Patent ID: 7066377

Claim:
A ball mounting method for mounting a plurality of balls held by a head on a workpiece, said ball mounting method comprising the sequential steps of: clamping the head by moving the head into a position in which a clamping surface mounted to the head is engaged with a rigid lower positioning stop; moving the clamped head above a ball supply section; holding said balls on said head; moving said head above said workpiece; releasing a force clamping said head to allow the clamping surface to move out of engagement with the rigid lower positioning stop and said head is counterbalanced between the lower positioning stop and an upper positioning stop; mounting said balls held on said head on said workpiece while the head is not clamped and is counterbalanced; clamping said head by again moving the head into a position in which the clamping surface is engaged with the rigid lower positioning stop; and again moving said head above said ball supply section.