Abstract:
A manual dispenser for severing a segment of paper from a note paper roll comprised of a narrow elongate sheet of paper helically wound upon itself, with one surface of the sheet having one or more strips of low-tack pressure adhesive extending longitudinally thereof. In one embodiment, the manual dispenser includes a tear bar that that is manually engagable with one side of the roll.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application is a division of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/230,016, filed on Sep. 19, 2005, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     The present invention manual dispenser for a note paper roll having a low-tack adhesive strip extending along its length for permitting a user to sever segments from the roll of a length determined by the user.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The “POST-IT” pads of the 3M Company provide individual pieces of paper, each of a predetermined size, having a band of low-tack pressure sensitive adhesive along one edge. The pads are held together by the adhesive and the user simply peels off the pieces of paper, as they are needed. The paper pieces can then be attached to a document by simply pressing them into place. They can also be readily removed, without damaging the document.  
         [0004]     The 3M Company also has a product which utilizes plastic flags, with semi-transparent low-tack adhesive strips which may be used to removably secure the flags to a document. The flags are stuck to one another and provided in a dispenser which dispenses the flags one at a time. When in place on a document, the document can be read through the semi-transparent adhesive strips.  
         [0005]     Both of the 3M products discussed above consist of a plurality of stacked individual tape segments. With either type, a separate pad or dispenser is required for each size of note or flag.  
         [0006]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,916 to Olsen teaches a tape dispensing system employing a tape having segments of a predetermined size, with bands of transversely extending low-tack adhesive extending thereacross. In use, the segments are severed from the tape, and the adhesive bands enable the individual segments to be secured in place on a document. Like the 3M pads, this system dispenses a segment of a predetermined size.  
         [0007]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,283 by Maurice S. Kanbar, the inventor herein, discloses a roll of note paper having a low-tack adhesive extending along its center-line on one side, and a dispenser for severing segments from the roll, of a length determined by the user. The dispenser employs a motor driven endless conveyor belt to which the adhesive on the roll is temporarily adhered, whereby movement of the belt functions to draw paper from the roll.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     An object of the invention is to provide a note paper and dispenser combination which comprises a roll of note paper having a strip of low-tack adhesive extending longitudinally along one side thereof and a dispenser for selectively severing segments of the paper from the roll, in lengths determined by the user. The dispenser includes a housing supporting the roll for rotation as a length of paper is manually drawn therefrom.  
         [0009]     Still another object of the invention is to provide a dispenser for drawing segments of paper from a note paper roll having a strip of low-tack adhesive on one side thereof, without adhering the strip to the mechanism of the dispenser.  
         [0010]     These and other objects will become more apparent when viewed in light of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective view, illustrating a note paper roll having a strip of low-tack adhesive extending longitudinally thereof, centrally of the roll;  
         [0012]      FIG. 1B  is a perspective view, illustrating a note paper roll having strips of low-tack adhesive applied to the inner surface thereof adjacent both of its longitudinal edges;  
         [0013]      FIG. 1C  is a perspective view, illustrating a note paper roll having a strip of low-tack adhesive applied to its inner surface adjacent one of its longitudinal edges;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the battery operated note paper dispenser of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side-elevational view of the dispenser of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional elevational view of the  FIG. 2  dispenser, taken on the plane designated by line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of the dispenser of  FIG. 2 , with the top thereof removed, illustrating the paper roll of  FIG. 1  received in the dispenser, and the direct the paper of the roll through the dispenser, without contact of the strip of low-tack adhesive;  
         [0018]      FIG. 5B  is a perspective view of the dispenser of  FIG. 2 , with the top thereof removed, illustrating the paper roll of  FIG. 1B  received in the dispenser, and the guide to direct the paper of the roll through the dispenser, without contact of the strips of low-tack adhesive;  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the manual dispenser of the present invention, with a paper roll received therein shown in phantom;  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the manual dispenser of  FIG. 6 , with a paper roll shown therein in solid lines in the process of being torn to remove a segment of a length determined by the user;  
         [0021]      FIG. 8A  is a perspective view of the manual dispenser of  FIG. 6 , with the tearing member thereof shown in phantom;  
         [0022]      FIG. 8B  is a cross-sectional elevational view of the manual dispenser of  FIG. 6 , taken on the plane designated by line  8 B- 8 B of  FIG. 8A ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 9A  is a cross-sectional side elevational view of the manual dispenser of  FIG. 6 , with a paper roll received therein shown in phantom, in the process of having of having a segment of the roll drawn through the dispenser;  
         [0024]      FIG. 9B  is a cross-sectional elevational view similar to  FIG. 9B , illustrating a paper roll within the dispenser and the hand of a user in the process of drawing a segment of paper from the roll;  
         [0025]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the channel-shaped note paper cutter of the present invention;  
         [0026]      FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional elevational view of the note paper cutter, taken on the plane designated by line  11 - 11  of  FIG. 10 ;  
         [0027]      FIG. 12  is a side elevational view of the  FIG. 10  cutter, shown in place on a large paper roll;  
         [0028]      FIG. 13  is a side elevational view of the  FIG. 10  cutter, shown in place on a paper roll which has been reduced to a relatively small diameter by virtue of the removal of segments of paper therefrom; and,  
         [0029]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the  FIG. 10  cutter, shown in the hands of a user, with a paper in place, in the process of having a segment of paper severed therefrom by tearing the paper against the cutter. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0030]     The roll of  FIG. 1A  is designated R 1  and comprises a relatively narrow sheet of paper helically wound upon itself around the core  12 . The core  12  defines the axis  14  of the roll. A centrally disposed strip of pressure sensitive adhesive  16  is adhered to and extends longitudinally over the central portion of the inner surface of the roll R 1 . The adhesive may be of the type used in a “POST-IT” sheet. It comprises an elastometric mask coat which will give a bond of at least moderate strength upon the application of light pressure thereto at room temperature. For purposes of this invention, the adhesive must be of a low-tack composition, so that when applied to a paper page, it adheres lightly and can be detached therefrom without damage to the page.  
         [0031]     The roll of  FIG. 1B  is designated R 2 . This roll also comprises a relatively narrow sheet of paper  10  helically rolled upon itself about a core  12  defining an axis  14 . In the case of the roll R 2 , however, longitudinally extending strips of low-tack adhesive  18 ,  20  extend over the inside surface of the length of the roll adjacent its longitudinal edges  22  and  24 , respectively. The composition of the strips  18 ,  20  corresponds to that of the adhesive  16 .  
         [0032]     The roll of  FIG. 1C  is designated R 3  and comprises a relatively narrow strip of paper  10  corresponding to that of the rolls R 1  and R 2 , with a longitudinally extending strip  26  of low-tack adhesive extending along the inside surface thereof adjacent longitudinal edge  24 . Like the rolls R 1  and R 2 , the roll R 3  has a core  12  defining an axis  14 .  
         [0033]     From a comparison of  FIGS. 1A, 1B  and  1 C, it will be seen that the paper rolls therein differ only in the placement of the adhesive strips provided on the inside surface of the paper of the roll. As the result of the difference in the manner in which the strips are placed, segments of paper removed from the rolls adhere to mating papers in different way. In the case of the roll R 1 , a segment would be secured to a mating paper continuously along the center line of the segment. In the case the roll R 2 , a segment would be secured to a paper along both of the longitudinal edges of the segment. In the case of the roll R 3 , a segment would be secured to a paper along only one edge, much in the same way as a conventional POST-IT pad segment.  
       Battery Operated Dispenser  
       [0034]     The battery operated dispenser shown in FIGS.  2  to  5 B is designated, in its entirety, by the letters BD. It comprises a shell like housing  28  having lower and upper portions  30  and  32 , respectively. The housing may be fabricated of any suitable material, such as a polymer plastic, or sheet metal. The upper portion includes a forward section  34  with a slot  36  extending therethrough for passage of the leading end  38  of a paper roll received within the housing. The paper roll shown in FIGS.  2  to  5 A is the roll R 1  of  FIG. 1A . The rearward section, designated  40 , of the upper portion is removable to permit a roll to be inserted into the dispenser. When inserted, the roll rests on the bottom wall of the lower portion  30  and is free to rotate about its axis.  
         [0035]     Interiorally, the forward section  34  of the housing is provided with fixed webs  42  (see  FIG. 5A ) to support the axle  44  for traction wheels  46  and  48 . Slots  50  formed in the webs  42  are proportioned to slidably receive and rotatably support the axle  44  and provide means whereby the assembly of the axle and the traction wheels thereon may be moved vertically into place. A pedestal  52  within the forward section  34  of the housing supports a small battery operated electric motor  54  having a shaft  56  which rotatably drives a sheave  58  having a belt groove therearound. A band  55  secures the motor to the pedestal. The traction wheel  46  has a sheave groove formed therearound in alignment with the groove of the sheave  58 . A pair of closed looped rubber belts are engaged around the sheave  58  and the sheave provided by the grooves in the traction wheel  46 , whereby the motor rotatably drives the traction wheel  46 .  
         [0036]     The outer surfaces of the belts  60  extend radially outwardly from the traction wheel  46  to provide a traction surface for engagement with the underside of the leading end  38  of the paper roll (see  FIG. 3 ). The axle  44  is fixed or keyed to the traction wheels  46  and  48 , whereby rotation of the wheel  46  is imparted to the wheel  48 . The peripheral surface of the traction wheel  48  is formed with an annular groove which carries rubber traction tires  62  extending radially from the traction wheel  48 . These tires have an outside diameter corresponding to the outside diameter of that portion of the traction wheel  46  defined by the outer surfaces of the belts  60  (see  FIG. 4 ). Thus, the tires  62  of the traction wheel  48  are disposed for driving engagement with the underside of the leading end  38  of the roll being dispensed. (See  FIGS. 3 and 4 .)  
         [0037]     Batteries  64  for powering the motor  54  are mounted in the forward section of the housing  28  (see  FIG. 3 ). A suitable access opening (not illustrated) is provided in the bottom of the housing in order that the batteries may be replaced, when necessary.  
         [0038]     The control circuitry for the motor  54  is diagrammatically illustrated in  FIG. 4 . A lead  66  connects one pole of the battery  64  to the motor  54  and the lead  68  connects the other pole of the battery to a switch plate  70  extending across the top of the housing. The lead  72  is connected between the motor  52  and the switch plate  70 , whereby, upon activation, the switch plate serves to complete the circuit between the battery  64  and the motor  54 , to drive the motor. The switch plate is activated by depressing a button  74  engaged with an extending slidably through the upper surface of the forward housing  34 .  
         [0039]     A guide member  76  is supported between pedestals  78  within the housing, and the rearward upper edges of the webs  42 . The purpose of the guide member is to guide the leading end of the roll being dispensed through the slot  36 . Upperwardly ending lateral edge surfaces  80  on the guide member are disposed to engage the edges of the sheet of paper being dispensed. The bottom of the guide member includes lateral side surfaces  82  for engagement with the underside of a sheet being dispensed and a downwardly extending channel portion  84  of a width slightly greater than that of the strip of adhesive  16  on the paper. The channel portion assures that the adhesive will not contact the guide, thus enabling the leading end of the roll being dispensed to pass through the dispenser, without adhering to the guide member and hanging up.  
         [0040]      FIG. 5B  shows a modified guide member  86  for use in dispensing paper segments from rolls having adhesive strips along their lateral edges, as seen in the rolls R 2  and R 3  of  FIGS. 1B and 1C . The guide member  86  has edge surfaces  88  for engagement with the lateral edges of the roll and a central surface  90  for sliding engagement with the underside of the roll being dispensed, between the strips of adhesive. Channel portions  92  extend across the guide member in alignment with the adhesive strip or strips adjacent the lateral edges of the underside of the roll. The channel portions  92 , like the channel portion  84 , enable paper to be dispensed, without the adhesive strips adhering to and hanging up on the guide.  
         [0041]     The operation of the dispenser BD is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . As there shown, the leading end  38  of the roll being dispensed is directed over the guide member  76  and the traction wheels  46  and  48 , and through the slot  36 . An under-surface  94  carried by the housing engages the top surface of the paper in apposition to the traction wheels. As so disposed, the leading end  38  of the paper roll is captured between the under-surface  94  and the outer surfaces of the belts and tires received on the traction wheels. Thus, rotation of the traction wheels clockwise, as viewed in  FIG. 56 , functions to move the leading edge  38  through the slot  36 .  
         [0042]     In use, the length of a segment of paper dispensed by the dispenser BD is controlled through the switch button  74 . All that the user needs do is to depress the switch  74  to activate the motor  54  so as to move a segment of the leading end  38  through the slot  36 . The length of this segment is determined by the user, through means of the button. Once a segment of the desired length extends from the dispenser, it may be removed by simply tearing the segment against upper edge of the groove  36 , as seen in  FIG. 2 .  
       Manual Dispenser  
       [0043]     This dispenser, as illustrated in FIGS.  6  to  9 B, is designated in its entirety by the legend MD. It comprises a housing  96  which may be fabricated of a polymer plastic, or any other suitable material. The housing is upperwardly open and has sidewalls  98 ,  100 , a bottom wall  102 , a rear wall  104  and a front wall  106 . Arcuate webs  108  are secured to and extend rearwardly from the front wall  106 . These webs, together with the interior surfaces of the walls  98 ,  100 ,  102  and  104 , define a cavity for rotatably receiving a roll of paper, as may be seen from  FIGS. 9A and 9B . The front wall is arcuately concave, as viewed in plan (see  FIG. 8A ). A guide member  110  is secured between the side walls  98 ,  100  extends over and in slightly spaced relationship to the front wall  106 . This guide member provides a slot  112  through which the leading end of a roll of paper being dispensed may be directed. The rearward edge of the guide member, designated  114 , is curved upwardly to facilitate directing paper through the slot, with a minimum of friction. The forward end of the guide member is formed with a sharp tear edge  116 . Friction means, in the form of fingers  118  are fixed to and extend forwardly of the front wall  116  in converging relation to the inner surface of the guide member  110 . At their distal ends, these fingers barely contact the inner surface of the guide member.  
         [0044]     In use, a roll of paper, which may be of the type of any of the rolls R 1 , R 2  or R 3 , is received within the housing, as seen in  FIGS. 9A and 9B , and its leading end  38  is directed through the slot  112  (see  FIGS. 9A and 9B ). The user may than manually draw a segment of the paper of any desired length from the roll, and sever it by tearing the paper against the under surface of the tear edge  116  (see  FIG. 7 ). The fingers  118  hold the remaining leading end of the paper within the slot. The user may remove successive segments of paper, of a length which he or she determines, by simply reaching under the guide member  110  between the fingers  118  and pulling the paper through the slot.  
         [0045]     The fingers are positioned so as not to engage the adhesive strips on the paper roll, whether these strips be located centrally of the paper, or adjacent its lateral edges. The webs  108  are similarly positioned and so proportioned to avoid such contact. The narrow upper edge of the front wall  106  also minimizes any adhesion between the adhesive strips and the housing.  
       Manual Cutter  
       [0046]     This cutter is shown in FIGS.  10  to  14  and designated, in its entirety, by the legend MC. The cutter may be fabricated of a polymer plastic or any other suitable material. It comprises a generally channel shaped housing  120  of a width slightly greater than that of the roll. (The housing may be fabricated of telescoping channel shaped members, so that its length may be adjusted to accommodate rolls of different widths.)  
         [0047]     The housing  120  has a top wall  122 , side walls  124  extending downwardly from the top wall to distal edges  126 , end walls  128 ,  130 , and an interior protuberance in the form of a web  132 . In use, a leading end  38  of a roll is partially withdrawn therefrom and the manual cutter is placed over the roll, as shown in  FIGS. 12 and 14 . The leading end is then drawn from the roll to provide a segment of paper of a length determined by the user. The user then tears the segment against an edge  126  of the cutter, as shown in  FIG. 14 . While the roll shown in  FIGS. 12 and 14  is designated R 1 , the cutter may be similarly used with the rolls R 2  and R 3 .  
         [0048]     The protuberance provided by the web  132  is for purposes of accommodating a roll of a relatively small diameter, as naturally occurs due to the decrease of the roll diameter in use. Its function is shown in  FIG. 13  wherein a relatively small roll is shown engaged by the web and one of the edges  126 . As so disposed, segments of paper of a size determined by the user may be removed, similar to what is seen in  FIG. 14 .  
         [0049]     The hand or hands of a user of the various embodiments of the invention are designated by the legend H. Whether one or two hands is used will depend upon the preference of the user. Typically, with the battery operated dispenser, one hand would be used to control the button  74  and to tear the paper.  
       CONCLUSION  
       [0050]     From the foregoing description, it is believed apparent that the present invention enables the attainment of the objects initially set forth herein. In particular, it provides rolls of paper with low-tack adhesive strips applied thereto wherein segments of the paper of a length determined by the user may be created from a continuous paper roll. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the specifics of the embodiments which have been illustrated and described, but rather as defined by the accompanying claims.