Component mounting apparatus and component mounting method

An apparatus for mounting a component onto a board, comprising:

• a pallet having a holding mechanism for releasably sucking and holding a board, said pallet comprising a pallet body for receiving the board at an upper face of said pallet body, and said holding mechanism comprising
• (i) suction holes for sucking and holding the board, first and second suction ports, and an exhaust port for communicating with air, formed in said pallet body, and
• (ii) a valve unit for allowing said suction holes to communicate with said first and second suction ports, or said exhaust port;
• a loading section for feeding the board to said pallet such that the board is to be sucked and held by said holding mechanism, said loading section including a first switching mechanism for switching said valve unit so as to allow said suction holes to communicate with said first and second suction ports;
• an adhesive applying section for applying adhesive onto the board;
• a pre-press bonding section for aligning a component with the board and pressing the component onto the board with a first pressing force;
• a final press bonding section for pressing the component onto a placement section of the board with a second pressing force larger than the first pressing force, so as to fix the component onto the placement section of the board;
• an unloading section for stopping said holding mechanism from sucking the board so as to allow the board, with the component mounted thereon, to be removed from said pallet, said unloading section including a second switching mechanism for switching said valve unit so as to allow said first and second suction ports to communicate with said exhaust port;
• and
• a pallet carrying section having a forward carrying section for carrying said pallet from said loading section to said adhesive applying section, said pre-press bonding section, said final press bonding section, and said unloading section in this order with the board being held on said pallet, and a backward carrying section for returning said pallet from said unloading section to said loading section, said forward carrying section comprising
• (i) a first intermediate stage arranged between said adhesive applying section and said pre-press bonding section, said first intermediate stage including a sucking mechanism for sucking and holding said pallet, and a suction source to be connected to said first suction port,
• (ii) a second intermediate stage arranged between said pre-press bonding section and said final press bonding section, said second intermediate stage including a sucking mechanism for sucking and holding said pallet, and a suction source to be connected to said first suction port,
• (iii) a first carrying mechanism for carrying said pallet from said loading section to said first intermediate stage via said adhesive applying section, and placing said pallet on said first intermediate stage, said first carrying mechanism including a suction mechanism for sucking and holding said pallet, and a suction source to be connected to said second suction port,
• (iv) a second carrying mechanism for carrying said pallet from said first intermediate stage to said second intermediate stage via said pre-press bonding section, and placing said pallet on said second intermediate stage said second carrying mechanism including a suction mechanism for sucking and holding said pallet, and a suction source to be connected to said second suction port, and
• (v) a third carrying mechanism for carrying said pallet from said second intermediate stage to said unloading section via said final press bonding section, said third carrying mechanism including a suction mechanism for sucking and holding said pallet, and a suction source to be connected to said second suction port,
• wherein said loading section, said adhesive applying section, said pre-press bonding section, said final press bonding section, and said unloading section are linearly arranged.