Patent ID: 9193095
Filing Date: 2015-11-24
Classification: B26D,B29C,B29L,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A system for facilitating the continuous feeding of hook fastening tape through the system, the system comprising: two or more spools of hook fastening tape, wherein the two or more spools are positioned so that an end of the hook fastening tape of a first of the two or more spools is received within a tape feed area and so that the end of the of hook fastening tape of the first of the two or more spools is aligned with an end of the hook fastening tape of a second of the two more spools, wherein the end of the hook fastening tape of the second of the two or more spools is offset in one direction from the end of the hook fastening tape of the first of the two or more spools and from the tape feed area; a feed motor that pulls the hook fastening tape off of the two or more spools to feed the hook fastening tape from one of the two or more spools through the system; a detector that detects the presence of the hook fastening tape; and a controller that controls operation of the feed motor based on whether the detector detects the presence of the hook fastening tape and based on demand for the hook fastening tape, and wherein the pulling of the hook fastening tape off of the two or more spools includes pulling the hook fastening tape from the first of the two or more spools, moving the end of the hook fastening tape of the second of the two or more spools along the one direction to align the end of the hook fastening tape of the second of the two or more spools with the tape feed area, and pulling the hook fastening tape from the second of the two or more spools.