Electric-component supplying method and apparatus

An electric-component supplying apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of electric-component supplying units each of which includes:
• a main frame including a guide portion which guides a plurality of electric components,
• a driven member which is supported by the main frame such that the driven member is movable relative to the main frame and which is driven by a drive member of an external drive device,
• an energy storing device which stores an energy which is transmitted from the drive member to the driven member,
• a feeding device which utilizes, after the drive member is moved off the driven member, the stored energy for performing at least a portion of at least one of a component feeding action and a component-feeding preparing action, the component feeding action causing a feeding of one of the electric components guided by the guide portion, the component-feeding preparing action causing the feeding device to be prepared for the component feeding action;
• a table which supports the electric-component supplying units such that respective component-supply portions of the units are arranged along a reference line;
• a table displacing device which displaces the table so that the component supplying units are displaced along the reference line and the respective component-supply portions of the units are sequentially positioned at a predetermined component-supply position;
• and
• a control device which is operatively connected to the table displacing device and which controls the table displacing device such that before the drive member engages the driven member of a first one of the component supplying units so that the energy storing device of the first unit stores the energy transmitted from the drive member to the driven member thereof, the table displacing device stops displacing the table so that the component-supply portion of the first unit is positioned at the component-supply position and, after the drive member is moved off the driven member of the first unit and before the feeding device of the first unit finishes utilizing the stored energy and thereby performing said portion of said at least one of the component feeding action and the component-feeding preparing action, the table displacing device starts displacing the table so that the component-supply portion of the first unit is replaced with the component-supply portion of a second one of the component supplying units, at the component-supply position.

A method of displacing a table supporting a plurality of component supplying units each of which carries a plurality of electric components, along a reference line along which respective component-supply portions of the component supplying units are arranged, so as to sequentially position the respective component-supply portions at a component-supply position, and causing an external drive device to operate a drive member thereof to drive a driven member of a feeding device of said each component supplying unit to perform a component feeding action and thereby feed the electric components of said each unit, one by one, to the component-supply portion of said each unit, the component feeding action causing one of the electric components of said each unit to be fed to the component-supply portion of said each unit, the method comprising the steps of:

• stopping displacing the table so that the component-supply portion of a first one of the component supplying units is positioned at the component-supply position;
• causing, after the table is stopped, the drive member of the external drive device to engage the driven member of the feeding device of the first component supplying unit;
• storing, in the first component supplying unit, an energy which is transmitted from the drive member to the driven member of the first unit;
• causing the drive member to be moved off the driven member of the first component supplying unit;
• operating the feeding device of the first component supplying unit to utilize, after the drive member is moved off the driven member of the first unit, the stored energy for performing at least a portion of the component feeding action;
• and
• starting, before the feeding device of the first component supplying unit finishes utilizing the stored energy and thereby performing said portion of the component feeding action, displacing the table so that the component-supply portion of the first component supplying unit is replaced with the component-supply portion of a second one of the component supplying units, at the component-supply position.

An electric-component supplying unit, comprising:

• a main frame including a guide portion which guides a plurality of electric components;
• a driven member which is supported by the main frame such that the driven member is movable relative to the main frame and which is driven by a drive member of an external drive device;
• an energy storing device which stores an energy which is transmitted from the drive member to the driven member;
• a feeding device which utilizes, after the drive member is moved off the driven member, the stored energy for performing at least a portion of a component feeding action, the component feeding action causing a feeding of one of the electric components guided by the guide portion,
• the feeding device comprising a displaceable feed member as an output member, and at least one displaceable member which is displaceable with the feed member;
• and
• a fluid-containing damper which engages a displaceable engaged member as said one displaceable member, thereby decreasing a speed at which the feed member is displaced in a component-feed direction to perform the component feeding action,
• the fluid-containing damper comprising a displaceable engaging member which engages the displaceable engaged member, a fluid chamber, a fluid contained in the fluid chamber, and a restrictor which restricts, when the engaging member is displaced with the engaged member, flowing of the fluid out of the fluid chamber, thereby decreasing a speed at which the engaging member is displaced with the engaged member,
• the fluid-containing damper further comprising a flow-area decreasing device which decreases an area of the restrictor through which the fluid flows, as the feed member is displaced in the component-feed direction.

An electric-component supplying unit, comprising:

• a main frame including a guide portion which guides a plurality of electric components;
• a driven member which is supported by the main frame such that the driven member is movable relative to the main frame and which is driven by a drive member of an external drive device;
• an energy storing device which stores an energy which is transmitted from the drive member to the driven member;
• a feeding device which utilizes, after the drive member is moved off the driven member, the stored energy for performing at least a portion of a component feeding action, the component feeding action causing a feeding of one of the electric components guided by the guide portion,
• the feeding device comprising a displaceable feed member as an output member, and a pivotable member which is pivotable about an axis line and which includes a first arm which is operatively connected, at a first position, to the driven member, and a second arm which is operatively connected, at a second position, to the feed member;
• and
• a damper which engages, at a third position, the first arm of the pivotable member, thereby decreasing a speed at which the feed member is displaced in a component-feed direction to perform the component feeding action,
• wherein a distance between the axis line and the third position is greater than a distance between the axis line and the second position.

An electric-component supplying unit, comprising:

• a main frame including a guide portion which guides a plurality of electric components;
• a driven member which is supported by the main frame such that the driven member is movable relative to the main frame and which is driven by a drive member of an external drive device;
• an energy storing device which stores an energy which is transmitted from the drive member to the driven member;
• a feeding device which utilizes, after the drive member is moved off the driven member, the stored energy for performing at least a portion of a component feeding action, the component feeding action causing a feeding of one of the electric components guided by the guide portion,
• the feeding device comprising a displaceable feed member as an output member, and a pivotable member which is pivotable about an axis line and which includes a first arm which is operatively connected, at a first position, to the driven member, and a second arm which is operatively connected, at a second position, to the feed member;
• and
• a damper which engages, at a third position, the first arm of the pivotable member, thereby decreasing a speed at which the feed member is displaced in a component-feed direction to perform the component feeding action,
• wherein a distance between the axis line and the third position is greater than a distance between the axis line and the first position.