CA2187785A1 - A tape dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

A tape dispenser supports a roll of adhesive tape to be dispensed manually in one or more lengths onto one or more surfaces as required. The tape dispenser comprises a holder for supporting a roll of tape having a leading edge; a pathway from the holder for the tape being dispensed from the roll; a blade arranged above the pathway, the blade having a downwardly extending cutting edge; and means for spacing the blade from the holder, the spacing means being shaped and dimensioned to permit manual access to the tape in the pathway so that, in use, the tape can be gripped adjacent the leading edge and unrolled beyond the blade and the length of tape cut by the blade.

Description

A ~APE DIS~

The present invention relates to a tape dispense~
for supporting a roll of adhesive tape to be d~spe~ed manually in one or more lengths onto one or more sur~ac~s a~ required.

US-A-4,400,231 di~closes a tape dispenser/
applica~or ha~ing a blade arranged abo~e the tape to be cut. The blade extends transver8ely from an arm which i5 co-planar with t~e f~ame of the tape di~penser and is, there~ore, laterally displaced relatiYe to the tape to be cut. A tape rest, in the form of first and second arms ha~in~ an opening thErebetween, exte~ds transver~Qly from the arm, the openi~g pro~iding finger acces~ibility ~o the tape. A ~-shaped ~o~nt is 1ly di~placed relative to the ~econd arm and a downwardly ext~n~ ng cutt~ng edge adjoin~ t~e U-shaped element distal the tape rest. Such a tape di6pen~er suffers from th~ di~advan~age that ~he p~o~ision of a U-shaped element down3tream ~f the blade cause~ tape ~o be ~irstly applied to a ~ubst~ate and then sub~equently cut by the blade. ~n addition, ehe construction of a tape rest in the form of first and second, 6paced apart, arms, together with the provision of a U-6haped element, preYent manual acces~, from above, to the le~i n~ edge of the tape.
EP-A2-o 104 989 di-acloRes a tape diepen6er/
applica~or havlng a blade arranged above the tape to be cut. ~he ~lade i~ tra~sversely arranged, in the end of an arm extending from the case, above the tape to be cut. Such a tape dispen~er~applicator fiufferg from the disadvantag~ that the leading edg~ of the tape ~annot be manually accessed from abo~e.

A~AENDED StlEET

_ According co the present in~ention there is provided a tape die~en~er (lo) for dispen3ing at least one length of tape, the tape dispen~er (10) comprising a holder (~4) ha~ing a boss (16) projecting laterally from the holder (14) for supporting a roll (12) of tape having a leading edge (12~), th~ bos~ (16) be~ng sha~ed and ~ime~cioned to permit rotatable ~ .ent o~ the roll (12) of tape about the boss (16)~ a blade (20) arranged parallel to the bo~s (16); a pathway ~1~) for ~ho tape bei~g di~pen~ed from the roll (12), the pathway (lY) ex~e~ing betw~en the holder (14) and the blade (20), the blade (20) being arranged abo~e the pa~hway ll~) and having a downwardly ext~n~in~ cu~ting 15 ed~e (22); spacing mean~ ext~n~in~ from the holder ( 14 ), ehe spacing means being ~h~p~ and d~mensioned to permit m~n~ acces6, from abo~e, to the tape in the pathway ~18) so that, in u~e, the tape can be gr~pped ad~ acen~ the leading edge ~12a), a desired length of tape unroll~d beyond the blade (20) and the de~ired ~ape length cut by the blade ~20), characterised in chat the blade (20) and ~he spac~ng meAnR form a sub~tantially "V"-shape, the apex of the "V"-shape being laterally displaced relatiY~ to ~he pathway (18) to define a manual access ar~a to the pat~way ~18) ~o that, in use, tape in the pachway (18) 1~ manually acce~sible, fr~m above, in the m~nliAl acce~ area.

Preferably, cape dispenser (10) is pro~rided with means ~28) for ~oldlng the leading edge 112a) of the tape adjacent the pathway (18) when the desired length of tape has been cut from ehe roll (12), the holding means being arranged spaced from, and below, the pathway (18) and spaced from, and under, the spacing means.

AI~END~D SHE~T

`~ 21 ~7785 More preferably, the spacing mea~ _ , lsos a guldeway ( 2 6 ) disposed radially relativ~ to the holder (14) and an a~m (24) extending between the guideway (26) and the blade (20), the guideway (26)/arm (Z4) and the blade (20) ~orming the substantially "Vn-shape and ~he holding mean~ (28) being epaced from, and under, the guideway ~26).

Advantageously, the arm (24) extends obliqu~ly from the guideway ~26~ relative to the pathway (18).

More adv ntagoously, a free end of the guidaway (26) extends obliquely relative to the pathway tl~-Even more advan~ageo~sly, che plane de~ined by t~e a~m (24J ,and t~e blade (20) i6 di~posed substantially obliquely to the plane defined by the guideway (26).
Even ~ore advantageously, the holding means is a finger (2~ arranged spaced from, and below, the pathway (18) ~o that, in use, pas~age of the length of tapo along the pathway (18) i~ not impeded when the tape i~ being u~rolled and, when the length o~ tape haR
been cut ~y the ~lade (20) and a new le~ n~ edge (12a) ~ormed on the tape, the new leading edg~ (12a) tends ~o return toward~ the roll ~12) and releasably engage~ the finger (2~.
Pref~rably, the 3ur~ace of the finger ~28) ad~acent the pathway (18) i8 convexly shaped so that, in use, the new lP~ ;ng edge (12a) is disposed for manual access ~ ~rom above, ln the manual acce8s area.

~NDEi:~ SHEE~

;

Mor~ preferably, the blade ~20) i~ obliq~ely disposed ~elative to a plane defined by th~ ~rm (24) and the blade (20~, and a projection ~30) i9 pro~ided at ~ach end of the blade (20) so that, in U5~, the t~pe dispen~er (10) 1~ pi~oted about the projections ~30) unt~l the blade (Z0) i~ sub~t~n~ y perpe~dic~lar to the tap~ in the paeh~ay (18).

Ad~antageously, the tape disren~Q~ (10) i~
additionally provided with ~inger grip mean~.
More advantageouoly~ the finger grip mea~g co,-,~ri~e a pair of wings (36) ext~n~ laterally from the tape dispen~er llO), the win~ (36) being ~h~p~d ~o that, in u-Qe, a thumb and an ~n~Y finger of a user's hand grip the tape dispenser (10) adj acent ~he re~pective win~
(36).

Even more advantageou~ly, the inger grip means addltionally comprise a pair of k~urled regions 142) la~erally disposed on the tape di~penser ~10) adjacent th~ r~specti~e wlng~ ~36).

Preferably, the tape- di6pen~er (10) additionally comprises position means ~h~ and ~im~n~ oned to hold the roll tl2) of the tap~ axlally fafit on the boss (16). More preferably, the po~ition means compri~es a cover (34), the cover (34) and the holder (14) being pro~ided with inter-engaging co-op~rating m~n~, SO
~hat the roll ( 12 ) ~f tape, when loca~d in the tape dispenser (10), i6 enclosed between the cover (34) and the holder (14).

Two ç~hoA~ men~ of the present in~ention wlll now be described, by way of exa~ple, with reference to t~e accompanying drawing6, in which;-~A~EIyDED SH~E~

- 4a -F~gure 1 is a 31de view of a first ~mhQ~i~e~t of a tape dispen~er ac~ording to the present in~ent~on;

F~gur~ 2 i6 a plan view of the ~ape dis~ensar of Figure 1;

Figure 3 ie a side view o~ a second mb~ nt of a tape di~pen~e~ acco~ding to the invention (k~urled reglo~ om~ted);

Figuru 4 i~ a perapective view from above o~ thQ
tape dispen~er of ~lgure 3 thook omitted);

Flgure 5 i6 a per~pecti~e ~iew from below of t~
tape dispensQr of Figure 3 (hook omitted);

Figure~ 6-8 are sequent~al plan views of the tape diQpen~er o~ Figure 3 (hook omitted) in use; and F$gur~ 9 1~ a per6pecti~e Yiew o~ an alte~nati~e use of the tape di~penser of Pigure 3.

~n the drawi~g~ imilar numerall3 have been u~ed eo indicate like parts.

Ref~r~lng to Figures 1 a~d 2 o~ the drawing~, t~erQ ~ illustrat~d a firQt embodiment of a tape dispen~er acc~rding to the invention generally indicated at 10 for supporting a roll 12 of an ~dh~Rive tape. The tape dispenser lO include~ a holder 14 having a bo~ 16 projecting la~erally ~rom the holder 14. A core of the roll 12 of tape i~; locatable for relatively free rotatable movement about the bo~s 16.
35 The ~older 14 ha~ a radial proj ction (not ~hown) WO 9~il28317 ~ ~,~01383 arour~d whlch a leng~h of tape 21avlns a ~e~ edsae ~.2a can be u~wound r;com th~ roll 12 to pas~ a ~a~hway 18 towards a b~ 20 with a downw~--dly e~ .7~
cutting edg~ 22 ~ length i:~ at least th~ full wldth 5 of the tape to be cut. The ~lade 20 ~ ,y~.~. L_,~
3paeed from the ho~ at the end o~ a 2~pa~ me~ns or a~n 24 e~t~lA ~ ro~ t~e ~t~~~ 14 pathway ~.~. The arm 24 ~ o~ wldth l~s than the wldt~
of the 'ca~e to ~rov~d- finger A~ to t;~ patnway ~, 10 to g~ d extend a l~-yL~- o~ ~p~ .~ the hl~
2C) . Th- ~ 2~ ~nd thel blad~ 20 ~!L.r~ a *uL_ L~ ~ ~ally N~-shape" a~ shown i,n F~gu~e 2. me r~ d~ned ~y ~he anD 24~ 20 i~ ~uL~ Y ~a~ to ff~e plane ~Ç~ by t;he ~a~way 18 ~ s~n in F$gure J.
15 Alterslat~rely, the arm 24 may ~e cen~l ~y ~os~t~on~d ~nd o~ a w~dth less ~:han the ~ld~h 0~ tape, to Ylde finger ~ 8~ oth la~ J~des o~ t~B ;~

2~ (not ~hown). A r;~ Y d~ ~ay 26 ~g pro~rided al~ove the ~athway 18 ad,~ L ffle ~ A--~ 14~
20 undor ~-h~ 1 gU ~ d~w~y 26 a l~ Ll. o~ tape, i~h~e ~lde lowe~ost, ls adaptad to ~a~ . m~ ~ ?ro~ ec~on not hown ) i~ A 1 'I S~n ~ wlth th~ guldeway a6 .

Means for hr~ a l~yLl~ o ~ e ad~aces-~ ~he 25 ~aL~.wa~ 1~ a~ter a lenSJth of ts~a ha3 be~n cut the~om co~psises a fing~r Z8 ~ .ed on a b~ack~t 40 ext~n~ ng from ~c~e ~ 14~ ~i~ pdts ready vlsual ~ s of the l ~ s~ ~dge~ L2a . ~be up~er Su;~ac~ o~ th~ ~ng6r 2~ ls ~ac~d ~ro~, eUld ~-u3~ ~e 30 g~i~eway 26 to deflnQ t~e ~athway 18 t~¢ebe~w~en. Tne s~ r~ be~wéen ~he ~uldewa~ 26 e~md tS~e t~nger 28 i~
such as nc~t to ~l,p-~A ~ct~gQ L~.~ 20 of ~he len5~th- af tape p~ under. pressur. ~ut, on a length o~ tape be$n~ to fosnt~, ~e n~w 'Lr~d~n~ edg~
12a and pressu2~e rei~ , th~3 ncw ~ n~ edge 1,2a of Wo 95n8347 - 6 th~ tap~ in the pat~lw8y 18 t~nds to ..æl.~" tow~ds t~
roll 12 and temporarily adh~ to th~ fingær 28.
surfacE~ of the i~in~er 28 ad~ac:ent the path~ay ~a 10 CO.,~,~J" ln th~ dir~ct~on of outward L~el of th~ tape. .
5 The ~nger 28 may be o~ttad and, ~n t~t ~w~t, ff~e bracket ~0 ser~ ~Llon o~ the ~ 28 ~nst~ad.

~S~ c~t~:ing edg~ 22 o the hl a~ 20 ~ 9 8~a Le~
10 and a pro~ ec~on 30 :LS p~ ded at e~ch e~d o~ ~
h7 ~ 20. The two pro~ec~s ~0 ~ask t~e en~ o~ the ~1 r~ 20 ~d ~end be~OW t~ 1BV~1 O;I! the t~g edgo 22 to space ~e ~lad~ 20 as~ ~ny t:ap~ ~eat or 'ch~-ad~ a~ , L f~om ~n~ ~ac~ on w~ch ~ 14 d. q~h~ 20 ~ ~ly di~o~ed r~l~t~
to the ~at~way 18 a~ show~ gur~ 1.

~wo fe~t 32 ~d f~ the l~ ~ 14 ~ o~
24 of~, ~nd space th~ pa~ay 1~ ~, 8 20 ~.. L~c~ on wh~ e hol~: 14 1~ r~

~ t w~ll be ay~ a_~ atQd that the two ~!e~t 32 may b~ r~p ~ a~ y a s~nglq fOot ~b-r ( not ~hown ) .

2S Pos~tion m~ or a ~ Y~ 34 ~8 ~rovided to hold ~he roll 12 of ta~e ~ lty ~ast on ff~e bo~s 16. ~he C~OV~ 34 15 ~h_p~ 6~511flarly to ttle hold~r 14 ~ ls r~ bl~ cural~le to l:he hold-r 14 by t~e p~t~
on the ~old-~ 14 an~ on ~e cc~ 34, o~ l..L~ ~ Jt"~
30 co opæ~a L~n~ as~5 ( not ~hown ), ~h~by th~ roll ~,2 o;C
tape, when 1~_~ L~ ln ~e ta~o ~p^~ r 10, 1~
qr~t ~ the~ein on both ~ y the h~ 9~- 14 ~s~d the cov~r 34.
,.. .

-WO 95rz83~7 7 ~ . 9~101383 ~ wo wing~ 36, one ~n~egral with th~ ~1 ~ 14 and one with th~ c~rer 34, are ~rovlded to ~Q-I S~ in ~e hold~ng by a u~er o~ the t~pe di8p~ns~r~10 dur~
dls~ 5J of tap~. Alter~at~v~ly, tho wlng8 ~ d ~e 5 ~mi-cyllndr~cal or BUb~ L~ L~ally ~ nge~_æ~ A n ~n fo~ . A hoo3c 44 $s pro~rld~d, ~om wl~ch the tape dispensQr 10 can bQ hung, wh~n not ~n u8~.

R~fer;~ing ncw t~ F~ gures 3-5 of tS~e d~awings, 10 there i8 lllustrated a ~ n~ bod~ment o5~ a tapa d~ n~:P~ ding to the ~nv~tlon U~e~ ally ted at llD. ln t~ on~ embo~i~en~c, ~he ~l a~
der~ned by the arm l24~1A~e 120 18 ~hl ~uely dl .~
relat~.ve to t~ rl ~ def~ned ~y th8 ~?a~way 1~.8 as 15 6ho~n ~ ~lgure 3, by t.he ~ of a wedge member 13 8 . ~wo ~nu~led r~g~ os~s 14Z ( not ~hown ~n Flgu~ 3 ), on~ on t~e hol ~r 114 and one on the cov~r 13~, are lateral~y d~ ad~ace~t t~e ~esp__Llv~ w~ng~ 136, to ~ e~ t ~ o by a u~ of t~e ta~e 20 dispenser 110 durlng ~ a L ~1 on.

Fc~r use, the ~oll lt 2 o~ ~ape ~ lacat-d ~n the h~ 114 w$th ~t~ ~ ~9R~ end llZa ~x~ended ~ the pathway 118.. Re~e~nsr ~ow to Figuze~ 6-8 o~ ~e 25 drawlngs, tha tap~ disr~n~ 110 a~ ding to the invention may ~e uQed $n the f.~t l~Wlng mann. Ro~
the tape di~s~e~l~P~ llO ~n one hasd w~th 'che w$ngs 136 abo~r~ and a~utted by the 61des o~ t~e U.~ ~d ~ Y
f~nger of a user~s ha~d, th~ long~h o~ taps ls gripped 30 adJ~acent t~ a~r~g edge 1~ 2a by the u~r ' ~ ot.her hand and is m~n~ l y p-- l 1 o~ along t~e pathway 11~ e~
~nd below the blad~ 120 ( 8eQ Fi~re 6 ); i~ att~ h~ to a re~uised ~3urface( s ) ~nd, once at~ e~l, the len5th o ~cape can . ~; ~ctan~ by r~ the tape d~ spenser 110 ;, -away from the surface (~ee Figure 7). When the required length of tape has been ext~ , the tape dispenser 110 is pi~oted forwardly about the projections 130 80 that the cutting edge 122 of the ~lade 120 abuts ~he tape and the blade 120 i3 ~ub~tantially perpendicular to the tape. The tape dispen~er 110 is then pi~oted laterally about one of the projectlons 130 so that, by twi~ing and pulllng the tape dispen~er llo, the ~ape i9 cut ~fiee Figure 8~.
Due to the dot~ r~d di~po~iition o~ the bl~d~ 120 and 10 the manual and, therefore, visual accesF2, from a}~o~re the tape dispe~ser llO, to the pathway 118 adjac~nt the blade 120, the exact length of ~ape requirod can bo relati~ely accu~ately ~udged.

2eferring now to Figure 9 of the drawings, the~e is illu~trated an alternative method of u~ing the tape dispenser 110 according to the ln~en~i~n. The tape dispen8er 110 i~ held in one hand with the wings 136 abutted by the ~ideg of the thumb and index finger of a 20 user~ E3 hand and a length of t~pe i~ gripped adjacent the leadlng edge 112a by the u~er' E~ other hand and manually pulled beyond and below the blad~ ~20. When the reguired length o~ tape ~as been Qxtended, the tape is u~ged again~e the cutting edge 122 of the bl~de 120 and, by a twi~tlng and pulling action, the tap~ i~ cut.

Use is made of the tape di6penser 10 in the same manne~ as de~cribed with referenca to Figures 6-9 for the second emboA~ent of ~he tape d~ ~pen~er 110 .
It will be appreciated t~a~ the ~ape dispenser lO, llo accordlng to the lnve~tion can be u~ed with double-sided ~ape, one side being masked until , after the o~her 3ide has been adhered to a elurface and cut a6 described hereinabove. It will al~o be appreclated that the tape dispenser according to the invention can be sh~ped and dimen6ioned to support and 5 unroll any width and diameter of a roll o~ cape and any width of tape. For example, the tape di~penser 10, 110 accord~ng to the in~r~ntion can ~e 3haped and nQioned for ~sa with a roll h~ving a large diame~er core and, in that ~vent, the tape di~3penser 10, l~o iQ
adapted to ~lide circumf~rentially abou~ the roll 12, 112 and i~ pro~ided wlth ~pacing ~ea~R a~ described her~inabo~e adapted to permit ma~ual access adjace~t the leadi~g edge 12a, 112~ of the roll 12, 112 ~not shown).
It will further be appreciated that the tap~
dispenser lo, llo according to the in~rhnt$on can be adap~ed to provide a desk-~op dispensHr ag desired ~not shown ) AMENDED SHEET

Claims (14)

CLAIMS:

1. A tape dispenser (10) for dispensing at least one length of tape, the tape dispenser (10) comprising a holder (14) having a boss (16) projecting laterally from the holder (14) for supporting a roll (12) of tape having a leading edge (12a), the boss (16) being shaped and dimensioned to permit rotatable movement of the roll (12) of tape about the boss (16); a blade (20) arranged parallel to the boss (16); a pathway (18) for the tape being dispensed from the roll (12), the pathway (18) extending between the holder (14) and the blade (20), the blade (20) being arranged above the pathway (18) and having a downwardly extending cutting edge (22); spacing means extending from the holder (14), the spacing means being shaped and dimensioned to permit manual access, from above, to the tape in the pathway (18) so that, in use, the tape can be gripped adjacent the leading edge (12a), a desired length of tape unrolled beyond the blade (20) and the desired tape length cut by the blade (20), characterised in that the blade (20) and the spacing means form a substantially "V"=shape, the apex of the "V"-shape being laterally displaced relative to the pathway (18) to define a manual access area to the pathway (18) so that, in use, tape in the pathway (18) is manually accessible, from above, in the manual access area.

2. A tape dispenser (10) according to Claim 1, in which the tape dispenser (10) is provided with means (28) for holding the leading edge (12a) of the tape adjacent the pathway (18) when the desired length of tape has been cut from the roll (12), the holding means being arranged spaced from, and below, the pathway (18) and spaced from, and under, the spacing means.

3. A tape dispenser (10) according to Claim 1 or 2, in which the spacing means comprises a guideway (26) disposed radially relative to the holder (14) and an arm (24) extending between the guideway (26) and the blade (20), the guideway (26)/arm (24) and the blade (20) forming the substantially "V"-shape and the holding means (28) being spaced from, and under, the guideway (26).

4. A tape dispenser (10) according to claim 3, in which the arm (24) extends obliquely from the guideway (26) relative to the pathway (18).

5. A tape dispenser (10) according to Claim 3 or 4, in which a free end of the guideway (26) extends obliquely relative to the pathway (18).

6. A tape dispenser (10) according to any one of Claims 3-5, in which the plane defined by the arm (24) and the blade (20) is disposed substantially obliquely to the plane defined by the guideway (26).

7. A tape dispenser (10) according to Claim 2, in which the holding means is a finger (28) arranged spaced from, and below, the pathway (18) so that, in use, passage of the length of tape along the pathway (18) is not impeded when the tape is being unrolled and, when the length of tape has been cut by the blade (20) and a new leading edge (12a) formed on the tape, the new leading edge (12a) tends to return towards the roll (12) and releasably engages the finger (28).

8. A tape dispenser (10) according to Claim 7, in which the surface of the finger (28) adjacent the pathway (18) is convexly shaped so that, in use, the new leading edge (12a) is disposed for manual access, from above, in the manual access area.

9. A tape dispenser (10) according to any one of Claims 3-8, in which the blade (20) is obliquely disposed relative to a plane defined by the arm (24) and the blade (20), and a projection (30) is provided at each end of the blade (20) so that, in use, the tape dispenser (10) is pivoted about the projections (30) until the blade (20) is substantially perpendicular to the tape in the pathway (18).

10. A tape dispenser (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the tape dispenser (10) is additionally provided with finger grip means.

11. A tape dispenser (10) according to Claim 10, in which the finger grip means comprise a pair of wings (36) extending laterally from the tape dispenser (10), the wings (36) being shaped so that, in use, a thumb and an index finger of a user's hand grip the tape dispenser (10) adjacent the respective wings (36).

12. A tape dispenser (10) according to Claim 10 or 11, in which the finger grip means additionally comprises a pair of knurled regions (42) laterally disposed on the tape dispenser (10) adjacent the respective wings (36).

13. A tape dispenser (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the tape dispenser (10) additionally comprises position means shaped and dimensioned to hold the roll (12) of the tape axially fast on the boss (16).

14. A tape dispenser (10) according to Claim 13, in which the position means comprises a cover (34), the cover (34) and the holder (14) being provided with inter-engaging co-operating means, so that the roll (12) of tape, when located in the tape dispenser (10), is enclosed between the cover (34) and the holder (14).