Remote Supply System

Abstract

A supply system configured to transfer material to the tape applicator includes a flexible tube connected between the spool unloading device and the tape applicator, the flexible tube receiving material from a source, and a fluid amplifier connected to the flexible tube for creating a vacuum effect to promote movement of material therein.

Description

Field

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

[0002] Adhesive-backed tapes are commonly applied to body surfaces, interior and exterior coverings and panels (e.g., trim, moldings, covers, trays, panels, doors, and hatches) of vehicles (e.g., automobiles, airplanes, or boats), or structures (e.g., buildings, HVAC units). For example, adhesive-backed tapes applied near the periphery of coverings on vehicles provide a seal that helps control water ingress as well as dust ingress into cabin and engine components and reduce wind-induced cabin noise when the vehicle is in motion. While such tapes can be applied manually, the process is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and prone to human error. Additionally, the application process can be inconsistent and unpredictable or unrepeatable.

[0003] Several methods have been proposed for applying adhesive-backed tape to substrates, including those using robotic end effectors or fixed applicators. However, these methods suffer from problems such as inaccurate placement of the adhesive tape, periodic cycle interruptions due to jamming within the device, tape breakage due to inadequate tension control, and inevitable downtime for spool changes during the production cycle. Furthermore, industrial adoption of automated applicator equipment has been slowed for a number of reasons, including application size constraints (i.e., large rolls mounted on the applicator head), application speed and volume, and cell design constraints due to limited roll size. Additionally, existing equipment is typically only capable of holding / unwinding rolls of tape less than 40 meters in length, thus preventing the equipment from keeping up with production demands. Overview

[0004] In one of its aspects, a supply system configured to transfer material to a tape applicator, comprising: a flexible tube connected between the spool unloading device and the tape applicator, the flexible tube receiving the material from the source; a fluid amplifier coupled to the flexible tube for creating a vacuum effect to promote movement of the material therein; A delivery system is provided comprising:

[0005] Advantageously, the feeding system is useful in typical robotized tape application systems, allowing for faster application speeds and increased efficiency, more accurate and consistent tape application, reduced labor costs, longer application times, and increased flexibility by allowing for more complex tape paths on the substrate. Additionally, robotized tape application minimizes human intervention and human error during operation. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1a] FIG. 1a shows a perspective view of an exemplary robotic adhesive tape application system.

[0007] [Figure 1b] FIG. 1b shows an exemplary tape.

[0008] [Figure 1c] FIG. 1c shows another exemplary tape.

[0009] [Figure 1d] FIG. 1d shows an exemplary roll of tape.

[0010] [Figure 1e] FIG. 1e shows an exemplary spool of tape.

[0011] [Figures 2a-2c] 2a-2c show perspective views of an exemplary spool unwinding device.

[0012] [Figure 3] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of an exemplary applicator head.

[0013] [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows a diagram of an exemplary application tip.

[0014] [Figures 5a-5c] 5a-5c show a flowchart outlining exemplary steps for a method for applying adhesive tape to a substrate or surface.

[0015] [Figure 6] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary computing system. Detailed Description

[0016] Various embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail. While specific examples are described, it should be understood that this is done for illustrative purposes only. A person skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other components and configurations may be utilized without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. In the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals are used to designate like parts.

[0017] The detailed description set forth below in connection with the accompanying drawings is intended as an illustration of examples of the invention and is not intended to represent the only form in which the examples of the invention may be constructed or used, however the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different examples.

[0018] 1a-1e, a robotic tape applicator system for applying tape to a receiving surface or substrate, generally identified by the numeral 10 in an exemplary embodiment, is shown. FIGS. 1b and 1c show a tape 11, such as an adhesive or double-sided tape, including a material 12 and a tape coating 13, while FIGS. 1d and 1e show a roll and spool, respectively, of the adhesive-coated tape 11. The system 10 includes a dispenser device 14 that supplies adhesive tape 11 to a flexible tube 15 that terminates in an adhesive tape applicator head 18 mounted on a robot arm 19 of an industrial robot 20 having a variety of axis configurations. For example, the industrial robot may include six axes, or six degrees of freedom, allowing for greater flexibility. Thus, the flexible tube 15 is adapted to bend as needed based on the movement of the robot arm 19. The flexible tube 15 includes an infeed tube 16 through which the adhesive tape 11 is fed from the payout device 14 to the applicator head 18, and alongside the flexible infeed tube 16 is a flexible outfeed tube 21 which transports the coating 13 which is detached from the material 12 and paid out during the application process.

[0019] 2a-2c, the payout device 14 includes a payout spool shaft 30 rotatably mounted on a mounting frame 32. The payout spool shaft or spindle 30 receives a payout spool 34 of adhesive tape 11. Examples of elastomeric adhesive-coated tapes 11 include, but are not limited to, comminuted ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM), closed-cell neoprene, expanded polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene, acrylic foam tapes (e.g., Very High Bond (VHB) tape), weld-thru tapes, sealer tapes, electrical circuit tapes, and heat-activated tapes. The material 11 can have a range of widths, thicknesses, and lengths depending on the application. In one example, the material 11 can have 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 can be supplied from any type of tape supply or delivery means, such as a transport platform. The dispensing device 14 also includes a system controller 40 that communicates with the robotic arm 19 and sends and receives signals to and from associated components such as sensors, motors, actuators, and other components for dispensing tape 11 as required by the applicator head 18 in a relatively fast, accurate, and stable manner. Communicatively coupled to the system controller 40 is a human-machine interface 42 for inputting program instructions and configuring system 10 settings, outputting alarms, warnings, notifications, and displaying system 10 settings. The system controller 40 includes board logic or programmable circuitry or a processor.

[0020] More specifically, the tape 11 supply spool 34 is unwound by turning a spool brake 44 on and off, and the tape 11 is fed through a series of lower and upper pulleys 46, 48 in a tape material reservoir 50. Alternatively, a spool motor can be controlled to start and stop the rotation of the supply spool shaft 30 and regulate the speed of rotation of the supply spool shaft 30. The pulleys 46, 48 store the tape 11 against changes in spooling during operation and accommodate supply variability, as described below. The lower pulley 46 is attached to a lower pulley arm 52, and the upper pulley is attached to an upper pulley arm 54. The lower pulley arm 52 slides vertically, such that the position of the lower pulley arm 52 determines the length of tape 11 stored in the reservoir 50. As the tape 11 is unwound, raising the lower pulley arm 52 reduces the amount of tape 11 stored. As an example, when the lower pulley arm 52 is in its uppermost position, there may be 2 meters of tape 11 in the reservoir 50. When the lower pulley arm 52 is in its lowermost position, there may be as many as 20 meters of tape 11, depending on the number of pulleys 46, 48 and the number of wraps of tape 11.

[0021] A reservoir position sensor 60 is mounted on the frame 32 of the reservoir 50 to detect the position of the movable lower pulley arm 52, and a spool level sensor 68 detects the amount of tape 11 on the payout spool 34. The reservoir position sensor 60 has multiple set points, such as a lower limit and an upper limit. For example, when the lower pulley arm 52 passes the upper set point, the spool brake 44 is released, allowing new tape 11 to be fed into the reservoir 50. As the lower pulley arm 52 lowers due to gravity, the spool 34 is unwound and the reservoir 50 fills with tape 11. When the lower pulley arm 52 passes the lower set point, the brake 44 is again activated, stopping the spool 34 from unwinding. The tape 11 then exits the reservoir 50 and is sent to the payout drive mechanism 70. The payout drive mechanism 70 indexes the tape 11 through the flexible infeed tube 16 towards the robotic arm 19 at a controlled, regulated speed as requested by the applicator head 18. The drive mechanism 70 may include a servo or stepper motor and pulleys for controlling the forward advancement of the tape 11 to the applicator head 18. When the spool level sensor 68 indicates that the spool 34 is empty or nearing complete depletion, the payout device 14 switches to a spool change mode, as described below. Alternatively, the reservoir 50 is associated with at least one reservoir position sensor 60 that determines the numerical position of the tape 11 within the reservoir 50 ranging from a predetermined low threshold to a predetermined high threshold. When the tape 11 in the reservoir 50 reaches a low threshold, the supply spool 34 of tape 11 is unwound by either switching off the spool brake 44 or by operating the spool motor to rotate the supply spool shaft 30 and feed the tape 11 through a series of lower and upper pulleys 46, 48 of the tape material reservoir 50. In another embodiment, the reservoir position sensor 60 includes multiple sensors at different locations associated with lower and upper limits.

[0022] The payout drive mechanism 70 includes a fluid amplifier 72 that creates an internal vacuum effect to effectively reduce the frictional forces between the tape 11 and the inner surface of the flexible tube 16 as the tape 11 is fed along the flexible tube 16 toward the applicator head 18. The vacuum is activated only when the payout drive mechanism 70 is feeding new tape 11.

[0023] 3 and 4, the tape 11 exits the flexible tube 16 at the robotic applicator head 18, where the tape 11 is wound around the material buffer 80 by a buffer refill mechanism 82. Typically, the material buffer 80 is a loop of tape 11 or spares of tape 11 of various sizes, allowing for variability between the payout drive mechanism 70 and the head drive mechanism 90 to facilitate constant tension in the tape 11 or to control the tension associated with the tape 11. In one embodiment, the buffer refill mechanism includes a resilient means and a sliding mechanism, and when the material buffer 80 contracts, a sensor 92 detects the degree of compression of the buffer loop 101 and sends a command to the payout drive mechanism 70 to feed more tape 11 so that the material buffer 80 can grow again.

[0024] The material buffer 80 is associated with a buffer sensor 92 that determines the numerical position of the material buffer 80 ranging from a predetermined low threshold to a predetermined high threshold. When the material buffer 80 reaches the low threshold, a request is made to the payout drive mechanism 70 to supply additional tape 11 to replenish the material buffer 80. When the buffer reaches the high threshold, the payout drive mechanism 70 is powered down. The numerical data measured by the position sensor 92 allows for tape 11 jams and tape 11 breakage to be anticipated and for the system 10 to be powered down, thereby minimizing possible further damage or equipment failure.

[0025] Next, the head drive mechanism 90 operates to feed the tape 11 from the material buffer 80 toward the applicator tip 100. Like the drive mechanism 70, the head drive mechanism 90 may include a servo motor or stepper motor for controlling the forward feeding of the tape 11 toward the applicator tip 100. For example, the head drive mechanism 90 may include a set of rollers and gears coupled to an electric motor and configured to draw the tape 11 near the applicator tip 100, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The dimensions of the applicator tip 100, which includes a rounded member 102, cause the material 12 to peel from the coating 13, or the coating 13 to peel from the material 12, exposing the adhesive layer. The material 12 is fed forward toward the applicator tip 100 prior to application of the material 12 to the substrate, and the buffer 101 provides feed variability between the payout drive mechanism 70 and the head drive mechanism 90, ensures consistent tension on the tape 11, and includes a loop of tape 11 to aid in peeling from the coating 13 and feeding of the tape 11. Thus, according to program instructions executable by the system controller 40, the robot arm 19 moves to a start position on the substrate, and the applicator head 18 begins applying the material 12 along a predetermined application path, sending feed commands to the head drive mechanism 90 to advance more tape 11 as needed. The predetermined path can be linear, non-linear, three-dimensional, etc. In some examples, special hardware associated with the robot arm 19 determines the speed of movement of the robot arm 19 and transmits that speed to the system controller 40, which automatically adjusts the speed of the head drive mechanism 90 to match the speed of movement of the robot arm 19. In other examples, the speed can be calculated within a program and adjusted manually. The system controller 40 can use an encoder or other tracking means to determine the amount of tape 11 passing under the applicator tip 100, including the exact location where the tape 11 will be applied.

[0026] As material 12 is applied, a wetting roller 104 associated with applicator head 18 applies pressure to material 12 along the path of applied material 12 to enhance adhesion or activate the adhesive on pressure-sensitive adhesive tape 11. In some embodiments, an additional tool is used to apply an adhesion promoter to the substrate before material 12 is applied, for example, along a predetermined application path. A vision system may be used to detect the presence of adhesion promoter on the substrate and automatically apply material 12 to the detected location on the substrate. When applicator head 18 reaches the end of the predetermined application path, it sends a command to system controller 40. A cutting sequence is then initiated, which includes sending a command to activate blade actuator 95 to cut tape 11 with straight blade 106. Straight blade 106 performs a precise, light-touch cut by cutting material 12 without severing the underlying coating 13 of material 12. Thus, the speed and depth of the straight blade 106 into the material 12 can be precisely calibrated and stored as calibration parameters in memory means associated with the system controller 40, and can depend on the thickness of the material 12 and the coating 13. Alternatively, the speed and depth of the straight blade 106 into the material 12 can be precisely calibrated via mechanical means, such as a positioning device including one of a screw adjuster, an eccentric lobe, and a stopper that can be modified to accommodate a predetermined thickness. The blade actuator 95 can be one of a fluid muscle, an electric actuator, a pneumatic actuator, and a hydraulic actuator. Once the cut is complete, the robotic arm 19 makes a final movement to apply the last few millimeters of material 12 to the cut position and wrap the material 12 around the wetting roller 104. In other embodiments, the blade 106 can be serrated or non-serrated, angled, curved, or heated to facilitate the cutting sequence.

[0027] As the head drive mechanism 90 withdraws the tape 11, it simultaneously ejects the used covering 13 and guides it into the delivery tube 21 for disposal. Like the delivery tube 16, the delivery tube 21 includes a delivery fluid amplifier 73 for drawing the used covering 13 from the applicator head 18 toward the dispensing device 14, where it is collected in a disposal bin 110. The dispensing device 14 may include a cutting device 66 for cutting the used covering 13 into manageable sizes for easy disposal.

[0028] An operating cycle of system 10 will now be described with reference to flowcharts 200a-200c, as shown in Figures 5a-5c. In step 202 of the cycle, robot arm 19 within the cell receives a start command from an external source having program instructions for applying adhesive tape 11 along a predetermined path on a substrate. In accordance with the command, robot arm 19 moves to a start position, and the external source sends a position signal to the robot (204). System controller 40 determines (205) whether payout device 14 is in automatic mode. If payout device 14 is in automatic mode, system controller 40 activates fluid amplifier 73 (211); otherwise, system controller 40 determines the status of reservoir 50 and payout spool 34 based on status signals from reservoir sensor 60 and spool level sensor 68, step 206. Next, via the human-machine interface 42, the operator sends a command to the system controller 40 to reset the dispensing device 14 to the home position (208) and switches 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 if the dispensing device 14 is not in automatic mode, the process returns to step 206; otherwise, the system controller 40 operates the dispensing drive mechanism 70, the fluid amplifier 72, and feeds the material 11 along the flexible infeed tube 16 toward the applicator head 18, which includes the head drive mechanism 90, for feeding the material 11 to the applicator tip 100 (212) (211).

[0029] In step 214, the robot arm 19 begins applying tape 11 along a predetermined path on the substrate, with the head drive mechanism 90 indexing the material 11 relative to the movement of the robot arm 19. As material 11 is applied to the substrate, the length of material 11 in the buffer loop 101 of the applicator head 18 is reduced (215), and the system controller 40 continually determines the level of the buffer 101 based on the output signal from the buffer sensor 92 (222). At the end of the predetermined path, the robot arm 19 stops and sends a signal to the system controller 40 (216). The system controller 40 issues a command to the head drive mechanism 90 to stop indexing the material and another command to the applicator head 18 to activate the straight blade 106 to cut the material 11 (217). The process continues with the robot arm 19 applying material 11 to a new location along the predetermined path or another predetermined path on the substrate. In step 218, the robotic arm 19 completes its final path movement to apply the remainder of the material 11, and the payout device 14 issues a cycle complete signal to an external source (219), ending the cycle.

[0030] As material 11 is applied to the substrate in step 215, the length of material 11 in the buffer 101 of the applicator head 18 is reduced (220), and the system controller 40 continually determines the level of the buffer 101 based on the output signal from the buffer sensor 92 (222). If the level of the buffer 101 is within a predetermined threshold, the process continues (224); otherwise, more material 11 is requested (226), and the system controller 40 activates the fluid amplifier 72 to facilitate the transport of material 11 through the infeed tube 16 (228). The payout drive mechanism 70 indexes material 11 to the applicator head 18 to replenish the buffer loop 101 (230), and the system controller 40 determines whether the level of the buffer 80 is within a predetermined level based on the output signal from the buffer sensor 92 (232). If the level of the buffer 101 is within the predetermined level, the process continues to step 224; otherwise, a determination is made as to whether the supply of material 11 has timed out (234). If there is a timeout, a fault alarm or notification is issued by the system controller 40 to alert an operator to correct the situation (236); otherwise, the process returns to step 232.

[0031] Returning to step 215, once the material 11 is applied to the substrate, the length of material 11 in the buffer 80 and reservoir 50 also decreases (238), the spool brake 44 is released (240), and the lower pulley arm 52 moves down under its own weight (242). The system controller 40 determines whether a low threshold was flagged (244) based on the output from the reservoir sensor 60 when the lower set point was triggered. If the low threshold was flagged, the spool brake 44 is re-activated (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 payout spool 34 based on the output from the payout spool sensor 68. If the payout spool sensor 68 indicates that the payout spool 34 is empty, a fault alarm or notification is issued by the system controller 40 to alert an operator to correct the situation (250); otherwise, the system controller 40 determines whether the reservoir 50 upper threshold is flagged based on the output signal from the reservoir sensor 60 (252).

[0032] Thus, in one embodiment, the depleted spool 34 may be replaced with a new spool 34 of material 11 without interrupting an ongoing application cycle. Thus, replacing the spool 34 minimizes production downtime. If the high threshold flag is not set, operation continues (253); otherwise, the material clamp 36 on the inlet side of the reservoir 50 is activated to clamp the new material 11 entering the reservoir 50 (254). In step 255, the system controller 40 issues an alert to the operator to replace the spool 34.

[0033] While the new material 11 is being clamped, the payout device 14 continues to index material 11 to the applicator head 18 by using the spare material 11 (e.g., up to 20 meters) stored in the reservoir 50. During this time, the operator replaces the spool 34 within the predetermined replacement time, i.e., the time required to complete the replacement of the spool 34 (256). As an example, the predetermined replacement time may be determined by dividing the length (in meters) of spare material 11 in the reservoir 50 by the application speed (in meters per minute) of the material 11. For example, with 20 meters of spare material 11 and an application speed of 1 meter per minute, the predetermined replacement time is 20 minutes. Generally, the predetermined replacement time depends on the cycle time of the system 10, user preferences, and settings. In step 257, the system controller 40 determines that the spool replacement and splicing process was completed before the lower pulley arm 52 exceeded the upper limit of the sensor 60, and the process proceeds to step 266. If not, operation of the payout device 14 is stopped by the system controller 40 (258) and the system controller 40 warns the operator to replace the spool 34 (256).

[0034] The operator cuts the material 11 at the splice location (259), and the operator removes the empty spool 34 and loads a new, full spool 34 (260). The operator then creates a splice (262) to join the end of the new material 11 to the end of the in-progress material 11 clamped in front of the reservoir 50. A splicer 65 is provided to perform these splices quickly and reliably. Once the operator has completed changing the spool 34 and creating the splice, a command indicating task completion is entered via the human-machine interface 42 (264). The system controller 40 receives the completion signal and stops the material clamps 36 (266), and the reservoir 50, which is depleted during the splice sequence in normal operation, is refilled (268). When the splice reaches the applicator head 18, a splice sensor 93 positioned to detect the splice triggers the applicator head 18 to enter a purge cycle. Generally, a purge cycle consists of applying spliced ​​material 11 to a waste surface, i.e., a waste surface that is not on the predetermined application path. Once enough material 11 has been purged to ensure there are no splices, the system 10 resumes normal operation and the process ends. Alternatively, the operator may load a new spool 260 and thread the new material 11 through the payout device 14 to advance the material 11, without the splices, to the applicator head 18.

[0035] In one embodiment, the adhesive tape 11 can be a monolithic or layered single-sided or double-sided tape.

[0036] In one embodiment, material clamp 36 on the inlet side of reservoir 50 is manually actuated to clamp new material 11 entering reservoir 50 .

[0037] In one embodiment, the material clamp 36 on the inlet side of the reservoir 50 is electrically actuated to clamp the new material 11 entering the reservoir 50 .

[0038] In one embodiment, material clamp 36 on the inlet side of reservoir 50 is pneumatically actuated to clamp new material 11 entering reservoir 50 .

[0039] In one embodiment, the adhesive tape 11 passes through a peeling device that includes a roller configured to temporarily separate the material 12 and the removable coating 13 from one another to weaken the adhesion before re-applying the material 12 to the removable coating 13.

[0040] In one embodiment, the applicator head 18 is equipped with a vision system including an image capture device to verify proper application of the material 11 onto the substrate component or workpiece, identify substrate features or edges, and facilitate self-alignment of the applicator tip 100 with a predetermined application path.

[0041] In one embodiment, the applicator head 18 is equipped with a vision system including a laser profiler to verify proper application of the material 11 on the substrate component or workpiece, identify substrate features or edges, and facilitate self-alignment of the applicator tip 100 with a predetermined application path.

[0042] In one embodiment, the application tip 100 includes means for tracking and calculating the amount of material 11 between the blade 106 and the application tip 100 .

[0043] In one embodiment, the applicator head 18 includes a sensor located outside the applicator tip 100 to detect the presence of the material 11, which indicates an application failure.

[0044] In one embodiment, the applicator head 18 includes an attachment that includes an adhesion promoter and a device for applying the adhesion promoter to a substrate.

[0045] In one embodiment, the applicator head 18 includes an air blower at the applicator tip to assist in peeling the material 11 from the covering 13 .

[0046] In one embodiment, the coating 13 is cut into manageable pieces and collected.

[0047] In one embodiment, the applicator head 18 includes at least one safety device for mounting on the industrial robot 20 .

[0048] In one embodiment, the industrial robot 20 is a servo gantry style robot.

[0049] In one embodiment, the industrial robot 20 is a collaborative robot.

[0050] In one embodiment, the position of the applicator head 18 is fixed and the part receiving the material 11 is moved to the applicator head 18, i.e., how the part is introduced into the process. In one example, the part may be on a robot or other drive means.

[0051] In one embodiment, the system 10 includes a "fast change" blade system.

[0052] In one embodiment, the system 10 includes one or more safety devices that can be mounted on the collaborative robot to enhance safe operation.

[0053] In one embodiment, the drive mechanisms 70, 90 comprise linear grip and pull mechanisms such as walking beam translations.

[0054] System 10 may be useful in the automotive field, where material 11 is applied to interior and exterior trim and cladding of automobiles to reduce noise, seal moisture, and connect components together, and in the architectural field, where material 11 is applied to trim and seals for overlaying materials, for example, interior and exterior architectural cladding and HVAC equipment.

[0055] In one embodiment, system 10 is coupled to measurement or data acquisition (DAQ) devices such as instruments, smart sensors, data acquisition devices or boards, and various types of devices capable of acquiring and / or storing data.

[0056] In one embodiment, system controller 40 comprises a computing means having a computing system 300 including at least one processor, such as processor 302 as shown in FIG. 6, at least one memory device, such as memory 304, an input / output (I / O) module 306, and a communication interface 308. Although computing system 300 is illustrated as including only one processor 302, computing system 300 may include many processors therein. In some embodiments, memory 304 is capable of storing instructions. Furthermore, processor 302 is capable of executing instructions.

[0057] In one embodiment, processor 302 may be configured to perform hard-coded functions. In other embodiments, processor 302 may be embodied as the execution of software instructions that, when executed, may specifically configure processor 302 to perform the algorithms and / or operations described herein.

[0058] In one embodiment, 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, processor 302 may be embodied as one or more of a variety of processing devices, such as a co-processor, a microprocessor, a controller, a digital signal processor (DSP), processing circuitry with or without an associated DSP, or a variety of other processing devices, including integrated circuits, such as, for example, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a microcontroller unit (MCU), a hardware accelerator, an application-specific computer chip, an application-specific standard product (ASSP), a system-on-a-chip (SOC), a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), a programmable logic controller (PLC), a graphics processing unit (GPU), etc. For example, some or all of the device's functions or method sequences may be performed by one or more hardware logic elements.

[0059] 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 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 magnetic tape, etc.), a magneto-optical storage device (e.g., a magneto-optical disk), a CD-ROM (compact disk read-only memory), a CD-R (recordable compact disk), a CD-R / W (rewritable compact disk), a DVD (digital versatile disk), a BD (Blu-ray™ disk), 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.).

[0060] The I / O module 306 is configured to facilitate provisioning of output to a user of the computing system 300 and / or receive input from a user of the computing system 300 and / or communicate with 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 include, but are not limited to, a keyboard, a mouse, a joystick, a keypad, a touchscreen, softkeys, a microphone, etc. Some examples of output interfaces 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, etc. In an example embodiment, processor 302 may include I / O circuitry configured to control at least some functionality of one or more elements of I / O module 306, such as, for example, a speaker, a microphone, a display, and / or the like. Processor 302 and / or the 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, such as, for example, software and / or firmware, stored in a memory, such as memory 304 and / or the like, and accessible to processor 302.

[0061] The communications interface 308 enables the computing system 300 to communicate with other devices over various types of networks, such as the Internet, including wired, wireless, or a combination of wired and wireless networks. In at least one exemplary embodiment, the communications interface 308 includes transceiver circuitry configured to enable the transmission and reception of data signals over various types of communications networks. In some embodiments, the communications interface 308 may include appropriate data compression and encoding mechanisms for securely transmitting and receiving data over the communications networks. The communications interface 308 facilitates communication between the computing system 300 and I / O peripherals.

[0062] In one 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 one another via or through integrated circuitry system 310. Integrated circuitry system 310 may be any of a variety of devices configured specifically to provide or enable communication between the components (302-308) of computing system 300. In some embodiments, integrated circuitry system 310 may be a central printed circuit board (PCB), such as a motherboard, mainboard, system board, or logic board. Additionally or alternatively, integrated circuitry system 310 may include other printed circuit assemblies (PCAs) or communication channel media.

[0063] It should be noted that the various exemplary embodiments described herein may be implemented in a variety of devices, network configurations and applications.

[0064] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in networked computing environments having many types of computer system configurations, including personal computers (PCs), industrial PCs, desktop PCs, handheld devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics products, network PCs, server computers, minicomputers, mainframe computers, etc. Thus, system 10 may be coupled via communications to these external devices such that system 10 may be remotely controlled. Embodiments may also be implemented in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by local and remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network (either by hardwired links, wireless links, or a combination thereof). In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in local and remote memory storage devices.

[0065] In another embodiment, system 10 follows the 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 rapidly provisioned by users (thin client operators) and released with minimal resource management, including interaction with service providers.

[0066] The benefits and advantages described above may relate to one embodiment or to several embodiments. An embodiment is not limited to one that solves any or all of the problems described or that has any or all of the benefits and advantages described. The actions of the methods described herein may be performed in any suitable order, and simultaneously where appropriate. Additionally, individual blocks may be added or deleted from any of the methods without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein. Aspects of any of the above-described examples may be combined with aspects of any of the other examples described to form further examples without losing the desired effect.

[0067] The foregoing description is provided by way of example only, and various modifications may occur to those skilled in the art. The above specification, examples, and data provide a complete description of the structure and use of exemplary embodiments. While various embodiments have been described above in some detail, or with reference to one or more specific embodiments, those skilled in the art could make numerous modifications to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A feeding system configured to transfer material to a tape applicator, comprising: a flexible infeed tube connected between the spool unloading device and the tape applicator, the flexible infeed tube receiving the material from the source; a feed fluid amplifier connected to the flexible feed tube for creating a vacuum effect to promote movement of the material within the flexible feed tube from the spool unloading device toward the tape applicator; Equipped with the infeed fluid amplifier is activated only when advancing the end of the material along the flexible infeed tube toward the tape applicator; Supply system.

2. 10. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein the material is unwound from the source and delivered at a regulated rate to the flexible delivery tube that is bendable along a non-linear path.

3. 3. The feeding system of claim 2, wherein the material exiting the flexible infeed tube at the tape applicator is wound into a variable loop to compensate for variations in the regulated speed and to maintain tension within the material.

4. The feeding system of claim 3 , wherein a positioning sensor detects the amount of material in the variable loop.

5. The feeding system of claim 4 , wherein the material drive mechanism replenishes the variable loop with the material based on the detected amount of the material in the variable loop.

6. 5. The delivery system of claim 4, wherein the positioning sensor determines when the material should be delivered to the flexible infeed tube.

7. 6. The feeding system of claim 5, wherein the positioning sensor determines whether the detected amount of material in the variable loop is within a predetermined range.

8. 8. The delivery system of claim 7, wherein the predetermined range is between a low threshold and an high threshold.

9. 9. The feeding system of claim 8, wherein the material drive mechanism stops feeding the material when the amount of the material in the variable loop reaches the high threshold.

10. 8. The feeding system of claim 7, wherein at least one sensor detects a loss of tension in the material and generates a fault signal.

11. The delivery system of claim 1 , wherein at least one sensor detects a break in the material and generates a fault signal.

12. 12. The supply system of claim 10, wherein the fault signal automatically interrupts the supply of the material.

13. 12. The supply system of claim 10, wherein the fault signal requires manual interruption of the supply of the material.

14. 11. The feeding system of claim 10, wherein corrective action is taken to resolve the event causing the fault signal, and the material drive mechanism feeds the material after the corrective action.

15. 10. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein the material is guided as it enters the flexible infeed tube and after it exits the flexible infeed tube.

16. 16. The delivery system of claim 1, wherein a device located at the outlet of the flexible infeed tube redirects the material as required.

17. 2. The feeding system of claim 1, wherein a limit switch located on the material at the outlet of the flexible infeed tube triggers new material to be fed into the flexible infeed tube.

18. 4. The feeding system of claim 3, wherein the variable loop of material is formed by at least two pulleys.

19. 20. The feeding system of claim 18, wherein the at least two pulleys guide the material in a linear fashion.

20. 20. The supply system of any one of claims 1 and 19, wherein the spool unloading device is located outside the cell.

21. 20. The supply system of any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the spool unloading device is located outside the cell in any orientation.

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