Device for controlling tension of tape for use in automatic tape affixing apparatus

An automatic tape affixing apparatus for automatically affixing a tape on an affixing surface comprising:

• multi-axis tape head means movable in a plurality of axial directions, said tape head means carrying a tape supply reel and a tape take-up reel with said tape passing along a tape path between said supply reel and said take-up reel, said tape head means carrying a tape presser roller disposed along said tape path for pressing said tape onto said affixing surface, said tape head means further carrying tape feed positioning means disposed along said tape path for feeding and positioning said tape along said tape path;
• torque regulating means for controlling the torque of said tape supply reel and said take-up reel;
• sensor means providing sensor signals relating to the radius of said supply reel and the radius of said take-up reel;
• a rotary encoder carried by said head means and disposed along said tape path for providing encoder signals relating to the amount of feed of said tape along said tape path;
• and
• control means receiving said sensor signals and said encoder signals and operable to control said torque regulating means to control the torque of said supply reel and said take-up reel and provide substantially equal tension on said tape between said tape feed positioning means and said supply reel and between said tape feed positioning means and said take-up reel.