Tape dispenser from a single stamping operation
OwnerNeal D. Rohrerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus comprising a flexible plastic rectangular frame with a tape cutting edge; the sides of the frame flex to accommodate mounting on to a spool of pressure sensitive adhesive backed tape and are so formed as to retain the tape spool during dispensing and cutting variable lengths of the tape. The apparatus allows the tape to be dispensed upon application, cut to desired length, and upon cutting, provides capture of the supply end of the tape to ease the dispensing of additional lengths of tape. The tape spool is held within the frame by the spring tension exerted by the frame side as it is distorted during mounting of the dispenser to the tape spool.
Claims6
A tape dispenser comprising:
- A. a substantially rectangular and planar frame comprising:
- a first end wall that provides alignment to the tape spool and provides tension contact to maintain mounting to the tape spool;
- a first side wall that connects perpendicularly to said first end wall;
- a cutter end wall that connects perpendicularly to the first side wall, that has an upward bend from the plane of the first side wall and first end wall, that also provides alignment to the tape spool and also provides tension contact to maintain mounting to the tape spool;
- a second side wall that connects perpendicularly to the cutter end wall, is parallel to said first side wall, and provides spring tension to hold the frame to the tape spool;
- a third side wall that connects perpendicularly to the first end wall and is parallel to the first side wall and is parallel to or aligned with the second side wall;
- and
- a guide tab, which is perpendicularly connected to the second side wall and is parallel to the first end wall and is in the same plane as said first end wall while unattached, but is used to provide contact tension to the inner surface of the tape spool while attached to the tape spool, and wherein the guide tab is situated between the second side wall and the third side wall;
- B. a cutter portion attached to the cutter end wall of the frame allowing for cutting tape and for capture of a supply end of tape, said cutter end wall is bent to allow for the cutter to be placed at a higher point in reference to the frame;
- and
- C. two safety edges attached to the cutter end wall, which protects the user from the cutter portion exposure;
- whereby the dispenser is attached to the tape spool by exerting pressure to the combination of the two end walls and the guide tab, thereby distorting the second side wall while the tape dispenser is mounted to the tape spool, the dispenser being secured to the tape spool by the exertion of the combined downwards pressure of the of the two end walls on the outer surface of the tape spool and the opposing upwards pressure exerted by the guide tab on the inner surface of the tape spool.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.