1. An apparatus for removing scrap from tape on original backing paper comprising:
a supply reel for supplying and unrolling material, wherein said material comprises tape on original backing paper;
at least one cutting member for cutting unrolled tape while on original backing paper;
a heating member for heating non-scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper;
at least one removal member for removing scrap cut unrolled tape from original backing paper; and
a cassette spool for rolling up heated non-scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper which has been heated by said heating member.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one computer, wherein said at least one computer is adapted to direct said at least one cutting member to cut unrolled tape on original backing paper in a pre-determined configuration to produce both scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper and non-scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said heating member is for heating non-scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper without heating scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a cooling member for cooling scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper without cooling non-scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said at least one removal member comprises an actuator for abutting an arm member against scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper.
6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said at least one removal member is for removing cooled scrap cut unrolled tape from original backing paper.
7. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said at least one removal member does not remove heated non-scrap cut unrolled tape from original backing paper.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a cooling member for cooling scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper, wherein said removal member is for removing cooled scrap cut unrolled tape from original backing paper and said cassette spool does not roll up cooled scrap cut unrolled tape which has been cooled by said cooling member and removed from original backing paper by said removal member.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tape is made of at least one of a composite, graphite, ceramic, aramid, glass, unidirectional composite tape, a para-aramid synthetic fiber, or fiberglass.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one scrap bin for disposing of scrap cut unrolled tape which has been removed from original backing paper.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one computer, wherein said at least one computer is adapted to control said heating.
12. A method of removing tape from original backing paper comprising:
unrolling material from a supply reel, wherein said material comprises tape on original backing paper;
cutting the unrolled tape on the original backing paper with at least one cutting member to form scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper and to form non-scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper;
heating the non-scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper utilizing a heating member;
removing the scrap cut unrolled tape from the original backing paper utilizing at least one removal member; and
rolling up the non-scrap cut unrolled tape, which has been heated by the heating member, on the original backing paper onto a cassette spool.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the method is used during at least one of aircraft pre-production, aircraft production, or aircraft service.
14. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of at least one computer directing said at least one cutting member to cut the unrolled tape on the original backing paper in a pre-determined configuration.
15. The method of claim 12 wherein the non-scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper is heated by the heating member without heating the scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper, and the scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper is cooled by a cooling member without cooling the non-scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper.
16. The method of claim 12 wherein said at least one removal member comprises an actuator which selectively abuts an arm member against the scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of removing comprises removing the cooled scrap cut unrolled tape, which has been cooled by the cooling member, from the original backing paper utilizing said at least one removal member.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of removing does not comprise removing the heated non-scrap cut unrolled tape, which has been heated by the heating member, from the original backing paper.
19. The method of claim 12 further comprising cooling the scrap cut unrolled tape with a cooling member prior to removing it with said at least one removal member, wherein the step of rolling does not comprise said cassette spool rolling up the scrap cut unrolled tape, which has been cooled by the cooling member, and removed from the original backing paper with said at least one removal member.
20. The method of claim 12 wherein the tape is made of at least one of a composite, graphite, ceramic, aramid, glass, unidirectional composite tape, a para-aramid synthetic fiber, or fiberglass.
21. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of disposing said scrap cut unrolled tape which has been removed from the original backing paper into at least one scrap bin.
22. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of using the rolled up non-scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper on the cassette spool with a tape laying machine.
23. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of at least one computer controlling said heating.
24. An apparatus for removing scrap from tape on original backing paper comprising:
a supply reel for supplying and unrolling material, wherein said material comprises tape on original backing paper;
at least one cutting member for cutting unrolled tape while on original backing paper;
at least one computer, wherein said at least one computer is adapted to direct said at least one cutting member to cut unrolled tape on original backing paper in a pre-determined configuration to produce both scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper and non-scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper;
a heating member for heating non-scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper without heating scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper, and a cooling member for cooling scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper without cooling non-scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper, wherein said at least one computer is adapted to control said heating and cooling;
at least one removal member for removing cooled scrap cut unrolled tape from original backing paper without removing heated non-scrap cut unrolled tape from original backing paper, wherein said at least one removal member comprises at least one of a curved surface for changing the direction of cut unrolled tape on original backing paper or an actuator for abutting an arm member against cooled scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper; and
a cassette spool for rolling up heated non-scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper without rolling up cooled scrap cut unrolled tape which has been removed from original backing paper.
25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the apparatus is for preparing the cassette spool of rolled-up heated non-scrap cut tape on original backing paper, wherein the tape is made of at least one of a composite, graphite, ceramic, aramid, glass, unidirectional composite tape, a para-aramid synthetic fiber, or fiberglass.
26. The apparatus of claim 24 further comprising at least one scrap bin for disposing of cooled scrap cut unrolled tape which has been removed from original backing paper.
27. A method of removing tape from original backing paper comprising:
unrolling material from a supply reel, wherein said material comprises tape on original backing paper;
cutting the unrolled tape on the original backing paper with at least one cutting member to form scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper and to form non-scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper, wherein at least one computer directs said at least one cutting member to cut the unrolled tape on the original backing paper in a pre-determined configuration;
heating the non-scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper utilizing a heating member without heating the scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper and cooling the scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper utilizing a cooling member without cooling the non-scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper, wherein the at least one computer controls said heating and cooling;
removing the cooled scrap cut unrolled tape from the original backing paper without removing the heated non-scrap cut unrolled tape from the backing paper utilizing at least one removal member comprising at least one of a curved surface which changes the direction of the cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper or an actuator which selectively abuts an arm member against the cooled scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper; and
rolling up the heated non-scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper onto a cassette spool without rolling up the cooled scrap cut unrolled tape removed from the original backing paper.
28. The method of claim 27 wherein the method is used during at least one of aircraft pre-production, aircraft production, or aircraft service.
29. The method of claim 27 wherein the tape is made of at least one of a composite, graphite, ceramic, aramid, glass, unidirectional composite tape, a para-aramid synthetic fiber, or fiberglass.
30. The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of disposing said cooled scrap cut unrolled tape which has been removed from the original backing paper into at least one scrap bin.
31. The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of using the rolled up heated non-scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper on the cassette spool with a tape laying machine.
32. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said at least one removal member comprises the actuator for abutting the arm member against cooled scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper.
33. The method of claim 27 wherein the at least one removal member comprises the actuator which selectively abuts the arm member against the cooled scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper.
34. An apparatus for removing scrap from tape on original backing paper comprising:
a supply reel for supplying and unrolling material, wherein said material comprises tape on original backing paper;
at least one cutting member for cutting unrolled tape while on original backing paper;
at least one of a heating member for heating non-scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper without heating scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper or a cooling member for cooling scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper without cooling non-scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper; and
at least one removal member for removing scrap cut unrolled tape from original backing paper.
35. The apparatus of claim 34 comprising said heating member for heating non-scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper without heating scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper.
36. The apparatus of claim 34 comprising said cooling member for cooling scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper without cooling non-scrap cut unrolled tape on original backing paper.
37. A method of removing tape from original backing paper comprising:
unrolling material from a supply reel, wherein said material comprises tape on original backing paper;
cutting the unrolled tape on the original backing paper with at least one cutting member to form scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper and to form non-scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper;
at least one of heating, utilizing a heating member, the non-scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper without heating the scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper or cooling, utilizing a cooling member, the scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper without cooling the non-scrap cut unrolled tape on the original backing paper; and
removing the scrap cut unrolled tape from the original backing paper utilizing at least one removal member.
38. The method of claim 37 wherein the step of removing comprises removing the cooled scrap cut unrolled tape, which has been cooled by the cooling member, from the original backing paper utilizing said at least one removal member.
39. The method of claim 38 wherein the step of removing does not comprise removing the heated non-scrap cut unrolled tape, which has been heated by the heating member, from the original backing paper.
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 performing endoscopic surgery on a patient, the apparatus comprising:
at least two concentric tube manipulators adapted to carry devices for performing a surgical operation;
a transmission for operating the concentric tube manipulators; and
an endoscope tube having a proximal end portion fixed to the transmission, the concentric tube manipulators extending from the transmission through an inner lumen of the endoscope tube and being operable to extend from a distal end of the endoscope tube.
2. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is adapted for connection to a support device that facilitates coarse manual operation of the apparatus through the manual maneuvering and positioning of the transmission carrying the endoscope tube, the support device being operable to fix the position of the transmission and the endoscope tube so that the concentric tube manipulators can be operated to perform fine operations from the fixed distal end of the endoscope tube.
3. The apparatus recited in claim 1, further comprising a pair of control handles that help define a user interface portion of the apparatus, the control handles comprising handle portions that can be grasped in order to manually maneuver and position the transmission carrying the endoscope tube, the control handles further comprising one or more control input devices that can be operated to control the operation of the concentric tube manipulators.
4. The apparatus recited in claim 3, wherein the control input devices comprise at least one of a joystick and a trigger.
5. The apparatus recited in claim 4, wherein the joystick is actuatable to control lateral movement of the associated concentric tube manipulator and the trigger is actuatable to control insertion and retraction of the concentric tube manipulator.
6. The apparatus recited in claim 1, further comprising optics and a light source positioned in the inner lumen at the distal end of the endoscope tube, the light source being operable to illuminate the workspace of the concentric tube manipulators, and the optics being operable to provide video of the workspace.
7. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the inner lumen of the endoscope defines a delivery channel for delivering media to the worksite.
8. The apparatus recited in claim 1, further comprising a spacer fixed in the inner lumen at the distal end of the endoscope tube, the spacer being configured to support the concentric tube manipulators in the endoscope tube and guide the concentric tube manipulators form the distal end of the endoscope tube.
9. The apparatus recited in claim 8, wherein the spacer comprises a nozzle for directing fluids from the distal end of the endoscope tube.
10. The apparatus recited in claim 8, wherein the spacer is adapted to support optics and a light source at the distal end of the endoscope tube, the light source being operable to illuminate the workspace of the concentric tube manipulators and the optics being operable to provide video of the workspace.
11. The apparatus recited in claim 1, further comprising a motor pack connected to the transmission, the motor pack comprising a plurality of motors that are operable to power the transmission to operate the concentric tube manipulators, each motor being operable to control one degree of freedom of one of the concentric tube manipulators.
12. The apparatus recited in claim 10, wherein the transmission comprises a plurality of tube carriers each of which carry one tube of one of the concentric tube manipulators, each tube carrier having an associated drive screw and rotation shaft, each drive screw being coupled to an associated motor that is operable to rotate the drive screw to cause longitudinal translation of the tube carrier and its associated tube, each rotation shaft being coupled to an associated motor that is operable rotate the rotation shaft to cause rotation of its associated tube within the tube carrier.
13. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the endoscope tube comprises a portion of a conventional endoscope, and wherein the transmission comprises an adapter for connecting the endoscope to the transmission.
14. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the endoscope tube has an outside diameter of 6.0 mm or less, and the ratio of the outside diameter of the endoscope tube to the outside diameter of the concentric tube manipulators is at least 2:1.
15. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the endoscope tube has an outside diameter of 6.0 mm or less, and the ratio of the outside diameter of the endoscope tube to the outside diameter of the concentric tube manipulators is at least 3:1.
16. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the concentric tube manipulators carries a laser at its distal tip.
17. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the at least two concentric tube manipulators comprises:
a first concentric tube manipulator that carries a laser at its distal tip; and
a second concentric tube manipulator that carries a gripper mechanism at its distal tip.
18. The apparatus recited in claim 17, wherein the first concentric tube manipulator comprises three concentric tubes having six degrees of freedom, and the second concentric tube manipulator comprises two concentric tubes having three degrees of freedom.
19. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the concentric tube manipulators comprise at least one of two concentric tubes having three degrees of freedom, and three concentric tubes having six degrees of freedom.
20. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the endoscope tube comprises a transurethral endoscope tube for delivering the concentric tube manipulators transurethrally to a worksite in the patient.
21. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the outside diameter of the endoscope tube is less than about 20 mm and the ratio of endoscope tube outside diameter to the diameters of the concentric tube manipulators is at least 2:1.
22. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the outside diameter of the endoscope tube is less than about 12 mm and the ratio of endoscope tube outside diameter to the diameters of the concentric tube manipulators is at least 2:1.
23. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the outside diameter of the endoscope tube is less than about 9 mm and the ratio of endoscope tube outside diameter to the diameters of the concentric tube manipulators is at least 2:1.
24. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the outside diameter of the endoscope tube is less than about 3 mm and the ratio of endoscope tube outside diameter to the diameters of the concentric tube manipulators is at least 2:1.
25. An apparatus for performing endoscopic surgery on a patient, the apparatus comprising an endoscope tube and two or more concentric tube manipulators in an inner lumen of the endoscope tube, the endoscope tube being configured to be delivered transurethrally to a worksite in the patient.
26. The apparatus recited in claim 25, further comprising optics and light sources positioned in the inner lumen at a distal end of the endoscope tube.
27. The apparatus recited in claim 25, wherein the outside diameter of the endoscope tube is less than 9.0 mm and the ratio of endoscope tube outside diameter to concentric tube manipulator diameter is at least 2:1.
28. The apparatus recited in claim 25, wherein the outside diameter of the endoscope tube is less than 9.0 mm and the ratio of endoscope tube outside diameter to concentric tube manipulator diameter is at least 3:1.
29. The apparatus recited in claim 25, further comprising a transmission that is actuatable to operate the concentric tube manipulators.
30. The apparatus recited in claim 29, further comprising a motor pack that is operable to actuate the transmission to operate the concentric tube manipulators.
31. The apparatus recited in claim 30, wherein the motor pack comprises motor controllers and control input devices adapted to operate the motors in response to user inputs received by the input devices to actuate the transmission to operate of the concentric tube manipulators robotically.