| CPC B41F 15/12 (2013.01) [B41F 15/36 (2013.01); H05K 3/1225 (2013.01)] | 6 Claims |
|
1. An automatic mask replacement apparatus for a screen printer S, wherein the automatic mask replacement apparatus is coupled to one side of a printing area P of the screen printer S and automatically replaces a mask M mounted on a top of the printing area, wherein the automatic mask replacement apparatus comprises:
a base plate 100 having both guide rails 110 installed on an upper surface thereof and extending in an elongate manner in a front-to-back longitudinal direction, wherein the both guide rails 110 are arranged symmetrically in a left and right direction and are disposed on top of the printing area of the screen printer;
a pull and push unit 200 coupled to the guide rails 110 of the base plate 100 and configured to move back and forth along the guide rails under an operation of a pull and push drive motor so as to push and discharge a mask M already installed on the printing area P of the screen printer S and to pull and insert a new mask NM to be mounted onto the printing area P of the screen printer S;
both mask supply and collection units 300 symmetrically formed in a left and right direction so as to face each other and respectively disposed at opposing inner left and right surfaces of the base plate 100, wherein each of the both mask supply and collection units 300 has an upper support plate extending to the printing area of the screen printer in an elongate manner in a front-to-back longitudinal direction, wherein each of left and right ends of the new mask NM is caught and supported on an upper surface of the upper support plate, wherein the each of the both mask supply and collection units 300 has a lower support plate positioned directly under the upper support plate and extending in an elongate manner in a front and rear direction from the printing area of the screen printer to a position where the mask M is discharged and collected, wherein each of left and right ends of the already installed mask M being discharged is caught and supported on an upper surface of the lower support plate; and
both vertically-moving units 400 arranged symmetrically formed in the right and left direction so as to face each other and positioned in front of the mask supply and collection unit 300 and inwardly of the base plate 100, wherein the mask M already installed on the printing area and caught and supported on the lower support plate of the mask supply and collection unit 300 is pushed on and along the lower support plate to a discharge collection position under an operation of the pull and push unit 200, and then, the new mask NM to be mounted into the printing area supplied from the upper support plate is pulled and positioned to the printing area under an operation of the pull and push unit, and then each of the vertically-moving unit 400 moves down the new mask NM on the lower support plate such that each of both left and right ends of the new mask NM are caught and supported on the lower support plate and positioned on the printing area,
wherein the pull and push unit 200 includes:
each of both movable vertical-shaped pieces 210 having a rail block 212 disposed at a low end thereof such that the rail block 212 is rail-coupled to each of the guide rails 110 of the base plate 100;
a plate-shaped bridge bar 220 having both opposing ends, wherein each of the movable vertical-shaped pieces 110 is coupled to a lower side of each of the both opposing ends of the plate-shaped bridge bar 220, wherein when the plate-shaped bridge bar 220 move in a back and forth direction of the base plate, the movable vertical-shaped piece coupled thereto moves in the back and forth direction along the guide rail;
a pull and push means 230 disposed at a center of the bridge bar 220, and including a pull cylinder 232 configured to pull the new mask NM toward the printing area and a push cylinder 234 configured to push the mask M already installed in the printing area so that the mask M is discharged and collected;
a pull and push drive motor 240 coupled to one side of an upper surface of the base plate 100 and having a screw shaft 242 extending along an axis of a motor shaft in the front and rear longitudinal direction in an elongate manner to the printing area; and
a screw housing 250 coupled to an outer side of one of the both movable vertical-shaped pieces 210, and screw-coupled to the screw shaft 242 of the pull and push drive motor 240 so as to convert a rotation motion of the screw shaft into a linear motion so that each of the movable vertical-shaped pieces 210 moves back and forth on the guide rail 110.
|