Patent ID: 7713376

Claim:
A method of exposing components ( 4 ), carried by a carrier tape ( 2 ) at a picking position ( 22 ), the components being positioned in sequence along the carrier tape and covered by a cover ( 3 ), the cover being attached to the carrier tape at a first and a second rim portion of the cover, which rim portions are arranged on a first and a second side of the sequence of components, respectively, the cover having a lower surface facing the sequence of components, and the carrier tape having a first portion ( 31 ) and a second portion ( 32 ) to which said first and second rim portion of the cover is attached, respectively, comprising the steps of: while feeding the carrier tape towards the picking position, separating said first rim portion of the cover from said first portion of the carrier tape, and guiding a thus loosened portion of the cover towards the second side of the carrier tape, so as to expose the components at the picking position, and performing said guiding such that before reaching the picking position, while being raised to an upright position, the cover is automatically gathered by being folded, so that at least two portions of the lower surface of the cover face each other, thereby reducing the height of the cover.