Guide for bonding tapes or films

Abstract

A guide is provided to direct the film or tape into the bonding area of a bonding apparatus. The guide includes first and second curved plates which are affixed to and separated by a spacer.

1 . A device comprising: 
 (a) a first curved plate comprising an interior upper surface, an exterior lower surface and a width;    (b) at least one spacer comprising a rectangular prism having an upper surface, a lower surface, a length, a width, and a thickness; and    (c) a second curved plate comprising an interior upper surface, an exterior lower surface and a width;    wherein said second curved plate is placed interior to said first curved plate;    the exterior lower surface of said second curved plate contacts said upper surface of said spacer;    the interior upper surface of said first curved plate contacts said lower surface of said spacer; and    the width of said spacer is less than the width of said first curved plate and less than the width of said second curved plate.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said first curved plate is longer than said second curved plate.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein said first curved plate and said second curved plate are aligned such that one end of said first curved plate is adjacent to an end of said second curved plate and the other end comprises a mounting location.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said first curved plate and said second curved plate comprise a guide having a first region comprising an inlet for accepting a polyurethane tape; a second tapered region; and a third region comprising an outlet for said tape; wherein said first region has a greater width than said second region.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein said first curved plate and said second curved plate are aligned at the end of said outlet.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein said second curved plate comprises a first section adjacent to said inlet and a second section adjacent to said outlet wherein said first section is substantially flat and forms an obtuse angle with respect to the second section of said second curved plate.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said first curved plate has a radius of curvature of about three inches or greater.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said first curved plate has a radius of curvature of about five inches or greater.  
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said second curved plate has a radius of curvature of about three inches or greater.  
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said second curved plate has a radius of curvature of about five inches or greater.  
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said first curved plate has a radius of curvature greater than a radii of curvature of said second curved plate.  
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein said spacer has a thickness sufficient to allow said guide to accept a tape from about 1 mils to about 50 mils.  
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said upper surface of said first curved plate has a roughness of about 65 microinches to about 75 microinches, and is greater than the roughness of said lower surface of said first curved plate which is from about 8 microinches to about 12 microinches.  
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said upper surface of said second curved plate has a roughness of about 65 microinches to about 75 microinches, and said lower surface of said second curved plate has a roughness of about 65 microinches to about 75 microinches.  
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said first curved plate has a length from about 3.1 inches to about 3.3 inches.  
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said second curved plate has a length from about 1.0 inches to about 1.2 inches.  
     
     
         17 . A method of feeding a tape to a bonding machine comprising passing said tape through a guide to said bonding machine wherein said guide comprises: 
 (a) a first curved plate comprising an interior upper surface, an exterior lower surface and a width;    (b) at least one spacer comprising a rectangular prism having an upper surface, a lower surface, a length, a width, and a thickness; and    (c) a second curved plate comprising an interior upper surface, an exterior lower surface and a width;    wherein said second curved plate is placed interior to said first curved plate;    the exterior lower surface of said second curved plate contacts said upper surface of said spacer;    the interior upper surface of said first curved plate contacts said lower surface of said spacer; and    the width of said spacer is less than the width of said first curved plate and less than the width of said second curved plate.