Hand tape applicator and system including the same

Abstract

Various embodiments of a hand tape applicator and a system including such an applicator are disclosed. The hand tape applicator includes a body, a spindle connected to the body and configured to receive a tape roll including tape, and an ergonomic handle connected to the body. The applicator further includes a roller mechanism connected to the body and configured to apply the tape to a substrate. The roller mechanism includes a head and a tape roller, the tape roller extending along a roller axis between a first end and a second end of the tape roller. The tape roller is connected to the head at each of the first end and the second end. The applicator further includes a force sensor connected to the head. The force sensor is configured to detect a force between the tape roller and the head and provide a signal indicative of the force.

Description

[[BACKGROUND ART]]

[0001] Tapes such as pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes can be used in manufacturing processes to join two surfaces. For example, these tapes can be used in a number of applications that conventionally employed other connection mechanisms such as liquid adhesives, or mechanical attachments such as welding, spot welding, screws, pop rivets, and bolts. Pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes can have several important advantages over these and other connection mechanisms, for example, the ability to bond different materials, seal, and bond large areas. Furthermore, tapes can help prevent corrosion and are resistant to vibration. Some tapes can offer aesthetic advantages where it is desirable for the attachment system to be invisible or nearly invisible to a casual observer. Furthermore, tapes are not limited by fixation or curing times, which can be a limiting factor when liquid adhesives are used. [[SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION]]

[0002] In general, this disclosure provides tape application systems and various embodiments of various components and modules of such systems. For example, the system may include a surface feature determination device or module configured to determine at least one surface quality parameter of a surface based on values ​​provided by one or more sensors, and to determine at least one processing parameter for surface bonding application based on at least one surface quality parameter. The system may further include a tape applicator, such as a hand tape applicator, which includes a force sensor connected to the head of the applicator's roller mechanism. The force sensor is configured to detect the force between the tape roller of the roller mechanism and the head and to provide a force-indicating signal. In one or more embodiments, the tape applicator may receive data from the surface feature determination module, such as at least one surface quality parameter. The tape application system may further include a device that can receive a plurality of input variables that can correspond to at least one of the adhesive and substrate used in the tape application process, and generate a predictive data model by performing one or more functions of the input and output variables generated during testing of the tape application process.

[0003] In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides a liner changer. The liner changer may include a nip roll assembly having a plurality of rollers. The nip roll assembly can receive a tape substrate having a substrate width on the input side. The tape substrate may include an adhesive surface and an initial liner. The nip roll assembly can receive an extension liner having an extension width greater than the tape substrate width on the input side. The nip roll assembly can output a tape substrate having an extension liner laminated to the tape substrate on the surface opposite to the initial liner. The liner changer may include a liner release assembly on the output side of the nip roll assembly. The liner release assembly can remove the initial liner. The tape substrate may include adhesive tapes in the form of adhesive transfer tapes, double-sided tapes, or double-sided foam tapes. More specifically, the adhesive tape may include acrylic foam tapes. The substrate may be greater than 16 mm in thickness. The adhesive tape may be greater than 1.6 mm in thickness.

[0004] The extension liner may include non-elastic materials. The extension liner may include polypropylene. The extension liner may include polyester.

[0005] At least one of the multiple rollers may include a rubber material. At least one of the multiple rollers may include a metal material. At least one of the multiple rollers may include a rubber material, and another of the multiple rollers may include a metal material.

[0006] A nip roll assembly includes a guide and a tension controller, and can control the tension of at least one of multiple rollers, tape substrate, or expansion liner. The tension controller may be spring-loaded. The tension controller may include a magnetic clutch. The nip roll assembly may be configured to center the expansion liner on the tape substrate.

[0007] In another embodiment, the Disclosure provides a tape application system comprising: a tape roll unwinding station for providing a tape substrate; an expansion liner unwinding station for providing an expansion liner; an expansion liner transfer module configured to receive a tape substrate and an expansion liner as input and to laminate the expansion liner onto the tape substrate; and a liner peeling station configured to peel an initial liner from the tape substrate. The tape application system may further include a tension control system configured to provide tension control to the nip roll assembly of the expansion liner transfer module.

[0008] The tape application system may further include a printer configured to print an image onto an extended liner. The printer may include a laser printer. The printer may include an inkjet printer.

[0009] In another embodiment, the Disclosure provides a method for providing an adhesive tape. The method may include receiving an adhesive tape substrate having a first width and comprising an adhesive portion and a non-adhesive liner, and laminating an extension liner having an extension width greater than the first width onto the adhesive portion of the tape substrate. The method may further include removing the non-adhesive liner from the adhesive portion after lamination.

[0010] In another embodiment, the Disclosure provides an apparatus for determining the surface quality of a surface. The apparatus includes a sensor configured to detect at least one characteristic of the surface of a substrate or its surrounding environment and to provide a value indicating at least one characteristic, and a processor coupled to the sensor. The processor is configured to determine at least one surface quality parameter of the surface based on the value provided by the sensor, and to determine at least one processing parameter for surface bonding application based on the at least one surface quality parameter. The substrate may include at least one of metal, polymer, ceramic, or glass material. At least one characteristic of the surface of the substrate may include the presence of a primer on the surface. The sensor may include a wettability sensor configured to estimate the surface energy of the surface of the substrate. The sensor may include a light absorption band sensor. The processor may be further configured to identify the surface composition of the surface of the substrate based on the value provided by the light absorption band sensor and to provide notification in response to the detection of an unexpected surface composition of the surface of the substrate. The sensor may include at least one of an ambient temperature and humidity sensor, a surface temperature sensor, a non-contact infrared surface temperature sensor, a surface roughness sensor, a surface debris sensor, a UV primer sensor, a water contact angle sensor, or a surface composition sensor. The processor may be further configured to provide instructions for corrective actions to be taken in response to the detection of a poor surface quality condition based on values ​​provided by sensors. The corrective actions may include at least one of the following: cleaning the substrate, priming the substrate, surface treating the substrate, plasma or corona treatment of the substrate, polishing the substrate, heating the substrate, or drying the substrate. The processor may be further configured to control a machine performing the corrective actions. The processor may also be configured to generate a prediction of the success of the surface bonding application based on at least one surface quality parameter of the surface. The corrective actions may be taken based on the prediction of the success of the surface bonding application. The prediction of the success of the surface bonding application may be further based on at least one of a specific tape or adhesive, substrate composition, or surface properties. The surface bonding application may include acrylic foam tape bonding applications.

[0011] In another embodiment, the disclosure provides a tape application system including a tape feeding module having an input tape and a surface feature determination module configured to perform surface quality determination on the surface of a substrate. The module includes a sensor configured to detect at least one characteristic of the surface of the substrate or the surrounding environment and to provide a value indicating at least one characteristic. The module further includes a processor coupled to at least one sensor. The processor is configured to determine at least one surface quality parameter of the surface based on the value provided by the sensor and to determine at least one processing parameter for surface coupling application based on the at least one surface quality parameter. The system further includes a surface preparation module configured to prepare the surface of the substrate for application of the input tape based on at least one processing parameter, the tape feeding module, the surface feature determination module, and data acquisition equipment connected to the surface preparation module. The processor of the surface feature determination module may be further configured to identify the surface composition of the surface of the substrate based on the value provided by the sensor and to provide notification in response to the detection of an unexpected surface composition of the surface of the substrate. The processor of the surface feature determination module may be further configured to control the surface preparation module. The processor of the surface feature determination module can further be configured to generate a prediction of the success of surface bonding application based on at least one surface quality parameter of the surface.

[0012] In another embodiment, the Disclosure provides a method comprising detecting at least one characteristic of the surface of a substrate or the surrounding environment of the substrate; generating a value representing at least one characteristic; determining at least one surface quality parameter of the surface based on the value; and determining at least one processing parameter for bonding tape to the surface of the substrate. The method may further include processing the surface of the substrate based on at least one surface quality parameter of the surface.

[0013] In another embodiment, the disclosure provides an apparatus comprising: at least two tape core holders configured to hold a first roll of tape and a second roll of tape, respectively; roll sensors configured to detect the state of at least the first roll of tape and the second roll of tape; a cutting mechanism configured to cut the first roll of tape or the second roll of tape at the trailing edge of each roll of tape, respectively, in response to the roll sensor detecting the empty state of one of the first roll of tape or the second roll of tape; and a joining mechanism configured to join the leading edge of the other of the first roll of tape or the second roll of tape to the trailing edge. The other of the first roll of tape and the second roll of tape may include a liner tab. At least one liner of the first roll of tape and the second roll of tape can be joined. The cutting mechanism can cut the first roll of tape or the second roll of tape at a 90-degree angle to the edge of each roll of tape. The roll sensors may include optical sensors. The roll sensor may include a mechanical arm configured to detect an empty roll when the diameter of the first roll or the second roll of tape falls below a threshold. The roll sensor can detect the weight of at least the first roll and the second roll of tape. The device may further include an indicator mechanism that indicates the empty state of at least the first roll and the second roll of tape. The device may further include a communication interface and a processor or equivalent controller connected to a computer interface. The processor can provide signals via the communication interface indicating a desired speed of the production line associated with the device. The first roll and the second roll of tape may include double-sided tape. The first roll and the second roll of tape may include double-sided foam tape. The cutting mechanism can cut at an angle substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal edge of each of the first roll and the second roll of tape.The cutting mechanism can cut each of the first and second rolls of tape at approximately the same angle.

[0014] The bonding mechanism can apply tabs between the leading and trailing edges on the liner surface. The tabs can be applied by manually or automatically pressing them into the gap between the leading and trailing edges to perform the liner bonding. The device may further include a bonding table to provide a reaction force against pressure when pressing the tabs during tab application. The bonding table may include guides to maintain the tape in the bonding position. The bonding table may be coated with a release coating. The gap can be less than approximately 1.6 millimeters. The bonding mechanism can apply additional tabs between the leading and trailing edges on the bonding surface.

[0015] In another embodiment, the disclosure provides a hand tape applicator comprising a body, a spindle connected to the body and configured to receive a tape roll containing tape, and an ergonomic handle connected to the body. The applicator further comprises a roller mechanism connected to the body and configured to apply tape to a substrate. The roller mechanism comprises a head and a tape roller, the tape roller extending along a roller axis between a first end and a second end of the tape roller. The tape roller is connected to the head at each of the first and second ends. The applicator further comprises a force sensor connected to the head, the force sensor configured to detect a force between the tape roller and the head and to provide a signal indicating the force. The applicator may further comprise a processor configured to receive a signal from the force sensor and provide force-related feedback to the operator. The processor may further comprise a force between the tape roller and the head to provide a selected force per unit width to the tape when the tape is applied to a substrate. The roller mechanism may further comprise a first connector connecting the first end of the tape roller to the head and a second connector connecting the second end of the tape roller to the head. Each of the first and second connectors may include at least one of a spring, hinge, shock absorber, or support. The first connector may include a first actuator, and the second connector may include a second actuator, with each of the first and second actuators connected to a processor. The processor may further be configured to actuate the first and second actuators independently to adjust the force between the head and each of the first and second ends of the tape roller. The processor may further be configured to vibrate the first and second actuators so that the tape roller vibrates or is struck while the tape is being applied to the substrate. The processor may further be configured to record or map force signals from sensors with respect to their position along the applied tape length.The applicator may further include a pivot mechanism connecting the head to the body, the pivot mechanism configured to pivot the tape roller relative to the body. The applicator may further include a second tape roller connected to the head, at least one of the tape roller or the second tape roller configured to apply force to the tape after the tape has been applied to the substrate. The applicator's ergonomic handle may be reconfigurable to accommodate different operators. The applicator may further include a laser guide connected to the body or the roller mechanism, the laser guide configured to indicate to the operator at least one of the desired starting position of the tape when the tape is applied to the substrate, the desired stopping position of the tape applied to the substrate, or the path of the tape when the tape is applied to the substrate. The applicator may further include a cutting mechanism connected to the body and adapted to separate a portion of the tape from the tape roll.

[0016] In another embodiment, the disclosure provides a tape application system including a tape feeding module containing an input tape and a hand tape applicator connected to the tape feeding module. The hand tape applicator module includes a body and a roller mechanism connected to the body and configured to apply the input tape to a substrate. The roller mechanism includes a head and a tape roller, the tape roller extending along a roller axis between a first end and a second end of the tape roller, and the tape roller being connected to a head at each of the first and second ends. The module further includes a force sensor connected to the head, the force sensor configured to detect the force between the tape roller and the head and to provide a force-indicating signal. The system further includes data acquisition equipment connected to the tape feeding module and the hand tape applicator module. The system further includes a surface feature determination module and a surface preparation module, the surface feature determination module and the surface preparation module connected to the data acquisition equipment. The surface feature determination module is configured to determine the surface quality of the substrate surface before applying the input tape. The force between the tape roller and the head of the hand tape applicator is adjustable based on the surface quality of the substrate surface. The data acquisition device includes a processor configured to provide instructions for corrective actions to the surface preparation module in response to a defective surface quality condition detected by the surface feature determination module. The hand tape applicator may further include a processor configured to receive signals from a force sensor and provide force-related feedback to the operator. The processor may further be configured to determine a target force based on at least one of the following: tape width, tape type, tape thickness, substrate surface condition, surface texture, or surface temperature.

[0017] In another embodiment, the Disclosure provides a method for placing tape on the surface of a substrate using a hand tape applicator that includes a roller mechanism having a head and a tape roller, the tape roller being connected to the head at a first end and a second end of the tape roller; detecting a force between the tape roller and the head while the tape is being placed on the surface of the substrate; communicating a force signal; and adjusting the force between the tape roller and the head while the tape is being placed on the surface of the substrate based on the signal.

[0018] This disclosure provides a non-temporary computer-readable medium containing instructions, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform an operation comprising: receiving a plurality of input variables, the input variables corresponding to at least one of the adhesives and substrates used in the tape application process; performing an analysis of the input and output variables generated during testing of the tape application process to generate a predictive data model; and storing the predictive data model. The input variables may further include information identifying predictors of success for the tape application process. The input variables may include indicators of predictors, the predictors may include peel adhesion tests. The predictors may include 90-degree peel tests. The operation may include generating recommendations for corrective actions for the tape application process. The input variables may indicate the type of substrate. The input variables may include indicators for at least one of polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, stainless steel, aluminum, paint, nylon, and glass. The input variables may indicate the type of tape. The input variables may include at least one of the following: adhesive physical properties, adhesive thermal properties, adhesive electrical properties, adhesive curing properties, adhesive performance properties, adhesive durability properties, adhesive chemical resistance properties, adhesive rheological properties, adhesive viscosity, adhesive curing time, adhesive modulus, adhesive solvent resistance, adhesive composition, adhesive distribution properties, adhesive usage requirements, standardization tests or certifications, environmental parameters, backing properties, liner properties, and substrate properties. The operation may include supplying the input values ​​generated by the tape application process as feedback data to the processor to tune the predictive data model. The operation may include outputting at least one of the input variables to a display. The operation may include generating and displaying a simulation of the tape application based on at least one of the input variables.

[0019] The above summary of this disclosure is not intended to describe each of the disclosed embodiments or all implementations of this disclosure. The following description more specifically illustrates exemplary embodiments. Throughout this application, guidance is provided through the enumeration of examples, which can be used in various combinations. In each example, the enumerated items serve only as representative groups and should not be construed as an exclusive enumeration. Accordingly, the scope of this disclosure should not be limited to the specific exemplary structures described herein, but extends to at least the structures described by the language of the claims and their equivalents. Any of the elements explicitly listed as substitutes herein may be expressly included in or excluded from the claims in any combination as desired. Various theories and possible mechanisms may be considered herein, but in no case shall such considerations limit the subject matter of the claims. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0020] [Figure 1] This is a schematic side cross-sectional view of one embodiment of an adhesive transfer tape of a certain length on a release liner. [Figure 2] This is a schematic side cross-sectional view of one embodiment of an adhesive transfer tape of a certain length sandwiched between two release liners. [Figure 3] This is a schematic side cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a double-sided adhesive tape of a certain length. [Figure 4] This is a schematic side cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a double-sided adhesive tape of a certain length sandwiched between two release liners. [Figure 5] This is a block diagram of one embodiment of a system for tape application. [Figure 6] This is a block diagram of one embodiment of a system for controlling and adjusting tape application. [Figure 7] This is a diagram showing one embodiment of an extension liner module. [Figure 8]It is a diagram showing an embodiment of a tape cross-section at various points in an expansion liner process. [Figure 9] It is a block diagram of an embodiment of a surface feature determination module. [Figure 10] It is a block diagram of an embodiment of a sensor for detecting a measure of surface energy or wettability and surface roughness. [Figure 11] It is a block diagram of an embodiment of a tape roll splicing station. [Figure 12A] It is a diagram showing an embodiment of one type of liner butt joint. [Figure 12B] It is a diagram showing another embodiment of one type of functional butt joint. [Figure 12C] It is a diagram showing an embodiment of preparation for a functional butt joint. [Figure 13] It is a diagram showing an embodiment of a tape applicator. [Figure 14] It is a diagram showing an embodiment of further details of the tape applicator of FIG. 9. [Figure 15] It is a diagram showing an embodiment of a handheld device that estimates the wettability of a surface of a substrate using droplets. [Figure 16] It is a diagram showing FTIR spectra of two polypropylene samples. [Figure 17] It is a diagram showing an embodiment of a process for multivariate analysis or machine learning that predicts performance of tape and substrates. [Figure 18] It is a chart showing average measured peel adhesion values versus average predicted peel adhesion values for various substrate / adhesive combinations. [Figure 19] It is a diagram showing an embodiment of a computing node. [Figure 20] It is a diagram showing further details regarding an edge computing node. [Figure 21] It is a schematic side view of an embodiment of a sensor that can be used with the surface feature determination module of FIG. 9. [Figure 22] It is a graph of absorbance versus wave number. [Figure 23A] This is a graph of percentage reflectance versus wavelength for condition 3. [Figure 23B] This is a graph of percentage reflectance versus wavelength for condition 4. [Figure 23C] This is a graph of percentage reflectance versus wavelength for condition 5. [Figure 23D] This is a graph of percentage reflectance versus wavelength for condition 6. [Figure 24] This is a schematic side perspective view of one embodiment of a tape feeding system. [Figure 25] Figure 24 is a schematic plan view of the joint formed using the tape feeding system. [Figure 26] This is a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of the hand tape applicator. [Figure 27] Figure 26 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a hand tape applicator. [Figure 28] This is a schematic side view of another embodiment of the hand tape applicator. [Figure 29] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a portion of another embodiment of the hand tape applicator. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0021] In general, this disclosure provides tape application systems and various components and modules of such systems. For example, the system may include a surface feature determination device or module configured to determine at least one surface quality parameter of a surface based on values ​​provided by one or more sensors, and to determine at least one processing parameter for surface bonding application based on at least one surface quality parameter. The system may further include a tape applicator, such as a hand tape applicator, which includes a force sensor connected to the head of the applicator's roller mechanism. The force sensor is configured to detect the force between the tape roller of the roller mechanism and the head and to provide a force-indicating signal. The force on the roller and the contact area between the roller and the tape can generate a pressure zone on the tape. This pressure zone may be particularly important for bonding contact on rough surfaces. Contact pressure is sometimes referred to as force per unit width of tape. The actual pressure depends on surface roughness and fit, roller stiffness, roller diameter, and tape thickness and fit. In one or more embodiments, the tape applicator may receive data such as at least one surface quality parameter from a surface feature determination module. The tape application system may further include a device that can receive a plurality of input variables that correspond to at least one of the adhesives and substrates used in the tape application process or environmental conditions, and generate a predictive data model by performing one or more functions of the input and output variables generated during testing of the tape application process.

[0022] As discussed herein, tapes such as pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes used in manufacturing to bond two or more surfaces offer various advantages over other bonding technologies. However, such tapes can present challenges when used in conjunction with various automated processes. As customers advance automation, the mounting process needs to be scalable. Automated mounting and distribution solutions are widely available for conventional fastening solutions such as welding, screws, bolts, and liquid structural adhesives, but solutions for double-sided mounting tapes are more difficult to find. Furthermore, most available tape automation solutions are designed with large customers in mind and can be prohibitively expensive.

[0023] Many tape assembly processes can benefit from some degree of automation in the tape application process by reducing operator effort and errors, or by improving throughput accuracy / precision / quality or speed. Therefore, there is a general need for tape application automation solutions that are less expensive than large-scale automation, easier to operate and maintain, and minimize or reduce operator involvement.

[0024] Tape description Figures 1 to 4 are cross-sectional views of various embodiments of tapes and liners that can be used in exemplary systems, modules, apparatus, and methods described herein. The tapes may include pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes and other types of tapes. The foam layers described herein include polymer materials. Exemplary polymer materials include exemplary thermoplastic materials such as polycarbonate, polyacrylic, polymethacrylic, elastomer, styrene block copolymer, styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS), styrene-ethylene / butylene-styrene block copolymer (SEBS), polybutadiene, polyisoprene, polychloroprene, and styrene-butadiene rubber. Random copolymers of rubber (SBR), block copolymers of styrene and diene-based styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), ethylene-propylene-diene monomer rubber, natural rubber, ethylene-propylene rubber, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene-polyethylene copolymer, polyvinylcyclohexane, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, aromatic epoxy, amorphous polyester, amorphous polyamide, semicrystalline polyamide, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) copolymer, ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), polyethylene-vinyl acetate (PEVA), copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate, low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP) such as expanded polypropylene (EPP) and polypropylene paper (PPP), expanded polystyrene (expanded Polystyrene (EPS) and extruded polystyreneExamples include polystyrene (PS), such as polystyrene (XPS) and sometimes polystyrene paper (PSP), nitrile rubber (NBR), such as acrylonitrile (ACN) copolymers, and butadiene, polyphenylene oxide alloys, high-impact polystyrene, polystyrene copolymers, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), fluorinated elastomers, polydimethylsiloxane, polyimide, polyetherimide, amorphous fluoropolymers, amorphous polyolefins, polyphenylene oxide, polyphenylene oxide-polystyrene alloys, or mixtures thereof. The foam can be formed as a co-extruded sheet with adhesive on one or both sides of the foam, or the adhesive may be laminated to the foam. When the adhesive is laminated to the foam, it may be desirable to treat the surface to improve the adhesion of the adhesive to the foam or any other type of backing. Such treatments are typically selected based on the properties of the adhesive and the foam or backing material and include primers and surface modifications (e.g., corona treatment, surface abrasion). Further tape structures are described in U.S. Patent No. 5,602,221 (Bennett et al.) and U.S. Patent No. 9,879,157 (Sherman et al.). Some of the tapes used are transparent acrylic tapes with foam-like properties. Transparent acrylic tapes can have a visible light transmittance of at least 85 percent.

[0025] In some embodiments, the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition is a foamed composition. Foamed pressure-sensitive adhesives can be prepared by mixing a physical blowing agent, a chemical blowing agent, or a low-density filler into the adhesive composition. Useful low-density fillers include, for example, hollow glass microspheres. Foamed pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions can be advantageous not only for weight reduction but also in applications where it is necessary to adapt the adhesive to rough or irregularly shaped surfaces. The foam may be an open-cell foam or a closed-cell foam. The foam can be formed by any known method, such as using a blowing agent, or by including expandable microspheres (e.g., polymer microspheres) in the pressure-sensitive adhesive composition.

[0026] Figure 1 shows one embodiment of the transfer tape 2. The tape 2 consists of a flexible release liner 4A having a first main side 6 and a second main side 8 on the back. The back side 8 of the planar or embossed carrier web is coated with a release coating, and the front side is coated with a release coating. The release coating may contain release agents such as silicone or perfluoropolyether. Examples of release coatings are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 9,359,530, U.S. Patent No. 6,780,484, U.S. Patent No. 10,703,940, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018 / 0155581. The underside of the adhesive layer 10 is in contact with the first main side 6 of the release liner 4A. In one or more embodiments, the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 10 is coated on the front side of the release liner by pouring adhesive onto the surface and then wiping it with a doctor blade. In this structure of the tape 2, the adhesive is transferred directly from the release liner 4A to a transfer substrate or component that requires the adhesive layer. This can be achieved by pressing the part onto the exposed adhesive 12. Once the part is removed, the adhesive layer 10 is transferred to the part, followed by the removal of the release liner 4A.

[0027] The type of adhesive used in the adhesive layer 10 is not strictly limited. A wide variety of coatable pressure-sensitive adhesives can be used. The adhesive used can be selected based on the type of substrate to be bonded. However, when preparing adhesive transfer tapes, it may be preferable to use a solvent-free adhesive (often referred to as 100% solids), and when preparing PSA transfer tapes, which are continuous adhesive films with discontinuous pores, water-coated latex PSA may be preferable. The classes of adhesives that can be used in this disclosure are silicone, polyolefin, polyurethane, polyester, acrylic, rubber resin, tackifying rubber, tackifying synthetic rubber, and polyamide. Suitable pressure-sensitive adhesives include solvent-coated, hot-melt coated, radiation-curable (E-beam or UV-curable), and aqueous emulsion-type adhesives. Specific examples of adhesives include acrylic adhesives, e.g., isooctyl acrylate / acrylic acid copolymers and tackifying acrylate copolymers; tackifying rubber adhesives, e.g., tackifying styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymers; tackifying styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers; nitrile rubber, e.g., acrylonitrile-butadiene; silicone adhesives, e.g., polysiloxanes; ethylene vinyl acetate; and polyurethanes. Pressure-sensitive adhesives may also be substantially non-tacky at room temperature, if they become tacky at the high temperatures in which the adhesive is used. Acrylics may be a preferred class of adhesive for many embodiments disclosed herein. The acrylic adhesive class has a wide range of chemical compositional variations, examples of which are disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,223,067 (Levens) and 4,629,663 (Brown et al.), 3,239,478, 3,935,338, and 5,169,727, U.S. Reissue Patent No. 24,906, 4,952,650, and 4,181,752. Suitable pressure-sensitive adhesives include pressure-sensitive adhesives that are reaction products of at least an alkyl acrylate and at least one reinforcing comonomer.Suitable alkyl acrylates have a homopolymer glass transition temperature of less than approximately -10°C and include, for example, n-butyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, isooctyl acrylate, isononyl acrylate, and octadecyl acrylate. Suitable reinforcing monomers have a homopolymer glass transition temperature of approximately -10°C and include, for example, acrylic acid, itaconic acid, isobornyl acrylate, N,N-dimethylacrylamide, N-vinylcaprolactam, and N-vinylpyrrolidone. Other pressure-sensitive adhesive formulations known in the art may also be suitable.

[0028] Pressure-sensitive adhesives may optionally contain one or more additives. Depending on the polymerization method, coating method, and end use, any suitable additives, such as initiators, fillers, plasticizers, tackifiers, chain transfer agents, fiber reinforcers, woven and nonwoven fabrics, foaming agents, antioxidants, stabilizers, fire retardants, thickeners, colorants, and mixtures thereof, can be used.

[0029] A further embodiment of the adhesive transfer tape 14 is shown in Figure 2. This transfer tape is similar to the one shown in Figure 1, but the adhesive layer 16 is sandwiched between the first release liner 4A and the second release liner 4B.

[0030] Figure 3 shows the double-sided adhesive tape 18. This particular embodiment may be called a “self-wound” double-sided adhesive tape because it is typically distributed in roll form, and therefore the lower main surface of the second adhesive layer 20B is in contact with the upper main surface of the release liner 4A, which is treated with a release coating.

[0031] Suitable materials for the release liner 4A include, for example, polymer films such as polyester films (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate film) and polyolefin films (e.g., polyethylene film, polypropylene film, biaxially oriented polypropylene film (BOPP film)), metal vapor-deposited films, sealing paper (e.g., polyethylene coated paper, metal vapor-deposited paper, and clay coated paper), and paper. The release liner 4A can be coated with a release coating on the first or second surface.

[0032] Suitable materials for the backing layer 22 include a variety of flexible and non-flexible materials, such as woven or nonwoven fabrics (e.g., cloth, nonwoven scrim), paper, polymer films, metallized films or foils, and combinations thereof (e.g., metallized polymer films), and foams (e.g., polyacrylic, polyethylene, polyurethane, neoprene). Examples of polymer films include polyolefins, such as polypropylene (e.g., biaxially oriented), polyethylene (e.g., high-density or low-density), polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, polyester (polyethylene terephthalate), polycarbonate, polymethyl (meth)acrylate (PMMA), polyvinyl butyral, polyimide, polyamide, fluoropolymer, cellulose acetate, cellulose triacetate, ethylcellulose, and bio-based materials such as polylactic acid (PLA). Woven or nonwoven fabrics may include fibers or filaments of synthetic or natural materials such as cellulose (e.g., tissue), cotton, nylon, polyethylene, rayon, glass, and ceramic materials. The backing layer 22 can be a transparent film having a visible light transmittance of at least 90%.

[0033] To strengthen the bond between the backing layer and the adhesive layer, one or more primer layers may be optionally used. The type of primer will vary depending on the type of backing and adhesive used, and a person skilled in the art can select an appropriate primer. Suitable primers include, for example, those described in European Patent No. 372756, U.S. Patents No. 5534391, No. 6893731, No. 9328265, and International Publication No. 2011 / 38448.

[0034] The backing layer 22 includes a first (upper) main surface 24 and a second (lower) main surface 26. The second (lower) main surface 26 is adjacent to and in contact with the upper side of the adhesive layer 20B or the first main surface 28. The upper main surface 24 of the backing layer 22 is adjacent to and in contact with the lower side of the adhesive layer 20A or the second main surface 30. The upper side of the adhesive layer 20A or the first main surface 32 is in contact with the release liner 4A. The release liner 4A is removed to provide a double-sided adhesive foam tape as described above.

[0035] Figure 4 shows a double-liner double-sided adhesive tape 36. Its structure is similar to the embodiment shown in Figure 3, except that the second (lower) side of the adhesive layer 20B is in contact with the first (upper) main surface of the second release liner 4B. As in the embodiment shown in Figure 3, such a structure can be used for double-sided adhesive foam tapes. Double-sided foam tapes offer significant performance advantages over double-sided film tapes due to their conformability and ability to distribute peel and shear forces over a wider area. This force distribution improves adhesion, strength, and overall tape performance, making them suitable for manufacturing and assembly operations.

[0036] system As described herein, many tape users can benefit from a certain level of automation in the tape application process. Automation can eliminate some of the challenges associated with the tape application process. Such challenges may include, for example, the difficulty of quickly and easily removing the liner from the tape substrate when the liner is no longer needed. Another challenge relates to cleaning the surface to which the tape is adhered, or to detecting contamination of the tape or the substrate surface to which the tape is adhered. A further challenge is the difficulty of changing tape rolls. Finally, operators may not be able to apply the tape quickly and accurately enough to keep pace with other tasks in the manufacturing or product realization process.

[0037] To address these and other concerns, the systems, apparatus, and methods described herein provide automated solutions based on a modular approach, in which solutions are provided for each operation in the tape application process in which operators are known to encounter challenges, and modules can be selected and connected based on user needs (e.g., "plug and play"). Systems according to embodiments can help operators reduce costs by standardizing the components of the tape application system and using some or all of the modules and ignoring modules that are of no interest to the operator.

[0038] Overall modular tape application system Figure 5 is a block diagram showing exemplary system 100 for tape application according to several embodiments. Exemplary system 100 may include plug-and-play modules for solving the challenges of tape automation according to several embodiments, and these plug-and-play modules may be configured to work with remote or local software and control systems, or as part of an edge computing system or Internet of Things (IoT) system. System 100 is a modular system, meaning that an operator can use some or all of the modules in any process, or a subset of such processes, that requires tape application without loss of generality. Modules can be removed or added (e.g., "interconnected").

[0039] System 100 may include a surface cleaning system 102. The surface cleaning system 102 may include a multifunctional surface feature determination module 104 for performing surface feature determination of the adhesive or substrate surface. The surface feature determination module 104 is intended to help solve the problem of operators spending excessive time cleaning the substrate surface or visually inspecting the substrate after cleaning. Reasons for such cleaning or over-cleaning include the operator's inability to determine whether the surface is clean or sufficiently clean. The surface feature determination module 104 may include circuits, instruments, sensors, etc., for performing continuous or periodic evaluation or reading of surface energy, roughness, wettability, surface contamination / cleanliness, surface temperature, and other criteria affecting adhesion. Surface energy can be considered as quantifying the breakdown of intermolecular bonds that occurs when a surface is created and the work required to construct a surface region on a bulk material. When a surface is created in a vacuum, the surface energy will be equal to half the cohesive energy of the associated bulk material, although various processes or conditions can reduce the surface energy. Surface energy is typically determined from contact angle measurements, such as those described in the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) family of standards, particularly the ASTM D7490 standard. The surface feature determination module 104 is described in further detail herein with reference to Figures 9-10.

[0040] The surface feature determination module 104 may include multiple modular sensors to evaluate various surface criteria, and the modular sensors can be added to the surface feature determination module as plug-and-play modules. These sensors may include measurements such as surface roughness, ambient temperature and humidity, surface temperature, presence of surface liquid or residual contaminants, substrate spectroscopy, contact angle estimation or surface energy estimation, or surface wetting by measuring the percentage of surface area wetted by a known fluid as a substitute. Other modules may include a visual system for visible defects such as dust and debris, scratches, or other physical defects, and a system customized to accommodate expected contaminants.

[0041] System 100 may also include a tape feeding system 106. The tape feeding system 106 may include a tape splicing module 108. The tape splicing module 108 can supply tape to an extension liner module 110. The tape splicing module 108 aims to help solve the problem that the need to replace tape rolls is too frequent, reducing the throughput of other operations such as assembly line systems or other systems and modules downstream of the tape application operation. The tape splicing module 108 can provide a method for splicing planetary tape rolls together continuously or nearly continuously. Planetary tape rolls are less expensive and require less manufacturing floor space than other types of rolls such as level-wound rolls and unwinding stations associated with level-wound rolls. However, planetary tape rolls with short yardage (e.g., typically about 36-72 yard rolls) have the disadvantage of needing to be replaced frequently when applying large volumes of tape. Therefore, an exemplary embodiment provides a tape splicing module 108 that can splice new tape rolls together with tape rolls that are used up or nearly used up. The tape splicing module 108 will be described in more detail below with reference to Figures 11 and 12.

[0042] The tape splicing module 108 can provide input to the extension liner module 110. The extension liner module 110 aims to help solve the problem of the amount of time spent by the operator when removing a liner from an applied tape. Liner removal is often a manual process for most applications, and initiating liner removal can be a particularly time-consuming operation in this process. Some manual tools for liner removal may include file cards or similar instruments, but these can damage or contaminate the tape and, furthermore, may still be time-consuming to use depending on the application. The extension liner module 110 includes a mechanism for removing one liner from a tape and adding additional extension liners that are easier to remove, with little to no operator involvement. Extension liners such as extension liners applied by the extension liner module 110 can provide a simpler and easier-to-implement method for removing liners regardless of the length of the applied tape. Extension liners of the type applied by the extension liner module 110 can also result in product savings, especially in the case of short pieces of tape where adding special tabs would result in product waste and may require the use of special tape tab applicators. Downstream of the extension liner module 110, a tape substrate having an additional, wider extension liner is applied to the substrate of the article. The wider extension liner can be easily removed later. Further details of the extension liner module 110 are provided herein with reference to Figures 7-8.

[0043] The surface feature determination module 104 can provide input to the surface preparation module 112. The surface preparation module 112 may include a primer station 114 which includes a circuit and mechanism for providing a primer to the surface of a substrate to improve the adhesion of the tape. The surface feature determination module 104 can also provide input to other surface preparation modules, such as solvent cleaning and wiping, flame treatment, plasma treatment, polishing, ultrasonic treatment, laser treatment, corona treatment, UV treatment, and other surface treatment systems used to improve adhesion.

[0044] The surface preparation module 112 and the extension liner module 110 can provide inputs to the tape application station 116 and the force application station 118. The tape application station 116 and the force application station 118 may include a tape applicator module 120. The tape applicator module 120 includes devices and circuits intended to mitigate the operator challenges posed by the process of aligning the tape during application. Tape alignment presents challenges in maintaining throughput in manual systems. Furthermore, when force is applied to the tape at station 118, it may be important to apply a sufficient and uniform force across the width of the tape to provide bonding between the tape and the substrate surface. The tape applicator module 120 can optionally be used with a robot or other circuits or devices for automated tape application.

[0045] The force application station 118 can provide input to the liner removal station 122. In some embodiments, the extended liner remains on the tape for removal further downstream or at the end customer.

[0046] Figure 6 is a block diagram of a system 200 for controlling and adjusting tape application in several embodiments. The processing and control circuits for any of the modules shown in Figure 6 can be implemented partially or completely within an edge computing device, locally or remotely, from tape application operations to the cloud. The devices and circuits of the surface feature determination module 104, tape bonding module 108, surface preparation module 112 (which may include a primer station 114), extension liner module 110, and tape applicator module 120 can be provided modularly as needed within the tape automation process 202. Liners can be peeled or tabbed in module 124.

[0047] The tape automation process 202 can take in an input tape 204 and a substrate 206 containing reinforcing material or any structure or material to be bonded with double-sided tape. The system 200 may further include a data acquisition device 208. The data acquisition device 208 may include circuits such as sensors, processors, and cameras for detecting conditions within the operator facility or within the geographical area encompassing the operator facility or on the production line. An exemplary data acquisition device 208 may include a temperature and humidity sensor 210, a bonded surface readiness evaluation system 212, and a sensor 214 for detecting the condition of any primers that may be used in the tape application process. The data acquisition device 208 may further include a product date code device 216 or a device for determining a specific article identifier for data traceability to a part, such as a manufacturing code related to a specific "run" of an operator product, a clock 218 for determining the time, a force sensor 220 for determining the tape application force, a sensor 222 for determining the condition of the tape or the substrate of the article, a vision system 224 for detecting tape placement and defects, and a sensor 226 for determining the process speed of the process in which the tape application is being performed.

[0048] The examples provided herein are only a selection of the sensors, processors, etc., that can be used, and other sensors, processors, detectors, etc., can be included in the data acquisition device 208. Some or all of the modules described herein, or a subset thereof, can be included in the tape application process on a modular plug-and-play basis. A feedback loop 228 can be provided that utilizes a local or remote computing circuit 230 to adapt the tape application process based on inputs, control signals, and data provided to or generated by the tape automation process 202. The computing circuit 230 will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 19-20.

[0049] Expansion Liner Module Figure 7 shows a liner changing device 300 according to several embodiments. The liner changing device 300 may include an unwinding station 302 from which a tape roll 304 is unwound and provided as input to an extended liner changing device 306. The device 300 may also include a tension control unit and guides, which are not shown in detail in Figure 7. The tape roll 304 may include a tape "chuck" or tape core 308, and in some embodiments, an electrical or mechanical tension control mechanism can be controlled to unwind the tape roll 304 and the extended liner roll 322.

[0050] The tape provided on the tape roll 304 may include a tape substrate having an adhesive tape 310 on a first (e.g., upper) surface and an initial liner 312 on a second (e.g., bottom) surface. The adhesive tape 310 may include acrylic foam tape, double-sided polyethylene foam, double-sided polyurethane foam, double-sided film tape, double-sided tissue tape, double-sided metallized backing tape, adhesive transfer tape, and other examples. The initial liner 312 may include polypropylene, polyester, paper, other polymer films, or other acceptable liner materials.

[0051] Tape roll 304 can include planetary tape rolls. In contrast, another tape roll available for high-volume, high-level taping applications is the level-wound roll. Level-wound rolls offer long run times with minimal roll changeover. Level-wound tapes can include two liners for roll stability. However, level-wound tape rolls are expensive, require specialized conversion equipment and special tension-controlled unwinding equipment, and may not be a viable solution for some taping tasks. Furthermore, currently, only adhesive transfer tapes with expansion liners can be easily manufactured, which increases manufacturing costs. Manufacturing double-sided tapes with expansion liners is very difficult today. Currently, double-sided tapes with expansion liners can be manufactured in a conversion process by kiss-cutting the liner, removing tape sections in stripes from a wide roll of tape, and then narrowly cutting the center of the stripes. This is currently an expensive process. Some tapes can be made with expansion liners in an additional level-wound roll conversion process that adds a flexible expansion liner to prevent adhesive from adhering to each side. This additional conversion process adds to the overall tape cost for the end user. A planetary tape roll with additional expansion liners applied using the expansion liner replacement device 306 can provide a cost-effective solution for taping.

[0052] The liner replacement device 306 may include a nip roll assembly 314 having a plurality of rollers 316, 318. The rollers 316, 318 may include metal (e.g., steel, chrome-plated steel, or peel-coated metal rollers and related materials), rubber (e.g., silicone rubber, or similar rubber), or a combination thereof. In embodiments, one of the rollers 316, 318 may be metal, and the other roller 316, 318 may be rubber. The nip roll assembly is designed to laminate the expanded liner with nearly 100% contact and with no or minimal bubbles on the non-liner side or exposed adhesive tape surface. In embodiments, the nip roll assembly 314 may include a tension controller and a guide (not shown in Figure 7). In embodiments, the tension controller may be a manually or automatically adjustable spring-type felt pad tensioning system. In the embodiment, the tension controller may include an electronic magnetic particle clutch, the magnetic particle clutch including an electromagnetic clutch controlled by a remote or local control system relative to the liner changing device 306. Other roll tension control devices may also be used.

[0053] The nip roll assembly 314 can accept a tape substrate having a substrate width at the input side. The tape substrate may include an adhesive tape 310 and an initial liner 312 having the same or substantially the same width as the adhesive tape. The initial liner 312 may be a non-adhesive liner including a release coating such as a silicone release coating or a non-silicone, low-adhesion back coating, or a polymer film in which the adhesive has low adhesion, but embodiments are not limited to these. The nip roll assembly 314 may also accept an expansion liner 320 having an expansion width greater than the adhesive tape width at the input side. The expansion liner may allow for the formation of an edge for initiating liner removal. The expansion liner 320 may be provided using an expansion liner roll 322. The expansion liner 320 may include a non-adhesive liner. In embodiments, the tape substrate width may be greater than 5 mm, or greater than 16 mm, or greater than 25 mm, or greater than 50 mm. The adhesive tape 310 may have a maximum thickness of about 25.4 mm. In embodiments, the adhesive tape 310 may have a thickness of more than about 1.6 mm. The liner thickness is typically about 0.3 millimeters, and including the 1.6-millimeter thick tape, the total thickness is approximately 1.9 millimeters. However, the liner thickness can be up to 1 millimeter.

[0054] The nip roll assembly 314 can output a tape substrate having an extension liner 320 laminated onto the tape substrate on the surface opposite to the initial liner 312. In one embodiment, the nip roll assembly 314 can position the extension liner 320 in the center or near the center of the tape substrate, and in another embodiment, the extension liner can be aligned along one long edge of the tape substrate. The extension liner 320 can include inelastic materials such as polyolefin polymers, polypropylene materials, polyester, and paper. The extension liner can be made from polyolefin materials. The liner exchange device 300 can provide a splitter or slicer (not shown in Figure 7) for dividing the tape substrate after the extension liner 320 has been laminated onto the tape substrate. In one embodiment, the tape substrate is divided in the width direction, in the center or near the center, to provide two tape substrates of equal or near equal width, which produces two rolls of tape with an extension liner on one side. These divided tape substrates can be wound onto two planetary rolls. The liner exchange device 300 may include a printer (not shown in Figure 7) for printing on one or more of the extended liner, initial liner, or tape. The printer may include a laser printer, laser scribe, inkjet printer, etc. Printing may be performed before, after, or during lamination. In embodiments, the printer may be performed in the process or used in the process to create serial numbers for each tape segment that may be used for per-tracking or data recording tracking.

[0055] The liner replacement device 300 may further include a liner peeling assembly 324 on the output side of the nip roll assembly 314, the liner peeling assembly 324 being configured to remove the initial liner 312. After being peeled off by the liner peeling assembly 324, the initial liner 312 can be wound onto the product liner winding roll 326.

[0056] At least some of the components in Figure 7 can be controlled by a computing system, for example, the computing circuit 230 in Figure 6. For example, the movement of the nip control assembly 314 can be controlled with respect to speed to maintain speed or to adjust the force applied by the nip roll of the expansion liner changer 300 to match the speed of the operator's assembly line. Thus, the speed of the expansion liner roll 322 and the tape unwinding station 302 can be controlled to provide tape substrates, expansion liners 320, etc., at appropriate speeds. The tension on the nip control assembly 314 or the associated input tape roll 304 or expansion liner roll 322 can be controlled based on input from the data acquisition device 208. The visual system 224 (Figure 6) can provide input to assist in centering the expansion liner 320.

[0057] Figure 8 shows tape cross-sections at various points in the extended liner process according to several embodiments. Elements of Figure 7 are referenced when describing the tape cross-sections, and therefore similar reference numbers in Figure 8 refer to the corresponding elements in Figure 7.

[0058] In the input stage 400, the tape includes an adhesive 402, for example, an acrylic foam. It also includes a product liner 404 having the same width as the adhesive 402. When the input tape is fed into the nip roll assembly 314, an expansion liner 408 is laminated and placed in the center on the adhesive 402. The expansion liner 408 is wider than the adhesive 402 to facilitate the removal of the expansion liner 408 after the adhesive has been applied to the relevant surface. The width of the expansion liner 408 is preferably at least 3 mm wider than the input tape, preferably at least about 6 mm wider than the input tape, and more preferably about 12 mm wider than the input tape. Typical input tape substrates are less than about 150 mm wide, and more typically in the range of about 12 to 50 mm wide. In the output stage 410, a bottom view of the tape after the product liner 404 has been removed in the liner peel assembly 324 is shown. As shown, the expansion liner 408 is wider than the adhesive 402. In some embodiments, the adhesive 402 can be divided in the middle or near the middle to provide two pieces of tape, with a partial expansion liner 408 attached to each piece. These two pieces of tape, each having an expansion liner 408 on one side, can then be wound onto two planetary rolls.

[0059] Surface Feature Determination Module Figure 9 shows a surface feature determination module 500 in several embodiments. The surface feature determination module 500 can be used in conjunction with a modular tape application system 100 as a multifunctional surface feature determination module 104. The surface feature determination module 500 can evaluate at least one of a substrate, a substrate surface, or an adhesive used in a bonding process, including pressure-sensitive adhesive tape and liquid structural adhesives. In one or more embodiments, the surface feature determination module 500 can provide a determination or estimation of the surface energy of a surface based on a measurement of surface wettability or contact angle. Furthermore, the module 500 can be intended to help operators solve problems related to surface cleaning and surface modification processes and reduce uncertainty regarding whether a surface is sufficiently cleaned or prepared. The module 500 can provide data to confirm that a surface (including a tape surface, any liner surface including a product liner or extension liner, the surface of a substrate to which the tape is bonded, or other relevant surfaces) is acceptable for adhesive and tape bonding. The surface may be placed on a substrate, tape or other adhesive, tape liner, or any other surface or combination of surfaces. The substrate surface may include a metal such as aluminum, a polymer substrate such as an article made from nylon, polypropylene, or another polymer, an epoxy coating, enamel, paint, coating, or any other substance to which the operator wishes to attach tape or apply liquid structural adhesive.

[0060] The surface feature determination module 500 can measure or determine the characteristics of attributes or parameters, including substrate composition, surface composition, surface roughness, primer attributes and primer coverage and quantity, surface temperature, surface energy, wettability, ambient temperature, dew point, and relative humidity. The attributes or parameters whose characteristics are determined may be important for bonding, including adhesive bonding.

[0061] Generally, the surface feature determination module 500 can be configured to perform surface quality determination on the surface 505 of the substrate 503 for bonding. The module 500 may include a sensor or a plurality of sensors 502 configured to detect at least one characteristic of the surface 505 of the substrate 503 or the surrounding environment and to provide a value indicating at least one characteristic. The module 500 may further include a processor 501 which can be configured to determine at least one surface quality parameter of the surface 505 based on the values ​​provided by the sensors 502, and to determine at least one processing parameter for surface bonding application (e.g., tape application 116 or liquid adhesive application in system 100 of Figure 5) based on the at least one surface quality parameter.

[0062] The surface feature determination module 500 includes one or more sensors (i.e., substrate sensors) 502 for detecting the properties, state, and parameters of the substrate 503. The substrate 503 may include any suitable material, for example, at least one of metal, polymer, ceramic, or glass materials, or a coating containing one or more of these suitable materials.

[0063] In one or more embodiments, at least two sensors of the substrate sensor module 502 are used for any given time during tape application. The substrate sensor module 502 may include any suitable sensors, such as light absorption band sensors, temperature sensors, surface energy contact angle sensors, mechanical sensors, imaging sensors, etc. For example, Figure 21 is a schematic side view of one embodiment of a reflection mode sensor 1700. The reflection mode sensor 1700 may include an emitter 1702 and a detector 1704. The emitter 1702 may include any suitable emitter or a plurality of emitters, such as at least one of a light-emitting diode (LED), a laser, a vertical-cavity laser, or a laser diode. Although illustrated to include one emitter 1702, the sensor 1700 may include any suitable number of emitters. Furthermore, the emitter 1702 may be configured to emit electromagnetic radiation 1708 having any suitable wavelength or wavelength band, such as ultraviolet light, visible light, near-infrared light, infrared light, etc. In one or more embodiments, the emitter 1702 is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation at a wavelength of 3450 nm with a full width at half maximum of + / - 150 nm in order to measure the carbon-hydrogen (CH) bonds of contaminants on a metal surface. This wavelength range may be useful for detecting oil or other organic surface contaminants on a metal surface. In one or more embodiments, the emitter 1702 is adapted to emit electromagnetic radiation having a first wavelength and a second wavelength, wherein the first wavelength is different from the second wavelength. The emitter can be configured to emit electromagnetic radiation of any suitable number of wavelengths. In one or more embodiments, the emitter 1702 can emit electromagnetic radiation having a bandwidth of at least 4300 nm and a full width at half maximum of + / - 250 nm. In one or more embodiments, the emitter 1702 can be a broadband emitter.

[0064] In one or more embodiments, the sensor 1700 includes at least one signal emitter and one reference emitter of different wavelengths. In such embodiments, the reference wavelength range is selected such that the contaminant does not exhibit significant absorption due to chemical bonding. This reference can be used to subtract a baseline that affects the reflectance of the base substrate. In one or more embodiments, the substrate 1706 does not absorb significantly at its wavelength.

[0065] Detector 1704 is positioned to detect at least a portion of the electromagnetic radiation 1708 emitted by emitter 1702 and reflected by substrate 1706. Detector 1704 may include any suitable detector or a plurality of detectors, e.g., at least one of a photodetector, photodiode, photoresistor, or any component capable of detecting changes in electromagnetic field intensity. Although illustrated to include one detector 1704, sensor 1700 may include any suitable number of detectors. Detector 1704 may be configured to detect one or more discrete wavelength bands of electromagnetic radiation. In one or more embodiments, detector 1704 may have a detection target wavelength of 3450 nm and a full width at half maximum of + / - 150 nm. In one or more embodiments, detector 1704 may be a broadband detector. Sensor 1700 may further include a light shield 1708 that can be positioned between emitter 1702 and detector 1704. The optical shield 1708 can be configured to block electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitter 1702 that is directed towards the detector 1704 without being initially reflected by the substrate 1706.

[0066] Returning to Figure 9, the substrate sensor module 502 may include a visual contamination sensor 504. The visual contamination sensor 504 may include a camera, a magnifying glass, or any other device capable of acquiring or inspecting visual data, and may detect conditions such as cleanliness or lack thereof, excessive debris or dust on the substrate surface, or excessive oiliness, and this detection can be facilitated using image recognition methods, statistical methods, or mechanical methods.

[0067] In one or more embodiments, the visual contamination sensor 504 can identify the bulk material of the substrate 503, the surface material of the substrate, or contaminants on the surface 505 of the substrate by using FTIR to scan a broad spectral range of wavelengths on the substrate that provide different absorbance or transmittance spectra. Not only can contamination be detected using FTIR, but the intensity of the critical spectral signal can be directly calibrated against the amount of contamination on the surface.

[0068] While FTIR is a very useful technique, it is expensive and difficult to implement on a processing line due to the time required to complete a surface scan. FTIR is useful for measuring and inspecting stationary substrates, but is not well-suited for moving substrates.

[0069] For example, Figure 22 is a plot of absorbance versus wavelength of FTIR spectra for different levels of contamination on the surface of a substrate. Generally, spectral bands of an FTIR spectrum can be identified when a particular contaminant absorbs a specific wavelength or wavelength band that is not absorbed by a particular substrate material. A sensor can be identified that includes an emitter emitting in the identified spectral band and a detector that detects the reflected spectral band. A separate reference emitter that emits electromagnetic radiation at a specific wavelength or wavelength band that is not absorbed by the contaminant can also be used.

[0070] In one or more embodiments, the tape can be applied to a metal substrate such as aluminum. Organic oils are typically used when processing such metal substrates and can be the main source of surface contamination on the substrate. Organic contaminants may exhibit a carbon-hydrogen absorption band in the range of approximately 3000–3800 nm. In contrast, metal substrates such as aluminum typically do not absorb in this range. Therefore, the majority of the absorption detected by the FTIR sensor is from the contaminants and not from the substrate.

[0071] As shown in Figure 22, the FTIR spectrum of Tri-Cool MD-1 Micro-Drop Vegetable Lubricant (available from Trico Corporation (Pewaukee, WI, US)) was measured using a Thermo Scientific Nicolet iS10 FTIR spectrometer running OMNIC9 measurement and analysis software (ThermoFisher Scientific (Chicago, Illinois, US)). Units in Figure 22 are Log(1 / R) versus wavenumber (1 / cm). Peaks are observed in the wavenumber range (1 / cm) from 3050 to 2700. These correspond to various types of carbon-hydrogen bonds characteristic of organic compounds, as detailed in Table 1 below. See Characteristic IR Band Positions. Berkeley Lab, Advanced Light Source [online], [Retrieved 2022 / 03 / 30]. Internet<https: / / www2.lbl.gov / mmartin / bl1.4 / IRbands.html> This was found through a search (showing the range of carbon-hydrogen bond absorbance for wavenumbers 3340 to 2780 (1 / cm)). [Table 1]

[0072] Tri-Cool MD-1 Micro-Drop Vegetable Lubricant was placed on an aluminum test panel measuring 2 inches x 5 inches at six different contamination levels (Conditions 1-6). The test panel was first cleaned using a cleaning process known in the art, and then contaminated with 3-4 drops of Tri-Cool MD-1 Micro-Drop Vegetable Lubricant oil. The following are the six conditions measured to produce the spectrum 1800 in Figure 23. The units in Figure 23 are percent reflectance (%R) calculated by the instrument software using % transmittance calculation. Since the measurement was a reflectance measurement, the transmittance calculation corresponds to reflectance. The units on the x-axis have been converted from wavenumber (1 / cm) to wavelength (nm) again using the instrument software. The conversion between wavenumber (1 / cm) and wavelength (nm) is wavelength = 1E7 / wavenumber. The observed decrease in %R corresponds to a greater absorbance of electromagnetic radiation by the contaminant (Tri-Cool MD-1) at these wavelengths.

[0073] ●Condition 1 (Control): The oil coating was removed from the aluminum test panel. The panel was further cleaned by two wipes with methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) solvent CAS number: 78-93-3 (available from Sigma-Aldrich, Inc. (St. Louis, MO, USA)) and 50 / 50 IPA / aqueous solution, followed by three wipes with acetone solvent. The graph for Condition 1 is not shown, but it is similar to the graph for Condition 6 in Figure 23D. ●Condition 2: 3-4 drops of Tri-Cool MD-1 Micro-Drop Vegetable Lubricant oil were placed on the surface of each test panel and spread evenly with a small Kimwipe tissue. The surface of the test panels had an oily, glossy appearance. The graph for Condition 2 is not shown. ●Condition 3: The test panel from Condition 2 was wiped once with a large Kimwipe. Figure 23A is a graph of the spectrum of the test panel under Condition 3. ●Condition 4: The panel from Condition 3 was wiped again with a large Kimwipe. The oil was no longer visible on the surface of the test panel. Figure 23B is a graph of the spectrum of the test panel under Condition 4. ●Condition 5: The panel from Condition 4 was wiped once with IPA solvent using a tissue (i.e., sprayed onto IPA and wiped with a Kimwipe). Figure 23C is a graph of the spectrum of the test panel under Condition 5. ●Condition 6: The panel from Condition 5 was wiped once with acetone solvent using a tissue (spraying onto the acetone, then wiping with a Kimwipe). Figure 23D is a graph of the spectrum of the test panel under Condition 6.

[0074] After each cleaning, the panel was scanned with a Nicolet iS10 FTIR spectrometer to obtain the graphs shown in Figures 23A to 23D.

[0075] As shown in Figures 23A to 23D, the peak height at a particular wavelength varies depending on the specific conditions. Tri-Cool MD-1 oil is an organic oil similar to mineral oil and has a strong peak at approximately 3450 + / - 150 nm due to carbon-hydrogen bonding. This peak can be seen for all organic contaminants. Furthermore, most bare metal substrates do not have significant absorbance at this wavelength. If this type of contaminant is present on the surface, the amount of contaminant should be proportional to the amount of absorbance shown in the FTIR spectrum.

[0076] Using discrete-wavelength LED emitter light and associated photodiode detectors, similar spectral outputs can be provided in a narrow wavelength band. To monitor the surface 505 of the substrate 503, the LED emitter and associated photodiode detector are mounted so that the LED emitter illuminates the surface with electromagnetic radiation. Such radiation is reflected directly to the photodiode detector at a precise angle, and the photodiode detector detects a specific absorption band as shown in Figure 21. Focusing lenses, mirrors, and filters can be used to enhance the signal. For contamination on the surface 505, the LED-emitting electromagnetic radiation is selected to emit wavelengths known to be absorbed by the primary contaminant and not absorbed by the substrate 503. For example, hydrocarbon oil contaminants have strong carbon-hydrogen bond absorbance within the wavelength band of 3450 nm + / - 150 nm. Typical metals such as aluminum and steel do not absorb at this wavelength. Absorbance in this range indicates hydrocarbon oil or surfactants on the surface. LEDs typically emit electromagnetic radiation in a narrow wavelength band. A methane detector LED light emitter and associated photodiode detector can measure absorbance in this wavelength range and can be positioned to detect hydrocarbon oil on a surface 505. A reference baseline wavelength can also be measured to account for changes in the substrate surface 505 that may affect the reflectance signal. The signal intensity is determined using the peak height or area relative to the baseline. For example, an LED emitting in the 4300 nm range can provide a suitable reference wavelength for the baseline. Such an LED corresponds to one used to detect carbon dioxide (CO2). This system is relatively inexpensive and fast compared to FTIR and offers the advantage of being able to measure moving articles or webs. The LED emitter and associated photodiode detector can perform more than 1000 measurements per minute, with an average of 10 measurements per minute, resulting in an average of approximately 100 measurements per minute. In this technique, the absorbance intensity can also be calibrated for the amount of contaminants on the surface.

[0077] It should be noted that this discrete wavelength system will not detect contaminants unless they possess chemical functional groups that absorb within the discrete wavelength range. Some contaminants, such as silicone oils exhibiting small amounts of hydrocarbon functional groups, have a slight presence of carbon-hydrogen bonds and are difficult to detect using discrete wavelengths within the 3450 nm ± 150 nm band. Even small amounts of silicone oil contamination can significantly affect adhesion. A different discrete wavelength band can be selected for specific silicone oil contaminants. For example, silicone oil contaminants may exhibit strong absorbance at a wavelength of 7900 nm ± 100 nm.

[0078] Returning to Figure 9, the substrate sensor 502 may further include a surface energy or surface wetting sensor 506. The surface energy or wetting sensor 506 is described in more detail herein with reference to Figure 10.

[0079] The surface roughness of the substrate can significantly affect the adhesion of most tapes and adhesives. The substrate sensor 502 may further include a surface roughness sensor 508. The surface roughness sensor 508 may include a mechanical sensor, an optical sensor, or an image acquisition device such as a camera. Surface roughness can also be measured or estimated based on an image from the image acquisition device. For example, a captured image of surface 505 or substrate 503 can be compared to a reference image of known roughness to estimate or measure the surface roughness of the target surface. Surface roughness can also be evaluated using other sensors.

[0080] The substrate sensor 502 may further include a surface composition sensor 510. Any suitable surface composition sensor or a plurality of surface composition sensors, such as at least one of a near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) sensor, UV-VIS sensor, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) sensor, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) sensor, photoexcited electron emission (OSEE) sensor, or laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) sensor, or any other optical or physical spectroscopic sensor, can be used. Measurements may be performed over the entire range of the instrument, over one or more parts of such range, or over individual segments of the spectrum. Exemplary physical spectroscopic sensors include acoustic spectral sensors such as ultrasonic probes, and vibration pickups, mechanical styluses, and moisture sensors.

[0081] The substrate sensor 502 may further include a surface temperature sensor 512 (which may include a non-contact infrared temperature sensor) that can help determine whether the substrate 503 is at a temperature that contributes most to bonding by tape or adhesive (e.g., liquid adhesive). This temperature may vary depending on ambient conditions, previous storage temperature, and other factors. In one or more embodiments, the surface temperature sensor 512 may be a non-contact sensor to avoid contamination or deformation of the surface.

[0082] In this patent, "liquid adhesive" refers to liquid or paste structural adhesives or semi-structural adhesives used in an assembly process, such as one-component or two-component epoxy, urethane, acrylic, silicone, and similar adhesives.

[0083] Other surface sensors 502 can use monochromatic light, lasers, or LEDs in a selected spectral region to sample a subset of the electromagnetic spectrum (for example, a specific wavelength or wavelength band in the UV-VIS-NIR-IR region, preferably) and detect or identify specific contaminants based on the contaminant spectral signature within the sampled subset of the spectral region.

[0084] The substrate sensor 502 may further include a UV fluorescence sensor 514 that is triggered by appropriate UV light illuminating the surface. Such a sensor 514 can detect the presence or amount of primer, or the presence of sufficient primer, by using an ultraviolet (UV) sensor to detect and measure UV additives in the primer.

[0085] The surface feature determination module 500 may further include a tape sensor 516 for detecting characteristics, state, or parameters of the tape 518. The tape sensor 516 may include a visual contamination sensor 520 and a surface temperature sensor 522. The visual contamination sensor 520 and the surface temperature sensor 522 may be similar to, identical to, or combined with a visual contamination sensor 504 and a surface temperature sensor 512, which measure similar characteristics of the substrate 503 to which the tape is adhered during the tape application operation 524.

[0086] At least one characteristic of the surface 505 of the substrate 503 detected by the sensor 502 may include any suitable characteristics or a number of characteristics, such as the presence of a primer on the surface 505 of the substrate 503, surface temperature, dust, debris, surface contamination, surface wetting, and other sensors.

[0087] Sensors such as the substrate sensor 502 can provide an output signal 526 to a correction device 528 configured to provide a corrective treatment to the substrate 503 or to perform other corrective functions. The corrective functions may include surface treatment processes, including solvent cleaning modules, wiping, scrubbing, dust and debris removal, polishing modules, plasma treatment devices, flame treatment devices, laser treatment devices, corona treatment devices, ultrasonic treatment devices, or other treatment processes such as heating the substrate. These corrective processes are designed to clean the surface and / or increase the surface energy or wettability of the substrate 503 in order to improve the adhesion of the tape or adhesive to the substrate. Similarly, the tape sensor 516 can provide an output signal 530 to the correction device 528. Signals 526 and 530 may include visual or audible instructions to warn the operator to use the correction device 528 to perform treatment on the substrate 503 or tape 518. The surface feature determination module 500 may record this and other data for troubleshooting purposes or to determine environmental parameters to be set in future bonding processes.

[0088] The surface feature determination module 500 may further include a processor 501 coupled to at least one sensor, which is either a tape sensor 516 or a substrate sensor 502. In some embodiments, the processor 501 may be coupled to two or more sensors, which are either a tape sensor 516 or a substrate sensor 502. Based on the measurements of the sensor 502 (e.g., values ​​provided by the sensor), the processor 501 can determine at least one surface quality parameter of the surface 505, and based on at least one surface quality parameter, it can determine at least one downstream or upstream processing parameter for surface coupling application. At least one surface quality parameter may include any suitable parameter, such as temperature, roughness, surface energy, debris, contaminants, etc.

[0089] Furthermore, the processing parameters may include any appropriate parameters, such as ambient temperature, force, processing speed, primer application, surface heating, polishing adjustment, and cleaning process. The processor 501 may provide instructions for corrective actions to be taken in response to the detection of a poor surface quality condition. As used herein, the term “poor surface quality condition” means any condition that may adversely affect the adhesion of the tape or adhesive to the substrate surface. The instructions may include recommendations to adjust the surface polishing process, or to perform any other process on the surface of the tape, substrate, or liner, or any combination thereof. The instructions may include recommendations to provide services to the primer applicator system. The instructions may include recommendations for potential corrective actions or cleaning or treatment of the substrate to which the tape is applied. The instructions may include recommendations to adjust the surface treatment process of at least one of the tape or the substrate to which the tape is applied. Other recommendations may also be provided, such as cleaning the substrate, priming the substrate, surface treatment of the substrate, plasma or corona treatment of the substrate, polishing the substrate, heating the substrate, or drying the substrate. The above examples are not limiting to the number or nature of corrective action recommendations provided by the processor 501. In one or more embodiments, the processor 501 is further configured to control a machine or module (for example, the surface cleaning module 102 in system 100 of Figure 5) configured to perform a selected corrective action using any suitable technique.

[0090] The processor 501 may be further configured to identify the surface composition of the surface 505 of the substrate 503 based on values ​​provided by the sensor 502, using any appropriate technique. For example, the surface composition of the surface 505 of the substrate 503 may be identified based on values ​​provided by the light absorption band sensor. If an unexpected surface composition is detected, the processor 501 may be further configured to provide a notification or feedback in response to the detection of the unexpected surface composition. As used herein, the term “unexpected surface composition” means a surface material that is not expected, or a surface that is contaminated, for example, a surface different from the one selected to which the tape is fitted.

[0091] The processor 501 may be further configured to generate a prediction of the probability of success of surface bonding application based on at least one surface quality parameter of the surface. Such a success prediction can be obtained using any preferred technique, for example, one or more of the techniques described herein with respect to adhesive prediction systems. The prediction of success of surface bonding application may further be based on at least one of the properties of a particular tape or adhesive, substrate composition, or surface.

[0092] Figure 10 is a block diagram of a sensor 600 for detecting a contact angle 610 (typically a water contact angle) and calculating the surface wettability or surface energy and surface roughness 604 of a substrate 503, according to several embodiments. The sensor 600 can perform the operations of one or both of the wettability sensor 506 and the surface roughness sensor 508 (Figure 9).

[0093] Surface energy is the surface tension of a solid and is typically measured in units of energy per unit length. Surface energy can determine how a solid behaves in contact with other materials, and in specific applications of substrate 503, it can determine how the substrate behaves in contact with tape adhered to it. Surface energy is usually indirectly estimated by the wettability of the surface test (e.g., contact angle, wett tension, wett area percentage) and is known to correlate with surface energy and adhesion. Testing and detection can be performed continuously, during spot checks, or periodically.

[0094] Sensor 600 receives a reference droplet 606 as input. The droplet 606 may contain a UV fluorescent material that fluoresces when exposed to UV light, making the droplet more visible (considering the need to avoid contamination and the ability to remove droplets from article surfaces). The droplet 606 may be one or more different types and may have known surface tensions. In the embodiment, the droplet 606 may include a polar liquid (typically water).

[0095] A droplet 606 is applied to the substrate 503 being tested. A camera 608 can be used for visual or computer-based inspection to observe, measure, or estimate the contact angle with the substrate 503. In exemplary embodiments, the contact angle is the angle formed between the droplet 606 and the substrate 503 at the three-phase contact point where the solid-liquid interface and the liquid-gas interface meet. Surfaces with higher energy have higher wetting properties for a given liquid with a lower contact angle, and surfaces with lower energy have lower wetting properties for a given liquid with a higher contact angle. Therefore, wetting properties (e.g., contact angle measurements) can be correlated with surface energy and adhesion values. In another embodiment, wetting properties can be estimated by controlling the deposition of a known number of droplets onto a surface, subsequently capturing an image of the surface, and determining the amount of surface area covered by the droplets.

[0096] Water contact angle measurement is a highly effective technique for detecting and determining silicone oil contamination on surfaces. The amount of contamination on a surface can be determined by using changes in the water contact angle.

[0097] The surface roughness 604 can be measured by subjective observation by an operator using camera images captured by camera 608. Other methods can also be used to estimate the contact angle, surface roughness, surface energy, or wettability.

[0098] Tape roll joining station Figure 11 shows tape roll joining devices 700 according to several embodiments. The tape roll joining device 700 may include a spool (e.g., at least two tape core holders) for holding at least two rolls of double-sided tape, and a mechanism for unwinding multiple rolls of tape and joining a new (or complete) tape roll 702 to a used (or nearly used) tape roll 704, for continuous operation and to reduce tape roll replacement time. The multiple rolls of tape may include double-sided tape, such as foam tape.

[0099] The tape roll joining device 700 aims to help operators solve the problem of tape roll replacement, which is required so frequently that it causes production or assembly lines to stop or slow down, reducing throughput and decreasing operator profits. Typical double-sided tape and foam tape rolls are about 36 to 72 straight yards long. In manual tape joining systems, operators typically detect the need to replace a tape roll that is used up or nearly used up. Operators typically stop or slow down the line speed for other processes outside the tape application system or for other processes downstream of tape application (e.g., when the tape is applied to a surface). The operator then cuts one or both of the used or nearly used tape roll and a new tape roll and manually joins them to the new roll (e.g., "butt join"). Manual tape joining systems are prone to errors. For example, a new tape roll 702 may be misaligned with the used tape roll 704 after joining during the joining process. Manual tape joining is also relatively slow and can take several minutes to join with the line stopped.

[0100] One or more embodiments of the tape roll joining device 700 address these and other issues, reducing the time required to load new tape rolls and automatically feeding tape rolls into mechanisms used downstream in the tape application process. The tape roll joining device 700 can operate on tapes of various widths and thicknesses, as opposed to level-wound rolls of tape, which may be limited to specific widths, thicknesses, lengths, and liner types and may require specific manufacturing processes. Furthermore, the tape can be supplied as cartridges to facilitate the feeding of the tape into the mechanism or pre-feeding.

[0101] A tape roll joining device 700 according to an embodiment may include a roll sensor 706 configured to detect the depletion state of at least a first roll of tape (e.g., a depleted tape roll 704). Although not shown, the device 700 may include a second roll sensor for detecting the depletion of a new tape roll. In some embodiments, instead of, or in addition to, the roll sensor 706, software, hardware, or other control system remote or local to the tape roll joining device 700 may determine the approximate amount of tape remaining on the roll based on the amount of material previously processed. In some embodiments, this estimation may be done as part of the control logic of the unwinding unit. The roll sensor 706 may include an optical sensor. Additionally or alternatively, the roll sensor 706 may include a mechanical arm configured to detect an empty roll when the diameter of a used tape roll 704 falls below a threshold. Additionally or alternatively, the roll sensor 706 may include a weight detector for detecting the weight of a used tape roll 704. A roll sensor 706 or a separate roll sensor (not shown in Figure 11) can detect the status of other tape rolls, such as a new tape roll 702 or other tape rolls in a system having three or more tape rolls. A control circuit in contact with the roll sensor 706 or other parts of the tape roll joining device 700 can detect or determine the amount of time or distance 708 over which joining should be performed. The end of the tape on an empty tape roll 704 can be estimated using a sensor that indicates how much tape has been distributed, for example, that a 36-yard roll will be cut at 36 yards.

[0102] In response to the roll sensor 706 detecting that a roll of tape (e.g., an empty tape roll 704) is empty, the cutting mechanism 710 can cut the empty tape roll 704 at its trailing edge. The cutting mechanism 710 can cut the empty tape roll 704 at an angle to the length and width of the tape. For example, the cutting mechanism 710 can cut the empty tape roll 704 parallel to each trailing or leading edge, or perpendicular to the longitudinal edge. The new tape roll 702 is pre-cut during manufacturing. In the embodiment, the angle of each cut should be substantially the same in order to minimize the gap between each tape piece after joining. The tape joining process is designed to minimize the gap between tape pieces or to perform joining without overlapping tape pieces.

[0103] The joining mechanism can join the leading edge of a new tape roll 702 (or another tape roll in the system (not shown)) to the trailing edge of a used tape roll 704.

[0104] A tape tab 712 can be made on a new tape roll 702. The tape tab 712 is used to butt-join the new tape roll 702 to the used tape roll 704. The tape tab 712 can be made manually or automatically in advance before the new tape roll 702 is loaded into or on the tape roll joining device 700.

[0105] In one or more embodiments, one or more of the tape rolls 702, 704 or other tape rolls (not shown in Figure 11) may contain an adhesive and liner as shown in Figure 7. In the embodiment, the bonded used roll 704 and the new roll 702 are fed into a nip roll mechanism having at least two nip rolls 714, 716 for liner bonding, as described above with reference to Figures 7 and 8 in this specification.

[0106] Figure 12A shows a type of liner butt joint according to several embodiments. Figure 12B shows another type of butt joint, identified as a functional splice, according to several embodiments. Any type of joint can be called a butt joint. Figure 12C shows preparations for a butt joint according to several embodiments.

[0107] In Figure 12A, the tape may include, for example, a double-sided acrylic foam 800 and a tape liner 802, and may include one tape piece 804 which can be joined to another tape piece 806, for example, an acrylic foam 808 and a tape liner 810. The double-sided acrylic foams 800 and 808 can typically have a maximum thickness of about 6.0 mm. In some embodiments, the double-sided acrylic foams 800 and 808 can have a thickness of more than 1.6 mm. The tape liners 802 and 810 can have a thickness of less than about 0.25 mm, but in some embodiments, the tape liners 802 and 810 can have a maximum thickness of about 0.5 mm. The tape pieces 804 and 806 may have a gap 811 of less than about 3.2 mm (1 / 8 inch) or less than about 1.6 mm (1 / 16 inch), depending on the type and application of the tape. The gap 811 helps prevent or eliminate overlapping bulges of the joined tapes, which can reduce or eliminate clogging and other problems further downstream from the tape roll joining device 700 (Figure 11). However, the gap 811 should be kept to a minimum in order to maintain liquid tightness, bond consistency, and integrity between the tape pieces 804 and 806.

[0108] A tab 812, including an adhesive portion 814 for bonding to tape liners 802, 810 and tape film backing 816, can be applied over the gap 811. In embodiments, the tab 812 can be centered over the gap 811, but embodiments are not limited thereto. In embodiments, portion 814 may include a silicone pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA), and the tape film backing may include polyester (PET). The bonding shown in Figure 12A can be called a liner butt bond, in that only the liners and not the tape itself are bonded.

[0109] Figure 12B shows a joint where both the liner and the tape are joined separately. The joined liner can be removed, and the tape remains joined together and continuous. In Figure 12B, the tape, which includes a double-sided foam 800 (e.g., an acrylic foam tape, but embodiments are not limited thereto) and a tape liner 802, may include one tape piece 804 that is joined to another tape piece 806, which includes an acrylic foam 808 and a tape liner 810. The joining tape tab 812 includes an adhesive portion 814 for bonding to the tape liners 802, 810 and the tape film backing 816, and can be applied over the gap 811. In embodiments, the joining tape tab 812 may be centered over the gap 811, but embodiments are not limited thereto. In embodiments, the portion 814 may include a silicone-based or compatible pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA), and the tape film backing may include polyester (PET). The joint according to Figure 12A may be called a liner butt joint, etc.

[0110] As shown in Figure 12B, the tape pieces 804 and 806 may have a gap 811 of less than approximately 3.25 mm, less than approximately 1.63 mm, or about 1 / 16 inch, depending on the type and application of the tape. The gap 811 helps prevent or eliminate bulging of the joined tape, which can reduce or eliminate clogging or other problems further downstream from the tape roll joining device 700 (Figure 11). However, the foam portions on opposite sides of the tape pieces 804 and 806 can be joined by applying a second tab 820 containing acrylic (or the same or similar adhesive used on the double-sided foams 800 and 808) PSA 822 and compatible backing material (in some examples, polyester or polymer film and adhesive) 824. The joining according to Figure 12B may be called a functional join or functional butt join.

[0111] Figure 12C shows two pieces of tape 804 and 806 before joining. The same element numbers in Figure 12C refer to the corresponding elements in Figure 12B. At 824, a force is applied to tab 812 in the direction toward the joining table 826. The joining table 826 may also be a movable thread or carriage. The joining table 826 provides a reaction force to the automatic force provided at 824 during the application of tab 812. The joining table 826 includes guides for maintaining the tape pieces 804 and 806 in joining position and alignment. The joining table may be coated with a release coating or a similar surface to minimize adhesion of tab 820. Thus, tab 812 contacts the tape liner 810 of tape piece 806, thereby forming a liner butt joint and joining tape piece 804 to tape piece 806 to provide a continuous roll of tape. Similarly, tab 820 contacts and joins the acrylic foams 800 and 808, forming a functional joint.

[0112] Referring again to Figure 11, the tape roll joining device 700 may further include other circuits 718 for communicating with other systems or for providing indicators. Circuits 718 are described in more detail herein with respect to Figures 19 and 20. For example, circuit 718 may include an indicator mechanism to show the empty state of the used tape roll 704 or other tape rolls. In a further embodiment, circuit 718 may include a communication interface and a processor coupled to the communication interface, the processor of which may provide signals to other elements of system 100 (Figure 5), including signals indicating a desired speed of the production line associated with the tape roller joining device 700. This process may record joining time, tape identification information, day codes of the two input rolls of tape, and other applicable information.

[0113] Similarly, improved roll changing and joining systems can also be useful in various tape automation processes, commonly known as semi-automatic push-through linear laminators (SLLs). These automation tools and processes, like SLLs, are effective and used to improve manual tape application operations, providing benefits in terms of improved quality, processing speed, and overall productivity and cost. Linear laminators are commonly used to apply acrylic foam tape and 3M® VHB® tape to reinforcing materials and associated linear components.

[0114] Figure 24 is a schematic side perspective view of one embodiment of the tape feeding system 1900. All design considerations and possibilities described herein with respect to the tape feeding system 106 of Figure 5 apply equally to the tape feeding system 1900 of Figure 24. The system includes a base 1902 and / or a frame 1904. The frame 1904 includes an arm 1906 and a first spindle 1908 and a second spindle 1910 connected to the arm. A first tape roll 1912 is connected to the first spindle 1908, and a second tape roll 1914 is connected to the second spindle 1910. The system 1900 also includes a tape splice module 1916 configured to slidably engage with the base 1902. The tape splice module 1916 can be configured to splice planetary tape rolls continuously or substantially continuously. The tape splice module 1916 includes a table 1918 on which splices can be formed.

[0115] The spindles 1908, 1910 can be slidably connected to the arm 1906 using any suitable technique so that the tape rolls 1912, 1914 can be repositioned independently along the arm. In one or more embodiments, the spindles 1908, 1910 can be connected to tracks located within the arm 1906 by slides connected to each spindle. In one or more embodiments, the spindles 1908, 1910 can be repositionably locked along the arm 1906. Although the system 1900 is shown as including two spindles 1908, 1910 and two tape rolls 1912, 1914, the system may include any suitable number of spindles capable of supporting any suitable number of tape rolls.

[0116] Generally, typical straight tape feeding systems are relatively low-cost and easy to operate. Such systems can also improve quality by processing large volumes of tape consistently and uniformly. However, manual roll changes are difficult, and these roll changes require multiple steps, which can result in considerable system downtime. For example, the roll change process requires the operator to stop the line, cut the roll of tape, and then remove the used roll. Next, the operator installs a new roll of tape and adds tape tabs to the ends for joining. Once the new roll is ready, the operator takes the trailing end of the used roll and attaches it by hand to the end of the new roll using the tape tabs, without any alignment assistance.

[0117] Adding a second tape roll 1914 on the spindle 1910 to the arm 1906 and inline tape joining module 1916 of system 1900 can help align the end of the tape from the used-up roll (first tape roll 1912) with the end of the tape on the new roll (second tape roll 1914). The new tape roll 1914 can be pre-loaded or loaded at a convenient time during the process. As shown in Figure 25, when the first tape roll 1912 is used up, the inline joining module 1916 can be slid into the joining position, aligning the used-up end 1920 of the first tape roll with the edge guide 1922 and applying / pressing it onto the table 1918 of module 1900. The second tape roll 1914 can be prepared for system 1900 to operate by sliding the roll into place and locking it in place. A new tape end 1924 of the second tape roll 1914 can similarly be applied directly over the used end 1920 on the joining table 1918. In one or more embodiments, a safety-protected razor knife or other cutting device can be slid along a track directly above the two overlapping ends 1920, 1924, thereby cutting both layers. The adhesive force of the tape holds the tape to the table 1918 of the joining module 1916. The two cut ends are removed, and the two remaining ends are pressed into position on the joining table 1918. Since the knife cuts both ends simultaneously, both ends are in position for joining and alignment. The operator then applies a piece of joining tape 1926 onto the liner directly above the joining line to form a liner butt joint. The tape is removed from the joining table 1918, and the table is slid out of the way.

[0118] In one or more embodiments, the system 1900 can slide a new tape roll into place without having to move the used tape roll, thus maintaining the same tape path as when the used tape roll 1912 is replaced with a new tape roll 1914. Furthermore, the bonding table 1918 can be configured to perform clean, aligned bonding with minimal gaps that can be applied to the substrate without generating defects.

[0119] Hand tape applicator Figure 13 shows one embodiment of the hand tape applicator 900. The hand tape applicator 900 includes a device and circuit for measuring at least one of tape application force or position. The applicator 900 is intended to help an operator solve the problem of applying tape in a desired (e.g., linear) application to meet the needs of a downstream process during manual application. While manual application of tape to a substrate has been described, the tape applicator 900 can be used in automated operation, as will be further described herein. In one or more embodiments, the tape applicator 900 can be used by an operator to apply tape to a substrate in a direction toward the operator 902.

[0120] The applicator 900 may include a tape feeding system 910 for supplying tape in the forward direction around the tape core, and a liner take-up roll 908 for when the liner is removed from the tape.

[0121] Exemplary devices and circuits may include guides (e.g., laser guides, vision-based sensors, or mechanical guides) for guiding tape application linearly or along specific locations, as further described herein. For example, the guides may indicate the direction 902 in which the tape applicator 900 is applying the tape, and where the tape should begin and end on the substrate. Vision-based sensors may help detect oil, rust, debris, or other contaminants, or detect primer or other materials on the surface to which the tape is applied. In addition, one or more sensors of the multifunctional surface feature determination module 104 in Figure 5 may be connected (wired or wirelessly) to the tape applicator 900. In one or more embodiments, the applicator 900 may receive input from the surface feature determination module 104.

[0122] The exemplary apparatus may further include a notification system that provides feedback on tape application force, alignment, substrate surface temperature, and other information. For example, if the lamination force is below a threshold, if the lamination force is not uniform, or if the tape should be checked for bubble trapping and other conditions, feedback can be provided using audible or visual alarms, and corrective actions can be taken as necessary. The force sensor 905 (Figure 14) may include a sensor that detects force over a length of tape parallel or substantially parallel to the tape application, thereby measuring force along the distribution path. Additionally or alternatively, the force sensor 905 can measure force over a width of the applicator 900 perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the direction of tape application 902, thereby measuring force over the width of the distribution path. The forces can be displayed graphically along the distribution path on the article and can be recorded and documented for each identified article for later manufacturing quality control processes. If the force is outside specifications, light or a signal can be emitted so that operators and supervisors are aware of the problem. Optionally, operators can take corrective actions to correct the problem.

[0123] If the alignment deviates from the desired alignment by a threshold, audio or visual feedback can be provided. Similarly, tape alignment can be recorded and displayed. The applicator 900 may include tape rollers 904. The tape applicator 900 may also include edge guides or other mechanisms for applying the tape parallel to or along a desired edge or path. The exemplary device may further include processing circuits and memory for data acquisition and for communicating with other edge devices, the cloud, or other processing systems, remote or local, to the tape applicator or downstream processes. Data acquisition can be applied to quality control processes.

[0124] The tape applicator 900 can be mounted to pivot on various degrees of motion or planes of motion for, for example, applying tape on uneven surfaces or around corners. The tape applicator 900 can be designed with a mounting mechanism 906 for attachment to various handling systems. The tape applicator 900 can be configured to travel either in front of or behind the operator.

[0125] For fully manual operation, the tape applicator 900 may be designed with one or more ergonomic handles 1012 for easy operation and guiding, as well as for applying force to the tape. The tape applicator 900 may be operated using two separate handles for two-handed operation, for example, one handle for tape guiding and the other handle for force application, as further described herein. In addition, one or both of the ergonomic handles may be repositionable or adjustable to be customized for the operator or application.

[0126] In a typical operation, the first step is to apply double-sided adhesive tape to an article. Once applied, the tape liner is removed to attach the second article. In one or more embodiments, this second operation may require the second article to be attached / bonded to the tape with similar force and adhesive contact. Typically, the operator uses a second roller tool to apply force to the second article for bonding. For further improvement and advantages, this same tape applicator 900 can be designed with a roller and a retractable tape applicator roll, allowing the tape applicator to be used as a force-applying roll for the second step in the tape bonding operation. The operator not only experiences the convenience of one tool but also gains the same ergonomic advantages of two handles and force-monitoring sensors.

[0127] In some exemplary embodiments, the tape applicator 900 may include a mechanism such as a handle 1012 for manually applying the tape. In at least these embodiments, a guide may be provided for aligning the tape during application.

[0128] Figure 14 shows further details of the tape applicator 900 according to several embodiments. Although described in relation to the hand tape applicator 900 in Figure 13, the various elements and components described in relation to Figure 14 are equally applicable to the hand tape applicator 2000 in Figures 26-27 and the hand tape applicator 2100 in Figure 28. As illustrated, the hand tape applicator 900 may include an electronic tool component 1000 and a mechanical tool component 1002.

[0129] The mechanical tool component 1002 may include a mounting mechanism 906. The mounting mechanism 906 may include a general-purpose receiver that can be designed to be mounted on a robotic system or an XYZR table or platform. The XYZR table can hold the surface to be taped and rotate around multiple axes for tape application at various angles (in another embodiment, the tape applicator can be translated and rotated around the article). The tape applicator 900 may include an adjustment mechanism 1004 for adjusting to different tape widths and lengths. The mechanical tool component 1002 may include other elements such as actuators, such as a cutting mechanism 1008 for separating a portion of the tape from the tape roll; a liner removal mechanism 1010 for lifting the corners of the tape liner for liner removal; force correction parts, such as an actuation cylinder for balancing forces; and other mechanisms designed to correct tape application variability, such as an ultrasonic horn, heater, and other mechanisms. Furthermore, an ergonomic handle 1012 may be added. The mechanical tool component 1002 may further include a laminator 1014 for laminating a liner or other material onto the tape.

[0130] The electronic tool component 1000 may include a sensor 1006 for detecting the presence of tape, or for detecting the presence of vibration, heat, ultrasonic sources, moisture, or other environmental factors and conditions. In one or more embodiments, the sensor 1006 may include a tape roller sensor configured to detect the rotation speed of the tape roller when the hand tape applicator 900 applies tape to a substrate. Based on the rotation speed detected by the tape roller sensor (or other preferred techniques such as the use of a capacitance or laser distance measuring system), the processor 1016 can determine the length of tape applied to the substrate (i.e., the applied tape length). Alternatively, the length of the applied tape can be measured by monitoring the rotation of other rollers in the applicator.

[0131] The electronic tool component 1000 may further include a computing circuit 1016 which may include components such as a processor, memory, communication circuit, and audio / visual display circuit, as will be described in more detail herein with reference to Figures 19-20. The computing circuit 1016 can control various aspects and operations of the hand tape applicator 900 and provide communication to other systems and modules as described with reference to Figures 5-6. The electronic tool component 1000 may further include an imaging circuit 1018 such as a camera and a component 1020 for performing surface feature determination, the component 1020 may include or communicate with components of the multi-functional surface feature determination module 104 (Figure 5). The electronic tool component 1000 may be mounted on and integrated with the hand tape applicator 900 or other components of the mechanical tool component 1002.

[0132] Figures 26-27 are schematic perspective and cross-sectional views of another embodiment of the hand tape applicator 2000. All design considerations and possibilities described herein with respect to the hand tape applicator 900 of Figures 13-14 apply equally to the hand tape applicator 2000 of Figures 24-25. For example, the tape applicator 2000 may include one or more elements of the mechanical tool components 1002 and the electronic tool components 1000, as described herein with respect to Figure 14.

[0133] The hand tape applicator 2000 includes a body 2002, a spindle 2004 connected to the body and configured to receive a tape roll 2006 containing tape 2008, and an ergonomic handle 2036 connected to the body. The applicator 2000 also includes a roller mechanism 2012 connected to the body 2002 and configured to apply tape 2008 to a substrate 2010. The roller mechanism 2012 includes a head 2014 and a tape roller 2016, the tape roller extending along a roller axis 2001 between a first end 2018 and a second end 2020 of the tape roller. The tape roller 2016 is connected to the head 2014 at each of the first end 2018 and the second end 2020. The applicator 2000 further includes a force sensor 2022 connected to the tape roller 2016 and the head 2014, the force sensor configured to detect the force between the tape roller and the head and provide a force-indicating signal. The hand tape applicator 2000 can be configured to apply the tape 2008 to the substrate 2010 along any preferred direction. In one or more embodiments, the applicator 2000 is configured to apply the tape along a direction 2003 away from the operator.

[0134] The body 2002 of the applicator 2000 can include any suitable material and take any suitable shape. Furthermore, the spindle 2004 can be connected to the body 2002 using any suitable technique, thereby configuring the spindle to rotate relative to the body. The spindle 2004 can be configured to receive the tape roll 2006 using any suitable technique. For example, the tape roll 2006 can be friction-fitted onto the spindle or mechanically connected to the spindle. Any suitable tape roll 2006 and tape 2008 can be used with the applicator 2000, for example, tape 2 in Figure 1. Furthermore, the tape 2008 can have any suitable dimensions. In one or more embodiments, the tape 2008 can have a width of at least 0.25 inches and no more than 6 inches, but typically less than 2 inches.

[0135] An ergonomic handle 2036 is also connected to the main body 2002. As used herein, the term “ergonomic handle” means that the handle is perceived by the operator as comfortable to grasp, hold, guide, or carry. In one or more embodiments, the applicator may include a second handle 2037, similarly connected to the main body 2002. Although shown to include two handles 2036, 2037, the applicator 2000 may include any suitable number of handles connected to any suitable part of the main body 2002. Furthermore, the handles 2036, 2037 may include any suitable handle, such as a pistol grip, a shovel, etc. In one or more embodiments, at least one of the handles 2036 or the second handle 2037 may be reconfigurable to accommodate different users, for example, the handle may be repositionable on the main body 2002 of the applicator 2000. Furthermore, in one or more embodiments, at least one of the handle 2036 or the second handle 2037 is also configured to connect the applicator 2000 to an automated tape application system, for example, the modular tape application system 100 shown in Figure 5. In one or more embodiments, the handle 2036 (and / or the second handle 2037) may include an actuator 2026 for operating a cutting mechanism 2038, which can be connected to the body 2002, as further described herein. In one or more embodiments, the actuator 2026 may be an electric actuator configured to operate the cutting mechanism 2038, or it may be mechanically operated. In one or more embodiments, at least one of the handles 2036, 2037 is configured to be adjustable so that an operator can apply force to the substrate 2010 using the tape applicator 2000. In one or more embodiments, at least one of the handles 2036, 2037 may be removable, adjustable, or pivotable so that the handle can take on a retracted position, such as the one shown in Figure 26, where the second handle is in a retracted position.

[0136] The roller mechanism 2012 is also connected to the main body 2002 and is configured to apply the tape 2008 to the substrate 2010, as shown in Figure 27. The head 2014 of the roller mechanism 2012 can take any suitable shape and can be connected to the main body 2002 using any suitable technique. Furthermore, the head 2014 can be connected to the tape roller 2016 using any suitable technique. As shown in Figure 27, the first end 2018 of the tape roller 2016 is connected to the head 2014 by a first connector 2028, and the second end 2020 of the tape roller is connected to the head by a second connector 2030. The first connector 2028 and the second connector 2030 can be connected to the roller 2016 so that the roller can rotate around the roller axis 2001 when the tape 2008 is applied to the substrate 2010.

[0137] The first connector 2028 and the second connector 2030 may include any suitable pattern. In one or more embodiments, at least one of the first connector 2028 or the second connector 2030 may include at least one of a spring, hinge, shock absorber, or support so that the force between the head 2014 and the tape roller 2016 remains substantially constant when the tape 2008 is applied to the substrate 2010, i.e., so that it can maintain a substantially constant force. As used herein, the phrase “substantially constant force” means that the force between the head and the tape roller is not more than about + / - 50% of a target force, or more preferably not more than + / - 30% of a target force. In one or more embodiments, the first connector 2028 and the second connector 2030 may be configured to self-balance the tape roller 2016 or to be horizontal with respect to the substrate 2010 in order to maintain a relatively uniform force across the width of the tape 2008 when the tape is applied to the substrate. As used herein, the phrase “relatively uniform force” means that the difference in force applied to the tape and the substrate is about + / - 30% or less, more preferably about + / - 15% or less, across the width of the tape 2008 to which it is applied. The target force can be input to the processor 2024 by the operator. In one or more embodiments, the processor can be configured to determine a target force that achieves at least 75% adhesive contact to the substrate surface, more preferably approaching 85%, and most preferably aiming for 100% contact, based on at least one of the tape width, tape type, tape thickness, substrate surface condition, surface texture, or surface temperature.

[0138] In one or more embodiments, the first connector 2028 may include a first actuator, and the second connector 2030 may include a second actuator. In one or more embodiments, at least one of the first connector 2028 or the second connector 2030 may include an actuator in combination with at least one of a hinge, a shock absorber, or a support. Each of the first and second actuators may include any suitable actuator, such as a linear actuator, adapted to adjust the force between the head 2014 and the first and second ends 2018 and 2020 of the tape roller 2016, respectively. In one or more embodiments, the processor 2024 of the hand tape applicator 2000 may be configured to actuate the first and second actuators independently to adjust the force between the head 2014 and the first and second ends 2018 and 2020 of the tape roller 2016, that is, the processor may control the actuators independently of each other. The processor 2024 may be further configured to vibrate the first and second actuators so that the tape roller 2016 vibrates or is struck while the tape 2008 is being applied to the substrate 2010. Such vibration may improve the wet-out of the tape when the tape 2008 is applied to the substrate 2010. Furthermore, such vibration may also impart a structure to the back surface of the tape 2008, which may help vent air for secondary bonding applications performed on the tape.

[0139] The tape roller 2016 may include any suitable roller or a plurality of rollers. In one or more embodiments, the tape roller 2016 includes a shaft 2032 and a roller pad 2034 disposed on the shaft. In one or more embodiments, the roller pad 2034 is integral with the shaft 2032, i.e., manufactured as a single piece. The shaft 2032 is configured to be rotatably connected to a first connector 2028 and a second connector 2030. Furthermore, the roller pad 2034 may include any suitable material, preferably an elastomer material, such as rubber, a polymer (e.g., an elastomer material), or a foam. In one or more embodiments, the outer surface of the roller pad 2034 may have shape conformability or include foam or foam-like properties to improve the fit with the base material 2010 of the tape roller 2016. Furthermore, the roller pad 2034 may take any suitable shape, such as a cylindrical shape. In one or more embodiments, the roller pad 2034 can have a circular shape in a plane perpendicular to the roller axis 2001. In one or more embodiments, the roller pad 2034 can be compressible and have a curved shape in a plane parallel to the roller axis and perpendicular to it to conform to the surface 2011 of the base material 2010.

[0140] The roller mechanism 2012 may include any appropriate number of rollers. For example, Figure 28 is a schematic side view of another embodiment of the hand tape applicator 2100. All design considerations and possibilities described herein with respect to the hand tape applicator 2000 of Figures 26-27 apply equally to the hand tape applicator 2100 of Figure 28. One difference between the hand tape applicator 2100 of Figure 28 and the hand tape applicator 2000 of Figures 26-27 is that the applicator 2100 includes a roller mechanism 2112 having a first tape roller 2116 and a second tape roller 2134, each roller connected to a head 2114. In the embodiment shown in Figure 28, the first tape roller 2116 is configured to apply the tape 2108 to the substrate 2110, and the second tape roller 2134 is configured to apply force to the tape after the tape has been applied to the substrate. In one or more embodiments, the first tape roller 2116 may be configured to apply force to the tape 2108 after the tape has been applied to the substrate 2110, and the second tape roller 2134 may be configured to apply the tape to the substrate. Furthermore, in one or more embodiments, at least one of the first tape roller 2116 or the second tape roller 2134 may be removable or pivotable so that the respective tape roller does not come into contact with the substrate 2110 or the tape 2108 applied to the substrate.

[0141] Furthermore, another difference between the hand tape applicator 2100 and the hand tape applicator 2000 is that the applicator 2100 includes a laser guide 2150 configured to provide the direction in which the tape 2108 is applied to the substrate 2110. Although not shown in Figures 26-27, the hand tape applicator 2000 may also include a laser guide or a plurality of laser guides. The laser guide 2150 may include any suitable laser or a plurality of lasers. Furthermore, the laser guide 2150 may be positioned at any suitable position or a plurality of positions on at least one of the body 2012 or the roller mechanism 2112. In one or more embodiments, the laser of the laser guide 2150 may be positioned in front of the first roller 2116 such that the first roller is between the laser guide and the handle 2136. In one or more embodiments, the laser guide 2150 may include one or more additional lasers which may be positioned on at least one side of the body 2102 or the roller mechanism 2112 to provide lane marking or lines.

[0142] For example, in one or more embodiments, the laser guide 2150 can provide lane markings 2117 projected onto the substrate 2110, helping the operator apply the tape 2108 to at least one of the desired positions or orientations on the substrate 2110. In one or more embodiments, the laser guide 2150 can project two lane markings 2117 onto the substrate 2110 in front of the first roller 2116 to indicate the desired direction in which the tape 2108 is applied. In one or more embodiments, a circuit (i.e., circuit 1016 in Figure 14) can provide feedback to the operator on whether the tape 2108 is applied within the lane. Furthermore, in one or more embodiments, the laser guide 2150 can indicate the start and end points of the applied tape. In one or more embodiments, the circuit 1016 can control where the start and end points are projected onto the substrate 2110 by the laser guide 2150.

[0143] Returning to Figures 26-27, the applicator 2000 also includes a force sensor 2022 connected to the head 2014. The force sensor 2022 is configured to detect the force between the tape roller 2016 and the head 2014 and to provide a force-indicating signal. The force sensor 2022 may include any suitable force sensor or a plurality of force sensors, such as a force sensor, a deflection beam-based sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, etc. In one or more embodiments, the force sensor 2022 includes a first sensor connected to a first end 2018 of the tape roller 2016 and a second sensor connected to a second end 2020 of the tape roller. The first sensor may be configured to detect a first force between the first end 2018 of the tape roller 2016 and the head 2014, and the second sensor may be configured to detect a force between the second end 2020 of the tape roller and the head. In one or more embodiments, the force sensor 2022 may be configured to determine the combined force between the tape roller 2016 and the head 2014 based on a first force and a second force.

[0144] In one or more embodiments, the hand tape applicator 2000 may also include a processor 2024 configured to receive signals from a force sensor 2022 and provide force-related feedback to the operator. Any preferred feedback can be provided to the operator, for example, the feedback described herein is provided by the force sensor 905 of the tape applicator 900 in Figures 13-14. The processor 2024 may also be configured to adjust the force between the tape roller 2016 and the head 2014 so that a selected force or force per unit width is applied to the tape when the tape 2008 is placed on the substrate 2010. The processor 2024 may utilize any suitable technique to adjust the force between the tape roller 2016 and the head 2014. Furthermore, the width of the tape 2008 applied to the substrate 2010 may be input to the processor 2024 by the operator, or a sensor connected to the processor may be configured to detect the width of the tape 2008 applied to the substrate 2010. Based on the width of the tape 2008 and the force between the head 2014 and the tape roller 2016, the force per unit width can be calculated and adjusted by the processor 2024 using any appropriate technique so that the force per unit width remains within a selected range. In one or more embodiments, the force per unit width can be between approximately 3 lbs / in and approximately 50 lbs / in. In one or more embodiments, the surface feature determination module 104 (Figure 5) and the surface preparation module 112 are connected to the data acquisition device 208. The surface feature determination module 1020 can be configured to perform a surface quality determination of the surface 2011 of the substrate 2011 before applying the input tape 2008. The force between the tape roller 2016 and the head 2014 of the hand tape applicator 2000 can be adjusted based on the surface quality of the surface 2011 of the substrate 2010.

[0145] Furthermore, the processor 2024 may be configured to record or map force signals from the sensor 2022 with respect to the position along the applied tape length, using any appropriate technique. As used herein, the term “applied tape length” means the length of tape 2008 applied to the surface 2011 of the substrate 2010. The operator may be provided with a map of force signals along the applied tape length, showing the variation in force applied to the tape 2008 when the tape is placed on the surface 2011 of the substrate 2010. For example, a 3D model of the substrate 2010, along with the desired position where the tape 2008 is placed, can be input into circuit 1016 (Figure 14). The hand tape applicator 2000 can then sense the location using circuit 1016 and sense the distance traveled by the applicator using a tape roller sensor, as described herein. Such information can be made available by circuit 1016 to provide a 3D representation of the tape application. The cutting mechanism 2038 can also be controlled by circuit 1016 to automatically distribute a specific length of tape provided to process 2024 once the applicator 2000 begins application 2008 to the substrate 2010.

[0146] As described herein, the roller mechanism 2012 can be connected to the body 2002 using any suitable technique. For example, Figure 29 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the hand tape applicator 2200. All design considerations and possibilities relating to the tape applicator 2000 in Figures 26-27 and the tape applicator 2100 in Figure 28 apply equally to the tape applicator 2200 in Figure 29. One difference between the tape applicator 2200 and the tape applicators 2000 and 2100 is that the applicator 2200 includes a pivot mechanism 2240 that connects the head 2214 of the roller mechanism 2212 to the body 2202 of the applicator. The pivot mechanism 2240 is configured to pivot the tape roller 2216 of the roller mechanism 2212 relative to the body 2202, preferably by a pivot of 5 degrees or less, using any suitable technique.

[0147] The pivot mechanism 2240 may include any suitable pivot mechanism. As shown in Figure 29, the pivot mechanism 2240 includes a swivel 2242 connected to the body 2202 using any suitable technique. The pivot mechanism 2240 may also include one or more connectors 2244 that connect the pivot mechanism to the head 2214. The connectors 2244 may include any suitable connector, such as a spring or force cylinder, that allows the head 2214 to pivot relative to the body 2202 and balances the forces acting on each side of the tape roller 2216 regardless of the angle between the roller shaft 2201 and the surface 2211 of the base material 2210. Although not shown, the tape applicator 2200 may include one or more force sensors, such as those described herein with respect to the force sensor 2022 of the applicator 2000 in Figures 26-27.

[0148] Returning to Figures 26-27, the hand tape applicator 2000 can communicate with the system 200 in Figures 5-6 and load a profile of a specific adhesive or tape applied to the substrate 2010. This profile interacts with the force sensor 2022 or other sensors connected to the applicator 2000 to determine how the sensor data relates to the force applied to the tape 2008. The user interface connected to the applicator 2000 can also receive other data, such as substrate and tape dimensions, to calculate the desired force required to generate the target force on the tape 2008. Furthermore, a centralized database connected to the applicator 2000 can provide traceability of the application process. For example, the surface feature determination module 104 in Figure 5 can record the surface condition, and the hand tape applicator 2000 can record the application condition. These logs can be combined and analyzed by a processor to provide product and process suggestions.

[0149] In general, the various components and modules of the tape application system described in this application, as shown in Figures 9 and 14, are designed to improve common pain points experienced in tape application processes, regardless of the level of automation. Some components and modules, such as the surface property determination module, can also address pain points in liquid structural adhesive processes. These components and modules are designed to be high-performance and help operators and supervisors control and improve these processes. In its lowest form, a processor for each component and module can provide the operator with signals such as visible light, audible signals, and tactile responses, so that the operator can know if the process is drifting or out of specification and take corrective action. These alerts regarding components, modules, and processes can be recorded and provided to a computer system. They can also be transmitted to supervisors in a convenient way, such as alerts on a mobile phone app, at any level of detail, along with process-related information. This information can be useful for training operators and taking preventive and corrective actions for various components, modules, and processes. The processor can control and chart key data and notify the operator if the process is out of control or drifting. Based on machine learning and data analysis, the processor can automatically determine whether the state of either tape or liquid structural adhesive bonding is acceptable based on past modeling, and then determine the necessary conditions / changes to be made to ensure an acceptable bonding state. In high-level automated systems, the processor can automatically identify problems and take corrective actions to keep products and processes under control. At all levels, the processor can record data on items, tape or liquid adhesive, date / time, lot, process conditions, etc., as well as records for the quality assurance department, customer documentation, and results for future issues.

[0150] Adhesive prediction system Embodiments can provide predictive modeling tools that drive iterative machine learning applications using appropriate analytical techniques such as multivariate statistical approaches and predictive models to predict the performance or success of tapes or adhesive bonds (e.g., liquid adhesives). The performance of a tape or adhesive bond depends on the interaction between the tape or adhesive and the substrate of the article. Adhesive behavior can be characterized based on the chemical properties and other characteristics of the adhesive, but the properties of the substrate can vary based on factors such as surface composition, finish, bulk polymer additives, surface treatments such as corona and primer, aging, storage conditions, and other factors. Some of these other factors can be determined by the surface feature determination module 500 (Figure 9). Embodiments described herein aim to predict adhesive performance based on collected data regarding the adhesive, the substrate, and any process for joining the two.

[0151] This prediction can be used to determine corrective actions to take to improve performance. In these and other embodiments, the observed performance data can be iteratively fed back into the machine learning application to improve future predictions, for quality control, and for other applications.

[0152] The embodiment provides improvements that go beyond other modeling and quality control applications by not relying on manual operator input and data analysis. The embodiment can also provide computerized development of formulas representing the tape application process and the determination of surface features of the tape, adhesive, and substrate, as well as machine learning of novel and additional aspects that have not been previously considered by operators.

[0153] The instruments are used to collect data on the substrate. These instruments include, with reference to the Surface Characterization Module 500 (Figure 9), the instruments described above, for example, instruments for detecting the fluid contact angle (such as the water contact angle) to help determine or estimate the surface energy, surface roughness, and topographic properties of the substrate, tape, or adhesive. The surface energy of a surface is a parameter that affects the performance of the adhesive / substrate. For example, Figure 15 shows a handheld device 1100 for measuring the surface free energy of the surface of a substrate 1110. The device in Figure 15 uses a droplet on a solid surface to measure the fluid contact angle.

[0154] A second set of data, such as from Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, may also be used to measure parameters of at least one of the adhesive or substrate in the sample embodiment, as FTIR spectroscopy is well suited to determining the identity of polymer materials. FTIR spectroscopy is a technique used to obtain far-infrared spectra of absorption or emission of solids, liquids, or gases by measuring how much light a sample absorbs at each wavelength. In one or more embodiments, the FTIR spectrometer simultaneously collects high spectral resolution data over a wide spectral range by pressing the sample against a diamond crystal to collect absorption data. For example, Figure 16 shows FTIR spectra 1200 and 1210 of two polypropylene samples. FTIR spectroscopy uses a Fourier transform to convert the raw data into actual spectra of the type shown in Figure 16. As described in the multifunctional feature determination section, many other techniques can be employed to obtain a second data point(s), such as an electromagnetic spectrum or an acoustic spectrum or a portion thereof, or to capture an array containing multiple data points, using direct-contact or non-contact methods.

[0155] Techniques such as multivariate analysis or machine learning can be used to understand how different factors and variables may influence each other, and embodiments can be used to understand how different properties and variables related to adhesives, substrates, and tape application processes may affect the quality of adhesive bonds. In embodiments, partial least squares (PLS) technique is used to construct predictive models of adhesive performance due to the suitability of PLS ​​to data generated from analytical instruments commonly used in adhesive applications (e.g., FTIR instruments, NMR instruments, etc.). However, embodiments are not limited to PLS technique for multivariate analysis.

[0156] PLS regression is a statistical method for finding linear regression models by projecting predictor and observable variables into a new space. PLS is used to find a latent variable approach to model the fundamental relationship between two matrices (X and Y), i.e., the covariance structure in these two spaces. The PLS model attempts to find the multidimensional directions in the X space that explain the maximum multidimensional variance direction in the Y space. PLS regression is particularly suitable when the predictor matrix has more variables than the observed values, and when there is multicollinearity between the X values.

[0157] Multivariate analysis can be performed in any of the systems described herein with reference to Figures 19 and 20 (e.g., edge computing systems, central processors, or other systems). Thus, in the embodiments, the non-temporary computer-readable medium may contain instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform multivariate analysis and prediction of substrate / tape or substrate / adhesive performance. An overview of such a process can be seen in Figure 17.

[0158] As shown in the figure, the X variable, representing the substrate parameters, is collected using various measurement techniques such as FTIR spectroscopy or other surface feature determination methods to create a database 1300 that includes parameters for each substrate such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, stainless steel, aluminum, red paint, nylon, glass, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), black acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and parameters for each adhesive product such as adhesive tape (e.g., by part number). The X variable may further include data or information provided by the multifunctional surface feature determination module 104, as previously described herein. The Y variable may be collected, for example, by performing peel tests (e.g., 90-degree peel adhesion strength tests based on ASTM D3330) in 1310 to establish the main response for adhesive tape on each substrate. This type of analysis may be used to create a predictive model in 1320 using statistical packages such as Unscrambler®, available from Aspen Technology Company (Montclair, New Jersey, USA), Umetrics®, available from Sartorius (Gottingen, Germany), and R, a free software environment for statistical calculations and graphics, downloadable from https: / / cran.r-project.org, based on a set of variables that affect the measurable output parameters. For example, the performance of a tape / substrate or adhesive / substrate combination evaluated using the standard ASTM D3330 90-degree peel-and-bond test may be used as the primary response. The resulting output variables may include predictions of the adhesive bond performance. The two surfaces under consideration are analyzed using selected techniques (surface energy and FTIR spectroscopy) and used as variables in the statistical package to create the predictive model 1320. The predictive model 1320 is then tested by testing the substrate in 1330, and the process is repeated with additional samples to improve the predictive model 1320 as a time-series iterative process.

[0159] Other predictors can be used depending on the specific application. For example, predictors can include failure mode predictors. Generally, bonding failures are most frequently observed during lamination, and depending on the strength of the bond, the two materials being bonded (e.g., adhesive and substrate) may separate. Results from any tests can be fed back into the feedback loop to improve the predictive model.

[0160] The operation may further include generating recommendations for corrective actions for the tape application process for a particular substrate tape. In addition, the operation may include outputting at least one of the input variables or any other parameters of a predictive model, a test system, or a simulation of a taping application based on either the test system or the predictive model.

[0161] Based on the input tape, substrate, measured surface properties, and input parameters, multivariate analysis predicts adhesive performance, such as peel adhesion strength. Based on this model, the system takes corrective actions to maximize and maintain adhesive performance. For example, maximum adhesive performance is achieved when the peel failure mode is foam fragmentation failure for double-sided foam tape. The system performs corrective actions and adjustments to maintain the adhesion value above the value required for the foam fragmentation failure mode. Corrective actions may include initiating a solvent cleaning process, polishing the surface, plasma treatment of the surface, or adding a primer to the surface.

[0162] The input variable may indicate the type of substrate. For example, the input variable may include an indicator for at least one of polypropylene, polyethylene, polycarbonate, stainless steel, aluminum, paint, nylon, and glass. The input variable may also indicate the type of tape or adhesive. The tape may include pressure-sensitive adhesives with or without an additional adhesive or non-adhesive layer (however, embodiments are not limited thereto). A database can be used to store information on standard substrate and tape types. The input variable may include at least one of the following: adhesive physical properties, adhesive thermal properties, adhesive electrical properties, adhesive curing properties, adhesive performance properties, adhesive durability properties, adhesive chemical resistance properties, adhesive rheological properties, adhesive viscosity, adhesive curing time, adhesive modulus, adhesive solvent resistance, adhesive composition, adhesive distribution properties, adhesive usage requirements, standardization tests or certifications, environmental parameters, backing properties, and liner properties.

[0163] Figure 18 is a chart showing the average measured peel value versus the average predicted peel value for various substrate / adhesive combinations. As illustrated, the prediction model was fairly accurate using the developed dataset. However, as shown by Lexan sample 1400, the prediction model was confused by thin layers with lower surface energy, resulting in contact angles that differed significantly from what was expected. Such inaccuracies in the prediction model can be improved over time by using more samples to build the prediction model.

[0164] Computer device The devices and circuits of the surface feature determination module 104, tape bonding module 108, extension liner module 110, and tape applicator module 120 (Figures 5 and 6), as well as the components of the calculation circuit 230 and data acquisition device 208 (Figure 6), can be executed or partially executed on a computing system, such as an edge computing node. Figure 19 shows an edge computing node according to several embodiments.

[0165] In the simplified embodiment shown in Figure 19, the edge compute node 1500 includes a compute engine (also referred to herein as “Compute Circuits”) 1502, an input / output (I / O) subsystem 1508, a data storage device 1510, a communication circuit subsystem 1512, and optionally one or more peripheral devices 1514. In other embodiments, each compute device may include other or additional components typically found in a computer (e.g., displays, peripheral devices, etc.). Furthermore, in some embodiments, one or more of the exemplary components may be incorporated into another component or otherwise form part of another component.

[0166] The compute node 1500 may be embodied as any type of engine, device, or collection of devices capable of performing various computing functions. In some embodiments, the compute node 1500 may be embodied as a single device such as an integrated circuit, embedded system, field-programmable gate array (FPGA), system-on-chip (SOC), or other integrated system or device. In exemplary embodiments, the compute node 1500 includes or is embodied as a processor 1504 and memory 1506. The processor 1504 may be embodied as any type of processor capable of performing the functions described herein (e.g., running applications). For example, the processor 1504 may be embodied as a multicore processor, microcontroller, or other processor or processing / control circuit. In some embodiments, the processor 1504 may be embodied as an FPGA, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), reconfigurable hardware or hardware circuitry, or other dedicated hardware to facilitate the performance of the functions described herein, or may be coupled to them.

[0167] Memory 1506 may be embodied as any type of volatile (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM)) or non-volatile memory or data storage capable of performing the functions described herein. Volatile memory can be a storage medium that requires power to maintain the state of data stored in the medium. Non-limiting examples of volatile memory may include various types of random access memory (RAM), such as DRAM or static random access memory (SRAM). One particular type of DRAM that may be used in a memory module is synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM).

[0168] In one embodiment, the memory device is a block-addressable memory device, such as one based on NAND or NOR technology. In some embodiments, all or part of the memory 1506 may be integrated into the processor 1504. The memory 1506 can store various software and data, such as data used during the operation of one or more applications, data manipulated by the application(s), libraries, and drivers.

[0169] The computing circuit 1502 is communicatively connected to other components of the computing node 1500 via an I / O subsystem 1508, which can be embodied as a circuit or component for facilitating input / output operations with the computing circuit 1502 (e.g., the processor 1504 or the main memory 1506) and other components of the computing circuit 1502. For example, the I / O subsystem 1508 may be embodied as a memory controller hub, an input / output control hub, an integrated sensor hub, a firmware device, a communication link (e.g., a point-to-point link, a bus link, wires, cables, light guides, printed circuit board traces, etc.), or other components and subsystems for facilitating input / output operations, or may otherwise include these. In some embodiments, the I / O subsystem 1508 may form part of a system-on-a-chip (SoC) and may be integrated with the computing circuit 1502 together with the processor 1504, the memory 1506, and one or more other components of the computing circuit 1502.

[0170] One or more exemplary data storage devices 1510 may be embodied as any type of device configured for short-term or long-term storage of data, such as memory devices and circuits, memory cards, hard disk drives, solid-state drives, or other data storage devices. Each data storage device 1510 may include a system partition for storing data and firmware code for the data storage device 1510. Each data storage device 1510 may also include one or more operating system partitions for storing data files and executable files for the operating system, depending on the type of compute node 1500, for example.

[0171] The communication circuit 1512 may be embodied as any communication circuit, device, or set thereof that can enable communication over a network between the computing circuit 1502 and another computing device (e.g., an edge gateway of the implementing edge computing system). The communication circuit 1512 may be configured to perform such communication using any one or more communication technologies (e.g., wired or wireless) and associated protocols (e.g., cellular networking protocols such as 3GPP 4G or 5G standards, wireless local area network protocols such as IEEE 802.11 / Wi-Fi®, wireless wide area network protocols, IoT protocols such as Ethernet®, Bluetooth®, Bluetooth Low Energy, IEEE 802.15.4 or ZigBee®, low-power wide area network (LPWAN), ultra-wideband or low-power wide area (LPWA) protocols, etc.).

[0172] An exemplary communication circuit 1512 includes a network interface controller (NIC) 1520. The NIC 1520 may be embodied as one or more add-in boards, daughter cards, network interface cards, controller chips, chipsets, or other devices that can be used by a compute node 1500 to connect to another computing device (e.g., an edge gateway node). In some embodiments, the NIC 1520 may be embodied as part of a system-on-a-chip (SoC) including one or more processors, or it may be contained on a multi-chip package also including one or more processors. In some embodiments, the NIC 1520 may include a local processor (not shown) or local memory (not shown), both of which are local to the NIC 1520. In such embodiments, the local processor of the NIC 1520 may be capable of performing one or more of the functions of the compute circuit 1502 described herein. Additionally or alternatively, in such embodiments, the local memory of the NIC 1520 may be integrated into one or more components of a client compute node at the board level, socket level, chip level, or other level.

[0173] Furthermore, in some embodiments, each compute node 1500 may include one or more peripheral devices 1514. Such peripheral devices 1514 may include any type of peripheral device found in a compute device or server, such as an audio input device, a display, other input / output devices, an interface device, or other peripheral devices, depending on the particular type of compute node 1500. In further embodiments, the compute node 1500 may be embodied by each edge compute node (either a client, gateway, or aggregation node) within an edge computing system or a similar form of appliance, computer, subsystem, circuit, or other component.

[0174] In a more detailed embodiment, Figure 20 shows a block diagram of an example of components that may be present within the edge computing node 1650 to implement the technologies described herein (e.g., operations, processes, methods, and methodologies). This edge computing node 1650 provides a closer view of each component of node 1500 when implemented as a computing device or as part of a computing device (e.g., as a computer, mobile device, server, smart sensor, control system, etc.). The edge computing node 1650 may include any combination of the hardware or logical components referenced herein and may include or be linked to any device usable with an edge communication network or a combination of such networks. Components may be implemented as an integrated circuit (IC), a part thereof, a discrete electronic device, or other module, instruction set, programmable logic or algorithm, hardware, hardware accelerator, software, firmware, or a combination thereof, or as components otherwise incorporated into the chassis of a larger system.

[0175] The edge computing node 1650 may include processing circuitry in the form of a processor 1652, which may be a microprocessor, a multicore processor, a multithreaded processor, an ultra-low voltage processor, an embedded processor, or other known processing element. The processor 1652 may be part of a system-on-a-chip (SoC) in which the processor 1652 and other components are formed on a single integrated circuit or a single package. The processor 1652 and associated circuitry may be supplied in a single-socket form factor, a multi-socket form factor, or various other formats, including a limited hardware configuration or a configuration containing fewer elements than all elements shown in Figure 20.

[0176] The processor 1652 may communicate with system memory 1654 via an interconnect 1656 (e.g., a bus). Any number of memory devices may be used to provide a given amount of system memory. In one embodiment, memory 1654 may be random access memory (RAM) according to the Joint Electron Devices Engineering Council (JEDEC) design. In various implementations, individual memory devices may be any number of different package types, such as single-die packages (SDP), dual-die packages (DDP), or quad-die packages (Q17P). In some embodiments, these devices may be soldered directly onto the motherboard to provide a low-profile solution, while in other embodiments, the devices are configured as one or more memory modules connected to the motherboard by a given connector. Any number of other memory implementations may be used, such as other types of memory modules, including but not limited to different types of dual in-line memory modules (DIMMs), including microDIMMs or miniDIMMs.

[0177] To provide persistent storage of information such as data, applications, and operating systems, the storage 1658 may also be connected to the processor 1652 via the interconnect 1656. In one embodiment, the storage 1658 may be implemented via a solid-state disk drive (SSDD). Other devices that may be used for the storage 1658 include flash memory cards such as Secure Digital (SD) cards, microSD cards, and Extreme Digital (XD) picture cards, and Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drives.

[0178] The components may communicate via interconnect 1656. Interconnect 1656 may include any number of technologies, including industry standard architectures (ISA), extended ISAs (EISA), peripheral component interconnects (PCI), extended peripheral component interconnects (PCIx), PCI Express (PCIe), or any number of other technologies. Interconnect 1656 may also be a custom-developed bus used, for example, in an SoC-based system. Other bus systems may include, in particular, inter-integrated circuit (I2C) interfaces, serial peripheral interface (SPI) interfaces, point-to-point interfaces, custom-developed buses, and power buses.

[0179] The interconnect 1656 may couple the processor 1652 to the transceiver 1666 in order to communicate with the connected edge device 1662. The connected edge device 1662 may include other elements or parts of other elements shown in Figure 20, or other elements of the manufacturing system used by the operator, either remotely or locally to the tape automation system. The transceiver 1666 may use any number of frequencies and protocols, such as 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) transmission under the IEEE 802.15.4 standard, using the Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) standard or the ZigBee® standard, in particular, as defined by the Bluetooth® Special Interest Group. Any number of radios configured for a particular radio protocol may be used to connect to the connected edge device 1662. For example, a wireless local area network (WLAN) unit may be used to perform Wi-Fi® communication in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 standard. In addition, for example, wireless wide-area communications that follow cellular or other wireless wide-area protocols may be conducted via a wireless wide-area network (WWAN) unit.

[0180] A wireless network transceiver 1666 (or more transceivers) may communicate using multiple standards or radios for communication at different ranges. For example, an edge computing node 1650 may communicate with nearby devices, for example, within about 10 meters, using a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) based local transceiver or another low-power radio to conserve power. A more distantly connected edge device 1662, for example, within about 50 meters, may be reached via ZigBee® or other intermediate-power radios. Both communication technologies may be carried out over a single radio at different power levels, or over separate transceivers, for example, a local transceiver using BLE and separate mesh transceivers using ZigBee®.

[0181] A wireless network transceiver 1666 (e.g., a wireless transceiver) may be included to communicate with devices or services in the edge cloud 1695 via local or wide area network protocols. The wireless network transceiver 1666 may, in particular, be a low-power wide-area (LPWA) transceiver conforming to the IEEE 802.15.4 or IEEE 802.15.4g standards. The edge computing node 1650 may communicate over a wide area using LoRaWAN® (Long Range Wide Area Network), developed by Semtech and the LoRa Alliance. The technologies described herein are not limited to these and may be used in conjunction with any number of other cloud transceivers implementing long-range low-bandwidth communication and other technologies, such as Sigfox. Furthermore, other communication technologies, such as time-slot channel hopping as described in the IEEE 802.15.4e specification, may be used.

[0182] As described herein, in addition to the systems mentioned for the wireless network transceiver 1666, any number of other wireless communications and protocols may be used. For example, transceiver 1666 may include a cellular transceiver that uses spread spectrum (SPA / SAS) communication to perform high-speed communication. Furthermore, any number of other protocols may be used, such as Wi-Fi® networks for providing medium-speed and network communications. Transceiver 1666 may include radios compatible with any number of 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) specifications, such as Long-Term Evolution (LTE) and fifth-generation (5G) communication systems. Network interface controller (NIC) 1668 may be included to provide wired communication to nodes of edge cloud 1695 or other devices such as connected edge devices 1662 (e.g., operating within a mesh). Wired communication may provide an Ethernet® connection, or may be based on other types of networks, particularly Controller Area Network (CAN), Local Interconnection Network (LIN), DeviceNet, ControlNet, Data Highway+, PROFIBUS, or PROFINET. Additional NIC1668 may be included to enable connectivity to a second network, for example, a first NIC1668 providing communication to the cloud via Ethernet®, and a second NIC1668 providing communication to other devices via another type of network. Ultra-wideband sensors and emitters can be used to facilitate communication such as precise tape positioning relative to defined emitter beacons, as well as data transfer.

[0183] Given various types of applicable communication from a device to another component or network, the applicable communication circuit used by the device may include, or be embodied by, one or more of components 1664, 1666, 1668, or 1670. Thus, in various embodiments, applicable means for communicating (e.g., receiving, transmitting, etc.) may be embodied by such communication circuit.

[0184] The edge computing node 1650 may include, or be linked to, an acceleration circuit 1664 which can be embodied by one or more artificial intelligence (AI) accelerators, neural compute sticks, neuromorphic hardware, FPGAs, GPU configurations, data processing units (DPUs) or infrastructure processing units (IPUs), one or more SoCs, one or more CPUs, one or more digital signal processors, dedicated ASICs, or other forms of special processors or circuits designed to accomplish one or more special tasks. These tasks may include AI processing (including machine learning, training, inference, and classification operations), visual data processing, network data processing, object detection, rule analysis, and the like.

[0185] The interconnect 1656 may connect the processor 1652 to a sensor hub or external interface 1670 used to connect additional devices or subsystems. The devices may include sensors 1672 such as accelerometers, level sensors, flow sensors, optical sensors, camera sensors, temperature sensors or gauges, global navigation system (e.g., GPS) sensors, force sensors, barometric pressure sensors, and any sensors for detecting the condition of tape or other adhesives, primers, substrates, etc. These sensors may be directly connected to the computing device or located remotely as part of various manufacturing modules. The hub or interface 1670 may further be used to connect the edge computing node 1650 to actuators 1674 such as power switches, valve actuators, audible sound generators, and visual warning devices. These actuators may be directly connected to the computing device or located remotely as part of various manufacturing modules.

[0186] In some optional embodiments, various input / output (I / O) devices may reside within or be connected to the edge computing node 1650. For example, a display or other output device 1684 may be included to show information such as sensor readings or actuator positions. An input device 1686, such as a touchscreen or keypad, may be included to accept input. Output devices 1684 may include any number of forms of audio or visual displays, including simple visual outputs such as binary status indicators (e.g., light-emitting diodes (LEDs)) and multi-character visual outputs, or more complex outputs such as display screens (e.g., liquid crystal display (LCD) screens), where outputs such as characters, graphics, and multimedia objects are generated or created from the operation of the edge computing node 1650. In the context of this system, the display or console hardware may be used to provide outputs to the edge computing system, to receive inputs, to manage components or services of the edge computing system, to identify the state of edge computing components or services, or to perform any number of other management or administration functions or service use cases. These various input / output devices may be directly connected to a computing device or may be remotely located as part of various manufacturing modules. In the embodiment, notifications can be provided to multiple devices simultaneously; for example, an operator can view notifications on individual modules of system 100. Simultaneously or nearly simultaneously, notifications can be provided to the operator's smartphone or other device based on proximity or other criteria.

[0187] The battery 1676 can supply power to the edge computing node 1650, but in embodiments where the edge computing node 1650 is mounted in a fixed location, it may have a power source connected to a power grid, or the battery may be used as a backup or for temporary functions. The battery 1676 may be a lithium-ion battery, or a metal-air battery such as a zinc-air battery, aluminum-air battery, or lithium-air battery.

[0188] The battery monitor / charger 1678 may be included in the edge computing node 1650 to track the charge state (SoCh) of the battery 1676, if included. The battery monitor / charger 1678 may also be used to monitor other parameters of the battery 1676 to provide failure predictions such as the state of health (SoH) and state of function (SoF) of the battery 1676. The battery monitor / charger 1678 may communicate information about the battery 1676 to the processor 1652 via the interconnect 1656. The battery monitor / charger 1678 may also include an analog-to-digital (ADC) converter that allows the processor 1652 to directly monitor the voltage of the battery 1676 or the current flow from the battery 1676.

[0189] The power block 1680, or another power source connected to the power grid, may be connected to a battery monitor / charger 1678 to charge the battery 1676. In some embodiments, the power block 1680 may be replaced with a wireless power receiver to wirelessly acquire power, for example, through a loop antenna in an edge computing node 1650. The specific charging circuit may be selected based on the size of the battery 1676 and therefore the required current.

[0190] The storage 1658 may include instructions 1682 in the form of software commands, firmware commands, or hardware commands for implementing the techniques described herein. Such instructions 1682 are shown as code blocks contained in memory 1654 and storage 1658, but any of the code blocks can be understood to be replaceable by hardwired circuits, for example, incorporated in an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0191] In one embodiment, instructions 1682 provided via memory 1654, storage 1658, or processor 1652 may be embodied as non-temporary machine-readable medium 1660 containing code that instructs processor 1652 to perform electronic operations at edge computing node 1650. Processor 1652 may access non-temporary machine-readable medium 1660 via interconnect 1656. For example, non-temporary machine-readable medium 1660 may be embodied by the device described for storage 1658, or may include a specific storage unit such as an optical disc, flash drive, or any number of other hardware devices. Non-temporary machine-readable medium 1660 may include instructions for instructing processor 1652 to perform a specific sequence or flow of actions, as described with respect to the flowcharts and block diagrams of operations and functions shown above. As used herein, the terms “machine-readable medium” and “computer-readable medium” are interchangeable.

[0192] In certain embodiments, instructions 1682 on processor 1652 (either separately or in combination with instructions 1682 on machine-readable medium 1660) may constitute the execution or operation of a trusted execution environment (TEE) 1690. In one embodiment, the TEE 1690 operates as a protected area accessible to processor 1652 for the secure execution of instructions and secure access to data. Such access can be provided, for example, to other components of system 200.

[0193] In further embodiments, the machine-readable medium also includes any tangible medium capable of storing, encoding, or holding instructions for machine execution that cause a machine to perform one or more of the methods of the present disclosure, or any tangible medium capable of storing, encoding, or holding data structures used by or associated with such instructions. Thus, “machine-readable medium” may include, but is not limited to, solid-state memory, as well as optical and magnetic media. Specific examples of machine-readable mediums include, but are not limited to, semiconductor memory devices (e.g., electrically programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM)), and flash memory devices, magnetic disks such as internal hard disks and removable disks, magneto-optical disks, and non-volatile memories including, but not limited to, CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs. Instructions embodied by the machine-readable medium may be further transmitted or received over a communication network using a transmission medium via a network interface device using one of several well-known transfer protocols (e.g., Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)).

[0194] The machine-readable medium may be provided by a storage device or other apparatus capable of hosting data in a non-temporary format. In one embodiment, information stored on or otherwise provided on the machine-readable medium may represent an instruction itself, or an instruction in a format from which an instruction can be derived. This format from which an instruction can be derived may include source code, encoded instructions (e.g., in a compressed or encrypted form), packaged instructions (e.g., divided into multiple packages), and the like. Information representing an instruction in the machine-readable medium may be processed into an instruction by a processing circuit to perform any of the operations described herein. For example, deriving an instruction from information (e.g., processing by a processing circuit) may include compiling, interpreting, loading, organizing (e.g., dynamically or statically linking), encoding, decrypting, encrypting, decrypting, packaging, unpackaging, or otherwise manipulating the information (e.g., from source code, object code, etc.) into an instruction.

[0195] In one embodiment, instruction derivation may involve assembling, compiling, or interpreting information (e.g., by a processing circuit) for creating instructions from some intermediate or pre-processed format provided by a machine-readable medium. If the information is provided in multiple parts, it may be combined, unpacked, and modified to create instructions. For example, the information may be in multiple compressed source code packages (or object code, or binary executable code, etc.) on one or more remote servers. The source code packages may be encrypted as they are transferred over a network, decrypted as needed, decompressed, assembled (e.g., linked), compiled or interpreted on the local machine (e.g., into a library, a standalone executable, etc.), and executed by the local machine.

[0196] In this specification, the terms “comprises” and their variations are not limited in meaning when they appear in the specification and claims. Such terms are understood to suggest that they include one or more processes or elements described, but not that any other one or more processes or elements are excluded. “Consisting of” means including and limiting to everything that precedes the phrase “consisting of.” Thus, the phrase “consisting of” indicates that the enumerated elements are necessary or essential, and no other elements may be present. “Consisting essentially of” means including all elements that follow the phrase, and limiting to other elements that do not interfere with or contribute to the function or role specified in this disclosure with respect to the enumerated elements. Thus, the phrase “consisting essentially of” indicates that the enumerated elements are necessary or essential, but other elements are included at the discretion of the enumerator and may or may not be present, depending on whether they substantially affect the function or role of the enumerated elements. Any element or combination of elements listed in this specification in open-ended language (e.g., "contains" and its derivatives) shall be deemed to be further listed in closed-ended language (e.g., "consists of" and its derivatives) and partially closed-ended language (e.g., "essentially consists of" and its derivatives).

[0197] The terms “preferred” and “preferably” refer to embodiments of the disclosure that can provide a particular benefit under certain circumstances. However, other embodiments may also be preferred under the same or other circumstances. Furthermore, the description of one or more preferred embodiments does not imply that other claims are unhelpful, nor is it intended to exclude other embodiments from the scope of the disclosure.

[0198] In this application, terms such as “a,” “an,” and “the” are not intended to refer to only one entity, but include a general category for which specific examples may be used to illustrate. The terms “a,” “an,” and “the” are used interchangeably with the term “at least one.” The phrases “at least one of” and “including at least one of” following an enumeration refer to any one item in the enumeration, and any combination of two or more items in the enumeration.

[0199] As used herein, the term "or" is generally used in its ordinary sense, including "and / or," unless otherwise specified.

[0200] The term "and / or" means one or all of the enumerated elements, or any combination of two or more of the enumerated elements.

[0201] Furthermore, in this specification, all numbers are considered to be modified by the term “about,” and in certain embodiments, preferably by the term “exactly.” As used herein, in relation to a measured quantity, the term “about” refers to the variation of the measured quantity that can be predicted by a person skilled in the art who performs the measurement and exercises a level of care commensurate with the purpose of the measurement and the precision of the measuring instrument used. In this specification, the “maximum” number (e.g., maximum 50) includes that number (e.g., 50).

[0202] Furthermore, the notation of a numerical range by endpoints includes all numbers contained within that range, as well as its endpoints (for example, 1-5 includes 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, 5, etc.) and any subranges (for example, 1-5 includes 1-4, 1-3, 2-4, etc.).

[0203] As used herein, the term "room temperature" refers to a temperature between 20°C and 25°C.

[0204] The terms “in the range” or “within a range” (and similar phrases) include the endpoints of the range that is described.

[0205] Throughout this specification, references to “one embodiment,” “a certain embodiment,” “a particular embodiment,” or “several embodiments” mean that a particular feature, configuration, composition, or characteristic described in relation to an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of this disclosure. Therefore, the appearance of such phrases in various places throughout this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment of this disclosure. Furthermore, features, configurations, compositions, or characteristics may be combined in any preferred manner in one or more embodiments.

[0206] The tape bonding module, tape applicator, and extension liner module are tape-specific. Other embodiments described herein can be used directly or in similar versions for liquid adhesives and coatings. [Examples]

[0207] These examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to unduly limit the scope of the attached claims. While the broad ranges and parameters of this disclosure are approximations, the values ​​shown in the specific examples are reported as accurately as possible. However, each value inherently contains certain errors that inevitably arise from the standard deviation found in the respective test measurements. At a minimum, each numerical parameter should be interpreted by applying common rounding techniques in light of the number of significant figures reported, but this is not intended to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the claims.

[0208] Unless otherwise specified, all chemicals used in the examples can be obtained from the specified suppliers.

[0209] Test method: 90-degree peel adhesion test: The adhesive performance of the test tape is measured on various substrates under the following test conditions using a 90-degree peel adhesion test based on ASTM D3330, Test Method F.

[0210] A test tape was prepared by laminating the non-liner side of an acrylic foam tape onto a 5 mil (0.127 mm) thick anodized aluminum foil backing. A test strip measuring 16 mm wide x approximately 150 mm long was cut from the test tape. The test panel substrate was cleaned by wiping it with isopropyl alcohol at least twice.

[0211] Five acrylic foam tapes were tested. 3M(trademark) VHB(trademark)4910 3M(trademark) VHB(trademark)4941 3M(trademark) VHB(trademark)4950 3M(trademark) VHB(trademark) GPH110 3M(trademark) VHB(trademark) LSE110

[0212] The liner was removed, and the test tape was rolled down onto the test panel substrate using a 5 kg rubber-coated roller, passing it once in each direction. The bonded samples were left at room temperature for 72 hours prior to testing (23°C ± 3°C and relative humidity 50 ± 5%). The 90° peel strength was determined at a peeling rate of 30 cm / min (12 inches / min) and measured using an Instron or equivalent tensile testing machine. The average 90° peel strength was measured and converted to Newtons per meter (N / m). Three test samples were tested for each condition.

[0213] All disclosures of patents, patent documents, and publications referenced herein are incorporated by reference as if each were incorporated individually. To the extent that there is any inconsistency or contradiction between this Specified Version and any disclosure of any document incorporated herein by reference, this Specified Version shall prevail. Those skilled in the art will see various modifications and changes to this Disclosure that do not deviate from the scope and intent of this Disclosure. This Disclosure is not intended to be unduly limited by the exemplary embodiments and examples described herein, which are presented only as examples within the scope of this Disclosure, intended to be limited only by the claims described herein as follows: In addition to each embodiment, the following embodiments are also described. (Note 1) It is a hand tape applicator, The main unit and A spindle connected to the main body and configured to receive a tape roll containing tape, An ergonomic handle connected to the main body, A roller mechanism connected to the main body and configured to apply the tape to the substrate, The head and, A tape roller, the tape roller having an extension along the roller axis between a first end and a second end of the tape roller, and connected to the head at each of the first end and the second end, A roller mechanism equipped with, A force sensor connected to the head, configured to detect the force between the tape roller and the head and to provide a signal indicating the force, A hand tape applicator equipped with this feature. (Note 2) The hand tape applicator according to Appendix 1, further comprising a processor configured to receive the signal from the force sensor and provide feedback regarding the force to the operator. (Note 3) The hand tape applicator according to Appendix 2, wherein the processor is further configured to adjust the force between the tape roller and the head to provide the tape with a selected force per unit width when the tape is applied to the substrate. (Note 4) The hand tape applicator according to Appendix 2, wherein the roller mechanism further includes a first connector for connecting the first end of the tape roller to the head, and a second connector for connecting the second end of the tape roller to the head. (Note 5) The hand tape applicator according to Appendix 4, wherein each of the first connector and the second connector includes at least one of a spring, a hinge, a shock absorber, or a support column. (Note 6) The hand tape applicator according to Appendix 4, wherein the first connector comprises a first actuator, the second connector comprises a second actuator, and each of the first actuator and the second actuator is connected to the processor. (Note 7) The hand tape applicator according to Appendix 6, wherein the processor is further configured to independently operate at least one of the first actuator and the second actuator to adjust the force between the head and each of the first and second ends of the tape roller. (Note 8) The hand tape applicator according to Appendix 7, wherein the processor is further configured to vibrate the first actuator and the second actuator so that the tape roller vibrates or is struck while the tape is being applied to the substrate. (Note 9) The hand tape applicator according to Appendix 2, wherein the processor is further configured to record or map the force signals from the sensor with respect to a position along the applied tape length. (Note 10) The hand tape applicator according to Appendix 1, further comprising a pivot mechanism for connecting the head to the main body, wherein the pivot mechanism is configured to pivot the tape roller relative to the main body. (Note 11) The hand tape applicator according to Appendix 1, further comprising a second tape roller connected to the head, wherein at least one of the tape roller or the second tape roller is configured to apply force to the tape after the tape has been applied to the substrate. (Note 12) The hand tape applicator as described in Appendix 1, wherein the ergonomic handle is reconfigurable to suit different operators. (Note 13) The hand tape applicator according to Appendix 1, further comprising a laser guide connected to the main body or the roller mechanism, wherein the laser guide is configured to show the operator at least one of the following: a desired starting position of the tape when the tape is applied to the substrate, a desired stopping position of the tape applied to the substrate, or the path of the tape when the tape is applied to the substrate. (Note 14) The hand tape applicator according to Appendix 1, further comprising a cutting mechanism connected to the main body and adapted for separating a portion of the tape from the tape roll. (Note 15) A tape application system, A tape loading module including an input tape, A hand tape applicator connected to the tape loading module, The main unit and A roller mechanism connected to the main body and configured to apply the input tape to the substrate, The head and, A tape roller comprising: a tape roller extending along a roller axis between a first end and a second end of the tape roller, and connected to the head at each of the first and second ends; A hand tape applicator module comprising: a force sensor connected to the head, configured to detect the force between the tape roller and the head and to provide a signal indicating the force; A tape application system comprising the tape feeding module and a data acquisition device connected to the hand tape applicator module. (Note 16) The system according to Appendix 15, further comprising a surface feature determination module and a surface preparation module, wherein the surface feature determination module and the surface preparation module are connected to the data acquisition device, the surface feature determination module is configured to perform a feature determination of the surface quality of the surface of the substrate before the input tape is applied, and further, the force between the tape roller and the head of the hand tape applicator is adjustable based on the surface quality of the surface of the substrate. (Note 17) The system according to Appendix 16, wherein the data acquisition device comprises a processor configured to provide instructions for corrective action to the surface preparation module in response to a defective surface quality state detected by the surface feature determination module. (Note 18) The system according to Appendix 15, wherein the hand tape applicator further comprises a processor configured to receive the signal from the force sensor and provide feedback to the operator regarding the force. (Note 19) The system according to Appendix 18, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a target force based on at least one of tape width, tape type, tape thickness, substrate surface condition, surface texture, or surface temperature. (Note 20) It is a method, A hand tape applicator equipped with a roller mechanism comprising a head and a tape roller, the tape roller being connected to the head at its first and second ends, is used to place tape on the surface of a substrate. While the tape is placed on the surface of the substrate, the force between the tape roller and the head is detected. To communicate a signal indicating the aforementioned force, A method comprising adjusting the force between the tape roller and the head while positioning the tape on the surface of the substrate based on the signal.

Claims

1. A hand tape applicator, The main unit and A spindle connected to the main body and configured to receive a tape roll containing tape, An ergonomic handle connected to the main body, A roller mechanism connected to the main body and configured to apply the tape to the substrate, The head and, A tape roller, the tape roller having an extension along the roller axis between a first end and a second end of the tape roller, and connected to the head at each of the first end and the second end, A roller mechanism equipped with, A force sensor connected to the head, configured to detect the force between the tape roller and the head and to provide a signal indicating the force, A processor configured to receive the signal from the force sensor and provide feedback regarding the force to the operator, Equipped with, A hand tape applicator, wherein the processor is further configured to adjust the force between the tape roller and the head to provide the tape with a selected force per unit width when the tape is applied to the substrate.

2. A hand tape applicator, The main unit and A spindle connected to the main body and configured to receive a tape roll containing tape, An ergonomic handle connected to the main body, A roller mechanism connected to the main body and configured to apply the tape to the substrate, The head and, A tape roller, the tape roller having an extension along the roller axis between a first end and a second end of the tape roller, and connected to the head at each of the first end and the second end, A roller mechanism equipped with, A force sensor connected to the head, configured to detect the force between the tape roller and the head and to provide a signal indicating the force, A processor configured to receive the signal from the force sensor and provide feedback regarding the force to the operator, Equipped with, The roller mechanism further includes a first connector that connects the first end of the tape roller to the head, and a second connector that connects the second end of the tape roller to the head. A hand tape applicator in which the first connector comprises a first actuator, the second connector comprises a second actuator, and each of the first actuator and the second actuator is connected to the processor.

3. The hand tape applicator according to claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to independently operate at least one of the first actuator and the second actuator to adjust the force between the head and each of the first and second ends of the tape roller.

4. A hand tape applicator, The main unit and A spindle connected to the main body and configured to receive a tape roll containing tape, An ergonomic handle connected to the main body, A roller mechanism connected to the main body and configured to apply the tape to the substrate, The head and, A tape roller, the tape roller having an extension along the roller axis between a first end and a second end of the tape roller, and connected to the head at each of the first end and the second end, A roller mechanism equipped with, A force sensor connected to the head, configured to detect the force between the tape roller and the head and to provide a signal indicating the force, A processor configured to receive the signal from the force sensor and provide feedback regarding the force to the operator, Equipped with, A hand tape applicator, wherein the processor is further configured to record or map the signal from the force sensor with respect to a position along the applied tape length.

5. A tape application system, A tape loading module including an input tape, A hand tape applicator connected to the tape loading module, The main unit and A roller mechanism connected to the main body and configured to apply the input tape to the substrate, The head and, A tape roller comprising: a tape roller extending along a roller axis between a first end and a second end of the tape roller, and connected to the head at each of the first and second ends; A hand tape applicator module comprising: a force sensor connected to the head, configured to detect the force between the tape roller and the head and to provide a signal indicating the force; A tape application system comprising the tape feeding module and a data acquisition device connected to the hand tape applicator module.

6. The system according to claim 5, further comprising a surface feature determination module and a surface preparation module, wherein the surface feature determination module and the surface preparation module are connected to the data acquisition device, the surface feature determination module is configured to perform a feature determination of the surface quality of the surface of the substrate before the input tape is applied, and the force between the tape roller and the head of the hand tape applicator is adjustable based on the surface quality of the surface of the substrate.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the data acquisition device comprises a processor configured to provide instructions for corrective action to the surface preparation module in response to a defective surface quality state detected by the surface feature determination module.

8. The hand tape applicator further comprises a processor configured to receive the signal from the force sensor and provide feedback regarding the force to the operator. The system according to claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a target force based on at least one of tape width, tape type, tape thickness, substrate surface condition, surface texture, or surface temperature.

9. A tape applicator for applying tape to a substrate, A tape roller for pressing and applying the tape onto the substrate, A head that supports the tape roller, A handle connected to the head, Multiple force sensors are arranged spaced apart in the roller axis direction of the tape roller and each detects the force acting between the tape roller and the head, A processor that receives detection signals from the plurality of force sensors and determines the pressing state of the tape roller in the roller axis direction based on the plurality of detection signals, Based on the grasped pressing state, an output unit provides feedback to the operator regarding the operation of the tape roller, A tape applicator equipped with this feature.

10. The tape applicator according to claim 9, wherein the output unit provides feedback to the operator prompting them to correct the pressing operation of the tape roller when the pressing state, determined based on the detection signals from the plurality of force sensors, deviates from a desired pressing state.

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