The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 29, 1997
Filed:
Oct. 17, 1994
Jack L Perecman, Golden Valley, MN (US);
Lloyd S Vasilakes, Stillwater, MN (US);
Daniel D Baker, St. Paul, MN (US);
Van E Jensen, Jr, Stillwater, MN (US);
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A continuous tape supply apparatus is provided which includes plural tape sources from which tape can be supplied to the tape applicator machine, a tension control means for providing the tape from the continuous tape supply apparatus at a substantially even tension under an indexing demand, and a splicing mechanism which is simpler in design and operation and which reliably causes a changeover of tape from one source to another. Once one source is depleted, the apparatus automatically switches to the second source, after which, a new supply can be substituted for the depleted supply and the apparatus made ready for the next subsequent changeover. The splicing mechanism includes a tape guide path through the splicing mechanism, a staging means comprising an applicator element which is movably disposed on the support between a staging position with the applicator element spaced from the tape guide path and a splice position with the applicator element moved within the tape guide path to change the tape guide path, and control means for causing the applicator element to move between its staging position to its splice position and for effecting a proper splice. The present invention is also directed to the combination of a continuous tape supply apparatus with a box tape applying machine.