ADHESIVE TAPE DISPENSER FOR SINGLE HAND OPERATION

• US 20130037206A1
• Filed: 04/15/2011
• Published: 02/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Hagglund, Joel K., Mueller, Gerald E., Packard, Joy A., Lang, Arthur V., Hu, Jia
• Granted Patent: US 8,925,611 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/250
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 35/0033 and affixing it to a surface B65H35/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 35/0086 using movable cutting elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1052 with cutting, punching, tearing or severing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1348 Work traversing type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1365 Fixed cutter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1788 Work traversing type and/or means applying work to wall or static structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/18 Surface bonding means and/or assembly means with handle or handgrip

Abstract

An adhesive tape dispenser is provided that includes a lower housing (200) that includes a pivot post (212) substantially perpendicular to a back wall of the lower housing, a back plate (230) assembly that includes a push button (244) assembly, a tape unwind spool (234), a lower pin (236), an upper pin (238), and a wedge (240) that is slideably engaged with the lower housing, and a blade assembly unit (260) that includes a cutter arm (262). The cutter arm includes a cutting blade (264) and a semi -tubular opening (270) that slideably engages the pivot post (212) of the lower housing. The cutter arm also includes an outer edge that guides along the wedge and lifts the forward end of the cutter arm (that includes the cutting blade) when the back plate assembly is urged forward by pressing the push button assembly forward. When the push button assembly is urged rearward, a lever arm and a lever foot (268) engage the upper and lower pin (238, 236) of the back plate assembly forcing the cutter arm to pivot so that the front of the cutter arm is forced downward allowing the cutting blade to cut the adhesive tape.

Claims

1. An adhesive tape dispenser comprising:

a lower housing having a perimeter, the lower housing comprising an inner edge, an inner wall, at least two alignment features, a forward tape press roller, a pivot post, a forward slide stop, a rear slide stop, a forward lateral ridge, and a rear lateral ridge, wherein the inner edge substantially surrounds the perimeter of the lower housing except for two noncoplanar sections that define a button opening and a forward opening respectively, and

wherein the forward tape press roller, the pivot post, and the forward lateral ridge project inwardly from the inner wall of the lower housing;

a back plate assembly that includes a back plate having an oblong opening and having a front side and a back side, the front side comprising;

a tape unwind spool;

a lower pin, an upper pin, and a wedge projecting from the front side of the back plate;

a push button assembly attached to and projecting from the front side of the back plate;

a forward and a rear guiding bracket that each slidably engage the forward lateral ridge and the rear lateral ridge of the lower housing, respectively;

a tape spool bridge unit that is semi-tubular and comprises a rear slide stop opening that slidably engages the rear slide stop on the lower housing; and

a coil spring located within the inner part of the tape spool bridge unit and contacts the forward end of the tape spool bridge unit and the rear slide stop, wherein the pivot post projects through the oblong opening in the back plate; and

a blade assembly unit comprising;

a cutting arm having a forward end and a backward end attached to a cutting blade at its forward end;

a lever arm having an outer edge and a lever foot, the lever arm being attached to the blade holder at its backward end and comprising a lever foot projecting from the lever arm; and

a semi-tubular opening at a juncture of the backward end of the blade holder rotatably engaging the pivot post of the lower housing,

wherein the outer edge of the lever arm slideably engages the wedge of the lower housing,

wherein the lever foot slideably engages the back plate, and

wherein the lever foot located between the lower pin and the upper pin of the back plate.

2. An adhesive tape dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising an upper housing that comprises an inner edge and at least two alignment features,

wherein the inner edge upper housing makes contact with the inner edge of the lower housing thereby substantially encasing the back plate assembly and the blade assembly unit.

3. An adhesive tape dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the forward lateral ridge and the rear lateral ridge of the lower housing are substantially collinear.

4. An adhesive tape dispenser according to claim 3, wherein the forward lateral ridge comprises a forward slide stop.

5. An adhesive tape dispenser according to claim 3, wherein the rear lateral ridge comprises a rear slide stop.

6. An adhesive tape dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the back plate assembly further comprises an idler roller projecting from the front end of the back plate.

7. An adhesive tape dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising a tape guide attached to and projecting from the front end of the back plate.

8. An adhesive tape dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the back plate assembly further comprises a coil spring engaging the rear slide stop.

9. A method of cutting an adhesive tape using an adhesive tape dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the cutting blade cuts though the adhesive tape only after the push button assembly has been urged rearward greater than about 80% of the total distance the push button assembly can be urged.