Patent ID: 6857546

Claim:
A tape feeder, for supplying electronic parts held on a carrier tape to a pick-up position for a mount head of an electronic part mounting apparatus by feeding the carrier tape in pitch-feed motion, comprising: plural tape feed mechanisms each including: a tape feed member that rotates around a horizontal axis thereby to perform a tape feed operation, a first bevel gear for driving said tape feed member, a second bevel gear engaging with said first bevel gear, an electric motor for driving said second bevel gear, wherein said first bevel gears are arranged in positions where they hold their shaft axis in common, said electric motors having a diameter are arranged in radial pattern so that their rotary shaft directions coincide with each other toward the shaft axis of the first bevel gears, wherein the shafts form an angle α such that the motors are not superimposed with respect to each other as viewed parallel to the shaft axis of the first bevel gears and wherein the width required to arrange multiple motors is less than the combined width of the diameter of the multiple motors, and said plural tape feed mechanisms are arranged in parallel positions.