Patent Application
20200399087
The present disclosure generally relates to a tape dispenser for dispensing tape from a tape roll received therein.
Typically there are two categories of tape dispensers. One category concerns light-weight, often non-refillable and disposable tape dispensers which require two hands to be used. The user has to hold the housing of the dispenser while pulling off and cutting the tape. This is not convenient for every task. The other category includes desktop dispensers that are weighted to allow one-handed tape dispensing. Such dispensers usually remain on the desktop making it easily accessible. However, while the weight is necessary to facilitate one-handed dispensing, this weight can also present drawbacks. For example, these dispensers have increased manufacturing and transportation costs. In addition, some of these dispensers are bulky and can difficult to store when needed.
Therefore there is the need to provide an improved tape dispenser which allows one-handed tape dispense and a convenient use.
The inventors of the present disclosure saw a need to provide an improved tape dispenser that permits at least one of lower cost, one-handed dispensing of the tape, ease of use, and/or releasable attachment to and detachment from furniture.
The present disclosure provides a tape dispenser for dispensing tape. Some embodiments of the tape dispenser comprise a main body with a mandrel coupled to the main body. In some embodiments, the mandrel is adapted to receive and releasably retain a tape roll having a central opening thereon, the mandrel allowing rotation of the tape roll about a mandrel axis. In some embodiments, the tape dispenser further includes a cutting arm comprising a blade attached to the main body for cutting the tape, the cutting arm carrying the blade at a distance from the mandrel axis. Further, in some embodiments, the tape dispenser comprises an attachment unit for temporarily and releasably attaching the tape dispenser to a furniture. In some embodiments, the main body is pivotably attached to the attachment unit, and wherein a pivot axis is perpendicular to the mandrel axis.
In some embodiments, the main body may be pivotable. In some embodiments, the main body is pivotable by at least 180°. In some embodiments, the main body is pivotable by 360°. In some embodiments, the rotational position of the main body with respect to the attachment unit may be freely selectable or a specific and defined number of positions may be provided. This may in particular be achieved by a first detent mechanism between the main body and the attachment unit.
In some embodiments, the cutting arm may be pivotable with respect to the main body. In some embodiments, the mandrel axis defines a pivot axis of the cutting arm. The cutting arm may be pivotable by 90° or more, and preferably may be pivotable by 110° or more. For holding a rotational position of the cutting arm, the tape dispenser may include a second detent mechanism between the main body and the cutting arm. In some embodiments, the second detent mechanism may be formed similar to the first detent mechanism.
In some embodiments, the attachment unit comprises a spring biased clamp for clamping the tape dispenser to the furniture. Exemplary spring biased clamps include, for example, those including a torsion spring, a compression, spring, and/or a flat spring. In some embodiments, the attachment unit comprises at least one magnet for attaching the tape dispenser to a ferromagnetic surface. In some embodiments, the attachment unit can be easily removed from the surface. Exemplary mechanisms to facilitate such removal include, for example, at least one of a vacuum or suction cup, damage-free removal adhesive (e.g., those used in the Command™ products sold by 3M Company), a c-clamp, etc. for attaching the tape dispenser to a plain surface.
The disclosure will be further described with reference to the drawings, wherein corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
In the following detailed description, reference may be made to the accompanying set of drawings that form a part hereof and in which are shown by way of illustration several specific embodiments. It is to be understood that other embodiments are contemplated and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the present disclosure. For example, the present disclosure is meant to include all types of tape roll including, for example, gift-wrapping tape, clear tape, duct tape, packaging tape, masking tape, wall-safe tape, shipping tape, Scotch™ tape, Scotch™ Magic tape, double-sided tape, super-hold tape, removable tape, book tape, etc.
One embodiment of a tape dispenser 1 consistent with the teachings herein is shown in
As used herein, the term “furniture” relates generally to any articles to which the tape dispensers described herein can be attached. In some embodiments, the articles are home or office articles. Exemplary home and office furniture includes, for example, desks, tables, room dividers, wall elements, computer stands, computers, containers, lighting devices, and other kind of home or office furniture. In other embodiments, the articles are outdoor articles such as, for example, plywood, boards, etc. In some embodiments, the articles are in manufacturing or supply chain (e.g., distribution, storage, or transit) locations such as, for example, manufacturing plants, distribution centers, and/or trucks, trains, airplanes, etc.
In one aspect of the tape dispenser 1 the main body 4 is attached to the attachment unit 14 by a pivot joint 16. The pivot joint 16 allows rotation of the main body 4 with respect to the attachment unit 14 by at least about 90°, at least about 180°, or at least about 270°. In some embodiments, the main body 4 is rotatable by 360° and more with respect to the attachment unit 14. That means, there is no stop or the like for stopping the rotation and the user may rotate the main body 4 as it is desired with respect to the attachment unit 14.
In the specific embodiment shown in
More specifically, in this embodiment (
The main body 4 includes first and second opposing sidewalls 34, 36 extending from the footplate 28. In the embodiments shown, the first and second sidewalls 34, 36 are substantially symmetrical but this is an optional feature. Other shapes may be used. For example, in the field of tape dispensers it has become popular to use designs which resemble an animal (e.g., an elephant, bear, or cat) or sport utilities (e.g., football helmets, soccer balls, etc.). In particular when using such designs the sidewalls 34, 36 could be designed different from each other. There might also be embodiments which only involve one sidewall 34, 36 in order to ease change of tape rolls 3 for the user.
The first and second sidewalls 34, 36 may be formed integrally with the footplate 28 or formed as separate elements and then attached to the footplate 28 during assembly. Each of the sidewalls 34, 36 in this specific embodiment shown in
The tape dispenser 1 of
In the specific embodiment shown in
The first and second sidewalls 34, 36 are provided with a plurality of recesses 46 arranged in a circle coaxially with the mandrel axis A1 (in
Specifically, the pivot axis of the cutting arm 10 can be identical to the mandrel axis A1 in this embodiment, even though this is not necessary; they could be provided with a distance to each other as long as they are parallel to each other. A detent moment which may be required to rotate the cutting arm 10 to the next detent position preferably is higher than a moment acting on the second detent mechanism 44 due to a reaction force during a tape cutting step. In some embodiments, the detent moment exceeds the reaction moment by at least about 1.5, or 2.0, or 2.5, or 3.0 times. In some embodiments, the detent moment is high enough such that the cutting arm 10 may keep its position when one-handed tape dispensing and cutting is carried out by a user in a normal and average manner using regular tape.
In the first embodiment (
In this specific embodiment, the attachment unit 14 is generally formed as a clip. In this instance the attachment unit 14 comprises a second attachment body 54 hinged to the first attachment body 18 via a hinge 56. The attachment unit 14 comprises a gripping portion 58 and a clamping portion 60. The gripping portion 58 comprises first and second gripping sections 62, 64 which can be contacted by a user and pushed together against a force of a spring (not shown) such that the clamping portion 60 is being opened. The clamping portion 60 on the other hand comprises first and second clamping portions 66, 68. The first clamping portion 66 is formed at the first attachment body 18 and the second clamping portion 68 is formed at the second attachment body 54. The second clamping portion 68 in particular is substantially L-shaped to provide a large opening between the first and second clamping portions 66, 68 when opened. This may allow attachment of the tape dispenser 1 to, for example, desks with a relatively thick plate, (e.g., 1 inch (2.54 cm) and more). In particular embodiments, the receiving opening may have a receiving width in the range of 0.5 cm (0.19 inch) to 3.5 cm (1.38 inch).
The first clamping portion 66 in this first embodiment (
The specific embodiments shown in
In the embodiment shown in
The attachment unit 14 includes a contact element 72 at the second clamping portion 68. In this embodiment, the contact element 72 is formed from non-slip material and is attached, (e.g., adhered) to a surface of the second clamping portion 68. In particular, the contact element 72 is formed as a spherical contact body 78 which might be elastic. In one example the spherical contact body 78 is formed from any of the non-slip materials described above.
Another exemplary embodiment is shown in
Additionally, the second clamping portion 68 is formed differently compared to the embodiments shown in
Another embodiment is shown in
It shall be contemplated, that the different designs of cutting arms 10 and attachment units 14 may be freely interchanged between the embodiments. For example the first embodiment (
Some tape dispensers described herein have a weight without tape roll 3 of less than 150 g (5.3 oz), or less than about 140 g (5 oz), or less than about 120 g (42.2 oz).
The tape dispensers described herein may be useful for those who do not need a tape dispenser during their regular day to day work, but rather for specific tasks, such as for example, during the holiday season when multiple packages have to be wrapped in a short time. Such users usually do not require a bulky weighted dispenser, but they want to be able to do one-handed tape dispensing, which is particularly beneficial when wrapping presents or similar tasks, where one hand often is used to temporarily hold to pieces together, and the other hand is used to pick up a piece of tape. The tape dispensers described herein can also be useful for those who need a tape dispenser during their regular day to day work but who are mobile, in a small space, or want to be able to at least temporarily position their tape dispenser vertically.
Prior art tape dispensers can be placed in 2 general categories. Ones that are light weight, often non-refillable, require 2 hands to use, and are disposable; and those that are positioned on the desktop, weighted to allow one-handed tape dispensing and are refillable. The disposable dispensers are less expensive while the desktop versions cost more initially but then can be refilled at a lower cost as you use more tape. Desktop dispensers also have the benefit of remaining on the desktop making it easily accessible. Disposable dispensers are often left in a drawer, out of sight/out of mind.
In contrast, the tape dispensers of the present disclosure have various benefits and advantages over these prior art tape dispensers. In some embodiments, a clamping mechanism is used to secure the tape dispenser and to permit one-handed dispensing of the tape by the user. In some embodiments, in addition to using a clamping mechanism, the tape roll and blade can be rotated independently, increasing the options on how the dispenser can be positioned and used. In some embodiments, the tape dispensers described herein use a clamping mechanism to secure the dispenser to provide one-handed dispensing of the tape. Where present, the clamp feature allows the user to remove ballast weight often used in desktop dispensers to keep them from moving when tape is dispensed. In some embodiments, in addition to using a clamping mechanism, the tape roll and blade can be rotated independently. The ability to rotate the blade and tape roll independently makes it so the dispenser can be clipped to the edge of the work surface, on vertical dividing walls or privacy panels, a nearby shelf, or the edge of a computer monitor. These are all options that could save desk space and still be accessible and permit one handed dispensation of tape.
By removing the weight from the desktop dispenser and using a clamp to secure it, the tape dispensers of the present disclosure can be made smaller and less expensive than a standard desktop dispenser. The tape dispensers described herein have the same advantages over a disposable dispenser as a conventional desktop version but with reduced cost and a more compact size.
Also, the ability to rotate the blade and tape roll independently distinguishes the tape dispensers of the present disclosure from both the conventional dispenser types. These features makes it so the dispenser could be clipped to the edge of the work surface, on vertical dividing walls or privacy panels, a nearby shelf, or possibly a computer monitor. All options that could save desk space and still be accessible and one handed.
The small size and one-handed feature also makes the dispensers of the present disclosure good for a variety of uses. For example, these benefits are useful in home use where desktop dispensers are not often seen. A tape dispenser of the present disclosure can easily be kept in a drawer and then when needed, be attached to, for example, the kitchen table etc. One handed dispensing can be very useful when wrapping gifts, the main home use of tape, and the clip-on feature provides this benefit in a compact and flexible solution.
For purposes of clarity, it is contemplated that any specific aspect of any embodiment described herein can be combined with any embodiment and/or any aspects of any embodiment described herein such that there are various combinations or permutations of the embodiments specifically articulated.
The recitation of all numerical ranges by endpoint is meant to include all numbers subsumed within the range (i.e., the range 1 to 10 includes, for example, 1, 1.5, 3.33, and 10).
In this document, the terms “a” or “an” are used, as is common in patent documents, to include one or more than one, independent of any other instances or usages of “at least one” or “one or more.” In this document, the term “or” is used to refer to a nonexclusive or, such that “A or B” includes “A but not B,” “B but not A,” and “A and B,” unless otherwise indicated. In this document, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.” Also, in the following claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are open-ended, that is, a system, device, article, composition, formulation, or process that includes elements in addition to those listed after such a term in a claim are still deemed to fall within the scope of that claim. Moreover, in the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects.
Those having skill in the art will appreciate that many changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments and implementations without departing from the underlying principles thereof. Further, various modifications and alterations of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. The scope of the present application should, therefore, be determined only by the following claims and equivalents thereof. Various embodiments and implementations are described herein. These embodiments should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present application in any manner, and changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Further, only some end uses have been discussed herein, but end uses not specifically described herein are included within the scope of the present application. As such, the scope of the present application should be determined by the claims.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IB2019/050305 | 1/15/2019 | WO | 00 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62620100 | Jan 2018 | US |
