Patent ID: 7771187

Claim:
An apparatus for automatically embossing carrier pockets in a continuous strip of plastic material to form a carrier tape, the apparatus comprising: a guide structure having at least a first plate and a second plate for positioning and guiding the strip in the apparatus; at least one of said first plate and said second plate having at least one slot extending therethrough; a drive assembly adapted to selectively engage the strip through said guide structure, and feed the strip through said guide structure in a sequence of uniform increments; a heating assembly adapted to heat at least one region on each increment of the strip, the heating assembly including a selectively positionable portion adapted to apply heat to the strip at the at least one region, the portion being positionable in a retracted position spaced apart from the strip; a heat shield assembly arranged to selectively interpose a heat shield between the portion and the strip when the portion is positioned in the retracted position; and a molding assembly for molding the heated region into a pocket, the molding assembly including a pair of mold portions selectively contactable with the at least one pocket region, the pair of mold portions including a male mold portion and a corresponding female mold portion.