Patent ID: 6047874
Filing Date: 2000-04-11
Classification: B65H,H05K,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of supplying a plurality of circuit components from a plurality of circuit-component supplying units each of which includes (A) a tape holding device which holds a carrier tape which carries a plurality of circuit components at a predetermined pitch in a lengthwise direction thereof and (B) a tape feeding device which is separate from the tape holding device and which draws the carrier tape from the tape holding device, feeds the tape at the same pitch as the predetermined pitch, and supplies each of the circuit components of the tape from a component-supply portion thereof, the supplying units being arranged such that the respective component-supply portions of the tape feeding devices thereof are located along a reference line, the method comprising the steps of:moving and stopping a group of the tape feeding devices along the reference line, independent of a group of the tape holding devices, thereby positioning each of the respective component-supply portions of the tape feeding devices at a predetermined component supplying position where at least one circuit component is supplied from said each component-supply portion, andkeeping the group of tape holding devices still while the group of tape feeding devices is moved and stopped along the reference line.