SINGLE HAND OPERATION ADHESIVE TAPE DISPENSER

• US 20070158017A1
• Filed: 01/09/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elizabeth Rice, Kieran Rice
• Original Assignee: Elizabeth Rice, Kieran Rice
• Inventors: Rice, Elizabeth, Rice, Kieran
• Granted Patent: US 7,255,767 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/253
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 35/0033 and affixing it to a surface B65H35/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1057 Subsequent to assembly of laminae
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1348 Work traversing type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1788 Work traversing type and/or means applying work to wall or static structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1795 Implement carried web supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/252 With brake or tensioner
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/253 Restricted or restrictable work outlet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/278 Applied to running length work
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/291 Spaced from blade edge to provide lead-end therebetween

Abstract

A single hand operation hand-held and desk top adhesive tape dispenser/applicator comprising a housing shell (1) including a hub (2) for mounting adhesive tape rolls, a tape discharge opening (13) and a lever mechanism (3) facilitating the dispensing and applying of adhesive tape. The lever mechanism (3) comprising pivotally mounted levers actuated by movement of the dispenser housing during the tape application and cutting process providing means for locking the tape whilst cutting, preventing roll back of tape end and an anti-locking function enabling smooth passage of tape whilst dispensing. Dispensing tape passes over a tape guide applicator (4) being part of the lever mechanism (3), when a requisite length of tape is applied a user tilts the housing shell (1) engaging a cutter lever (6) with the tape actuating a tape depressor lever (5) which depresses and adheres a section of tape to the housing shell (1). As tape is severed a new tape end remains adhered until released by the next application. When inverted, the dispenser/applicator is freestanding and dispenses tape in desktop mode.

Claims

1. A Dispenser for applying and cutting rolled adhesive tape having an adhesive side and a non-adhesive side and requiring only one hand operation, said dispenser comprising:

(a) a dispenser housing comprising a partial shell (1) of a size that fits in the palm of one hand and can be gripped and supported by the fingers of one hand, said shell (1) having a support face and a peripheral wall extending transversely from said support face to form an open face housing, said peripheral wall providing a support means for supporting the dispenser in one hand;

(b) a hub (2) mounted upon said housing shell (1) said hub (2) providing a support upon which a roll of adhesive tape (11) wound around a core (12) is detachably mounted so as to rotate freely about said hub (2) and from which adhesive tape is unreeled through a tape discharge opening (13) in said peripheral wall;

(c) a lever mechanism (3) including a tape guide applicator (4) and two approximately diametrically mounted levers mounted for pivoting about a spindle (8) supported for rotation on said housing shell (1) in the proximity of said discharge opening (13), said levers connected to said lever mechanism (3) and extending approximately radially from said spindle (8);

(d) said lever mechanism (3) including a tape depressor lever (5) oriented in the direction of the tape roll (11) providing a means of depressing unreeling tape in the area between the tape roll (11) and said tape discharge opening (13) when actuated by movement of a cutter lever (6);

(e) said lever mechanism (3) including said cutter lever (6) oriented downstream of said discharge opening (13), said cutter lever (6) arranged to move said tape depressor lever (5) about spindle (8); and

(f) said cutter lever (6) including at its extremity a cutting edge (7) comprising a serrated edge including a plurality of teeth for cutting unreeled adhesive tape;

(g) said tape guide applicator (4) having a curved pressing surface located between said tape depressor lever (5) and said cutter lever (6); and

said lever mechanism (3) providing a means of controlling tape unreeling from said tape roll (11), wherein said lever mechanism (6) is arranged on said spindle (8) such that tilting of said housing shell (1) causes said cutter lever (6) to engage the tape at the substrate and to rotate said cutter lever (6) so as to move said depressor lever (5) thereby closing said tape discharge opening (13 about the unreeling tape preventing said tape roll (11) from unreeling as tape is cut, and

said tape depressor lever (5) having a predetermined length such that the extremity of the depressor lever (5) depresses tensioned tape unreeling from said tape roll (11) during taping applications thereby limiting rotation of the depressor lever (5) so as to hold open the discharge opening (13) during tape application; and

, said cutter lever (6) having a predetermined length such that leverage imparted to the depressor lever (5) ensures locking of the tape at the discharge opening (13) during tape cutting;

whereby a user can apply and cut adhesive tape repeatedly from the tape dispenser using just one hand, the lever mechanism (3) locking the adhesive tape whilst cutting, allowing tape to unreel whilst dispensing and applying to a substrate and securing the protruding tape end from retracting into the dispenser between taping application.

2. Tape dispenser according to claim 1 characterized in that said tape guide applicator (4) is mounted independently from said lever mechanism (3)

3. Tape dispenser according to claim 1 characterized in that said tape dispenser function in the manner of a desk top tape dispenser, the dispenser housing shell (1) being inverted with the lever mechanism (3) uppermost and a support structure provided to the housing shell (1) so as to provide freestanding support to the inverted dispenser when placed on a horizontal surface;

whereby tape is withdrawn from the dispenser by the users fingers, the tape end being pulled from said discharge opening (13) and over said lever mechanism and pulling the tape downward across said cutter lever (6) thereby locking the tape at said tape depressor lever (5) and severing the tape at said cutting edge (7).

4. Tape dispenser according to claim 1 characterized in that said dispenser housing shell (1) comprises an enclosed shell.

5. Tape dispenser according to claim 1 characterized in that said hub (2) upon which said tape roll (11) is mounted includes spring fingers (9) which snap over the spool (12) of said tape roll (11) preventing said spool (12) from slipping off said hub (2).

6. Tape dispenser according to claim 1 characterized in that said spindle (8) upon which said lever mechanism (3) is mounted includes spring fingers (10) which snap over a hole in said lever mechanism (3)preventing said lever mechanism (3) from slipping off said spindle (8).

7. Tape dispenser according to claim 1 characterized in that elements are formed of molded plastics material.

8. The method of dispensing and applying adhesive tape having an adhesive side and a non adhesive side onto a substrate and cutting said adhesive tape comprising the steps of;

positioning a roll of adhesive tape in a housing shell(1) in a manner to allow rotation of said roll; and

pivotally mounting a lever mechanism (3) on said housing shell (1) to provide tape locking and anti locking means, wherein levers are mounted on a lever mechanism (3) in a predetermined position about a pivot, said lever mechanism (3) including a tape cutter lever (6) arranged so as to move a tape depressor lever (5), said cutter lever (6) having a cutting edge (7) at its extremity, said lever mechanism (3) mounted such that tape unreeling from said tape roll (11) is depressed by movement of said tape depressor lever (5) when actuated by movement of said cutter lever (6); and

the tape being under tension during tape application, restricts movement of said tape depressor lever (5) preventing closure of said tape discharge opening (13) thereby enabling unreeling tape to pass through said discharge opening (13) whilst dispensing tape; and

at the commencement of a taping application a tape end (14) protruding from said discharge opening (13) is adhered to a substrate surface by the user lightly pressing said tape guide applicator (4), comprising an element of lever mechanism (3), to said substrate and

drawing said housing shell (1) backwards across said substrate causing the tape to adhere as it unreels from said tape roll (11); and

when a requisite length of tape is dispensed, said housing shell (1) is tilted whilst continuing to press said lever mechanism (3) against the substrate causing said cutter lever (6) to engage the tape and, further tilting of said housing shell (1) causes said lever mechanism (3) to rotate said depressor arm (5) against a small section of unreeling tape squeezing and adhering said tape against said housing shell (1) thereby preventing said tape roll (11) from unreeling; and

further tilting of said housing shell (1) accompanied by backward pressure on said housing shell (1) causes the tape to sever at said cutting edge (7) whereupon said depressor lever (5) stops depressing the tape; and

the newly severed tape end remains adhered to the housing shell (1) preventing the new tape end from retracting or rolling back into the housing shell (1); and

at the commencement of the next taping application the said new tape end adhered to the housing shell (1) detaches when the tape end is adhered to a substrate and the housing shell (1) drawing backward across the substrate.

9. Tape dispenser according to claim 8 characterized in that said tape dispenser functions as a desk top tape dispenser by inverting said dispenser housing shell (1) with said lever mechanism (3) uppermost;

and

proving a support structure for the inverted dispenser enabling it to stand when placed on a horizontal surface wherein tape is withdrawn from the housing shell (1) by the user pulling a protruding tape end (14) from said discharge opening (13) and across said lever mechanism (3) with the users fingers, the tape is pulled downward across said cutter lever (6) thereby locking the tape at the depressor lever (5) preventing tape from unreeling as the tape is severed at said cutting edge (7).

10. Tape dispenser according to claim 8 characterized in that said tape guide applicator (4) is mounted independently from said lever mechanism (3).