Adhesive Segment Indexing Method and Apparatus and Roll of Adhesive Segments for Use Therewith

Abstract

An automated system and method for applying thermoplastic adhesives to work pieces from a roll of adhesive segments applied to an adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape. The present invention may be implemented in a system that automatically advances the adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape to position an adhesive segment thereon in the apparatus for application thereof to a work piece. Accurate indexing and advancement of the adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape preferably is provided by optical indexing of the carrier release tape, e.g., by the optical detection of a transverse line or other index marking printed or otherwise provided on the adhesive segment carrier release along with the adhesive segments deposited thereon.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An adhesive segment dispensing tape, comprising:
 (a) a flexible carrier release tape extending longitudinally and having a transverse width, said flexible carrier release tape also having opposed first and second release surfaces;   (b) a plurality of adhesive segments arrayed non-contiguously in a longitudinally spaced-apart progression along the first release surface of the carrier release tape, consecutive ones of the adhesive segments being spaced longitudinally apart by a predetermined and substantially uniform distance on the first release surface of the carrier release tape, wherein each of the adhesive segments is configured to adhere to a surface after release from the carrier release tape and to support an object attached to the adhesive segment; and   (c) a plurality of detectable indices on at least one of the first and second release surfaces of the carrier release tape and in a uniformly spaced apart longitudinal progression on the carrier release tape, wherein each of the detectable indices is in the same relative position on the carrier release tape with respect to at least one corresponding adhesive segment but wherein each of the optically detectable indices does not contact the at least one corresponding adhesive segment.   
     
     
         2 . The adhesive segment dispensing tape of  claim 2 , wherein the adhesive segment dispensing tape is arranged and configured to have the adhesive segments be dispensed by an adhesive segment dispensing apparatus, the adhesive segment dispensing apparatus comprising:
 a dispensing location for receiving the dispensing tape with the plurality of adhesive segments arrayed thereon, wherefrom adhesive segments are applied directly from the dispensing tape onto a work piece; and   a single optical detector mounted on the adhesive segment dispensing apparatus in a fixed relationship to the dispensing tape, at least a one of the detectable indices on the at least one of the first and second release surfaces of the carrier release tape being automatically detected and the adhesive segment dispensing tape being automatically moved to position an adhesive segment on the dispensing tape at the dispensing location on the adhesive dispensing tape apparatus using the detected at least one of the detectable indices, whereupon the adhesive segment dispensing apparatus applies the adhesive segment at the dispensing location onto a work piece.   
     
     
         3 . The adhesive segment dispensing tape of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of detectable indices on the first release surface of the carrier release tape comprise:
 optically detectable indices.   
     
     
         4 . The adhesive segment dispensing tape of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of detectable indices on the first release surface of the carrier release tape comprise:
 optically detectable indices printed onto the carrier release tape.   
     
     
         5 . The adhesive segment dispensing tape of  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of optically detectable indices comprise:
 visible lines printed on the carrier release tape and extending transversely across the carrier release tape.   
     
     
         6 . The adhesive segment dispensing tape of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of detectable indices are positioned on the carrier release tape such that each of the detectable indices is positioned in between adjacent adhesive segments on the carrier release tape. 
     
     
         7 . The adhesive segment dispensing tape of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of detectable indices comprise:
 perforations formed extending through the carrier release tape.   
     
     
         8 . The adhesive segment dispensing tape of  claim 1 . additionally comprising:
 a plurality of perforations extending through the carrier release tape and positioned in a longitudinally spaced-apart progression along the length thereof in positions thereon to coincide with the positions of the adhesive segments thereon.   
     
     
         9 . An adhesive segment dispensing tape, comprising:
 (a) a flexible carrier release tape extending longitudinally and having a transverse width, said flexible carrier release tape also having opposed first and second release surfaces;   (b) a plurality of adhesive segments, each segment having first and second tacky surfaces, arrayed non-contiguously in a longitudinally spaced-apart progression along the first release surface of the carrier release tape, consecutive ones of the adhesive segments being spaced longitudinally apart by a predetermined and substantially uniform distance on the first release surface of the carrier release tape, wherein each of the adhesive segments is configured to adhere with the first tacky surface to a work piece and support an object attached to the second tacky surface; and   (c) a plurality of optically detectable visible lines printed so as to extend transversely across the carrier release tape on at least one of the first and second release surfaces of the carrier release tape and in a uniformly spaced apart longitudinal progression on the carrier release tape such that each of the visible lines is positioned between adjacent adhesive segments on the carrier release tape, wherein each of the visible lines is in the same relative position on the carrier release tape with respect to at least one corresponding adhesive segment;   wherein the adhesive segment dispensing tape is arranged and configured to have the adhesive segments dispensed directly from the dispensing tape onto a work piece by an adhesive segment dispensing apparatus having a dispensing location accommodating the carrier tape with the plurality of adhesive segments arrayed thereon, wherein a single optical detector mounted on the adhesive segment dispensing apparatus in a fixed relationship to the dispensing tape automatically detects a position of at least one of the adhesive segments on the adhesive segment dispensing tape and automatically moves the adhesive segment dispensing tape to position an adhesive segment on the dispensing tape at the dispensing location on the adhesive dispensing tape apparatus using the detected position of the at least one of the adhesive segments, whereupon the adhesive segment dispensing apparatus applies the adhesive segment at the dispensing location onto a work piece.   
     
     
         10 . The adhesive segment dispensing tape of  claim 9 , wherein each of the optically detectable visible lines does not contact the at least one corresponding adhesive segment. 
     
     
         11 . The adhesive segment dispensing tape of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of optically detectable visible lines are printed on the first release surface of the carrier release tape. 
     
     
         12 . The adhesive segment dispensing tape of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of optically detectable visible lines are black in color and the flexible carrier release tape is light in color. 
     
     
         13 . The adhesive segment dispensing tape of  claim 9 , additionally comprising:
 a plurality of perforations extending through the carrier release tape and positioned in a longitudinally spaced-apart progression along the length thereof in positions thereon to coincide with the positions of the adhesive segments thereon.   
     
     
         14 . An adhesive segment dispensing tape, comprising:
 (a) a flexible carrier release tape extending longitudinally and having a transverse width, said flexible carrier release tape also having opposed first and second release surfaces;   (b) a plurality of adhesive segments, each segment having first and second tacky surfaces, arrayed non-contiguously in a longitudinally spaced-apart progression along the first release surface of the carrier release tape, consecutive ones of the adhesive segments being spaced longitudinally apart by a predetermined and substantially uniform distance on the first release surface of the carrier release tape, wherein each of the adhesive segments is configured to adhere with the first tacky surface to a work piece and support an object attached to the second tacky surface; and   (c) a plurality of detectable indices on at least one of the first and second release surfaces of the carrier release tape and in a uniformly spaced apart longitudinal progression on the carrier release tape, wherein each of the detectable indices is in the same relative position on the carrier release tape with respect to at least one corresponding adhesive segment.   
     
     
         15 . The adhesive segment dispensing tape of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of detectable indices on the first release surface of the carrier release tape comprise:
 optically detectable indices printed onto the carrier release tape.   
     
     
         16 . The adhesive segment dispensing tape of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of optically detectable indices comprise:
 optically detectable visible lines printed on the carrier release tape and extending transversely across the carrier release tape.   
     
     
         17 . The adhesive segment dispensing tape of  claim 16 , wherein each of the optically detectable visible lines does not contact the at least one corresponding adhesive segment. 
     
     
         18 . The adhesive segment dispensing tape of  claim 16 , wherein the optically detectable visible lines are positioned on the carrier release tape such that each of the optically detectable visible lines is positioned in between adjacent adhesive segments on the carrier release tape. 
     
     
         19 . The adhesive segment dispensing tape of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of optically detectable visible lines are black in color and the flexible carrier release tape is light in color. 
     
     
         20 . The adhesive segment dispensing tape of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of detectable indices comprise:
 perforations formed extending through the carrier release tape and positioned in a longitudinally spaced-apart progression along the length thereof in positions thereon to coincide with the positions of the adhesive segments thereon.