Adhesive tape dispenser for folded edge tape

A handheld tape dispenser adapted to dispense lengths of adhesive tape having a generally uniform width, a pressure sensitive adhesive bearing surface and a non-adhesive surface from a roll of adhesive tape wound upon a core comprising:

• a first plastic side wall having a forward end, a rearward end, a top edge, and a hub portion near the rearward end;
• a second plastic side wall having a forward end, a rearward end, a top edge, and a hub portion near the rearward end;
• said hub portions comprising integrally molded projections upon which the core is mounted;
• a plastic connecting portion extending between the first side wall and the second side wall and connecting the first side wall and the second side wall with the first side wall and the second side wall being generally parallel to one another;
• a cutter adjacent the forward end of the first side wall and the forward end of the second side wall, the cutter adapted to separate a dispensed length of tape from the roll of adhesive tape;
• an edge folding guide extending between and intersecting the first side wall and the second side wall, said edge folding guide having a generally planar surface adapted to confront the non-adhesive surface of the lengths of adhesive tape, at least one inwardly facing surface generally perpendicular to the first generally planar surface, said at least one inwardly facing surface having an end proximal the cutter and an end distal the cutter and converging toward a central plane between the first side wall and the second side wall from the distal end to the proximal end;
• a guide member adjacent to the inwardly facing surface;
• the guide member, the inwardly facing surface and the first generally planar surface defining a guide slot adapted to engage one of the edges of the lengths of tape and fold the edge of the lengths of tape in a longitudinal fold with portions of the pressure sensitive adhesive bearing surface confronting one another;
• a guide roller extending between and intersecting the first side wall and the second side wall and oriented to engage the pressure sensitive adhesive bearing surface of said adhesive tape, said guide roller disposed between the rearward end of the tape dispenser and the edge folding guide;
• and
• a compression element between the guide slot and the cutter adapted to apply pressure to the lengths of tape bringing the confronting adhesive surface portions into contact;
• and
• said hand held tape dispenser having an orientation for tape application wherein the tape roll forms a lower surface and the compression element forms a lower surface such that the compression element engages only the non-adhesive surface of the tape and applies pressure to a non-adhesive bearing surface of the tape to cause said pressure sensitive adhesive bearing surface to contact an object to which said tape is being applied, and wherein said cutter is disposed above said compression element during tape application.

A method of threading an edge folding tape dispenser and dispensing tape comprising:

• providing a roll of adhesive tape;
• providing a tape dispenser having a first side wall having a forward end, a rearward end, a top edge, and a hub portion near the rearward end;
• a second side wall having a forward end, a rearward end, a top edge, and a hub portion near the rearward end;
• a connecting portion extending between the first side wall and the second side wall and connecting the first side wall and the second side wall with the first side wall and the second side wall being generally parallel to one another;
• a cutter adjacent the forward end of the first side wall and the forward end of the second side wall, the cutter adapted to separate a dispensed length of tape from the roll of adhesive tape;
• an edge folding guide having a first generally planar surface adapted to confront a non-adhesive surface of the adhesive tape, at least one inwardly facing surface generally perpendicular to the first generally planar surface, at least one inwardly facing surface having an end proximal the cutter and an end distal the cutter and converging toward a central plane between the first side wall and the second side wall from the distal end to the proximal end, a guide member adjacent to the inwardly facing surface;
• the guide member, the inwardly facing surface and the first generally planar surface defining a guide slot adapted to engage one of the edges of the adhesive tape and fold the edge of the adhesive tape in a longitudinal fold with portions of the adhesive bearing surface confronting one another;
• the edge folding guide being rotatable with respect to the first side wall and the second side wall about an axis adjacent its proximal end, and a guide roller being mounted on the edge folding guide adjacent its distal end;
• said guide roller providing releasable engagement with at least one of the first and second side walls and, a compression element between the guide slot and the cutter and rotatably secured to the first and second side walls and adapted to apply pressure to the lengths of tape bringing the confronting adhesive surface portions into contact;
• rotating the edge folding guide about a longitudinal axis of the compression element and into a tape threading position by releasing the guide roller engagement with the side walls;
• threading a length of tape from the roll of tape into engagement with the first guide roller and adjacent to the guide slot;
• rotating the edge folding guide into a dispensing position for dispensing lengths of tape with folded edges;
• and
• grasping a top surface of said tape dispenser with a hand and applying the adhesive bearing surface of the tape to an object.