Patent ID: 6374986
Filing Date: 2002-04-23
Classification: B65G,H05K

Abstract:
An object supplying apparatus, comprising:a housing; a plurality of pulleys which are rotatable about respective substantially horizontal axis lines and at least one of which is provided in the housing; a conveyor belt which has a plurality of pockets provided in a surface thereof and arranged in a lengthwise direction thereof, and which is wound on the pulleys such that a portion of the belt extends in a substantially horizontal direction and the pockets provided in said portion of the belt open upward; a circulative lifter which is circulated on a substantially vertical plane in the housing, and which has at least one holder which holds at least one of a plurality of objects present in a lower portion of the housing, conveys the object upward, and releases the object at an object-release position in the housing; a guide device which is provided below the object-release position and which guides the object toward said portion of the conveyor belt; and a clearing device which clears, from said portion of the conveyor belt, the object which has not been accommodated in any of the pockets of said portion of the belt and is present on said portion of the belt.