KR20150016594A - Textured tape dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides an improved tape dispenser comprising a tape roll housing (110) characterized by a side wall (111) and a surrounding protective wall (120). At least a portion of the outer surface of the enclosing wall comprises at least one texture (121). The tape roll housing is coupled to a cutting edge support 140 spaced from the roll housing. The dispenser may include a base 130 formed by portions of the surrounding wall and the cutting edge support. In certain embodiments, the base may include a recess 132.

Description

[0001] TEXTURED TAPE DISPENSER [0002]

Conventional tape dispensers often have a tape roll support for holding the core of the tape roll, and side walls extending from the tape roll support to the cutting blade. These types of dispensers leave one side of the tape roll uncovered. Double-sided tape dispensers can be used to further accommodate tape rolls. These types of conventional double-sided tape dispensers include a second sidewall for covering the tape roll as shown in U.S. Design Patent D510951. To open and access the tape roll support, the sidewalls are moved, twisted, or pulled against each other.

In known distributors, the user may need to pick up parts of the dispenser to balance the force of unwinding the tape roll with the force of the dispenser. Known distributors may also include surfaces that are not optimized for a certain grasp. The present inventors have developed a hand held tape dispenser that is easy to maintain and reduce the force required to dispense and cut the tape.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a method of manufacturing a tape roll comprising: a surrounding wall in which at least a portion of a surface comprises a first texture and a second texture; a tape roll housing comprising sidewalls; A cutting edge support spaced from the roll housing; A tape core support extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the side wall; And a base including a portion of the surrounding wall and a portion of the cutting edge support.

The present invention also provides a tape wrapping machine comprising: a tape roll housing including a protective surrounding wall, at least a portion of the surface of which comprises a first texture and a second texture; A cutting edge support spaced from the roll housing; A tape core support extending in a direction generally orthogonal to the first major surface; And a base including a portion of the surrounding wall; And a tape roll coupled to the tape core support, the surrounding wall at least partially covering the tape roll.

As used herein, the terms "height "," base ", and "top" are for purposes of example only and do not necessarily define the orientation or relationship between the structure forming the texture and the surface. For example, the "height" of the structure protruding from the surface of the tape dispenser may be equal to the depth of the recess created, and the "top" may be considered equal to the bottom of the recess. Accordingly, the terms "height" and "depth ", and" top "and" bottom "

The terms "comprises" and variations thereof have no limiting meaning when these terms are presented in the description and the claims.

The words "preferred" and "preferably" refer to embodiments of the invention that may provide certain advantages under certain circumstances. However, other embodiments may also be desirable under the same or different circumstances. Furthermore, the mention of one or more preferred embodiments does not imply that other embodiments are not useful and is not intended to exclude other embodiments from the scope of the present invention.

As mentioned herein, all numbers should be considered as being modified by the term " about ".

As used herein, the singular, "at least one, " and" at least one "are used interchangeably. Thus, for example, a distributor surface that includes a texture of "singular" can be interpreted as a system that includes "one or more" textures.

Also, the description of a numerical range by an endpoint in this specification includes all numbers contained within that range (for example, 1 to 5 are 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, 5 Etc.).

The above summary of the present invention is not intended to describe each disclosed embodiment or every implementation of the present invention. The following description exemplifies a more specific exemplary embodiment. At various places throughout the application, guidance is provided through a list of examples, and the examples may be used in various combinations. In each case, the listed list serves only as a representative group and should not be construed as an exhaustive list.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be further described with reference to the drawings, wherein corresponding reference numerals represent corresponding parts throughout the several views.
≪ 1 >
1 is an exploded view of a tape dispenser assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
2,
Figure 2 is a side view of the dispenser of Figure 1;
3,
3 is a perspective view of a tape dispenser in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
<Fig. 4>
Figure 4 is a side view of the dispenser of Figure 4;
While the foregoing drawings illustrate several embodiments of the invention, other embodiments are also contemplated, as discussed in the discussion. In all cases, the present disclosure is intended to be illustrative, not limiting. It is to be understood that many other modifications and embodiments belonging to the scope and spirit of the principles of the invention may be devised by those skilled in the art.

Returning to Figures 1 and 2, a first embodiment of a single sided tape dispenser 100 includes a tape roll housing 110 having a side wall 111, a housing 110, And a protective wall 120 forming a perimeter &lt; RTI ID = 0.0 &gt; 116 &lt; / RTI &gt; The tape roll housing 110 is coupled to a cutting support 140 that includes cutting blades 144. The tape roll 300 may be secured to a core support 114 that extends along an axis generally perpendicular to the sidewall 111. Suitable materials for the dispenser body include, but are not limited to, plastics, metals, and ceramics. Suitable plastics include, without limitation, polystyrene and polycarbonate.

The protective wall 120, like the core support 114, extends in a direction generally perpendicular to the side wall 111. In certain embodiments, the protective surrounding wall 120 may extend at a slightly obtuse angle (e.g., from about 90 degrees to about 95 degrees) from a plane defined by the sidewalls 111. As shown, the protective wall 120 is generally circular to follow the contour of the circular tape roll 300. However, the shape of the guard 120 may be other shapes, sizes, or configurations. The protective wall 120 forms a tape roll housing periphery 116, which is the outermost extension of the supported tape roll 300 from the central axis. In this embodiment, the tape roll housing periphery 116 is circular. However, since the protective wall 120 may include various shapes and sizes, the tape roll housing periphery 116 may include various shapes and sizes. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the protective wall 120 does not completely surround the core support 114, leaving a dispenser opening 119 for withdrawing a length of tape for dispensing.

The outer surface of the protection wall 120 includes at least one texture 121 that is distinguishable from the flat surface by normal vision and tactile feedback. In the illustrated embodiment, the protection wall 120 includes a first texture 121 and a second texture 122. In some embodiments, each texture may be formed by a series of repeating features or structures that are molded into or integral with the outer surface of the barrier 120. In some embodiments, one or more textures may be generated by surface roughening techniques (e.g., acid etch, sandblasting, etc.). Certain feature patterns or groupings may be generated using masks or other known processes for controlled surface finishing. In FIG. 1, the first texture 121 includes rail-like features that protrude from the outer surface of the protective wall 120, while the second texture 122 includes hemispherical features. In other embodiments, it may be desirable for the features forming the first or second texture to protrude into the outer surface to create a series of discrete or discrete recesses.

The textures 121 and 122 may be arranged on the protection wall 120 according to an arbitrary number of patterns. In certain embodiments, a single feature portion may be repeated over the entire surface. In some embodiments, the pattern may comprise a repeating unit cell comprising a specific arrangement of one or more textures. The unit cell may include a plurality of tiles, each tile being characterized by a single texture. The tiles may be tessellated as shown in FIG. The unit cell 123 includes a first texture tile directly adjacent to the second texture tile. Other unit cells may include a portion of the protective wall that does not include the protruding texture (e.g., a flat or polished surface of the protective wall 120).

Additional examples of suitable feature shapes may include, but are not limited to, various polyhedral shapes, parallelepipeds, prismatoids, prismoids, and the like, and combinations thereof. For example, the features can be polyhedral, conical, truncated cone, pyramid, truncated pyramid, spherical, partially spherical, hemispherical, elliptical, domed, cylindrical, and combinations thereof.

In general, each feature of the plurality of features has a height / depth that is greater than or equal to 0.0005 inches. In some embodiments, each feature has a height of at least 0.001 inches, and in other embodiments, a height of at least 0.00125 inches. In some embodiments, the feature height is less than or equal to 0.004 inches, in some embodiments less than or equal to 0.003 inches, and in certain preferred embodiments less than or equal to 0.0015 inches. Particularly suitable ranges include feature heights of 0.001 inch to 0.003 inch. A feature having a height of less than 0.001 inches may not have a noticeable effect on a user's grip, while a feature having a height of greater than 0.004 inches may impair the dispensing and / or manufacturing experience.

The inclusion of the patterned texture and other textures may, in some implementations, reduce or prevent movement of the tape dispenser 100 in the user's grip before or during distribution of the tape. The improvement in grip safety further reduces the force required to secure the dispenser during cutting, allowing the user's energy to concentrate on tapping the cutting edge.

The tape roll housing 110 further includes a tape core support 114. The tape core support 114 is configured to engage and support the core of the tape roll 300. The tape core support 114 may include a circular protrusion 115 extending from a second major surface of the tape roll housing 110. The circular protrusion 115 may further include first and second interlocking fingers 117 and 118 that terminate in the flanges 117a and 118a. The flanges 117a, 118a are typically configured to engage a portion of the tape roll 300. [ The first and second interlocking fingers 117, 118 may, in some embodiments, allow the tape roll 300 to be inserted into the tape roll housing 110 and prevent the tape rolls from being released by engagement of the flanges thereafter , It can be bent slightly. In other embodiments, the tape core support 114 may include only one circular protrusion or only a plurality of interlocking fingers. Other configurations are also possible depending on the shape and size of the tape roll core intended to be supported. In any case, the tape core support 114 assists in restraining the tape rolls within the tape roll housing 110.

The tape dispenser 100 may be supported at the base 130 formed by the protective wall 120 and portions of the cutting support 140. The base includes a recess 132 disposed between the core support 114 and the landing surface 142 of the cutting support 140. In certain embodiments, the indentations comprise a radius of curvature of at least 0.25 inches, in some embodiments at least 0.5 inches, and in yet another embodiment at least 1.0 inches. In certain embodiments, the recess 132 includes a radius of curvature of 2.0 inches or less, and in other embodiments 1.5 inches or less. The recess 132 may allow a user to more comfortably grip the outside of the tape dispenser 110 to apply a stable pressure during use. Such a stable pressure can facilitate both tearing and distribution of the tape from the tape roll 300.

The distance 150 from the terminating end of the protective wall 120 proximate the distributor opening 119 to the apex of the recess 132 may be selected to enhance the user's grip. In some embodiments, the ratio of maximum distributor height 105 to distance 150 is less than or equal to 1: 0.9, in some embodiments less than or equal to 1: 0.85, in some embodiments less than or equal to 1: 0.75, and in yet another embodiment, : 0.70 or less. In the illustrated embodiment, the height 105 of the dispenser is essentially the diameter of a circle mathematically best suited to the curve produced by the construction of the tape roll housing 110. [

The side wall 111 extends from the tape roll housing to the cutting support 140 and is generally perpendicular to the protective wall 120. Although not shown, the sidewalls 111 may also include one or more textures as described above with respect to the protective walls 120. The side wall 111 includes an aperture 112 proximate the tape core support 114. As shown, the apertures 112 generally reflect the shape of the core support 114 and the periphery 116, but other shapes and configurations are possible. The portion of the sidewall 111 surrounding the hole may be planar or may be chamfered as shown in FIG. The hole 112 may allow the user to grip the tape dispenser 100 by inserting a finger through the hole. This can provide additional stabilization pressure to facilitate dispensing and cutting of a length of tape.

The neck 133 of the side wall 111 can be formed in the vicinity of the recess 132 of the base 130 and serves to transfer the tape roll housing 110 to the cutting support 140. The neck portion 133 includes a convex portion such that the base portion 136 of the neck is disposed under the uppermost cutting support 140 and the opening 119.

The cutting support 140 is spaced from the distributor opening 119 and includes an outer wall 141, a landing surface 142, and a blade 144. The landing surface 142 serves as a surface for attaching the dispensed end of the tape so that the dispensed end of the tape is accessible and ready for further use. The landing surface 142 further provides a support surface that facilitates tearing of the tape across the blade 144. The blade 144 may be serrated as shown, or may include any other known blade configuration. As shown, the outer wall 141 includes textures that include repeating features arranged in a unit cell 123. In other implementations, outer wall 140 does not include an identifiable non-planar texture.

For reference purposes, a second Cartesian coordinate system is provided in FIG. 1, where the intersecting axes x and z define a plane, and the axis y is orthogonal to the x and z axes. The origin O defines the intersection of the three axes. When the origin coincides with the trailing edge of the cutting support 140 with the x-z plane lying substantially coplanar with the landing surface 142, the base 145 of the cutting blade 144 (-y) direction shown below the x-z plane. The cutting edge 146 of the blade 144 is typically located beneath the x-z plane in a slightly negative y-direction, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In other embodiments, the landing surface and the cutting edge may be at an angle of only 0 degrees relative to each other (such that the cutting edge 146 is coplanar with the landing surface 142 in the x-z plane) to 60 degrees. The cutting edge 146 may also be positioned in the positive y direction from the landing surface, although less desirable in certain circumstances. The cutting edge 146 located below the landing surface 142 (i.e., in the negative y direction with respect to the landing surface) facilitates and supports the use of downward or slightly downward forces on the blade 144, The ability of the user to cut / tear the length of tape can be improved.

The cutting support has a height 147 measured from the base 130, which is less than the height 118 of the tape roll housing 110. This height is typically chosen such that the tape dispensed from the tape roll 300 abuts the landing surface on the x-z plane or in a slightly positive y-direction. The cutting support height 147 can be selected such that the landing surface 142 is substantially coplanar with the center of the tape roll 300 and the hole 112. [ In some embodiments, the ratio of the dispenser height 105 to the cutting support height is at least 1.1: 1, in some embodiments at least 1.25: 1, in some embodiments at least 1.4: 1, in some embodiments at least 1.5: May be 1.7: 1 or more in another embodiment, 1.85: 1 or more in another embodiment, and 2: 1 or more in another embodiment. In some embodiments, the ratio of distributor height 105 to cutting support height 147 is less than or equal to 3: 1, in some embodiments less than or equal to 2.5: 1, in some embodiments less than or equal to 2: 1, and in some embodiments less than or equal to 1.9: 1, and in yet another embodiment 1.7: 1 or less.

Turning now to Figures 3 and 4, a two piece dispenser 200 is shown that features many of the same components as the tape dispenser 100. The tape dispenser 200 includes a tape roll housing 210 that is connected to the cutting support 240 via a base 230. The tape roll housing 210 includes a tape core support 214 and a hole 212. The base 230 further includes a recess 232 between the core support 214 and the landing surface 240. The protection wall 220 includes a repeating pattern 223 of tile-like textures 221, 222. The components of the tape dispenser 200 may have the same dimensional and dimensional relationships as the associated components in the tape dispenser 100. [

Unlike the tape dispenser 100, the tape dispenser 200 includes a first side wall 211a and a second side wall 211b. The tape dispenser 200 may be provided as two adjacent individual sections. For example, the section forming the first sidewall may include connecting pegs that engage the connecting openings of the section forming the second sidewall. This friction fit can secure the first and second sections together during tape dispensing and allows the user to open the dispenser 200 to retrieve the tape roll. As another example, the tape core support 214 may extend from a section forming the first sidewall and engage mating apertures. It is understood that other connection mechanisms may be used to couple the sections of the dispenser 200.

In this embodiment, holding fins 235 are additionally shown. The illustrated retaining legs 235 are outwardly extending protrusions along the base 230. The retaining feet 235 provide a stabilizing surface that allows the tape dispenser 200 to be positioned in an upright position (as shown in FIG. 3) without rolling over the surface. It will be appreciated that various sizes and numbers of these locating feet may be included and that the locating foot portions may be protrusions from the tape roll housing 200. It is understood that this feature may be provided in the above-described embodiment.

The entire disclosures of patents, patent documents, and publications cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety as if each were individually incorporated. Various modifications and alterations of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. It is not intended that the invention be unduly limited to the illustrative embodiments and examples described herein, but such examples and embodiments are provided by way of example only, and the scope of the present invention is limited only by the claims set forth below It is intended to

Claims (22)

As a dispenser,
A surrounding wall surrounding at least a portion of the surface including a first texture and a second texture; a tape roll housing including a side wall;
A cutting edge support spaced from the roll housing;
A tape core support extending in a direction generally orthogonal to the side walls; And
A base including a portion of the surrounding wall and a portion of the cutting edge support,
/ RTI &gt; The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the first and second textures are arranged in a unit cell and the unit cell is repeated over at least a portion of the surrounding wall surface. The tape dispenser of claim 1 or 2, further comprising a third texture. The tape dispenser of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first and second textures comprise a depth of no more than 0.003 inches. The tape dispenser of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first or second texture comprises a depth of less than or equal to 0.0015 inches. The tape dispenser of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the base includes a recess proximate the cutting edge support. 7. The tape dispenser of claim 6, wherein the recess comprises a radius of curvature of 0.5 inch to 1.5 inch. 8. The tape dispenser of claim 7, wherein the recess is located between the cutting edge support and the tape core support. 9. A tape dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the sidewall comprises a hole proximate the tape core support. 9. The tape dispenser of claim 8, wherein the aperture is at least partially surrounded by a recessed portion of a first major surface. 10. The tape dispenser of claim 9, wherein the sidewall defines a plane and the indent is inclined from the plane. 12. A tape dispenser according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cutting edge support comprises a landing surface and a blade. 12. The tape dispenser of claim 11, wherein the blade includes a cutting edge and a base, and wherein the base of the blade is located below the landing surface. The tape dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a second side wall coupled to the first side wall via the tape core support. 15. The tape dispenser of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the tape dispenser comprises a first height, the cutting support comprises a second height, the first height being greater than or equal to 25% , Tape dispenser. 16. The tape dispenser of claim 15, wherein the ratio of the first height to the second height is greater than or equal to 1.4: 1. A tape dispensing assembly comprising:
A protective envelope wall in which at least a portion of the surface comprises a first texture and a second texture, and a first main surface; A cutting edge support spaced from the roll housing; A tape core support extending in a direction generally orthogonal to the first major surface; And a base including a portion of the surrounding wall; And
And a tape roll coupled to the tape core support,
Said surrounding wall partially covering said tape roll. 18. The tape dispensing assembly of claim 17, wherein the base includes a recess proximate to the cutting edge support and the recess comprises a radius of curvature of 0.5 inch to 1.5 inch. 19. The tape dispensing assembly of claim 17 or 18, further comprising a third texture on the surface of the surrounding wall. 20. The tape dispensing assembly of any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein the first or second texture comprises a depth of less than or equal to 0.0015 inches. 21. A tape dispensing assembly according to any one of claims 17 to 20, wherein the first and second textures are tessellated over at least a portion of the surrounding wall. As a distributor,
An envelope wall in which at least a portion of the surface comprises a first texture, and a sidewall;
A cutting edge support spaced from the roll housing and coupled to the roll housing;
A tape core support extending in a direction generally orthogonal to the side walls; And
A portion of the surrounding wall and a portion of the cutting edge support,
/ RTI &gt;

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