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 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 the respective thickness of the two tapes, so that the flat main portion of the connecting member contacts a respective major surface of the two tapes, and caulking respective portions of the two caulking projections that penetrate out of the respective other surfac

Abstract: A method of printing a print material on a surface of an object by placing the print material on a surface of a print mask having a plurality of holes, positioning the print mask relative to the object such that the print mask is near, and substantially parallel, to the surface of the object, moving at least one of a squeegee and a first combination of the print mask and the object relative to the other of the squeegee and the first combination, in a print direction along the surface of the print mask, while locally pressing, with the squeegee, the print mask against the surface of the object and pressing, with the squeegee, the print material along the surface of the print mask, so that a portion of the print material is printed on the surface of the object through the holes of the print mask, the method including the steps of locally pressing, with a mask-press member, the print mask against the surface of the object, at a position distant from the squeegee by a predetermined distance which assures that 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 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 the respective thickness of the two tapes, so that the flat main portion of the connecting member contacts a respective major surface of the two tapes, and caulking respective portions of the two caulking projections that penetrate out of the respective other surfac

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 method of printing a print material on a surface of an object by placing the print material on a surface of a print mask having a plurality of holes, positioning the print mask relative to the object such that the print mask is near, and substantially parallel, to the surface of the object, moving at least one of a squeegee and a first combination of the print mask and the object relative to the other of the squeegee and the first combination, in a print direction along the surface of the print mask, while locally pressing, with the squeegee, the print mask against the surface of the object and pressing, with the squeegee, the print material along the surface of the print mask, so that a portion of the print material is printed on the surface of the object through the holes of the print mask, the method including the steps of locally pressing, with a mask-press member, the print mask against the surface of the object, at a position distant from the squeegee by a predetermined distance which assures that 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: An electronic-component mounting system including a plurality of mounting units which are arranged along a reference line contained in a reference plane, each of the mounting units including (a) a mounting device which mounts at least one electronic component on an object and (b) a moving device which moves the mounting device along the reference plane and in a direction perpendicular to the reference plane, the moving device moving the mounting device within a first range which at least partly overlaps, along the reference line, a second range within which the mounting device of at least one adjacent mounting unit of the plurality of mounting units which is adjacent to the each mounting unit is moved by the moving device of the adjacent mounting unit, the mounting device of the each mounting unit mounting the electronic component on the object within the first range, the mounting device of the adjacent mounting unit mounting at least one electronic component on the object within the second range.

Abstract: An electronic-component mounting system including supporting devices each of which supports and positions an object and is movable along a reference line, mounting units which are arranged along the reference line and each of which includes a mounting device which mounts an electronic component (EC) on the object, and a moving device which moves the mounting device in a three-dimensional space, each mounting unit having a mounting area in which the mounting device mounts the EC on the object, a feeding device which feeds the supporting devices along the reference line from the mounting area of a most upstream mounting unit to the mounting area of a most downstream mounting unit, a positioning error detector which detects an error of positioning of the object with respect to each supporting device located in a waiting area where each supporting device waits for being fed by the feeding device, and a control device which controls each mounting unit so that the mounting device of each mounting unit mounts the EC