Reusable dispenser for packaging tapes, and combination dispenser and tape roll

A dispenser for packaging tape, comprising:

• (a) wall means to define a chamber sized to loosely receive a roll of packaging tape,
• said wall means being formed of synthetic resin,
• said wall means including opposed sidewalls that are generally parallel to each other,
• said sidewalls being sufficiently thin to be flexible and elastic,
• said sidewalls having large openings therein,
• a portion of said wall means between said sidewalls having an opening therein,
• said opening being so located and sized that said tape roll may be passed therethrough, in a direction parallel to said sidewalls, to a position in said chamber between said sidewalls,
• (b) bearing elements mounted on said opposed sidewalls and extending inwardly therefrom,
• said bearing elements being adapted to extend part way into the opening in the core of said tape roll, and to provide bearing support for said roll as tape is dispensed therefrom,
• the amount of said inward extension of said bearing elements being sufficiently small that, when said sidewalls are manually flexed apart, said tape roll may be inserted through said opening into said chamber, said tape roll passing between the inner portions of said bearing elements, said bearing elements penetrating, after said flexed sidewalls resume their unflexed conditions, into the opening in the core of said tape roll,
• said bearing elements being shaped with outer bearing regions adapted to have the inner cylindrical surface of said core slide thereon during dispensing of tape from said roll,
• said bearing elements also being shaped with inclined cam regions adapted to cam said sidewalls apart during insertion or removal of said tape roll or its core,
• said openings in said sidewalls being substantially smaller in diameter than is the opening in the core of said tape roll,
• there being a plurality of bearing elements on each of said sidewalls,
• said bearing elements being integral with said sidewalls and arranged around said openings in said sidewalls,
• said inclined cam regions converging toward said openings in said sidewalls,
• (c) dispensing opening means in said wall means, through which tape may be dispensed from said roll, and
• (d) means on said wall means to sever the tape after a length of tape has been dispensed from said roll.

A dispenser for packaging tape, comprising:

• (a) wall means to define a chamber sized to loosely receive a roll of packaging tape,
• said wall means being formed of synthetic resin, said wall means including opposed sidewalls that are generally parallel to each other, and front and rear walls connecting said sidewalls,
• said sidewalls being sufficiently thin to be flexible and elastic,
• a portion of said wall means between said sidewalls having an opening therein,
• said opening being so located and sized that said tape roll may be passed therethrough, in a direction parallel to said sidewalls, to a position in said chamber between said sidewalls,
• (b) bearing and cam means mounted on said opposed sidewalls and extending inwardly therefrom,
• (said bearing and cam means being adapted to extend part way into the opening in the core of said tape roll, and to provide bearing support for said roll as tape is dispensed therefrom,
• the amount of said inward extension of said bearing and cam means being sufficiently small that, when said sidewalls are manually flexed apart, said tape roll may be inserted through said opening into said chamber, said tape roll passing between the inner portions of said bearing and cam means, said bearing and cam means penetrating, after said flexed sidewalls resume their unflexed conditions, into the opening in the core of said tape roll,
• said bearing and cam means being shaped with inclined cam regions adapted to cam said sidewalls away from each other during insertion of removal of said tape roll or its core,
• the amount of movement of said sidewalls away from each other being sufficient to permit passage of said tape roll or its core therepast,
• said sidewalls then moving toward each other due to their elasticity, to cause said bearing and cam means to penetrate into said core opening,
• (c) dispensing opening means in said wall means, through which tape may be dispensed from said roll, and
• (d) means on said wall means to sever the tape after a length of tape has been dispensed from said roll.

A dispenser for packaging tape, comprising:

• (a) opposed substantially parallel sidewalls spaced apart sufficiently far that a roll of packaging tape may be disposed therebetween without binding relative to those sidewall surfaces nearest the opposite sidewalls,
• said sidewalls being formed of synthetic resin,
• (b) wall means extending between peripheral regions of said sidewalls to hold said peripheral regions substantially fixed relative to each other except at at least one portion thereof, said one portion being a large opening recited below,
• said sidewalls and said wall means forming a polyhedron, said wall means being formed of synthetic resin,
• (c) a large opening formed in said wall means,
• said large opening being sufficiently large to receive a roll of packaging tape when said roll is in full and unused condition, said large opening being so located and sized that said tape roll may be passed therethrough, in a direction parallel to said sidewalls, to a position in a chamber that is defined between said sidewalls,
• (d) bearing elements mounted on said opposed sidewalls and extending inwardly therefrom,
• said bearing elements being adapted to extend part way into the opening in the core of said tape roll, and to provide bearing support for said roll as tape is dispensed therefrom,
• the amount of said inward extension of said bearing element being sufficiently small that, when said sidewalls are manually flexed apart, said tape roll may be inserted through said large opening in said chamber, said tape roll passing between the inner portions of said bearing elements, said bearing elements penetrating, after said flexed sidewalls resume their unflexed conditions, into said opening in sad core of said tape roll,
• (e) dispensing opening means in said wall means,
• said dispensing opening means being a relatively small opening through which tape may be pulled from said tape roll and thus cause said tape roll to rotate on said bearing means, and
• (f) means on said wall means to sever said tape after a length of tape has been dispensed from said tape roll.