Electric-component supplying apparatus and circuit-board assembling method for feeding a plurality of electric-component tapes

An apparatus (32, 600) for feeding a plurality of electric-component tapes (62) each of which includes a carrier tape (64) and holds a plurality of electric components (60) in a lengthwise direction of the carrier tape, and supplying, from said each electric-component tape, the electric components, one by one, to an object device (22), the apparatus comprising:

• a feeding device (90) which feeds a first electric-component tape (62) in a lengthwise direction thereof,
• a connection-portion detecting device (150, 170, 174/604/644/660/680) which detects a connection portion where a terminal end portion (96) of the first electric-component tape being fed by the feeding device is connected to an initial end portion (98) of a second electric-component tape (62);
• an input device (538) which inputs identification information identifying the second electric-component tape;
• and
• a connection-relating-input judging device (500, S1-S8) which is connected to the input device and which judges whether the identification information has been input by the input device in relation with the connection of the first and second electric-component tapes to each other.

An apparatus (32, 600) for feeding a plurality of electric-component tapes (62) each of which includes a carrier tape (64) and holds a plurality of electric components (60) in a lengthwise direction of the carrier tape, and supplying, from said each electric-component tape, the electric components, one by one, to an object device (22), the apparatus comprising:

• a feeding device (90) which feeds a first electric-component tape (62) in a lengthwise direction thereof;
• a connection-portion detecting device (150, 170, 174/604/644/660/680) which detects a connection portion where a terminal end portion (96) of the first electric-component tape being fed by the feeding device is connected to an initial end portion (98) of a second electric-component tape (62);
• and
• an electric-component counter (512) which counts a number of electric components supplied by the apparatus after the connection-portion detecting device detects the connection portion.

An electric-component supplying system comprising:

• a plurality of electric-component supplying units (32/600) each of which comprises an electric-component supplying apparatus (32/600) including
• a feeding device (90) which feeds a first electric-component tape (62) in a lengthwise direction thereof, and
• a connection-member detector (150/604/644/660/680) which detects a connection member (100/640/670) which connects a terminal end portion (96) of the first electric-component tape being fed by the feeding device to an initial end portion (98) of a second electric-component tape (62), and
• a frame (40) including a guide (140) which guides the movement of each of the first and second electric-component tapes in the lengthwise direction thereof, wherein the connection-member detector is supported by the frame in vicinity of a path of movement of said each electric-component tape;
• and
• a table (30) which supports the respective frames of the electric-component supplying units, such that each of the respective frames supporting the respective connection-member detectors and attached to the table is detachable from the table, and such that respective electric-component-supply positions of the supplying units are arranged along a reference line on the table.

An apparatus (32, 600) for feeding a plurality of electric-component tapes (62) each of which includes a carrier tape (64) and holds a plurality of electric components (60) in a lengthwise direction of the carrier tape, and supplying, from said each electric-component tape, the electric components, one by one, to an object device (22), the carrier tape having a plurality of feed holes (74) at a predetermined pitch in a lengthwise direction thereof, the apparatus comprising:

• a feeding device (90) which has an engaging portion (272, 274) that engages the feed holes of the carrier tape of each of a first electric-component tape and a second electric-component tape of said plurality of electric-component tapes (62) and feeds said each of the first electric-component tape and the second electric-component tape in the lengthwise direction thereof;
• and
• a connection-member detector (150, 170, 174) which detects a connection member (100) which connects a terminal end portion (96) of the first electric-component tape and an initial end portion (98) of the second electric-component tape to each other, the connection member having at least two feed holes (106) corresponding to at least one of the feed holes of the carrier tape of the first electric-component tape and at least one of the feed holes of the carrier tape of the second electric-component tape, so that the connection member does not interfere with the engaging portion of the feeding device.