wherein the reader module interface is adapted for releasable and repeatable engagement with a nozzle interface of a die head of the placement machine.

5. The RFID reader module of claim 1, wherein the energy storage portion comprises a rechargeable battery.

6. The RFID reader module of any of claims 1-4, wherein the power source comprises an energy harvester.

7. The RFID reader module of claim 6, wherein the energy collector is adapted to collect kinetic energy during movement or vibration of the RFID reader module.

8. The RFID reader module of claim 6, wherein the energy storage includes a capacitance.

9. An RFID system for a chip mounter, comprising:

the RFID reader module of claim 1; and

10. The RFID system of claim 9, wherein an upper portion of the docking portion is open to allow the RFID reader module to be positioned in the docking portion by a chip head of the chip mounter.

11. The RFID system of claim 9, wherein the docking module includes a charging interface for providing electrical energy to the energy storage.

12. The RFID system of claim 9, wherein the docking module includes a data receiver for receiving data from the reader module data receiver.

13. A chip mounter comprising an RFID system according to any of claims 9 to 12.

14. The placement machine of claim 13 including a placement head having a nozzle interface adapted for releasable and repeatable engagement with a nozzle;

wherein the reader module interface is adapted for releasable and repeatable engagement with the nozzle interface.