Patent ID: 7624497

Claim:
A component recognition apparatus for a chip mounter, the apparatus comprising: a head portion frame including a generally horizontal portion having a first edge, a second edge generally parallel with and distal from the first edge, at least one aperture proximate to the first edge, and a generally vertical portion extending upward from the second edge; at least one nozzle portion configured in the at least one aperture for upward, downward and rotational movement, the nozzle portion being configured to pick up an electronic component and mount the electronic component on a substrate; a camera including a first portion coupled with the generally vertical portion, and a second portion extending downward from the first portion and toward the first edge; a generally vertical mirror support extending downward from the generally horizontal portion proximate to the second edge; and a mirror at a lower end of the generally vertical mirror support, the mirror having a generally horizontal plane reflecting surface for reflecting an image of the electronic component to the camera when the nozzle portion is in an upward orientation; wherein the camera comprises: an imaging device; and a lens portion configured to receive the image of the electronic component that is reflected from the mirror and focus said image on the imaging device, wherein said image passes off-axis through the lens portion to the imaging device.