Patent ID: 6336548
Filing Date: 2002-01-08
Classification: H05K

Abstract:
An apparatus for selectively positioning at least one electronic component holder head for holding an electronic component, at a selected one of a plurality of selectable positions of at least one stop station, comprising:a holder head moving and stopping device which moves the electronic component holder head along a predetermined movement path and stops the holder head at said at least one stop station on the movement path; and at least one of (a) at least one on-path stop position selecting actuator which moves said at least one electronic component holder head to one of a plurality of first on-path stop positions thereof which are spaced from each other on the movement path, and thereby selects, as one of the selectable positions of the stop station, a corresponding one of a plurality of second on-path stop positions which are spaced from each other on the movement path and which have a same position in a direction perpendicular to the movement path, so that the holder head moving and stopping device stops, and thereby positions, the electronic component holder head at the selected one second on-path stop position as the selected one selectable position of the stop station, and (b) at least one intersecting-direction stop position selecting actuator which moves said at least one electronic component holder head to one of a plurality of first intersecting direction stop positions thereof which are spaced from each other in a first direction intersecting the movement path, and thereby selects, as one of the selectable positions of the stop station, a corresponding one of a plurality of second intersecting-direction stop positions which are spaced from each other in the first direction intersecting the movement path and which have a same position in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, so that the holder head moving and stopping device stops, and thereby positions, the electronic component holder head at the selected one second intersecting-direction stop position as the selected one selectable position of the stop station.