Patent Publication Number: US-6220429-B1

Title: Tape dispensing assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to the field of dispensers. 
     More particularly, this invention relates to a tape dispensing assembly for dispensing adhesive tape from a roll. 
     2. Prior Art 
     The prior art is replete with apparatus for dispensing adhesive tape from a roll. Adhesive tape normally includes a thin flexible backing of fabric, paper, plastic or other non-fibrous material including a surface having a pressure sensitive adhesive coating. For ease of use, the foregoing variety of adhesive tape is normally wound upon a core to form a roll. 
     Adhesive tape is well known and highly useful for a multitude of selected operations. However, along with the advent of adhesive tape arose difficulties with easily and efficiently dispensing and severing the tape to form segments of tape of preselected lengths suitable for intended use. Although the prior art provides a variety of apparatus operative for aiding a user in dispensing and severing tape, difficulties still exist with large taping operations such as closing boxes and other similarly large taping operations. 
     It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in the prior art. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved tape dispensing assembly. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a tape dispensing assembly that is easy to use. 
     And another object of the present invention is to provide a tape dispensing assembly that is easy to make. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a tape dispensing assembly that is inexpensive. 
     Yet another object of the instant invention is to provide a tape dispensing assembly operative for allowing a user to easily dispense and sever adhesive tape for large taping operations such as closing boxes and other similarly large taping operations. 
     Yet still another object of the instant invention is the provision of enhancing the speed and efficiency of using adhesive tape in large taping operations. 
     And a further object of the invention is to provide a tape dispensing assembly that is convenient to use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly, to achieve the desired objects of the instant invention in accordance with a preferred embodiment thereof, provided is a tape dispensing assembly including a base having a drum extending outwardly from the base and terminating with an outer end. Further included is a first pin spaced from the drum and extending outwardly therefrom and terminating with an outer end, and a second pin spaced from the drum and extending outwardly therefrom and terminating with an outer end, the second pin further being located proximate the first pin with a space formed therebetween the first pin and the second pin. An extended strip of adhesive tape having an adhesive surface is also provided and is wound upon a core to form a roll. The roll is mountable upon the drum for rotation. In operation, a user may grasp a free end of the extended strip, pull the extended strip from the roll, pass the extended strip proximate the first and second pins in lateral traverse with the adhesive surface of the extended strip facing the first and second pins, and sever the extended strip proximate the space intermediate the first pin and the second pin to form a strip segment and a severed free end of the extended strip, whereby upon severing, the strip segment will adhesively adhere to the second pin and the severed free end of the extended strip will adhere to the first pin thereby preventing the strip segment and the severed free end of the extended strip from becoming entangled and preventing the severed free end of the extended strip from adhering back upon the roll. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The foregoing and further and more specific objects and advantages of the instant invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a tape dispensing assembly showing an extended strip of adhesive tape wound upon a core to form a roll, the roll mounted for rotation to a drum carried by a base with a retention member shown spaced from the drum and operative for securing the roll to the drum, the extended strip shown drawn across a pair of pins extending outwardly from the base with a cutting instrument shown severing the extended strip at a space located intermediate the pins, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the tape dispensing assembly of FIG.  1  and further showing the retention member spaced from the drum; 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmented side elevational view of the pair of pins of the tape dispensing assembly of FIG.  1  further showing the cutting instrument of FIG. 1 severing the extended strip of tape at the space intermediate the pair of pins; 
     FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the drum and the roll of adhesive tape taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 2, further showing the retention member spaced from the drum; and 
     FIG. 5 is a fragmented perspective view of the base of FIG. 1 further showing an aperture extending therethrough for receiving a fastener for fastening the base to a selected support surface. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Turning now to the drawings, in which like reference characters indicate corresponding elements throughout the several views, attention is first directed to FIG. 1 illustrating a perspective view of a tape dispensing assembly being generally designated by the reference character  10 . Tape dispensing assembly  10  includes a base  11  having a substantially planar support surface  12  and a lower end  13  for bearing against a supporting surface such as, for example, a table, a countertop, the ground or other selected supporting surface. With continuing reference to FIG.  1  and additional reference to FIG. 2 illustrating a top plan view of the tape dispensing assembly of FIG. 1, tape dispensing assembly  10  further includes an extended strip  20  of adhesive tape wound upon a core  21  to form a roll  22 , extended strip  20  having an adhesive surface  23  (shown only in FIG. 2) typical with conventional and well known varieties of adhesive tape. Roll  22  is mountable for rotation upon a drum  24  carried by and extending outwardly from base  11 . 
     With momentary reference to FIG. 4 illustrating a vertical sectional view of drum  24  and roll  22  taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 2, drum  24  includes a continuous sidewall  30  having an outer surface  30 A defining an outer diameter, continuous sidewall  30  extending outwardly from supporting surface  12  of base  11  and terminating with a free end  31 . In FIG. 4, drum  24  is shown integrally formed with base  11 . However, this is not an essential feature of the present invention and drum  24  may otherwise be provided as a separate accessory that may be fixed or otherwise mounted to base by virtue of a conventional fastening mechanism such as a suitable adhesive, one or more screws or other selected fastening mechanism. Furthermore, outer surface  30 A is preferably generally cylindrical, although this is not an essential feature of the present invention. 
     As herein previously intimated, roll  22  is mountable for rotation upon drum  24  in a direction from free end  31  thereof. In this regard, and in the specific example shown in FIG. 4, core  21  includes an inner surface  34  defining an inner diameter somewhat greater than the outer diameter of drum  24  as defined by outer surface  30 A such that when received thereon, roll  22  will easily rotate about drum  24  in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions. However, and consistent with the teachings of the present invention, drum  24  may alternatively be rotatably mounted to base  11  if desired. In this regard, the diameter of drum  24  as defined by outer surface  30 A may be constructed of a size such that when roll  22  is mounted upon drum  24 , the inner surface  34  of core  21  will compress and secure against the outer surface  30 A of drum  24 . As a consequence, rather than being rotatable about drum  24 , roll  22  may rotate along with drum  24 . Consistent with conventional practice, inner surface  34  of core  21  is preferably generally cylindrical, although this is not an essential feature of the present invention. 
     Nevertheless, regarding a preferred embodiment of the present invention and with continuing reference to FIGS. 1,  2  and  4 , tape dispensing assembly  10  may further include a retention member  40  having a generally circular body  41  with an upper surface  42 , a lower surface  43  (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) and a continuous outer edge  44  defining a diameter somewhat greater than the outer diameter of drum  24  and the inner diameter of roll  22  as defined by core  21 . Retention member  40  is preferably detachably engagable to drum  24  after roll  22  has been mounted thereon for securing roll  22  to drum  24  and for inhibiting roll  22  from falling off drum  24 . In this regard, and with particular attention to FIG.  1  and FIG. 4, retention member further includes an engagement element  45  extending downwardly from the lower surface  43  thereof. Engagement element  45  is detachably engagable to a complemental engagement element  46  formed into and through free end  31  of drum  24 . Although a variety of suitable and conventional engagement mechanisms may be used for detachably engaging retention member  40  to free end  31  of drum  24 , engagement element  45  is preferably a threaded element and complemental engagement element a threaded bore or recess. In this respect, after roll  22  is mounted upon drum  24 , the threaded element of retention member  40  may be threadably and detachably secured to the threaded bore or recess of drum  24  upon rotation of retention member  40  in a predetermined and selected direction. 
     With continuing reference to FIG.  1  and FIG.  2  and additional reference to FIG. 3, tape dispensing apparatus further includes a first pin  50  spaced from drum  24  and extending outwardly from supporting surface  12  of base  11  and terminating with an outer end  51 . First pin  50  is preferably generally cylindrical, although this is not essential. Further provided is a second pin  53  spaced from drum  24  and extending outwardly from supporting surface  12  of base  11  and terminating with an outer end  54 . Second pin  53  is preferably located proximate first pin  51  with a space  55  (shown only in FIGS. 2-3) formed therebetween first pin  51  and second pin  53 . Like first pin  51 , second pin  53  is also preferably generally cylindrical, although this is not essential. 
     In operation, after roll  22  of adhesive tape has been mounted to drum  24  consistent with the foregoing discussion, a user may grasp a free end  60  (FIG.  1  and FIG. 2) of extended strip  20 , pull extended strip  20  from roll  22  and pass extended strip  20  by and proximate to first pin  50  and second pin  53  in lateral traverse relative first pin  50  and second pin  53  in the direction indicated by the arrowed line A in FIG. 2 with the adhesive surface  23  of extended strip  20  facing first pin  51  and second pin  53 . As shown in FIG. 3, with extended strip  20  laterally traversing first pin  51 , second pin  53  and space  55  and pulled beyond second pin  53  a predetermined distance, a user may then sever extended strip  20  at a location proximate space  55  intermediate first pin  51  and second pin  53  to form a strip segment  62  offset from second pin  53  and a severed free end  63  of extended strip  20  offset first pin  51 . Upon severing extended strip  20  in the foregoing manner with scissors  65  as shown in FIG.  1  and FIG. 3 or other suitable mechanical cutting instrument or means, adhesive surface  23  of strip segment  62  will adhesively adhere to second pin  53  and adhesive surface  23  proximate severed free end  63  of extended strip  20  will adhesively adhere to first pin  51  thereby preventing strip segment  62  and severed free  63  end of extended strip  20  from becoming entangled and preventing severed free end  63  of extended strip  20  from adhering back upon roll  22 . A user may then remove strip segment  62  from second pin  53  and use strip segment  62  for a selected and desired operation such as closing a box or other selected operation. The foregoing process may then be repeated as necessary. 
     It will be readily understood by those having regard toward the relevant art that strip segment  62  may be formed having any selected and desired length depending upon the needs of the user. Furthermore, to further the advantageous features of the present invention, first pin  51  and second pin  53  are preferably disposed in series so as to define a plane generally perpendicular to the plane within which extended strip  20  may be pulled away from roll  22 . In this manner of orientation, adhesive surface  23  of strip segment  62  and the adhesive surface  23  of extended strip  20  proximate severed free end  63  may easily and readily face both first and second pins  51  and  53  and readily adhere thereto either prior to severing extended strip at the location proximate space  55  or upon severing extended strip at the location proximate space  55 . 
     It will be readily understood that when roll  22  of adhesive tape is used up, or a user merely wishes to replace roll  22  with a different roll of adhesive tape, a user may detach retention member  40  from outer end  31  of drum  24  upon rotation of retention member  40  in a preselected direction, remove roll  22 , replace it with another roll of adhesive material and then reattach retention member  40  in the manner previously described. 
     Various changes and modifications to the embodiment herein chosen for purposes of illustration will readily occur to the skilled artisan. For example, as shown in FIG.  1  and FIG. 2, tape dispensing assembly may further include a container  70  for holding items such as scissors, rolls of adhesive tape, pencils, pens, markers or other selected items. Container  70  includes a continuous sidewall  71  having a closed lower end  72  mounted to supporting surface  12  of base  11  and extends outwardly therefrom and terminates with an upper edge  73  bounding an opening  74  into a chamber  75  bound by closed lower end  72  and continuous sidewall  71 . Closed lower end  72  of container  70  may be mounted to supporting surface  12  of base  11  by virtue of integral molding or perhaps by virtue of a conventional fastening mechanism such as a selected adhesive, screws or other conventional fastening mechanism in spaced-apart relation from drum  24 , first pin  51  and second pin  53  so as not to interfere with the advantageous operation of tape dispensing assembly  10 . In this manner, container  70  may provided a convenient storage receptacle for advantageously retain selected items. A cover, not shown, can also be included to retain items within container  70 . Furthermore, tape dispensing assembly, including base  11 , drum  24  first pin  51 , second pin and container  70  may be constructed of any suitable material such as molded plastic, a selected type of metal, wood or other substance having similar structural and functional characteristics. 
     Additionally, as shown in FIG.  2  and FIG. 5, base  11  may be provided with apertures  77  sized for receiving a conventional fastener  78 , such as a nail or a screw, for mounting base  11  to a supporting surface. Additional fasteners may be added as necessary to fasten base  11  securely to a surface. It will also be understood that an adhesive can also be used to secure the base. The supporting surface may be the top surface of a counter or a table, or perhaps a substantially vertical surface such as a wall or the like in which tape dispensing apparatus  10  may extend downwardly along the substantially vertical surface from the location of apertures  77  in the direction indicated by the arrow B in FIG.  5 . To the extent that the foregoing modifications and variations do not depart from the spirit of the invention, they are intended to be included within the scope thereof which is assessed only by a fair interpretation of the following claims.