Patent Publication Number: US-2009230163-A1

Title: Adhesive tape dispenser

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to adhesive tape dispensers, and more particularly to a tape dispenser having a high degree of sanitation and safety for medical institutions. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     Adhesive tape dispensers, whether they are desktop dispensers or hand-held dispensers, are usually structured as shown in  FIG. 6 . As illustrated, the body  21  of the dispenser is formed by two parallel pieces joined together along their bottom edges by a lateral piece. The two pieces also forms a hub (not numbered) in the center for the installation of a tape roll  20 . A cutting edge  22  is then provided at a front end of the lateral piece. For this type of tape dispensers, the tape roll  20  is completely exposed and therefore could be easily contaminated. As such, a tape dispenser as shown in  FIG. 7  is usually used in hospitals or medical institutions where hygiene is a major concern. As illustrated, the tape roll  20  is almost completely hidden in a housing of the integrally formed body  21 . However, in order to pull out the tape, an opening  23  is still required and part of the tape roll  20  is again exposed. Moreover, in this type of tape dispensers, the cutting edge  22  is pointed upward and even more exposed than the previous design. In other words, these tape dispensers still are not appropriate for use in medical institutions where high degrees of sanitation and safety are required. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a novel tape dispenser herein to obviate the shortcomings of conventional tape dispensers in terms of sanitation and safety. 
     According to the present invention, the tape dispenser completely conceals its tape roll in a tightly closed housing. A removable cover extended from a major side or a top side of the tape dispenser&#39;s body is provided. At least a major side of the tape dispenser&#39;s body has a curved recession. As such, when the cover is opened, a section of the adhesive tape and a cutting edge at a front edge of a bottom side of the tape dispenser&#39;s body is exposed in a front opening and the recession for easy and convenient access. 
     The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts. 
     Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective-view diagram showing the body of a tape dispenser according to a first embodiment of the present invention when the body is unfolded. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective-view diagram showing the body of the tape dispenser of  FIG. 1  when it is folded. 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional-view diagram showing the inside of the tape dispenser of  FIG. 1  with a tape roll inside the body. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective-view diagram showing the body of a tape dispenser according to a second embodiment of the present invention when the body is unfolded. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective-view diagram showing the body of the tape dispenser of  FIG. 4  when it is folded. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective-view diagram showing a conventional tape dispenser. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective-view diagram showing another conventional tape dispenser. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
     A tape dispenser according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 . The tape dispenser has an integrally formed body  10  that can be unfolded as shown in  FIG. 1  and folded into a hollow casing with a front opening as shown in  FIG. 2 . The body  10  has two opposing major sides, each having a protrusion  11  on an inner surface of the major sides. When the body  10  is folded, the two protrusions  11  jointly form a hub for a tape roll  20  (see  FIG. 3 ). The adhesive tape therefore could be pulled out of the body  10  from the tape roll  20  via the front opening and then cut by a saw-tooth cutting edge  13  positioned at a front edge of a bottom side of the body  10 . Please note that the saw-teeth of the cutting edge  13  could be further sharpened by gradually decreasing its thickness towards their tips. 
     A first major side has a curved recession  12  along a front edge boarding on said front opening. On the other hand, a cover  14  is extended from a second major side opposite to the first major side. The cover  14  is appropriately shaped and perforated so that it could be bended to cover entirely the front opening, the cutting edge  13 , and the recession  12 . As such, the tape roll  20  is tightly closed inside the body  10 , achieving a high degree of storage safety and usage sanitation. 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  show a tape dispenser according to a second embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated, the cover  14  is hinged to or extended from a front side of the body  10  by a perforation  15 . The two major sides of the body  10  have corresponding curved recessions  12  along their front edges bordering on the front opening, respectively. The cover  14  is appropriately shaped so that the front opening, the cutting edge  13 , and the recessions  12  could be tightly closed and sealed inside the body  10  when the cover  14  is closed. Furthermore, the cutting edge  13  could be positioned slightly into the body  10  and a protection rim  16  extended from a front bottom edge of the cover  14  is arranged to cover the cutting edge  13  entirely and to provide additional safety guard against the sharp teeth of the cutting edge  13 . The protection rim  16  could be designed so that it snaps onto the bottom side of the body  10  to achieve reliable locking of the cover  14  to the body  10 . 
     According to the foregoing description, a tape dispenser according to the present invention has the tape roll and the cutting edge as well completely sealed inside the tape dispenser&#39;s body to prevent the tape roll from contamination when the tape dispenser is not used and to prevent a user accidentally cut by the tape dispenser. By opening the removable cover of the tape dispenser, the adhesive tape could be easily and conveniently accessed as the conventional tape dispensers. 
     It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above. 
     While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.