Abstract: A rotary-type circuit-component supplying apparatus including a plurality of feeders each of which stores a plurality of circuit components of a same sort and which supplies the components one by one from a component-supply portion thereof, at least one rotary table which is rotatable about a first axis line which is substantially vertical and which holds the feeders such that the respective component-supply portions of the feeders are arranged along a circle having a center on the first axis line, and a table-driving device which rotates and stops the rotary table to position the component-supply portion of each of the feeders at a predetermined component-supplying position, the feeders including at least one pendent feeder which includes a main portion which is held by the rotary table such that the main portion extends in a substantially horizontal direction, and which supports a tape-feeding mechanism which feeds a tape carrying the circuit components to the component-supply portion of the pendent feeder,

Abstract: An electronic-component supplying apparatus, including a bed with two linear guides; six tables movably supported by the guides, each table supporting electronic-component supplying cartridges such that respective component-supply portions of the cartridges are arranged along a straight line parallel to the guides, the six tables including a first group of three tables and a second group of three tables; three carriers which are movable, independent of one another, through three routes, respectively, each carrier being stopable at any position on the corresponding route, the three routes extending parallel to one another and the guides, within a carrier-movement area on the bed; engaging devices and engageable portions each of which is disengageably engageable with at least one corresponding engaging device of the engaging devices, one of (a) each of the six tables and (b) each of the three carriers supporting a corresponding one of the engaging devices, the other of (a) the each of the six tables and (b) the

Abstract: An apparatus for positioning each of a plurality of electronic component holder heads each for holding an electronic component, at a selected one of a plurality of positions of at least one stop station, including a plurality of rotary members each of which is rotatable about a common axis line and is stoppable at the at least one stop station, the electronic component holder heads being carried by the rotary members, respectively, such that each of the holder heads is movable relative to a corresponding one of the rotary members in a direction parallel to the common axis line, and (a) a circumferential position selecting device which selects, for the stop station, one of a plurality of circumferential positions which are spaced from each other in a direction of rotation of the rotary members about the common axis line, so that at least one of the rotary members is stopped at the selected circumferential position and accordingly the electronic component holder head carried by the one rotary member is position

Abstract: A system for mounting circuit components on a circuit substrate, including a supplying device which supplies the components, a supporting device which supports the substrate, component holders each for holding one component, a revolving device which revolves the holders around an axis line, and stops the holders at a component receiving position and a component mounting position predetermined on the locus of revolution of the holders, a moving device which includes a support member supporting the revolving device and moves the support member, thereby moving the revolving device to a desired position in a plane facing the supplying device and the supporting device, an elevating and lowering device which is supported by the support member and which elevates and lowers each holder at the receiving and mounting positions, a first control device which controls each holder to receive, at the receiving position, the component supplied from the supplying device and mount, at the mounting position, the component on th

Abstract: A circuit-component feeder, including an endless belt having an outer surface a portion of which provides a component-carry surface, a stopper disposed adjacent to the component-carry surface, a component lining-up device which lines up, on the component-carry surface, a plurality of circuit components in a lengthwise direction of the component-carry surface such that the lined-up components are close to each other, and a belt driving device which circulates the belt in one of opposite directions thereof by a first predetermined amount sufficient for a leading one of the lined-up components to be moved and stopped by the stopper, and subsequently circulates the belt in the other direction thereof by a second predetermined amount smaller than the first predetermined amount.

Abstract: A creamed-solder printing machine for printing a creamed solder on a printed circuit board, including a screen having a plurality of holes, a squeegee which prints the creamed solder on the printed circuit board through the holes of the screen, a frame which supports the squeegee such that the squeegee is movable toward, and away from, the screen, and an elastic member which is provided between the frame and the squeegee and which produces a biasing force to bias the squeegee in a direction toward the screen.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring a circuit component is presented that includes a plurality of component holders each of which includes an axial portion and a component holding portion which is provided at a lower end of the axial portion and which holds a circuit component, a rotatable body which is rotatable about an axis line thereof and which has, at respective equal distances from the axis line, a plurality of holding holes in which the respective axial portions of the component holders are fitted, respectively, such that each of the component holders is rotatable about an axis line thereof and is movable in an axial direction thereof, a drive gear which is concentric with the rotatable body and which is rotated by a desired angle by a drive source, a plurality of driven gears which are fixed to the component holders, respectively, such that each of the driven gears is concentric with a corresponding one of the component holders, the each driven gear being meshed with the drive gear, and an elevating and lo

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding an electric-component tape which includes a carrier tape having feed holes in its lengthwise direction and which holds electric components at a predetermined pitch in the lengthwise direction, the apparatus including a drive device, two pivotable members which are reciprocatively pivotable about a common axis line, a motion converting device which converts the motion of the drive device into the respective reciprocative pivotal motions of the two pivotable members, such that when one of the two pivotable members is pivoted in one of opposite directions about the common axis line, the other pivotable member is pivoted in the other direction and, vice versa, a feed member having projections projecting outward from its circulateable circumferential surface to engage the feed holes of the carrier tape, and two one-way transmitting devices one of which transmits the pivotal motion of the one pivotable member in the one direction, to the feed member, but does not transmit the pivotal motion

Abstract: A system for performing an operation for a circuit substrate, including a plurality of main conveyors each of which conveys, positions, and supports a circuit substrate, the plurality of main conveyors being arranged in a direction perpendicular to a circuit-substrate conveying direction in which the each main conveyor conveys the circuit substrate, an operation performing device which performs at least one operation for the circuit substrate positioned and supported by the each main conveyor, at least one of (a) a carry-in conveyor which conveys the circuit substrate to the each main conveyor and loads the circuit substrate thereon, and (b) a carry-out conveyor which loads the circuit substrate off the each main conveyor and conveys the circuit substrate away therefrom, and a conveyor shifting device which selectively shifts the at least one of the carry-in conveyor and the carry-out conveyor to one of a plurality of shift positions at each of which the one conveyor is aligned with a corresponding one of the

Abstract: A method of connecting respective one end portions of two carrier tapes, to each other, each of the two tapes having accommodating pockets at a first pitch and tape-feed holes at a second pitch, each of the accommodating pockets accommodating an electric component, the method including the steps of aligning a tape connecting member which includes a flat main portion having tape-feed holes at a third pitch equal to the second pitch, and caulking projections projecting perpendicularly from the flat main portion, with the respective one end portions of the two tapes, such that tape-feed holes of the connecting member are aligned with respective tape-feed holes of the two tapes, causing at least two caulking projections of the connecting member to penetrate through respective thickness of the two tapes, so that the flat main portion of the connecting member contacts respective one major surfaces of the two tapes, and caulking respective portions of the two caulking projections that penetrate out of the respective

Abstract: A system is provided for supplying circuit components, including tape holding devices which hold carrier tapes, respectively. Each of the tape holding devices carries circuit components at a predetermined pitch in a lengthwise direction thereof. Tape feeding devices each of which includes a component-supply portion and each of which draws a corresponding one of the carrier tapes from a corresponding one of the tape holding devices, feeds the one carrier tape at the same pitch as the predetermined pitch, and supplies each of the circuit components of the one carrier tape from the component-supply portion thereof. A first support member which supports the tape feeding devices such that the respective component-supply portions thereof, are located along a reference line. A second support member which is separate from the first support member supports the tape holding devices such that the each tape feeding device can draw the one carrier tape from the one tape holding device.

Abstract: A mounting head, a mounting apparatus, and a mounting method which are capable of contacting an electronic component with a substrate with a small contact load and mounting the component on the substrate, are provided. A suction device 120 is fit on a splined axis portion 118 of a support shaft 84 via a ball spline 126, is biased downward by a first spring 130, and is biased upward by a second spring 134. A suction nozzle 124 is attached to a nozzle holder 122 by engaging engagement ridges 172 of sheet springs 166 fixed to the suction nozzle 124 with engagement grooves 144 of the nozzle holder 122, respectively. Prior to the mounting of electronic components 178, a relationship between contact load and position of lift 28 is obtained, and a position to which the lift 28 is moved downward for mounting each electronic component 178 is pre-determined. Thus, each component 178 is contacted with a printed circuit board with an appropriate load.

Abstract: A circuit-component transferring apparatus including a component holder which includes an axial portion and a component holding portion which is provided at a lower end of the axial portion and which holds the circuit component, a holder-holding movable member which holds the axial portion of the component holder such that the component holder is movable in an axial direction thereof and which is movable to cause the component holder to move in a direction intersecting an axis line of the axial portion thereof, a cam member which is provided above a locus of the movement of the component holder caused by the movement of the holder-holding movable member and which has a lower cam surface including a height-changing portion, a spherical cam follower which is held by an upper end of the component holder such that the spherical cam follower is rotatable in all directions and which is rollable on the lower cam surface of the cam member, and a biasing device which biases the component holder toward the cam member.

Abstract: An apparatus for printing a printing material on a substrate, such as a printed circuit board includes: a squeegee which extends in a first direction parallel to a plane screen and which slides on the screen to squeeze the printing material into through-holes of the screen; and an outlet-defining member which is opposed to the squeegee and which cooperates with the squeegee to define an elongate printing-material outlet. A printing-material container has a printing-material chamber which extends parallel to the printing-material outlet, has a length substantially equal to a length of the outlet and communicates with the outlet over a substantially entire length thereof. A printing-material thrust member is provided in the printing-material chamber such that the printing-material thrust member is substantially fluid-tightly movable relative to the printing-material container.

Abstract: A circuit-component transferring apparatus including a sucker which holds a circuit component by applying a negative pressure thereto; a sucker moving device which supports the sucker such that the sucker is movable upward and downward relative thereto and which moves the sucker in a direction intersecting a direction of the upward and downward movements of the sucker; an elevating and lowering device which includes a drive member and which moves the sucker upward and downward by elevating and lowering the drive member; a pressure switching valve which is supported by the sucker moving device and which includes a movable switch member; and a valve control device which is actuated by the elevating and lowering device and which is selectively placed in one of a component-sucking control state in which, when the elevating and lowering device moves the sucker downward by lowering the drive member, the valve control device moves the switch member to a negative-pressure supplying position at which the switch valve

Abstract: A cover-tape feeding apparatus for feeding a peeled portion of a cover tape of a carrier tape which includes an accommodating tape having, at a predetermined pocket pitch, pockets accommodating electric components, respectively, and the cover tape attached to the accommodating tape to close the pockets, and which is fed in a lengthwise direction thereof at a carrier-tape-feed pitch equal to a quotient obtained by dividing the pocket pitch by an integral number, the apparatus including a conveying belt which is endlessly wound on at least two pulleys and at least a portion of which supports the peeled portion of the cover tape; a reciprocative member which is reciprocated forward and backward in opposite directions substantially parallel to the portion of the conveying belt; and a pinching device including a pair of pinching members at least one of which is provided on the reciprocative member, the one pinching member cooperating, when the reciprocative member is moved forward, with the other pinching member t

Abstract: An electronic component supplying apparatus including a frame member, component supplying units each including a movable member movable along a reference line, first drive sections each provided on a corresponding one of the movable members of the units, a second drive section provided on the frame member, first control devices each provided on the corresponding one movable member, a power source, a second control device provided stationarily relative to the frame member, a supplying device which includes a first supplying section provided on the frame member and second supplying sections each provided on the corresponding one movable member, has no wire connection between the first supplying section and the each second supplying section, and supplies the electric energy from the power source to the each first control device, while permitting the one movable member to be moved along the reference line, and a transmitting device which includes a first transmitting section provided on the frame member and secon

Abstract: A circuit component supplying system including a plurality of feeders each of which stores a plurality of circuit components of at least one sort and supplies the circuit components of the one sort, one by one, a feeder holder including a plurality of feeder holding portions which hold the plurality of feeders, respectively, and a managing device which manages the supplying of the circuit components by the each of the feeders, the each feeder including a code holder which holds at least a feeder identification code distinguishing the each feeder from the other feeders, and the managing device managing the supplying of the circuit components by the each feeder, based on the feeder identification code held by the code holder of the each feeder.

Abstract: An electronic component transferring device for transferring electronic components, including a plurality of rotary members rotatable about a common axis independently of each other, a rotary motion generating device for generating rotary motions of the rotary members about the common axis over a full 360.degree. angular range such that each rotary member is stopped at each predetermined stop position during one full rotation thereof and such that the rotary members are stopped at each stop position at different times, and a plurality of component holder heads which are carried by the rotary members, respectively, and which hold the respective electronic components. The apparatus may be suitably used in an electronic component mounting system. Also disclosed are a method of transferring the electronic components and a method of mounting the electronic components.

Abstract: A method of taking an image of a convex projection which projects from a plane and whose outer surface has a gloss, including the step of emitting, toward the outer surface of the convex projection, a plurality of lights in a plurality of directions, respectively, which differ from each other as viewed in a direction perpendicular to the plane, so that a plurality of base portions of the outer surface of the convex projection which face the plurality of lights, respectively, and each of which is adjacent to the plane are lighter than a remaining portion of the outer surface as viewed in the direction perpendicular to the plane, and the step of taking, using an image taking device, the image of the convex projection as viewed in the direction perpendicular to the plane.