Abstract: An apparatus for feeding a plurality of electric-component tapes each of which includes a carrier tape and holds a plurality of electric components in a lengthwise direction of the carrier tape, and supplying, from the each electric-component tape, the electric components, one by one, to an object device, the apparatus including a feeding device which feeds a first electric-component tape in a lengthwise direction thereof, and a connection-portion detecting device which detects a connection portion where a terminal end portion of the first electric-component tape being fed by the feeding device is connected to an initial end portion of a second electric-component tape.

Abstract: A system for performing an operation relating to a printed wiring board, including a first supporting table having a planar first supporting surface, a portion of the first supporting table that defines the first supporting surface being formed of a ferromagnetic material; a plurality of supporting members each of which has a seat portion having a bottom surface which is seated on the first supporting surface, and a support surface opposite to the bottom surface, a portion of the seat portion being formed of a permanent magnet, each supporting member being attached, owing to a magnetic force of the permanent magnet, to the first supporting surface to support a back surface of the wiring board; an operation performing device which performs an operation for a front surface of the wiring board whose back surface is supported by the respective support surfaces of the supporting members; a second supporting table which is provided in a vicinity of the first supporting table and has a second supporting surface whic

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: A method of treating a cover tape of a carrier tape including an accommodating tape having, at a predetermined pocket pitch, a plurality of pockets accommodating a plurality of electric components, respectively, and the cover tape fixed to the accommodating tape to close respective openings of the pockets, the method including the steps of peeling a portion of the cover tape from the accommodating tape, and feeding the peeled portion of the cover tape in a lengthwise direction thereof, cutting off a free end portion of the fed portion of the cover tape, into a cuff-off piece of the cover tape, and sucking the cut-off piece of the cover tape with an ambient air into a suction passage, and thereby carrying away the cut-off piece.

Abstract: Are disclosed a method of detecting a hold-position of an electronic component in which the component is held by an electronic-component holding apparatus, an electronic-component holding apparatus having a hold-position detecting device, and an electronic-component mounting apparatus for mounting an electronic component on a printed-circuit board. The above method includes the steps of emitting light beams in a direction toward the electronic component (W) held by the electronic-component holding apparatus (58, 70), so as to take a projection of the component, and of detecting a position of the projection, thereby detecting the hold-position of the component.