Patent ID: 8083114

Claim:
In a tape dispenser having a spool portion for dispensing a tape, a cutting portion; a cutting blade mounted on the cutting portion and adapted to cut tape fed from the spool portion, a blade guard slidably mounted on the cutting portion adjacent to the cutting blade for selective movement between blade-covering and blade-exposing positions, wherein the blade guard and the cutting portion are configured to selectively retain the blade guard in the blade covering and blade exposing positions; the cutting portion includes a cutting bar supporting the cutting blade and with a face extending axially from the cutting blade and the blade guard is slidably mounted to the face of the cutting bar; wherein the blade guard further includes at least one spring element in sliding tensioned contact with the cutting face, wherein the at least on spring element is positioned on the blade guard so that it tends to push a lower end of the blade guard away from the cutting bar face and to push an upper blade-covering end of the blade guard toward the cutter bar face when the blade guard is in the blade covering position; wherein the cutting bar face has a slot and the blade guard comprises a T-shaped follower with a stem that extends through the slot and ears that are retained on a rear surface of the cutting bar behind the face for sliding movement of the blade guard on the cutting bar.