Claims
- 1. An apparatus for dispensing and applying self-adhesive elements from a roll having the self-adhesive elements carried on a carrier-tape, comprising:a housing having a first opening disposed at an upper and frontal region of the housing and a second opening disposed at a lower and frontal region of the housing; a supply chamber within the housing for retaining the roll, wherein the supply chamber comprises a cylindrical-shaped wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the roll is allowed to expand and abut against the inner surface of the cylindrical-shaped wall, and wherein the carrier-tape passes through an opening in the supply chamber, extends towards and around a separator, extends towards the supply chamber and along the outer surface of the cylindrical-shaped wall and towards the return wheel; the return wheel rotatively coupled to the housing, wherein the roll being connected to the return wheel for spooling the carrier-tape, wherein a portion of the return wheel extends outwardly from the housing through the first opening such that a user may turn the return wheel; the separator disposed within the second opening for separating the self-adhesive elements from the carrier-tape; and a tension arm disposed within the second opening and adjacent the separator, wherein the tension arm maintains tension in the carrier-tape between the tension arm and the return wheel; wherein tension in carrier-tape is maintained until the last self-adhesive element in the roll is separated from the carrier-tape.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the separator and tension arm are elongated members extending across the longitudinal length of the housing, and wherein the tension arm is integral with the housing.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a separation distance between a contact surface of the tension arm and a contact surface of the separator.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing has one side completely open for insertion and removal of the roll and the return wheel, the housing further comprising a cover adapted to cover the open side of the housing, wherein the tension arm being fixedly secured to the cover, the carrier-tape and self-adhesive elements being fed between the tension arm and the separator.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a transparent plastic to allow a user to visually inspect the self-adhesive elements.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the exposed portion of the return wheel is adapted to be turned by an index finger of the user.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fixing face disposed near the front and lower portion of the housing and adjacent the second opening, the fixing face facing towards and freely accessible to workpieces such that the self-adhesive element can be transferred to the workpiece by a user advancing the self-adhesive element onto the fixing face and pressing the fixing face against the surface of the workpiece.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the fixing face is integral with the housing.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the return wheel has a detent and the housing has plurality of angled-cam surfaces, and wherein the detent engages with the plurality of angled-cam surfaces such that the return wheel is restricted to rotate in only one direction.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the return wheel has a plurality of angled-cam surfaces and the housing has a detent, and wherein the detent engages with the plurality of angled-cam surfaces such that the return wheel is restricted to rotate in only one direction.
- 11. A tool for dispensing and applying self-adhesive elements from a roll having the self-adhesive elements carried on a carrier-tape, the tool comprising:a housing having an opening; a return wheel rotatively coupled to the housing to advance the carrier-tape and self-adhesive elements; a separator disposed within the opening for separating the self-adhesive element from the carrier-tape; a tension arm disposed within the opening and adjacent the separator, wherein tension in the carrier-tape is maintained until the last self-adhesive element is separated from the carrier-tape; and a supply chamber within the housing for retaining the roll, wherein the supply chamber includes a cylindrical-shaped wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the roll is allowed to expand and abut against the inner surface of the cylindrical-shaped wall, and wherein the carrier-tape passes through an opening in the supply chamber, extends towards and around the separator, extends towards the supply chamber and along the outer surface of the cylindrical-shaped wall and towards the return wheel.
- 12. The tool of claim 11, further comprising an additional opening, wherein the opening is disposed at a lower and frontal region of the housing and the additional opening is disposed at an upper and frontal region of the housing, and wherein a portion of the return wheel extends outwardly from the additional opening so that a user may advance successive self-adhesive elements by rotating the return wheel.
- 13. The tool of claim 12, wherein the return wheel is adapted to be rotated by an index finger of the user.
- 14. The tool of claim 11, further comprising a supply chamber within the housing for retaining the roll, wherein the supply chamber is integral with the housing.
- 15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the separator and tension arm are elongated members extending across the longitudinal length of the housing.
- 16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the tension arm is integral with the housing.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the tension arm presses the carrier-tape and self-adhesive elements against the separator to maintain tension in the carrier-tape.
- 18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the self-adhesive elements are self-adhesive postage stamps.
- 19. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a fixing face disposed near the front and lower portion of the housing and adjacent the opening, the fixing face facing towards and freely accessible to workpieces such that the self-adhesive element can be transferred to the workpiece by the user advancing the self-adhesive element onto the fixing face and pressing the fixing face onto the workpiece.
- 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the fixing face is integral with the housing.
- 21. A method of making an apparatus for dispensing and applying self-adhesive elements from a roll having the self-adhesive elements carried on a carrier-tape, comprising:providing a housing with an opening and a supply chamber, wherein the supply chamber includes a cylindrical-shaped wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the roll is allowed to expand and abut against the inner surface of the cylindrical-shaped wall, and wherein the carrier-tape passes through an opening in the supply chamber, extends towards and around a separator, extends towards the supply chamber and along the outer surface of the cylindrical-shaped wall and towards a return wheel; rotatively coupling a return wheel to the housing; attaching the roll to the return wheel such that a user advances the roll by rotating the return wheel; providing a separator within the opening for separating the self-adhesive elements from the carrier-tape; providing a tension arm within the opening and adjacent the separator; and positioning the carrier-tape between the separator and the tension arm, whereby the tension arm maintains tension in the carrier-tape from the tension arm to the return wheel.
- 22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:providing the housing with an additional opening; whereby the opening is disposed at a lower and frontal region of the housing and the additional opening is disposed at an upper and frontal region of the housing; whereby a portion of the return wheel extends outwardly beyond the additional opening; whereby the return wheel is advanced by a user; and whereby successive self-adhesive elements are advanced when the return wheel is rotated.
- 23. The method of claim 21, further comprising maintaining tension in the carrier-tape until the last self-adhesive element is separated from the carrier tape.
- 24. The method of claim 21, further comprising providing a supply chamber within the housing for retaining the carrier-tape, wherein the chamber is integral with the housing.
- 25. The method of claim 21, whereby tension is maintained in the carrier-tape from the tension arm to the return wheel by the tension arm pressing the tape-carrier against the separator.
- 26. The method of claim 21, further comprising:providing a fixing face near a front and lower portion of the housing and adjacent the opening, whereby the self-adhesive element is advanced on the fixing face; and pressing the fixing face onto a desired portion of a workpiece such that the self-adhesive element is provided thereon.
- 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the fixing face is integral with the housing.
- 28. A method of dispensing and applying self-adhesive elements, comprising;providing a device comprising: a housing having an opening and a supply chamber, wherein the supply chamber includes a cylindrical-shaped wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the roll is allowed to expand and abut against the inner surface of the cylindrical-shaped wall, and wherein the carrier-tape passes through an opening in the supply chamber, extends towards and around a separator, extends towards the supply chamber and along the outer surface of the cylindrical-shaped wall and towards a return wheel; the return wheel rotatively coupled to the housing; the separator disposed within the opening; and a tension arm disposed within the opening and adjacent the separator; providing a roll of self-adhesive elements on a carrier-tape, attaching the carrier-tape to the return wheel; positioning the carrier-tape between the separator and the tension arm; rotatably positioning the roll in the housing; and turning the return wheel to advance the carrier-tape such that a self-adhesive element is separated from the carrier-tape as the carrier-tape engages the separator, whereby the tension arm pushes the carrier-tape against the separator to maintain tension in the carrier-tape from the return wheel to the tension arm.
- 29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:providing the housing with an additional opening, whereby the opening is disposed at a lower and frontal region of the housing and the additional opening is disposed at an upper and frontal region of the housing, whereby a portion of the return wheel; providing a roll supply chamber, wherein the roll is positioned within the chamber, providing a fixing face near a front and lower portion of the housing and adjacent the opening; and pressing the fixing face onto a desired portion of a workpiece such that the self-adhesive element is provided thereon.
- 30. The method of claim 28, further comprising:providing a feeder-tape with a first end and a second end; attaching the second end of the feeder-tape to the carrier-tape; and attaching the first end of the feeder-tape to the return wheel.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims priority to a Provisional Application Serial No. 60/107,600, filed Nov. 9, 1998.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/107600 |
Nov 1998 |
US |