Method and apparatus for joining adhesive tape

An adhesive tape joining apparatus for joining an adhesive tape to a surface of an article, cutting out the adhesive tape along an outer peripheral edge of the article and, then, collecting the unnecessary adhesive tape which has been cut out, the apparatus comprising:

• a container for containing an article therein;
• transport means for transporting the article from the container;
• positioning means for mounting thereon the article transported by the transport means, and positioning the article;
• an article holder for holding the positioned article;
• a tape supply unit for supplying an adhesive tape onto the article mounted on the article holder;
• a releasing mechanism for releasing the adhesive tape from a release liner;
• a liner winding unit for winding up the release liner released by the releasing mechanism;
• a joining mechanism for joining the adhesive tape supplied from the tape supply unit to a surface of the article;
• adhesive tape cutting means for cutting out the adhesive tape joined to the article along an outer circumference of the article;
• and
• an unnecessary tape winding unit for winding up the unnecessary adhesive tape which has been cut out, wherein
• the unnecessary tape winding unit is provided with at least one medium-thick cylindrical winding roller;
• and
• the medium-thick cylindrical winding roller has a circumferential side face swelled so as to be curved from both ends of a rotation shaft toward the center portion of the rotation shaft;
• and
• a cut portion of the adhesive tape is arranged in the curved portion of the roller, and the non-cut portion is wound to both ends of the rotation shaft while the adhesive tape is pulled so as not to shrink towards the center portion of the rotation shaft of the roller.