Hitoshi Sato, Osaka, Japan.
Assigned to Zuiko Corporation, Osaka, Japan.

Filed: 3/30/16
Issued: 10/29/19

A transport unit configured to convey a first transportation object onto a second transportation object and join the first transportation object to the second transportation object, the transport unit comprising: a transporting device including a pad rotating shaft configured to rotate about a pad rotational axis, and a pad having a holding surface that faces radially outwardly with respect to the pad rotating shaft and is configured to hold the first transportation object, the transporting device being configured to rotate the pad about the pad rotating shaft and turn the pad about an axis extending in a radial direction of the pad rotating shaft while the pad is rotated from a receiving position where the pad receives the first transportation object to a transfer position where the pad transfers the first transportation object onto the second transportation object; and a receiving roller that is configured to, when the pad rotates and comes to the transfer position, rotate while sandwiching the first transportation object and the second transportation object between the holding surface of the pad and the receiving roller, to join the first transportation object to the second transportation object and guide the second transportation object to a predetermined direction, wherein: the holding surface includes a first sloped surface and a second sloped surface, the first sloped surface and the second sloped surface being configured such that, when the pad is at the transfer position, a distance from the pad rotational axis to the first sloped surface decreases toward a first end along the pad rotating shaft, and a distance from the pad rotational axis to the second sloped surface decreases toward a second end along the pad rotating shaft; the receiving roller includes a first receiving roller and a second receiving roller; an outer diameter of the first receiving roller decreases from a proximal end of the first receiving roller to a distal end of the first receiving roller along a first rotational axis which is a rotation center of the first receiving roller, and the distal end of the first receiving roller is positioned on a side of the first end of the holding surface to sandwich the first transportation object and the second transportation object between the first sloped surface and the first receiving roller when the pad is at the transfer position; and an outer diameter of the second receiving roller decreases from a proximal end of the second receiving roller to a distal end of the second receiving roller along a second rotational axis which is a rotation center of the second receiving roller, and the distal end of the second receiving roller is positioned on a side of the second end of the holding surface to sandwich the first transportation object and the second transportation object between the second sloped surface and the second receiving roller when the pad is at the transfer position.