1. A case, comprising:
a first case shell and a second case shell pivotally connected to one another and movable between an open position and a closed position;
a latch mechanism connected between said first and second case shells, said latch mechanism comprising:
(i) a latch body pivotally mounted to one of said first and second case shells, said latch body being movable between a first position and a second position;
(ii) a latch locking element pivotally mounted to said latch body, said latch locking element being movable between a locked position in contact with the other of said first and second case shells when said latch body is in said first position and an unlocked position when said latch body is in said second position;
(iii) a latch release acting on said latch body, said latch release being effective to retain said latch body in said first position except upon movement of said latch release from a locked position to a release position.
2. The case of claim 1 in which said latch body includes a top wall, a bottom wall and opposed inner side walls collectively forming a cavity, said latch release being mounted within said cavity.
3. The case of claim 2 in which said latch release includes a top wall, a front wall, a back wall and a bottom wall, a projection extending outwardly from said bottom wall, said projection being coupled to a spring retained in a holder which rests atop said bottom wall of said latch body.
4. The case of claim 3 in which one of said first and second case shells has a front wall formed with a ledge, said top wall of said latch release being formed with a recess and an outwardly extending first locking member, said first locking member engaging said ledge with said latch release in said locked position.
5. The case of claim 4 further including a locking arm extending outwardly from said one of said first and second case shells, said latch release being formed with a second locking member spaced from said first locking member, said second locking member engaging said locking arm with said latch release in said locked position.
6. The case of claim 5 in which a cavity is formed between said locking arm and said one of said first and second case shells, said second locking member comprising a lip extending outwardly from said back wall of said latch release, said lip being insertable into said cavity and into engagement with said locking arm.
7. The case of claim 5 in which said spring exerts a force in a direction to urge said latch release into said locked position with said first locking member in engagement with said ledge and said second locking member in engagement with said locking arm, said latch release being movable in a direction against the force applied by said spring so that said first locking member disengages said ledge and said second locking member disengages said locking arm thus allowing said latch body to pivot to said second position.
8. The case of claim 2 in which said latch body further includes opposed outer side walls each spaced from one of said inner side walls, a first bearing surface being formed between one of said inner and outer side wall pairs and a second bearing surface being formed between the other of said inner and outer side wall pairs.
9. The case of claim 8 in which said latch locking element includes a first pivot arm spaced from a second pivot arm, and a hook member extending between said first and second pivot arms.
10. The case of claim 9 in which said first and second pivot arms are pivotally connected to said latch body so that said first and second pivot arms each rest against one of said first and second bearing surfaces of said latch body.
11. The case of claim 10 in which said one of said first and second case shells has a front wall formed with a seat, said hook element being engageable with said seat when said latch locking element is in said locked position.
12. The case of claim 11 in which said first and second pivot arms of said latch locking member, and said latch release, are coupled to said latch body.
13. A case, comprising:
a top case shell having a front wall formed with a seat, a bottom case shell having a front wall formed with a ledge and a locking arm, said top and bottom case shells being pivotally connected to one another and movable between an open position and a closed position;
a latch mechanism comprising:
(i) a latch body pivotally mounted to said bottom case shell, said latch body being movable between a first position located along said front wall of said bottom case shell and a second position;
(ii) a latch locking element formed with a hook member, said latch locking element being pivotally mounted to said latch body and movable between a locked position wherein said hook member engages said seat of said top case shell and an unlocked position wherein said hook member disengages said seat, said latch locking element being retained in said locked position except upon movement of said latch body to said second position;
(iii) a latch release coupled to said latch body and being movable between a locked position and a release position, said latch release having a first locking member which engages said ledge of said bottom case shell and a second locking member which engages said locking arm of said bottom case shell when said latch release is in said locked position thus preventing said latch body from moving to said second position, said first locking member disengaging said ledge and said second locking member disengaging said locking arm upon movement of said latch release to said release position.
14. The case of claim 13 in which said latch body includes a top wall, a bottom wall and opposed inner side walls collectively forming a cavity, said latch release being mounted within said cavity.
15. The case of claim 13 in which said top wall of said latch release is formed with a recess and said outwardly extending first locking member.
16. The case of claim 13 in which said back wall of said latch release is formed with an outwardly extending lip which comprises said second locking member, said lip contacting said locking arm with said latch release in said locked position.
17. The case of claim 16 further including a spring that exerts a force urging said latch release into said locked position with said first locking member in engagement with said ledge and said lip in engagement with said locking arm, said latch release being movable in a direction against the force applied by said spring so that said first locking member disengages said ledge and said lip disengages said locking arm thus allowing said latch body to pivot relative to said bottom case shell to said second position.
18. The case of claim 13 in which said latch body further includes opposed outer side walls each spaced from one of said inner side walls, a first bearing surface being formed between one of said inner and outer side wall pairs and a second bearing surface being formed between the other of said inner and outer side wall pairs.
19. The case of claim 18 in which said latch locking element includes a first pivot arm spaced from a second pivot arm, said hook member extending between said first and second pivot arms.
20. The case of claim 19 in which said first and second pivot arms are pivotally connected to said latch body so that said first and second pivot arms each rest against one of said first and second bearing surfaces of said latch body.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a first roller configured to unwind tape from a spool, the tape on the spool having a backing film attached to the tape;
a take-up roller configured to store the backing film as the backing film is removed from the tape as the tape is moved around the take-up roller, wherein the take-up roller is a freely rotating roller driven only by movement of the tape around the take-up roller; and
a dancer roller configured to control tension of the tape as the tape with the backing film removed is directed from the take-up roller around the dancer roller.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tape comprises slit tape prepreg.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first roller is a compaction roller.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the dancer roller is further configured to dampen changes in a feed rate of the tape as the tape with the backing film removed is directed from the take-up roller to the dancer roller.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a redirecting pulley configured to guide the tape with the backing film removed from the dancer roller to the compaction roller.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the dancer roller and the redirecting pulley are fixed in angle relative to one another.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first roller and the take-up roller comprise an end effector and wherein the end effector is attached to a positioning device.
8. An apparatus, comprising:
a spool, a roll of tape on the spool having a backing film attached to the tape;
a take-up roller, wherein the tape with the backing film still attached extends from the spool to the take-up roller and partially around the take-up roller and wherein the take-up roller is configured to store the backing film as the backing film is removed from the tape as the tape is moved around the take-up roller, wherein the take-up roller is a freely rotating roller driven only by movement of the tape around the take-up roller; and
a dancer roller, wherein the tape with the backing film removed extends from the take-up roller to the dancer roller, the dancer roller configured to control tension in the tape.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the tape comprises slit tape prepreg.
10. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a redirecting pulley, wherein the tape with the backing film removed extends from the dancer roller to the redirecting pulley.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the dancer roller and the redirecting pulley are fixed in angle relative to one another.
12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a compaction roller, wherein the tape with the backing film removed extends from the redirecting pulley to the compaction roller.
13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the spool and the take-up roller comprise an end effector and wherein the end effector is attached to a positioning device.
14. An end effector for applying courses of tape on a rotating mandrel, the end effector comprising:
a plurality of spools, each of the plurality of spools having rolls of tape with backing positioned thereon;
a plurality of take up rollers, each of the plurality of take up rollers configured to receive a course of tape with backing from a corresponding spool such that the backing unwinds from the tape onto the take up roller;
a plurality of dancer rollers, each of the plurality of dancer roller configured to receive a course of tape from a corresponding take up roller; and
a number of redirecting pulleys configured to receive a plurality of courses of tape from the plurality of dancer rollers and to direct the courses of tape to the rotating mandrel.
15. The end effector of claim 14, wherein the plurality of spools further comprise a plurality of tensioners connected with each spool.
16. The end effector of claim 14 further comprising a cutting assembly configured to cut the plurality of courses of tape.
17. The end effector of claim 14 further comprising a compaction roller.
18. The end effector of claim 14 further comprising a positioning device connected to the end effector.
19. The end effector of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of take up rollers and each of the corresponding plurality of dancer rollers are positioned in a fixed angle.