Patent Publication Number: US-6669070-B2

Title: Tape dispenser

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to tape dispensing devices, and more particularly to an adhesive tape dispenser that prevents adhesive tape retraction and clinging, while also facilitating convenient adhesive tape roll reloading. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     As indicated in FIG.  1  and FIG. 2, a conventional adhesive tape dispenser  80  is comprised of a dispensing body  81  of one-piece injection molded plastic construction having a front portion  81 , a side portion  83  extending contiguously back from each of the left and right ends of the front portion  11 , and a roll transport portion  84  projecting inward from the interior lateral surface of each said side portion  83 , wherein a vertical post  85  is disposed on the interior surface at the rear end of one roll transport portion  84  and a vertical hole  86  is formed on the interior surface at the rear end of the other roll transport portion  84 , and a blade  87  mounted on the bottom surface of the dispensing body  81  front portion  81 . 
     During utilization, the two side portions  83  are spread outward an appropriate degree and a roll of adhesive tape is rotatably placed onto the two roll transport portions  84  and then the post  85  is inserted into the hole  86  to conjoin the two roll transport portions  84  together, following which the adhesive tape is pulled forward to the bottom side of he said front portion  82  and the adhesive tape is applied onto an object as the tape dispenser  80  is moved backward such that the adhesive tape is continuously unrolled forward for application and finally cut by the blade  87 . 
     The tape dispenser  80  has the advantages of structural simplicity and low production cost, but exhibits the following two shortcomings during utilization that await improvement: 
     1. Since the adhesive tape roll rotates freely on the roll transport portions  84 , the rotational direction of the adhesive tape roll can be reversed due to angular disposition or an unanticipated application of external force, causing a small portion at the adhesive tape end of to spindle back and stick onto the circumferential surface of the adhesive tape roll; as such, it is necessary to undertake the troublesome ordeal of once again finding the end of the adhesive tape during usage. 
     2. The use of the vertical post  85  and vertical hole  86  to conjoin the two roll transport portions  84  achieves an approximate tangential relationship between the curved surfaces of the roll transport portions  84  and, furthermore, since the post  85  must be inserted upward into the bottom end of the hole  86 , when the adhesive tape roll is loaded and the post  85  must be inserted into the hole  86  or the post  85  must be drawn out of the hole  86 , the two roll transport portions  84  have to be radially aligned up and down a certain degree; however, since the roll transport portions  84  are conjoined under the inner circumferential surface of the adhesive tape roll., the alignment procedure is hampered by the inner circumferential surface of the adhesive tape roll such that loading the adhesive tape roll is difficult. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, it is an another similar type conventional adhesive tape dispenser  90 , the physical structure resembles the previous dispenser, but has a check portion  92  disposed on the inner lateral surfaces towards the front end of each side portion  91  such that after the adhesive tape is cut, a small portion of it hangs down and sticks lightly onto the two check portions  92 , thereby preventing the end of the adhesive tape from becoming retracted onto the circumferential surface of the adhesive tape roll. While this method reduces the occurrence of adhesive tape back spindling and sticking, any reverse rotation caused by an unintended application of force easily detaches the adhesive tape end from the check portions  92 , which is then retracted onto the circumferential surface of the roll. As a result, such conventional adhesive tape dispensers are incapable of effectively solving the problem of adhesive tape retraction onto the adhesive tape roll. 
     In addition, the dispenser  90  has a forward facing fastening hook  94  at the interior rear side of one roll transport portion  93  and a rearward facing fastening hook  95  at the interior rear side of its other roll transport portion (not fully shown in the drawing). During utilization, the two fastening hooks  94  and  95  are engaged to conjoin the two roll transport portions  93 . However, the design requires that the two roll transport portions  93  be radially aligned at the front and the rear and are similarly hampered by the circumferential surface of the adhesive tape roll and inconveniencing operation. 
     Furthermore, referring to U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,450, the invention addresses the adhesive tape retraction and sticking problem by providing an improved structure tape dispenser have a roller bar capable of rotating in a single direction or moving upward at an angle to thereby effectively prevent the tape end from retracting upon itself. However, such a design is of greater structural complexity and higher production cost. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an adhesive tape dispenser that prevents the end of the adhesive tape from spindling back and clinging to the circumferential surface of the adhesive tape roll to thereby increase convenience during utilization; furthermore, the present invention is structurally simple and of lower production cost. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to provide an adhesive tape dispenser in which the loading and unloading of the adhesive tape roll requires less effort and is more expedient. 
     To achieve the objectives, the adhesive tape dispenser provided by the present invention is comprised of a dispensing body of one-piece injection molded plastic construction having a front portion, two side portions respectively extending back from the left and right ends of the front portion, two roll transport portions respectively protruding inward from the interior surfaces of said side portions, and at least one check portion disposed at the front ends of the interior surfaces of said side portions. A blade is mounted on the front portion of the dispensing body. At least one tensile anti-reverse member is extended from the peripheral surfaces of the roll transport portions of the dispensing body and oriented to follow the rotational direction of the adhesive tape roll that is rotated forward in application. As such, the adhesive tape roll can be rotated forward to apply tape, but the adhesive tape roll cannot be easily rotated backward due to the braking action occurring at the rear extremity of the tensile anti-reverse member. 
     In addition, the tape dispenser of the present invention further comprises at least one snap-fit recess portion formed on the inner end of one of the roll transport portions, with the opposing said roll transport portion having at least one split post portion for inserting the snap-fit recess portion so as to fasten the two roll transport portions together at an appropriate degree of tightness. As such, the two roll transport portions are conjoined or separated axially along the roll of adhesive tape and are not hampered by the inner circumference of the adhesive tape roll. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of a conventional tape dispenser. 
     FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of another conventional tape dispenser. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  as shown in FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  7 - 7  as shown in FIG. 4, showing that a roll of adhesive tape is fitted on the dispenser and rotated in a forward direction. 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 7, showing that the roll of adhesive tape is in tendency to be rotated in a backward direction. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIGS. 4-7, an adhesive tape dispenser  10  of a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a plastic dispensing body  20  and a metal blade  40 . 
     The dispensing body  20  is of one-piece injection molded plastic construction and consists of a planar front portion  21 , a guard portion  22  extending upward from the rear of the front portion, a side portion  23  extending contiguously back from each of the left and right ends of the front portion  21 , a semicircular opening portion  24  formed in the rear half of the gradually widening panels of each side portion  23 , a coarse portion  25  disposed as a plurality of vertical lines contoured along the front exterior surface of the side portions  23  and which increases grasping friction, a short columnar check portion  26  protruding inward from inner lateral surfaces towards the front end of each of the side portions  23  and, furthermore, a roll transport portion  27  projecting inward from each interior lateral surface at the semicircular edge of the opening portion  24  in the form of a half-circumference curved extension. When not subjected to external force, the two side portions  23  of the dispensing body  20  are postured in a left, right parallel orientation and, furthermore, the inner ends of (the rear half portion) of the two roll transport portions  27  are situated against each other. Additionally, a tensile anti-reverse member  31  is disposed on the peripheral surface of each said roll transport portion  27  and each said tensile anti-reverse member  31  has a long curved portion  32  that extends from the rear to the front along the outer extent of the roll transport portion  27  and, furthermore, a retarding portion  33  rises slightly upward from its rear extremity. Furthermore, referring to FIG.  5  and FIG. 6, a connecting plate  34  extends from the left and right surfaces at the interior rear side of the two roll transport portions  27 , wherein a through-hole type snap-fit recess portion  35  is formed in the surface of one connecting plate  34  and two split post portions  36  are horizontally disposed on the other connecting plate  34 . The post portions  36  are separated by slight gap, each tip thereof has an upward and downward hook respectively formed and, furthermore, their tip surfaces are beveled such that the post portions  36  are inserted into the snap-fit recess portion  35  so as to fasten the two roll transport portions  27  together at an appropriate degree of tightness. 
     The blade  40  is mounted flat to the bottom side of the dispensing body  20  front portion  21 , its front edge is serrated and extends slightly beyond the front edge of the front portion  21  and utilized to cut adhesive tape. The blade  40  mounting structure and method are accomplished by conventional techniques and, therefore, shall not be further elaborated. 
     The utilization method of the adhesive tape dispenser  10  provided by the present invention is basically similar to that of the prior art; the left and right sides to the rear of the two side portions  23  of the dispensing body  20  are spread apart an appropriate degree and an adhesive tape roll T of proper specification is inserted between the two roll transport portions  27  with the adhesive side of the tape facing downward, following the two side portions  23  are released to secure of the adhesive tape roll T in the two roll transport portions  27 . 
     When the adhesive tape roll T is loaded and the two roll transport portions  27  are ready to be conjoined, it is only necessary to apply inward pressure laterally against the left and right exterior aspects of the two side portions  23  such that the inner end of the split post portions  36  is squeezed into the snap-fit recess portion  35  until the hooked tips are inserted though the connecting plates  34  and then expand into a locked fastened state to thereby conjoin the two roll transport portions  27  at an appropriate degree of tightness, as indicated in FIG.  5  and FIG.  6 . To remove the adhesive tape roll T requires the separation of the two roll transport portions  27 , at which time the two side portions  23  are forcefully spread apart to extricate the split post portions  36  from the snap-fit recess portion  35 . In the present invention, when the two roll transport portions  27  are conjoined or separated, since the roll transport portions  27  are axially oriented along the adhesive tape roll T, which remains inwardly and outwardly movable (which differs from the radial orientation of the conventional method), the inner circumferential surface T of the adhesive tape roll T is not impeded, resulting in smoother and easier operation. 
     In the present invention, the design of the split post portions  36  and the snap-fit recess portion  35  is not limited to said arrangement, the only requirement being that the insertion of the split post portions  36  into the snap-fit recess portion  35  maintains an appropriate degree of conjoinment tightness. 
     Referring to FIG. 7, when adhesive tape is dispensed, a length of adhesive tape t is first pulled from the adhesive tape roll T such that the adhesive tape t passes over the two check portions  26  and, furthermore, under the front portion  21 , following which the tape t is attached onto the object and the adhesive tape dispenser  10  is drawn back, causing the adhesive tape roll  10  to rotate forward (counter-clockwise rotation as shown in FIG. 7) during application. Although the two tensile anti-reverse members  31  are situated against the inner circumferential surface T of the adhesive tape roll T, the extensional orientation of the tensile anti-reverse member  31  curved portions  32  follows the rotational direction of the adhesive tape roll T and, therefore, when the adhesive tape roll T is rotated forward, the two tensile anti-reverse members  31  are angled downward in the direction of applied force and do not impede the unrolling of the adhesive tape roll T. 
     As indicated in FIG. 8, after the adhesive tape t is cut by the blade  40 , the remaining small portion pulled out hangs down onto the two check portions  26  and cannot be retracted and stick onto the circumferential surface of the adhesive tape roll T. 
     As further indicated in FIG. 8, when the adhesive tape roll T is in tendency to be rotated backward (clockwise rotation illustrated in the drawing) by an external force, the retarding portion  33  at the rear extremities of the two tensile anti-reverse members  31  contact the inner circumferential surface of the adhesive tape roll T such that whenever the adhesive tape roll T rotates clockwise, the rising rear extremities of the tensile anti-reverse members  31  resists such rotation in the opposite direction and, as such, the adhesive tape t is not curled back onto itself. 
     Based on the foregoing recitation, the adhesive tape dispenser of the present invention prevents adhesive tape retraction to enable easy and convenient tape application and, furthermore, the advantages of the tape dispenser structure of the present invention includes simplicity, fewer components, easy assemble, and lower production cost.