Tape feeder

A tape feeder configured to supply an electronic component to an electronic component mounting machine by conveying a carrier tape having multiple cavities for accommodating electronic components at a predetermined interval in the conveyance direction and multiple engagement holes at a predetermined interval in the conveyance direction;

• the tape feeder comprising:
• a feeder main body having a supply section configured to supply the electronic components to the electronic component mounting machine;
• a sprocket, being rotatably provided in the feeder main body, with multiple engagement protrusions that are arranged at equal intervals in a circumferential direction and are configured to engage with the engagement holes;
• a stepping motor configured to rotate the sprocket in accordance with supplied pulse power;
• and
• a control device configured to supply pulse power to the stepping motor to control the conveyance of the carrier tape so as to position the multiple cavities sequentially at the supply section;
• and
• wherein the control device includes:
• a step-out detecting section configured to detect a step-out of the stepping motor;
• a memory section configured to store a target angle of the sprocket for positioning one of the multiple cavities at the supply section, and
• a restoration process section configured to:
• perform origin alignment, when the step-out detecting section detects a step-out of the stepping motor, by supplying pulse power to the stepping motor so that the sprocket reaches a predetermined angle;
• supply pulse power to the stepping motor in accordance with the current angle and target angle of the sprocket after the origin alignment is completed, and move one of the multiple cavities to the supply section.