Abstract: A plurality of tape feeders are held by a feeder holding device in a state in which component supply portions of the respective tape feeders are arranged in a plurality of rows each extending along a plurality of straight lines parallel to each other in one plane. Each of the plurality of tape feeders is separable into first portions and second portions, the first portions include: a reel holding portion configured to hold a reel on which a taped component is wound; the component supply portion; a taped-component guide portion configured to guide, to the component supply portion, the taped component drawn from the reel, the second portions respectively including taped-component feeding devices each for feeding the taped component to the component supply portion.

Abstract: In a component mounting machine including a tape feeder removing a top tape from a carrier tape of a component supply tape so as to expose a component on the carrier tape so that the component is sucked by a suction nozzle; and a waste tape collection box collecting the top tape removed from the carrier tape, a top-tape drawing member for catching and drawing out the top tape is drawably provided at a place where the top tape removed from the carrier tape is hanging down from the tape feeder into the waste tape collection box (for example, a top opening portion of the waste tape collection box).

Abstract: A plurality of tape feeders are held by a feeder holding device in a state in which component supply portions of the respective tape feeders are arranged in a plurality of rows each extending along a plurality of straight lines parallel to each other in one plane. Each of the plurality of tape feeders is separable into first portions and second portions, the first portions include: a reel holding portion configured to hold a reel on which a taped component is wound; the component supply portion; a taped-component guide portion configured to guide, to the component supply portion, the taped component drawn from the reel, the second portions respectively including taped-component feeding devices each for feeding the taped component to the component supply portion.

Abstract: In a component mounting machine including a tape feeder removing a top tape from a carrier tape of a component supply tape so as to expose a component on the carrier tape so that the component is sucked by a suction nozzle; and a waste tape collection box collecting the top tape removed from the carrier tape, a top-tape drawing member for catching and drawing out the top tape is drawably provided at a place where the top tape removed from the carrier tape is hanging down from the tape feeder into the waste tape collection box (for example, a top opening portion of the waste tape collection box).

Abstract: An electric-component holding apparatus including a component holder which holds an electric component and includes an engaging portion, a holder-holding member to which the component holder is detachably attached, a lock member which consists of a substantially rigid body, and which is supported by the holder-holding member such that the lock member is movable relative to the holder-holding member, and is engaged with the engaging portion of the component holder to lock the component holder to the holder-holding member, and a locked-state maintaining device which includes an operable member and an elastic member and which maintains, owing to an elastic force of the elastic member, a locked state in which the lock member is engaged with the engaging portion of the component holder.

Abstract: An electric-component holding apparatus including a component holder which holds an electric component and includes an engaging portion, a holder-holding member to which the component holder is detachably attached, a lock member which consists of a substantially rigid body, and which is supported by the holder-holding member such that the lock member is movable relative to the holder-holding member, and is engaged with the engaging portion of the component holder to lock the component holder to the holder-holding member, and a locked-state maintaining device which includes an operable member and an elastic member and which maintains, owing to an elastic force of the elastic member, a locked state in which the lock member is engaged with the engaging portion of the component holder.

Abstract: An electric-component holding apparatus including a component holder which holds an electric component and includes an engaging portion, a holder-holding member to which the component holder is detachably attached, a lock member which consists of a substantially rigid body, and which is supported by the holder-holding member such that the lock member is movable relative to the holder-holding member, and is engaged with the engaging portion of the component holder to lock the component holder to the holder-holding member, and a locked-state maintaining device which includes an operable member and an elastic member and which maintains, owing to an elastic force of the elastic member, a locked state in which the lock member is engaged with the engaging portion of the component holder.

Abstract: A method of detecting a position of a rotation axis of a suction nozzle of an electric-component mounting apparatus, the suction nozzle holding, by suction, an electric component, and being rotated about the rotation axis thereof to rotate the electric component held thereby, so that the electric component rotated is mounted on a component-mounting surface of a circuit substrate, the method including the step of detecting, on a position-detecting plane including the component-mounting surface of the circuit substrate, the position of the rotation axis of the suction nozzle.

Abstract: An electronic-component feeder including a component conveying device which conveys an electronic component to a component-take aperture where an end surface of the component is engaged with a positioning surface of a stopper member and accordingly the component is positioned in a component-convey direction. Then, a pressing-member driving device is operated to drive a pressing member so that a side surface of an end portion of the pressing member presses a side surface of the component against a positioning surface of a cover member fixed to a main frame of the feeder, thereby positioning the component also in a lateral direction perpendicular to the component-convey direction. Since the electronic component is supplied in the state in which the component is positioned in each of the component-convey direction and the lateral direction, a component holding head can suck and hold the component with increased reliability.

Abstract: A highly-viscous-fluid applying apparatus including a fluid supply device operable to supply a highly viscous fluid, a delivery nozzle from which the highly viscous fluid is delivered, a pump disposed between the fluid supply device and the delivery nozzle and operable to feed the highly viscous fluid received from the fluid supply device, to the delivery nozzle, and a pump control device operable to control the pump, for controlling an amount of delivery of the highly viscous fluid to be delivered from the delivery nozzle.

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 feeder including a component conveying device which conveys an electronic component to a component-take aperture where an end surface of the component is engaged with a positioning surface of a stopper member and accordingly the component is positioned in a component-convey direction. Then, a pressing-member driving device is operated to drive a pressing member so that a side surface of an end portion of the pressing member presses a side surface of the component against a positioning surface of a cover member fixed to a main frame of the feeder, thereby positioning the component also in a lateral direction perpendicular to the component-convey direction. Since the electronic component is supplied in the state in which the component is positioned in each of the component-convey direction and the lateral direction, a component holding head can suck and hold the component with increased reliability.

Abstract: A chuck for holding an object, including one or more linear motors which include one or more linear stators, two or more moving members which are movable along the linear stator or stators, independent of each other, and one or more guide members which guide each of the two or more moving members along the linear stator or stators, and two or more holding members which are supported by the two or more moving members, respectively, and which cooperate with each other to hold the object.

Abstract: A jig for use in measuring an accuracy with which a mounting device mounts at least one proper member on a proper substrate, the jig being set, in place of the proper substrate, on the mounting device, at least one standard chip being mounted on the jig by the mounting device, the jig having at least two reference marks at respective positions which assure that respective images of the reference marks and an image of at least a portion of the standard chip mounted on the jig are simultaneously taken by a single image taking device, so that the accuracy is determined based on the images taken by the image taking device.

Abstract: A holding apparatus including a suction nozzle which applies a negative pressure to a back surface of an object and thereby holds the object, a front-surface lighting device which emits a first visible light toward a front surface of the object held by the suction nozzle and thereby lights the front surface, and a back-surface lighting device which lights the back surface of the object held by the suction nozzle and which includes a light emitting plate which is provided around a base portion of the suction nozzle and emits a second light from a light emitting surface thereof facing a side of a free end of the suction nozzle that holds the object; and a dark infrared-ray transmitting filter which is dark, covers the light emitting surface of the light emitting plate, and transmits infrared rays of the second light.

Abstract: A method of detecting a position of a rotation axis of a suction nozzle of an electric-component mounting apparatus, the suction nozzle holding, by suction, an electric component, and being rotated about the rotation axis thereof to rotate the electric component held thereby, so that the electric component rotated is mounted on a component-mounting surface of a circuit substrate, the method including the step of detecting, on a position-detecting plane including the component-mounting surface of the circuit substrate, the position of the rotation axis of the suction nozzle.

Abstract: An electric-component holding apparatus including a component holder which holds an electric component and includes an engaging portion, a holder-holding member to which the component holder is detachably attached, a lock member which consists of a substantially rigid body, and which is supported by the holder-holding member such that the lock member is movable relative to the holder-holding member, and is engaged with the engaging portion of the component holder to lock the component holder to the holder-holding member, and a locked-state maintaining device which includes an operable member and an elastic member and which maintains, owing to an elastic force of the elastic member, a locked state in which the lock member is engaged with the engaging portion of the component holder.

Abstract: A highly-viscous-fluid applying apparatus including a fluid supply device operable to supply a highly viscous fluid, a delivery nozzle from which the highly viscous fluid is delivered, a pump disposed between the fluid supply device and the delivery nozzle and operable to feed the highly viscous fluid received from the fluid supply device, to the delivery nozzle, and a pump control device operable to control the pump, for controlling an amount of delivery of the highly viscous fluid to be delivered from the delivery nozzle.

Abstract: A holding head including a support portion, a suction nozzle which applies a negative pressure to a back surface of an object and thereby holds the object, the suction nozzle being detachably attached to the support portion, and a back-surface lighting device which lights the back surface of the object held by the suction nozzle and which includes a main portion which is separate from the suction nozzle and is supported by the support portion such that when the suction nozzle is detached from the support portion, the main portion remains supported by the support portion.

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