Patent ID: 6966738

Claim:
In combination: a) a pick-and-place machine having a pickup member, said pickup member comprising: i) a vacuum nozzle adapted to pickup components without altering their angular orientation, comprising a proximal part, a distal part having a receiving bore for attachment to the component during pickup, the proximal part having an internal bore for receiving vacuum, means for transferring the vacuum in the bore of the proximal part to the bore of the distal part, the distal part being configured to avoid rotating the picked up component; b) a feeder for individually dispensing components from a carrier tape containing in pockets loose piece components for pickup by the pick-up member, the carrier tape comprising a cover tape covering the pockets, the pick-and-place machine sending its pickup member to a pickup location on the feeder and the pickup member carrying a component returning to the pick and place machine, comprising: A) means for feeding the carrier tape along a first path, B) at least one component ejecting member positioned at a first position spaced from the pickup location, C) first means for moving the component ejecting member from its first position along a second path to a second position at the pickup location, said means for moving including means for ejecting a lead component from its pocket on the carrier and moving the ejected component to the pickup location, D) second means for retaining the lead component at the pickup location awaiting arrival of the pickup member, E) means for sensing the arrival of the pickup member, F) means in response to sensing the arrival of the pickup member for: (i) releasing the lead component currently held at the pickup location allowing the released component to be picked up by the arriving pickup member, (ii) returning the component ejecting member to its first position, (iii) advancing the carrier tape to provide a new lead component; c) a winder for winding up the removed cover tape, the winder comprising first and second separable means forming a hub for receiving the removed cover tape, said first and second separable means when assembled forming a hub having a given diameter and when disassembled forming a hub that is smaller than said given diameter whereby a spool of removed cover tape formed on the given diameter hub is easily removed from the smaller hub formed when the first and second separable means are disassembled.