Dispenser for tape rolls

• US 5,358,113 A
• Filed: 09/13/1993
• Issued: 10/25/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Miles Kimball Company (Luminex Home Décor & Fragrance Holding Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Miles Kimball Company (Luminex Home Décor & Fragrance Holding Corp.)
• Inventors: Hellenbrand, Ronald G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rada, Rinaldi I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dexter, Clark F.
• Application Number:
  US08/120,693
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 225/41, 225/39, 225/40, 225/43, 225/46, 225/48, 225/49, 225/52, 225/53, 225/77, 225/80, 206/389, 206/395, 206/408, 206/409, 206/411, 206/463, 206/470, 206/471
• US Class Current: 206/411
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0864 the articles being pushed and slid through the aperture
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/672 on cores
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2401/10 Materials
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2402/60 Coupling, adapter or locking means
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 37/005 Hand-held apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/24 With inspection window or transparent panel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/248 Single blank container
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/249 Blade unitary with container
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/254 With finger-access opening to facilitate work feed-out

Abstract

A dispenser for a roll of adhesive labels or other types of tape rolls employs two sidewalls hinged to a third intermediary base wall to close and create a pocket for holding the tape roll while allowing the roll to rotate for dispensing. The base wall has a face for supporting the dispenser on a desk and the tape may be dispensed through a slot formed by the interface of the two sidewalls. Interfitting embossments in the two sidewalls allow the dispenser to be opened for removing or inserting a new roll of tape. A window cut in one sidewall allows advancing or stopping the tape with finger pressure against the tape. The dispenser is advantageously produced from a single piece of plastic.

Claims

1. A dispenser for a roll of tape comprising:

a base wall formed of a single sheet having opposed parallel first and second side hinge edges and having raised opposed end walls having triangular profiles;

a first side wall formed integrally with the base wall and hingeably attached to the base wall at the first hinge edge to fold between an open position generally co-planar with the base wall and a closed position folded inward toward the base wall, the first side wall also having raised opposed end walls having triangular profiles;

a second side wall formed integrally with the base wall and hingeably attached to the base wall at the second hinge edge also to fold between an open position generally co-planar with the base wall and a closed position folded inward toward the base wall, the second side wall also having raised opposed end walls having triangular profiles, the first and second side walls together forming a cylindrical pocket in the closed position for retaining the roll so that the roll is free to rotate about its axis for dispensing of the tape and for allowing insertion of the roll between the first and second side walls in the open position, the pocket having a longitudinal central axis around which the roll can rotate when positioned in the pocket;

a dispensing slot formed by the abutment of the first side wall and the second side wall, the slot being sized to allow removal of a part of the tape of the roll therethrough from the pocket and whereby rotation of the roll about the axis of the roll is in response to the removal of the tape;

whereby upon folding the side walls into the closed position each of the end walls is positioned adjacent to two other end walls such that the closed dispenser presents triangular end profiles; and

wherein said central longitudinal axis of the pocket is substantially parallel to the first and second hinge edges.

2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the base wall defines a planar surface for supporting the dispenser on a substantially horizontal surface, and wherein the slot is positioned on ends of the first and second side walls opposite the base wall such that it is above the base wall when the base wall is on said horizontal surface and permits removal of said part of the tape upward with respect to the planar surface.

3. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the pocket has a generally circular periphery and wherein the pocket communicates at its circular periphery with a tooth that has an edge directed against the rotation of the roll as tape is removed off of the roll.

4. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the base wall and the first and second side walls are constructed from a single piece of transparent polymer material.

5. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprises at least one releasable fastener to hold the first and second side walls in the closed position.

6. The dispenser of claim 5, wherein the releasable fastener comprises mating male and female embossments formed in the first and second sides for releasably interfitting in the closed position.

7. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein a hole is cut through the first side wall so as to permit a human finger to move the tape.

8. The dispenser of claim 7, wherein the hole is positioned to allow the compression of the tape against the second side wall by the finger.