Method and apparatus for forming adhesive strips

1. An apparatus operable to form a plurality of adhesive strips from an adhesive sheet, the apparatus comprising:

first and second forming wheels;

a cutting wheel including a plurality of circumferential grooves, the cutting wheel positioned in proximity to the first and second forming wheels to define a first formation interface with the first forming wheel and a second formation interface with the second forming wheel, the cutting wheel operable to

receive at least a portion of the adhesive sheet, and

rotate to force at least a portion of the adhesive sheet through the first formation interface and the second formation interface such that the adhesive sheet is at least partially cut by at least one of the circumferential grooves at both the first and second formation interfaces to at least partially form the adhesive strips; and

an extraction rake comprising a plurality of tines operable to be received within at least some of the circumferential grooves to extract the adhesive strips therefrom.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including a motor operable to rotate the cutting wheel.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including a feed guide positioned in proximity to the cutting wheel and operable to at least partially support the adhesive sheet to facilitate in the reception of the adhesive sheet by the cutting wheel.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first forming wheel is repositionable to enable a dimension of the first formation interface to be varied.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , further including a first positioning element operable to reposition the first forming wheel to vary the dimension of the first formation interface.

6. An apparatus operable to form a plurality of adhesive strips from an adhesive sheet, the apparatus comprising:

first and second forming wheels;

a cutting wheel including a plurality of circumferential grooves, the cutting wheel positioned in proximity to the first and second forming wheels to define a first formation interface with the first forming wheel and a second formation interface with the second forming wheel, the first forming wheel being repositionable to enable a dimension of the first formation interface to be varied, the cutting wheel operable to

receive at least a portion of the adhesive sheet, and

rotate to force at least a portion of the adhesive sheet through the first formation interface and the second formation interface such that the adhesive sheet is at least partially cut by at least one of the circumferential grooves at both the first and second formation interfaces to at least partially form the adhesive strips;

a motor coupled with the cutting wheel and operable to rotate the cutting wheel to force the adhesive sheet through the first and second formation interfaces; and

an extraction rake comprising a plurality of tines operable to be received within at least some of the circumferential grooves to extract the adhesive strips therefrom.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , further including a feed guide positioned in proximity to the cutting wheel and operable to at least partially support the adhesive sheet to facilitate in the reception of the adhesive sheet by the cutting wheel.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein said second formation interface presents fixed dimensions.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 , further including a first positioning element operable to reposition the first forming wheel to vary the dimension of the first formation interface.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein each of the circumferential grooves presents a non-rectangular cross-sectional area.

11. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein each of the circumferential grooves includes a bottom rake-receiving section presenting a generally rectangular cross-sectional area and a top strip-formation section presenting a generally trapezoidal cross-sectional area.

12. An apparatus operable to form a plurality of adhesive strips from an adhesive sheet, the apparatus comprising:

first and second forming wheels;

a cutting wheel including a plurality of circumferential grooves, each of the circumferential grooves including a bottom rake-receiving section presenting a generally rectangular cross-sectional area and a top strip-formation section presenting a generally trapezoidal cross-sectional area, the cutting wheel positioned in proximity to the first and second forming wheels to define a first formation interface with the first forming wheel and a second formation interface with the second forming wheel, the first forming wheel being repositionable to enable a dimension of the first formation interface to be varied, the cutting wheel operable to

receive at least a portion of the adhesive sheet, and

rotate to force at least a portion of the adhesive sheet through the first formation interface and the second formation interface such that the adhesive sheet is at least partially cut by at least one of the circumferential grooves at both the first and second formation interfaces to at least partially form the adhesive strips;

a motor coupled with the cutting wheel and operable to rotate the cutting wheel to force the adhesive sheet through the first and second formation interfaces;

a first positioning element operable to reposition the first forming wheel to vary the dimension of the first formation interface; and

an extraction rake comprising a plurality of tines operable to be received within at least some of the rake-receiving sections presented by the circumferential grooves to extract the adhesive strips therefrom.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , further including a feed guide positioned in proximity to the cutting wheel and operable to at least partially support the adhesive sheet to facilitate in the reception of the adhesive sheet by the cutting wheel.