1. A product, comprising:
a reel;
a tape coupled to the reel; and
a spring-like clip coupled to a free end of the tape, the clip being selectively positionable in a wrapped position where the clip wraps around a portion of the tape when the tape is wound onto the reel, thereby holding the portion of the tape in place on the reel.
2. The product as recited in claim 1, wherein the clip includes an engagement feature configured to enable the clip to be pulled from the wrapped position.
3. The product as recited in claim 2, wherein the engagement feature is a bent portion of the spring-like clip.
4. The product as recited in claim 2, wherein the engagement feature includes at least one of a hole and a barb.
5. The product as recited in claim 1, wherein a free end of the clip has a bent portion.
6. The product as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one surface of the clip has a surface feature for reducing surface friction of the clip.
7. The product as recited in claim 1, wherein stiffness of the clip varies along its length.
8. The product as recited in claim 7, wherein a free end of the clip has greater stiffness than an end of the clip coupled to the tape.
9. The product as recited in claim 1, wherein the length of the clip between a free end thereof and an end thereof coupled to the tape is at least one-half of the circumference of an outer surface of the tape when the tape is wound completely on the reel.
10. The product as recited in claim 1, wherein the length of the clip between a free end thereof and an end thereof coupled to the tape is greater than the circumference of an outer surface of the tape when the tape is wound completely on the reel.
11. The product as recited in claim 1, wherein the clip has a width in the range from 20% of the tape’s width to 100% of the tape’s width.
12. The product as recited in claim 1, wherein the clip’s width is greater than the tape’s width.
13. The product as recited in claim 1, wherein the clip is coupled to the free end of the tape by a tape leader having a length as measured between the clip and the tape of at least one circumference of an outer surface of the tape when the tape is wound completely on the reel.
14. A system, comprising:
a plurality of tape reels; and
a tape drive configured for reading data from tape stored on at least one of the plurality of tape reels,
wherein at least some of the tape reels have a tape wound thereon and a spring-like clip coupled to a free end of the tape, the clip being selectively positionable in a wrapped position where the clip wraps around a portion of the tape when the tape is wound onto the reel, thereby holding the portion of the tape in place on the reel.
15. The system as recited in claim 14, further comprising a chuck for rotating the reel, and an optical detector for detecting an orientation of the clip when the chuck rotates the reel.
16. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein a free end of the clip has a bent portion for enabling optical detection of the bent portion by the optical detector.
17. The system as recited in claim 14, further comprising a mobile robot and a controller for directing movement of the robot, the robot being configured to:
selectively retrieve one or more of the plurality of tape reels; and
transport the one or more retrieved tape reels to the tape drive, wherein the robot moves unconstrained along a first surface.
18. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the clip includes an engagement feature configured to enable the clip to be pulled from the wrapped position, and further comprising a transfer mechanism for engaging the engagement feature and pulling the clip from the wrapped position.
19. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein at least one surface of the clip has a surface feature for reducing surface friction of the clip.
20. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the length of the clip between a free end thereof and an end thereof coupled to the tape is at least one-half of the circumference of an outer surface of the tape when wound completely on the reel.
21. A spring-like clip for a spool of tape, one end of the clip being attached to one end of the tape, and another end of the clip having an engagement feature that allows the clip to be pulled from the spool, wherein the clip is configured to curve around the spool to hold the tape in place.
22. The clip of claim 21, wherein the clip is configured to assume a relatively less-curved geometry when pulled by the engagement feature, thereby permitting the clip to be passed to a take-up reel.
23. The clip of claim 21, wherein the engagement feature is configured (i) to engage a transfer mechanism when loading the tape and (ii) disengage the transfer mechanism when unloading the tape.
24. The clip of claim 21, the clip including surface features that reduce surface friction between the clip and a surface abutting the clip, and facilitate clip unloading.
25. The clip of claim 21, wherein the clip has varied stiffness along its length for facilitating uncurling of the clip when loading the tape onto a take-up mechanism, while maintaining the holding properties of the clip.
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 for treating the skin of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
a base;
a light emitting surface including an array of light emitting sources, each source being configured for emitting different rays of light at different wavelengths;
moving means for controllably and remotely moving the light emitting surface with respect to the base along a predetermined path and at a predetermined rate; and
control means for controlling the light emitting sources so that each source emits a given ray of light at a given wavelength, and for controlling the moving means so that the light emitting surface is moved to treat the skin of the patient.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the moving means comprise a movable arm having a first portion along which extends the light emitting surface, and a second portion having an end pivotally connected to the base.
3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the moving means comprise a servomotor and a gearbox, the gearbox being operatively connected to the end of the arm pivotally connected to the base, and the servomotor being operatively connected to the gearbox for driving the same and thereby moving the arm.
4. An apparatus according to claim 3, where the gearbox is a planetary gearbox.
5. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the servomotor is connected to the control means for receiving control signals from the same.
6. An apparatus according to any one of claim 2, wherein the arm is substantially L-shaped.
7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means comprises at least one microprocessor.
8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises an optical lens placed over the light emitting surface, the optical lens being shaped and sized for redirecting the rays of light emitted by the light emitting sources.
9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the optical lens is shaped and sized for redirecting the rays of light emitted by the light emitting sources in a direction substantially perpendicular with respect to the light emitting surface.
10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each light emitting source is configured for emitting rays of light at seven different wavelengths.
11. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the array of light emitting sources comprises a least one row and a plurality of transversal columns.
12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the array of light emitting sources comprises five rows and thirty-six columns.
13. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the array of light emitting sources comprises a plurality of sections, each section being controllable independently by the control means in order to vary a light output from each section.
14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said plurality of sections includes three sections.
15. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the moving means comprise a fixed panel where lies the array of light emitting sources, and wherein the moving means consist of a sequential modulation from the control means of the light emitting sources along the panel for moving the light emitting surface with respect to said panel.
16. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting sources are light emitting diodes.
17. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control means comprises a control panel hingedly connected to a top portion of the base, and being tiltable between opposite left and right sides of the base.
18. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises power receiving means for receiving power from a power supply.
19. An assembly for treating the skin of a patient, the assembly comprising:
a first surface for receiving a patient; and
a second surface, adjacent to the first surface, for receiving an apparatus according to claim 1, for treating the skin of the patient of the first surface with said apparatus.
20. A method of treating the skin of a patient, the method comprising the steps of:
a) providing an apparatus according to claim 1;
b) operating the control means for controlling the light emitting sources so that each source emits a given ray of light at a given wavelength, and for controlling the moving means so that the light emitting surface is moved with respect to the skin of the patient so as to treat said skin with the rays of light emitted by the light emitting sources.