SUPPORT STRAP DISPENSERS AND METHODS

A dispenser for storing and dispensing a rolled support strap, including but not limited to hanger straps (sometimes referred to as “plumber's tape”) such as those sold under the trade name TAB TAPE®, as well as assemblies that include a dispenser and a rolled support strap therein, and associated methods.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The following is a detailed description of the best presently known modes of carrying out the inventions. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the inventions.

As illustrated for example inFIGS. 1 and 2, the support strap dispenser100includes a housing102having end walls104and106and a side wall108therebetween. The housing102defines an interior storage region110, in which a support strap roll can be stored and protected from damage, and an outlet112through which portions of the support strap may be pulled. The housing102may be provided with a flat surface114that allows the strap dispenser100to rest in an upright position on a floor, table or other flat support surface. Apertures116and118, which extend through end walls104and106, perform a number of functions. For example, the apertures116and118form a handle through which the user can place his fingers, with the thumb in the indentation120, during use. Holding the strap dispenser100(with the support strap roll carried therein) reduces the likelihood that an edge of the support strap will injure the user, and also allows the other hand to hold a cutting tool. The apertures116and118also define windows that allow the user to see how much of the support strap roll (not shown here) remains within the support strap dispenser100. A support member122, which extends from end wall104to end wall106, provides structural support to maintain the spacing between the walls and, in some instances, defines an axle for the support strap roll. Each wall104and106may also be provided with reinforcing members124that augment the structural integrity of the wall. The reinforcing members124may be located on the exterior surface (as shown), the interior surface, or both. The housing may also include aperture125for a D-ring or other structure that allows the support strap dispenser100to be connected to a tool belt or the like.

Although the present dispensers are not limited to any particular shape, the exemplary housing102illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2is generally disc-shaped. One end of the exemplary housing102has the flat surface114, and the other end of the housing includes the outlet112and a dispenser head126. During use, and as is explained in greater detail below with reference toFIGS. 7-10, the user pulls portions of the support strap stored within the dispenser100through the outlet112prior to cutting off the desired length of support strap. The dispenser head126fixes the position of the support strap when the support strap is not being pulled, thereby preventing inward and outward movement of the support strap.

The exemplary housing102is defined by a pair of housing members102aand102b. The housing members102aand102bmay, in some instances, be partially or fully separable from one another in order to facilitate placement of the support strap roll into the storage region110. The housing members102aand102brespectively include one of the end walls104and106, and portions108aand108bof the side wall108. In the illustrated implementation, the housing members102aand102bpivot relative to one another. A hinge about which the housing members102aand102bpivot is located adjacent to the flat surface114, and a latch mechanism that locks the housing members102aand102bin the closed state illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2is located on the dispenser head126. The respective locations of the hinge and latch, which are discussed in greater detail below with reference toFIGS. 3-6, may vary in other implementations.

Turning toFIGS. 3 and 4, the housing members102aand102beach include a portion of the hinge. In the illustrated arrangement, the housing member102aincludes a pair of arms128that have a wall130which defines an indentation132. The housing member102bhas a corresponding pair of pins134. The respective sizes and locations of the arms128and pins134are such that, when the housing members102aand102bare brought together, the arms will deflect slightly and the pins will snap into the semi-circular portion of the indentation132. The housing member102bis also provided with clearance slots136that the arms128move in to as the housing member102apivots away for the orientation illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2to the open position.

The exemplary support strap dispenser100is also configured to automatically lock when the housing members102aand102bpivot from the open position to the orientation illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2. To that end, and referring toFIGS. 5 and 6, the exemplary latch includes latch member138that cooperates with a latch surface140. The latch member138, which is carried by the housing member102bin the illustrated embodiment, has a deflectable beam142and a projection144with a cam surface146. The projection144may extend laterally over a portion of the width of the beam142(as shown) or all the way across the beam. The latch surface140is formed on the housing member102badjacent to the indentation120. The housing member102bis also provided with a slot148. As the housing members102aand102bare pivoted toward one another, the cam surface146will engage the edge150of the slot, thereby deflecting the beam142. The projection144will then slide along the surface of the slot148, as the beam142remains deflected, until the projection144reaches the edge152of the slot148. The resilience of the beam142will then cause the flat surface154on the projection144to engage the latch surface140.

The stiffness of the beam140will maintain the latch in the latched state until the beam is deflected (upwardly in the illustrated orientation) to such an extent the flat surface154on the projection144is free of the latch surface140. This may be accomplished by, for example, placing a thumb in the recess120and then pushing the latch member138. The housing members102aand102bcan then be separated by pivoting them about the aforementioned hinge.

It should be noted here that the present dispensers are not limited to any particular hinge or latch arrangement. For example, the hinge may be omitted and two separable housing members may be provided that can be attached and detached as necessary.

The housing102may also be provided with various alignment and support features. In the illustrated implementation, and referring toFIGS. 3 and 4, housing portion102aincludes a pair of posts156with pin receptacles158and housing portion102bincludes a pair of posts160with pins162. The posts156and160are sized and positioned such that the pins162will be located within the pin receptacles158when the housing102is in the closed state illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2. The support member122is defined by a pair of support member portions122aand122bthat abut one another when the housing102is in the closed state. The number and location of such alignment and support features may differ in other implementations.

When a support strap roll is placed into the storage region110, the outer portion of the roll will be located radially inward of the posts156and160and the lower guide168(discussed below) but for the portion of the support strap roll that has entered the dispenser head126. In many instances, the portion of the support strap roll that is approaching the dispenser head will rest against the inner surface164(FIG. 3) of the side wall108.

Turning toFIGS. 7 and 8, the exemplary dispenser head126includes an upper guide (or “first guide”)166, a lower guide (or “second guide”)168and a gap170therebetween. The housing portions102aand102binclude identical mirror image portions of the upper guide166, lower guide168and gap170, and the discussion below is applicable to both housing portions. The support strap passes through the gap170on its way to the outlet112, and the frictional forces between the support strap and portions of the upper guide166and lower guide168prevent unwanted movement of the support strap relative to the dispenser head126. The upper guide166, lower guide168and gap170in the illustrated implementation undulate over their respective lengths. In particular, the upper guide166includes a surface with a convex region172, a concave region174and an apex176between the two. In the illustrated embodiment, the side wall inner surface164and the upper guide convex region172together define a smooth, continuous surface. As discussed below with reference toFIG. 9, the apex176applies a friction-generating force to the support strap that bends the support strap. The lower guide168includes an end178, which defines the pickup (or entry) point where the support strap enters the dispenser head126as well as a convex region180and a concave region182. The lower guide end178also applies a friction-generating force to the support strap.

In some implementations, including the illustrated implementation, the lower guide168may also have a recess184that accommodates protrusions that may be found on some support straps (e.g., the support strap illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,571 and sold under the trade name TAB TAPE®). As a result, the exemplary lower guide168has a pair of spaced guide surfaces (or rails)186that are separated by the recess184.

The materials and size of the dispenser100will depend on the intended usage. Suitable materials include, but are not limited to, thermoplastic polymers such as polypropylene. A dispenser100that is configured for 26-28 gauge support strap rolls that range from 10 to 25 feet in length (unrolled) may be about 5 to 6 inches in height and width. The thickness will depend on the width of the intended support strap.

FIGS. 9 and 10show the exemplary support strap dispenser100with a rolled support strap200carried therein. Although the present inventions are not limited to any particular support straps, the exemplary support strap200includes a main body202and a plurality of apertures204. The main body202has a top surface206, a bottom surface208and side edges210and212. Suitable support strap materials include, but are not limited to, copper, galvanized steel and polypropylene, that is about 0.75 to 1.5 inch wide and about 0.016 inch to about 0.013 inch thick (i.e. about 26-28 gauge).

The support strap200is wound into a spiral roll, with the radially outermost portion200aentering the dispenser head126by way of the gap170. As a result of being wound into a spiral roll, the support strap200defines a first curvature. The magnitude of the first curvature may vary over the length of the support strap and may even be zero (i.e. support strap200may be straight) just prior to entering the gap170at the lower guide end178. The lower guide end178and support strap portion200bengage one another with enough force, in a direction generally perpendicular to support strap portion200b, to bend the support strap200at the point of engagement into a second curvature. As a result, there is a friction force between the lower guide end178and support strap portion200bthat resists outward and inward movement (note arrows A and B) of the support strap200relative to the dispenser head126. The relative thicknesses of the gap170and support strap200, and the undulating shape of the upper guide166and the lower guide168, results in the support strap being spaced apart from (and out of contact with) the upper guide and the lower guide between the upper guide apex176and the lower guide end178. The upper guide apex176and support strap portion200cengage one another with enough force, in a direction generally perpendicular to strap portion200c, to bend the support strap200at the point of engagement into a third curvature. The second and third curvatures are in different directions in the illustrated embodiment, and may be of the same magnitude or different magnitudes. A friction force is created between the upper guide apex176and support strap portion200cthat also resists outward and inward movement of the support strap200relative to the dispenser head126. It should also be noted that friction force is applied to both the top and bottom surfaces206and208of the strap main body202.

The combined magnitude of the friction forces between the dispenser head126and the support strap200is large enough to prevent unwanted movement of the support strap in or out of the dispenser100. The rolled support strap200may, for example, store potential energy that is created when the support strap is rolled, when the support strap is placed into the dispenser100, and/or when a portion of the support strap is pulled through the outlet112by the user. Absent the friction force, the support strap200could move after the user has pulled the desired length support strap through the outlet112, released the end of the support strap, and is holding the dispenser100with one hand and a cutting tool with the other. The overall friction force should not, however, be so high that it precludes the user from pulling the support strap through the outlet112.

The friction force may also be adjusted in a variety of ways. For example, the thickness of the gap170(or a portion thereof) may be reduced to a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the support strap200, thereby increasing the amount of dispenser head/support strap contact. The upper guide166and/or the lower guide168may also be reconfigured such that the bending of the support strap is more or less severe and/or occurs at additional or fewer points along the support strap. The smooth, undulating curvatures of the upper guide166and/or the lower guide168may be replaced with sharper corners and more abrupt changes in direction. Surface roughening may also be employed. Additionally, or alternatively, friction generating forces may be applied to the side edges210and212of the support strap200to control its position within the dispenser head126.

It should also be noted that the first and second guides166and168may be reoriented from their illustrated upper/lower orientation. For example, there may be instances where the portion of the support strap200within the dispenser head126is rotated to some extent from its illustrated orientation (e.g., ninety degrees) about its longitudinal axis. Here, the first and second guides would be correspondingly rotated and, therefore, could be referred to as “right” and “left” guides, or simply “side,” guides.

Another exemplary support strap dispenser is generally represented by reference numeral300inFIG. 11. Support strap dispenser300is essentially identical to support strap dispenser100in structure, function, materials and operating methodology, and similar elements are represented by similar reference numerals. For example, support strap dispenser300includes a housing302having end walls304and306and a side wall308therebetween. The housing302defines an interior storage region310, in which a support strap roll can be stored and protected from damage, and an outlet312through which portions of the support strap may be pulled. The housing302is also provided with a flat surface314that is discussed in greater detail below with reference toFIGS. 14-16. Apertures316and318, which extend through end walls304and306, form a handle and define windows in the manner described above. A support member322is also provided, as are reinforcing members324on each wall304and306.

The exemplary housing302is defined by a pair of housing members302aand302bthat pivot relative to one another about a hinge328(FIGS. 14-16). A latch mechanism, including exemplary latch member338, that locks the housing members302aand302bin the closed state illustrated inFIGS. 11 and 12may be located on the dispenser head326. The location of the latch member328is offset from the location of latch member128in dispenser100.

Turning toFIGS. 12 and 13, the exemplary support strap dispenser300also includes a dispenser head326that fixes the position of the support strap when the support strap is not being pulled by the user, thereby preventing inward and outward movement of the support strap. Like the dispenser head126, the dispenser head326includes an upper guide (or “first guide”)366, a lower guide (or “second guide”)368and a gap370therebetween, each of which undulate over their respective lengths. The support strap passes through the gap370on its way to the outlet312, and the frictional forces between the support strap and portions of the upper guide366and lower guide368prevent unwanted movement of the support strap relative to the dispenser head326in the manner described above. The lower guide368in the illustrated implementation also has a recess384that accommodates protrusions that may be found on some support straps and a pair of spaced guide surfaces (or rails)386that are separated by the recess384. Here, however, a plurality of triangular structures385are located within the recess384and are longitudinally spaced along the gap380. The triangular structures385facilitate loading the support strap (e.g., support strap200inFIGS. 9 and 10) into the dispenser300. In particular, the triangular structures385guide one of the support strap side edges (e.g., side edge210or212) onto one of the guide surfaces386as the support strap placed into one of the housing members302aand302bwhen the dispenser300is in an open, and guide the other support strap side edge onto the other guide surface as the housing members are brought together to close the dispenser.

As illustrated for example inFIGS. 14-16, the housing flat surface314is formed from flat portions314aand314bon housing members302aand302b. Each flat portion314aand314bincludes a pair of protrusions315that support the dispenser300when it is placed in an upright position on a floor, table or other flat support surface. The flat portions314aand314balso serve as the location at which the housing members302aand302bare pivotably connected to one another. To that end, one or more hinges (e.g., living hinges)328connect the housing members302aand302bto one another at the flat portions314aand314b.

Although the present inventions have been described in terms of the preferred embodiments above, numerous modifications and/or additions to the above-described preferred embodiments would be readily apparent to one skilled in the art. By way of example, but not limitation, the present inventions include assemblies that comprise a support strap dispenser as described above or claimed below in combination with a support strap roll located in the internal storage region of the support strap dispenser. The dispensers described above and claimed below may also be used in conjunction with wire and other dispensable objects that are stored in roll form and cut to length as they are consumed. It is intended that the scope of the present inventions extends to all such modifications and/or additions.