A component supply system of the present disclosure includes a component supply unit automatically transfers a first carrier tape which stores components and is covered with a cover tape, exposes the components from the first carrier tape using a component exposing unit, and supplies the components which are exposed from the first carrier tape, a joining determination unit which determines whether or not a joining which joins a second carrier tape positioned behind the first carrier tape to the first carrier tape is present, and a controller which controls transferring of the first carrier tape by the component supply unit. The controller restricts the transferring of the first carrier tape in a case in which the joining determination unit determines that the joining is present.

There is provided a component supply device for supplying a component to a component mounter, including: a transporter that transports a carrier tape in which the component is stored and of which an upper surface is sealed with a cover tape, along a transport path; a peeler that peels off the cover tape from the carrier tape via an opening portion disposed above the transport path; and a cover that makes an open state of the opening portion variable. The cover sets the open state of the opening portion to be any of a first open state allowing the peeler to capture the cover tape and a second open state where an opening size of the opening portion is smaller than that of the first open state and passage of the cover tape peeled off from the carrier tape is not impeded.

A receiver assembly can be coupled to a spindle to receive self-piercing rivets carried by a tape along a tape path below a punch. A reverse locking pawl can be designed to permit movement of the tape relative to the reverse locking pawl along the tape path in a forward direction and to engage a positioning aperture of the tape to stop movement of the tape in the reverse direction when a lead rivet is aligned with the punch. A method can include moving the tape forward along the tape path until a lead rivet of the tape is at a position along the tape path that is beyond an alignment position with the punch, and moving the tape in reverse to engage the corresponding positioning aperture.

Self-piercing rivets deployed in an elongated tape are moved into alignment with a rivet driving spindle using a processor-controlled servomotors. The tape is conveyed between a supply reel and an exhaust reel, the supply reel having a supply motor and the exhaust reel having an exhaust motor. The tape is moved under processor control in an advancing direction until the rivet has traveled past being in alignment with the spindle, by controlling the supply and exhaust motors using a first tension regimen. Thereafter the tape is moved under processor control in a retracting direction until the rivet is in alignment with the spindle by controlling the tape supply and exhaust motors using a second tension regimen.

A self-piercing rivet tape path can extend through a clamshell receiver assembly between the upper and lower receiver bodies and can open between the upper and lower bodies along a longitudinal length of the self-piercing rivet tape path that extends through the clamshell receiver assembly. The upper and lower bodies can separate at a lead rivet cavity and above a proximal end of a discharge cavity of the lower body. A tool-free interlock coupling can rigidly couple the upper and lower receiver bodies together in a closed position. This tool-free coupling can unlock the upper and lower receiver bodies so they are hingedly movable into the open position. The clamshell receiver assembly can be rigidly coupled to an end of a self-piercing rivet spindle to receive self-piercing rivets carried by the tape along the tape path and support a lead self-piercing rivet in alignment with a punch of the spindle.

A transfer apparatus transfers a transfer substance or a surface shape of a transfer web in a transfer section from the transfer web that is carried along a web route to a transfer target object that is carried along a carrying surface. The transfer apparatus includes a gap adjustment mechanism that adjusts the size of a gap between the carrying surface and the web route in the transfer section, and a controller that controls the gap adjustment mechanism to adjust the size of the gap to be a size corresponding to the thickness of the transfer target object.

A component supply device supplies components stored in a component storage tape to a component extracting position. The component supply device includes a component exposing unit that performs an exposing process for exposing the components in the component storage tape fed by a tape feeding unit, the component storage tape traveling on a travel path formed from a tape travel path forming unit. The component supply device further includes a cover member that covers at least a part of each component storage part of the component storage tape after the exposing process by the component exposing unit.

A feeder system includes a feeder configured to receive a component, a pick location configured to present the component from the carrier tape for a subsequent picking process, a camera system configured to view the component at or prior to the pick location. The camera system is configured to measure an offset between one or more topside features of the component and an outline of the component. A pick and place machine that includes the feeder, and a method of inspecting components.

An auto loading feeder has a tape guide main body and a peeling blade extending in the conveyance direction with an cutting edge directed towards an upstream side configured to peel off the cover tape from the base tape of the carrier tape which is guided by the tape guide main body. An inspection device for the auto loading feeder includes a height detection sensor configured to output a signal corresponding to a height position of the peeling blade with respect to a reference point on the tape guide main body, and a height discrimination section configured to discriminate whether a height position of the peeling blade with respect to the carrier tape which is being guided by the tape guide main body stays within a predetermined range based on an output signal of the height detection sensor.

A roller features a circumferential trench into which a wire is deposited from a wire dispensing head having a wire dispensing tip. A moving web of material engages the roller as the roller rotates. The wire dispensing tip engages sidewalls of the trench so that the wire dispensing tip remains in the trench as the roller rotates. Wire from the trench is deposited onto the web of moving material and is secured thereto by fasteners or tape or adhesive or the like.