Adhesive tape dispenser

An adhesive tape dispenser of the present invention includes a housing and a tape holder. The housing has an opening and a pivot axle disposed on the opening. The tape holder is received in the housing and has a pivot hole to receive the pivot axle. The housing and the tape holder have a limitation structure to enable the tape holder to pivot between a closed position and an open position. The housing has a pressing portion which is able to press the tape holder to cancel limitation of the limitation structure, and then the tape holder is able to pivot away from the opening freely to facilitate the replacement of tape roll. Thereby, the adhesive tape dispenser of the present invention can provide an easy way to operate, and the replacement of tape roll becomes more convenient.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

2. Description of the Prior Art

Conventional adhesive tape dispenser are disclosed in patents U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,709,049, 4,752,023, 5,167,357, and 7,175,062. This kind of tape dispensers are disadvantageous that the adhesive face of tape located between the blade and the tape axle is usually contaminated by dust. Also, the blade is exposed outside directly to be possible to hurt a user accidentally.

To solve the problem of exposedness of the blade and the tape, a protection cover is usually disposed on the outside of the blade to conceal the blade and the tape selectively, as disclosed in patents U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,678,777, 2,924,365, 3,034,691, and 4,262,835. However, the tape dispenser with a protection cover is too complicated structurally, and the protection cover hampers the operation. Furthermore, the tape rolls of the tape dispensers mentioned above are difficult to be replaced. More specifically, the tape dispenser has to be disassembled before replacement of the tape roll. Although another cover disposed on a lateral side to facilitate the replacement of tape roll is disclosed in patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,980, it means that manufacturers must manufacture two covers to conceal the blade and to facilitate replacement of tape roll respectively. The cost is increased, and also the appearance of the tape dispenser is unattractive.

The present invention is, therefore, arisen to obviate or at least mitigate the above mentioned disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the present invention is to provide an adhesive tape dispenser which is able to prevent the cutter from hurting a user and to prevent the tape from contaminated, and replacement of tape roll is easier.

To achieve the above and other objects, an adhesive tape dispenser of the present invention includes a housing and a tape holder.

The housing has a first wall, an opposite second wall, and a cavity between the first and the second walls. The second wall has a sliding axle protruding toward the cavity and a pressing portion which is able to protrude toward the cavity. The housing forms an opening between the first and the second walls, and a pivot axle is disposed on the opening. The pivot axle partitions the opening into a first opening and a second opening.

The tape holder is received in the cavity and has a first face and an opposite second face. The first face faces the first wall, and the second face faces the second wall. The first face has a tape axle, and a longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the first face. The second face has a first limiting piece and a second limiting piece, and extending directions of the first and the second limiting pieces are parallel to the second face. A sliding slot is defined between the first and the second limiting pieces to enable the sliding axle to slide inside. The first limiting piece has a fixed first end and a free second end, and the second limiting piece has a free third end and a fixed fourth end. The first end corresponds to the third end positionally, and the second end corresponds to the fourth end positionally. The tape holder has a lateral face between the first face and the second face. The lateral face has a pivot hole to receive the pivot axle to enable the tape holder to pivot relative to the housing. The lateral face has a pressing end and an opposite cutting end wherein the pressing end is able to pivot toward inside of the first opening and the cutting end is able to pivot away from the second opening. A terminal end of the cutting end has a cutter.

Besides, the sliding slot has a receiving portion at the second end of the first limiting piece and the fourth end of the second limiting piece. When the sliding axle is located on the receiving portion, a width of the receiving portion is larger than widths of parts of the sliding slot except the receiving portion. When the sliding axle moves toward the first end of the first limiting piece and the third end of the second limiting piece, the sliding axle is able to press the first and the second limiting pieces away from the sliding slot to broaden the widths of the sliding slot. Thereby, the sliding axle is able to be positioned at any position in the sliding slot due to the clamping of the first and the second limiting pieces.

Due to the limitation to the sliding axle by the sliding slot, the tape holder is able to pivot between a closed position and an open position. When the tape holder is at the closed position, the opening is covered by the lateral face of the tape holder. On the contrary, when the tape holder is at the open position, the sliding axle abuts against a blocking portion of the third end of the second limiting piece. At the same time, the pressing end enters inside of the first opening, and the cutting end is away from the second opening. When the tape holder is at the open position and the pressing portion protrudes toward the cavity, the third end of the second limiting piece moves toward the first wall of the housing under the pressing of pressing portion. Hence, the cutting end is able to pivot away from the second opening further to expose the tape axle outside of the second opening.

Thereby, the adhesive tape dispenser of the present invention can provide an easy way to operate. More specifically, when the tape holder is at the closed position, the cutter can be concealed to prevent from hurting a user, and the tape is also concealed to prevent from being contaminated. On the other hand, the tape holder is abele to pivot to at most the open position for availability of the tape by the pressing the pressing end. Moreover, when the tape holder is at the open position and the pressing portion is pressed or pushed, the tape holder is able to pivot away from the second opening further to expose the tape axle outside of the second opening. Thus, replacement of tape can be easily achieved without any disassembling step.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer toFIG. 1toFIG. 8for a major embodiment of the present invention. The adhesive tape dispenser of the present embodiment includes a housing1and a tape holder2.

The housing1has a first wall11, an opposite second wall12, and a cavity between the first wall11and the second wall12. The second wall12has a sliding axle122protruding toward the cavity and a pressing portion121which is able to protrude toward the cavity. More preferably, the pressing portion121is an elastic piece. The housing1forms an opening13located between the first wall11and the second wall12. The housing also has pivot axle14disposed on the opening13, and a longitudinal direction of the pivot axle14is perpendicular to the first wall11and the second wall12. The pivot axle14partitions the opening13into a first opening131and a second opening132.

The tape holder2is received in the cavity and has a first face and an opposite second face. The first face faces the first wall11, and the second face faces the second wall12. The first face has a tape axle21which has a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the first face. The second face has a first limiting piece22and a second limiting piece23. A sliding slot24is defined between the first and the second limiting pieces22,23to enable the sliding axle122to slide inside. The first limiting piece22has a fixed first end and a free second end, and the second limiting piece23has a free third end and a fixed fourth end. The first end corresponds to the third end positionally, and the second end corresponds to the fourth end positionally. The tape holder2has a lateral face25, and the lateral face25has a pivot hole253to receive the pivot axle14to enable the tape holder2to pivot relative to the housing1. The lateral face2has a pressing end251and an opposite cutting end252. The pressing end251is able to pivot toward inside of the first opening131, and the cutting end252is able to pivot away from the second opening132. The cutting end252has a cutter2521corresponding to an edge of the second opening132away from the first opening131positionally. More preferably, the cutter2521has a saw-tooth edge.

Please refer toFIG. 7toFIG. 10now, due to the limitation to the sliding axle122by the sliding slot24, the tape holder2is able to pivot between a closed position and an open position. When the tape holder2is at the closed position, the lateral face25covers the opening13, and the tape holder2is completely located in the housing1. Of course, the tape axle21and the cutter2521are both concealed in the cavity, as shown inFIG. 7. When the sliding axle122abuts against a blocking portion231of the third end of the second limiting piece23, the tape holder2is at the open position. At the same time, the pressing end251enters the inside of the first opening131, and the cutting end252leaves the second opening132outward. Thus, the cutter2521leaves the cavity and is exposed outside of the housing1, as shown inFIG. 8. On the other hand, when the pressing portion121protrudes toward the cavity, the third end of the second limiting piece23is pushed to move toward the first wall11of the housing1by the pressing portion121. Hence, the sliding axle122is not blocked by the blocking portion231and is able to leave the sliding slot24. Thus, the cutting end252is able to pivot away from the second opening132further, and the tape axle21can leave the cavity to be exposed outside of the housing1, as shown inFIG. 9andFIG. 10. In the major embodiment, the slot24has a receiving portion241at the second end of the first limiting piece22and the fourth end of the second limiting piece23. When the sliding axle122is located on the receiving portion241, a width of the receiving portion241is larger than widths of parts of the slot24except the receiving portion241. When the sliding axle122moves toward the first end of the first limiting piece22and the third end of the second limiting piece23, the sliding axle122is able to push the first and the second limiting pieces22,23away from the slot24and to broaden the widths of the slot24to clamp and position the sliding axle122at any position in the sliding slot24.

Practical operations are shown inFIG. 7toFIG. 13. First, please refer toFIG. 7, when the tape holder2is at the closed position, the cutter2521and tape on the tape axle21are located in the cavity, and the opening13is completely covered by the lateral face25to protect the tape from contamination. Moreover, the sliding axle122is clamped by the first and the second limiting pieces22,23, so that the tape holder2won't pivot freely without any operation by a user to keep staying at the closed position. Now please refer toFIGS. 8,11, and13, when the pressing end251is pushed by a user with fingers, the pressing end251pivots toward inside of the first opening131, and the cutting end252pivots away from the second opening outward. At the same time, the tape holder2is at the open position, and the cutter2521and part of tape31are exposed outside of the cavity to be available for using. Besides, the sliding axle122is blocked by the blocking portion231, so the cutting end252won't pivot away from the second opening132further. Thereby, a user can hold the housing1with one hand and reach the tape31with the other hand. After using, a user can push the cutting end252to pivot toward inside of the second opening132, and then the tape holder can return to the closed position. Referring toFIGS. 9,10, and12, if a user need to replace the tape roll3with a new one, he can push the pressing portion121to move the third end of the second limiting piece23toward the first wall11of the housing1. When a distance between the blocking portion231and the first wall11is smaller than a distance between a top end of the sliding axle122and the first wall11, the sliding axle122is not blocked by the blocking portion231and is able to leave the sliding slot24. Thus, the cutting end252can pivot away from the second opening132outward further, and then the tape axle21is exposed outside of the housing1to be available for replacement of tape rolls. After replacement, a user can push the cutting end252inward toward the second opening132. More preferably, a face toward the second wall12of the third end of the second limiting piece23has an incline232, as shown inFIG. 4andFIG. 6. Thus, the sliding axle122can be guided into the sliding slot24by the incline232, and the tape holder2is able to return to the closed position.

To conclude, the adhesive tape dispenser of the present invention is able to conceal the cutter and the tape to prevent from danger and contamination. Also, the tape can be easily reached by pressing the pressing end, and the tape holder won't pivot freely between the open and the closed positions to cause inconvenience. The most important is that the tape holder and the housing don't have to be dissembled before replacement of tape rolls. On the contrary, the tape axle can be exposed outside of the housing to be available for replacement of tape rolls when the pressing portion is pushed to release the sliding axle from the sliding slot. After replacement, the tape holder can be pushed back to the cavity easily. In brief, the adhesive tape dispenser of the present invention is easy for using, has a simple structure, and is also low-cost.