Shipping and Packing Tape Dispenser and Mount

• US 20080271853A1
• Filed: 05/01/2008
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stexley-Brake, LLC
• Original Assignee: Stexley-Brake, LLC
• Inventors: Steele, Richard W., Steele, Wendy H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,037,917 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/527
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2402/412 details or the parts to be hold by the user, e.g. handle
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 35/0033 and affixing it to a surface B65H35/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1348 Work traversing type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1365 Fixed cutter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1795 Implement carried web supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/18 Surface bonding means and/or assembly means with handle or handgrip

Abstract

A shipping and packing tape type dispenser having a generally vertical handle and a dispenser body rotationally mounting a roll of tape for one-handed application to packages, boxes and the like. The dispenser has an improved tape guiding and applying path, an improved spool and anti-reverse and rotation-tensioning features, and a complementary storage bracket for quickly securing the dispenser on a wall or under a shelf or cabinet in one of three modes: a one-handed dispensing mode, a quick storage mode, and a more-secure quick storage mode, depending on which way and at what angle the dispenser is inserted in the bracket. The dispenser also has storage provision in the handle for shipping accessories such as pens and box-cutters and replacement cutting blades, and further includes a retractable tape measure and/or a retractable weigh scale, both easily accessible near the handle region. The dispenser also uses a cutting blade frictionally mounted in an open-ended slot through a sidewall portion of the dispenser.

Claims

1. A tape dispenser for one-handed application and cutting of tape from a roll of tape comprising:

a handle grip;

a frame mounted to the handle grip and having spool for mounting a roll of tape, a roller adjacent the spool for guiding a leading end of the tape from the spool, a guide face to guide the tape from the roller, a transverse cutting element adjacent the guide face for cutting the tape into segments and a press plate for pressing the tape onto an article and pressing the tape onto the transverse cutting element; and

at least one tape retainer extending partially over the guide face from a side thereof and spaced above the guide face to define a slot that is adapted to receive a first edge portion of a length of tape dispensed from the spool and over the roller onto the guide face;

whereby the first edge portion of the length of tape dispensed from the spool over the roller and onto the guide face can be retained in the slot subsequent to cutting the length of tape by the transverse cutting element.

2. The tape dispenser of claim 1 wherein the at least one tape retainer has a face that slopes downwardly and inwardly toward the guide face to facilitate movement of the tape edge into the slot when pressing the length of tape onto the guide face.

3. The tape dispenser of claim 1 wherein there are two of the tape retainers that are positioned on opposite sides of the guide face.

4. The tape dispenser of claim 1 and further comprising at least one lower guide tab extending partially over the roller from a side thereof and spaced above the roller to define a slot that is adapted to receive a second edge portion of a length of tape dispensed from the spool and over the roller and thereby align the tape with the guide face when initially feeding the tape over the roller and to the guide face and to retain the second edge portion of the length of tape on the roller after the tape is cut by the transverse cutting element.

5. The tape dispenser of claim 4 wherein there are two lower guide tabs that are positioned on opposite sides of the roller.

6. The tape dispenser of claim 4 wherein the two lower tabs are spaced above the roller by a gap greater than a thickness of the tape so that the tape can be pulled over the roller when the tape is dispensed onto a package and to assist in feeding the tape to the guide face when initially feeding the tape from the roll of tape.

7. The tape dispenser of claim 1 the at least one tape retainer is spaced above the guide face by a gap greater than a thickness of the tape so that the tape can be pulled across the guide face when the tape is dispensed onto a package.

8. A tape dispenser for one-handed application and cutting of tape from a roll of tape comprising:

a handle grip;

a frame mounted to the handle grip and having spool for mounting a roll of tape, a roller adjacent the spool for guiding a leading end of the tape from the spool, a guide face to guide the tape from the roller, a transverse cutting element adjacent the guide face for cutting the tape into segments and a press plate for pressing the tape onto an article and pressing the tape onto the transverse cutting element; and

at least one lower guide tab extending partially over the roller from a side thereof and spaced above the roller to define a slot that is adapted to receive an edge portion of a length of tape dispensed from the spool and over the roller and thereby align the tape with the guide face when initially feeding the tape over the roller and to the guide face and to retain the edge portion of the length of tape on the roller after the tape is cut by the transverse cutting element.

9. The tape dispenser of claim 8 wherein there are two lower guide tabs that are positioned on opposite sides of the roller.

10. The tape dispenser of claim 9 wherein the two lower tabs are spaced above the roller by a gap greater than a thickness of the tape so that the tape can be pulled over the roller when the tape is dispensed onto a package and to assist in feeding the tape to the guide face when initially feeding the tape from the roll of tape.

11. A tape dispenser of the type having a dispenser body with a spool for rotationally mounting a roll of tape on the dispenser body, and a cutting element spaced from the spool for cutting a leading end of tape dispensed from the spool, wherein the spool comprises a cylindrical surface on which a roll of tape is mounted for rotation about an axis of the spool, wherein the spool has frictional resistance elements that frictionally contact an interior surface of the tape roll mounted on the spool to apply a frictional resistance to the tape roll when the tape roll rotates on the spool.

12. The tape dispenser according to claim 11 wherein the frictional resistance elements are configured to apply a differential frictional resistance to the tape roll when the tape roll rotates in different rotational directions.

13. A tape dispenser according to claim 12 wherein the frictional resistance elements have directional ridges.

14. The tape dispenser according to claim 11 wherein the frictional resistance elements comprise flexible tabs that are integrally formed with the spool.

15. The tape dispenser according to claim 14 and further comprising a hub movably mounted to the spool, the hub has tensioning flanges that are in registry with the frictional resistance elements, and interactive cam and cam follower elements on the tensioning flanges and the frictional resistance elements to adjust the radial position of the frictional resistance elements with respect to the spool as the hub moves with respect to the spool to thereby adjust the frictional resistance between the roll of tape on the spool as the roll of tape rotates on the spool.

16. The tape dispenser according to claim 15 and further comprising indexing elements mounted to the spool and to the hub and in registry with each other to releasable retain the position of the hub on the spool in a plurality of adjusted relative positions.

17. The tape dispenser according to claim 16 wherein the hub is rotatably mounted to the spool.

18. The tape dispenser according to claim 16 further comprising complementary position indicators on the indexing elements to provide a tactile, audible, and/or visible measure of the tension applied to the roll of tape by relative movement of the spool and hub.

19. A tape dispenser of the type having a dispenser body with a spool for rotationally mounting a roll of tape on the dispenser body, and a cutting element spaced from the spool for cutting a leading end of tape dispensed from the spool, a press plate for applying tape to a working surface and a gripping handle for one-handed application and cutting of tape from a roll of tape rotationally mounted on the tape dispensing body;

wherein the press plate is mounted in the dispenser body for movement between a first position for holding tape against the working surface prior to cutting the tape and a second position wherein the press plate is retractable substantially within the tape dispensing body to permit tape to be dispensed directly from the roll across the cutting element without contacting the press plate.

20. The tape dispenser of claim 19 wherein the press plate is curved and rides in a curved track in the tape dispensing body.

21. The tape dispenser of claim 19 wherein the press plate has indentations in the edges thereof and the tape dispensing body has side walls with detents that are releasably received in the press plate indentations to selectively retain the press plate in the first and second positions.

22. The tape dispensing body of claim 19 and further comprising a mounting bracket assembly,

wherein the tape dispensing body further comprises a front end that includes the cutting element for cutting tape dispensed by the tape dispensing body, a rear end, and sidewalls, the sidewalls having exterior rails protruding therefrom;

the mounting bracket assembly has a pair of side walls rigidly joined together to form an open interior with an open front and open bottom, and at least one additional panel that is adapted to mount the bracket assembly to at least one of a post, an upright surface and the underside of a horizontal surface;

the interior portions of the bracket sidewalls have first supports that are adapted to mate with the exterior rails on the tape dispensing body sidewalls to support the tape dispenser in a tape dispensing position wherein the rear end of the tape dispensing body is within the bracket and the front end of the body faces outwardly for one-handed dispensing of the tape.

23. The tape dispenser according to claim 22 wherein the mounting bracket has a pair of generally vertical rails extending outwardly from a rear potion thereof and further comprising a shipping station organizer having an upright back wall and a laterally extending base, and the upright back wall has a pair or rails that are spaced and configured to slidably receive the mounting bracket generally vertical rails to mount the mounting bracket to the upright back wall of the shipping station organizer.