Patent ID: 7913736

Claim:
An apparatus for affixing an adhesive tape to a workpiece, wherein the apparatus is configured to dispense the adhesive tape and the workpiece has a cylindrical portion and an outer peripheral surface, the apparatus comprising: A tape-feeding device configured to feed the adhesive tape below the outer peripheral surface of the workpiece in a condition in which an adhesive surface of the adhesive tape faces upwardly in a direction approximately perpendicular to an axis of the cylindrical portion of the workpiece; A tape-cutting device configured to cut the adhesive tape fed from the tape-feeding device at a predetermined length that is greater than a circumference of the outer peripheral surface of the workpiece; and A tape-affixing device having two claws which are configured to be elastically deformable in response to a force exerted by the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion of the workpiece, the tape-affixing device being configured to thrust and affix the adhesive surface of the cut adhesive tape to the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion of the workpiece in such a way that an upward movement of the two claws causes the adhesive tape to be elevated, wherein the two claws are configured to be forced apart by the cylindrical portion of the workpiece as the two claws move upward and contact the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion of the workpiece, Wherein the two claws are arranged so that adhesive surfaces at ends of the cut adhesive tape are pressed against and are adhered to each other after the adhesive surface of the adhesive tape is thrust against and adhered to the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion, Wherein the tape-affixing device additionally comprises a through hole penetration in a direction that is perpendicular to a crossing portion of a tape-feeding groove and a workpiece-disposing groove.