Patent ID: 8579001

Claim:
A tape applicator comprising: (a) a tape feeding device that feeds a tape wound around a shaft core in a forward direction, wherein the tape feeding device comprises (i) a substantially cylindrical drawing roller rotatable together with the tape, wherein the drawing roller includes a ratchet wheel rotated in the forward direction together with the drawing roller; (ii) a releasing roller feeding the tape in the forward direction while the releasing roller releases a leading end of the tape by rotating together with the rotation of the drawing roller; and (iii) a belt that couples the drawing roller and the releasing roller; (b) a tape holding body that rotationally holds the tape and supports the tape feeding device; (c) an application unit that is supported by the tape holding body and that has an application roller for pressingly contacting the tape onto an application target surface and a cutting blade, wherein the cutting blade is arranged so as to be swingably moveable between the application roller and the drawing roller; and (d) a case that accommodates the tape holding body, wherein the leading end of the tape is reserved in a released state, and the case includes a driving unit including (i) a driving transmission member having an operating pawl engaged with teeth of the ratchet wheel; (ii) a returning spring that biases the driving transmission member to promote engagement of the ratchet wheel and the operating pawl, and the driving transmission member is arranged sidewise in an axial direction of the ratchet wheel; and (iii) a driving claw disposed to drive the cutting blade so that the cutting blade cuts the tape when the driving unit is returned.