Patent Publication Number: US-2012043025-A1

Title: Tape and label applicator

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a tape and label applicator. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Cartons are widely used to load articles, which not only transports conveniently but also protects articles. In general, the user uses a tape to seal the cartons, preventing the articles from dropping and damage during transportation. The cartons are always stuck with various labels for warning. In order to accelerate the process, the user usually uses a tape applicator and a label stripping device to assist the tasks of sealing cartons and sticking labels. However, the tape applicator and the label stripping device are two separate devices. Not all the cartons need labels. Sometimes, the user may lose the tape applicator or the label stripping device during work. Accordingly, the inventor of the present invention has devoted himself based on his many years of practical experiences to solve this problem and develop a tape and label applicator having multiple functions. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is to provide a tap and label applicator which comprises a base, an operation rod, a tape cutting unit, and a label stripping unit. The base has two parallel standing plates. The operation rod is disposed between the two standing plates. The tape cutting unit is disposed between the two standing plates. The tape cutting unit comprises a fixed plate, a blade, a protection plate and an elastic member. Two end of the fixed plate is fixed to the two standing plates, respectively. The blade is fixed on one side of the fixed plate. Two ends of the protection plates are pivotally connected to the two standing plates respectively and connected with the elastic member. The protection plate is against one side of the blade opposite to the fixed plate. The label stripping unit is disposed between the two standing plates. The label stripping unit comprises a guide rod, a guide plate and a separating rod. The guide rod is located above the guide plate. A gap is defined between the guide rod and the guide plate. The separating rod is located under the guide plate. A space is defined between the separating rod and the guide plate. At least one roll of tape and one roll of labels are mounted on the tape and label applicator. The tape cutting unit is used to cut the tape of the roll of tape. The label stripping unit can automatically peel off the labels on the roll of labels. The present invention can save the space and avoid loss of the roll of tape and the roll of labels to facilitate the process of packing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of the preferred embodiment when in use; 
         FIG. 5  is a partially enlarged view of the tape cutting unit according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic view showing the operation of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a partially enlarged view of the label stripping unit according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3 , a tap and label applicator  100  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a base  10 , an operation rod  20 , a tape cutting unit  30 , a label stripping unit  40 , and a plurality of separating plates  50 . 
     The base  10  comprises two parallel standing plates  11  and a plurality of support rods  12  between the two standing plates  11 . Each of the standing plates  11  has a notch  13  at a top edge thereof. The notches  13  of the two standing plates  11  correspond in position to each other. The base  10  has a bottom provided with a plurality of suckers  14  and formed with a plurality of hanging holes  15 . 
     The operation rod  20  is disposed between the two standing plates  11 . In this embodiment, the operation rod  20  has two ends each formed with a threaded hole  21  corresponding to the notch  13  for insertion of a fastening member  22 . The fastening member  22  has an enlarged head  221 . The operation rod  20  is engaged between the two standing plates  22  by the fastening member  22 . Furthermore, the operation rod  20  has a plurality of annular grooves  23  around an outer surface thereof. 
     The tape cutting unit  30  is disposed between the two standing plates  11 . The tape cutting unit  30  comprises a fixed plate  31 , a blade  32 , a protection plate  33 , an elastic member  34 , and a first anti-sticking member  35 . Two ends of the fixed plate  31  are fixed to the two standing plates  11 , respectively. The blade  32  is disposed on one side of the fixed plate  31  opposite to the operation rod  20 . Two end of the protection plates  33  are pivotally connected to the two standing plates  11 , respectively, and connected with the elastic member  34 . In this embodiment, the elastic member  34  is a torque spring located at one end of the protection plate  33 . Two ends of the elastic member  34  are defined as a fixed end  341  and an elastic end  342 . The fixed end  341  is fixed to the standing plate  11 . The elastic end  342  is fixed to the protection plate  33  for providing an elastic force to the protection plate  33 , such that the protection plate  33  is against one side of the blade  32  opposite to the fixed plate  31 . The first anti-sticking member  35  is disposed on one side of the protection plate  33  opposite to the blade  32 . In this embodiment, the first anti-sticking member  35  is Velcro. 
     The label stripping unit  40  is disposed between the two standing plates  11  and located under the tape cutting unit  30 . The label stripping unit  40  comprises a guide rod  41 , a guide plate  42 , a separating rod  43 , and a second anti-sticking member  44 . The guide rod  41  is located above the guide plate  42 . A gap is defined between the guide rod  41  and the guide plate  42 . The separating rod  43  is located under the guide plate  42 . A space is defined between the separating rod  43  and the guide plate  42 . In this embodiment, the guide plate  42  faces one side of the separating rod  43 . The guide plate  42  has a guide protrusion  421  corresponding to an outer surface of the separating surface  43 . A space is defined between the guide protrusion  421  and the separating rod  43 . The second anti-sticking member  44  is disposed on the separating rod  43 . In this embodiment, the second anti-sticking member  44  is a spiral member fitted on the separating rod  43 . The guide plate  42  has a plurality of insertion holes  422  thereon. 
     The separating plates  50  are disposed between the operation rod  20  and the label stripping unit  40  and parallel to the two standing plates  11 . In this embodiment, each of the separating plates  50  has an engaging recess  51  at one end thereof close to the operating rod  20  and an insertion post  52  at an opposing end thereof. The engaging recess  51  is engaged with the annular groove  23  and the insertion post  52  is inserted in the insertion hole  422 , such that the separating plate  50  is located between the operation rod  20  and the label stripping unit  40 . 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic view of the preferred embodiment when in use. The tape and label applicator  100  is provided with the tape cutting unit  30  and the label stripping unit  40 . A roll of tape  200  and a roll of labels  300  are mounted on the tape and label applicator  200  which is positioned at a predetermined position by means of the suckers  14  on the base  10  or hanged on a wall by means of the hanging holes  15 . The user can choose to use the tape  201  of the roll of tape  200  and/or the labels  301  of the roll of labels  300 . The roll of tape  200  and the roll of labels  300  are mounted on the same base  10 , which can save the space and avoid loss of the roll of tape and the roll of labels to facilitate the process of packing. 
     When the user wants to mount the roll of tape  200  and the roll of labels  300  on the tape and label applicator  100 , he/she has to take out the separating plates  50  from the base  10 , and loosen the fastening members  22  at the two ends of the operating rod  20 , and then disengage the operation rod  20  from the guide recesses  13  of the two standing plates  11 . After that, the roll of tape  200  and the roll of labels  300  are fitted on the operation rod  20 , the two ends of the operation rod  20  are engaged with the guide recesses  13  again, the fastening members  22  are screwed to secure the operation rod  22  between the two standing plates  11 . The separating plates  50  are adjusted according to the width of the roll of tape  200  and the width of the roll of labels  300  to prevent the roll of tape  200  and the width of the roll of labels  300  from displacement. The tape  201  of the roll of tape  200  is pulled out to be stuck on the first anti-sticking member  35 . The labels  301  of the roll of labels  300  are pulled to pass through gap between the guide rod  41  and the guide plate  42  and the release paper  302  on the back of the labels  301  is to pass through the space between the guide plate  42  and the separating rod  43 . The labels  301  are stuck on the second anti-sticking member  44 , such that the roll of tape  200  and the roll of labels  300  are mounted on the tape and label applicator  100 . It is noted that the first anti-sticking member  35  is Velcro to effectively reduce the contact between the tape  201  and the first anti-sticking member  35 , so the tape  201  can be temporarily stuck and keep its stickiness. In the same principle, the second anti-sticking member  44  is a spiral member to effectively reduce the contact between the labels  301  and the second anti-sticking member  44 , so the labels  301  can be temporarily stuck and keep its stickiness. 
     After the roll of tape  200  and the roll of labels  300  are mounted on the tape and label applicator  100 , they can be used.  FIG. 5  is a partially enlarged view of the tape cutting unit according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 6  is a schematic view showing the operation of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. When the user wants to use the tape  201 , the tape  210  can be taken out from the first anti-sticking member  35  and pulled forward for a desired length and then pulled toward the blade  32 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the protection plate  33  will be rotated along with the tape  201  to expose the blade  32  for cutting the tape  201 . It is noted that when the protection plate  33  is rotated, the protection plate  33  will compress the elastic end  342  of the elastic member  34  to store an existed force which provides the elastic force to return the protection plate  33  after the tape  201  is cut by the blade  32 , preventing the user from being hurt by the blade  32 . 
       FIG. 7  is a partially enlarged view of the label stripping unit according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. When the user wants to use the labels  301 , he/she only pulls the release paper  302 . The release paper  302  passes through the space to from a turning. Accordingly, when the user pulls the release paper  302 , the labels  301  on the release paper  301  will oblique upward to be peeled off and stuck on the second anti-sticking member  44 , such that the user can take out the labels  301  with ease. 
     Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.