US3005580A

US3005580A - Tape dispenser-container

Info

Publication number: US3005580A
Authority: US
Inventors: Malia John Peter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-07-14
Filing date: 1958-07-14
Publication date: 1961-10-24
Anticipated expiration: 1978-10-24

Description

CL 24, 1961 J, Fi, MA|V |A 3,005,580

TAPE DISPENSER-CONTAINER Filed July 14, 1958 invern-QR'. JOHN 'PETER MAMA United States Patent O 3,005,580 TAPE DISPENSER-CONTAINER John Peter Malia, 1545 E. 60th St., Chicago, lll. Filed July 14, 1958, Ser. No. 748,490 6 Claims. (Cl. 22S- 39) This invention relates to a container for tape or other products commonly put up in the form of rolls, said container having inherent in its construction a means for the cutting o of any desired length of tape without need of separate cutting instruments, dispensers, etc.

Adhesive tapes of various types exist, and are packaged in a variety of ways. Ordinary electricians tape (friction tape) commonly is supplied in rolls, without any means of cutting or tearing the tape; this must be done by the user with whatever implements are at hand, or by force alone. Surgical adhesive tape also commonly is supplied without means for cutting or otherwise dispensing it. The same is true of many of the cellulose-acetate types of adhesive tape, and for these rolls a variety of separately available dispensers with cutting bars may be had. Some of these tapes do come packaged as part of a light metal dispenser with cutting edge, in order to overcome the need for purchasing a separate dispenser while at the same time providing for ease of handling of the tape. These dispenser-packages, however, are bulkier than the contained roll of tape alone; in order to be of practical size, the roll of tape is usually small, and the user who desires a larger roll of tape must purchase both the roll of tape and a separate dispenser. (To use this type of tape without a dispenser is dilicult; the tape itself is so thin, and the adhesive so tenacious, that it is laborious to nd the free edge and to free it up for use; a dispenser, by keeping the free edge away from the rest of the roll, obviates this difliculty.) These larger rolls of tape are usually supplied in metal cans which are discardedwhen the tape is to be put into the dispenser.

In addition to adhesive tapes of various kinds, there are many other products commonly supplied in rolls or spools, such as wire, twine, etc, and each of these as usually supplied, requires external means for cutting olf the desired length.

It is, accordingly, a fundamental object of thisinvention to provide a container for adhesive tapes of any Variety, the container being fashioned in such a way that the user of the tape may readily convert the container into a dispenser with a cutting edge, the container, lafter being so converted, retaining essentially its previous size and protective capacity for the contained roll or spool of tape.

It is another object of the invention to provide a container such as described above for any and all products which are commonly supplied in rolls or spools, or which may be so supplied, when these products are susceptible of being cut by the force of a hand against a cutting edge.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious, and in part appear hereinafter.

The invention, accordingly, is embodied in a container, preferably of metal, consisting of two halves, each half being in the form of a tube open at one end vand closed at the other, so that one half may t into the other to form a completely closed unit; the larger, outer half having an area on its side which has been suitably perforated, scored, or cut so that it may be bent back to form a retaining piece with a cutting edge, and the inner,

smaller, half having a corresponding area in its side which has been cut out to permit passage of the enclosed tape when the container is used as a dispenser.

s The invention may be better understood by referring to the drawings, in which:

3,005,580 Patented Oct. V24, 1961 FIGURE 1 is a front view, partially in perspective, of the top half of the container.

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the top half of the container.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the top half of the container.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the top half of the container after the side piece has been bent back to form the retaining piece for the tape, with its cutting edge.

FIGURE A5 is a perspective view of the bottom half of the container. e

FIGURE 6 is aside view of the lower half of the container showing the part cut away to allow passage of tape from an enclosed roll.

FIGURE 7 is a front view of the lower half of the container. Y

FIGURE 8 is a sectional lview, seen from below, of the lower half of the container.

FIGURE 9 is a front view of both halves of the container showing their relationship to each other before joining together to form the container.

FIGURE 10 is a front View, partially in perspective, showing the assembled container, enclosing a roll kof tape, and arranged for use as a dispenser.

FIGURE 11 shows the halves of the container in relation as in FIGURE 9, but in section to show a modificationof the container to facilitate turning of the enclosed spool of tape during use.

FIGURE 12 is a front view, partially in perspective, ofa modification consisting of a separate clip device having a cutting edge, which may be attached to a modified container.

FIGURE 13 is a top view, in section, of such a modied container with the clip device in place.

FIGURE 14 is a modification of the cutting edge, shown in a front view partially in perspective.

' FIGURE 15 is a top view in section of a container such as that shown in FIGURE 13, modified.

FIGURE 16 is a top view in section of a container such as that shown in FIGURE 15, modified.

Referring now to the drawings in detail:

FIG. 1 shows, in partial perspective, the front view of the top half of the container, 16, closed at the top, 10, 17 represents that part of the side, 16, which is to be folded back at `11 and 12 to form the'retaining piece and cutting edge. This bending back of piece '17 is possible because of the perforations, scorings, or actual cutting provided at 13-14 and 15. Lacking a suitable single term or word which is inclusive of vthese elective alternative'imethods of providing for the bendable feature, the .word score, when used alone hereinafter or in the claims, is used to serve as such an inclusive term.

FIG. 2 isa front view of the same top half of the container; the reference numerals have the same significance.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view from the top, along the line indicated in FIG. 2, 'of the top half of the container; the dotted line indicates vthe position that piece 17'would take were it bent back on 11 and 12. 13 represents the free cutting edge of piece 17.

FIG, 4, a front view in partial perspective, showsv how the container top is `used as a dispenser by bending back piece 17. Again, 14 and 15 represent the edges remainircilg after bending 17, and 13 represents the free cutting e ge I FIG.v 5, also a front View in partial perspective, is of the bottom half of the container. 20 represents the piece forming the side, while 21 21 `are the edges left by removing a section of the side between them. 22 represents the bottom .of the part. 1 p v Y FIG. 6 is a side view of the same bottom half of the container, indicating the piece removed; the reference numerals are as before.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the same bottom half of the container; ideally, the distance between the edges, 21-21, is somewhat less than the distance between-11 and 14 on FIGURES 1 through 4,I so that the smoothly cut edge 2,1 may prevent inadvertent tearing Vol the tape on the saw-tooth edge remaining at 14 afterperforation or scoring. FIG. 7 also indicates the line of section of the view shown in i FIGURE 8, which is a View from below, after sectioning the bottom half of the container in a horiaontal plane.

FIG. 9 is a front view of the two parts indicating their relation before fitting together to complete the closed container. The top half of the figure is identical to FIG. 2; the lower half is identical to FIG. 7; the reference numbers have the same significance'. Y f

FIG. 10 is a somewhat larger front View, in partial perspective, of the entire container arranged to be used as a dispenser, and containing an enclosed roll of tape.

410 is the top of the upper half of the container, and

16 the side; piece 17 has been bent back at A11 and Y1,2, with 13 therefore free as the cutting Yedge for-the tape. 14jis the edgeV exposed by bending back piece 17; edge 21 of the lower half of the unit is hidden just behind 14, and serves to keep the tape away from the rough edge of 14. The other edge l21 is hidden behind 11,.

15 is the top edge exposed by bending back piece 17. The lower half of the container is covered and hidden by the upper half, except where the bottom of the lower half, 2,2, may be seen. 30 represents the roll of contained tape, with a free lengtln'l, having lbeen lifted oi 17 preparatory to pulling out and cutting oi a new length of tape.' When this has been done, Vcutting the tape oli on edge 13, the remaining exposed piece of tape will adhere to that part of piece 17 lying between ledge 13 Aand-bend 12, rendering it easily 4accessible for further use. It will be notedA that, although edge 13 has been shownas a Astraight edge, it may in facthave serrations or other means of improving its cutting'actionjin fact, one contemplated means of manufacture would perforate the part 16 at 13-14 so that bending back piece 17 would leave edge 13 serrated. It should further be noted that it is not contemplated that the length of 17, nor the angles of bend atV 11 and 1 2, need be exactly as shown, nor is it inherent in the nature-ot the design of the container as a whole that it be round, as shown, but it may be of any shape suitable to the enclosed roll, spool, reel, etc. s Also, the distances between 11 and 14, on the top half of the container, and bet-Ween V21-211, on the bottom half of the container are arbitrary as shown, and may be modified as required by the type of `material to be contained. Y. i

FIG. 1l is a modication, shown in vertical section from the front, of the two parts of the container, where,

in the process of manufacture, a circular projection, 40,

has been stamped or formed -in the top and bottom pieces, 10 and 22, respectively. The diameter of these inward projections, 40, is such as to fit loosely linto the `hollow part of the tube, reel, or spool which contains the tape or other product, permitting easy turning of the roll [as tapeV is withdrawn Vfrom the container, yet preventing dislodging of the central axis ofthe Vcontainedroll from the central axis'of the container as the end of ,the Vtape is pulled. A

FIG. l2 is another modication, also shownas afront view, but in partial perspective, which lis a Vseparate piece 51 formed as piece 17 above, but with a Aclip'arrangement, S0, by means of which it may be attached to a container the `two :halves of which are formed as is the lower half, -22, .of the described above, that Yis with a cut-out section in each half. This modication is perhaps more clearly seen 'in FIG. '13, which is a view, msection analagous-to FIG.A

V8, `showing that both halvesof the cpntainer are `here made alike, except that the diameter of the outer half is sufliciently larger than that of the inner, lower half as to permit the same tting together described above. 50 represents the clip arrangement by means of which the part, 51, is attached to the edges of the fitted-together container, represented by 16 and 20.

FIG. 14 is a modication of the cutting edge of

piece

17 or 51, adapting-it, by means of edge 60 Vand circular cut-out 61, to use fory cutting and retaining such products as twine, light wire, etc. The material may be cut by pulling it down over edge 60, and the remaining end may be retained for future use by pushing lightly in to the hole, 61,. 61 may also serve as a Wire stripper, or may itself be used as the cutting edge. Y i

FIGURE l5 is a modification of the container shown in FIGURE 13, but equally applicable to other embodiments of the invention, wherein 16a is the outer member of the container, having portion 7) flattened, in order to provide a stable surface for resting the container upon a table or other surface. 24hr is analogous Vto 20' in FIG. 13.

FIGURE 16 shows a modiiication of the feature shown in FIGURE l5, wherein 20hV is also lilattened throughout a portion 7 of its Wall.

Although the invention has been described with referenrce to only a limited number of embodiments, it is to be understood that variations thereof may be adopted Without departing from its spirit or scope. For example, the top half of the container may be the smaller one, and fit into the larger lower half; in this case, bending back piece 17 would serve to lfurther hold the two halves together. In another variation, the parts could be made of fa materialother than metal, such as a light plastic; transparent plastic would have the virtue of revealing at a glance when the remaining supply of enclosed tape was running low. In this latter variation, piece 17, Ythe part to `be bent to form the retaining piece and cutting edge, could be a metal insert, introduced at the time of manufacture, or the modification described above in FIGURES l2 and 13 could be used, with the clip portion, Sil-51, of

metal. Y

These, and other possible variations and modifications, are numerous, and for that reason have not been illustrated inthe drawings. Again, it is to be understood that these or other variations of the invention may be adopted without departing from its spirit or scope.

What is claimed is:

l. A dispensing container for rolled materials, consistfing o f: two cooperating inner and outer telescoping conopening substantially registerable with the opening in said iirst container member for passage of material therethrough; and a unitary member having an integral cutter suitable for cutting said material lattached at at least one `side of the opening of at least one of said container ymembers.

2. A Vdispensing container for rolled materials, consisting of: Vtwo cooperating inner and outer telescoping container members forming a casing of suitable shape to enclose a roll of material; each of said container members comprising at least a closed end wall and a peripheral wall attached at right angles thereto; one of said container members having at least a portion of its peripheral wall open for the passage of material therethrough when a roll of material is contained within said dispensing container; the other of said container members being scored on its peripheral Wall and along a portion of an edge of its peripheral wall, whereby the scored portions of the peripheral wall may be bent outwardly to Yform an opening substantially registerable with the opening in said rst container member for the passage of material therethrough; and the scored portion when bent outwardly forming a holding means for said material with a cutting edge for said material at the outer extremity thereof.

3. A dispensing container for rolled materials, consisting of: two cooperating inner and outer telescoping container members forming a casing of suitable shape to enclose a roll of material; each of said container members comprising at least a closed end Wall and a peripheral Wall attached at right angles thereto; one of said container members having at least a portion of its peripheral wall open for the passage of material therethrough when a roll of material is contained Within said dispensing container; the other of said container members having an opening substantially registerable with the opening in said first container member; and a clip having a cutting edge thereon separably secured over a pair of the adjacent edges of the peripheral openings in the peripheral walls of said inner and outer container members.

4. A dispensing container in accordance with claim 1, said cutter member having an angled and notched cutting edge.

5. A dispensing container in accordance With claim 1, said end Walls of said container members having shallow inward projections, said inward projections being of such depth and shape as to engage the hollow central portion of a roll of material when a roll of material is contained with said dispensing container, and to permit of rotation of said roll.

6. A dispensing container in accordance with claim 1, in which at least a portion of the peripheral wall of at least one of said container members is at.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS I'903,650 Wolf NOV. 10, 1908 1,837,180 Bennett Dec. 15, 1931 2,710,152 Jones June 7, 1955