EP0227285B1 - Tape dispenser - Google Patents

Description

• The invention relates to a tape dispenser for dispensing adhesive tapes mounted on rolls.
• Previous dispensers have tended to be expensive, for example where the roll is mounted tightly on a cylindrical member which rotates as the tape is dispensed from an adjacent cutting blade.
• In a previous arrangement a tape roll rotates on an inner fixed cylindrical piece, the tape being dispensed from a cutting blade fixed to an extension from the cylindrical piece. These systems are effective but are expensive and tend to be large relative to the size of the roll. Austrian Patent Specification No. 364278 and USA Patent Specification No. 3970230 both disclose a tape dispenser for use with adhesive tape mounted on a roll comprising a bridging member arranged to span the outer edges of the roll, in use, the bridging member having a cutting edge at one end thereof and having a pair of legs extending rearwardly from the other end thereof, to lie on each side of the roll, the legs each having an inwardly depending finger for engaging with the inner surface of the roll, in use.
• Austrian Specification No. 364278 also includes a further bridging member which spans the legs adjacent the other end of said bridging member, providing a relatively narrow slot therebetween, through which the tape to be dispensed must be threaded. Since one side of the tape is adhesive, this constitutes a difficult procedure.
• The present invention tends to obviate or mitigate these disadvantages.
• The tape dispenser of the present invention includes an arm located above one of the legs and extending partially across the outer surface of the tape roll, the tape being dispensed between said other end of the bridging member and said arm so as to prevent the tape from re-engaging with the roll. The tape dispenser may have the legs being attached to the bridging member at an angle thereto so as to be resiliently urged towards the outer walls of the tape roll in use. The tape dispenser may have the legs formed with inwardly extending protrusions remote from the bridging member to engage with the outer surface of the tape roll when such roll is mostly dispensed.
• The tape dispenser may be formed with slots adjacent the attachment point of the legs to the bridging member to asist the resilient urging of legs to the outer sides of the tape roll, in use.
• The tape dispenser may be integrally moulded of a synthetic plastics material.
• The foregoing and further features of the invention will be more readily understood with reference to accompanying drawing in which:-
        Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a tape reel with a dispenser of the present invention located thereon;
        Fig. 2 is a plan view of the dispenser located on a tape reel;
        Fig. 3 is a plan view of a dispenser alone.
• Referring to the drawing the dispenser comprises a bridging member 10 made of plastic, metal, or like material which is attached to the outer surface of the roll 11 by means of legs 12 which bear against the sides of the roll of tape with some pressure so that when not in action the dispenser is held substantially firm on the roll.
• The legs 12 are located at an angle to the bridging member 10 so as to bear inwardly on the outer surfaces of the roll 11.
• There is an inwardly projecting finger 13 at the end of each leg 12 , these fingers bear against the inner side of the roll and prevent the dispenser from being detached from the roll 11 . Slots 20 enhance the resilient pressure of the legs 12 on the roll allowing the dispenser to move as the tape is dispensed. Slots 20 could alternatively be as indicated at 14 in Fig. 3. An arm 15 , substantially inverted L shaped, extends partially across the outer tape surface and prevents the end of the tape from sticking to the roll.
• Inwardly extending protrusions 21 are provided on the legs 12 remote from the bridging member 10 to engage with the outer surface of the tape roll when such roll is almost completely dispensed.
• When dispensing, the tape 16 is pulled out radially over edge 17 which has a rounded surface and inside arm 15, this action draws the dispenser around the outer curcumference of roll 11 and the tape is cut by pulling the tape sharply over the cutting edge 18. This action ensures self adjustment of the dispenser position to suit the reducing size of the roll. The dispenser is mounted on the roll so that the adhesive side 19 of the tape is facing away from the dispenser.

Claims (4)

1. A tape dispenser for use with adhesive tape mounted on a roll comprising a bridging member (10) arranged to span the outer edges of the roll, in use, the bridging member (10) having a cutting edge (18) at one end thereof and having a pair of legs (12) extending rearwardly from the other end thereof, to lie one on each side of the roll, the legs (12) each having an inwardly depending finger (13) for engaging with the inner surface of the roll in use, characterised by an arm (15) located above one of the legs (12) and extending partially across the outer surface of the tape roll, the tape being dispensed between said other end of the bridging member and said arm so as to prevent the tape from re-engaging with the roll, in use.
2. A tape dispenser as claimed in Claim 1 characterised by the legs (12) being attached to the bridging member (10) at an angle thereto so as to be resiliently urged towards the outer walls of the tape roll in use.
3. A tape dispenser as claimed in claim 1 or 2 characterised in that the legs (12) are formed with inwardly extending protrusions (21) remote from the bridging member (10) to engage with the outer surface of the tape roll when such roll is mostly dispensed.
4. A tape dispenser as claimed in any preceding Claim characterised in that such dispenser is formed with slots (20) adjacent the attachment point of legs (12) to the bridging member (10) to assist the resilient urging of legs (12) to the outer sides of the tape roll, in use.

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