Tape manufacturing system
First Claim
1. A non-transparent tape manufacturing system comprising:
- (a) a tape-processing unit;
(b) a tape handler for providing at least one tape to the tape-processing unit; and
(c) at least one tape-surface-inspection unit for characterizing the surface of the at least one tape provided to the tape-processing unit.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A tape manufacturing system and a tape-surface-inspection unit are disclosed. The tape-surface-inspection unit is capable of continuously characterizing the surface of a non-transparent tape that is usable with or without a tape manufacturing system. The tape-surface-inspection unit includes a surface illuminator, an imager, an image processor, a tape guide, and, optionally, an indexer. The surface illuminator provides a tape surface located by the tape guide in a manner that allows the imager to capture images for characterization by the image processor. The indexer facilitates a correlation of locations along the tape and a characterization of the locations on the tape. The tape manufacturing system, in addition to at least one tape-surface-inspection unit, includes a tape-processing unit, a tape handler, and a controller.
-
Citations
82 Claims
-
1. A non-transparent tape manufacturing system comprising:
-
(a) a tape-processing unit; (b) a tape handler for providing at least one tape to the tape-processing unit; and (c) at least one tape-surface-inspection unit for characterizing the surface of the at least one tape provided to the tape-processing unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. A tape-surface-inspection unit capable of continuously inspecting a tape, the tape-surface-inspection unit including:
-
(a) a surface illuminator for illuminating a tape surface (b) an imager for imaging the illuminated tape surface; (c) an image processor for processing the tape surface image so as to allow the characterization of the tape surface; (d) a tape guide for locating the tape with respect to the imager; and (e) an indexer for permitting a correlation between a location along the tape and a characterization of the location on the tape. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78)
-
-
79. A tape manufacturing system comprising:
-
(a) a tape-processing unit; (b) a tape handler for providing at least one tape to the tape-processing unit; (c) at least one tape-surface-inspection unit capable of continuously characterizing the surface of the at least one tape provided to the tape-processing unit, the tape-surface-inspection unit including; (i) a surface illuminator for illuminating a tape surface, (ii) an imager for imaging the illuminated tape surface, (iii) an image processor for processing the tape surface image so as to allow the characterization of the tape surface, (iv) a tape guide for locating the tape with respect to the imager, and (v) an indexer for permitting a correlation a location along the tape and a characterization of the location on the tape; and (d) a controller in communication with the tape-processing unit, the tape handler, and the tape-surface-inspection unit.
-
-
80. A method for manufacturing a non-transparent tape, said method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) continuously processing at least non-transparent tape; and (b) substantially simultaneously continuously characterizing at least one surface of the continuously processed non-transparent tape.
-
-
81. A method for continuously inspecting a surface of a substantially continuously translating non-transparent tape, said method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) illuminating at least a portion of a surface of the at least one substantially continuously translating non-transparent tape; (b) imaging the illuminated at least a portion of a surface; (c) processing the image of the at least a portion of a surface so as to characterize the at least a potion of a surface; (d) indexing a location of the at least a portion of a surface along the non-transparent tape; and (f) correlating the indexed location of the at least a portion of a surface and the characterization of the at least a portion of a surface of the non-transparent tape.
-
-
82. A method for manufacturing a non-transparent tape, said method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) continuously processing at least non-transparent tape; and (b) substantially simultaneously continuously characterizing at least one surface of the continuously processed at least non transparent tape, said characterizing comprising the steps of (i) illuminating at least a portion of a surface of the at least one continuously translating non-transparent tape; (ii) imaging the illuminated at least a portion of a surface; (ii) processing the image of the at least a portion of a surface so as to characterize the at least a potion of a surface; (iv) indexing a location of the at least a portion of a surface along the non-transparent tape; and (v) correlating the indexed location of the at least a portion of a surface and the characterization of the at least a portion of a surface of the non-transparent tape.
-
Specification