Foil tape dispensing device

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6672531
  • Patent Number
    6,672,531
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, July 31, 2002
    21 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, January 6, 2004
    20 years ago
Abstract
A foil tape dispensing device for dispensing aluminum foil tape used for sealing ductwork. The foil tape dispensing device includes a housing having first and second side walls, a top wall and front and back end walls, and also having a compartment disposed therein, and further having an opening being disposed through the first side wall and into the compartment; and also includes a handle being attached to the housing; and further includes an assembly of dispensing foil tape from the housing; and also includes a cutting member being attached to the housing for severing selected lengths of foil tape.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates to tape dispensers and more particularly pertains to a new foil tape dispensing device for dispensing aluminum foil tape used for sealing ductwork.




2. Description of the Prior Art




The use of tape dispensers is known in the prior art. More specifically, tape dispensers heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.




The prior art includes inventions having housings, spools mounted in the housings, and cutting members mounted to the housings for severing the tape from the roll of tape. While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned prior art do not disclose a new foil tape dispensing device.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new foil tape dispensing device which has many of the advantages of the tape dispensers mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new foil tape dispensing device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art tape dispensers, either alone or in any combination thereof. The present invention includes a housing having first and second side walls, a top wall and front and back end walls, and also having a compartment disposed therein, and further having an opening being disposed through the first side wall and into the compartment; and also includes a handle being attached to the housing; and further includes an assembly of dispensing foil tape from the housing; and also includes a cutting member being attached to the housing for severing selected lengths of foil tape. None of the prior art includes the combination of elements of the present invention.




There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the foil tape dispensing device in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.




In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should, not be regarded as limiting.




It is an object of the present invention to provide a new foil tape dispensing device which has many of the advantages of the tape dispensers mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new foil tape dispensing device which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art tape dispensers, either alone or in any combination thereof.




Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new foil tape dispensing device for dispensing aluminum foil tape used for sealing ductwork.




Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new foil tape dispensing device that is easy and convenient to use.




Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new foil tape dispensing device that effectively separates the tape backing from the tape itself.











These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.




BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:





FIG. 1

is a first side elevational view of a new foil tape dispensing device according to the present invention.





FIG. 2

is an exploded perspective view of the present invention.





FIG. 3

is a second side elevational view of the present invention.





FIG. 4

is a second side elevational view of the present invention with the cover being removed.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to

FIGS. 1 through 4

thereof, a new foil tape dispensing device embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral


10


will be described.




As best illustrated in

FIGS. 1 through 4

, the foil tape dispensing device


10


generally comprises a housing


11


having first and second side walls


12


,


13


, a top wall


21


and front and back end walls


14


,


15


, and also having a compartment


19


disposed therein, and further having an opening


18


being disposed through the first side wall


12


and into the compartment


19


. The housing


11


has a laterally-extending opening


20


being disposed through the front end wall


14


near a top thereof for dispensing the foil tape from the housing


11


. The housing


11


has a front portion


16


and a back portion


17


with the compartment


19


being disposed in the front portion


16


.




A handle


22


is conventionally attached to the housing


11


. The handle


22


is integrally attached to the back end wall


15


of the housing


11


, and is shaped like that of a handle of a handgun.




A means of dispensing foil tape


41


from the housing


11


includes a tape dispensing spool


23


being journaled through the second wall


13


and being disposed in the compartment


19


of the housing


11


, and further includes a tape-backing rollup assembly also being mounted to the housing


11


. The tape-backing rollup assembly includes a first sprocket


26


being conventionally mounted to the tape-dispensing spool


23


, and also includes a rotatable shaft


24


being journaled through the second wall


13


and being disposed in the compartment


19


of the housing


11


, and further includes a second sprocket


25


being conventionally mounted to the rotatable shaft


24


, and also includes a crank


28


being detachably attached to the rotatable shaft


24


for keeping the tape-backing taut, and further includes an endless chain


27


being carried about the first and second sprockets


25


,


26


, and also includes a cover [


40


] (not shown) being removably fastened upon the second wall


13


of the housing


11


and enclosing and protecting the first and second sprockets


25


,


26


. The crank


28


includes an eyelet portion


29


and a handle portion


30


with the rotable shaft


24


being removably engaged in the eyelet portion


29


and with the crank


28


being fastened with a fastener


37


to the rotatable shaft


24


. The crank


28


further includes a lug member


38


being conventionally attached to the eyelet portion


29


.




A tape-backing spool


31


is conventionally mounted to the rotatable shaft


24


in the compartment


19


. A tension coiled spring


34


is removably disposed in the tape-backing spool


31


and about the rotatable shaft


24


to provide tension to the tape-backing about the tape-backing spool


31


. An endcap


35


is fastened with a fastener


36


to an outer end of the rotatable shaft


24


. An anti-spring back member


32


is mounted to the rotatable shaft


24


and is engagable to the lug member to keep the tape-backing taut about said tape-backing spool


31


. The anti-spring back member


32


is disc-shaped having a hole centrally-disposed therethrough and also having fin members


33


being extended and angled outwardly from a circumferential edge thereof and being engagable to the lug member


38


to keep the tape-backing taut about said tape-backing spool


31


. A cutting member


39


is conventionally fastened to the housing


11


for severing selected lengths of foil tape


41


. The cutting member


39


is attached at an end of the top wall


21


of the housing


11


, and is spaced from the laterally-extending opening


20


of the housing


11


, and is a blade having a serrated edge for cutting the foil tape


41


.




In use, the user loads a roll of foil tape about the tape-dispensing spool


23


and extends a section of the tape through the laterally-extending opening


20


and wraps the tape backing about the tape-backing spool


31


. The user then pulls upon the tape through the laterally-extending opening


20


which causes the tape-dispensing spool


23


to rotate thus causing the first and second sprockets


25


,


26


to rotate with the tape-backing being taken up by the tape-backing spool


31


as the tape is pulled through the laterally-extending opening


20


; whereupon, the user severs a selected length of tape by cutting it upon the serrated edge of the cutting member


39


.




As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided.




With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.




Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the foil tape dispensing device. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.



Claims
  • 1. A foil tape dispensing device comprising:a housing having first and second side walls, a top wall and front and back end walls, and also having a compartment disposed therein, and further having an opening being disposed through said first side wall and into said compartment, said housing having a laterally-extending opening being disposed through one of said front end wall near a top thereof for dispensing the foil tape from said housing, said housing having a front portion and a back portion, said compartment being disposed in said front portion; a handle being attached to said housing; a means of dispensing foil tape from said housing including a tape-dispensing spool beings journaled through said second wall and being disposed in said compartment of said housing, and further including a tape-backing rollup assembly also being mounted to said housing, said tape-backing rollup assembly including a first sprocket being mounted to said tape-dispensing spool, and further including a rotatable shaft being journaled through said second wall and being disposed in said compartment of said housing, and also including a second sprocket being mounted to said rotatable shaft, and further includes a crank being detachably attached to said rotatable shaft for keeping the tape-backing taut, and also includes an endless chain being carried about said first and second sprockets, and further including a tape-backing spool being mounted to said rotatable shaft in said compartment, and further including a coiled spring being removably disposed in said tape-backing spool and about said rotatable shaft to provide tension to the tape-backing about the tape-backing spool, and also including an endcap being fastened with a fastener to an outer end of said rotatable shaft, and further including an anti-spring back member being mounted to said rotatable shaft and being engageable to said lug member to keep the tape-backing taut about said tape-backing spool; and a cutting member being attached to said housing for severing selected lengths of foil tape.
  • 2. A foil tape dispensing device as described in claim 1, wherein said crank includes an eyelet portion and a handle portion with said rotatable shaft being removably engaged in said eyelet portion and with said crank being fastened to said rotatable shaft, said crank further including a lug member being attached to said eyelet portion.
  • 3. A foil tape dispensing device as described in claim 2, wherein said anti-spring back member is disc-shaped having a hole centrally-disposed therethrough and also having fin members being extended and angled outwardly from a circumferential edge thereof and being engageable to said lug member to keep the tape-backing taut about said tape-backing spool.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Number Name Date Kind
3969181 Seabold Jul 1976 A
4089730 Mahn May 1978 A
4574030 Pilcher Mar 1986 A
4880490 MacIntyre Nov 1989 A
6098690 Robichaud Aug 2000 A