METODO Y SISTEMA PARA UN APLICADOR DE CINTA ROBOTICO

Abstract

A system comprising: a tape source comprising a material associated with an adhesive and at least one removable liner; an application head; a cutting mechanism; at least one actuating feed mechanism configured to guide the tape from the source to the application head at a controlled speed; wherein the application head is controllable to apply the material to a surface or substrate; and wherein the application head comprises a cutting mechanism configured to cut the material while leaving the at least one removable liner intact.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR A ROBOTIC TAPE APPLICATOR FIELD OF INVENTION This description refers to an automatic device for applying adhesive tape to a substrate. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Adhesive-reinforced tape is commonly applied to interior and exterior body surfaces, panels, and trim (e.g., upholstery, moldings, covers, trays, panels, doors, and hatches) of a vehicle (e.g., a car, aircraft, or boat) or structures (e.g., buildings, HVAC units). For example, adhesive-reinforced tape mounted around the perimeter of trim on a vehicle component provides a seal that helps control water intrusion, reduce cabin noise from wind when the vehicle is in motion, and control dust intrusion into the cabin and engine parts. Such tapes can be installed manually; however, this process is not only slow but also labor-intensive and prone to human error. Furthermore, the application process may not be uniform, predictable, or reproducible. Several methods have been proposed for applying adhesive-reinforced tape to substrates, such as those employing fixed applicators or robotic end effectors. However, these methods suffer from several challenges, including inaccurate tape placement, frequent cycle interruptions due to jams within the equipment, tape breakage due to inadequate tension control, and unavoidable downtime due to reel changes during a production cycle. Furthermore, the industry's adoption of automated applicator equipment has been slow for numerous reasons, such as limitations in application geometry (i.e., having a large roll mounted on the application head), application speed and volume, and the fact that the roll size is limited, thus restricting the cell design.In addition, the existing equipment is typically only capable of holding / distributing tape rolls that are less than 40 meters in length, and therefore this equipment is unable to keep up with production demands. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In one aspect, a system is provided comprising: a source of a tape, the tape comprising a material associated with an adhesive and at least one removable liner; an application head; a cutting mechanism; at least one actuator feeding mechanism configured to guide the tape from the source to the application head at a controlled speed; wherein the application head is controllable to apply the material to a surface or substrate; and wherein the application head comprises a cutting mechanism configured to cut the material while leaving at least one removable liner intact. Qbnccn / 77n7 / q / uιλι In another aspect, a system is provided for applying a tape to a surface or substrate, the tape comprising a material associated with an adhesive and at least one removable liner, the system comprising: a source of the tape; a robotic application head comprising an application tip; a flexible ribbon conduit coupled between the source and the robotic application head; at least one actuating feeding mechanism; a cutting mechanism; a controller comprising program executable instructions by a processor to cause at least the following: at least one actuating feed mechanism guides the tape from the source to the application tip; The application tip applies the material to the surface or substrate according to a predefined path; and the cutting mechanism cuts the material while leaving at least one removable liner intact. In another aspect, a method is provided for applying a tape to a surface or substrate, the tape comprising a material and at least one removable liner, the method comprising the steps of: (a) at a first tape station, receive tape from a primary tape supply source; (b) feeding the tape into a flexible inlet conduit coupled between the first tape station and a robotic end effector having a tape applicator, the flexible conduit being sized to permit conveyance of the tape to the remote robotic end effector; (c) at a second tape station associated with the tape applicator, receive tape from the primary tape supply source to form a secondary tape source; (d) on the tape applicator, apply the material to the surface or substrate along a predefined path and remove at least one removable liner from the primary tape; and (e) at the end of the predefined path, cut the material while leaving at least one removable liner intact. Advantageously, the robotic tape application system allows for faster application speeds and increased efficiency; consistent and accurate tape application; reduced labor costs; and increased flexibility by allowing longer application times and tape application along more complex paths on the substrate. Furthermore, robotic tape application minimizes human intervention and error during operation. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1A shows a perspective view of an illustrative robotic adhesive tape application system; Figure 1B shows an illustrative tape; Figure 1C shows another illustrative tape; Figure 1D shows a roll of the sample tape; Qbnccn / 77n7 / q / uιλι Figure 1E shows reels of the exemplary tape; Figures 2A to 2C show perspective views of an exemplary coil supply device; Figure 3 shows a perspective view of an exemplary application head; Figure 4 shows a view of an illustrative application tip; Figures 5A to 5C show a flowchart summarizing the illustrative steps for a method of applying adhesive tape to a substrate or surface; and Figure 6 shows an illustrative computer system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Different modalities of the description are discussed in detail below. Although specific implementations are addressed, it should be understood that this is for illustrative purposes only. A person skilled in the relevant subject matter will recognize that other components and configurations can be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the description. Similar reference numbers are used to designate similar parts in the accompanying figures. The detailed description provided below regarding the accompanying figures is intended as a description of the present examples and is not meant to represent the only ways in which the present example can be constructed or used. However, identical or equivalent sequences and functions can be realized through different examples. Referring to Figures 1A to 1E, a robotic tape applicator system for attaching tape to a receiving surface or substrate, generally identified by the number 10, is shown in an illustrative manner. Figures 1B and 1C show the tape 11, such as adhesive tape or double-sided tape, comprising material 12 and tape liner 13, while Figures 1D and 1E show a roll and reel of tape with adhesive liner 11, respectively. The system 10 comprises a supply device 14 that feeds adhesive tape 11 into the flexible conduit 15, which terminates in the adhesive tape application head 18 mounted on the robotic arm 19 of an industrial robot 20 with different axis configurations. For example, the industrial robot may include six axes, or six degrees of freedom, allowing for greater flexibility. Accordingly, the flexible conduit 15 is tilted as required based on the movements of the robotic arm 19.The flexible conduit 15 comprises an inlet conduit 16 through which adhesive tape 11 is transported from the supply device 14 to the application head 18, and adjacent to the flexible inlet conduit 16 is the flexible outlet conduit 21 which transports the liner 13 that is removed from the material 12 and discarded during the application process. Referring now to Figures 2A to 2C, the supply device 14 comprises a supply reel shaft 30 rotatably attached to the mounting structure 32, and the supply reel shaft or spindle 30 receives the supply reel 34 of adhesive tape 11. Examples of tape with an elastomeric adhesive backing 11 include, but are not limited to, shredded ethylene propylene diene monomers (EPDM); closed-cell neoprene; expanded polyvinyl chloride (PVC); polyethylene; acrylic foam tapes (e.g., very high bond (VHB) tape); weldable tapes, sealing tapes, electrical circuit tapes, and heat-activated tapes. The material 11 can include a range of widths, thicknesses, and lengths. Qbnccn / zznz / q / uli depending on the application. In one example, the material 11 comprises a width ranging from 1.5 mm to 25 mm or a material thickness ranging from 0.05 mm to 20 mm. In other implementations, the adhesive tape 11 can be fed from any type of tape distribution or supply media, such as a conveyor platform. The supply device 14 also comprises a system controller 40 that exchanges signals with associated components, such as sensors, motors, actuators, and communicates with the robotic arm 19, the application head 18, and other components to provide the tape 11 on demand as requested by the application head 18 in a relatively fast, accurate, and consistent manner.The human-machine interface 42 is communicatively coupled to the system controller 40 to input program instructions and configure system settings 10, and issue alerts, warnings, notifications and display system settings 10. The system controller 40 comprises programmable circuitry or board logic or a processor. In more detail, the supply reel 34 of tape 11 is unwound by toggling the reel brake 44 on and off, and the tape 11 is fed through a series of lower pulleys 46 and upper pulleys 48 from the tape material accumulator 50. Alternatively, a reel motor is controllable to start and stop the rotation of the supply reel shaft 30 or to regulate the rotational speed of the supply reel shaft 30. Pulleys 46 and 48 accumulate the tape 11 at volatile reel changes and account for any feed differences, as will be explained later. The lower pulleys 46 are mounted on a lower pulley arm 52, and the upper pulleys are mounted on an upper pulley arm 54. The lower pulley arm 52 slides vertically, such that its position determines the length of tape 11 stored in the accumulator 50.As the tape 11 is distributed, the lower pulley arm 52 rises, and the amount of stored tape 11 decreases. For example, in the highest position of the lower pulley arm 52 there may be 2 meters of tape 11 in the accumulator 50, while in the lowest position of the lower pulley arm 52 there could be as much as 20 meters of tape 11 depending on the number of pulleys 46, 48 and tape windings 11. The accumulator position sensor 60 is mounted on the accumulator frame 32 to detect the position of the movable lower pulley arm 52, and the reel level sensor 68 detects the amount of tape 11 on the supply reel 34. The accumulator position sensor 60 comprises a plurality of fixed points, e.g., a lower limit and an upper limit. For example, when the lower pulley arm 52 passes the upper limit fixed point, the reel brake 44 is released to allow new tape 11 to be fed into the accumulator 50. As the lower pulley arm 52 falls under the force of gravity, the reel 34 unwinds and the accumulator 50 fills with tape 11. When the lower pulley arm 52 passes the lower limit fixed point, the brake 44 is reapplied to stop the unwinding of the reel 34.Next, the tape 11 exits the accumulator 50 and moves to the supply drive mechanism 70, which guides the tape 11 out of the robotic arm 19 through the flexible inlet conduit 16 at a metered speed, controlled as requested by an application head 18. The drive mechanism 70 may include servomotors or scaling motors, pulleys, to control the advance of the tape 11 to the application head 18. When the reel level sensor 68 indicates that. Qbnccn / zznz / q / uli When coil 34 is empty, or nearly depleted, the supply device 14 switches to a coil-switching mode, as described later. Alternatively, accumulator 50 is associated with at least one accumulator position sensor 60 that determines a numerical tape position 11 on accumulator 50, varying from a predefined low threshold to a predefined high threshold. When the belt 11 in the accumulator 50 reaches the low threshold, the supply reel 34 of the belt 11 unwinds by switching the reel brake 44 off or by driving the reel motor to rotate the supply reel shaft 30, and feeds the belt 11 through a series of lower pulleys 46 and upper pulleys 48 of the belt material accumulator 50. In another implementation, the position sensor of the accumulator 60 comprises a plurality of sensors located at different positions associated with the lower limit and the upper limit. The supply actuator mechanism 70 comprises a fluid amplifier 72 that creates a vacuum effect within it to effectively reduce frictional forces between the tape 11 and the inner wall of the flexible conduit 16 as the tape 11 is fed along the flexible conduit 16 towards the application head 18. The vacuum is activated only when a supply actuator mechanism 70 is feeding new tape 11. Observing Figures 3 and 4, tape 11 exits the flexible tube 16 at the robotic application head 18, and tape 11 is wound around the material reservoir 80 by the reservoir filling mechanism 82. Generally, the material reservoir 80 is a tape reel 11, or a reservoir, of variable size, which accounts for feed differences between the supply drive mechanism 70 and the head drive mechanism 90 and promotes consistent tension application to tape 11, or controls the tension forces associated with tape 11. In one implementation, the reservoir filling mechanism comprises resilient media and a sliding mechanism, such that as the material reservoir 80 decreases, the sensor 92 detects the level of the compressed reservoir reel 101 and commands the supply drive mechanism 70 to send more tape 11, causing the material reservoir 80 to grow again. The material hopper 80 is associated with the hopper sensor 92, which determines a numerical position of the material hopper 80, varying from a predefined low threshold to a predefined high threshold. When the material hopper 80 reaches the low threshold, the supply actuator 70 is activated to feed additional conveyor belt 11 to refill the material hopper 80. When the hopper reaches the high threshold, the supply actuator 70 is deactivated. The numerical data measured by the position sensor 92 can predict when conveyor belt 11 will jam, break, and shut down system 10, thus minimizing any potential equipment failure or further damage. Next, the head drive mechanism 90 is actuated and feeds the tape 11 from the material reservoir 80 to the application tip 100. Similar to the drive mechanism 70, the head drive mechanism 90 may include servomotors or scaling motors to control the advance of the tape 11 to the application tip 100. For example, the head drive mechanism 90 comprises a set of rollers or gears coupled to an electric motor and configured to pull the tape 11 around the application tip 100, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The material 12 is removed from the liner 13, or vice versa, by virtue of the geometry of the application tip 100, which comprises a Qbnccn / 77n7 / q / uli round member 102, exposing the adhesive layer. The material 12 is advanced to the application tip 100 before the start of the application of material 12 to the substrate, and the reservoir 101 includes a tape reel 11 that takes into account the feed differences between the supply drive mechanism 70 and the head drive mechanism 90 and to ensure that consistent tension is applied to the tape 11, and to assist with the removal of the liner 13, and feeding of the tape 11. Accordingly, following the executable instructions of the program by the system controller 40, the robotic arm 19 moves to the start position on the substrate and the application head 18 begins to apply material 12 along a predefined application path while sending a feed command to drive the head drive mechanism 90 to guide more tape 11, as required.The predefined trajectories can be linear, nonlinear, three-dimensional, and so on. In some cases, specialized hardware associated with the robotic arm 19 determines the speed of the robotic arm 19's movements and transmits that speed to the system controller 40. The speed of the head drive mechanism 90 is then automatically adjusted to match the speed of the robotic arm 19's movements. In other cases, the speeds can be calculated and adjusted manually in the program. With the help of encoders or tracking devices, the system controller 40 can determine the amount of tape 11 passing under the application tip 100, including the precise location where the tape 11 is about to be applied. As material 12 is applied, the soaking roller 104 associated with the application head 18 follows the path of the applied material 12 and applies pressure to the material 12 to enhance adhesion or activate the adhesive in pressure-sensitive tapes 11. In some implementations, an additional tool is used to apply the adhesion promoter to the substrate, such as along the predefined application path, before the material 12 is applied. A vision system can be used to detect the presence of the adhesion promoter on the substrate and automatically apply material 12 to the detected locations on the substrate. When the application head 18 reaches the end of its pre-programmed application path, it sends a command to the system controller 40. A cutting sequence then begins, which involves instructing the blade actuator 95 to actuate and cause the straight blade 106 to cut the tape 11.The straight blade 106 performs a precision cut by slicing through material 12 without cutting the lining 13 beneath it. Accordingly, the speed and depth of the straight blade 106 in material 12 are precisely calibrated and stored in the calibration parameters on the memory media associated with the system controller 40, and may be dependent on the thickness of material 12 and lining 13. Alternatively, the speed and depth of the straight blade 106 in material 11 are precisely calibrated by mechanical means. For example, a positioning device comprising a threaded adjuster, an eccentric lobe, and a locking mechanism capable of adjusting to a predetermined thickness is used to make the adjustments. The blade actuator 95 can be any of a pneumatic, electric, or hydraulic actuator.At the end of the cut, the robotic arm 19 makes a final movement to apply the last millimeters of material 12 to the cutting location and rolls the material 12 with the soaking roller 104. In other implementations, the blade 106 may be toothed or not, tilted, curved or heated to improve the cutting sequence. Qbnccn / 77n7 / q / uιλι As a head actuator mechanism 90 pulls the tape 11 out, the head actuator mechanism 90 simultaneously ejects the spent liner 13 and guides the liner 13 to the outlet tube 21 for disposal. Similar to the inlet tube 16, the outlet tube 21 includes an outlet fluid booster 73 to direct the spent liner 13 away from the application head 18 to the supply device 14, where the used liner 13 is collected in a container 110. The supply device 14 may include a cutting device 66 to cut the used liner 13 into manageable sizes for disposal. A system 10 operating cycle will now be described with reference to a flowchart 200a-c as shown in Figures 5A to 5C. In stage 202 of the cycle, the robotic arm 19 in a cell receives a start command from an external source, having programmed instructions to apply adhesive tape 11 along a predefined path on a substrate. According to the instructions, the robotic arm 19 moves to a start position, and the external source sends a robot in position signal (204). The system controller 40 then determines whether the supply device 14 is in auto mode (205). When the supply device 14 is in auto mode then the system controller 40 activates the fluid amplifier 73 (211), otherwise the system controller 40 determines the conditions of the accumulator 50 and supply coil 34 based on the signals from the accumulator sensor 60 status, and the coil level sensor 68, stage 206.Next, via the human-machine interface 42, the operator instructs the system controller 40 to reset the supply device 14 to the steering position (208) and switches the supply device 14 to auto mode (209). In step 210, the system controller 40 determines whether the supply device 14 is in auto mode, and when the supply device 14 is not in auto mode the process returns to step 206; otherwise, the system controller 40 activates the supply drive mechanism 70, the fluid amplifier 72 to feed material 11 along the flexible inlet conduit 16 to the application head 18 (211), including the head drive mechanism 90 to feed material 11 to the application tip 100 (212). In step 214, the robotic arm 19 begins to apply the tape 11 along the predefined path on the substrate, and the head actuator mechanism 90 guides the material 11 relative to the movement of the robotic arm 19. As the material 11 is applied to the substrate, the length of material 11 on the deposit reel 101 of the application head 18 decreases (215), and the system controller 40 continuously determines the deposit level 101 based on the output signals from the deposit sensor 92 (222).At the end of the predefined path, the robotic arm 19 stops and signals the system controller 40 (216). The system controller 40 then issues a command to the head actuator mechanism 90 to stop the material guide 11 and another command to the application head 18 to actuate the straight blade 106 to cut the material 11 (217). The process then continues with the robotic arm 19 applying material 11 at a new location on the predefined path, or another predefined path on the substrate. In step 218, the robotic arm 19 completes the final path movement to apply the remaining material 11, and the supply device 14 sends a complete cycle signal to the external source (219), and the cycle ends. As material 11 is applied to the substrate, in stage 215, the length of material 11 in Qbnccn / zznz / q / uli The reservoir 101 of the application head 18 decreases (220), and the system controller 40 continuously determines the reservoir level 101 based on the output signals from the reservoir sensor 92 (222). If the reservoir level 101 is within a predefined threshold, then the process continues (224); otherwise, a request for more material 11 is made (226), and the system controller 40 activates the fluid amplifier 72 to facilitate the transport of material 11 through the inlet conduit 16 (228). The supply actuator mechanism 70 guides the material 11 to the application head 18 to refill the reservoir reel 101 (230), and the system controller 40 determines whether the reservoir level 80 is within predefined levels based on the output signals from the reservoir sensor 92 (232).When the level of deposit 101 is within the predetermined levels then the process continues to stage 224, otherwise a determination is made as to whether the material feed 11 (234) has been exhausted, if it has been exhausted then a fault alarm or notification is issued by the system controller 40 alerting an operator to rectify the situation (236), otherwise the process returns to stage 232. Returning to stage 215, as material 11 is applied to the substrate, the length of material 11 in reservoir 80 and accumulator 50 also decreases (238), coil brake 44 is released (240), and the lower pulley arm 52 lowers by gravity (242). System controller 40 then determines whether the lower threshold has been reached based on the output of accumulator sensor 60 when the lower limit setpoint is actuated (244). When the lower threshold has been reached, coil brake 44 is reapplied (246), and the process returns to stage 238. Otherwise, the process proceeds to stage 248, where system controller 40 determines the supply coil level 34 based on the output of supply coil sensor 68.If the supply coil sensor 68 indicates that the supply coil 34 is empty, then a fault notification or alarm is issued by the system controller 40 to alert an operator to rectify the situation (250); otherwise, the system controller 40 determines whether the upper threshold of accumulator 50 has been marked (252) based on the output signals from the accumulator sensor 60. Accordingly, in one implementation, the depleted coil 34 can be exchanged for a new coil 34 of material 11 without interrupting the ongoing application cycle. Accordingly, changing coil 34 minimizes production downtime. If the upper threshold has not been reached, then operation continues (253); otherwise, the material clamp 36 on the incoming side of accumulator 50 (254) is actuated to clamp the new material 11 entering the accumulator 50. In step 255, the system controller 40 issues an alert notifying an operator to change coil 34. While the new material 11 is being held, the supply device 14 continues to guide the material 11 to the application head 18 by using reserve material 11 (for example, up to 20 meters) stored in the accumulator 50, while the operator exchanges reels 34 within a predefined exchange time, i.e., the amount of time to complete the reel change 34 (256). As an example, the predefined exchange time can be determined by dividing the length (meters) of the reserve material 11 in the accumulator 50 by the application rate of material 11 (meters per minute). For example, for a reserve material 11 of 20 meters, and an application rate of 1 Qbnccn / zznz / q / uili meter per minute, then the predefined exchange time is 20 minutes. Generally, the predefined exchange time depends on the system cycle time 10, the user settings and preferences. In step 257, when the system controller 40 determines that the coil change and splicing process are completed before the lower pulley arm 52 passes the upper limit of the sensor 60, then the process proceeds to step 266; otherwise, the operation of the supply device 14 is stopped by the system controller 40 (258) and the operator is alerted by the system controller 40 to change the coil 34 (256). The operator cuts the material 11 at the splice location (259) and removes the empty coil 34, loading a new, full coil 34 (260). The operator then creates a splice joint to join one end of the new material 11 to one end of the material in progress 11, which was previously clamped in the accumulator 50 (262). The splicing element 65 is provided to make these splices without delay and in a consistent manner. Once the operator completes the coil change 34 and the splice joint, a command is sent through the human-machine interface 42 to indicate task completion (264). The system controller 40 receives the completion signal and deactivates the material clamp 36 (266), and the accumulator 50, which was depleted during the splicing sequence, is refilled (268) according to normal operation.When the splice joint reaches application head 18, the splice sensor 93, positioned to detect this joint, triggers application head 18 to enter a purge cycle. Typically, the purge cycle involves applying material 11 with the splice to the waste surface, i.e., not in the predefined application path. Once sufficient material 11 has been purged to ensure the splice is removed, system 10 resumes normal operation, and the process ends. Alternatively, the operator can load a new coil 260, thread the new material 11 onto the supply device 14, and advance the material 11 to application head 18, i.e., without any splice joint. In one implementation, adhesive tape 11 can be a single-sided or double-sided tape, in a monolithic or layered format. In one implementation, the material clamp 36 on the incoming side of the accumulator 50 is manually operated to clamp the new material 11 entering the accumulator 50. In one implementation, the material clamp 36 on the incoming side of accumulator 50 is electrically actuated to clamp the new material 11 entering the accumulator 50. In one implementation, the material clamp 36 on the incoming side of the accumulator 50 is pneumatically actuated to clamp the new material 11 entering the accumulator 50. In one implementation, adhesive tape 11 passes through a delamination device comprising rollers configured to temporarily separate material 12 and removable liner 13 from each other before reapplying material 12 to the removable liner 13 to release the bond. In one implementation, the application head 18 comprises a vision system, which includes an image capture device to verify the correct application of material 11 on the substrate or workpiece, and to identify the edges or features of the substrate to facilitate self-alignment of the application tip 100 with the predefined application path. In one implementation, application head 18 comprises a vision system, which includes Qbnccn / 77n7 / q / uli a laser profiler to verify the correct application of material 11 on the substrate part or workpiece, and to identify the edges or features of the substrate to facilitate the self-alignment of the application tip 100 with the predefined application path. In one implementation, the application tip 100 comprises means for tracking and calculating the amount of material 11 between the blade 106 and the application tip 100. In one implementation, the application head 18 comprises a sensor located on the protruding side of the application tip 100 to detect the presence of material 11 indicating a failed application. In one implementation, the application head 18 comprises a junction containing an adhesion promoter and a device for applying said adhesion promoter to the substrate. In one implementation, the application head 18 comprises an air blower located at the application tip to help remove material 11 from the lining 13. In one implementation, lining 13 is collected and cut into smaller, manageable pieces. In one implementation, the application head 18 comprises at least one safety device for mounting on the industrial robot 20. In one implementation, the industrial robot 20 is a servo crane style robot. In one implementation, the industrial robot 20 is a collaborative robot. In one implementation, the application head 18 is fixed in position and the part to receive the material 11 is moved to the application head 18; that is, a part-to-processing strategy. In one example, the part could be on a robot or any other drive mechanism. In one implementation, system 10 comprises a 'quick change' blade system. In one implementation, system 10 comprises one or more safety devices mountable on a collaborating robot to enhance safe operation. In one implementation, the actuating mechanism 70, 90 comprises a linear grasping and pulling mechanism, such as a carrier beam transfer. System 10 can be useful in the automotive sector, where material 11 is applied to automotive interior and exterior cladding and trim to reduce noise, seal moisture, and couple components; and in the construction industry, such as cladding and seals for glazing materials, for example, architectural interior and exterior cladding for buildings and HVAC equipment. In one implementation, System 10 is coupled to measuring or data acquisition (DAQ) devices, such as instruments, smart sensors, dashboards or data acquisition devices, and any of different types of devices that are operable to acquire and / or store data. In one implementation, the system controller 40 comprises computational means with the computational system 300 comprising at least one processor such as processor 302, at least one memory device such as memory 304, input / output (I / O) module 306, and communication interface 308, as shown in Figure 6. Although the computational system 300 is depicted as including only one processor 302, the computational system 300 may include a number of processors. In one embodiment, memory 304 is capable of storing instructions. Furthermore, processor 302 is capable of executing instructions. Qbnccn / 77n7 / q / uιλι In one implementation, the 302 processor can be configured to execute predetermined functionality. In another mode, the 302 processor can be included as a software instruction executor, where the software instructions can specifically configure the 302 processor to execute algorithms and / or operations described herein when the software instructions are executed. In one implementation, the 302 processor may be included as a multi-core processor, a single-core processor, or a combination of one or more multi-core processors and one or more single-core processors.For example, the 302 processor may be included as one or more different processing devices, such as a coprocessor, a microprocessor, a controller, a digital signal processor (DSP), processing circuitry with or without an accompanying DSP, or various other processing devices, including integrated circuits such as, for example, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a microcontroller unit (MCU), a hardware accelerator, a special-purpose computing chip, Application-Specific Standard Products (ASSPs), systems-on-a-chip (SoCs), Complex Programmable Logic Devices (CPLDs), Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), and the like. For example, some or all of the device's functionality or method sequences may be performed by one or more hardware logic components. Memory 304 can be incorporated as one or more volatile memory devices, one or more non-volatile memory devices, and / or a combination of one or more volatile and non-volatile memory devices. For example, memory 304 can be included as magnetic storage devices (such as hard disk drives, floppy disks, magnetic tapes, etc.), magneto-optical storage devices (e.g., magneto-optical discs), CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory), CD-R (Recordable Compact Disc), CD-R / W (Rewritable Compact Disc), DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), BD (Blu-ray Disc™), and semiconductor memories (such as hidden ROM, PROM (Programmable ROM), EPROM (Erasable PROM), snapshot ROM, RAM (Random Access Memory), etc.). The I / O module 306 is configured to facilitate providing output to a user of the computer system 300 and / or receiving input from the user of the computer system 300, and to send / receive communications to / from the various sensors, components, and actuators of system 10. The I / O module 306 is configured to communicate with the processor 302 and memory 304. Examples of the I / O module 306 include, but are not limited to, an input interface and / or an output interface. Some examples of the input interface may include, but are not limited to, a keyboard, a mouse, a joystick, a touchscreen, programmable function keys, a microphone, and the like.Examples of output interfaces may include, but are not limited to, a microphone, a loudspeaker, a bell, a vibrator, a light-emitting diode display, a thin-film transistor (TFT) display, a liquid crystal display, an active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) display, and the like. In one illustrative configuration, the 302 processor may include I / O circuitry configured to control at least some functions of one or more elements of the 306 I / O module, such as, for example, a loudspeaker. Qt7nccn / 77n7 / q / uili a microphone, a display, and / or the like. The processor 302 and / or the I / O circuitry can be configured to control one or more functions of one or more elements of the I / O module 306 through computer program instructions, e.g., software and / or firmware, stored in a memory, e.g., memory 304, and / or the like, accessible to the processor 302. The 308 communication interface allows the 300 computer system to communicate with other entities over various types of networks, including wired, wireless, or combinations thereof, such as the Internet. In at least one example, the 308 communication interface includes transceiver circuitry configured to enable the transmission and reception of data signals over different types of communication networks. In some configurations, the 308 communication interface may include appropriate data compression and encoding mechanisms to securely transmit and receive data over communication networks. The 308 communication interface facilitates communication between the 300 computer system and I / O peripherals. In one embodiment, different components of the computer system 300, such as the processor 302, memory 304, I / O module 306, and communication interface 308, can be configured to communicate with each other by or through a centralized circuit system 310. The centralized circuit system 310 can be different devices configured to, among other things, provide or enable communication between the components (302-308) of the computer system 300. In certain embodiments, the centralized circuit system 310 can be a central printed circuit board (PCB) such as a motherboard, main board, system board, or logic board. The centralized circuit system 310 can also, or alternatively, include other printed circuit assemblies (PCAs) or communication channel media. It is observed that different exemplary modalities as described herein can be implemented in a wide variety of devices, network configurations, and applications. Those skilled in the subject will appreciate that other modalities of the description can be practiced in networked computing environments with many types of computer system configurations, including personal computers (PCs), industrial PCs, desktop PCs, portable devices, multiprocessor systems, programmable or microprocessor-based consumer electronics, network PCs, servers, minicomputers, central processing units, and the like. Accordingly, System 10 can be coupled to these external devices through communication, so that System 10 is remotely controllable. The modalities can also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by local and remote processing devices that are connected (either by wired links, wireless links, or a combination thereof) through a communication network.In a distributed computing environment, program modules can be located on both local and remote memory storage devices. In another implementation, System 10 follows a cloud computing model, providing on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., servers, storage, applications, and / or services) that can be rapidly provisioned. Qbnccn / zznz / q / uli and be released with minimal handling effort or without resource, including interaction with a service provider, by a user (operator of a thin client). The benefits and advantages described above may relate to one modality or to several modalities. The modalities are not limited to those that solve any or all of the stated problems or those that have any or all of the stated benefits and advantages. The operations of the methods described herein may be carried out in any suitable order, or simultaneously where appropriate. Additionally, individual blocks may be added to or removed from any of the methods without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein. Aspects of any of the examples described above may be combined with aspects of any of the other examples described to form additional examples without losing the intended effect. The preceding description is given as an example only, and various modifications may be made by those skilled in the field. The data, examples, and specification above provide a complete description of the structure and use of exemplifying modalities. Although different modalities have been described above with a certain degree of particularity, or with reference to one or more individual modalities, those skilled in the field could make numerous alterations to the described modalities without departing from the spirit or scope of this specification.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A system characterized in that it comprises: a tape source comprising a material associated with an adhesive and at least one removable liner; an application head; a cutting mechanism; at least one actuating feed mechanism configured to guide the tape from the source to the application head at a controlled speed; wherein the application head is controllable to apply the material to a surface or substrate; and wherein the application head comprises a cutting mechanism configured to cut the material while leaving the at least one removable liner intact.

2. The system according to claim 1, further characterized in that the application head comprises an application tip, and wherein the tape application head is mounted on a robot configured to travel along a predefined application path to apply the material.

3. The system according to claim 1, further characterized in that the at least one actuating feeding mechanism comprises a drive unit for guiding the tape towards the application head.

4. The system according to claim 3, further characterized in that the tape is transported to the application head through a flexible conduit.

5. The system according to claim 1, further characterized in that the source comprises a tape supply reel mounted on a rotating shaft.

6. The system according to claim 2, further characterized in that the robot positions the application head to apply the tape using at least a first sensor.

7. The system according to claim 6, further characterized in that at least one first sensor identifies the edges or features of the substrate to facilitate self-alignment of the application tip with the predefined application path.

8. The system according to claim 6, further characterized in that at least one first sensor verifies the correct application of the adhesive material to the surface or substrate.

9. The system in accordance with any of claims 6 to 8, further characterized in that the at least one sensor comprises an image capture device.

10. The system in accordance with any of claims 6 to 8, further characterized in that the at least one sensor comprises a laser profiler.

11. The system according to claim 1, further characterized in that the tape is of variable dimensions.

12. The system according to claim 1, further characterized in that the at least one actuating feed mechanism comprises at least one second sensor and the application head comprises at least one third sensor, by means of which the at least one second sensor and the at least one third sensor detect whether tension is maintained on the tape.

13. The system according to claim 3, further characterized in that the at least one actuating feeding mechanism comprises a reservoir having a variable reel of the tape, and at least one fourth sensor configured to detect a position of the tape within the reservoir and thus activate the drive equipment to feed the tape to the application head.

14. The system according to claim 1, further characterized in that it additionally comprises a human-machine interface (HMI).

15. The system according to claim 14, further characterized in that the human-machine interface (HMI) is communicatively coupled to a controller associated with the source, the application head, the cutting mechanism, and the at least one actuating feeding mechanism.

16. The system according to claim 1, further characterized in that the application tip comprises a round edge configured to remove at least one removable liner from the material to expose the adhesive to adhere to the surface or substrate.

17. The system according to claim 1, further characterized in that an outgoing feed tube directs the waste away from at least one removable liner of the application head.

18. The system according to claim 1, further characterized in that it additionally comprises at least a fifth sensor configured to detect a tape splice joint and activate the system to initiate a purge routine.

19. The system according to claim 18, further characterized in that the purging routine comprises discarding the material on a sacrificial surface.

20. The system according to claim 18, further characterized in that the purging routine comprises discarding the material in at least one vacuum and free space.

21. The system according to claim 2, further characterized in that it additionally comprises a roller mechanism for exerting force on the material on the surface or substrate.

22. The system according to claim 2, further characterized in that the application head comprises an apparatus for applying an adhesion promoter to the surface or substrate prior to the application of the material.

23. The system according to claim 2, further characterized in that at least a sixth sensor detects the presence of adhesion promoter and automatically applies the material to a location having the adhesion promoter therein.

24. The system according to claim 4, further characterized in that the conduit is a spiral coil.

25. The system according to claim 4, further characterized in that the conduit is a tube.

26. The system according to claim 1, further characterized in that the application head is mounted on at least one movable shaft for automatically applying the material.

27. The system according to claim 1, further characterized in that the application head is mounted on a robot to automatically apply the material.

28. The system according to claim 2, further characterized in that it additionally comprises a controller comprising a computer-readable means and a processor, the processor being configured to cause at least: the at least one actuating feed mechanism to guide the tape; the application tip to apply the material to the surface or substrate Qbnccn / zznz / q / uili according to a predefined path; a cutting mechanism associated with the application head to cut the material while leaving at least one removable liner intact; a roller mechanism associated with the application head to exert a force on the material on the surface or substrate; and a waste means to collect the at least one removable liner after the application of the material.

29. The system according to claim 2, further characterized in that the applicator comprises at least one safety device for mounting on a collaborating robot.

30. The system according to claim 17, further characterized in that the at least one removable lining is collected and cut into smaller, manageable pieces.

31. A system for applying tape to a surface or substrate, the tape comprising a material associated with an adhesive and at least one removable liner, the system characterized in that it comprises: a tape source; a robotic application head comprising an application tip; a flexible tape conduit coupled between the source and the robotic application head; at least one actuating feed mechanism; a cutting mechanism; a controller comprising a processor configured to cause at least: the at least one actuating feed mechanism to guide the tape from the source to the application tip; the application tip to apply the material to the surface or substrate according to a predefined path; and the cutting mechanism to cut the material while leaving at least one removable liner intact.

32. The system according to claim 31, further characterized in that it additionally comprises a roller mechanism for exerting a force on the tape on the surface or substrate.

33. The system according to claim 32, further characterized in that it additionally comprises a means of disposal for at least one removable lining after the application of the material.

34. The system according to claim 33, further characterized in that the disposal means comprise at least one of a receptacle and a conduit.

35. The system according to claim 31, further characterized in that it additionally comprises a controller comprising a computer-readable means and a processor, the processor being configured to cause at least: the at least one actuating feed mechanism to guide the tape; the application tip to apply the material to the surface or substrate according to a predefined path; the cutting mechanism to cut the material while leaving at least one removable liner intact; a roller mechanism associated with the application head to exert a force on the tape to the surface or substrate; and a waste means to collect the at least one removable liner after the application of the material.

36. A method for applying tape to a surface or substrate, the tape comprising a material and at least one removable liner, the method further characterized in that it further comprises the steps of: (a) at a first tape station, receiving the tape from a primary tape supply source; (b) feeding the tape into a flexible inlet conduit coupled between the first tape station and a robotic end effector having a tape applicator, the flexible conduit being sized to permit conveyance of the tape to the remote robotic end effector; (c) at a second tape station associated with the tape applicator, receiving the tape from the primary tape supply source to form a secondary tape source; (d) at the tape applicator, applying the material to the surface or substrate along a predefined path and removing the at least one removable liner from the primary tape;and (e) at the end of the predefined path, cut the material while leaving at least one removable liner intact.; 37. The method according to claim 36, further characterized in that the first tape station comprises a series of opposing pulleys to form a plurality of tape reels to create a tape reservoir before feeding the tape to the second tape station.

38. The method according to claim 36, further characterized in that it comprises an additional step of maintaining a predetermined tension force within the tape during a demand cycle.

39. The method according to claim 36, further characterized in that it additionally comprises an additional step of guiding the at least one removable liner into a flexible outlet conduit.

40. The method according to claim 36, further characterized in that the flexible inlet conduit includes a vacuum.

41. The method according to claim 36, further characterized in that the flexible outlet conduit includes a vacuum.

42. The method according to claim 36, further characterized in that it additionally comprises an additional step of exerting pressure on the material to force the material onto the surface or substrate.

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