Parts mounting apparatus

A parts mounting apparatus comprising:

• a) a rotating carrier;
• b) a feed station provided around the rotating carrier for feeding parts to be mounted;
• c) a mounting station provided around the rotating carrier so as to be spaced from the feed station, the mounting station being fed with members on which the parts at the fed station are to be mounted;
• d) a mounting head provided on the rotating carrier for performing a cycloid movement in synchronism with rotation of the rotating carrier, the cycloid movement having a plurality of bottom dead points;
• e) a suction nozzle provided on the mounting head, the nozzle being switched between first and second pressure states, the nozzle sucking the part at the feed station in the first pressure state when one of the bottom dead points of the cycloid movement of the mounting head is reached, the nozzle releasing sucking of the part over the member at the mounting station in the second pressure state when the other or another one of the bottom dead points is reached, thereby mounting the part on the member at the mounting station;
• f) valve means for switching the nozzle between the first and second pressure states;
• g) position detecting means for detecting a rotational position of the rotating carrier;
• h) speed detecting means for detecting a rotational speed of the rotating carrier;
• i) part sucking and mounting timing calculating means for calculating timings of sucking and mounting of the part from data of results of detection by both of the position and the speed detecting means;
• and
• j) valve control means for controlling the valve means for switching the valve means between the first and second pressure sates prior to each of the part sucking and mounting timings calculated by the part sucking and mounting timing calculating means, based on the part sucking and mounting timings and a period of time required for the switching of the valve means.