Ball arrangement method and ball arrangement apparatus

An apparatus for attaching balls to an object, comprising:

• a pre-arrangement plate having a plurality of trap holes to receive balls therein;
• a ball arrangement device having a plurality ball suction holes to suck the balls received in said trap holes;
• a ball feeder having a feeding port, adapted to move across said pre-arrangement plate while discharging balls through said feeder port and into said trap holes;
• and
• a support to support an object while balls are being transferred from said suction holes onto the object.

A method of attaching balls to an object, comprising the steps of:

• drawing air through suction holes of a ball arrangement device from a first end of said suction holes through a second end of said suction holes, thereby sucking balls onto said first end of said suction holes;
• determining the velocity of the air after the air has been drawn through said suction holes;
• and
• when the velocity is within a predetermined range, transferring said balls from said suction holes onto an object.

An apparatus for attaching balls onto an object, comprising:

• a ball arrangement device having a plurality of suction holes each having a first end and a second end, adapted to support balls on said first end in response to air being drawn through said suction holes from said first end;
• a support to support an object while balls are being transferred from said suction holes onto the object;
• and
• a device to determine the velocity of the air being drawn through said suction holes, wherein the balls are not to be transferred from said suction holes until the velocity is within a predetermined range.