JP7526956B2 - Tape feeder - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a tape feeder used as a component supply unit in a component mounting device that mounts components on a board.

A tape feeder, known as the component supply section of a component mounting device that mounts components picked up by a mounting head onto a board, transports a tape member consisting of a base tape with components stored in pockets for storing components, covered with a top tape, and peels off the top tape at a specified peeling position to supply the components to the component supply position. The tape feeder includes a frame having a tape passage through which the tape member passes, and a tape transport section that transports the tape member by rotating the sprocket by engaging the outer teeth of the sprocket with the feed holes of the tape member in the tape passage.

A cover member is attached to the front of the tape feeder (downstream in the transport direction of the tape member) and has a horizontal top wall and left and right side walls extending downward from both left and right ends of the top wall, and has a channel shape that opens downward and extends in the front-to-rear direction of the frame. The tape path of the tape feeder is an area exposed at the top of the frame in the front part of the frame (frame top surface area), and the cover member covers at least a part of this frame top surface area. When the cover member covers a part of the frame top surface area from above, the top wall of the cover member is located above the frame top surface area, and the left and right side walls are located outside the left and right side surfaces of the frame. As a result, both sides of the tape member transported through the frame top surface area are guided by the inner surfaces of the left and right side walls, and as a result, the components stored in the tape member are reliably supplied to the component supply position (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below).

However, the width dimension of the tape members used in tape feeders has become smaller in recent years due to the miniaturization of component sizes, and a tape feeder that can transport tape members with smaller width dimensions (i.e., narrower than conventional tape members) to supply components is now required. In this case, this can be realized by manufacturing a new tape feeder with a thin frame that has a tape passage that can accommodate narrower tape members (i.e., smaller width dimensions than conventional tape members). However, in order to meet the needs of customers who want a tape feeder that can utilize (have compatibility with) existing customer assets, it is desirable from the standpoint of manufacturing costs and the operation of the component supply device to be able to supply components using narrower tape members than conventional tape members while still using the conventional frame.

JP 2014-116347 A

However, when attempting to transport a tape material that is narrower than conventional tape materials within the tape passage of a conventional frame, the tape material moves significantly in the width direction within the upper surface area of the frame that is covered by the cover member, which can cause components stored on the tape material to not pass through the component supply position, resulting in a loss of component supply.

The present invention aims to provide a tape feeder that can reduce component supply loss by using a conventional frame to transport a tape material that is narrower than conventional tape materials to supply components.

The tape feeder of the present invention is a tape feeder that transports a tape member formed by attaching a top tape to an upper surface of a base tape in which components are stored and preventing the components from falling off the base tape, and supplies the components to a predetermined component supply position, and includes a frame having a tape passage which is a passage for the tape member, a cover member provided to cover from above at least a part of a frame upper surface area which is an area of the tape passage exposed to the upper surface of the frame, the cover member having an opening which is located upstream of the component supply position in a transport direction of the tape member and has a peeling position where the top tape is peeled off from the base tape , a tape transport section which transports the tape member by rotating the sprocket by engaging outer teeth of a sprocket with feed holes of the tape member located in the area of the tape passage covered by the cover member, and a tape transport section which transports the tape member from the frame upper surface area. and a tape guide that protrudes upward from the frame upper surface area and regulates movement of the tape material in the width direction by guiding a side of the tape material transported through an area of the tape passage covered by the cover member, and guides the tape material so that components stored on the tape material pass through the component supply position, the tape guide is arranged along the transport direction of the tape material and includes a first convex portion and a second convex portion that protrude upward from the frame upper surface area, the first convex portion and the second convex portion have different length dimensions along the transport direction of the tape material, the first convex portion is arranged opposite the sprocket and has a length corresponding to the sprocket exposed on the frame upper surface area , and the peeling position and the component supply position are located in the area sandwiched between the first convex portion and the second convex portion in the transport direction of the tape material.

According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of component supply loss when using a tape member narrower than conventional ones while utilizing a conventional frame to supply components.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a main part of a component mounting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a tape feeder provided in the component mounting apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of a tape feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a carrier tape fed by a tape feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1A and 1B are enlarged perspective views of a portion of a carrier tape fed by a tape feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of a tape feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cover member provided in a tape feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a plan view of a portion of a tape feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a tape feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a tape feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the upper surface area of the frame of the tape feeder according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a tape feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Below, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a component mounting device 1 in one embodiment of the present invention. The component mounting device 1 is a device that repeatedly performs a component mounting operation in which components BH are mounted on a board KB brought in from the upstream process side and then the board KB is carried out to the downstream process side. For ease of explanation, the transport direction of the board KB in the component mounting device 1 (left-right direction as seen by the worker OP) is defined as the X-axis direction, and the horizontal direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction (front-back direction as seen by the worker OP) is defined as the Y-axis direction. The up-down direction is defined as the Z-axis direction.

In FIG. 1, the component mounting device 1 comprises a base 11, a board transport conveyor 12, a tape feeder 13, a mounting head 14, a head movement mechanism 15, a board camera 16, a component camera 17, and a control device 18. The base 11 is placed on the floor surface FL, and the board transport conveyor 12 is provided extending in the X-axis direction on the base 11. The board transport conveyor 12 carries in the board KB sent from the upstream process side, and positions the board KB at a predetermined working position.

In FIG. 1, a feeder cart DS is connected to the end of the base 11 on the front side (the side of the worker OP). A feeder base FB is provided on the top of the feeder cart DS, and a tape feeder 13 is detachably attached to the feeder base FB (see also FIG. 2). Multiple tape feeders 13 can be attached to the feeder base FB in an array in the X-axis direction. When the feeder cart DS is connected to the base 11, the multiple tape feeders 13 attached to the feeder base FB are connected to the base 11 all at once.

In FIG. 1, a reel RL with a carrier tape 20 wound around it is held on the feeder cart DS. A reel RL is prepared for each tape feeder 13, and the carrier tape 20 pulled out from the reel RL is attached to the corresponding tape feeder 13. The tape feeder 13 transports the attached carrier tape 20 forward (towards the board transport conveyor 12) and supplies a component BH to a specified component supply position 13K (see also FIG. 2 and FIG. 3).

In Figures 4 and 5(a) and (b) (Figures 5(a) and (b) are enlarged views of area AR in Figure 4), the carrier tape 20 is composed of a base tape 21 and a top tape 22. The base tape 21 has a number of pockets 23 for storing components, which are open upward and arranged at equal intervals in a row along the longitudinal direction of the base tape 21. Each pocket 23 stores one component BH. The top tape 22 is attached to the upper surface of the base tape 21 to prevent the components BH from falling out of the pockets 23. A number of feed holes 24 are arranged at equal intervals in a row in a position parallel to the row of pockets 23 on the base tape 21.

Here, FIG. 5(a) shows a flat-type carrier tape 20 in which the entire base tape 21 is flat, and FIG. 5(b) shows an embossed-type carrier tape 20 in which the base tape 21 has an embossed portion 21E that protrudes downward. Either type of carrier tape 20 may be used, but in this embodiment, an embossed-type carrier tape 20 is used.

In FIG. 1, the mounting head 14 is equipped with multiple nozzles 14N extending downward. Each nozzle 14N can move up and down relative to the mounting head 14 and rotate around the Z axis. The mounting head 14 picks up components BH supplied to the component supply position 13K by the tape feeder 13 by adsorbing them to the lower end of each nozzle 14N. The head movement mechanism 15 is, for example, an XY movement mechanism, and moves the mounting head 14 in a horizontal plane and up and down.

In FIG. 1, the board camera 16 is attached to the mounting head 14. The board camera 16 has an imaging optical axis facing downward, and moves together with the mounting head 14 to capture an image of the board KB that has been positioned at the work position by the board transport conveyor 12.

In FIG. 1, the component camera 17 is provided in the area between the board transport conveyor 12 and the tape feeder 13 on the base 11. The component camera 17 has an imaging optical axis facing upward, and when the mounting head 14, which has adsorbed a component BH on each of the multiple nozzles 14N, moves so as to pass through the area above the component camera 17 in the X-axis direction, it images each component BH from below.

The control device 18 stores various data in addition to the component mounting program. The control device 18 performs the component mounting work of mounting the component BH on the board KB by operating each part of the component mounting device 1 according to the component mounting program.

In component mounting work, first the board transport conveyor 12 operates to receive the board KB sent from the upstream process and position it at the work position. Once the board KB is positioned at the work position, the head movement mechanism 15 moves the mounting head 14 to above the board KB. This causes the board camera 16 to capture an image of the board KB, and the control device 18 recognizes the board KB based on the image captured by the board camera 16.

Once the control device 18 recognizes the board KB, the mounting head 14 repeatedly executes mounting turns. In one mounting turn, the mounting head 14 performs the following operations in order: picking up a component BH supplied by the tape feeder 13, moving in the X-axis direction to pass above the component camera 17 to allow the component camera 17 to capture an image of the component BH, and mounting the component BH at a specified component mounting position on the board KB.

The control device 18 performs component recognition based on the image of the component BH captured by the component camera 17. When the mounting head 14 mounts the component BH on the board KB, it performs position correction of the component BH relative to the board KB based on the result of the component recognition performed by the control device 18.

The above mounting pattern is repeated until all the components BH to be mounted on the board KB have been mounted, and then the board transport conveyor 12 transports the board KB to the downstream process side. This completes the component mounting work for one board KB.

In one embodiment of the component mounting device 1 configured as above, the configuration of the tape feeder 13 is unique, and is described below.

In FIG. 2, the tape feeder 13 comprises a frame 31, a cover member 32, a tape transport section 33, and a top tape recovery section 34. The frame 31 has a box shape that extends in the YZ plane as a whole. A downwardly protruding protrusion (not shown) is formed on the underside of the frame 31, and the tape feeder 13 can be attached to the feeder base FB by engaging this protrusion with a slot SL provided in the feeder base FB.

In FIG. 2, the frame 31 is formed with a tape passage 31L, which is a passage for the carrier tape 20. The tape passage 31L is formed in a groove shape that opens on one side of the frame 31 (here, the right side as seen from the worker OP).

The tape passage 31L has a width dimension W2 (Fig. 2) that is larger than the width dimension W1 (Fig. 4) of the carrier tape 20. This is because the tape feeder 13 in this embodiment utilizes (repurposes) the frame of a tape feeder that originally transports a carrier tape having a width dimension larger than the width dimension W1 (referred to as a "wide carrier tape") to supply components.

In FIG. 2, tape path 31L extends forward in a generally horizontal direction from the rear end of frame 31 (the end on the side of worker OP), and then extends upward and diagonally forward near the center of frame 31 in the fore-aft direction. The front end is exposed on the top surface of frame 31. The top surface of the front part of frame 31 is an area where part of tape path 31L is exposed at the top of frame 31. Hereinafter, this area will be referred to as "frame top surface area 31R" (FIG. 6).

2 and 3, the cover member 32 is provided at the front upper portion of the frame 31, covering at least a portion of the frame upper surface area 31R from above. As shown in Figs. 3, 6 and 7, the cover member 32 has a horizontal upper wall portion 32a and left and right side wall portions 32b extending downward from both left and right ends of the upper wall portion 32a, and has a channel-shaped shape that opens downward and extends in the front-rear direction (Y-axis direction) of the frame 31.

6, 7 and 8, an opening 32L is provided in the front portion of the cover member 32, extending in the front-rear direction, and the portion of the opening 32L that overlaps with the component supply position 13K is a component removal opening 32G for removing components BH from the pockets 23 of the carrier tape 20 located at the component supply position 13K. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the front end of the cover member 32 is pivoted to the upper front end side of the frame 31 by a pivot pin 32P. The cover member 32 can be slightly swung about the pivot pin 32P in a direction that raises the rear end side relative to the frame upper surface area 31R.

In Figures 3 and 9 (Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line V-V in Figure 8), when the cover member 32 is covering part of the frame upper surface region 31R from above, the lower surface 32K of the upper wall portion 32a of the cover member 32 is located above the frame upper surface region 31R. In addition, the left and right side wall portions 32b are located outside the left and right side surfaces of the frame 31. The distance between the left and right side wall portions 32b is the width direction dimension W2 corresponding to the wide carrier tape.

In FIG. 9, a gap CL that is approximately the same as the thickness of the carrier tape 20 is formed between the lower surface 32K of the upper wall portion 32a of the cover member 32 and the frame upper surface region 31R. The space in which this gap CL is formed constitutes part of the tape passage 31L, and the carrier tape 20 passing through this space is prevented from lifting up from the frame upper surface region 31R by the cover member 32.

When attaching the carrier tape 20 to the frame 31, the worker OP first inserts the leading portion of the carrier tape 20 into the space between the frame upper surface area 31R and the cover member 32 from the rear of the cover member 32. Then, the rear portion of the inserted portion is inserted into the tape passage 31L formed in the frame 31 from its opening side (the right side of the frame 31).

When inserting the leading end of the carrier tape 20 into the space between the frame top surface area 31R and the cover member 32, the rear end of the cover member 32 is raised above the frame top surface area 31R. This temporarily increases the gap CL at the rear of the cover member 32, making it easier for the worker OP to insert the leading end of the carrier tape 20 into the space between the frame top surface area 31R and the cover member 32.

In FIG. 2, the tape transport unit 33 is composed of a sprocket 33A, a drive motor 33B, and a transmission gear unit 33C, which are provided on the frame 31. The sprocket 33A is attached to the upper front end side of the frame 31 so as to be freely rotatable around the X-axis. Of the outer peripheral teeth 33G (FIG. 3) that the sprocket 33A has, the one located directly above the center of rotation of the sprocket 33A (referred to as the uppermost outer peripheral tooth 33G) protrudes upward from the frame upper surface area 31R (FIGS. 6 and 9).

When the drive motor 33B is operated and the sprocket 33A is rotated via the transmission gear portion 33C (arrow A shown in Figures 2 and 3), the uppermost outer tooth 33G of the sprocket 33A moves forward. The uppermost outer tooth 33G of the sprocket 33A engages with the feed hole 24 of the carrier tape 20 inserted between the frame upper surface area 31R and the cover member 32 (Figure 9), and when the sprocket 33A is driven to rotate and the uppermost outer tooth 33G moves forward, the entire carrier tape 20 is pulled forward. As a result, the carrier tape 20 is transported forward within the tape passage 31L (arrow B shown in Figures 2 and 3).

In this embodiment, the tape transport unit 33 transports the carrier tape 20 by rotating the sprocket 33A by engaging the outer teeth 33G at the top of the sprocket 33A with the feed holes 24 of the carrier tape 20 located in the area of the tape passage 31L covered by the cover member 32.

In Figures 3, 6, 7 and 8, the cover member 32 has an escape opening 32M extending in the front-to-rear direction of the frame (Y-axis direction) in a portion located directly above the center of rotation of the sprocket 33A, and the outermost teeth 33G of the sprocket 33A pass through this escape opening 32M (Figure 9). This allows the sprocket 33A to rotate without interfering with the outer teeth 33G of the cover member 32.

In FIG. 2, the top tape recovery section 34 is provided at a position toward the rear of the upper part of the frame 31, and has a pair of feed rollers 34a and a tension applying section 34b. As shown in FIG. 10, the top tape 22 of the carrier tape 20 is peeled from the base tape 21 at the rear edge (the edge on the side of the operator OP) of the component removal opening 32G of the cover member 32 at peeling position 32H (see also FIG. 7), folded back toward the rear (see also FIG. 2 and FIG. 3), and sandwiched between the pair of feed rollers 34a. An appropriate tension is applied to the top tape 22 between the peeling position 32H and the feed rollers 34a by the tension applying section 34b.

When the sprocket 33A rotates and transports the carrier tape 20 forward, the pair of feed rollers 34a rotate in synchronization with the rotation of the sprocket 33A. As a result, the top tape 22 is pulled rearward by the pair of feed rollers 34a (arrow C shown in Figures 2 and 3), and is sent into the top tape storage space 31K (Figure 2) formed at the rear of the frame and collected.

The carrier tape 20 in the tape passage 31L is transported forward by the rotation of the sprocket 33A, so that each pocket 23 formed on the base tape 21 sequentially reaches the component removal opening 32G (component supply position 13K) located immediately in front of the peeling position 32H. When the pocket 23 reaches the component supply position 13K, the top tape 22 has already been peeled off, so the mounting head 14 can pick up the component BH (from the component removal opening 32G) at the component supply position 13K (Figure 10). The carrier tape 20 (base tape 21) that has passed through the cover member 32 is discharged to the outside from the front end of the frame 31 (Figure 3).

As shown in Figs. 11 and 12, a tape guide 41 is provided on the frame upper surface region 31R of the frame 31, protruding upward. Here, the tape guide 41 is configured such that a plurality of convex portions 41T (a first convex portion 41Ta located on the upstream side of the traveling direction of the carrier tape 20 and a second convex portion 41Tb located on the downstream side) protruding upward from the frame upper surface region 31R are connected in the transport direction of the carrier tape 20 in the frame upper surface region 31R.

The tape guide 41 guides the side of the carrier tape 20 transported through the area of the tape passage 31L covered by the cover member 32 (Figure 12). This restricts the movement of the carrier tape 20 in the width direction, and guides the components BH stored on the carrier tape 20 to pass through the component supply position 13K. Therefore, in the tape feeder 13 of this embodiment, the components BH stored on the carrier tape 20 transported through the frame top surface area 31R always pass through the component supply position 13K.

In this manner, the tape feeder 13 in this embodiment is provided with a tape guide 41 that protrudes upward from the frame upper surface area 31R, and the tape guide 41 restricts the movement of the carrier tape 20 in the width direction by guiding the side of the carrier tape 20 that is transported through the area of the tape passage 31L that is covered by the cover member 32, and guides the carrier tape 20 so that the components BH stored on the carrier tape 20 pass through the component supply position 13K.

The tape guide 41 is provided at a position to guide the side (right side) of the left and right sides of the carrier tape 20 opposite the side where the feed hole 24 is formed (the left side as seen by the worker OP). The left side of the left and right sides of the carrier tape 20 is restricted in its movement in the width direction by the outer teeth 33G of the sprocket 33A via the feed hole 24, and the right side of the carrier tape 20 is guided by the tape guide 41, thereby preventing the carrier tape 20 from moving significantly in the width direction, and ensuring that the pocket 23 (i.e., the component BH) passes through the component supply position 13K.

6, 7, 8, and 9, the upper wall portion 32a of the cover member 32 has a clearance portion 42 formed therein to avoid interference with the tape guide 41 that protrudes upward from the frame upper surface region 31R. Here, the clearance portion 42 is formed as an opening that penetrates the upper wall portion 32a of the cover member 32 in the plate thickness direction (Z-axis direction).

In this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the clearance 42 is made up of a first clearance 42a on the upstream side to avoid interference with the first convex portion 41Ta constituting the tape guide 41, and a second clearance 42b on the downstream side to avoid interference with the second convex portion 41Tb. Here, the second clearance 42b is formed as part of the opening 32L of the tape guide 41, but it may be formed independently of the opening 32L.

In this embodiment, since the tape guide 41 is provided with the relief portion 42, the height of the tape guide 41 can be made higher than the dimension between the frame upper surface area 31R and the lower surface 32K of the upper wall portion 32a of the cover member 32 (FIG. 9), and the side surface of the carrier tape 20 can be stably guided. The shape of the relief portion 42 is not particularly limited as long as it can avoid interference with the tape guide 41, and it may be, for example, a concave groove that is recessed upward without penetrating the upper wall portion 32a of the cover member 32 in the plate thickness direction.

In FIG. 11, an embossed passage groove 43 is provided in the frame upper surface region 31R, extending in the Y-axis direction (i.e., the transport direction of the carrier tape 20). This embossed passage groove 43 is provided to avoid interference with the embossed portion 21E (FIG. 9) protruding from the underside of the carrier tape 20. Therefore, even if the carrier tape 20 is an embossed type, the embossed portion 21E will not cause the carrier tape 20 to lift up from the frame upper surface region 31R, and the side (right side) of the carrier tape 20 can be reliably guided by the tape guide 41.

As described above, the tape feeder 13 in this embodiment is provided with a tape guide 41 that protrudes upward from the frame upper surface area 31R, which is the area exposed on the upper surface of the frame 31 of the tape passage. The tape guide 41 regulates the movement of the carrier tape 20 in the width direction by guiding the side of the carrier tape 20 transported through the area of the tape passage 31L covered by the cover member 32, and guides the carrier tape 20 so that the components BH stored in the carrier tape 20 pass through the component supply position 13K. Therefore, according to the tape feeder 13 in this embodiment, the components BH stored in the carrier tape 20 transported through the frame upper surface area 31R always pass through the component supply position 13K. Therefore, according to the tape feeder 13 in this embodiment, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of supply loss of components BH when transporting a carrier tape 20 that is narrower than the conventional one while using the conventional frame 31 to supply components.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above, and various modifications are possible. For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the tape guide 41 has a configuration in which multiple convex portions 41T (first convex portion 41Ta and second convex portion 41Tb) are connected in the transport direction of the carrier tape 20 in the frame upper surface area 31R, but the tape guide 41 does not necessarily have to be composed of multiple convex portions 41T, and may be composed of a single convex portion 41T.

We provide a tape feeder that can reduce component supply loss by using a conventional frame to transport a tape member that is narrower than conventional tape members to supply components.

13 Tape feeder 13K Component supply position 20 Carrier tape (tape member)
21E Embossed portion 24 Feed hole 31 Frame 31L Tape passage 31R Frame upper surface area 32 Cover member 33 Tape transport portion 33A Sprocket 33G Outer peripheral teeth 41 Tape guide 41T Convex portion 41Ta First convex portion 41Tb Second convex portion 42 Relief portion 42a First relief portion 42b Second relief portion 43 Embossed passage groove BH Part

Claims (5)

A tape feeder that conveys a tape member having a base tape on which components are stored and a top tape that prevents the components from falling off the base tape and supplies the components to a predetermined component supply position,
a frame having a tape passage for the tape member;
a cover member provided to cover from above at least a portion of a frame upper surface area , which is an area of the tape passage exposed on the upper surface of the frame, and having an opening having the component supply position and a peeling position, which is located upstream of the component supply position in the transport direction of the tape member and where the top tape is peeled off from the base tape ;
a tape transport unit that transports the tape member by rotating a sprocket by engaging outer peripheral teeth of the sprocket with feed holes of the tape member located in an area of the tape passage covered by the cover member;
a tape guide that is provided to protrude upward from the frame upper surface area, and that regulates movement of the tape material in a width direction by guiding a side surface of the tape material transported through an area of the tape passage that is covered by the cover member, and that guides the tape material so that components stored on the tape material pass through the component supply position ,
the tape guide is disposed along a transport direction of the tape member and includes a first convex portion and a second convex portion that are provided so as to protrude upward from the frame upper surface area, and length dimensions of the first convex portion and the second convex portion along the transport direction of the tape member are different,
the first convex portion is disposed opposite the sprocket and has a length corresponding to the sprocket exposed in the frame upper surface area ;
the peeling position and the component supplying position are located in an area sandwiched between the first convex portion and the second convex portion in a feed direction of the tape member . The tape feeder of claim 1, wherein the length dimension of the first convex portion along the transport direction of the tape member is greater than the length dimension of the second convex portion along the transport direction of the tape member. 3. The tape feeder according to claim 1, wherein the tape guide guides one of both side surfaces of the tape member, the side surface opposite to the side on which the feed holes are formed. 4. The tape feeder according to claim 1 , wherein the cover member is formed with a recess for avoiding interference with the tape guide. 5. The tape feeder according to claim 1, wherein, when the tape member is an embossed type having an embossed portion protruding from a lower surface, an embossed passage groove is provided in the frame upper surface area to avoid interference with the embossed portion when the tape member is transported across the frame upper surface area.

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