A prong style file fastener, and method of manufacturer, is disclosed which has a protective element to prevent damage to paper documents and personal injury. In one embodiment, the prongs of the fastener are covered with a powder coating which is melted thereon. In the case of the powdercoat covering, the production line uses a cam drive sprocket retractor system to release the line onto a takeup.

A non-splicing feeder for which new carrier tape can be set safely is provided. The feeder includes a third sprocket rotatably provided on the insertion section of a main body, a fourth sprocket rotatably provided upstream from the third sprocket in the conveyance direction; third engaging protrusions which engage with engaging holes which are formed at a fixed angle on the outer circumference of a first sprocket, and fourth engaging protrusions which engage with engaging holes which are formed at only a portion of the outer circumference of the fourth sprocket.

A non-splicing feeder for which new carrier tape can be set safely is provided. The feeder includes a third sprocket rotatably provided on the insertion section of a main body, a fourth sprocket rotatably provided upstream from the third sprocket in the conveyance direction; third engaging protrusions which engage with engaging holes which are formed at a fixed angle on the outer circumference of a first sprocket, and fourth engaging protrusions which engage with engaging holes which are formed at only a portion of the outer circumference of the fourth sprocket.

A second tape feeding mechanism 20B is permitted to idly rotate only in a first rotating direction and has a biasing mechanism 25 which biases a carrier tape 14 against a sprocket 21B so that the carrier tape 14 is brought into engagement with the sprocket 21B. With a preceding tape 14(1) kept in engagement with the sprocket 21B, a leading end portion of a following tape 14 (2) is inserted between the sprocket 21B and the preceding tape 14 (1), and the preceding tape 14 (1) is biased by the biasing means 25 so that the following tape 14(2) is brought into engagement with the sprocket 21B.

A second tape feeding mechanism 20B is permitted to idly rotate only in a first rotating direction and has a biasing mechanism 25 which biases a carrier tape 14 against a sprocket 21B so that the carrier tape 14 is brought into engagement with the sprocket 21B. With a preceding tape 14(1) kept in engagement with the sprocket 21B, a leading end portion of a following tape 14 (2) is inserted between the sprocket 21B and the preceding tape 14 (1), and the preceding tape 14 (1) is biased by the biasing means 25 so that the following tape 14(2) is brought into engagement with the sprocket 21B.

A continuous sheet transport device transports a continuous sheet along a sheet transport path passing through a transfer position at which a toner image is transferred. The device includes a first transport unit that is provided on an upstream side of the transfer position on the sheet transport path and transports the continuous sheet, a sheet feeding unit that is provided on an upstream side of the first transport unit on the sheet transport path and that feeds the continuous sheet, a leasing end of which is placed on the sheet feeding unit, toward a downstream side on the sheet transport path, and an operation controller that controls the first transport unit to temporarily operate in a reverse transport direction so that the continuous sheet is transported to the upstream side at a timing before the leading end of the continuous sheet reaches the first transport unit.

A continuous sheet transport device transports a continuous sheet along a sheet transport path passing through a transfer position at which a toner image is transferred. The device includes a first transport unit that is provided on an upstream side of the transfer position on the sheet transport path and transports the continuous sheet, a sheet feeding unit that is provided on an upstream side of the first transport unit on the sheet transport path and that feeds the continuous sheet, a leasing end of which is placed on the sheet feeding unit, toward a downstream side on the sheet transport path, and an operation controller that controls the first transport unit to temporarily operate in a reverse transport direction so that the continuous sheet is transported to the upstream side at a timing before the leading end of the continuous sheet reaches the first transport unit.

According to the present disclosure, a tape feeder includes a main body that is attached to a component mounter and has a tape traveling path which is a traveling path of a carrier tape; and a sprocket that is provided in the main body, causes an outer peripheral tooth to engage with a feed hole of the carrier tape, and rotates so as to perform pitch feeding of the carrier tape on the tape traveling path. The tape feeder includes a lock mechanism that has a press operation unit operated with pressing force, locks the sprocket in the main body in a state where the press operation unit is not operated, and unlocks the sprocket in a state where the press operation unit is operated.

According to the present disclosure, a tape feeder includes a main body that is attached to a component mounter and has a tape traveling path which is a traveling path of a carrier tape; and a sprocket that is provided in the main body, causes an outer peripheral tooth to engage with a feed hole of the carrier tape, and rotates so as to perform pitch feeding of the carrier tape on the tape traveling path. The tape feeder includes a lock mechanism that has a press operation unit operated with pressing force, locks the sprocket in the main body in a state where the press operation unit is not operated, and unlocks the sprocket in a state where the press operation unit is operated.

According to a tape feeder of the present disclosure, a tape pressing member pressing a part which engages with an outer peripheral tooth of a sprocket in a carrier tape from above is connected to a main body by a connection mechanism. The connection mechanism is configured to move the entirety of the tape pressing member in a manner parallel to the main body in a case where a portion of the tape pressing member moves in a vertical direction with respect to the main body.