Patent ID: 8146643

Claim:
A lay-up apparatus for laying tape between two strips of material laid on a flat panel separate from but parallel to each other so that the tape extends from each strip of material toward the other strip of material, the lay-up apparatus comprising: a movable gripper to grip the tape to unwind the tape from a reel around which the tape is wound; a cutter to cut the tape when the gripper unwinds a predetermined length of tape from the reel; a second tape laid parallel to the tape; a second movable gripper to grip the second tape to unwind the second tape from a second reel around which the second tape is wound; a second cutter to cut the second tape when the second gripper unwinds a predetermined length of the second tape from the second reel; and a moving means capable of three-dimensional movement while supporting the cut tape, the moving means being rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the flat panel, and configured to grip and rotate the tape in opposite directions when laying the tape from one of the two parallel strips of material toward the other of the two parallel strips of material and when laying the tape from the other of the two parallel strips of material toward the one of the two parallel strips of material, so as to keep constant relative positions of one end of the tape serving as a reference point and that strip of material of the two parallel strips of material which is nearer the end of the tape serving as a reference point, wherein the moving means grips the second tape and the tape while laying the tape below the second tape.