Method and system for a robotic tape applicator

Abstract

A system comprising: a source of tape, the source of tape comprising a material associated with an adhesive and at least one removable liner; an applicator head; a cutting mechanism; at least one drive feed mechanism configured to direct the tape from the source to the applicator head at a controlled rate; wherein the applicator head is controllable to apply the material to a surface or substrate; and wherein the applicator head includes a cutting mechanism configured to sever the material while leaving the at least one removable liner intact.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an automated apparatus for applying an adhesive tape to a substrate. Background Art

[0002] Adhesive tape is usually applied to the body surface, interior and exterior cladding and panel (such as decorative parts, moldings, covers, trays, panels, doors and hatches) or structure (such as buildings, HVAC units) of vehicles (such as automobiles, aircraft or boats). For example, the adhesive tape installed around the periphery of the cladding on the vehicle parts provides a seal, which helps to control the intrusion of water, and reduces the cabin noise caused by wind when the vehicle moves, and controls the intrusion of dust into the cabin and engine parts. Such tape can be installed manually, but such process is not only slow, but also labor-intensive, and prone to human error. In addition, the coating process may be inconsistent, unpredictable or non-repeatable.

[0003] Several methods have been proposed to apply the adhesive backing tape to a substrate, such as those using a robot end effector or a fixed applicator. However, these methods face several challenges, such as, inaccurate placement of the adhesive tape, continuous cycle interruptions caused by blocking in the equipment, tape breaks caused by lack of sufficient tension control, and the inevitable downtime caused by changing the reel during the production cycle. In addition, due to a variety of reasons, such as: the limitation of the coating geometry (i.e., having a large roll mounted on the applicator head), the speed and volume of coating (because the size of the roll is limited), the limitation of the unit design, the industry adoption of the automated applicator equipment has been very slow. In addition, existing equipment typically can only keep / distribute tape rolls less than 40 meters in length, so this equipment cannot meet production needs. Summary of the invention

[0004] In one of its aspects, there is provided a system comprising:

[0005] a source of tape, said source of tape comprising a material associated with an adhesive and at least one removable liner;

[0006] Applicator head;

[0007] Cutting mechanism;

[0008] at least one driven feed mechanism configured to direct the tape from the source to the applicator head at a controlled rate;

[0009] wherein the applicator head is controllable to apply the material to a surface or substrate; and

[0010] Wherein the applicator head includes a cutting mechanism configured to sever the material while leaving the at least one removable liner intact.

[0011] In one of its aspects, there is provided a system for applying an adhesive tape to a surface or substrate, the tape comprising a material associated with an adhesive and at least one removable liner, the system comprising:

[0012] a source of said tape;

[0013] A robotic coater head including a coating end;

[0014] a flexible tape conduit coupled between the source and the robotic applicator head;

[0015] at least one drive feed mechanism;

[0016] Cutting mechanism;

[0017] A controller including program instructions executable by a processor to at least cause:

[0018] The at least one driven feed mechanism directs the tape from the source to the coating end;

[0019] The coating tip coats the material onto the surface or the substrate according to a predefined path; and

[0020] The cutting mechanism severs the material while leaving at least one removable liner intact.

[0021] In another aspect, there is provided a method of applying an adhesive tape to a surface or substrate, the adhesive tape comprising a material and at least one removable liner, the method comprising the steps of:

[0022] (a) receiving the adhesive tape from a primary adhesive tape supply source at a first adhesive tape station;

[0023] (b) feeding the tape into a flexible feed conduit coupled between the first tape station and a robotic end effector having a tape applicator, the flexible conduit being sized to allow the tape to be delivered to a remote robotic end effector;

[0024] (c) receiving the tape from the primary tape supply at a second tape station associated with the tape applicator to form a secondary tape supply;

[0025] (d) applying the material to the surface or substrate along a predefined path at the tape applicator and removing the at least one removable liner from the primary tape; and

[0026] (e) at an end of the predefined path, severing the material while leaving the at least one removable liner intact.

[0027] Advantageously, the robotic tape coating system allows for faster coating speeds and increased efficiency; accurate and consistent application of tape; reduced labor costs and increased flexibility by allowing longer coating times and applying tape in more complex paths on the substrate. Additionally, the robotic tape coating minimizes manual intervention and human error during operation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] FIG. 1a illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary robotic adhesive tape coating system;

[0029] FIG. 1 b shows an exemplary tape;

[0030] FIG. 1c shows another exemplary tape;

[0031] FIG. 1d shows an exemplary roll of tape;

[0032] FIG. 1e shows multiple rolls of exemplary tape;

[0033] 2a to 2c show perspective views of an exemplary roll dispatching device;

[0034] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of an exemplary applicator head;

[0035] Figure 4 shows a view of an exemplary coating tip;

[0036] 5a-c show a flow chart outlining exemplary steps of a method for applying an adhesive tape to a substrate or surface; and

[0037] Figure 6 An exemplary computing system is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Various embodiments of the present disclosure are discussed in detail below. Although specific implementations are discussed, it should be understood that this is for illustrative purposes only. Those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other components and configurations may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. In the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are used to represent the same parts.

[0039] The detailed description provided below in conjunction with the drawings is intended as a description of the present example, and is not intended to represent the only form in which the present example can be constructed or used. However, the same or equivalent functions and sequences can be implemented by different examples.

[0040] Referring to Figures 1a-e, a robotic tape applicator system for attaching tape to a receiving surface or substrate is shown in an exemplary embodiment, which is generally identified by the number 10. Figures 1b and 1c show a tape 11 including a material 12 and a tape liner 13, such as an adhesive tape or a double-sided tape, while Figures 1d and 1e respectively show a roll or a roll of adhesive liner tape 11. The system 10 includes a dispensing device 14 that feeds the adhesive tape 11 into a flexible conduit 15 that terminates at an adhesive tape applicator head 18, which is mounted on a robot arm 19 of an industrial robot 20 having various axis configurations. For example, the industrial robot may include six axes or six degrees of freedom, which allows for greater flexibility. Therefore, the flexible conduit 15 is bent as needed based on the movement of the robot arm 19. The flexible conduit 15 comprises a feed conduit 16 through which the adhesive tape 11 is conveyed from the dispensing device 14 to the applicator head 18 and next to the flexible feed conduit 16 is a flexible discharge conduit 21 which delivers the liner 13 which is removed from the material 12 and dispensed during the coating process.

[0041] Referring now to FIGS. 2a-c, the dispensing device 14 includes a dispensing reel shaft 30 rotatably attached to a mounting frame 32, and the dispensing reel shaft or spindle 30 receives a dispensing reel 34 of the adhesive tape 11. Examples of the elastic adhesive backing tape 11 include, but are not limited to, shredded ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM); neoprene closed cell; expanded polyvinyl chloride (PVC); polyethylene; acrylic foam tape (e.g., very high tack (VHB) tape); welding tape, sealing tape, circuit tape, heat activated tape. Depending on the application, the material 11 may include a range of widths, thicknesses, and lengths. In one example, the material 11 includes a width ranging from 1.5 mm to 25 mm or a material thickness ranging from 0.05 mm to 20 mm. In other embodiments, the adhesive tape 11 may be fed from any type of tape dispensing device or tape supply device (such as a delivery platform). The dispensing device 14 also includes a system controller 40 that exchanges signals with associated components such as sensors, motors, actuators, and communicates with the robotic arm 19, the applicator head 18, and other components to provide the tape 11 on demand in a relatively fast, accurate, and consistent manner as required by the applicator head 18. A human-machine interface 42 is communicatively coupled to the system controller 40 for inputting program instructions and configuring system 10 settings, as well as outputting alarms, warnings, notifications, and display settings of the system 10. The system controller 40 includes board logic or programmable circuits or processors.

[0042] In more detail, the dispensing reel 34 of the adhesive tape 11 is unwound by switching the reel brake 44 on and off, and the adhesive tape 11 is fed through a series of lower pulleys 46 and upper pulleys 48 of the adhesive tape material accumulator 50. Alternatively, the reel motor is controllable to start and stop the rotation of the dispensing reel shaft 30, or to adjust the rotation speed of the dispensing reel shaft 30. The pulleys 46, 48 accumulate the adhesive tape 11 so that the reels are changed on the fly and any feeding differences are resolved, which will be explained later. The lower pulley 46 is mounted on the lower pulley arm 52, and the upper pulley is mounted on the upper pulley arm 54. The lower pulley arm 52 slides vertically so that the position of the lower pulley arm 52 determines the length of the adhesive tape 11 stored in the accumulator 50. As the adhesive tape 11 is dispensed, the lower pulley arm 52 rises, and the amount of the stored adhesive tape 11 decreases. As an example, at the uppermost position of the lower pulley arm 52 there may be 2 meters of tape 11 in the accumulator 50, while at the lowermost position of the lower pulley arm 52 there may be up to 20 meters of tape 11 depending on the number of pulleys 46, 48 and the winding of the tape 11.

[0043] The accumulator position sensor 60 is mounted on the frame 32 of the accumulator 50 to detect the position of the movable lower pulley arm 52, and the roll level sensor 68 detects the amount of tape 11 on the dispensing roll 34. The accumulator position sensor 60 includes multiple set points, such as a lower limit and an upper limit. For example, when the lower pulley arm 52 passes the upper limit set point, the roll brake 44 is released to allow new tape 11 to be fed into the accumulator 50, and when the lower pulley arm 52 falls under the action of gravity, the roll 34 is unwound and the accumulator 50 is filled with tape 11. When the lower pulley arm 52 passes the lower limit set point, the brake 44 is applied again to stop the unwinding of the roll 34. Next, the tape 11 leaves the accumulator 50 and enters the dispensing drive mechanism 70, which directs the adhesive tape 11 to the robot arm 19 via the flexible feed conduit 16 at a controlled metering rate when the applicator head 18 requires. The drive mechanism 70 may include a servo motor or a stepper motor, pulleys, to control the advancement of the tape 11 to the applicator head 18. When the roll level sensor 68 indicates that the roll 34 is empty or nearly completely exhausted, the dispatch device 14 switches to a roll replacement mode, which will be described later. Alternatively, the accumulator 50 is associated with at least one accumulator position sensor 60, which determines the digital position of the tape 11 in the accumulator 50, ranging from a predefined low threshold to a predefined high threshold. When the tape 11 in the accumulator 50 reaches the low threshold, the dispatch roll 34 of the tape 11 is unwound by switching the roll brake 44 off or actuating the roll motor to rotate the dispatch roll shaft 30, and the tape 11 is fed through a series of lower pulleys 46 and upper pulleys 48 of the tape material accumulator 50. In another embodiment, the accumulator position sensor 60 includes multiple sensors located at different positions associated with the lower limit and the upper limit.

[0044] The dispensing drive mechanism 70 includes a fluid amplifier 72 that creates a vacuum effect inside the fluid amplifier 72 to effectively reduce the friction between the tape 11 and the inner wall of the flexible conduit 16 as the tape 11 is fed along the flexible conduit 16 toward the applicator head 18. The vacuum is activated only when the dispensing drive mechanism 70 is feeding a new tape 11.

[0045] See also Figure 3 and Figure 4 , the tape 11 exits the flexible tube 16 at the robotic applicator head 18, and the tape 11 is wound around the material buffer 80 by the buffer refill mechanism 82. Typically, the material buffer 80 is a loop or reserve of tape 11 of variable size that accounts for feed differences between the dispatch drive mechanism 70 and the head drive mechanism 90 and facilitates applying consistent tension to the tape 11, or controlling the tension associated with the tape 11. In one embodiment, the buffer refill mechanism includes a resilient device and a sliding mechanism so that when the material buffer 80 contracts, the sensor 92 detects the level of the compressed buffer loop 101 and commands the dispatch drive mechanism 70 to send more tape 11, causing the material buffer 80 to grow again.

[0046] The material buffer 80 is associated with a buffer sensor 92 that determines the digital position of the material buffer 80, ranging from a predefined low threshold to a predefined high threshold. When the material buffer 80 reaches the low threshold, the dispatch drive mechanism 70 is requested to feed additional tape 11 to refill the material buffer 80. When the buffer reaches the high threshold, the dispatch drive mechanism 70 shuts down. The digital data measured by the position sensor 92 can predict the jamming of the adhesive tape 11 and the breaking of the tape 11 and shut down the system 10, thereby minimizing any possible further damage or equipment failure.

[0047] Next, the head drive mechanism 90 is actuated and feeds the adhesive tape 11 from the material buffer 80 toward the coating end 100. Similar to the drive mechanism 70, the head drive mechanism 90 may include a servo motor or a stepper motor to control the advancement of the adhesive tape 11 toward the coating end 100. For example, Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the head drive mechanism 90 includes a set of rollers or gears coupled to an electric motor and configured to pull the tape 11 around the coating tip 100. By virtue of the geometry of the coating tip 100, which includes a circular member 102, the material 12 is peeled off the liner 13, or vice versa, thereby exposing the adhesive layer. Before the material 12 begins to be applied to the substrate, the material 12 is advanced to the coating tip 100, and the buffer 101 includes a loop of the tape 11 that takes into account the feed differences between the dispatch drive mechanism 70 and the head drive mechanism 90, and ensures that consistent tension is applied to the tape 11, and helps peel the liner 13 and feed the tape 11. Thus, following program instructions that can be executed by the system controller 40, the robot arm 19 moves to a starting position on the substrate, and the applicator head 18 begins to apply the material 12 along a predefined coating path, while sending a feed command to actuate the head drive mechanism 90 to guide more tape 11 as needed. The predefined path can be linear, non-linear, three-dimensional, etc. In some cases, dedicated hardware associated with the robotic arm 19 determines the speed at which the robotic arm 19 moves and transmits that speed to the system controller 40, and the speed of the head drive mechanism 90 is automatically adjusted to match the speed of movement of the robotic arm 19. In other cases, the speed may be calculated in a program and adjusted manually. With the help of an encoder or other tracking device, the system controller 40 can determine the amount of tape 11 that has passed under the coating tip 100, including the precise location at which the tape 11 will be coated.

[0048] When applying the material 12, the wet roller 104 associated with the applicator head 18 follows the path of the applied material 12 and applies pressure to the material 12 to enhance adhesion; or activates the adhesion promoter on the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape 11. In some embodiments, before applying the material 12, an additional tool is used to apply the adhesion promoter to the substrate, such as along a predefined coating path. A vision system can be used to detect the presence of the adhesion promoter on the substrate and automatically apply the material 12 to the sensed location on the substrate. When the applicator head 18 reaches the end of its preprogrammed coating path, it sends a command to the system controller 40. Next, the cutting sequence begins and requires commanding the blade actuator 95 to actuate and cause the straight blade 106 to cut the tape 11. The straight blade 106 performs a precise light touch cut by cutting the material 12 without cutting the liner 13 underneath the material 12. Thus, the speed and depth at which the straight blade 106 enters the material 12 are precisely calibrated and stored in calibration parameters in a memory device associated with the system controller 40, and may depend on the thickness of the material 12 and the pad 13. Alternatively, the speed and depth at which the straight blade 106 enters the material 11 are precisely calibrated by mechanical means. For example, the positioning device includes one of a threaded adjuster, an eccentric lug, and a stop that can be modified to accommodate a predetermined thickness for performing the adjustment. The blade actuator 95 may be any one of a fluidic muscle, an electric actuator, a pneumatic actuator, and a hydraulic actuator. After the cut is completed, the robotic arm 19 makes a final move to apply the last few millimeters of material 12 to the cutting position and roll up the material 12 with the soaking roller 104. In other embodiments, the blade 106 may be serrated or non-serrated, angled, curved, or heated to enhance the cutting sequence.

[0049] As the head drive mechanism 90 pulls the tape 11, the head drive mechanism 90 simultaneously discharges the used liner 13 and directs the liner 13 to the discharge tube 21 for disposal. Similar to the feed tube 16, the discharge tube 21 includes a discharge fluid amplifier 73 for pulling the used liner 13 from the applicator head 18 toward the dispensing device 14, where the used liner 13 is collected in the disposal box 110. The dispensing device 14 may include a cutting device 66 to cut the used liner 13 into a size that is easy to handle, thereby facilitating disposal.

[0050] The operating cycle of the system 10 will now be described with reference to the flowchart 200a-c shown in Figures 5a-c. In step 202 of the cycle, the robot arm 19 in the unit receives a start command from an external source, the start command having programmed instructions to apply the adhesive tape 11 along a predefined path on the substrate. According to the instructions, the robot arm 19 moves to the starting position, and the external source sends a robot in place signal (204), and the system controller 40 determines whether the dispensing device 14 is in automatic mode (205). When the dispensing device 14 is in automatic mode, the system controller 40 activates the fluid amplifier 73 (211), otherwise the system controller 40 determines the state of the accumulator 50 and the dispensing reel 34 based on the state signals from the accumulator sensor 60 and the reel level sensor 68 (step 206). Next, through the human-machine interface 42, the operator instructs the system controller 40 to reset the dispensing device 14 to the original position (208) and switch the dispensing device 14 to automatic mode (209). In step 210, the system controller 40 determines whether the dispensing device 14 is in automatic mode, and when the dispensing device 14 is not in automatic mode, the process returns to step 206, otherwise the system controller 40 activates the dispensing drive mechanism 70, the fluid amplifier 72 to feed the material 11 along the flexible feed conduit 16 toward the coater head 18 (211), including the head drive mechanism 90 to feed the material 11 to the coating end 100 (212).

[0051] In step 214, the robotic arm 19 begins to apply the tape 11 along the predefined path on the substrate, and the head drive mechanism 90 directs the material 11 relative to the movement of the robotic arm 19. As the material 11 is applied to the substrate, the length of the material 11 in the buffer loop 101 of the applicator head 18 decreases (215), and the system controller 40 continuously determines the level of the buffer 101 based on the output signal from the buffer sensor 92 (222). At the end of the predefined path, the robotic arm 19 stops and sends a signal to the system controller 40 (216), and the system controller 40 issues a command to the head drive mechanism 90 to stop directing the material 11 and another command to the applicator head 18 to drive the straight blade 106 to cut the material 11 (217), and the process continues with the robotic arm 19 applying the material 11 at a new position on the predefined path or at another predefined path on the substrate. In step 218, the robotic arm 19 completes the final path movement to apply the remainder of the material 11, and the dispatch device 14 sends a cycle complete signal to an external source (219), and the cycle ends.

[0052] As material 11 is applied to the substrate, in step 215, the length of material 11 in buffer zone 101 of applicator head 18 decreases (220), and system controller 40 continuously determines the level of buffer zone 101 based on the output signal from buffer zone sensor 92 (222). If the level of buffer zone 101 is within a predetermined threshold, the process continues (224), otherwise a request for more material 11 is made (226), and system controller 40 activates fluid amplifier 72 to facilitate delivery of material 11 via feed conduit 16 (228). Dispatch drive mechanism 70 directs material 11 to applicator head 18 to replenish buffer zone loop 101 (230), and system controller 40 determines whether the level of buffer zone 80 is within a predetermined level based on the output signal from buffer zone sensor 92 (232). When the level of the buffer 101 is within the predetermined level, the process continues to step 224, otherwise it is determined whether the material 11 supply has timed out (234), if so, the system controller 40 issues a fault alarm or notification to warn the operator to correct the situation (236), otherwise the process returns to step 232.

[0053] Returning to step 215, as the material 11 is applied to the substrate, the length of the material 11 in the buffer 80 and the accumulator 50 also decreases (238), the drum brake 44 is released (240) and the lower pulley arm 52 is lowered by gravity (242), and the system controller 40 determines whether the lower threshold has been marked based on the output from the accumulator sensor 60 when the lower limit set point is triggered (244). If the lower threshold has been marked, then the drum brake 44 is applied again (246) and the process returns to step 238; otherwise, the process proceeds to step 248, where the system controller 40 determines the level of the dispatch spool 34 based on the output of the dispatch spool sensor 68. If the dispatch spool sensor 68 indicates that the dispatch spool 34 is empty, the system controller 40 issues a fault alarm or notification to warn the operator to correct the situation (250), otherwise the system controller 40 determines whether the upper limit of the accumulator 50 has been marked based on the output signal from the accumulator sensor 60 (252).

[0054] Thus, in one embodiment, the spent roll 34 can be replaced by a new roll 34 of material 11 without interrupting the ongoing coating cycle. Thus, the changeover of the roll 34 minimizes production downtime. If the upper threshold is not marked, then the operation continues (253), otherwise the material clamp 36 on the input side of the accumulator 50 is actuated (254) to clamp the new material 11 entering the accumulator 50. In step 255, the system controller 40 issues an alarm to notify the operator to change the roll 34.

[0055] As new material 11 is clamped, the dispatch device 14 continues to direct material 11 to the applicator head 18 by using up the reserve material 11 stored in the accumulator 50 (e.g., up to 20 meters) while the operator replaces the roll 34 within a predefined replacement time (i.e., the amount of time to complete the roll 34 replacement) (256). As an example, the predefined replacement time can be determined by dividing the length of the reserve material 11 in the accumulator 50 (meters) by the coating rate of the material 11 (meters / minute). For example, for a 20-meter reserve of material 11 and a coating rate of 1 meter per minute, the predefined replacement time is 20 minutes. Typically, the predefined replacement time depends on the cycle time of the system 10, user preferences, and settings. In step 257, when the system controller 40 determines that the reel is replaced and the splicing process is completed before the lower pulley arm 52 passes the upper limit of the sensor 60, the process proceeds to step 266, otherwise the operation of the dispatching device 14 is stopped by the system controller 40 (258), and the operator is warned by the system controller 40 to replace the reel 34 (256).

[0056] The operator cuts the material 11 at the splicing position (259), and the operator removes the empty roll 34 and loads a new full roll 34 (260). Next, the operator creates a splice joint to join one end of the new material 11 to one end of the ongoing material 11 clamped before the accumulator 50 (262). A splicing fixture 65 is provided to perform these splices in a quick and consistent manner. Once the operator completes the replacement of the roll 34 and the splice joint, a command is entered through the human-machine interface 42 to indicate the completion of the task (264). The system controller 40 receives the completion signal and deactivates the material fixture 36 (266) and the accumulator 50, which is exhausted and refilled in a splicing sequence according to normal operation (268). When the splice joint reaches the applicator head 18, the splice sensor 93 positioned to detect this joint triggers the applicator head 18 to enter a purge cycle. Typically, the purge cycle includes applying the spliced ​​material 11 to a disposal surface, that is, not on a predefined coating path. Once enough material 11 is removed to ensure that the splice is eliminated, the system 10 resumes normal operation and the process ends. Alternatively, the operator can load a new roll 260 and thread new material 11 in the dispensing device 14 and advance the material 11 to the applicator head 18, i.e., without any spliced ​​joints.

[0057] In one embodiment, the adhesive tape 11 may be a single-sided or double-sided tape in a single sheet or layered form.

[0058] In one embodiment, the material clamp 36 located on the input side of the accumulator 50 is manually actuated to clamp new material 11 entering the accumulator 50 .

[0059] In one embodiment, the material clamp 36 located on the input side of the accumulator 50 is electrically actuated to clamp the new material 11 entering the accumulator 50 .

[0060] In one embodiment, the material clamp 36 located on the input side of the accumulator 50 is pneumatically driven to clamp the new material 11 entering the accumulator 50 .

[0061] In one embodiment, the adhesive tape 11 is advanced through a delamination device that includes rollers configured to temporarily separate the material 12 and the removable liner 13 from each other prior to reapplying the material 12 onto the removable liner 13 to loosen the bond.

[0062] In one embodiment, the applicator head 18 includes a vision system including an image capture device to verify proper application of the material 11 to the substrate part or workpiece and to identify substrate features or edges to facilitate self-alignment of the coating tip 100 with a predefined coating path.

[0063] In one embodiment, the applicator head 18 includes a vision system including a laser profiler to verify proper application of the material 11 to the substrate part or workpiece and to identify substrate features or edges to facilitate self-alignment of the coating tip 100 with a predefined coating path.

[0064] In one embodiment, the coating tip 100 includes a device for tracking and calculating the amount of material 11 between the blade 106 and the coating tip 100 .

[0065] In one embodiment, the applicator head 18 includes a sensor on the outside of the coating tip 100 to sense the presence of material 11 indicating a failed coating.

[0066] In one embodiment, the applicator head 18 includes an attachment containing an adhesion promoting agent and means for applying the adhesion promoting agent to a substrate.

[0067] In one embodiment, the applicator head 18 includes an air blower at the end of the coating to assist in stripping the material 11 from the liner 13 .

[0068] In one embodiment, the pads 13 are collected and cut into smaller manageable pieces.

[0069] In one embodiment, the applicator head 18 includes at least one safety device for mounting on the industrial robot 20 .

[0070] In one embodiment, the industrial robot 20 is a servo gantry robot.

[0071] In one embodiment, the industrial robot 20 is a collaborative robot.

[0072] In one embodiment, the applicator head 18 is fixed in place and the part to receive the material 11 is moved to the applicator head 18, ie, a part-to-process strategy. In one example, the part may be on a robot or any other actuating device.

[0073] In one embodiment, system 10 includes a "quick change" blade system.

[0074] In one embodiment, the system 10 includes one or more safety devices that can be installed on the collaborative robot to enhance safe operation.

[0075] In one embodiment, the drive mechanism 70, 90 comprises a linear clamping and pulling mechanism, such as a walking beam transfer.

[0076] System 10 may be used in the automotive sector, where material 11 is applied to automotive interior and exterior trim and cladding to reduce noise, seal out moisture, and join components together, and in the building industry, such as for trim and seals in glazing materials, for example, interior and exterior building architectural cladding, and HVAC equipment.

[0077] In one embodiment, the system 10 is coupled to a measurement or data acquisition (DAQ) device, such as an instrument, a smart sensor, a data acquisition device or board, and any of various types of devices operable to acquire and / or store data.

[0078] In one embodiment, the system controller 40 includes a computing device having a computing system 300, which includes at least one processor (such as processor 302), at least one storage device (such as memory 304), an input / output (I / O) module 306, and a communication interface 308. Figure 6 Although computing system 300 is described as including only one processor 302, computing system 300 may include multiple processors. In an embodiment, memory 304 is capable of storing instructions. In addition, processor 302 is capable of executing instructions.

[0079] In one implementation, the processor 302 may be configured to perform hard-coded functions. In an embodiment, the processor 302 may be implemented as an executor of software instructions, wherein when the software instructions are executed, the software instructions may specifically configure the processor 302 to perform the algorithms and / or operations described herein.

[0080] In one embodiment, the processor 302 may be embodied as a multi-core processor, a single-core processor, or a combination of one or more multi-core processors and one or more single-core processors. For example, the processor 302 may be embodied as one or more of a variety of processing devices, such as a coprocessor, a microprocessor, a controller, a digital signal processor (DSP), a processing circuit with or without an accompanying DSP, or a variety of other processing devices, including integrated circuits, such as, for example, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), microcontroller units (MCUs), hardware accelerators, special-purpose computer chips, application-specific standard products (ASSPs), systems on chips (SOCs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), programmable logic controllers (PLCs), graphics processing units (GPUs), etc. For example, some or all of the device functions or method sequences may be performed by one or more hardware logic components.

[0081] The memory 304 may be embodied as one or more volatile memory devices, one or more non-volatile memory devices, and / or a combination of one or more volatile memory devices and non-volatile memory devices. For example, the memory 304 may be embodied as a magnetic storage device (such as a hard disk drive, a floppy disk, a tape, etc.), an optical magnetic storage device (such as a magneto-optical disk), a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), a CD-R (Compact Disc Recordable), a CD-R / W (Compact Disc Rewritable), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), a BD (Blu-ray Disc), and a semiconductor memory (such as a mask ROM, a PROM (Programmable ROM), an EPROM (Erasable PROM), a flash ROM, a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc.).

[0082] The I / O module 306 is configured to facilitate providing output to and / or receiving input from a user of the computing system 300, and to send / receive communications to / from various sensors, components, and actuators of the system 10. The I / O module 306 is configured to communicate with the processor 302 and the memory 304. Examples of the I / O module 306 include, but are not limited to, input interfaces and / or output interfaces. Some examples of input interfaces may include, but are not limited to, a keyboard, a mouse, a joystick, a keypad, a touch screen, soft keys, a microphone, and the like. Some examples of output interfaces may include, but are not limited to, a microphone, a speaker, a ringer, a vibrator, a light emitting diode display, a thin film transistor (TFT) display, a liquid crystal display, an active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) display, and the like. In an example embodiment, the processor 302 may include an I / O circuit configured to control at least some functions of one or more elements of the I / O module 306, such as, for example, a speaker, a microphone, a display, and the like. Processor 302 and / or I / O circuitry may be configured to control one or more functions of one or more elements of I / O module 306 via computer program instructions (e.g., software and / or firmware) stored on a memory accessible to processor 302 (e.g., memory 304, etc.).

[0083] The communication interface 308 enables the computing system 300 to communicate with other entities through various types of wired networks, wireless networks, or a combination of wired and wireless networks, such as, for example, the Internet. In at least one example embodiment, the communication interface 308 includes a transceiver circuit configured to transmit and receive data signals through various types of communication networks. In some embodiments, the communication interface 308 may include appropriate data compression and encoding mechanisms for securely transmitting and receiving data through the communication network. The communication interface 308 facilitates communication between the computing system 300 and I / O peripheral devices.

[0084] In an embodiment, various components of computing system 300, such as processor 302, memory 304, I / O module 306, and communication interface 308, may be configured to communicate with each other via or through centralized circuit system 310. Centralized circuit system 310 may be various devices configured to provide or enable communication between components (302-308) of computing system 300, among other things. In certain embodiments, centralized circuit system 310 may be a central printed circuit board (PCB), such as a motherboard, mainboard, system board, or logic board. Centralized circuit system 310 may also or alternatively include other printed circuit assemblies (PCAs) or communication channel media.

[0085] Note that the various example embodiments described herein may be implemented in a variety of devices, network configurations, and applications.

[0086] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented in a network computing environment with many types of computer system configurations, including personal computers (PCs), industrial PCs, desktop PCs, handheld devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, server computers, microcomputers, mainframe computers, etc. Therefore, the system 10 can be communicatively connected to these external devices so that the system 10 can be remotely controlled. The embodiments can also be practiced in a distributed computing environment, in which tasks are performed by local and remote processing devices linked (by hardwired links, wireless links, or a combination thereof) through a communication network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules can be located in local and remote memory storage devices.

[0087] In another embodiment, system 10 follows a cloud computing model by providing on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., servers, storage, applications, and / or services) that can be quickly provisioned and released by a user (operator of a thin client) with minimal or no resource management effort (including interaction with a service provider).

[0088] The benefits and advantages described above may relate to one embodiment, or may relate to several embodiments. The embodiments are not limited to embodiments that solve any or all of the problems described, or embodiments that have any or all of the benefits and advantages described. The operations of the methods described herein may be performed in any suitable order, or simultaneously where appropriate. In addition, individual boxes may be added or deleted from any method without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein. Aspects of any of the examples described above may be combined with aspects of any other examples described to form further examples without losing the effects sought.

[0089] The above description is given as an example only, and various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art. The above description, examples and data provide a complete description of the structure and use of exemplary embodiments. Although various embodiments have been described in detail above to a certain extent or with reference to one or more separate embodiments, those skilled in the art may make various changes to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this specification.

Claims

1. A system for applying an adhesive tape to a surface or substrate, the system include: a source of tape, said source of tape comprising a material associated with an adhesive and at least one removable liner; Applicator head; Cutting mechanism; at least one driven feed mechanism configured to direct the tape from the source to the applicator head at a controlled rate; wherein the applicator head is controllable to apply the material to the surface or substrate; wherein the applicator head comprises the cutting mechanism configured to sever the material while leaving the at least one removable liner intact; and wherein the tape is delivered to the applicator head via a flexible conduit; Wherein the at least one drive feed mechanism comprises a fluid amplifier that produces a vacuum effect in the flexible conduit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the applicator head comprises a coating tip, and wherein the applicator tape head is mounted on a robot configured to travel along a predefined coating path to apply the material.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one drive feed mechanism comprises a drive unit for directing the tape toward the applicator head.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the source comprises a dispensing reel of the tape mounted on a rotatable shaft.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the robot uses at least one first sensor to position the applicator head to apply the tape.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one first sensor identifies substrate features or edges to facilitate self-alignment of the coating tip with the predefined coating path.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one first sensor verifies proper application of adhesive backing material on the surface or the substrate.

8. The system of any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the at least one sensor comprises an image capture device.

9. The system of any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a laser profiler.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the tape has variable dimensions.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one drive feed mechanism comprises at least one second sensor and the applicator head comprises at least one third sensor, whereby the at least one second sensor and the at least one third sensor detect whether tension in the tape is maintained.

12. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one drive feed mechanism comprises a buffer zone having a variable loop of the tape, and at least one fourth sensor configured to detect a position of the tape within the buffer zone, thereby triggering the drive unit to feed the tape to the applicator head.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a human machine interface (HMI).

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the human machine interface (HMI) is communicatively coupled to a controller associated with the source, the applicator head, the cutting mechanism, and the at least one drive feed mechanism.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the coating tip comprises a rounded edge configured to peel the at least one removable liner from the material to expose the adhesive for adhering to the surface or the substrate.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein an outward feed tube transports spent at least one removable liner away from the applicator head.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one fifth sensor configured to detect a splice joint in the tape and trigger the system to initiate a cleanup routine.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the cleaning routine includes placing the material on a sacrificial surface.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the cleaning routine comprises placing the material in at least one of a vacuum and free space.

20. The system of claim 2, further comprising a roller mechanism for applying a force to the material on the surface or the substrate.

21. The system of claim 2, wherein the applicator head includes a device for applying an adhesion promoter to the surface or the substrate prior to applying the material.

22. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one sixth sensor detects the presence of an adhesion promoter and automatically applies the material to the location having the adhesion promoter thereon.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the catheter is a helical coil.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the conduit is a tube.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the applicator head is mounted on at least one movable axis to automatically apply the material according to programmed instructions.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the applicator head is mounted on a robot to automatically apply the material according to programmed instructions.

27. The system of claim 2, further comprising a controller comprising a computer readable medium having program instructions executable by a processor to at least cause: said at least one drive feed mechanism directing said tape; The coating end coats the material onto the surface or the substrate according to the predefined coating path; the cutting mechanism associated with the applicator head severing the material while leaving at least one removable liner intact; a roller mechanism associated with the applicator head applying a force to the material on the surface or substrate; as well as A disposal device collects the at least one removable liner after applying the material.

28. The system of claim 2, wherein the applicator includes at least one safety device for mounting on a collaborative robot.

29. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one removable liner is collected and cut into smaller manageable pieces.

30. A system for applying an adhesive tape to a surface or substrate, the tape comprising a material associated with an adhesive and at least one removable liner, the system include: a source of said tape; A robotic coater head including a coating end; a flexible tape conduit coupled between the source and the robotic applicator head; at least one drive feed mechanism; Cutting mechanism; A controller including program instructions executable by a processor to at least cause: The at least one driven feed mechanism directs the tape from the source to the coating end; The coating tip coats the material onto the surface or the substrate according to a predefined path; wherein the tape is delivered to the applicator head via a flexible conduit; wherein said at least one drive feed mechanism comprises a fluid amplifier for producing a vacuum effect in said flexible conduit; and The cutting mechanism severs the material while leaving at least one removable liner intact.

31. The system of claim 30, further comprising a roller mechanism for applying a force to the tape on the surface or substrate.

32. The system of claim 31 further comprising a disposal device for the at least one removable liner after application of the material.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the disposal device comprises at least one of a container and a catheter.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein the controller comprises a computer readable medium having program instructions executable by a processor to at least cause: said at least one drive feed mechanism directing said tape; The coating tip coats the material onto the surface or the substrate according to the predefined path; the cutting mechanism severs the material while leaving the at least one removable liner intact; a roller mechanism associated with the applicator head applying a force to the tape on the surface or substrate; as well as A disposal device collects the at least one removable liner after applying the material.

35. A method of applying an adhesive tape to a surface or substrate, the adhesive tape comprising a material and at least one removable liner, the method The following steps are involved: (a) receiving the adhesive tape from a primary adhesive tape supply source at a first adhesive tape station; feeding the tape into a flexible feed conduit coupled between the first tape station and a robotic end effector having a tape applicator, the flexible conduit being sized to allow the tape to be delivered to a remote robotic end effector, wherein the tape is delivered to the remote robotic end effector via the flexible conduit; wherein the at least one drive feed mechanism comprises a fluid amplifier that creates a vacuum effect in the flexible conduit; (b) receiving the tape from the primary tape supply at a second tape station associated with the tape applicator to form a secondary tape supply; (c) applying the material to the surface or substrate along a predefined path at the tape applicator and removing the at least one removable liner from the primary tape supply; and (d) at an end of the predefined path, severing the material while leaving the at least one removable liner intact.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the first tape station includes a series of opposed pulleys to form multiple loops of the tape to create a buffer zone of the tape prior to feeding the tape to the second tape station.

37. The method of claim 35 including the further step of maintaining a predetermined tension in the tape during a demand cycle.

38. The method of claim 35, comprising the further step of directing the at least one removable liner into a flexible outlet conduit.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein the flexible feed conduit comprises a vacuum.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein the flexible outlet conduit comprises a vacuum.

41. The method of claim 35, comprising the further step of applying pressure on the material to press the material against the surface or substrate.

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