A belt conveyor (10) for an automatic placement machine (50) that includes at least a rotatably mounted pinwheel (12) for conveying a belt (11), a drive (14) with at least one gear wheel (16) for driving the pinwheel (12) and a position-determining device (20) for determining a rotational position of the pinwheel (12), the position-determining device (20) having a first sensor device (30) with at least one magnetoresistive sensor arrangement (31). The disclosure further includes an automatic placement machine (50) having at least one belt conveyor (10).

A belt conveyor (10) for an automatic placement machine (50) that includes at least a rotatably mounted pinwheel (12) for conveying a belt (11), a drive (14) with at least one gear wheel (16) for driving the pinwheel (12) and a position-determining device (20) for determining a rotational position of the pinwheel (12), the position-determining device (20) having a first sensor device (30) with at least one magnetoresistive sensor arrangement (31). The disclosure further includes an automatic placement machine (50) having at least one belt conveyor (10).

A tape feeder includes: a feeder bottom support that rotatably holds a sprocket; and a tape presser mechanism that presses a carrier tape toward the feeder bottom support. The tape presser mechanism includes a tape presser that is at one end pivotally supported by the feeder bottom support and swingable to the feeder bottom support and that presses the carrier tape toward the sprocket while situated at a close position where the tape presser is closed to the feeder bottom support, and a tape presser operation member that is swingably attached to the feeder bottom support and that swings between a fixed position where the tape presser operation member presses the other end of the tape presser toward the feeder bottom support and an unfixed position where the other end of the tape feeder is released from pressure.

A tape feeder includes: a feeder bottom support that rotatably holds a sprocket; and a tape presser mechanism that presses a carrier tape toward the feeder bottom support. The tape presser mechanism includes a tape presser that is at one end pivotally supported by the feeder bottom support and swingable to the feeder bottom support and that presses the carrier tape toward the sprocket while situated at a close position where the tape presser is closed to the feeder bottom support, and a tape presser operation member that is swingably attached to the feeder bottom support and that swings between a fixed position where the tape presser operation member presses the other end of the tape presser toward the feeder bottom support and an unfixed position where the other end of the tape feeder is released from pressure.

There is provided a tape feeder that feeds a carrier tape to supply components to a component suction position for a mounting head in a component mounting apparatus. The tape feeder includes a first tape feed mechanism which is provided in a downstream side and feeds a preceding tape to the component suction position, and a second tape feed mechanism provided in an upstream side and feeds a following tape from a tape introducing port side toward the first tape feed mechanism. The tape feeder also includes a tape slipping-off informing unit which informs the component mounting apparatus that the following tape is slipped off from the second tape feed mechanism. For example, the tape slipping-off informing unit decides that the following tape is slipped off when a rotation of a sprocket of the second tape feed mechanism in an opposite direction is detected.

There is provided a tape feeder that feeds a carrier tape to supply components to a component suction position for a mounting head in a component mounting apparatus. The tape feeder includes a first tape feed mechanism which is provided in a downstream side and feeds a preceding tape to the component suction position, and a second tape feed mechanism provided in an upstream side and feeds a following tape from a tape introducing port side toward the first tape feed mechanism. The tape feeder also includes a tape slipping-off informing unit which informs the component mounting apparatus that the following tape is slipped off from the second tape feed mechanism. For example, the tape slipping-off informing unit decides that the following tape is slipped off when a rotation of a sprocket of the second tape feed mechanism in an opposite direction is detected.

A glass ribbon coated with a flexible material, the flexible coating forming a flexible web portion that extends from an edge of the glass ribbon at least one millimeter. The flexible web portion can be used to facilitate handling of the glass ribbon in a manufacturing process, and may include registration markings, or perforations, that further facilitate precise positioning of the ribbon.

A component supplying apparatus comprises a tape guide surface facing a lower surface of the carrier tape, a preceding tape contact part climbing onto a upper surface of the preceding carrier tape, and a subsequent tape blocking part configured to wait on the upstream side of the preceding tape contact part in a tape feeding direction while keeping a distance from the tape guide surface so as to enable the carrier tape to pass between the subsequent tape blocking part and the tape guide surface, and to move downwardly toward the preceding carrier tape when the preceding tape contact part is climbed onto the preceding carrier tape. The subsequent tape blocking part keeps the subsequent carrier tape waiting by contacting a front end of the subsequent carrier tape stacked on the preceding carrier tape onto which the preceding tape contact part climbs.

A component supplying apparatus comprises a tape guide surface facing a lower surface of the carrier tape, a preceding tape contact part climbing onto a upper surface of the preceding carrier tape, and a subsequent tape blocking part configured to wait on the upstream side of the preceding tape contact part in a tape feeding direction while keeping a distance from the tape guide surface so as to enable the carrier tape to pass between the subsequent tape blocking part and the tape guide surface, and to move downwardly toward the preceding carrier tape when the preceding tape contact part is climbed onto the preceding carrier tape. The subsequent tape blocking part keeps the subsequent carrier tape waiting by contacting a front end of the subsequent carrier tape stacked on the preceding carrier tape onto which the preceding tape contact part climbs.

A glass ribbon coated with a flexible material, the flexible coating forming a flexible web portion that extends from an edge of the glass ribbon at least one millimeter. The flexible web portion can be used to facilitate handling of the glass ribbon in a manufacturing process, and may include registration markings, or perforations, that further facilitate precise positioning of the ribbon.