The accompanying drawings illustrate several aspects of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
While the invention will be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, there is no intent to limit it to those embodiments. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
The carrier tape 14 has a transverse tape width W, extending along a transverse axis 21 of the carrier tape 14, and opposed first and second release surfaces 22, 24 of the carrier tape 14, with the adhesive segments 12 being arrayed longitudinally along the first release surface 22. As disclosed in the aforementioned commonly assigned patent to Downs, the carrier strip is fabricated in such a manner that a release material is selectively applied on the opposed first and second surfaces 22 and 24, so that the first surface 22 of the carrier tape 14 provides less release than the second surface 24. By virtue of this arrangement, the adhesive segments 12 will adhere more tightly to the first surface of the carrier tape 14 than they do to the second surface of the carrier tape 14, in such a manner that, as the pressure-sensitive adhesive dispensing tape 16 is unwound from the coiled configuration 18, the adhesive segments 12 remain attached to the first surface 22 of the carrier tape 14, and separate from the second surface 24 of the carrier tape 14, in the manner depicted in
The dispenser 20 includes a substantially rigid wire frame 26, and an anvil 28, having a tape contact surface 30 thereof which is adapted for contacting the second surface 24 of the carrier tape 14. The dispenser further includes a guide 32 for receiving the carrier tape 14 after the adhesive segments 12 have been removed, and a braking apparatus 34.
The dispenser 20 includes a substantially rigid wire frame 26, and an anvil 28, having a tape contact surface 30 thereof which is adapted for contacting the second surface 24 of the carrier tape 14. The dispenser further includes a guide 32 for receiving the carrier tape 14 after the adhesive segments 12 have been removed, and a braking apparatus 34.
The reel support 38, of the wire frame 26, is disposed above the base 36 of the wire frame 26, when the base 26 is resting on a horizontal surface, for holding the coiled configuration 18 of the pressure-sensitive adhesive dispensing tape 16 suspended within the dispenser 20, with the first surface 22 of the carrier tape 14 facing outward from the coil 18. The reel support 34 further defines a substantially transversely oriented axis of rotation 48 of the coiled configuration 18 of the pressure-sensitive adhesive dispensing tape 16.
The anvil support 40 of the wire frame 26 is disposed above the reel support 34, and has the anvil 28 attached thereto, with the tape contact surface 30 of the anvil 28 facing upward and oriented substantially horizontally i.e. parallel to the base 36, when the base 36 of the wire frame 26 is resting on a horizontal surface.
As shown in
As shown in
The core 60 of the reel of pressure-sensitive adhesive dispensing tape 16 fits tight enough onto the hub 51, that the core 60 (and the coiled configuration 18 wound onto the core 60) rotate together about the axis of rotation 48.
By virtue of the arrangement of the various components of the exemplary embodiment of the braking apparatus 34, with respect to the reel support 38 and coiled configuration 18, and further by virtue of the threaded connection between the bolt 52 and wing nut 54, a clamping force may be applied to the reel support 38, along the axis of rotation 48, to thereby urge the first and second portions 56, 58 of the reel support 38 into frictional contact with the hub 51, in a manner causing resistance to rotation of the coiled configuration 18 about the axis of rotation 48. By virtue of the fact that the wing nut 34 is selectively movable along the axis of rotation 48, with respect to the bolt 52, using the threaded connection between the bolt 52 and wing nut 54 for selectively adjusting the clamping force applied to the reel support 38, the braking apparatus 34 allows selective adjustment of the degree of frictional contact between the reel support 38 and the hub 51. By adjusting the clamping force, the resistance to rotation of the coiled configuration 18 in the dispenser 20 can be conveniently adjusted to a desired level.
As shown in
In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the distal ends 72, 74 of the single length of wire 66 forming the wire frame 26 are attached to the base 36 by a process such as welding or brazing. In similar fashion, the metallic plate portion 49, of the anvil 28 is welded or brazed to the first and second portions 56, 58 of the anvil support 40, with the first and second portions 56, 58 of the anvil support 40 being respectively formed by the first and second legs 68, 70 of the wire frame 26.
In the exemplary embodiment of the dispenser 20, the guide 32 takes the form of three short lengths of wire 76, which extend across and are welded the first and second legs 68, 70, of the wire frame 26, to form a pair of gaps 78, 80, through which the distal end of the carrier tape 14 may be fed, in the manner illustrated in
As shown in
Operation of the exemplary embodiment of the dispensing apparatus 10 is illustrated in
By pulling on the distal end of the carrier tape 14, a first one of the adhesive segments 12 is positioned above the anvil 28. A credit card 82, or the like, is then pressed downward against the first one of the adhesive segments 12, as shown at position A in
Those having skill in the art will recognize that the adhesive segment dispensing apparatus, of the present invention, provides a number of advantages over prior dispensing apparatuses and methods. The overall construction, and materials utilized in forming the dispenser, according to the invention, results in a dispenser which is significantly more rigid, stable, and durable than prior dispensers. The braking apparatus of the present invention, provides significantly enhanced control of the coiled configuration of the pressure-sensitive adhesive dispensing tape, than did prior dispensing apparatuses and methods. The anvil of the present invention provides significantly improved support of the carrier tape during application of force to remove the pressure-sensitive adhesive segments from the carrier tape 14. The rigid plate portion of the anvil, formed from metal, plastic, or another appropriately rigid material provides improved resistance to excessive application of force by inexperienced or careless operators, and the resilient pad and low coefficient tape contact surface of an anvil, according to the invention, facilitate movement of the carrier tape across the anvil, while providing for consistently reliable rapid bonding of the adhesive segments onto a card or the like.
Those having skill in the art will also recognize, that although the invention has been described herein in terms of particular exemplary embodiments, the invention may be practiced in a variety of other forms, within the scope of the invention. For example, a braking device, in a dispenser according to the invention, may take a significantly different form than the exemplary embodiment of the braking apparatus described above, and may be eliminated in certain alternate embodiments of the invention.
The wire frame, in a dispenser according to the invention, need not be made from a single piece of wire, as disclosed above in relation to the exemplary embodiment. In other embodiments of the invention, it may be desirable to form a wire frame from multiple pieces of wire. The wire frame and its component parts, including the base, reel support and anvil support, may have shapes which differ significantly from the exemplary embodiment described herein.
In similar fashion, in other embodiments of the invention, it may be desirable to include elements formed from sheet material to provide various elements and/or connections between various portions of a wire frame, according to the invention.
The anvil and guide, in alternate embodiments of the invention, may take a variety of other forms, which are mechanically or otherwise appropriately joined to the wire frame. The distal ends of the wire frame may be attached to the base of a wire frame, according to the invention, by other means, such as through a mechanical joint, or adhesive bonding, rather than being welded or brazed, as in the exemplary embodiment.
All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) is to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.
Although the foregoing description of the present invention has been shown and described with reference to particular embodiments and applications thereof, it has been presented for purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the particular embodiments and applications disclosed. It will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that a number of changes, modifications, variations, or alterations to the invention as described herein may be made, none of which depart from the spirit or scope of the present invention. The particular embodiments and applications were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such changes, modifications, variations, and alterations should therefore be seen as being within the scope of the present invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.