Patent · US Expired

Tape manufacturing system

US7146034B2 · kind B2 · utility

9Cited by
88References
82Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 9, 2003
Grant dateDec 5, 2006
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 6, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N21/8901
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A tape manufacturing system and a tape-surface-inspection unit are disclosed. The tape-surface-inspection unit is capable of continuously characterizing the surface of a non-transparent tape that is usable with or without a tape manufacturing system. The tape-surface-inspection unit includes a surface illuminator, an imager, an image processor, a tape guide, and, optionally, an indexer. The surface illuminator provides a tape surface located by the tape guide in a manner that allows the imager to capture images for characterization by the image processor. The indexer facilitates a correlation of locations along the tape and a characterization of the locations on the tape. The tape manufacturing system, in addition to at least one tape-surface-inspection unit, includes a tape-processing unit, a tape handler, and a controller.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.