According to the present disclosure, a tape feeder includes a main body that is attached to a component mounter and has a tape traveling path which is a traveling path of a carrier tape; and a sprocket that is provided in the main body, causes an outer peripheral tooth to engage with a feed hole of the carrier tape, and rotates so as to perform pitch feeding of the carrier tape on the tape traveling path. The tape feeder includes a lock mechanism that has a press operation unit operated with pressing force, locks the sprocket in the main body in a state where the press operation unit is not operated, and unlocks the sprocket in a state where the press operation unit is operated.

A device for applying segments of absorbent articles includes a cutting station for cutting a continuous web into segments and an applicator station for applying each segment on a respective absorbent article. A plurality of carrier units, each includes a pad for retaining and transferring a segment from the cutting station to the applicator station. The pad fully rotates about a main axis to transfer the segment from the cutting station to the applicator station and return to the cutting station and, from the cutting station to the applicator station, rotates at least 90° about its axis of rotation to orient the segment transverse to the feed direction of the absorbent article. A first movement member moves one or more first carrier units about the main axis and a second movement member moves one or more second carrier units separately from the first carrier units about the main axis.

A roller features a circumferential trench into which a wire is deposited from a wire dispensing head having a wire dispensing tip. A moving web of material engages the roller as the roller rotates. The wire dispensing tip engages sidewalls of the trench so that the wire dispensing tip remains in the trench as the roller rotates. Wire from the trench is deposited onto the web of moving material and is secured thereto by fasteners or tape or adhesive or the like.

A device for moving film-supported materials and removing the film at a process station includes a first base, a feeding tray, a driving member, a second base, a moving member, and a laser sensor. The feeding and stripping automatically conveys a raw material assembly. A gap exists between the second base and the first base, and only raw materials are passed over the gap. The raw material assembly comprises a base layer and a number of raw materials disposed on the base layer. The gap allows the raw material disposed on a bent portion of the base layer to separate from the base layer while the base layer itself is gathered to another destination.

A kit for dispensing disposable stethoscope covers and other instrument covers is provided. The kit may include a cartridge and a dispenser for automatic touch-free dispensing of disposable stethoscope covers. The kit further includes a first spool having a roll of backing member with disposable stethoscope covers disposed thereon and a second spool for receiving the spent backing member after a disposable stethoscope cover has been removed, self-contained within the cartridge. The cartridge is inserted within the dispenser so that a user may insert a stethoscope head through a window of the dispenser to attach to a disposable stethoscope cover. Alternatively, the cartridge or cassette may be comprised of disposable instrument covers so that a user may insert the instrument near or through the window of the dispenser for application of the instrument cover directly to the instrument. The kit may further include a proximity sensor for detecting a user.

Provided is a sticking body holding member capable of suppressing generation of slack in a carrier tape without excessively strong winding of the carrier tape. A sticking body holding member includes a plurality of sticking bodies, a carrier tape, and a reel. The sticking bodies are each configured to have a planar shape, and each include a first surface being an adhesive surface that is stickable with respect to an adherend. In the carrier tape, the plurality of sticking bodies are stuck and arranged in a line. The carrier tape is wound around the reel. A second surface of the sticking body is provided with an adhesive region having adhesiveness and an adhesion suppressing region where adhesiveness is suppressed, and the second surface of the sticking body is configured to have weaker adhesiveness than adhesiveness of the first surface.

A tape attaching method for attaching a tape to a workpiece includes a placing step of placing the workpiece with respect to the tape, which has a base material and an adhesive layer on the base material, in such a manner that the adhesive layer is in contact with an attached face of the workpiece, and a close contact step of causing, after the placing step is performed, a ball to roll in contact with the base material of the tape, thereby to bring the tape in close contact with the workpiece.

A method to advance a print medium, for example a flexible print medium, through a print zone of a printing device is described. A carrier is fed from a carrier supply. The carrier has an adhesive surface. A print medium is engaged with the adhesive surface of the carrier. The carrier with the engaged print medium is advanced to the print zone.

A kit for dispensing disposable stethoscope covers and other instrument covers is provided. The kit may include a cartridge and a dispenser for automatic touch-free dispensing of disposable stethoscope covers. The kit further includes a first spool having a roll of backing member with disposable stethoscope covers disposed thereon and a second spool for receiving the spent backing member after a disposable stethoscope cover has been removed, self-contained within the cartridge. The cartridge is inserted within the dispenser so that a user may insert a stethoscope head through a window of the dispenser to attach to a disposable stethoscope cover. Alternatively, the cartridge or cassette may be comprised of disposable instrument covers so that a user may insert the instrument near or through the window of the dispenser for application of the instrument cover directly to the instrument. The kit may further include a proximity sensor for detecting a user.

A roller features a circumferential trench into which a wire is deposited from a wire dispensing head having a wire dispensing tip. A moving web of material engages the roller as the roller rotates. The wire dispensing tip engages sidewalls of the trench so that the wire dispensing tip remains in the trench as the roller rotates. Wire from the trench is deposited onto the web of moving material and is secured thereto by fasteners or tape or adhesive or the like.