Tape application unit and tape application device

Abstract

To provide a tape application device that can prevent deterioration in application accuracy and application quality even for wider tapes.SOLUTION: A tape application device includes a tape supply part 120, a tape guide part 115 which guides the width direction position of tape erection path and the erection direction and a support structure 111 which includes a first support body 111a installed on one side in the width direction and a second support body 111b installed on the other side in the width direction, as well as connecting members 111c, 111d-111g which connect and fix the first support and the second support in the width direction; both end parts of the tape reel in the tape supply part, both end parts of the guide roller in the tape guide part, and both end parts of the application roller in the tape application part are respectively supported by the first support body and the second support body, or by the connecting members.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a tape application unit and a tape application device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, tape application units for applying tape to various objects have been used in various fields as components for achieving functions such as temporary fastening, adhesion, sealing, surface protection, and imparting additional functions. In recent years, as the uses of tape have expanded, the variety of tape materials, thicknesses, widths, and the like has also increased, and in particular, wide tapes have become more widely used.

[0003] A known conventional device is an adhesive tape application device that can change the opposing distance without changing the center position in the width direction in accordance with changes in tape size (see Patent Document 1). Also proposed is a structure that allows the reel structure to be adjusted to the tape width by interposing a liner plate between the tape reel and the adhesive tape or the reel support cylinder (see Patent Document 2).

[0004] Furthermore, the structures of tape application units that are compatible with relatively narrow adhesive tapes and that can apply tape to various objects as desired are known from Patent Documents 3 and 4. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-048455 [Patent Document 2] No. 3010771 Publication [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-035876 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-142917 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] As mentioned above, there are tape application units that are configured so that various parts can be adjusted in accordance with changes in tape width. However, as the tape width increases, the axial accuracy of each roller decreases due to the effects of the increased weight of the tape roll and the tape itself, and the increased resistance to unwinding due to the adhesive strength of the tape. This causes the tape to stretch and deform, which can reduce the accuracy of tape application to the object to which it is applied, and can cause the applied tape to wrinkle, tear, or form air bubbles, resulting in a decrease in application quality.

[0007] Furthermore, as mentioned above, by configuring various parts to be adjustable in accordance with changes in tape width, the accuracy of guiding the tape is reduced, and this reduced guiding accuracy also leads to the problem of reduced accuracy in applying the tape to the object to which it is to be applied.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention is intended to solve the above problems, and its object is to provide a tape application unit and a tape application device that can prevent a decrease in application accuracy and application quality even when using wide tape. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problem, a tape application unit according to the present invention comprises a tape supply section that supplies tape from a tape roll to a tape installation path, a tape guide section that guides the widthwise position and installation direction of the tape on the tape installation path, a tape application section that applies the tape that has passed through the tape installation path to an object to be applied, and a support structure that includes a first support body installed on one side in the widthwise direction and a second support body installed on the other side in the widthwise direction, and a connecting member that connects and fixes the first support body and the second support body in the widthwise direction, the tape supply unit includes a tape reel that holds the tape roll, and both ends of the tape reel in the width direction are supported by the first support and the second support, respectively, or are supported by the connecting member; the tape guide unit includes a guide roller installed on the tape installation path, and a path regulation mechanism that regulates the position and installation direction of the tape on the tape installation path in the width direction, and both ends of the guide roller in the width direction are supported by the first support and the second support, respectively, or are supported by the connecting member; The tape application unit is equipped with an application roller for applying the tape, and both ends of the application roller in the width direction are supported by the first support and the second support, respectively, or are supported by the connecting member.

[0010] According to the present invention, a support structure is provided which includes a first support member installed on one side in the width direction, a second support member installed on the other side in the width direction, and a connecting member which connects and fixes the first support member and the second support member in the width direction, and both ends of the tape reel in the tape supply section are supported by the first support member and the second support member, respectively, or are supported by the connecting member, both ends of the guide roller in the tape guide section are supported by the first support member and the second support member, respectively, or are supported by the connecting member, and both ends of the application roller in the tape application section are supported by the first support member and the second support member, respectively, or are supported by the connecting member.This increases the support rigidity of the tape reel, guide roller, and application roller, and allows the axial accuracy of each roller to be set with high precision.As a result, even with wide tapes, high supply accuracy by the tape reel, guiding and restricting accuracy by the tape guide section, and application accuracy by the tape application section can be ensured, and it becomes possible to prevent a decrease in application accuracy and application quality due to stretching or deformation of the tape.

[0011] In the present invention, it is preferable that the guide roller is a crown roller. According to this, since the guide roller disposed either before or after the path regulating mechanism on the tape installation path is a crown roller, the tape guide section functions to correct the widthwise position of the tape toward the center of the guide roller even if the position of the tape tends to deviate to one side, and therefore the widthwise position and installation direction of the tape are autonomously maintained, making it possible to further prevent deterioration in application accuracy and application quality due to stretching or deformation of the tape. Furthermore, because deviations in the widthwise position and installation direction of the tape are suppressed, it is also possible to prevent excessive path regulating action by the path regulating mechanism, which can cause damage or deformation to the tape.

[0012] In the present invention, the tape guide unit preferably includes a first guide roller and a second guide roller, one on each side of the path regulating mechanism in the installation direction. This arrangement stabilizes the position and orientation of the tape relative to the path regulating mechanism by providing guide rollers on each side of the path regulating mechanism, thereby ensuring a reliable and stable path regulating function. This arrangement also reduces variations in the widthwise position and installation direction of the tape relative to the path regulating mechanism, preventing damage to the tape or sudden deformation such as excessive distortion during path regulating. This arrangement effectively achieves the guiding and regulating function of the tape guide unit, further improving the accuracy of the widthwise position and installation direction of the tape. In this case, it is preferable that at least one of the first guide roller and the second guide roller be a crown roller, and it is even more preferable that both be crown rollers.

[0013] In the present invention, the path regulating mechanism preferably includes a path regulating edge that contacts the side edge of the tape to guide and regulate it. In this case, the path regulating mechanism preferably includes a pair of the path regulating edges corresponding to both side edges of the tape. Furthermore, the widthwise position of the path regulating edge is preferably adjustable, thereby enabling the side edges of tapes of different widths to be guided. Here, the pair of path regulating edges are preferably configured to regulate the position and direction of the side edges of the tape without changing the center position of the tape in the width direction. This allows the tape guide unit to guide the widthwise position and laying direction without changing the widthwise center position, even if the tape width changes, thereby enabling operation without disrupting mechanical balance with respect to the tape supply unit and the tape application unit. Here, the path regulating mechanism preferably includes a path regulating member including the path regulating edge and a pair of positioning shafts connecting the path regulating member. Preferably, the path regulating member is threadedly engaged with a first positioning shaft, one of the pair of positioning shafts, and axially slidably fitted with a second positioning shaft, the other of the pair of positioning shafts. According to this, the path regulating member can be moved in the width direction by rotating the first positioning axis, and the posture of the path regulating member can be maintained by the second positioning axis, so that the width position of the path regulating edge and its posture along the installation direction can be appropriately set.

[0014] In the present invention, the tape reel preferably includes a core, a first reel frame attached to one side of the core, and a second reel frame attached to the other side of the core, and is configured so that the axial position of the first reel frame relative to the core and the axial position of the second reel frame relative to the core are each adjustable. This allows the spacing between the first reel frame and the second reel frame connected by the core to be changed, making it possible for the tape reel to hold tape rolls of different widths. In particular, by setting the axial positions of the first reel frame and the second reel frame while aligning the widthwise center position of the tape roll with the widthwise center position of the tape reel, the tape supply unit can hold the tape roll without changing the widthwise center position of the tape reel, even if the tape width used changes. This allows operation without disrupting the mechanical balance of the tape guide unit and the tape application unit.

[0015] In the present invention, it is desirable that at least one of the two end portions of the tape reel in the width direction be detachable from the support structure. By configuring at least one of the two end portions of the tape reel to be detachable from the support structure in this way, the tape roll can be configured to be easily replaceable.

[0016] In the present invention, it is preferable that the tape cutting device further includes a tape cutting unit that cuts the tape at a cutting position on the tape extension path between the tape guide unit and the tape application unit. This allows the tape applied by the tape application unit to be completed by cutting the tape to form a tape end while maintaining both widthwise sides of the tape guided by the tape guide unit. In this case, it is preferable that the tape cutting unit includes a cutter that cuts the tape at the cutting position on the tape extension path, a cutter moving means that moves the cutter in the width direction so as to cut the tape, and a pressing member that presses the tape along the width direction at a position adjacent to the cutting position when the cutter cuts the tape. This allows the pressing portion of the pressing member to press the tape along the width direction in which the cutter performs the cutting operation, thereby applying tension to the tape at a position adjacent to the cutting position, thereby preventing poor cutting due to deformation such as tape bending when the cutter comes into contact with the tape. It is desirable that the pressing member presses the surface opposite to the surface to which the tape is applied by the tape application unit. This allows tension to be applied to the application surface without damaging it, and since the pressing unit only needs to be brought into contact with the surface opposite to the application surface, the mechanism can be configured simply and the unit can be prevented from becoming large. It is also desirable that the pressing member has an L-shaped tip that extends in the laying direction from the side away from the cutting position toward the cutting position and then protrudes toward the tape laying path. This allows the pressing position of the pressing unit at the tip to be brought close to the cutting position without interfering with the cutter or cutter moving means.

[0017] In the present invention, it is preferable that the tape holding device further includes a tape holding unit that clamps the tape at a clamping position set between the cutting position on the tape installation path and the tape guide unit and that is configured to move the clamping position back and forth along the tape installation path. By clamping the tape at the clamping position on the tape installation path with the tape holding unit, the tape can be fixed in the front-to-back direction of the tape installation path. This makes it possible to fix the tape leading edge in preparation for the next tape application or to hold the tape when cutting the tape. Furthermore, by moving the clamping position back and forth along the tape installation path, the tape leading edge can be moved to correspond to the start of tape application by the tape application unit. From the viewpoint of the accuracy of the tape clamping position and back-to-back movement, it is preferable that the tape holding unit be located between the tape guide unit and the tape application unit. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of the accuracy and reliability of the tape cutting position and the cutting operation, it is preferable that a tape cutting unit be located between the tape holding unit and the tape application unit.

[0018] The present invention preferably further includes a tape pull-out unit configured to temporarily extend a predetermined portion of the tape installation path to allow the tape to be pulled out, and a tape take-up unit configured to take up the excess tape pulled out by the tape pull-out unit in a pull-out manner and apply a predetermined tension to the tape. According to this configuration, the tape pull-out unit extends a predetermined portion of the tape installation path to pull out the excess tape, and then returns the tape installation path so that the excess tape is taken up by the tape take-up unit and applied with a predetermined tension. Therefore, the amount of tape taken up by the tape take-up unit can be pulled downstream with the predetermined tension without being affected by the tape pull-out resistance from the tape roll in the tape supply unit. This suppresses changes in tape tension due to increased pull-out resistance caused by increased adhesive strength due to a wide tape, and the resulting stretching and deformation of the tape. In particular, this prevents instability of the tape tension and excessive tension in the tape when the tape holding unit moves the tape clamp position forward or when tape application begins. It is preferable that the tape pull-out section and tape take-up section are installed upstream of the tape guide section in the tape installation path, i.e., on the opposite side of the tape guide section (or the tape holding section, tape cutting section, and tape application section) (i.e., downstream of the tape installation path) from the tape application section. This reduces the impact of the tape pull-out operation, tape take-up operation, etc. on the tape application operation, cutting operation, and holding (clamping) operation.

[0019] The tape application device of the present invention comprises any one of the tape application units described above, a unit drive mechanism for moving the tape application unit, and a control unit for controlling the tape application unit and the unit drive mechanism to apply the tape to the surface of an object to be applied. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a tape application unit and a tape application device that can prevent a decrease in application accuracy and application quality even when using a wide tape. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view showing a state in which a support plate on the front side of a tape application unit, which is a main part of one embodiment of a tape application device according to the present invention, is omitted. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a right side view of the tape application unit of the embodiment. [Figure 3] 10 is a rear view showing the tape application unit of the embodiment with the support plate on the rear side thereof omitted. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the tape application unit of the embodiment. [Figure 5] 3 is a partial side view showing a portion of the tape supply unit of the tape application unit of the embodiment, focusing on the tape reel. FIG. [Figure 6] 1A is a perspective view showing, from a diagonal front side, the area where the upstream tape take-up section, tape pull-out section, and tape guide section are installed, with the front and rear side supports (support plates) omitted, of the installation path of the tape pulled out from the tape reel in this embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing, from a diagonal rear side, the same area. [Figure 7] 1A is a bottom view of the tape application unit of the embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a path regulating member. [Figure 8] 1A is a partial front view showing an enlarged view of a tape laying path of the tape application unit of the embodiment, and FIG. 1B is an enlarged partial explanatory view showing a schematic enlarged view of a downstream portion of the tape laying path. [Figure 9] 1 is a perspective view showing the tape application unit of the embodiment, with a support plate and an exterior cover on the front side thereof omitted, as viewed obliquely from the front side and slightly below. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a tape application device including the tape application unit. [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is a timing chart showing an example of an operation mode of the tape applying device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] 10, a tape application device 100 according to the present invention has a tape application unit 110 attached directly or indirectly to a support frame 101, a work table 120, a unit drive mechanism 130, and a control unit 140 that controls each part. The tape application device 100 of this embodiment is a device for applying adhesive tape to a surface 121a of an object 121 placed on the work table 120, although it is not particularly limited thereto.

[0024] The tape application device 100 of this embodiment is characterized by the tape application unit 110. In the illustrated example, the tape application unit 110 is suspended by attaching an attachment portion 110a to the unit drive mechanism 130, and is configured to be movable along the X-axis and Y-axis, which are planar directions relative to the work table 120, and the Z-axis, which is an up-down direction, and is also configured to be rotatable around the Z-axis. However, the manner in which the unit drive mechanism 130 drives the tape application unit 110 is not limited to the illustrated example, and it is sufficient that the tape can be applied in an appropriate manner to the tape application surface 121a of the tape application object 121 placed on the work table 120. For example, instead of rotating the tape application unit 110 around the Z-axis or driving it along the Z-axis, the work table 120 may be configured to be rotatable around the Z-axis or to be raised and lowered in the Z-axis direction.

[0025] The control unit 140 can be configured as an MPU (microprocessor unit) or the like, but is not particularly limited to this. The control unit 140 controls each part of the tape application unit 110 and the unit drive mechanism 130, and is configured to drive each part at an appropriate timing. Depending on the configuration, it may also be configured to control the work table 120.

[0026] 1 to 9, the overall configuration of the tape application unit 110 will be described. The tape application unit 110 includes a support structure 111, and a tape supply unit 112, a tape take-up unit 113, a tape pull-out unit 114, a tape guide unit 115, a tape holding unit 116, a tape cutting unit 117, and a tape application unit 118, which are all supported by the support structure 111.

[0027] The support structure 111 has a first support (support plate) 111a, a second support (support plate) 111b, and a plurality of connecting shafts 111c and cross members 111d, 111e, 111f, and 111g that connect and fix the first support 111a and the second support 111b. The connecting shaft 111c and the cross members 111d-111g all correspond to the connecting members described above. However, while the connecting shaft 111c is a dedicated member within the support structure 111 for connecting and fixing the first support 111a and the second support 111b, the cross members 111d-111g are dedicated members that connect and fix the tape pull-out portion 114, the tape guide portion 115, the tape holding portion 116, the tape cutting portion 117, the tape Paste They also function as support members for supporting at least a portion of each of the portions 118 .

[0028] The tape supply unit 112 is provided with a tape reel. As shown in FIG. 5, the tape reel includes a winding core 112a, a first reel frame 112b attached to one axial side of the winding core 112a, and a second reel frame 112c attached to the other axial side of the winding core 112a. The winding core 112a has a screw shaft structure. In the illustrated example, a central portion 112a1 in the width direction is supported by a support portion 111h included in the first support 111a via a bearing (not shown) or the like on the side of the first support 111a, with respect to the central portion 112a1 having an annular groove. Herein, the central portion 112a1 is located at a central position, which is half the distance between the first support 111a and the second support 111b of the support structure 111. This central position in the width direction is hereinafter referred to as a central position Cx. The side of the first support 111a from the central position Cx will hereinafter be simply referred to as "one side." The side of the second support 111b opposite the one side is referred to as the "other side." A first reel frame 112b is fixed to one side of the winding core 112a. The first reel frame 112b has a base 112b1 that screws into the threaded structure of the winding core 112a, and is fixed to the winding core 112a by a fixing means such as a setscrew (not shown) that is attached to a threaded hole 112b2 provided in the base 112b1. The first reel frame 112b can be moved in the axial direction of the winding core 112a by releasing the fixing means and rotating the first reel frame 112b relative to the threaded structure of the winding core 112a. Therefore, the first reel frame 112b can be set to any position in the axial direction relative to the winding core 112a by rotating it and then fixed using the fixing means.

[0029] The winding core 112a passes through the first reel frame 112b and is rotatably supported by a shaft support 111h that is part of the first support 111a. The tip of the winding core 112a is connected to a brake mechanism 112d fixed to the shaft support 111h, so that the tape reel is subjected to a predetermined rotational resistance. The brake mechanism 112d can be configured, for example, by a slipping clutch.

[0030] Furthermore, in a state in which the tape roll 102 is threaded onto the winding core 112a on which the first reel frame 112b is attached as described above and inserted until it contacts the first reel frame 112b, the second reel frame 112c is attached to the winding core 112a and the clamp knob 112e is screwed into the thread structure of the winding core 112a, thereby attaching the second reel frame 112c to the winding core 112a. A bearing 112f is attached to the end of the winding core 112a that penetrates and protrudes through the second reel frame 112c, and this bearing 112f is configured to detachably mount a support arm 111i, which is included in the second support body 111b and is connected to another part of the second support body 111b so as to be able to open and close, via a bush 111j. 2 and 9, the pivot arm 111i is supported by the second support 111b via a hinge portion 111i1 that is openably and closably connected to another portion of the second support 111b. The pivot arm 111i is configured to be able to select between a pivotal state in which the pivot arm 111i is connected to the bearing 112f of the winding core 112a, and a released state in which the pivot arm 111i is separated from the bearing 112f. In the illustrated example, the pivotal state and the released state are selected by manual operation, but the pivotal state and the released state may also be selected by an automatic mechanism. In the illustrated example, a magnetized portion 111i2 is provided at the base of the pivot arm 111i. This magnetized portion 111i2 is provided with a magnetic portion (not shown) that is attracted and held when the magnetized portion 111i2 is in the pivotal state, and a magnetic portion (not shown) that is attracted and held when the magnetized portion 111i2 is in the released state, thereby maintaining the pivotal state and the released state of the pivotal arm 111i.

[0031] The core 112a, first reel frame 112b, and second reel frame 112c constitute a tape reel capable of holding the tape roll 102, with both axial ends thereof being supported by the first support 111a and the second support 111b as described above. The tape 103 drawn out from the tape roll 102 held by the tape reel is drawn out along a tape laying path that passes through the tape take-up section 113, the tape draw-out section 114, the tape guide section 115, the tape holding section 116, and the tape cutting section 117 in that order, and is finally guided to the application roller 118a of the tape application section 118. In the illustrated example (embodiment), the tape 103 is a single-sided adhesive tape or a double-sided adhesive tape with a release paper attached to one side thereof. However, the specific configuration of the tape 103 is not limited in the present invention.

[0032] The tape take-up unit 113 is a tensioning mechanism in the general sense and includes two adjacent tension rollers 113a and 113b on the tape installation path. The two tension rollers 113a and 113b are rotatably supported by common rotating members 113d and 113e attached to a rotating shaft 113c. As shown in FIG. 6, both axial ends of the rotating shaft 113c are rotatably supported by the first support member 111a and the second support member 111b, respectively, and fixed to the first rotating member 113d and the second rotating member 113e. One side of the rotating shaft 113c passes through the first rotating member 113d and the supporting member 113g attached to the first support member 111a, and is installed so as to receive a predetermined elastic force around its axis by a grooved guide member 113h and an elastic member (coil spring) 113i, which constitute an elastic mechanism installed on the outside of the rotating shaft 113c. The other side of the rotation shaft 113c is rotatably supported by a second rotation member 113e and a support member 113f attached to the second support body 111b.

[0033] The elastic mechanism biases the rotating members 113d and 113e in the winding direction A, which is clockwise in the drawing. Therefore, when the tension of the tape 103 decreases, as shown in FIG. 1, the tape take-up unit 113 rotates in the winding direction A and applies tension to the tape 103, resulting from the biasing force of the elastic mechanism, in a manner that winds the tape 103 wound around the tension rollers 113a and 113b. This provides a stable tension to the tape 103. Note that by using a tension applying mechanism that applies tension in a manner that winds the tape 103 using two tension rollers 113a and 113b, as in the tape take-up unit 113 shown in the drawing, it is possible to apply a stable tension to the tape 103 while ensuring the amount of tape 103 taken up, with a compact configuration. Note that in the drawing, the tape take-up unit 113 is located adjacent to the downstream side of the tape supply unit 112 (tape reel). However, the location is not limited to this and the tape take-up unit 113 may be located on the tape routing path. However, in this embodiment, the tape take-up section 113 and the next tape pull-out section 114 are located upstream of the tape guide section 115 described later, which makes it difficult for the vibration of the tape 103 caused by pulling / pulling out to be transmitted downstream of the tape guide section 115, thereby preventing a decrease in the application accuracy and application quality of the tape 103.

[0034] The first tension roller 113a is a crown roller having a roller shape in which the roller diameter is large at the center in the width direction and decreases toward both sides in the width direction. The roller shape may be drum-shaped or tapered (conical) at both ends. By using a crown roller for the first tension roller 113a, the tape 103 is more likely to be centered in the width direction, thereby suppressing misalignment in the width direction. Note that the second tension roller 113b has a normal cylindrical roller shape because the adhesive surface of the tape 103 contacts the roller surface, making it less likely for the tape 103 to misalign in the width direction and also less likely to function to correct the position of the tape 103 in the width direction. However, this does not preclude the second tension roller 113b from being a crown roller.

[0035] The tape pull-out unit 114 is configured such that a support arm 114b, which rotatably supports a pull-out roller 114a, moves in and out in the illustrated direction B by a drive unit 114c such as an air cylinder. The pull-out roller 114a moves in and out as described above by the drive unit 114c, thereby changing the tape installation path from the state indicated by the solid line to the state indicated by the two-dot chain line. In the illustrated example, the protrusion of the pull-out roller 114a in the direction B lengthens the tape installation path, causing an excess of the tape 103 to be pulled out from the tape roll 102. The pull-out roller 114a is then returned to its original position, causing the tape 103 to be pulled up (rewound in the illustrated example) by the tape take-up unit 113. Even if the length of the tape installation path is changed by the tape pull-out unit 114, a predetermined tension is always applied to the tape 103 as long as the tape 103 has been pulled up by the tape take-up unit 113, even if only to a certain extent. The tape pull-out section 114 (drive section 114c thereof) is supported (fixed) by the cross member 111d described above. The position of the tape pull-out section 114 is not particularly limited as long as it is on the tape installation path, but it is desirable that it be in an area adjacent to the tape take-up section 113 on the tape installation path. The arrangement of the tape take-up section 113 and the tape pull-out section 114 on the tape installation path is as described above.

[0036] The tape guide unit 115 includes a first guide roller 115a installed upstream of the tape installation path, a second guide roller 115b installed downstream of the tape installation path, and a path regulating mechanism 115c installed between the first guide roller 115a and the second guide roller 115b. Both end portions of the first guide roller 115a and the second guide roller 115b are axially supported by the first support member 111a and the second support member 111b, respectively. However, both end portions of each guide roller may be axially supported by the aforementioned cross member 111d, which is a connecting member whose both end portions in the width direction are fixed by the first support member 111a and the second support member 111b. 7(a), the path regulating mechanism 115c includes a first path regulating edge 115c1a and a second path regulating edge 115c2a, and regulates the widthwise position and installation direction of the tape installation path when the first path regulating edge 115c1a and the second path regulating edge 115c2a abut against both widthwise edges of the tape 103. The path regulating mechanism 115c includes a first path regulating member 115c1 including the first path regulating edge 115c1a facing inward in the widthwise direction, and a second path regulating member 115c2 including the second path regulating edge 115c2a facing inward in the widthwise direction. The first path regulation member 115c1 and the second path regulation member 115c2 each have their widthwise position and their installation direction posture maintained by a first positioning shaft 115c3 and a second positioning shaft 115c4 extending in the widthwise direction.

[0037] 7(b), the first path regulating member 115c1 has a through-hole Hb through which the first positioning shaft 115c3 is slidably inserted, a screw hole Ha that screws with a threaded portion (not shown) of the second positioning shaft 115c4, and a fixing hole 115c1b facing the inside of the screw hole Ha, and is fixed to the positioning shaft 115c4 via a fixing means such as a setscrew (not shown). When the fixing means is released and the second positioning shaft 151c4 is rotated by operating a rotation operating portion 115c4a such as a wrench socket provided at the end of the second positioning shaft 151c4 with a tool, the first path regulating member 115c1 that screws with the second positioning shaft 151c4 moves in the axial direction (i.e., the width direction of the tape 103). 7(b), the second path regulating member 115c2 has a threaded hole Ha that threadably engages with the threaded portion (not shown) of the first positioning shaft 115c3, a through-hole Hb through which the second positioning shaft 115c4 is slidably inserted, and a fixing hole 115c2b facing the inside of the threaded hole Ha, and is fixed to the first positioning shaft 115c3 via the fixing hole 115c2b by a fixing means such as a setscrew (not shown). When the fixing means is released and the first positioning shaft 151c3 is rotated by operating a rotation operating portion 115c3a provided at the end of the first positioning shaft 151c3 with a tool or the like, the second path regulating member 115c2 that threadably engages with the first positioning shaft 151c3 moves in the axial direction (i.e., the width direction of the tape 103).

[0038] In the path restriction mechanism 115c, as described above, the first path restriction edge 115c1a and the second path restriction edge 115c2a abut against both side edges of the tape 103, thereby restricting the widthwise position and laying direction of the tape 103. At this time, both path restriction edges 115c1a, 115c2a each have a restriction surface Ta that guides and restricts both side edges of the tape 103. The lower edge of this restriction surface Ta has a tapered surface portion Tb that slopes downward (diagonally upward in the figure), and has both end portions Tc, Td in the laying direction that slope outward in the widthwise direction on both sides of the restriction surface Ta in the laying direction of the tape laying path. The edges of these both end portions Tc, Td also have tapered surface portions Tb that slope downward (diagonally upward in FIG. 7(b)) that are continuous from the edge of the restriction surface Ta. When the tapered surface portion Tb contacts the side edge of the tape 103, it releases excessive restricting force downward (diagonally upward in FIG. 7(b)) and restricts the widthwise position and installation direction of the tape 103.

[0039] The path regulating function of the path regulating mechanism 115c is ensured by the presence of the adjacent guide rollers 115a and 115b on the tape laying path. The presence of the guide rollers 115a and 115b on at least one of the upstream and downstream sides in the laying direction ensures the path regulating edge 115 c 1a, 115 c 2a are limited within a certain range, it is easy to reliably and stably obtain the guiding and restricting action of the tape guide unit 115. In particular, as described above, the guide rollers 115a, 115b are installed with high axial precision because both ends in the axial direction (width direction of the tape 103) are supported by the first support 111a and the second support 111b, respectively, and therefore the positional relationship between the width direction position and the laying direction of the tape 103 guided by the guide rollers 115a, 115b and the path restricting mechanism 115c is also highly precise, so that the guiding and restricting action of the tape guide unit 115 allows the width direction position and laying direction of the tape 103 to be set with even higher precision and the tape can be sent out downstream of the tape laying path.

[0040] In particular, in this embodiment, the first guide roller 115a is arranged upstream of the path regulation mechanism 115c on the tape installation path, and the second guide roller 115b is arranged downstream thereof, and these guide rollers 115a and 115b limit the orientation of the tape 103 on both the introduction side and the outlet side of the tape guide unit 115 within a certain range, thereby more reliably and stably obtaining the guiding and regulating action of the tape guide unit 115. Moreover, as described above, both ends of the guide rollers 115a and 115b on both sides of the path regulation mechanism 115c are axially supported by the first support body 111a and the second support body 111b, respectively, and therefore have high axial accuracy, further improving the accuracy of the width direction position and installation direction of the tape 103 due to the guiding and regulating action. As a prerequisite for the above-described guide and restricting action, the axis of the first guide roller 115a and the axis of the second guide roller 115b are set parallel to each other, and the first guide roller 115a, the path restricting edges 115c1a and 115c2a, and the second guide roller 115b are arranged in a manner such that the path restricting edges 115c1a and 115c2a are parallel to each other. c 1a,115 c 2a, which in the illustrated example is set parallel to the bottom surface of the tape application unit 110.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 7, the first guide roller 115a and the second guide roller 115b are both crown rollers having a roller shape in which the roller diameter is large at the center in the width direction and decreases toward both ends in the width direction. The roller shape may be a drum shape as shown in the figure, or may be tapered (conical) at both ends. By using the guide rollers 115a and 115b as crown rollers, the tape 103 is more likely to be maintained at the center in the width direction, thereby suppressing misalignment in the width direction. Note that only one of the guide rollers 115a and 115b may be a crown roller. The tape guide unit 115 may be provided on the tape laying path, but is preferably located in an area close to the tape cutting unit 117 and the tape applying unit 118. In particular, in this embodiment, it is desirable to provide the tape guide unit 115 adjacent to the upstream side of the tape holding unit 116. In order to fully obtain the effect of the crown roller, it is desirable that the change in roller diameter across the entire width of the tape 103 be within the range in which the tape 103 can expand and contract when subjected to the substantial tension of the tape installation path, so that the roller surface can come into contact with the entire width of the tape 103.

[0042] 1, the tape holding unit 116 includes a main body 116a configured to be movable along direction C within an imaginary plane along the supply direction (laying direction) of the tape 103, a clamp roller 116b rotatably supported on the main body 116a, a guide roller 116c rotatably supported on the main body 116a, and a rotating arm 116e attached to the main body 116a so as to be rotatable about a rotating shaft 116d. At the tip of the rotating arm 116e, a clamp 116f configured to be able to come into contact with the clamp roller 116b via the tape 103 is formed, as shown in FIG. 8(a). Furthermore, in order to enable the pivot arm 116e to be set in a clamped state in which the clamp portion 116f is pressed against the clamp roller 116b while sandwiching the tape 103, and in a released state in which the clamp portion 116f is separated from the clamp roller 116b and the tape 103, a base end of the pivot arm 116e, which is on the opposite side of the pivot shaft 116d from the clamp portion 116f, is pivotally connected to a drive shaft 116h of a drive unit 116g, such as an air cylinder, pivotally attached to the main body 116a. The main body 116a is guided in the direction C by a movement drive unit 116i, such as an air cylinder, relative to the cross member 111e. Note that movement of the main body 116a along the direction C also moves the clamp position at which the tape 103 is sandwiched and gripped by the clamp roller 116b and the clamp portion 116f. Further, the elastic member 116j applies an elastic force to the clamp portion 116f toward the clamp roller 116b for setting the clamping force.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 1, the tape cutting unit 117 includes a cutter 117a, a holding arm 117b that holds the cutter 117a, and a movement drive unit 117c formed of a rodless cylinder or the like that moves the cutter 117a and the holding arm 117b back and forth in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 1. The movement drive unit 117c is supported by a base member 117d. The base member 117d is configured to be able to move back and forth in a retracting direction D that is perpendicular to the direction C by a retracting drive unit 117e supported by a cross member 111f. The initial position of the cutter 117a is set at a position spaced outward from one side (the side of the first support 111a) in the width direction of the tape 103 at the cutting position on the tape laying path, and the arrival position of the cutter 117a is also set at a position spaced outward from the other side (the side of the second support 111b) in the width direction of the tape 103. The cutter 117a is slid by the movement drive unit 117c from the initial position to the arrival position in the width direction of the tape 103, and then operates to return from the arrival position to the initial position.

[0044] A holding arm 117f is attached to the base member 117d, extending substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the cutter 117a and the holding arm 117b, and a pressing member 117g is attached to this holding arm 117f. The pressing member 117g is arranged upstream of the cutter 117a in the laying direction of the tape 103, protrudes from the holding arm 117f in a direction approaching the tape laying path, bends downstream in the laying direction where the cutter 117a is located just before the tape laying path, and then has an L-shaped structure that protrudes again toward the tape laying path at a position adjacent to the cutter 117a. In the illustrated example, the pressing member 117g is fixed to the base member 117d via the holding arm 117f, and is moved forward and backward by a moving-out drive unit 117e. The pressing portion 117ga, which is provided at the tip of the pressing member 117g and comes into contact with the tape 103, presses the tape 103 evenly across the entire width of the tape 103. In this embodiment, the pressing portion 117ga comes into contact with and presses the non-adhesive surface opposite to the adhesive surface of the tape 103, which has the advantage of not affecting the tape 103 during the extending and retracting operation.

[0045] In this tape cutting unit 117, the movement drive unit 117c causes the cutter 117a and the holding arm 117b to slide in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 1, thereby cutting the tape 103 in the width direction. This cutting operation by the cutter 117a is performed when the pressing member 117g is pressed against the surface of the tape 103 opposite the application surface from diagonally above in the figure, applying a tension to the tape 103 that is higher than the tension applied to the tape 103 along the tape installation path. This high tension is applied only to the area between the clamp position and the application position by the application roller 118a, because the tape 103 is gripped on both sides. This allows the pressing member 117g to apply additional tension to the entire width of the tape 103 near the cutting position, facilitating cutting by the cutter 117a and preventing deformation, such as curling of the side edges of the tape 103, that may occur during the cutting operation of the cutter 117a. At this time, by making the pressing member 117g have the L-shaped protruding structure as described above, the pressing member 117g can press the tape 103 at a position sufficiently close (adjacent) to the cutting position of the tape 103 by the cutter 117a while avoiding interference with the cutter 117a and the holding arm 117b. As a result, the above-mentioned operational effects can be further enhanced.

[0046] When cutting the tape 103, the cutter 117a and holding arm 117b, as well as the pressing member 117g and holding arm 117f, are driven by the retractable driving unit 117e to protrude to a position corresponding to the tape installation path, and after cutting the tape 103 and when the tape 103 is being applied, they retreat diagonally upward as shown in the figure from the position corresponding to the tape installation path.

[0047] As shown in Fig. 1, the tape applying unit 118 has a drive mechanism 118c such as an air cylinder, which is configured to move the applying roller 118a toward and away from a tape-applying surface 121a of an object 121 placed on a workbench 120 shown in Fig. 10. Both ends of the applying roller 118a are rotatably supported by pivot arms 118b, which are supported and fixed to a cross member 111g via the drive mechanism 118c. The movement direction of the applying roller 118a is set to the above-mentioned direction D, which is inclined obliquely toward the upstream side of the tape installation path with respect to a horizontal plane based on the tape-applying surface 121a, which is the surface of the object 121, or the surface of the workbench 120. That is, when the joining roller 118a is unwound toward the object 121, the joining roller 118a descends while gradually shifting its planar position toward the upstream side (right side in the figure) of the tape installation path.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 3, a distance detector 119, such as a laser sensor, is fixed to the support structure 111 (first support 111a) and can measure the distance between the tape application unit 110 and the tape-receiving surface 121a. Based on the distance measured in this manner, the control unit 140 can also position the tape application unit 110 at an appropriate height above the tape-receiving surface 121a via the unit drive mechanism 130. However, in this embodiment, a laser beam is irradiated onto the tape-receiving surface 121a and used as a marker (pointer) when adjusting the tape-receiving start position. The tape-receiving start position corresponds to the position at which the leading end 103a of the tape 103 is positioned on the tape-receiving surface 121a when the application roller 118a descends.

[0049] The tension rollers 113a, 113b, the pull-out roller 114a, the guide rollers 115a, 115b, the clamp roller 116b, the guide roller 116c, and the application roller 118a that make up the tape installation path have roller widths set to accommodate the widest tape of the tape 103. In this embodiment, the rollers are configured to accommodate tape widths from about 80 mm to 120 mm, but are not particularly limited to this. In this embodiment, the tape supply unit 112 can set the tape roll 102 of the tape 103 in an equal widthwise range on both sides of the center position Cx of the winding core 112a. That is, if the width of the tape roll 102 or the tape 103 is W, the inner surface of the first reel frame 112b is positioned and fixed at a position W / 2 to one side from the center 112a1 (center position Cx), and the tape roll 102 is set therein. After that, the second reel frame 112c is fixed with the clamp knob 112d, and the support arm 111i is attached to the bearing 112f, so that the tape roll 102 and the tape 103 are set within a range in the width direction centered on the center position Cx of the support structure 111. That is, the center position of the tape 103 in the width direction coincides with the center position Cx. In this way, even when tapes 103 of different widths are used, the center position of tape 103 is located at the center position Cx of each roller in the width direction, so that the tension rollers 113a, 113b, pull-out roller 114a, guide rollers 115a, 115b, clamp roller 116b, guide roller 116c, and application roller 118a, which are each provided with a journal support structure fixed in the width direction, can be used in a balanced manner in the width direction. Therefore, the rigidity of support structure 111 that supports both ends of each roller can be effectively utilized, further improving the accuracy and quality of tape application.

[0050] Here, when tapes of different widths, tapes with adhesive layers of different adhesive strengths, or tapes with substrates with different degrees of elongation or deformation are used, the resistance to pulling out from the tape roll 102 attached to the tape reel of the tape supply unit 112 varies significantly. Therefore, the tension applied to the tape 103 also fluctuates significantly during the process of applying the tape 103. In response to this, the tension of the tape 103 is stabilized by the pulling operation of the tape pulling unit 114 and the take-up and tension-applying operations of the tape take-up unit 113 after the return operation, and a certain amount of pull-out margin in a stable tension state is formed corresponding to the amount of tape taken up. Therefore, as will be described later, it is possible to prevent the tension of the tape 103 from becoming unstable or excessive tension from being applied when the clamp position of the tape holding unit 116 moves from the retracted position to the advanced position. That is, as will be described later, by advancing the position of the tip 103a (see FIG. 8(b)) of the tape 103 and bringing it closer to the application roller 112a, when the application roller 118a starts applying the tape, a stable tension is generated by the tape take-up unit 113, thereby preventing excessive tension generated from the tape reel side of the tape supply unit 112 from being applied to the tape 103 held by the tape holding unit 116.

[0051] Furthermore, even after the tape holding unit 116 has moved forward, by configuring the tape take-up unit 113 to have a pull-out margin when the tape application unit 118 starts applying the tape 103, that is, by ensuring a pull-out margin when the tape application unit 118 starts applying the tape 103 while the tape pull-out unit 114 and the tape take-up unit 113 maintain a stable tension as described above, the tension of the tape 103 on the tape laying path when the tape application unit 118 starts applying the tape 103 is set to a small and stable value. This prevents instability in the tension at the beginning of tape application or deterioration in application quality due to excessive tension. In this case, once the tape application operation begins, even after the pull-out margin is gone, the pull-out resistance from the tape roll 102 no longer significantly affects the application quality of the tape 103, making it less likely to cause a major problem.

[0052] Next, an example of a method for applying tape 103 using the tape application device 100 configured as described above will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 11. First, under the control of the control unit 140, the tape application unit 110 moves (starts operation) as driven by the unit drive unit 130, and is positioned at a preparation position above the position at which the tape is applied to the application surface 121a of the object 121. This is to prevent the leading end 103a of the tape 103, which was cut by the previous tape cutting unit 117, from accidentally coming into contact with the application surface 121a. At this time, the application roller 118a of the tape application unit 118 is positioned at a standby position (upper position) so as to be away from the application surface 121a. The clamp roller 116b and the clamp portion 116f of the tape holding portion 116 are in a state of gripping the tape 103 at the clamp position, and the leading edge 103a of the tape 103 protrudes from the clamp position downstream in the laying direction of the tape laying path, with the leading edge being a free end. Initially, the main body portion 116a is in the retracted position by the movement driver 116i, and therefore the clamp position of the tape 103 is also in the retracted position.

[0053] The placement of the tape application unit 110 at the above-described standby position is performed by the control unit 140 controlling the unit drive mechanism 130 to move the tape application unit 110 based on tape application data previously input or transmitted. When the tape application unit 110 is placed at the standby position, it descends to its initial position and stops at a height appropriate for applying the tape 103 to the tape-receiving surface 121a. Around the time the tape application unit 110 is placed at its initial position, the tape holding part 116 moves forward in the installation direction, and the clamp position that grips the tape 103 also moves forward, so that the leading end 103a of the tape 103 is positioned closer to the application position on the tape-receiving surface 121a. At this time, the tape application unit 110 is slightly advanced in the direction of the application operation. This is to straighten the leading end 103a of the tape 103 by moving the clamp position in the direction of the joining operation in order to resolve situations where the leading end 103a of the tape 103 hangs downward, curves, and comes into contact with the joining surface 121a, or becomes curled up. In this case, it is desirable to set the initial position taking into consideration in advance this slight advance in the joining operation direction. Note that this step may also be achieved by setting an extra amount of advancement of the tape holding part 116 and then slightly retracting the tape holding part 116, rather than by moving the tape joining unit 110.

[0054] Next, the application roller 118a of the tape application section 118 is lowered to the application position, and the leading end 103a of the tape 103 is pressed against the application surface 121a, as shown in Fig. 8(b). This position is the application start position of the tape 103. Thereafter, the clamp section 116f of the tape holding section 116 moves away from the tape 103 and the clamp roller 116b, releasing the tape 103. The control section 140 moves the tape application unit 110 in the application operation direction (application start), and applies the tape 103 to the application surface 121a while pulling it out from the tape roll 102. This operation continues until the application completion operation is started according to the application range data of the tape 103 that was input in advance. At this time, as described above, if the tape take-up unit 113 is set so that there is a pull-out margin when the application of the tape 103 starts, the tension applied to the tape 103 can be kept small and stable when the application of the tape 103 starts, thereby preventing deterioration in the application quality due to excessive stretching or deformation of the tape 103, such as the occurrence of wrinkles or tears in the tape 103 after application or the intrusion of air bubbles between the tape 103 and the application surface 121a. After the start of this tape application, the tape holding unit 116 retracts, and the clamp position is also retracted to return to the reference position.

[0055] Next, when the preset application length of the tape 103 is almost reached, the control unit 140 stops the movement of the tape application unit 110 in the application direction and causes the pull-out roller 114a of the tape pull-out unit 114 to protrude, temporarily increasing the laying path length of the tape 103 in the pull-out region between the tape take-up unit 113 and the first guide roller 115a, thereby pulling out excess tape 103 from the tape roll 102. Thereafter, the pull-out roller 114a of the tape pull-out unit 114 is returned to its original position, and the tape take-up unit (tensioning mechanism) 113 is activated to apply a predetermined tension (the predetermined tension provided by the elastic member 113i) to the tape 103 in the pull-out region. In the illustrated example, the pulled-out tape 103 is taken up by rotating the rotary shaft 113c and winding it around tension rollers 113a and 113b supported by rotary members 113d and 113e.

[0056] Thereafter, the rotating arm 116e of the tape holding unit 116 is driven, and the tape 103 on the clamp roller 116b is gripped by the clamp unit 116f, so that the tape 103 is fixed between the clamped position and the joining position by the joining roller 118a. In this state, the tape cutting unit 117 is positioned to have been fed in the direction D, and the cutter 114a is slid widthwise (cutting start), and the tape 103 is cut at a cutting position between the joining position and the clamped position. At this time, the cut edge of the tape 103 on the joining position side becomes the end of the tape 103 corresponding to the joining range currently joined on the joining surface 121a. Furthermore, the cut edge of the tape 103 on the clamped position side becomes the leading edge 103a of the tape 103 to be joined next.

[0057] Here, the control unit 140 moves the tape application unit 110 slightly in the application direction, so that the end of the tape 103 currently being applied is pulled away from the cutting structure (cutter 117a and pressing member 117g) of the tape cutting unit 117 downstream in the laying direction and applied to the surface 121a to be applied (end application). After that, the application roller 118a returns to the standby position, and the tape application unit 110 rises and returns to the ready position. This returns the tape application device 100 to its initial state (initial state).

[0058] According to the tape application device 100 of this embodiment described above, by providing a support structure 111 consisting of a first support 111a, a second support 111b, and connecting members 111c, 111d-111g connecting the first support 111a and the second support 111b, the rigidity of the support structure 111 is ensured, and by fixing both ends of the tape supply section 112, the tape guide section 115, and the tape application section 118 to the first support 111a and the second support 111b of the support structure 111, respectively, or to the connecting members 111d-111g, the accuracy of the axis of each section can be improved, and therefore the application accuracy and quality of the tape 103 can be improved.

[0059] In this embodiment, in the tape supply unit 112, both ends of the winding core 112a, first reel frame 112b, and second reel frame 112c that make up the tape reel are supported by the first support 111a and second support 111b of the support structure 111, or by connecting members, thereby improving the precision of the widthwise position and supply direction of the tape 103 supplied from the tape supply unit 112. In particular, in the illustrated example, both ends of the tape reel are directly supported by the first support 111a (111h) and second support 111b (111i), which further improves axial precision.

[0060] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the tape guide unit 115 has the guide rollers 115a, 115b and the path regulation mechanism 115c adjacent to each other on the tape installation path, and thus the path regulation action of the path regulation edges 115c1a, 115c2a of the path regulation mechanism 115c in the width direction and installation direction of the tape 103 is ensured and stabilized by the guide rollers 115a, 115b, and the guiding accuracy can be further improved while suppressing variations in the accuracy of the position and direction. In particular, the tape 103 supplied by the tape supply unit 112 having high mounting accuracy due to the highly rigid support structure 111 is fed with the accuracy of the width direction position and installation direction ensured, but on the subsequent tape installation path, the guide rollers 115a, 115b having high axial accuracy in the tape guide unit 115 and the path regulation edge 115c1a, 115c2a of the path regulation mechanism 115c ensures and stabilizes the position and installation direction of the tape 103. Regulation By using mechanism 115c, the accuracy of guiding tape 103 is maintained and further improved until it reaches tape application section 118. Therefore, by further using application roller 118a having high axial accuracy as described above, the accuracy and quality of application of tape 103 can be further improved.

[0061] In particular, by setting the tape roll 102 and the tape 103 in a range centered on the widthwise central position Cx of the support structure 111, it is possible to enjoy in a balanced manner the effects based on the rigidity of the support structure 111 in the tape supply unit 112, the tape guide unit 115, and the tape application unit 118. This makes it possible to improve the precision (supply precision) of the widthwise position and supply direction of the tape 103 in the tape supply unit 112, and to improve the precision (guidance precision) of the widthwise position and installation direction of the tape 103 in the tape guide unit 115. As a result, it is possible to improve the precision (application precision) of the widthwise position and application direction of the tape 103 in the tape application unit 118, and the quality of the applied tape 103 (application quality).

[0062] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the tape 103 pulled out by the tape pull-out unit 114 is taken up by the tape take-up unit 113, thereby ensuring a predetermined pull-out margin and applying a predetermined tension, thereby stabilizing the tension of the tape 103 during the next tape application and when the clamp position of the tape 103 advances. This makes it possible to prevent damage to the clamped portion of the tape 103, tension fluctuations due to peeling when the tape is pulled out from the tape roll 102, and damage such as stretching of the tape substrate due to excessive tension. In particular, by maintaining the above-mentioned pull-out margin at the start of the tape application operation, it is possible to limit and stabilize the tension applied to the tape 103 at the beginning of tape application, which not only prevents damage to the tape but also prevents deterioration in the application quality of the tape 103, such as the occurrence of wrinkles, tears, and the generation of air bubbles.

[0063] It should be noted that the tape application device of the present invention is not limited to the above-described illustrated example, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the cutting structure of the tape cutting section 117 uses the cutter 117a that slides in the width direction of the tape 103, but the cutting structure is not particularly limited, and may be one that uses a pair of scissors-shaped cutting members, or one that has a pair of cutting members with parallel cutting edges that can be opened and closed.

[0064] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the tape holding section 116 is configured to grip the tape 103 by clamping it between the clamp roller 116b and the clamp section 116f, and to use only the clamp roller 116b when not gripping it. However, the present invention is not limited to such a configuration, and it is also possible to use, for example, a clamp structure configured so as not to come into contact with the tape 103 at all when not gripping it.

[0065] Furthermore, the tape take-up unit (tensioning mechanism) 113 is configured to apply tension to the tape 103 while winding it up, but there are no particular limitations as long as it can take up the tape 103 in some way and, as a result, can apply a predetermined tension to the tape 103.

[0066] In the above embodiment, the support structure 111 includes a first support 111a arranged on one side of the width of each part, a second support 111b arranged on the other side, and a connecting shaft 111c and cross members 111d-111g which are connecting members connecting the first support 111a and the second support 111b. Although the structure of the illustrated example is most preferable for the support structure 111 in terms of increasing support rigidity and reducing costs, unlike the illustrated example, each support and connecting member do not need to be constructed as a single member, and can be constructed of multiple members fixed together, or a support structure in which each support and connecting member are appropriately integrated may be provided.

[0067] In the above embodiment, both axial ends (tape width direction) of the tape reel of the tape supply unit 112, the tension rollers 113a and 113b of the tape take-up unit 113, and the guide rollers 115a and 115b of the tape guide unit 115 are supported by the first support 111a and the second support 111b, respectively, and both axial ends (tape width direction) of the tape pull-out unit 114, the path regulating mechanism 115c of the tape guide unit 115, the tape holding unit 116, the tape cutting unit 117, and the tape application unit 118 are supported by the connecting members (crossing members 111d-111g). However, regardless of which support is used, the fact remains that each part is directly or indirectly supported by the first support 111a and the second support 111b. However, if precision due to higher rigidity is desired, a structure in which both ends of each part are directly supported by the first support 111a and the second support 111b, respectively. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 100...tape application device, 101...support frame, 110...tape application unit, 110a...mounting portion, 111...support structure, 111a...first support, 111b...second support, 111c...connecting shaft, 111d to 111g...cross member, 111h...axial support portion, 111i...axial support arm, 111j...bush, 112...tape supply portion, 112a...winding core, 112a1...central portion in width direction, 112b...first reel frame, 112c...second reel frame, 112d...brake mechanism, 112e...clamp knob, 112f...bearing, Cx...central position, 113 ...Tape take-up section, 113a, 113b...tension roller, 113c...rotation shaft, 113d...first rotating member, 113e...second rotating member, 113f, 113g...axial support member, 113h...guide member of elastic mechanism, 113i...elastic member of elastic mechanism, A...winding direction, 114...tape pull-out section, 114a...pull-out roller, 114b...axial support arm, 114c...drive section, B...pull-out direction, 115...tape guide section, 115a...first guide roller, 115b...second guide roller, 115c...path regulation mechanism, 115c1...first path regulation member, 115c 2...second path regulating member, 115c1a, 115c2a...path regulating edge, 115c1b, 115c2b...screw hole, 115c3...first positioning shaft, 115c4...second positioning shaft, 115c3a, 115c4a...rotation operation portion, Ha...screw hole, Hb...through hole, Ta...regulating surface, Tb...tapered surface, Tc, Td...end portion, 116...tape holding portion, 116a...main body portion, 116b...clamp roller, 116c...guide roller, 116d...rotating shaft, 116e...rotating arm, 116f...clamp portion, 116g...drive portion, 116h...drive shaft, 116i ...movement drive unit, 116j...elastic member, C...direction of movement of main body 116a, 117...tape cutting unit, 117a...cutter, 117b...holding arm, 117c...movement drive unit, 117d...base member, 117e...protruding drive unit, 117f...holding arm, 117g...pressing member, 117ga...pressing unit, 118...tape application unit, 118a...application roller, 118b...support arm, 118c...drive unit (air cylinder), 119...distance detector, 120...work table, 121...object to be applied, 121a...application surface, 130...unit drive mechanism, 140...control unit

Claims

1. the tape supplying unit supplies tape from a tape roll to a tape installation path; a tape guiding unit guides the widthwise position and installation direction of the tape on the tape installation path; a tape application unit applies the tape that has passed through the tape installation path to an object to be applied; and a support structure including a first support body installed on one side in the widthwise direction and a second support body installed on the other side in the widthwise direction, and a connecting member that connects and fixes the first support body and the second support body in the widthwise direction, the tape supply unit includes a tape reel that holds the tape roll, and both ends of the tape reel in the width direction are supported by the first support and the second support, respectively, or are supported by the connecting member; the tape guide unit includes a guide roller installed on the tape installation path, and a path regulation mechanism that regulates the position and installation direction of the tape on the tape installation path in the width direction, and both ends of the guide roller in the width direction are supported by the first support and the second support, respectively, or are supported by the connecting member; the path regulating mechanism includes a first path regulating member having a first path regulating edge that abuts against one side edge of the tape and faces inward in the width direction, and a second path regulating member having a second path regulating edge that abuts against a side edge opposite to the first path regulating edge and faces inward in the width direction, and when the first path regulating edge and the second path regulating edge abut against both side edges of the tape, the path regulating mechanism regulates the position and laying direction of the tape laying path in the width direction, the tape guide section is provided with a first guide roller and a second guide roller adjacent to each other on both sides of the path regulating mechanism in the installation direction, and the first guide roller and the second guide roller are each journaled at a fixed position relative to the path regulating mechanism, the tape applying unit includes an applying roller for applying the tape, and both ends of the applying roller in the width direction are supported by the first support member and the second support member, respectively, or are supported by the connecting member; A tape application unit characterized by:

2. One of the first guide roller and the second guide roller is a crown roller. The tape application unit according to claim 1 .

3. The first path regulating member and the second path regulating member are both maintained in their widthwise position and erection direction posture by a first positioning axis and a second positioning axis respectively supported in a posture extending in the widthwise direction.

3. The tape application unit according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The first path control member has a through hole through which the first positioning shaft can be slidably inserted, a screw hole that screws into a screw portion provided on the second positioning shaft, and a fixing hole facing the inside of the screw hole, and is configured to be fixed to the second positioning shaft via the fixing hole by a fixing means, and to move in the width direction by releasing the fixing means and operating a rotation operating portion provided on the end of the second positioning shaft to rotate the second positioning shaft, the second path regulating member has a through hole through which the second positioning shaft is slidably inserted, a screw hole that screws into a screw portion provided on the first positioning shaft, and a fixing hole facing the inside of the screw hole, and is fixed to the first positioning shaft by a fixing means via the fixing hole, and is configured to move in the width direction by releasing the fixing means and rotating the first positioning shaft by operating a rotation operating portion provided on the end of the first positioning shaft; The tape application unit according to claim 3.

5. The axis of the first guide roller and the axis of the second guide roller are set parallel to each other, and the first guide roller, the first path regulating edge, the second path regulating edge, and the second guide roller are arranged in a straight line along the extension direction of the first path regulating edge and the second path regulating edge.

3. The tape application unit according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The tape reel includes a winding core, a first reel frame attached to one side of the winding core, and a second reel frame attached to the other side of the winding core, and is configured so that the axial position of the first reel frame relative to the winding core and the axial position of the second reel frame relative to the winding core are each adjustable.

3. The tape application unit according to claim 1 or 2.

7. At least one of both end portions of the tape reel in the width direction is configured to be detachable from the support structure.

3. The tape application unit according to claim 1 or 2.

8. a tape cutting unit configured to cut the tape at a cutting position on the tape laying path between the tape guide unit and the tape application unit; 3. The tape application unit according to claim 1 or 2.

9. a tape holding section configured to clamp the tape at a clamp position set between the cutting position on the tape installation path and the tape guide section, and to move the clamp position back and forth along the tape installation path; The tape application unit according to claim 8.

10. The tape pulling device further includes a tape pulling-out section configured to be able to pull out the tape by temporarily extending a predetermined portion of the tape installation path, and a tape pulling-out section that takes up the tape pulled out in excess by the tape pulling-out section in a pullable manner and applies a predetermined tension to the tape.

3. The tape application unit according to claim 1 or 2.

11. the tape drawing section and the tape taking-up section are provided on the opposite side of the tape guide section to the tape application section on the tape installation path; The tape application unit according to claim 10.

12. 3. A tape application device comprising the tape application unit according to claim 1 or 2, a unit drive mechanism for moving the tape application unit, and a control unit for controlling the tape application unit and the unit drive mechanism to apply the tape to the surface of an object to be applied.

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