A loose component supply device in which components scattered on stage are imaged by camera. Because the viewing angle of the camera is α>0, a side surface of the component is imaged. Based on the image data of the component, an index value specifying a size of the side surface of the component is calculated. Then, in a case in which the calculated index value matches a set value, it is determined that it is possible to hold the component. In other words, in a case in which there is a certain distance between multiple components, from imaging a side surface of the component, if an index value that specifies the size of the side surface of the component matches the set value, it is determined that it is possible to hold the component.

A supply device with which elements in disordered form, in particular connection elements as bulk elements, are suppliable to a second receiving volume. The supply device includes a first receiving container from which, via an outlet opening, a plurality of elements is deliverable to a second receiving container. The second receiving container may consist of an oscillation feeder. The oscillation energy of the oscillation feeder is specifically transmitted onto the elements, which are stored in the first receiving container. With the help of the transmitted oscillations, elements are transferred from the first receiving container via a transfer zone from the first receiving container into the second receiving container.

A loose component supply device includes a loose component support section that supports multiple components in a loose state, an imaging device that images the components supported on the loose component support section, a component holding head provided with at least one component holding tool capable of picking up and holding each of the components supported on the loose component support section, a holding head moving device that moves the component holding head at least to and from the loose component support section and a component transfer section at which transfer to a next process is possible, and a holding tool changing device that changes at least one of the one component holding tools based on image data obtained by the imaging of the imaging device.

There is provided a component feeding device including multiple component replenishing devices configured to replenish with components having different shapes; multiple stages on which the components replenished from the multiple replenishing devices are scattered, and a control section configured to cause the multiple replenishing devices to replenish the components to the respective stages at an arbitrary timing. There is provided a component feeding method for supplying components, having different shapes and being respectively replenished onto multiple stages from multiple replenishing devices, to a component mounting device with the components being respectively scattered on the multiple stages, wherein amounts of the components is capable of being respectively changed for each of the multiple stages.

A vibrator unit comprises a vibrating plate having a first surface on which a target object is arranged and a second surface on a side opposite to the first surface, a base arranged with a certain interval from the vibrating plate, a speaker having a vibrating portion opposed to the second surface and a frame connected to the base, and a transfer member transferring vibration of the speaker to the vibrating plate.

A component supply device including a component storage device that stores a plurality of components, a component support member on which the components from the component storage device are dispersed, and a component return device that returns the components on the component support member to the component storage device, is provided. In a case where the necessary number of components exceeds the number of holdable components, return work of the components to the component container and dispersal work of the components to the component support section are carried out prior to holding the components from the component support section by the component holding tool.

A component supply device including: a stage configured such that components can be scattered on the stage; a slide device configured to slide the stage; a contacting section configured to contact the component scattered on the stage in accordance with sliding of the stage by the slide device; and a control device configured to control operation of the slide device, wherein the control device includes a determining section configured to determine whether the stage has been slid to a set position when the stage is slid towards the contacting section, and an operation control section configured to control operation of the slide device so as to, in a case in which it is determined by the determining section that the stage has not been slid to the set position, after sliding the stage in a direction away from the contacting section, once again slide the stage towards the contacting section.

A loose component supply device including: component support member 150 configured to support multiple components in a scattered state; component collection container 180 configured to collect the components supported on the component support member via an opening in the component collection container; and a container oscillating device configured to scatter the components collected inside the component collection container onto the component support surface by swinging the component collection container such that the opening of the collection container faces the component support member. By this, because components are scattered on the component support member directly form the component collection container, the cycle time is shortened, thereby improving practicality of a component supply device.

According to the present invention there is provided a feeding assembly comprising, a track along which components can be moved, said track comprising a sloped surface and a ledge, wherein said sloped surface slopes in a direction which is perpendicular to the direction which the components move along the track so that the components are maintained in a tilted orientation as they move along the track; a pickup platform which comprises a pocket which can receive components from said track; wherein the feeding assembly further comprise a pivot on which the pickup platform can be selectively rotated between a first position and second position, wherein in its first position the pocket is aligned with the track and the pocket is parallel with the sloped surface of the track, so that a component can move from the track into the pocket of the pickup platform, and in its second position the pocket is in a horizontal orientation. There is further provided a corresponding method of feeding components and a component handing assembly which uses the feeding assembly.

If the moving direction of a suction nozzle during raising and lowering deviates from a vertical direction, appropriate work cannot be guaranteed because the holding position of a component by the suction nozzle will vary depending on the holding height of the component by the suction nozzle. Thus, a component loaded at a specified height (H) position from the upper surface of a stage is held by a suction nozzle, and that component is loaded at a specified position. Then, the component is imaged and the loading position (first height component loading position) of the component is calculated. Further, the component loaded on the stage is held by the suction nozzle and the component is loaded at the above specified position. Then, the component is imaged and the component loading position (second height component loading position) is calculated. Next, the deviation amount between the first height component loading position and the second height component loading position is calculated. Thus, appropriate mounting can be guaranteed by performing correction of the component holding position, correction of the component loading position, or the like, based on the deviation amount.