Pocket tape sealing and unsealing method and apparatus and improved pocket tape

A component pocket tape which resists inadvertent unsealing includes a tape cover having discrete edge portions with gaps therebetween such that when one edge portion is unsealed or bent, subsequent edge portions will not unseal or bend unless such unsealing or bending is desired. An apparatus for unsealing and sealing pocket component tape includes a component tape deforming portion and a plow portion which urges the tape and the component tape cover together whereupon the tape deforming portion releases the tape so as to allow the tape to expand into the tape engaging portion of the cover. For unsealing, the apparatus may be run in reverse such that the tape is deformed and then the plow portion drives the tape and cover apart such that when the deforming portion releases the tape, the tape returns to its original configuration but is separated from the tape cover.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to component pocket tape feeding systems and more 
particularly to a sealing and unsealing method and apparatus and an 
improved pocket tape cover which is not inclined to become inadvertently 
separated from the pocket tape. 
In automated manufacturing, particularly in electronic manufacturing, 
components are often provided in a component pocket tape wherein a number 
of components are delivered in a roll with each component being placed 
within its own individual pocket. The tape suitably employs a single piece 
cover which is applied to the tape when the components are loaded into the 
tape and is then removed when the components are unloaded, suitably by a 
component pocket tape feeder. 
In accordance with the prior art, the cover for the component pocket tape 
is suitably a single piece with latching portions on opposite edges 
thereof such that the latching portions engage flanges on the edges of the 
component pocket tape. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the cover 
portion of a prior art pocket component tape cover as attached to a 
component pocket tape 18. It will be noted that the prior art cover 
includes two distended bulbous portions 10, 12 near the left and right 
edges of the cover. As shown in FIG. 10, a typical prior art method of 
applying the cover to the pocket tape is to latch hook portion 14, for 
example, over flange 32 at one side of the component tape whereupon 
downward pressure is applied on bulb 12, indicated by arrow 15, which 
causes hook portion 16 to flex outwardly in the direction of arrow 13 
whereupon the downward pressure causes the hook to pop over the flange 34 
at the opposite edge of the component tape thereby sealing the tape. 
Alternatively, the tape cover is held against downward movement while the 
bulb 12 is depressed in the direction of arrow 15. Once the tape cover 
latch 16 has flexed outwardly along the arc 13, the pocket tape 18 is 
moved upwardly along the line indicated by arrow 11. Then, the downward 
pressure 15 is released, and in the absence of pressure, latch portion 16 
returns to its original configuration. However, since the tape 18 has been 
moved upwardly, hook portion 16 now securely latches flange 34 of tape 18. 
Thus, the tape cover is moved in sideways in the direction of arrow 20 to 
initially hook portion 14 against one side of the tape and through 
application of a deforming force and subsequent removal, hook portion 16 
is caused to engage the other side of the tape. 
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a pocket component tape cover in 
accordance with FIG. 9 illustrating steps in unsealing the cover from the 
tape. To separate the cover from the tape, downward pressure is applied to 
bulb portions 10 and 12, suitably in simultaneous fashion, thereby causing 
hook portions 14 and 16 to bow outwardly as indicated by arrows 25 and 27 
respectively, effectively unlatching the hook portions from the flanges 32 
and 34 of the pocket tape. While the downward pressure at arrows 17 and 19 
is maintained, the pocket tape is then pulled downwardly in the direction 
of arrow 23, away from the cover. Once the pocket tape has been pulled 
away from the cover, the pressure at arrows 17 and 19 may then be removed 
to allow the cover to return to its original undeformed shape. 
Alternatively, the cover can be pulled away from the pocket tape in the 
direction of arrow 21, rather than or in addition to the movement of the 
pocket tape away from the tape cover. 
Such methods of sealing and unsealing are generally acceptable in component 
tapes up to 56 millimeters in width. However, in larger widths, in order 
to ensure that the cover remains on the tape, hook portions 14 and 16 must 
be made much longer, thereby requiring that bulbs 10 and 12 be depressed 
to a greater extent in order to either get hook portion 16 to link up with 
the tape or to allow hook portions 14 and 16 to release from the tape. 
This leads to permanent deformation of bulb portions 10 and 12, ultimately 
resulting in a cover that does not function properly or is not reusable. 
A further difficulty with prior art systems is that the cover becomes 
somewhat stiff in larger widths and is inclined to pop off the component 
tape. One reason that the cover tends to pop off is that the pocket tape 
bends in straight segments, i.e., the segment of the tape adjacent the 
pocket remains straight whereupon the area between two pockets is allowed 
to bend. However, the cover tends to bend in a curved manner and therefore 
is inclined to pop off as the tape bends in its segmented manner. 
Referring to FIG. 12, the segmented bending of the tape is illustrated 
wherein bends occur at points 22 and 24 which are between adjacent pockets 
26, 28 and 30. However, the cover 18 bends in the curved manner as 
illustrated in FIG. 12, and is therefore unable to satisfactorily 
accommodate the linearly segmented bending of the pocket tape. 
The tape cover as employed in the prior art however has a related 
disadvantage in that once a portion of the cover is unlatched from the 
tape, the cover has a tendency to continue unlatching from the tape, much 
like an unzipping action. Such action is highly undesirable since the 
unzipping typically occurs when loading or unloading a roll of tape into a 
feeding system, thereby spilling parts from the individual pocket around 
the assembly area. When the component tape contains delicate parts which 
are precision machined, for example, such scattering could damage the 
parts and make them unsuitable for use. 
A further difficulty with the cover according to the prior art is that even 
in tape widths less than 56 mm, after a number of iterations of depressing 
the bulbs 10 and 12, both in latching and unlatching the cover from the 
tape, the bulbs tend to become permanently deformed and no longer provide 
the proper bowing action to hook portions 14 and 16 when depressed, 
thereby destroying the reusability of the cover. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the present invention a pocket tape sealing and 
unsealing apparatus includes a plow portion which is adapted to insert 
between a pocket component tape cover and the pocket tape and to deform 
the tape rather than deforming the cover as in accordance with the prior 
art thereby causing the cover to bend and move away from the latch 
portions of the pocket component tape cover. 
A further embodiment includes a sealing mechanism which operates according 
to the unsealing method but in reverse wherein the cover and the tape are 
brought into close relation to one another and the tape is deformed so as 
to bend inwardly and is then brought closer to the cover. Once the tape is 
sufficiently close to the cover, the bending force is removed allowing the 
tape to flex back to its original configuration wherein it expands into 
and is engaged by the tape cover hook portions. 
A further embodiment of the invention includes an improved component pocket 
tape cover wherein the cover is not a continuous straight piece on the 
edges thereof but instead includes discrete edge portions with apertures 
therebetween such that the cover does not continue to unpeel once a 
portion is unpeeled unless such unpeeling is specifically being performed. 
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved 
pocket component tape unsealing apparatus and method. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved 
pocket component tape sealing method and apparatus. 
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an improved 
pocket component tape with a cover that does not continue to unseal in an 
undesired manner once unsealing is begun. 
The subject matter of the present invention is particularly pointed out and 
distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. 
However, both the organization and method of operation, together with 
further advantages and objects thereof, may best be understood by 
reference to the following description taken in connection with 
accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like 
elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
Referring now to FIG. 1A, a top view of a component pocket tape with a 
cover attached thereto in accordance with the present invention, the cover 
100 may be observed to have a series of apertures 102 provided in spaced 
arrangement on each lateral edge of the cover such that a given portion 
104 of cover 100 may flex or bend out of the plane of the cover somewhat 
independently of the adjacent cover portion 106. Thus, an advantage is 
provided over the tape covers of the prior art, since as noted hereinabove 
in conjunction with FIG. 12, the component tape will tend to bend in 
linear segments. The cover of the present invention is also able to bend 
in a segmented manner and is not inclined to become disconnected from the 
tape as is likely with the prior art. The cover suitably fits over a 
pocket component tape 18, which may carry components 101, illustrated in 
phantom, in individual pockets. The pocket tape also includes a series of 
drive sprocket receiving holes 103, for allowing engagement between the 
tape and a driving mechanism as discussed in conjunction with FIG. 2 
hereinbelow. 
FIG. 1B is an end view of a component pocket tape with a cover attached 
thereto in accordance with the present invention. Hook portions 105 and 
107 at the longitudinal edges of the cover are adapted to engage flange 
portions 32 and 34 of the pocket component tape. It may be observed that 
cover 100 is substantially flat and does not require the bulbous portions 
10 and 12 of the prior art type covers. However, the cover can also be 
manufactured with such bulbous portions to allow use with prior art type 
sealing and unsealing methods or to enable use with feeding mechanisms 
that require such bulbs to provide clearance for the engagement of drive 
pins with the pocket tape. 
While the illustrated embodiment provides apertures to allow flexing of the 
tape cover at certain points thereof, alternative embodiments can employ 
thinner or more flexible material in spaced arrangement similar to the 
spaced arrangement of the apertures to provide the desired cover bending. 
Typically the covers are made of plastics, so bands of different plastics 
could be joined together to provide the cover with desired flexing 
properties. 
FIG. 2, a side view of a pocket component tape feeding machine 108 
employing the unsealing method and apparatus of the present invention, is 
provided by way of example to illustrate a particular application of the 
present invention. A rotatably mounted reel 110 of component tape supplies 
pre-loaded tape with attached cover. The machine 108 is also provided with 
a cover takeup reel 112 for receiving the component tape cover, while a 
second takeup reel 114 receives the bottom portion of the component tape 
after components have been extracted therefrom. Each of reels 110, 112 and 
114 is driven by a respective motor 116, 118 or 120, each motor driving a 
belt 122, 124 and 126 to rotationally empower the appropriate reel. 
The component tape feeder machine 108 further employs a cover removing 
mechanism 128 in accordance with the present invention for separating the 
component tape cover 100 from the component tape bottom portion 18. A 
series of guides directs the component tape cover to the takeup reel 124. 
Tape feeder 108 is further provided with a tape sprocket wheel 130 which 
includes a plurality of teeth thereon for engaging feeder holes in the 
tape. While only one such sprocket wheel is visible in FIG. 2, the tape 
feeder employs a pair of aligned sprocket wheels, one for each side of 
tape 18. One of the sprocket wheels 130 is powered by stepper motor 132 
wherein power transfer from the motor to the sprocket is accomplished via 
drive belt 134. The second sprocket wheel is driven via an axle (not 
shown) joining the sprocket wheels. The component tape feeding mechanism 
also includes a roller wheel (not shown) in engaging relation with 
sprocket wheel 130 and functioning to ensure the component tape is in firm 
engagement with the teeth of the sprocket wheel in order to guard against 
slippage. 
Each of the reels, dereel 110, cover reel 112 and takeup reel 114 includes 
a reel size measurement member 136, 138 or 140, which is suitable for 
providing feedback to enable adjustment of tension of motor 116, 118 or 
120 for keeping the respective component tape constituents tightly wound 
on a reel during operation of the system. A control panel 64 is suitably 
provided with a number of control switches and indicators for directing 
operation of the machine. Interface cable 142 allows external devices to 
control and monitor operation of the component tape feeder system. 
In operation, a reel of pocket tape 110 with components installed therein 
and including a tape cover 100 is loaded onto the system and the component 
tape is fed through to cover remover 128. At this point, cover remover 128 
removes the tape cover 100 as discussed hereinbelow and the same is fed to 
takeup reel 112. Bottom portion 18 of the component tape continues on and 
is fed around sprocket wheels 130. The tape loops around wheels 130 and is 
fed back so as to be wound by takeup reel 114 for disposal (or reuse) once 
the reel is full. Sprocket wheels 130 advance the tape in the direction of 
arrow 144 in normal operation until a pocket holding a part is located at 
point 146 wherein further operations are performed, which depending upon 
the particular application may comprise retrieval of a part from a pocket 
by, for example, a robot or other such assembly device for picking up the 
part from the pocket tape. After the part has been removed from the tape, 
the tape is ready to advance to appropriately position a subsequent part 
at the operation point 146. 
Referring now to FIG. 3, a side-sectional view of a tape unsealing 
apparatus 128 in accordance with the present invention and as installed on 
tape feeder apparatus 108 of FIG. 2, a tapered plow 148 is provided to 
span a substantial portion of the width of the tape cover 100. The plow is 
positioned between the tape cover and bottom portion 18, with a narrowed 
leading edge relative to the direction of tape travel and operates to 
separate the tape cover from the tape as the tape is fed in the direction 
of arrow 144. Once removed, the cover is then fed to take up reel 112 
(FIG. 2) for storage and re-use. 
In FIG. 4, a cross sectional view of the tapered plow 148 taken along lines 
4--4 of FIG. 3, the operation of the tapered plow in separating the cover 
from the tape may be observed. As the cover and tape are moved in the 
direction of arrow 144 (FIG. 3), the plow drags the cover upwardly, which 
causes the flanges 32 and 34 at the edges of the pocket tape to bend 
upwardly, as indicated at 150 and 152 in FIG. 4. This upward bending is 
sufficient to cause the cover to become unhooked from the edges of the 
pocket tape. The cover is then pulled upwardly, away from the tape to be 
stored on a take up reel, for example, while, in the particular 
illustrated application, the pocket tape continues onward for further 
processing. 
Referring now to FIG. 5, a top view of a component tape sealing and 
unsealing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present 
invention, sealing is accomplished by driving the cover and tape in the 
direction of arrow 154, while unsealing may be accomplished by moving the 
cover and tape in the direction of arrow 156. This sealing and unsealing 
apparatus comprises a pair of pinch arms 158 which are mounted to engage 
the flanges at the left and right distal edges of the component tape when 
the tape is passed through the apparatus. The pinch arms are finger-like 
in appearance, with the distal end of each arm being positioned above a 
bending roller 160. The bending rollers are rotationally mounted below the 
plane of travel of the pocket tape, with a portion of the roller extending 
up above the plane of the pocket tape cover. A pair of guide rollers 162 
and 164 are placed above the plane of the tape and cover at the opposite 
side of the center of bending rollers 60. The guide rollers serve to 
assist in keeping the tape and cover traveling over bending rollers 160 
during operation. 
FIG. 6 is a side view of a component tape sealing and unsealing apparatus 
taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 5, illustrating the tape deforming portions. 
This apparatus is operative to seal the cover 100 to tape 18 when the tape 
and cover are driven in the direction of arrow 154. As the tape runs 
through the apparatus, the flanges at the edges of the tape run up over 
bending rollers 160, causing the tape flanges to bend upwardly. At the 
same time, cover 100 is fed onto the bent up flanges and through guide 
rollers 162 and 164. The guide rollers keep the cover in contact with the 
tape as the tape continues to move in the direction of arrow 154 and off 
of bending rollers 160. As the tape continues off of rollers 160, the tape 
flanges will bend back to their original configuration, whereupon the hook 
portions 105 and 107 of the cover 100 will engage the flanges 32 and 34 
respectively. Sealing is thereby accomplished. 
FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the sealing and unsealing apparatus of FIG. 5 
and FIG. 6 taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 5, illustrating the bending 
rollers and plows. In FIG. 7, it may be observed that bending rollers 160 
are rotationally mounted to a frame 166 via axles 168. Frame 166 may 
comprise a portion of the overall apparatus in which the sealing and 
unsealing is to be accomplished, for example, the feeder apparatus 108 of 
FIG. 2. The upward bending of the flanges 32 and 34 of the pocket tape 18 
may be observed, as a function of the pinch arms 158 and bending rollers 
160. The pinch arms keep the tape flanges in close engagement with the 
bending rollers. Bending rollers 160 are suitably formed with a bevel on 
the outer circumference thereof, wherein in the illustrated embodiment, 
the bevel slants inwardly relative to the centerline of the tape and 
cover. This bevel operates in conjunction with the pinch arms to effect 
the upward bending of the tape flanges. The cover is brought in close to 
the upwardly bent tape flanges so that when the tape moves off the bending 
rollers, the flanges expand outwardly and into hook portions 105 and 107 
of the tape cover as they return to their unbent position. Latching of the 
cover to the tape is thereby accomplished. 
Referring again to FIGS. 5-7, when the tape and cover are moved in the 
direction of arrow 156, unsealing or unlatching of the cover from the tape 
occurs. In this mode of operation, as the tape and cover move under guide 
rollers 164 and 162, over the top of bending roller 160 and through pinch 
arms 158, the flanges of the tape are bent upwardly. Hook portions 105 and 
107 of cover 100 are thus disengaged from the tape flanges 32 and 34 and 
the cover is suitably guided upwardly away from the component tape. The 
tape continues to move off the bending rollers and the flanges return to 
their original unbent shape, with the tape and cover now separated. The 
sealing and unsealing apparatus and method of the embodiment of FIGS. 5-7 
is effective to seal and unseal both prior art type pocket tape/cover 
combinations as well as the improved cover/pocket tape of FIG. 1A and FIG. 
1B. 
FIG. 8 is a side view of a pocket component tape with a cover according to 
the present invention. It may be observed in FIG. 8 that the cover is able 
to bend in linear segments, unlike prior art covers. Such a feature is 
advantageous in preventing the cover from inadvertently becoming 
disconnected from the pocket tape as a result of flexing of the tape, for 
example. 
Thus an improved pocket tape cover and cover/tape sealing and unsealing are 
accomplished. The cover is able to withstand greater degrees of flexing 
than allowed with prior art covers, owing in part to the segmenting 
bending properties of the cover. The sealing and unsealing apparatus 
provide efficient operation with both prior art type tape covers and the 
tape covers in accordance with the present invention. Since the sealing 
and unsealing do not rely on deforming bulbous portions of the tape cover, 
longer cover life is accomplished, enabling multiple re-use of tape 
covers. 
While plural embodiments of the present invention have been shown and 
described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many 
changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention 
in its broader aspects. The appended claims are therefore intended to 
cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit 
and scope of the invention.