# US 11,999,023 B2 · Application device, robot, production system and method for joining adhesive-tape portions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,999,023 B2 - Document ID: US11999023B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/547,575 - Filed: 2022-02-24 - Published: 2024-04-25 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2021-02-24 - Assignees: Tesa SE - Applicants: tesa SE - Inventors: Deniz Nick Akin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11999023B2 ## CPC - B23P 19/047: {for flexible profiles, e.g. sealing or decorating strips in grooves or on other profiles by devices moving along the flexible profile (hand tools therefor B25B27/0092)} - B25J 15/0061: {mounted on a modular gripping structure} - B25J 15/0616: {with vacuum} - F16J 15/108: {Special methods for making a non-metallic packing} - F16B 11/006: {by gluing (gluing of plastics material B29C65/48)} - B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q) - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - F16J: PISTONS {(specially adapted for dampers F16F9/32)}; CYLINDERS; SEALINGS - F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D) ## Abstract An application device for joining adhesive-tape sections that includes: a holder assembly having a plurality of holding devices that are movable relative to one another, each holding device configured to hold an adhesive-tape section such that a first main joining surface, a first end joining surface, and a second end joining surface of the adhesive-tape section are exposed; and a plurality of actuators. Further, each of the holding devices is configured for movement between first and second joining configurations. In the first joining configuration, each holding device holds an adhesive-tape section and each of the adhesive-tape sections are spaced apart from one another. In the second joining configuration, each holding device holds an adhesive-tape section wherein the first end joining surface of the adhesive-tape section bears against the second end joining surface of another adhesive-tape section, thus defining a continuous and closed adhesive adhesive-tape web. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An application device for joining adhesive-tape sections, comprising: a holder assembly having a plurality of holding devices that are movable relative to one another, wherein each holding device is configured to hold an adhesive-tape section in such a way that a first main joining surface, a first end joining surface, and a second end joining surface of the adhesive-tape section are exposed; and a plurality of actuators, wherein the holder assembly is configured for movement between a receiving position and an application position, wherein each of the holding devices is configured for movement between a first joining configuration and a second joining configuration by one of the actuators, wherein each adhesive-tape section comprises an adhesive-tape underside, an adhesive-tape upper side, the first main joining surface, and a second main joining surface, wherein the first and second main joining surfaces run parallel to one another and extend between a first end and a second end, the first main joining surface defined by the underside and the second main joining surface defined by the upper side, wherein the first end comprises the first end joining surface, arranged transversely to the first and second main joining surfaces, and the second end comprises the second end joining surface, arranged transversely to the first and second main joining surfaces, wherein each of the first and second end joining surfaces extends between the first and second main joining surfaces, wherein in the first joining configuration, the holding devices are arranged such that each holding device holds an adhesive-tape section and each of the adhesive-tape sections are arranged spaced apart from one another, and wherein in the second joining configuration, the holding devices are arranged such that each holding device holds an adhesive-tape section wherein the first end joining surface of the adhesive-tape section bears against the second end joining surface of another adhesive-tape section and the first main joining surface faces an application direction, thus joining the adhesive-tape sections to define a continuous and closed adhesive adhesive-tape web. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The application device of claim 1, wherein each holding device comprises a suction device that can be subjected to a vacuum such that the holding device holds one of the adhesive-tape sections. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The application device of claim 1, wherein in the second joining configuration, the adhesive-tape web extends along an adhesive-tape web plane running perpendicular to the application direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The application device of claim 1, wherein in the second joining configuration, at least one section of the adhesive-tape web is curved in such a manner that at least one of the first end joining surfaces bears against a second end joining surface wherein both a surface normal to the first end joining surface and a surface normal to the second end joining surface form an angle with a straight line running perpendicular to the application direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The application device of claim 1, wherein in the second joining configuration, the adhesive-tape web has the shape of a rectangle or square, as viewed in the application direction, wherein each side of the rectangle or square is defined by an adhesive-tape section. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The application device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the end joining surfaces of one of the adhesive-tape sections comprises an uneven and enlarged surface, and further wherein at least one of the end joining surfaces of another adjacent adhesive-tape section has a corresponding uneven and enlarged surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The application device of claim 1, further comprising: a withdrawal device that can be connected to a protective film of one of the adhesive-tape sections when at least one of the holding devices holds one of the adhesive-tape sections, wherein the protective film is attached to an adhesive layer of one of the adhesive-tape sections. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The application device of claim 7, wherein when each holding device holds one of the adhesive-tape sections, the withdrawal device can be connected to a protective film attached to an adhesive layer of each of the adhesive-tape sections. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The application device of claim 1, further comprising: an output device that can provide the adhesive-tape sections. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A robot, comprising: a frame; and an application device according to claim 1, wherein the application device is mounted on the frame. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A manufacturing system, comprising: a robot; and a dispensing device, wherein the robot comprises a frame and an application device according to claim 1, wherein the application device is mounted on the frame, and wherein the dispensing device is configured to provide each of the adhesive-tape sections. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The manufacturing system according to claim 11, further comprising: a camera system that can optically determine a position of each of the adhesive-tape sections when each holding device holds one of the adhesive-tape sections. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The manufacturing system according to claim 11, further comprising: a substrate holder capable of holding a substrate with a substrate surface, wherein when the holder assembly is in the application position and the holding devices adopt the second joining configuration, and wherein when the substrate holder holds the substrate, the adhesive-tape web bears against the substrate surface with the first main joining surfaces facing in the application direction. ### Claim 14 A method for joining adhesive-tape sections with an application device, wherein each adhesive-tape section comprises an adhesive-tape underside, an adhesive-tape upper side, a first main joining surface, and a second main joining surface, wherein the application device comprises: a holder assembly having a plurality of holding devices that are movable relative to one another, wherein each holding device is configured to hold an adhesive-tape section in such a way that the first main joining surface, a first end joining surface, and a second end joining surface of the adhesive-tape section are exposed; and a plurality of actuators, wherein the holder assembly is configured for movement between a receiving position and an application position, wherein the method comprises: holding the adhesive-tape sections with the plurality of holding devices, so that for each adhesive-tape section, the first main joining surface, the first end joining surface, and the second end joining surface are exposed; and moving the plurality of holding devices with the plurality of actuators from a first joining configuration to a second joining configuration, wherein the first joining configuration is such that the holding devices are arranged such that each holding device holds an adhesive-tape section and each of the adhesive-tape sections are arranged spaced apart from one another, wherein the second joining configuration is such that each holding device holds an adhesive-tape section wherein the first end joining surface of the adhesive-tape section bears against the second end joining surface of another adhesive-tape section and the first main joining surface faces an application direction, and wherein the moving step is conducted to join the adhesive-tape sections to define a continuous and closed adhesive-tape web. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein each holding device comprises a suction device and the step of holding is conducted such that each suction device is subjected to a vacuum such that the holding device holds one of the adhesive-tape sections. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: connecting a withdrawal device to a protective film of one of the adhesive-tape sections, the film attached to an adhesive layer of the adhesive-tape section; ending the step of holding the adhesive-tape sections; and moving the withdrawal device such that the protective film is peeled off the adhesive layer in the opposite direction to the application direction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: providing the adhesive-tape sections with an output device or a dispensing device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the step of moving the plurality of holding devices is conducted from the receiving position to the application position along the application direction. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: optically determining a position of each of the adhesive-tape sections with a camera system during the step of holding the adhesive-tape sections with the plurality of holding devices. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: holding a substrate with a substrate surface with a substrate holder; and moving the holder assembly into the application position such that the adhesive-tape web bears against the substrate surface with the first main joining surface facing the application direction.