Method and apparatus for peeling a covering tape from a component supply tape

Claim 2

In a method of feeding a substrate stepwise and peeling an attached cover tape therefrom in order to uncover components carried by said substrate for pick-up of said components, said peeling comprising passing said cover tape around a guide surface of a peeler arm and in a direction generally reverse to a direction of said substrate feeding and applying tension to said cover tape in said reverse direction, the improvement comprising the steps of: retracting said guide surface in said reverse direction during said peeling in order to minimize an amount of said tension necessary to accomplish said peeling; and maintaining contact between said tape cover and said guide surface during said retracting.

Claim 3

An improvement as in claim 1, and further comprising the step of: performing said retracting of said guide surface via said tape cover and tension applied thereto during said peeling.

Claim 4

An improvement as in claim 1, and further comprising the steps of: advancing said guide surface in said feeding direction in concert with said substrate during said feeding; and performing said retracting after said advancing.

Claim 5

An improvement as in claim 3, and further comprising the step of: relieving said tension during said substrate feeding.

Claim 6

An improvement as in claim 4, and further comprising the steps of: positively driving said substrate and guide surface in said feeding direction; and performing said retracting of said guide surface by pulling thereon via said tension applying during said peeling and after said feeding.

Claim 7

An improvement as in claim 1, and further comprising the step of: spring biasing said guide surface in said substrate feeding direction.

Claim 8

An improvement as in claim 1, and further comprising the step of: providing substantially constant tension on said cover tape during said peeling.

Claim 9

An improvement as in claim 1, and further comprising the step of: covering each said component with a shutter during uncovering thereof by said peeling.

Claim 10

In an apparatus for feeding a substrate stepwise and peeling an attached cover tape therefrom in order to uncover components carried by said substrate for pick-up of said components, and having means for passing said cover tape around a guide surface of a peeler arm and redirecting said cover tape in a direction generally reverse to a direction of said substrate feeding and means for applying tension to said cover tape in said reverse direction, the improvement comprising: means for retracting said guide surface in said reverse direction during said peeling in order to minimize an amount of said tension necessary to accomplish said peeling; and means for maintaining contact between said tape cover and said guide surface during said retracting.

Claim 11

In an apparatus for feeding a substrate stepwise and peeling an attached cover tape therefrom in order to uncover components carried by said substrate for pick-up of said components, and having means for passing said cover tape around a guide surface of a peeler arm and redirecting said cover tape in a direction generally reverse to a direction of said substrate feeding and means for applying tension to said cover tape in said reverse direction, the improvement comprising: means for retracting said guide surface in said reverse direction during said peeling in order to minimize an amount of said tension necessary to accomplish said peeling; and means for maintaining contact between said tape cover and said guide surface during said retracting.

Claim 12

An improvement as in claim 9, said guide surface retracting means comprising: said means for applying tension to said tape cover.

Claim 13

An improvement as in claim 9, and further comprising: means for advancing said guide surface in said feeding direction in concert with said substrate during said feeding; and means for operating said retracting means after said advancing.

Claim 14

An improvement as in claim 11, and further comprising: means for relieving said tension during said substrate feeding.

Claim 15

An improvement as in claim 12, and further comprising: means for positively driving said substrate and guide surface in said feeding direction; and means for performing said retracting of said guide surface by pulling thereon via said tension applying during said peeling and after said feeding.

Claim 16

An improvement as in claim 9, and further comprising: means for spring biasing said guide surface in said substrate feeding direction.

Claim 17

An improvement as in claim 9, and further comprising: means for providing substantially constant tension on said cover tape during said peeling.

Claim 18

An improvement as in claim 9, and further comprising: shutter means for covering each said component during uncovering thereof by said peeling.