A kit for dispensing disposable stethoscope 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. The kit may further include a proximity sensor for detecting a user. Upon detection of the user, the first and second spools rotate to align a disposable stethoscope cover with the window of the dispenser in a ready-to dispense position.

A multi-step reel includes a first hub flange having a first arbor hole and a first platform area located outwardly from the first arbor hole. The first platform area has at least a first and second hub platform, each having a first and second depth dimension, respectively. A first outer flange area extends outwardly from the first platform area. A second hub flange has the identical elements as the first hub flange. One of the first and a second hub platforms of the first hub flange may be positioned adjacent to one of the first and second hub platforms of the second hub flange, defining a width dimension. A locking mechanism may be used to secure the first and second hub flanges together. One or more clips may be used to maintain the desired width dimension between the first and second outer flanges areas.

Apparatus and a method for transporting and positioning of balancing weights connected together to form a chain of balancing weights is disclosed. A drive means comprises at least a transport wheel and/or a transport belt. The drive means has at least one cam to interface with a gap between two adjacent balancing weights of the chain of balancing weights. Furthermore a cutter may be provided for cutting of balancing weights from the chain.

A tape feeder (part feeding device) includes a main body including a transporting passage for guiding a part feeding tape to a part removing position, a conveyor for positioning a storage of the part feeding tape which is inserted to the transporting passage to the part removing position, and a part detector for detecting the part stored in the storage in the transporting passage at the upstream side of the part removing position. The transporting passage includes a travelling surface for supporting the part feeding tape from underneath, a pair of side guides for guiding two side surfaces of the part feeding tape, and a squeezed portion in which a distance between the pair of side guides is gradually reduced from the upstream side of the part detector toward a part detecting position of the part detector.

A receiver assembly can be coupled to a spindle to receive self-piercing rivets carried by a tape along a tape path below a punch. A reverse locking pawl can be designed to permit movement of the tape relative to the reverse locking pawl along the tape path in a forward direction and to engage a positioning aperture of the tape to stop movement of the tape in the reverse direction when a lead rivet is aligned with the punch. A method can include moving the tape forward along the tape path until a lead rivet of the tape is at a position along the tape path that is beyond an alignment position with the punch, and moving the tape in reverse to engage the corresponding positioning aperture.

A splicing tape management system includes, in executing properly the management of a time limit of a splicing tape, a first storage section configured to store an identification code of a splicing tape for splicing a first carrier tape and a second carrier tape together and a usable time limit of the splicing tape while associating them with each other, and a management section configured to manage the use of the splicing tape based on the identification code and the usable time limit that are stored in the first storage section. The usable time limit is a timing when the use of the splicing tape is to be halted, the timing being determined based on a production time and a usable period after production of the splicing tape or based on a starting time in use and a usable period after starting time of the splicing tape.

A multi-step reel includes a first hub flange having a first arbor hole and a first platform area located outwardly from the first arbor hole. The first platform area has at least a first and second hub platform, each having a first and second depth dimension, respectively. A first outer flange area extends outwardly from the first platform area. A second hub flange has the identical elements as the first hub flange. One of the first and a second hub platforms of the first hub flange may be positioned adjacent to one of the first and second hub platforms of the second hub flange, defining a width dimension. A locking mechanism may be used to secure the first and second hub flanges together. One or more clips may be used to maintain the desired width dimension between the first and second outer flanges areas.

To provide a marking device that enables to easily find a tag determined as defective (RFID error, etc.) among a plurality of tags that are stacked or the like. The marking device to use with a sheet includes cut and raising part for forming, as a failure process, a cut and raised section to be positioned at an edge of the sheet having been found the defect.

A receiver assembly can be coupled to a spindle to receive self-piercing rivets carried by a tape along a tape path below a punch. A reverse locking pawl can be designed to permit movement of the tape relative to the reverse locking pawl along the tape path in a forward direction and to engage a positioning aperture of the tape to stop movement of the tape in the reverse direction when a lead rivet is aligned with the punch. A method can include moving the tape forward along the tape path until a lead rivet of the tape is at a position along the tape path that is beyond an alignment position with the punch, and moving the tape in reverse to engage the corresponding positioning aperture.

A method for arranging a material web on a core. The method comprises providing a sheet of material, arranging the sheet on the core such that a first end of said sheet is not attached but loose from the core, arranging a first end of the material web between the core and the first end of the sheet, and reeling and tightening the rest of the material web on the core, the first end of the material web locating between the core and the first end of the sheet during said reeling and tightening.