Flexible tape applicator and method of operation
US5779830A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 24, 1995 |
| Grant date | Jul 14, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 24, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T156/1795
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An applicator for applying a flexible tape to a planar sheet having a base, a table, a robotic arm and an applicator head. The applicator head is carried by the robotic arm and includes a cradle for receiving a spool of flexible tape. The robotic arm moves the applicator head through the Cartesian coordinate system relative to the table. A motor feeds flexible tape out from the spool, over a dancer arm through a plurality of rollers. A sensor associated with the dancer arm measures the pressure or position in a cylinder connected to the dancer arm and forwards a signal to the motor to increase the speed if the dancer arm pressure is high, and decrease the motor speed if dancer arm pressure is low. A plurality of optical sensors determine the layer of flexible tape currently being removed from the reel, and adjust the motor speed to adjust for the varying length of material removed per revolution as concentric layers of flexible tape are removed from the spool.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.