Abstract:
An apparatus and method for applying adhesive transfer tape, including an adhesive tape transfer roll holding an adhesive transfer tape, a roll locking cylinder wherein the roll locking cylinder stops the adhesive tape transfer roll from rolling, stopping the transfer of the adhesive transfer tape, and where the locking cylinder further holds the adhesive transfer tape roll for a predetermined time after the completion of the tape transfer such that internal stresses are dissipated. The apparatus and method may further include a piston that raises the adhesive transfer tape at the same time as the roll locking cylinder stops the adhesive tape transfer roll stops rolling.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     This invention is directed to applying adhesive tape to an elongated member. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Elongated members of various materials, such as webs and the like, are produced in bulk and wound on large spools for efficiency during transport. The large spools need to be sectioned into smaller spools for various end uses. When respooling elongated members, adhesive needs to be applied to the beginning and end sections of each portion of the elongated member. The beginning section adhesively attaches the portion of the elongated member to the spool. The end section keeps the portion of the elongated member wound on the spool from unwinding from the spool. 
     One method of applying adhesive is to form an adhesive transfer tape on a roll. The adhesive transfer tape roll then contacts the elongated member to apply the adhesive transfer tape to specific sections of a portion of the elongated member. The adhesive transfer tape applied to the elongated member is separated from the roll of adhesive transfer tape by tearing the adhesive transfer tape by moving the adhesive transfer tape roll and the elongated member relatively away from each other. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Known respooling machines have difficulty with accurately applying the adhesive transfer tape and ending the adhesive transfer tape transfer. Known adhesive transfer tape applicators, such as Dynak model #9E1590, do not efficiently transfer the adhesive transfer tape to the elongated member. 
     For example, on conventional respooling machines, applying the adhesive transfer tape to the elongated member is controlled by a cam rolling along a cam track. The cam track and cam assembly allow the adhesive tape roll to rotate to apply the adhesive tape and locks the adhesive tape roll to stop applying the adhesive tape. The cam track, for example, has two levels and has transitions between the two levels that respectively engage and disengage the roll locking piston. The adhesive tape transfer roll slides along the elongated member between tape applications. The conventional respooling machines do not efficiently control the tape transfer process, causing the adhesive transfer tape to break in the wrong place or to become dislodged from the elongated member. 
     This invention provides tape transfer systems and methods that lift the adhesive tape transfer roll to a breaking position after applying the adhesive transfer tape to the elongated member to facilitate the adhesive transfer tape being applied to the elongated member from the adhesive transfer tape roll. 
     This invention separately provides tape transfer systems and methods that hold the adhesive transfer tape in an application position for a period of time to allow internal stresses to be released prior to moving the adhesive transfer tape back to a start position for the next adhesive transfer tape applying operation. The tape transfer systems and methods of this invention permit, for example, various qualities of adhesive transfer tape to be used. This allows users flexibility and improves cost savings when choosing an adhesive transfer tape. 
     These and other features and advantages of this invention are described in or are apparent from the following detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods according to this invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Various exemplary embodiments of this invention will be described in detail with reference to the following figures wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of A Prior Art embodiment of an elongated member respooling apparatus; 
     FIG. 2 is a diagram of the section of the Prior Art elongated member that has adhesive transfer tape applied to it; 
     FIG. 3 is a block diagram of one exemplary embodiment of a known respooling apparatus; 
     FIG. 4 is a diagram of a conventional cam and cam track; 
     FIGS. 5-8 are diagrams illustrating one exemplary embodiment of the process for applying adhesive transfer tape; 
     FIG. 9 is a block diagram of one exemplary embodiment of a respooling apparatus according to the invention; 
     FIG. 10 is a diagram of one exemplary embodiment of a cam and cam track of the respooling apparatus shown in FIG. 9; and 
     FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the switch  222  of FIG. 9 in greater detail. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of A Prior Art embodiment of an elongated member respooling apparatus  10 . The elongated member respooling apparatus  10  includes an initial elongated member roll  20 , a final elongated member roll  60  and an elongated member cutter re-feeder  40  with an adhesive tape transfer roll  50 . Portions of the elongated member  30  are transferred from the initial elongated member roll  20  to the final elongated member roll  60 . 
     The elongated member cutter re-feed  40  applies adhesive transfer tape from the adhesive tape transfer roll  50  to the elongated member  30  before cutting the current portion of the elongated member  30  from the rest of the elongated member  30  to complete the current final elongated member roll  60  and beginning to feed the next portion of the elongated member  30  to the next elongated member roll  60 . The final elongated member roll  60  is regularly replaced as it fills up. The initial elongated member roll  20  is replaced, for example, one-eighth as many times as is the final elongated member roll  60 . 
     The initial elongated member roll  20  is first loaded into the elongated member respooling apparatus  10 . A start end of a first portion of the elongated member  30  is withdrawn from the initial elongated member roll  20  and fed through the elongated member cutter re-feeder  40  to respool the first portion of the elongated member  30  from the initial elongated member roll  20  to the final elongated member roll  60 . The elongated member cutter re-feeder  40  then applies a first strip of adhesive transfer tape  52  to the beginning section of the first portion of the elongated member  30  using the adhesive tape transfer roll  50 . 
     The elongated member  30  is then fed into the final elongated member roll  60 . In particular, the elongated member  30  is advanced until the final elongated member roll  60  is full. The elongated member cutter re-feeder  40  then applies two strips of the adhesive transfer tape  52  and  56  from the adhesive transfer tape roll  50  to the elongated member  30 . This is shown in greater detail in FIG.  2 . The second strip of the adhesive transfer tape  56  keeps the current portion of the elongated member loaded to the current final elongated member roll  60  from unwinding. Another first strip of the adhesive transfer tape  52  attaches the next portion of the elongated member  30  to the next final elongated member roll  60 . 
     The initial elongated member roll  20 , the final elongated member roll  60  and the elongated member  30  are shown as exemplary embodiments. The elongated member can actually be a substrate of any known or later developed material, such as tape, plastic, cloth or paper. Any substances which needs to be transferred from a first roll to a second roll and fastened to the second roll by an adhesive is suitable for use in the present invention. 
     Further, the Prior Art embodiment shows one initial elongated member roll  20  and a single final elongated member roll  60 . However, multiple initial elongated member rolls  20  and multiple final elongated member rolls  60  can be used either in sequence or simultaneously where the elongated member cutter re-feeder  40  also slits or joins the elongated member  30  in the travel direction as well as cutting the elongated member  30  when the final elongated member roll  60  is full. 
     FIG. 2 shows the elongated member  30  of the Prior Art as it travels through the elongated member cutter re-feeder  40 . The portion of the elongated member  30  shown in FIG. 2 includes the second adhesive tape portion or strip  56  which keeps the current portion of the elongated member  30  from unwinding from the current final elongated member roll  60  and the first adhesive tape portion or strip  52  which attaches the elongated member  30  to the final elongated member roll  60 . 
     The first adhesive transfer tape portion is begun at start line  54 . The first adhesive tape portion  52  is separated from the second adhesive transfer tape portion  56  by a distance extending between the start line  58  of the second adhesive tape portion  56  and the end line  53  of the first adhesive tape portion  52 . That is, the first adhesive tape portion  52  is broken off of the adhesive transfer tape roll  50  at the end line  53  by applying a tensile force between the first adhesive tape portion  52  and the rest of the adhesive transfer tape  50 . This tensile force causes the adhesive transfer tape to fracture at the end, or break, at the end line  53 . 
     After the first adhesive tape portion  52  is adhesively attached to the current portion of the elongated member  30  being wound on the current final elongated member roll  60 , the second adhesive tape portion  56  is started at the start line  58  and adhesively attached to the beginning section of the next portion  32  of the elongated member  30 . The second adhesive tape portion  56  is then broken off from the adhesive transfer tape  50  at the end, or break, line  57  by applying a tensile force between the second adhesive tape portion  56  and the rest of the adhesive transfer tape roll  50 . As above, the tensile force causes the adhesive transfer tape  50  to fracture, or break, at the end line  57 . 
     The elongated member  30  travels in the direction of the arrow A. After the first and second adhesive transfer tape portions  52  and  56  have been applied, the elongated member  30  is cut at a cut line  59  to separate the current portion  32  of the elongated member  30  from the next portion  34 . 
     FIG. 3 shows a portion of a conventional respooling apparatus  100 . As shown in FIG. 3, the conventional elongated member respooling apparatus  100  includes a transfer tape extending apparatus  110 , the adhesive tape roll  50 , a roll locking apparatus  140  and an adhesive tape application controller  120 . The adhesive tape application controller  120  includes a cam track  130  and a switch  122  connected to a cam  126  via a link  124 . The cam  126  travels along the cam track  130  to selectively apply the adhesive tape  50  to the elongated member  30 . 
     The roll locking apparatus  140  engages with the adhesive tape roll  50  to prevent the adhesive tape roll  50  from rotating. This prevents the adhesive tape from being applied to elongated member  30 . The adhesive tape roll  50  may not directly contact elongated member  30 , but may contact elongated member  30  through a roll extender  51 . The roll extender  51  can be any apparatus for allowing the adhesive tape roll  50  to contact the elongated member  30  while allowing roll locking apparatus  140  to engage the adhesive tape roll. The tape extending apparatus  110  is not connected to the roll locking apparatus  140  and simply engages the adhesive tape roll  50  at the beginning of the application cycle and disengages the adhesive tape roll  50  at the end of the application cycle. 
     In the conventional respooling apparatus  100 , because the adhesive tape transfer roll  50  quickly lifts upward and retracts as it travels on the cam track  130 , the transfer tape does not have enough surface area of the elongated member  30  to stick against. The lack of enough transfer tape on the elongated member  30  and the sudden pulling on the transfer tape as the adhesive tape transfer roll  50  retracts causes the transfer tape to peel from the elongated member  30 . Further, the short travel length due to the small notched cam track  130  when the tape extending apparatus  110  is pushing the adhesive tape transfer roll  50  down causes the adhesive tape transfer roll  50  to skid across the elongated member  30 . This occurs because too much compression force was exerted by the tape extending apparatus  110 , which caused the adhesive transfer tape roll  50  to lock up. This forces the operator to have to reset the elongated member  30  each time the transfer tape peels. This causes considerable down time since large volumes of elongated member  30  are respooled each day. 
     The switch  122  is connected to the cam  126  via the link  124 , such that, when the cam  126  and the cam track  130 , move relative to each other the link  128  engages the roll locking apparatus  140  with, or disengages the roll locking apparatus  140  from, the adhesive tape roll  50 , as noted below. It should be appreciated that for ease of understanding only, the following description refers to the cam travelling along a stationary cam track, event though, in a working embodiment, the cam track may move relative to a stationary cam. 
     For example, the elongated member  30  travels towards final roll  60  and fills up the current final elongated member roll  60 . When the current final elongated member roll  60  is determined to be full, the tape application is initialed process. The tape application process begins by the roll extending apparatus  110  moving the adhesive tape roll  50  into contact with the elongated member  30 . 
     As shown in Prior Art FIG. 4, at the beginning of the tape application cycle, the cam  126  starts traveling along the first tape application portion  133  of the cam track  130 . When the cam  126  reaches the first tape break portion  134  on the cam track  130 , the cam  126  moves up. This upward motion is transferred through the physical link  124  to the switch  122 . The switch  122  then engages an air power transfer link  128 , such that roll locking apparatus  140  engages the adhesive tape roll  50  and stops the adhesive tape roll  50  from rolling and stops adhesive tape roll  50  from applying adhesive tape to the elongated member  30 . 
     The adhesive tape roll  50  may not directly contact the elongated member  30 , but may contact the elongated member  30  through the roll extender  51 . The roll extender  51  can be any apparatus that allows the adhesive tape roll  50  to contact the elongated member  30  while allowing the roll locking apparatus  140  to engage the adhesive tape roll  50  at a distance from the elongated member  30   
     The cam  126  then moves along the tape non-application portion  135  that spaces the adhesive tape strip  56  from the adhesive tape strip  52 . Then, when the cam  126  reaches the tape release portion  136 , at the end of the tape non-application portion  135 , the cam  126  disengages the switch  122  via the physical link  124 . The switch  122  then cuts off the air supply to the air power transfer link  128 , such that the roll locking apparatus  140  disengages from the adhesive tape roll  50 . The tape is then applied as the cam  126  travels along a second tape application portion  137  to apply the tape strip  56 . The adhesive tape is applied to the elongated member  30  until the cam  126  reaches the second tape break portion  138 . At the second tape break portion  138 , the cam  126  once again moves up, engaging, via the switch  122 , the roll locking apparatus  140  with the adhesive tape transfer roll  50  to stop the adhesive tape transfer roll  50  from rolling. The process ends when the cam  126  reaches the end of the portion  139 , signaling that the respooling apparatus  100  should be reset. 
     However, in the conventional respooling apparatus  100  another problem is created, in that the distance between the second adhesive tape portion  56  and the first adhesive tape portion  52  needs to be free of adhesive. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the conventional respooling apparatus  100 , the roll locking apparatus  140  is used to stop the application of the adhesive tape in the portion of the elongated member  30  corresponding to the second tape non-application portion  135  of the cam track  130 . However, engaging the roll locking apparatus  140  at the end of the second adhesive tape portion  56  results in a lack of build-up of stresses within the adhesive tape transfer roll  50 , such that the adhesive tape may fail to break, causing a malfunction. The malfunction may take the form of an improperly or not torn adhesive transfer tape or a dislodged adhesive transfer tape roll  50 . The respooling apparatus  100  must then be shut down and the adhesive transfer roll  50  reset by hand. 
     The elongated member cutter/re-feeder  40  has been described in conjunction with the cam track  130 . However, any timing means, such as a cable with regular protrusions or a timing circuit, can be used with the respooling apparatus according to this invention. 
     FIGS. 5-8 are diagrams illustrating one exemplary embodiment of the process for applying the adhesive transfer tape. As shown in FIG. 5, the elongated member  30  traveling towards final elongated member roll  60  passes by the adhesive transfer roll  50  and a cutting knife  70 . When a determination has been made that the elongated member  30  has filled up the final elongated member roll  60 , the tape application process begins. 
     FIG. 6 shows the adhesive transfer tape roll  50  in contact with the elongated member  30  to apply the first adhesive tape portion  52 . The first adhesive tape portion  52  is then broken from the adhesive transfer tape roll  50  when the roll locking apparatus  140  engages the adhesive tape transfer roll  50 . As a result, the adhesive tape portion  52  is torn from the adhesive tape transfer roll  50 . 
     FIG. 7 shows the elongated member  30  with both of the first and second adhesive tape portions  52  and  56  applied to the elongated member  30 . Both of the first and second adhesive tape portions  52  and  56  have been broken off from the adhesive tape transfer roll  50  and are moving towards final elongated member roll  60 . 
     FIG. 8 shows the cutting knife  70  cutting the elongated member  30  between the first and second adhesive tape portions  52  and  56 . This ends the adhesive tape transfer process and begins the switch from the current to the next final elongated member roll  60 . 
     When using this conventional respooling apparatus  10 , it is difficult to accurately judge where the adhesive tape portions  52  and  56  are going to break off from the adhesive tape transfer roll  50 . As the portion  33  of the elongated member  30  between the first and second adhesive tape portions  52  and  56  is small, it is cumbersome and difficult to put any sort of cutting knife (not shown) around the adhesive transfer tape roll  50  to precisely cut the adhesive tape portions  52  and  56  from the adhesive transfer tape roll  50 . Thus, this invention identifies two methods to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the breaking point of the adhesive transfer tape  50  through tension breaking. 
     FIG. 9 shows a portion of a respooling apparatus  200  according to this invention. As in FIG. 3, the conventional elongated member respooling apparatus  200  includes a roll extending apparatus  210 , the adhesive tape roll  50 , the roll locking apparatus  140  and an adhesive tape application controller  220 . The adhesive tape application controller  220  includes an improved cam track  230  and or an improved switch  222  connected to a cam  226  via a link  224 . The cam  226  travels along the cam track  230  to selectively apply the adhesive transfer tape roll  50  to the elongated member  30 . 
     The roll locking apparatus  140  engages with the adhesive tape transfer roll  50  to prevent the adhesive tape transfer roll  50  from rotating. This prevents the adhesive tape from being applied to the elongated member  30 . The roll extending apparatus  210  is connected to the roll locking apparatus  140  through the links  229  and  228  and the switch  222 . The roll extending apparatus  210  engages the adhesive tape transfer roll  50  at the beginning and end of the application cycle. In contrast to the conventional respooling apparatus  100 , the respooling apparatus  200  also moves the adhesive tape roll  50  to a cutting position at the same time the roll locking apparatus  140  engages and disengages the adhesive tape roll  50  at the end of each application of the first and second tape strips  52  and  56 . 
     The switch  222  is connected to the cam  226  via the link  224  and to the roll extending apparatus  210  via the link  229  such that when the cam  226  travels along the cam track  230 , the link  228  engages or disengages the roll locking apparatus  140  and link  229  engages or disengages the roll extending apparatus  210 . 
     For example, as the elongated member  30  traveling towards the current final roll  60  and fills up the current final elongated member roll  60  and initiates the tape application process. The tape application process begins by the roll extending apparatus  210  moving the adhesive tape transfer roll  50  into contact with the elongated member  30 . 
     As shown in FIG. 10, at the beginning of the tape application cycle, the cam  226  starts traveling along the first tape application portion  233  of the cam track  230 . When the cam  226  reaches the first tape break portion  234 , at the end of the first tape application portion  233  of the cam track  230 , the cam  226  moves up. This upward motion is transferred through the physical link  224  to the switch  222 . The switch  222  then engages the air power transfer links  228  and  229  such that roll locking apparatus  140  engages the adhesive tape transfer roll  50  and stops the adhesive tape transfer roll  50  from rolling, while at the same time, the tape extending apparatus  210  lifts the adhesive tape transfer roll  50  from contact with the elongated member  30 . 
     Then, when the cam  226  reaches the tape release portion  236 , the cam  226  disengages the switch  222  via the physical link  224 . The switch  222  then cuts off the air supply to the air power transfer links  228  and  229 , such that the roll locking apparatus  140  disengages from the adhesive tape roll  50 , while the tape extending apparatus  210  places the adhesive tape transfer roll  50  back into contact with the elongated member  30 . The tape is then applied as the cam  226  travels along the second tape application portion  237  until the cam  226  reaches the second tape break portion  238 . 
     At the second tape break portion  238 , the cam  226  once again moves up, engages via the switch  222 , causing the roll locking apparatus  140  to stop the adhesive tape transfer roll  50  and the tape extending apparatus  210  to lift the adhesive tape transfer roll  50  from the elongated member  30 . The cam  226  then travels along a second tape non-application portion  239 , including an extended portion  239   a , until all internal stresses in the adhesive tape transfer roll  50  have equalized. The process ends when the cam  226  reaches the end of the second portion  239   a , signaling that the respooling apparatus  200  should be reset. 
     FIG. 11 shows one exemplary embodiment of the switch  222  in greater detail. As shown in FIG. 11, the switch  222  includes a switch element  250 , an air dispersion device  260 , a common vent  270 , and air pressure transfer links  254 ,  229  and  228 . The switch  222  is controlled through the physical link  224  which is attached to the switch element  250 . 
     As noted above, when the cam  226  moves downward, the movement is communicated through the physical link  224 . The link  224  controls the switch element  250  to remove the air force from the air pressure transfer links  229  and  228 . The switch element  250  can be the known device part number ARO 202C. The switch  250  removes the power from the air pressure transfer links  229  and  229  by removing the pressure from the air pressure transfer link  254 . The air pressure transfer link  254  is connected to the air dispersion device  260 . The air dispersion device  260  can be the known device part number ARO 5030-07 that includes one input port and two output ports. 
     When the switch  250  and the air dispersion device  260  remove the air pressure from the air pressure transfer links  254 ,  229 , and  228  the air may be released through the common vent  270 . 
     While air pressure transfer links  128 ,  228 ,  229  and  254  are discussed in terms of air power supply systems, other combinations are possible. For example, air pressure transfer links  128 ,  228 ,  229  and  254  can be physical, hydraulic or electrical links. In addition, physical link  124  can be an electrical, hydraulic, wireless or air pressure link. In general, the links described herein can be any known or later developed connection system or structure for connecting the described components. 
     Thus this exemplary embodiment increases the amount of surface area the transfer tape comes into contact with as it begins to break from the elongated member  30 . In this embodiment, the cam track  230  was modified at the end of its travel length  238 . This allows the adhesive transfer tape roll  50  to travel over a longer distance as it is lifting to break the transfer tape so that more tearing force is applied. 
     In another exemplary embodiment, to have more of a pulling upward force applied to the elongated member  30 , a 3-way spool valve was inserted below the air cylinder to control the amount of air going to the air cylinder as the switch  222 . A roll contact switch was used as the switch element  250  to come in contact with the cam  223  to control when air would be applied to the tape extending apparatus  210 . When the cam  223  was rolling along the lower notched level of the cam track  230 , the cam  223  caused the spool valve to release air from the tape extending apparatus  210  which caused the spring above the tape extending apparatus  210  to force the tape extending apparatus  210  down. Using a double notched cam track  230  allows for the adhesive tape transfer roll  50  to lower onto the elongated member twice so that the transfer tape could be applied to a longer surface area of the elongated member  30  with more pulling force on the transfer tape. 
     This helps cause a sharper and cleaner adhesive tape breakage when the tape extending apparatus  210  lifts upward. The 3-way spool valves and roll contact switches were mounted on all the transfer tape application points when the tape extending apparatus  210  lifted upward. The 3-way spool valves and roll contact switches were mounted on all the taper devices on the exemplary Dynak machine. Different qualities of transfer tape were used including some tapes that had caused problems previously because of poor adhesive quality. Testing showed that the respooling apparatus  200  according to this invention was able to put on different qualities of transfer tape onto the adhesive transfer tape rolls with no problems of the transfer tape peeling back from the elongated member as the tape extending apparatus  210  retracts. 
     While this invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, preferred embodiments in the invention as set forth herein are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.