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 electrically operated chucking apparatus including (a) an electrically operated chuck including at least two movable members movable toward and away from each other, and at least two drive devices which include respective electrically operated actuators operable to move the at least two movable members, respectively, toward and away from each other, and (b) a control device operable to control the at least two drive devices, and wherein the control device includes: a drive control portion operable to control the at least two drive devices such that each of at least one of an actual position and an actual speed of movement of the at least two movable members changes toward a predetermined target value; and a load detecting portion operable to detect a load acting on the at least two movable members during operation of the drive control portion to control the at least two drive device.

Abstract: A system for performing an operation to a printed wiring board (PWB) having an apparatus for automatically resetting a PWB supporting device including a supporting table, supporting members which are set on a surface of the supporting table to support the PWB, a supporting-member storing device for storing the supporting members, a holding head for holding each of the supporting members, a moving device which moves the holding head relative to each of the supporting table and the storing device, in a direction parallel to the supporting table surface, so that the holding head takes a prescribed one of the supporting members from the storing device and sets the supporting member at a prescribed setting position on the surface of the supporting table, and takes the supporting member from the setting position and stores the supporting member in the storing device, and a control device which controls the moving device.

Abstract: An electrically operated chucking apparatus including (a) an electrically operated chuck including at least two movable members movable toward and away from each other, and at least two drive devices which include respective electrically operated actuators operable to move the at least two movable members, respectively, toward and away from each other, and (b) a control device operable to control the at least two drive devices, and wherein the control device includes: a drive control portion operable to control the at least two drive devices such that each of at least one of an actual position and an actual speed of movement of the at least two movable members changes toward a predetermined target value; and a load detecting portion operable to detect a load acting on the at least two movable members during operation of the drive control portion to control the at least two drive device.

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 electrically operated chucking apparatus including (a) an electrically operated chuck including at least two movable members movable toward and away from each other, and at least two drive devices which include respective electrically operated actuators operable to move the at least two movable members, respectively, toward and away from each other, and (b) a control device operable to control the at least two drive devices, and wherein the control device includes: a drive control portion operable to control the at least two drive devices such that each of at least one of an actual position and an actual speed of movement of the at least two movable members changes toward a predetermined target value; and a load detecting portion operable to detect a load acting on the at least two movable members during operation of the drive control portion to control the at least two drive device.

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: 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: An apparatus for automatically resetting a printed-wiring-board supporting device including a supporting table and a plurality of supporting members which are set on a surface of the supporting table to support a back surface of a printed wiring board, the apparatus including a supporting-member storing device in which the supporting members are stored, a holding head which can hold each of the supporting members, a moving device which moves the holding head relative to each of the supporting table and the storing device, in a direction parallel to the surface of the supporting table, so that the holding head takes a prescribed one of the supporting members from the storing device and sets the supporting member at a prescribed setting position on the surface of the supporting table, and takes the supporting member from the setting position and stores the supporting member in the storing device, and a control device which controls the moving device.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically resetting a printed-wiring-board supporting device including a supporting table and a plurality of supporting members which are set on a surface of the supporting table to support a back surface of a printed wiring board, the apparatus including a supporting-member storing device in which the supporting members are stored, a holding head which can hold each of the supporting members, a moving device which moves the holding head relative to each of the supporting table and the storing device, in a direction parallel to the surface of the supporting table, so that the holding head takes a prescribed one of the supporting members from the storing device and sets the supporting member at a prescribed setting position on the surface of the supporting table, and takes the supporting member from the setting position and stores the supporting member in the storing device, and a control device which controls the moving device.

Abstract: A suction nozzle for applying a suction to an object and thereby holding the object, the suction nozzle including a nozzle portion having an end surface, and a suction passage formed in the nozzle portion and opening in the end surface thereof, the end surface providing a suction surface that applies the suction to the object and thereby holds the object. At least a free end portion of the nozzle portion has a shape whose diameter gradually increases in a direction from the end surface thereof toward a base end thereof opposite to the end surface.

Abstract: A method of method of controlling a pushing pressure which is applied to a printing material, such as a creamed solder, to push the material out of a printing head of a screen printing apparatus and print the material on an object, such as a printed wiring board, through at least one through-hole of a screen of the apparatus while at least one of the head and the screen is moved relative to the other of the head and the screen in a direction parallel to the screen, the method comprising the step of changing the pushing pressure applied to the printing material, while a printing operation is carried out on the object by the screen printing apparatus.

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 apparatus for automatically resetting a printed-wiring-board supporting device including a supporting table and at least one supporting member which is set on a supporting surface of the supporting table to support a back surface of a printed wiring board, the apparatus including a storing device in which the supporting member is stored, a holding head which holds the supporting member, a moving device which moves the holding head relative to each of the supporting table and the storing device, and a control device which controls, according to prescribed control information, the moving device so that the holding head takes the supporting member from a storing position in the storing device and sets the supporting member at a setting position on the supporting surface of the supporting table, and takes the supporting member from the setting position and stores the supporting member at the storing position.

Abstract: An electrically operated chucking apparatus including (a) an electrically operated chuck including at least two movable members movable toward and away from each other, and at least two drive devices which include respective electrically operated actuators operable to move the at least two movable members, respectively, toward and away from each other, and (b) a control device operable to control the at least two drive devices, and wherein the control device includes: a drive control portion operable to control the at least two drive devices such that each of at least one of an actual position and an actual speed of movement of the at least two movable members changes toward a predetermined target value; and a load detecting portion operable to detect a load acting on the at least two movable members during operation of the drive control portion to control the at least two drive device.

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 printed-board conveying apparatus includes a first belt conveyor and a second belt conveyor. The first belt conveyor includes first stationary and movable guide rails and two first belts. The second belt conveyor is arranged in parallel with the first belt conveyor and includes second stationary and movable guide rails and two second belts. The belts are circulated while being guided by the guide rails. The belts support opposite end positions of a printed board, respectively, and cooperate with each other to convey the printed board.

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 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.