Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6171439
-
Patent Number
6,171,439
-
Date Filed
Thursday, October 15, 199825 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, January 9, 200123 years ago
-
Inventors
-
-
Examiners
Agents
- Van Dyke, Gardner, Linn & Burkhart, LLP
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 156 344
- 156 584
- 221 73
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A manual stamp dispenser encases a roll of stamps or labels within a housing and provides tension to the roll as the stamps are advanced and discharged therefrom. The stamps are adhered to a backing strip by a pressure sensitive adhesive such that the stamps are released from the backing strip by reverse bending the strip around a dispensing surface. Tension is provided to the stamp strip by a tensioning tab on a supply roll holder and a tensioning arm positioned along a guide surface between the supply roll holder and the dispensing surface.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to stamp or label dispensers, and more particularly to dispensers for dispensing stamps, labels or the like that are removably secured to a backing strip.
Historically, stamps or labels have had adhesive backing which required moisture to be applied thereto prior to applying the stamp or label to an envelope or the like. These stamps were typically supplied in rolls, where a single stamp was torn from the roll, moistened, and then applied to the desired surface. Several dispensers have been commercially produced which allow for dispensing of a single stamp or label at a time, while the remaining portion of the roll remains within the dispenser. More recently, however, self-adhesive stamps and labels are provided on a backing strip which allows a stamp or label to be peeled off from the backing strip for direct application onto an envelope without the need for applying moisture.
In order to dispense stamps from a backing strip, the strip of stamps may be pulled over a surface or edge that substantially changes the direction of travel of the stamp strip. By pulling the backing strip along a sharp bend, the pressure sensitive adhesive that adheres the stamps to the backing strip releases the stamp, which allows the stamp to be discharged in the initial direction of travel while the backing strip is pulled in another direction.
To date, several dispensers for dispensing labels that are attached to a backing strip have been proposed. Many of the proposed designs include a housing in which is placed a roll of labels. The roll is unwound as the backing strip is pulled out of an opening in the housing. The backing strip is often pulled through a sharp turn at an exterior location of the housing such that each label becomes detached from the backing strip, as the labels do not bend around the turn with the backing strip. While such a dispenser may dispense the labels separate from the backing strip, the backing strip is often simply pulled outward from the housing, and has to be separately torn and thrown away after a substantial amount has been pulled from the housing.
Other dispensers have been proposed that include an internal take up spool upon which is wound the backing strip after the label has been discharged from the dispenser. These proposed dispensers typically include a supply roll holder and a take up spool, where the labels and backing strip are guided along a path to a sharp bend in the path where the labels are discharged from the backing strip. However, many of the designs fail to provide tension to the strip of stamps, which results in slack in the stamp strip. Slack in the strip leads to difficulty in discharging the label from the backing strip as the stamp or label then may have enough slack to bend along with the backing strip around the sharp bend in the path.
In order to reduce the slack encountered by the stamp strip, other proposed devices implement additional rollers which allow the stamp strip to roll therebetween. While such a design may reduce slack in the dispenser, it is typically a costly device as there are additional moving parts that must be adjusted properly so as to avoid over and under tensioning of the stamp strip.
Consequently, there is a need for a stamp dispenser for dispensing stamps from a backing strip, which provides for an internal take up roll for the backing strip to allow for easy disposal of the backing strip only when the supply roll of stamps is replaced in the dispenser. Furthermore, there is a need for a dispenser to provide an appropriate amount of tension to the strip of stamps or labels so that the last stamp on the strip is discharged as easily as the first stamp, while avoiding additional moving parts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention provides a manual stamp dispenser for dispensing labels or stamps that are secured to a backing strip, and further provides tension to the strip of labels throughout the entire supply roll, including the last stamp removed from the strip.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a stamp dispenser is adapted for dispensing stamps that are adhered to a backing strip. The stamp dispenser comprises a supply holder, a dispensing surface, a guide surface, a tensioning arm and a take up spool. The supply holder holds a supply of stamps therein and has an opening through which the strip of stamps is advanced. The guide surface guides the stamps from the supply holder to the dispensing surface, which provides an edge for releasing the stamps from the backing strip. The tensioning arm is positioned between the guide surface and dispensing surface and contacts a surface of the stamp strip as the stamp strip is advanced. The stamp strip is thus diverted from a height corresponding to the guide surface thereby providing resistance to advancement of the stamp strip to reduce slack in the stamp strip. The supply holder, guide surface, and take up spool may all be encased within a housing assembly.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the stamp dispenser includes a tensioning tab on the supply roll holder, which extends partially across the opening in the supply holder, and contacts a surface of the stamp strip as it is pulled therefrom. The tensioning tab provides resistance to movement of the stamp strip so as to avoid slack in the strip of stamps as the supply roll is unrolled.
As will be understood, the dispenser of the present invention provides several advantages over the prior art. The dispenser allows the backing strip to be collected on a single spool within the housing for easy disposal when the supply roll is replaced. Furthermore, the dispenser provides at least one tensioning device, which provides tension in the strip of stamps throughout the entire roll of stamps. Each of the tensioning devices of the present invention improve upon the performance of the stamp dispenser without the necessity of additional rollers or other moving parts that are present in the prior art.
These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of the invention, will become more apparent from the study of the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of the present invention;
FIG. 2
is an end view of the present invention;
FIG. 3
is a cross-sectional view of the present invention taken substantially along line III—III in
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 4
is a cross-sectional view of the present invention taken substantially along line IV—IV in
FIG. 1
; and
FIG. 5
is the same view as
FIG. 3
, with a roll of stamps included in the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, there is shown in
FIG. 1
a manual stamp dispenser
10
for dispensing stamps, labels or the like
12
. Stamps
12
have a pressure sensitive adhesive backing such that stamps
12
adhere to a backing strip
14
before being dispensed by stamp dispenser
10
. Stamp dispenser
10
includes a housing
16
and a base
34
. Within housing
16
of stamp dispenser
10
, as shown in
FIG. 3
, is a supply roll holder
18
, a guide member
20
, a tensioning arm
22
and a take up spool
24
. As a knob
25
on an exterior surface
27
of housing
16
is turned, take up spool
24
winds backing strip
14
which pulls a strip of stamps
26
along guide member
20
. Guide member
20
guides stamp strip
26
from supply roll holder
18
, under tensioning arm
22
and toward a dispensing edge
28
of guide member
20
. Backing strip
14
substantially reverses direction as it is pulled around dispensing edge
28
, thereby releasing stamps
12
from backing strip
14
. As best seen in
FIG. 5
, while stamps
12
are guided along guide member
20
, tensioning arm
22
contacts a surface
30
of stamp strip
26
to provide tension to strip
26
, thereby avoiding slack in stamp strip
26
as a supply roll
32
is depleted.
As shown in
FIGS. 1 and 3
, housing
16
of stamp dispenser
10
is mounted on base
34
and includes a backing plate
36
and a cover
38
. Base
34
includes a cavity
35
in which a weight (not shown) may be provided to provide additional stability of stamp dispenser
10
during use. Backing plate
36
is preferably secured along a lower edge
40
to an upper surface
33
of base
34
with a fastener
37
or the like. Backing plate
36
may further include a plurality of tabs
39
along lower edge
40
which insert into corresponding slots
41
along upper surface
33
of base
34
to rigidly secure backing plate
36
to base
34
. Alternatively, backing plate
36
may be integrally molded with base
34
. As further shown in
FIG. 2
, knob
25
is rotatably positioned on exterior surface
27
of housing
16
, preferably extending outward from backing plate
36
.
Cover
38
is preferably removably mounted to both base
34
and backing plate
36
with a plurality of base tabs
42
extending into corresponding slots
44
in upper surface
33
of base
34
and a plurality of backing plate tabs
46
extending into corresponding slots
48
along an upper edge
50
of backing plate
36
. Although base
34
, backing plate
36
and cover
38
are preferably assembled in a manner which allows for easy assembly and disassembly of housing
16
, clearly other attaching means may be implemented without affecting the scope of the present invention. At a dispensing end
52
of cover
38
, cover
38
includes a dispensing slot
54
at a location corresponding to dispensing edge
28
, such that dispensing edge
28
protrudes through dispensing slot
54
, which thereby forms an exit opening and a return opening for stamp strip
26
and backing strip
14
, respectively. Cover
38
may further include a view slot
56
extending along a front portion
58
of cover
38
to allow a user of stamp dispenser
10
to easily determine when the supply roll is nearing its end.
As discussed above, housing
16
encases a supply roll holder
18
, a guide member
20
, a tensioning arm
22
and a take up spool
24
, all of which are preferably mounted to backing plate
36
such that each one extends from an interior surface
61
of backing plate
36
into a cavity
60
formed when cover
38
is secured to backing plate
36
and base
34
. Most preferably, backing plate
36
, supply roll holder
18
, guide member
20
, and tensioning arm
22
are unitarily formed or molded from a single piece of durable material, such as plastic or the like. However, it should be understood that one or more of the components of tape dispenser
10
may be formed from other materials including metal. As shown in
FIG. 3
, supply roll holder
18
has a substantially circular wall, extending outward from interior surface
61
of backing plate
36
to form a cylindrical cavity
62
into which a supply roll
32
of stamps may be placed. The depth of cylindrical cavity
62
may vary accordingly with the width of the strips of stamps that will be dispensed by stamp dispenser
10
. However, it should be understood that the depth of cylindrical cavity
62
may exceed in width of the backing strip. Supply roll holder
18
includes a slot
64
along the longitudinal axis of cylindrical cavity
62
through which stamp strip
26
may be fed. Supply roll holder
18
may further include a tensioning tab
66
, which extends downward and partially across slot
64
to a level substantially similar, and more preferably slightly below that of an upper edge
68
of supply roll holder
18
, which bounds the lower end of slot
64
. Tensioning tab
66
may be implemented to provide additional tension to stamp strip
26
, as discussed below.
Extending between supply roll holder
18
and dispensing edge
28
is guide member
20
. Guide member
20
may be formed integrally with supply roll holder
18
, such that guide member
20
extends from edge
68
of supply roll holder
18
toward dispensing end
52
, providing a smooth transitional edge
70
for stamp strip
26
to slide over as the stamps are unrolled from supply roll holder
18
. Guide member
20
may further include a first substantially horizontal flat guide surface
72
of preferably the same width as supply roll holder, a second substantially horizontal flat guide surface or dispensing surface
76
and a lower section
74
which is positioned between the two guide surfaces
72
and
76
. Lower section
74
is preferably unitarily formed with the guide surfaces such that each end
78
a
and
78
b
of lower section
74
is connected to guide surface
72
and dispensing surface
76
by a substantially vertical sections
80
a
and
80
b
, respectively, thereby forming a substantially U-shaped section of guide member
20
. Dispensing surface
76
is positioned at a level generally corresponding to that of guide surface
72
and extends at least partially through dispensing slot
54
in cover
38
. Dispensing surface
76
further includes dispensing edge
28
at one end, which provides a smooth, slightly rounded edge
28
over which backing strip
14
may travel as stamps
12
are released therefrom.
Tensioning arm
22
preferably extends outward from backing plate
36
into cavity
60
and has a smooth curved contact surface
82
on its lower end. As shown in
FIG. 3
, tensioning arm
22
is positioned above lower section
74
of guide member
20
with contact surface
82
being at a level below that of guide surface
72
and dispensing surface
76
of guide member
20
. A stiffening rib
84
is further included along tensioning arm
22
to substantially reduce flexing or bending.
As best shown in
FIG. 4
, take up spool
24
includes a generally longitudinally elongated pin
86
, which is divided by a slot
88
extending longitudinally therealong from backing plate
36
to a free end
89
of pin
86
. Knob
25
is secured at an end
90
of pin
86
opposite free end
89
, such that pin
86
of take up spool
24
may be turned by a user from outside of housing
16
. Take up spool
24
preferably inserts through an aperture
92
in backing plate
36
and extends inward into cavity
60
of housing
16
. Backing plate
36
may include a curved surface
94
surrounding aperture
92
to provide clearance between backing plate
36
and knob
25
and to enhance the appearance of stamp dispenser
10
. Take up spool
24
is rotatably secured to backing plate
36
by a lock washer
96
, which rotates within a recess
98
in interior surface
61
of backing plate
36
. Pin
86
is inserted through lock washer
96
, which resists longitudinal movement of take up spool
24
, while allowing rotation of knob
25
and pin
86
. Although a lock washer is described herein, clearly other methods of rotatably securing the take up spool to stamp dispenser
10
may be implemented without affecting the scope of the present invention. The length of elongated pin
86
may be such that take up spool
24
extends outward from backing plate
36
further than supply roll holder
18
and guide member
20
. An indentation
100
may be further provided in an interior surface
102
of cover
38
into which cylindrical pin
86
may extend, thereby providing support to free end
89
of pin
86
.
Stamp dispenser
10
is preferably molded from a durable plastic material, which allows supply roll holder
18
, guide member
20
and tensioning arm
22
to be integrally molded with backing plate
36
. Furthermore, stamp dispenser
10
is suitable for setting out on a desk, counter top or the like, as the rounded edges and the substantially enclosed path of the stamp strip provide a finished appearance to stamp dispenser
10
. Base
34
provides stability to stamp dispenser
10
such that stamps may easily be advanced and discharged simply by rotating knob
25
, without tipping stamp dispenser
10
.
Referring now to
FIG. 5
, a lead end
104
of backing strip
14
is inserted within slot
88
along elongated pin
86
, such that as pin
86
is rotated by turning knob
25
, backing strip
14
is wrapped around pin
86
, which functions to advance stamp strip
26
from supply roll holder
18
through stamp dispenser
10
. A lower edge
106
of dispensing slot
56
in cover
38
is positioned a predetermined distance below dispensing surface
76
to provide clearance for backing strip
14
to travel from dispensing edge
28
toward take up spool
24
without contacting cover
38
.
Stamp strip
26
originates from a supply roll
32
of stamps which is positioned within supply roll holder
18
such that the roll is unwound in a direction A. As take up spool
24
is rotated, stamp strip
26
is advanced through opening
64
in supply roll holder
18
, over transitional edge
70
, along guide surface
72
, downward and under tensioning arm
22
and upward and onto dispensing surface
76
. Stamp strip
26
is pulled to dispensing edge
28
, where backing strip
14
is sharply bent or substantially reversed around dispensing edge
28
toward take up spool
24
. This acute bending of backing strip
14
causes stamps
12
to be discharged from backing strip
14
, as each stamp
12
is of a material substantially more rigid than backing strip
14
. Therefore, as backing strip
14
is pulled sharply away from stamps
12
, the pressure sensitive adhesive on stamps
12
releases the stamps from backing strip
14
. Stamps
12
therefore continue along the direction of dispensing surface
76
rather than bending about dispensing edge
28
with backing strip
14
.
As mentioned above, tensioning tab
66
may be provided on supply roll holder
18
to add resistance to movement of stamp strip
26
as stamps are dispensed by stamp dispenser
10
. Tensioning tab
66
substantially reduces any potential slack or upward curving of stamp strip
26
over guide surface
72
, thereby maintaining tension in stamp strip
26
and causing stamp strip
26
to travel substantially horizontally along guide surface
72
. Because supply roll
32
unwinds in direction A and tensioning tab
66
extends across slot
64
and downward to a level substantially similar to and more preferably slightly beneath that of guide surface
72
, tensioning tab
66
contacts surface
30
of stamp strip
26
as stamp strip advances through slot
64
. The contact between tensioning tab
66
and surface
30
provides resistance to movement of stamp strip
26
as stamp strip
26
must bend upward so as to curve around transitional edge
70
of supply roll holder
18
as stamp strip
26
is advanced through slot
64
in supply holder
18
. Therefore, slack in stamp strip
26
is greatly reduced throughout the depletion of supply roll
32
, even as the last stamps are pulled through slot
64
.
As stamp strip
26
is further pulled along guide surface
72
toward dispensing surface
76
, stamp strip
26
may be tensioned by tensioning arm
22
. Contact surface
82
of tensioning arm
22
contacts surface
30
of stamp strip
26
such that stamp strip
26
is deflected downward toward lower section
74
, between guide surface
72
and dispensing surface
76
. Stamp strip
26
is then guided upward onto dispensing surface
76
toward dispensing edge
28
by vertical section
80
b
. The curved surface of contact surface
82
allows stamp strip
26
to contact tensioning arm
22
over a substantial portion of contact surface
82
, which provides greater resistance to advancement of stamp strip
26
while providing a smooth, generally constant amount of tension to stamp strip
26
. Stiffening rib
84
along tensioning arm
22
further prevents tensioning arm
22
from being deflected upward by stamp strip
26
as stamp strip
26
is tightened along guide member
20
, thereby further maintaining a substantially constant amount of tension throughout the supply roll
32
. Tensioning arm
22
therefore functions to prevent slack from occurring in stamp strip
26
by providing steady resistance to movement of stamp strip
26
, which substantially prevents any slack or upward curvature of stamp strip
26
along guide member
20
.
Therefore, there is disclosed herein a stamp dispenser
10
which provides substantially smooth and constant tension in a strip of stamps or labels as the stamps are dispensed from stamp dispenser
10
. By positioning at least one of the two tensioning devices, tensioning tab
66
and tensioning arm
22
, at a level different from that of the guide member
20
, stamp strip
26
encounters resistance as it is pulled along guide member
20
. Most preferably, both tensioning devices are included within stamp dispenser
10
to provide additional resistance, while still allowing easy turning of knob
25
to advance stamp strip
26
through stamp dispenser
10
. The resistance generated by the tensioning devices substantially precludes slack from occurring along stamp strip
26
prior to reaching dispensing edge
28
, thereby providing tension to stamp strip
26
and allowing every stamp, including the last stamps on the roll, to be discharged properly from stamp dispenser
10
. This is a substantial improvement over the prior art in that the present invention reduces slack in stamp strip
26
along guide member
20
, which substantially prevents stamps from bending around the dispensing edge with the backing strip. Therefore, the stamps are properly dispensed from stamp dispenser
10
and not wrapped around take up spool
24
along with the backing strip. Furthermore, the present invention provides an appropriate amount of tension to properly dispense the stamps, while avoiding the necessity of additional rollers and guides present in many of the proposed designs.
Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the principles of the invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims, as interpreted according to the principles of patent law.
Claims
- 1. A stamp dispenser adapted for dispensing stamps, wherein a stamp strip is formed by the stamps being adhered to a backing strip, said stamp dispenser comprising:a supply holder for holding a supply of stamps therein, said supply holder having a longitudinal exit slot in a wall of said supply holder, said exit slot adapted for the stamp strip to move therethrough; a dispensing surface for releasing the stamps from the backing strip; a guide surface for guiding the stamps from said supply holder to said dispensing surface; a tensioning tab extending partially across said exit slot of said supply holder; a tensioning arm positioned between said guide surface and said dispensing surface; a take up spool for advancing the stamp strip, said take up spool being rotatably mounted to said stamp dispenser and adapted for collecting the backing strip after the stamps are released therefrom by said dispensing surface; and a housing, wherein said supply holder, said guide surface, said tensioning tab, and said tensioning arm being encased within said housing.
- 2. The stamp dispenser of claim 1, wherein said tensioning arm includes a stiffening rib therealong.
- 3. The stamp dispenser of claim 1, further including a downward depending section between said guide surface and said dispensing surface, said tensioning arm positioned immediately above said downward depending section and protruding downward into a U-shaped section formed by said downward depending section and said guide surface and said dispensing section.
- 4. The stamp dispenser of claim 1, wherein said tensioning tab is an extension of said supply holder.
- 5. The stamp dispenser of claim 1 wherein said tensioning tab extends to a first level and said dispensing surface is positioned at a second level such that said first level and said second level are substantially similar.
- 6. The stamp dispenser of claim 1 wherein said tensioning tab extends to a first level and said dispensing surface is positioned at a second level such that said first level is at a height lower than said second level.
- 7. The stamp dispenser of claim 1 wherein said guide surface is positioned at a first level and said tensioning tab and said tensioning arm are positioned at a second level, wherein said first level is substantially similar to said second level.
- 8. The stamp dispenser of claim 1 wherein said guide surface is positioned at a first level and said tensioning tab and said tensioning arm are positioned at a second level, wherein said first level is at a height above said second level.
- 9. The stamp dispenser of claim 1, wherein said housing includes a backing plate and a cover, said guide surface, said supply holder, said tensioning arm and said tensioning tab being of unitary construction and positioned along said backing plate within said housing, said cover being removably mounted to said backing plate.
- 10. The stamp dispenser of claim 9, wherein said cover and said backing plate are constructed of a durable plastic material.
- 11. The stamp dispenser of claim 1 further including a base, wherein said housing being mounted to said base.
- 12. The stamp dispenser of claim 1, wherein said take up spool further including a collecting pin and a knob such that said knob being positioned on an exterior surface of said housing and said collecting pin being positioned within said housing.
US Referenced Citations (27)