Soft member mouting method and apparatus

An apparatus for mounting a soft member on an elongated member by fitting the soft member into the elongated member, the elongated member having a substantially U-shaped cross-section, the soft member having an elongated configuration, the apparatus comprising:

• a roller rotated by an actuator;
• moving means for moving the roller along the elongated member with the roller pressing the soft member against the elongated member;
• a force sensor disposed between the roller and the moving means for detecting a reaction force applied to the roller;
• and
• a control unit for controlling the roller on the basis of the reaction force detected by the force sensor, such that a pressing force of the roller to press the soft member is constant while a pressed surface of the roller pressed against the soft member has a peripheral speed either equal to a speed of the movement of the roller or higher than the speed of the movement of the roller by a maximum of 10% of the speed of the movement of the roller.