Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
TAPE DISPENSING DEVICE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
. ~ .
This invention relates to a device for severing a desired,
vAri~ble amount of tape ~rom a roll of tape. More pArticularly, the
invention relates to a port~ble, reus~ble tape cutting and dispensing
device.
The prior ~rt is repleat wi th variolls tape dispensing and tape
cutting inventions~ The term "tape dispenser" is used in the art to
refer tc devices which both "cut" and "dispense" t~pe and will be so
used in this application. The number of patents in this rel~tively
simple technological field is indicative oî the need for a simple, yet
highly effective and sa~e tspe dispensing device which may be re-used
on ~ number of rolls of tape.
Prior art tape dispensers include one-piece, hand-held tape
cutters which are designed to be snapped over, or simply se&ted on, ~
roll o~ t~pe. One such device is disclosed in Horn, U.S. Patent No.
3,970,230. The Horn device, however, relies on downward pressure
from a single point of contact, the thumb, as the only means for the
user to hold, control, and stabilize the device. Other prior ~rt devices
include tnpe cutters with deformable leg~ which must be bent beneath
the core of the tape roll to retain the cutter in position. Such
deformable legs break frequently. These and other t~pe dispensing and
cutting devices include separate parts or members which must be man-
ually positloned beneath the core of the t~pe roll to retain it in
position on the roll. Still other prior ~rt devices include complex
structures in~rolving articul~ted or spring biased members whlch engage
the interior of the core o~ the t~pe roll. Not one of the prior know n
-- 2
tape cutting and dispensing devices, however, provides a
simple, ergonomically formed device which provides the user
with exceptional stability and control to effect safe and
accurate cutting.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A dispensing device adapted to be mounted on a
core mounted roll of flexible material to facilitate manual
engagement of the roll and dispensing and severing o-f a
length of said material comprising:
a top wall having a top surface, a bottom surface,
a front edge, a back edge and side edges, said front edge of
said top wall having cutting means for cutting a desired
length of material to be dispensed, said top surface of said
top wall having a user-engageable portion;
a side wall perpendicular to and extending down-
wardly from each of said side edges of said top wall, said
side walls having a top edge, a bottom edge, a front edge,
and a back edge, said bottom edge of said side walls curving
ergonomically downwardly along a continuous concave arc from
said back edge of said sidewall toward said front edge of
said sidewall so that the downward extension of said side
walls from said top wall is greater at said front edge of
said side wall than at said back edge of said side wall
thereby defining a downwardly curving continuous concave
user-engageable bottom edge, said downwardly curving continuous
concave arc allowing continuous opposing manual engagement
of said user-engageable portion of said top surface of said
top wall, said user-engageable portion of said downwardly
curving continuous concave bottom edge of said side wall,
and core when the dispensing device is mounted on a core
mounted roll of flexible material; and
a shoulder perpendicular to and projecting inwardly
from at least one of said side walls towards the other of
said side walls, said shoulder terminating at a point spaced
from said other side wall, said shoulder adapted to position
and retain said device on said roll.
7~'7
- 2a -
A hand-held tape dispensing and severing device
adapted to be positioned on a core mounted multi-layered
roll of tape having an inner periphery and an outer periphery,
and adapted to facilitate manual engagement of the roll of
tape, said tape dispensing and severing device comprising:
a top wall having a top surface, said top surface
of said top wall having a user-engageable portion adapted to
be engaged by a user's thumb, said top wall further having a
bottom surface, a front edge, a back edge and side edges,
said front edge of said top wall having cutting means for
cutting a desired length of tape from a multi-layered roll
of tape;
a side wall perpendicular to and extending down-
wardly from each of said side edges of said top wall, said
side walls having a top edge, a bottom edge, a front edge, a
back edge, said bottom edge of said side walls curving
ergonomically downwardly along a continuous concave arc from
said back edge of said side wall towards said front edge of
said side wall so that the downward extension of said side
wall said top wall is greater at said front edge of said
side wall than at said back edge of said side wall thereby
defining a continuous user-engageable portion of said down-
wardly curving continuous concave bottom edge, when the tape
dispensing and severiny device is mounted on a roll of tape,
said downwardly curving continuous concave arc allowing
continuous manual engagement of said user-engageable portion
of said bottom edge of said side wall and the inner periphery
of a roll of tape in opposition to the user's thumb on said
user-engageable portion of said top surface; and
a shoulder perpendicular to and projecting inwardly
from each of said side walls in opposing spaced relation,
said shoulders adapted to abut the inner periphery of a roll
of tape on which said dispensing device is used in order to
retain said device of said roll.
i:~
~J ~{~
- 2b -
By way of added explanation, the tape dispens3ng
and cutting device of the present invention is adapted to
snap over a roll of masking tape or the like and be retained
on the roll, affording a convenient tearing edge for severing
the tape. Except for a cutting blade which is retained in a
slot in the device, the device is preferably an ergonomically
formed one-piece molded plastic article comprising a top
wall ~hich rides over the periphery of the tape roll and
two flexible side walls which depend from the top section
and flank opposite sides of the roll of tape when the
invention is positioned on a roll of tape. Inwardly projecting
shoulders are ~ixed to the ~ront bottom sur~Ace o~ the slde w~lls in
opposing spaced rel~tion ~nd serve to spre~d the slde wall~ ~rt
the t~pe di~pen~er is pre~sed down over a roll o~ tape. As the
shoulder~ clear the inner core o~ the tape roll, the shoulders are
sn~pped b~ck beneath the eore ot the roll ~nd serYe to retain the
iment30n on the roll o~ ~Iper
The top gur~e ol~ the top wall is preferably providsd ~v3th ~n
ergonomi~lly ~orm~ control - recess which ~llows ~or exceptlonal con-
trol ~nd l~ter~l st~bility Or the in~ent30n, ~nd f~eilitstes forward and
bRckward movement ot the tflpe ffl~pen~er 9111 the roll Or tape.
In ~ pre~erred ~orm9 the bottom ~ge o~ the slde w~ll tapers
downwar~Ily from b~ck to ~ront ~long ~n ~rc o~ ~ clrcle so that the
downward extenslon o~ the ~Id0 w~ om the top w~ll Is Ere~ter at
the rront edge oi~ the s1de w~sll th~n ~t the back edge. Thl3 proYldes
~n ergonomi~ pe whIch flllows the ~orefinger to gr~gp the t~pe and
core dlre~tly b~neath the thumb, while the other flngerY curl under the
tape core In ~ eomplete ~nd n~tural grip. Thu~, ths devlce Is fully
supported ~t the Ylpex between thumb end irore~lnger, whlch ~llows for
She complete eontrol o~ the t~qpe snd the dI~penser, no mstter how
little tape remains on the roll. The curved taper of the side wall
also ensures th~t the downward extent of the side wall is sufficient to
laterally stabilize the cutter as tape is used ~nd the radial thickness
of the tape roll decreases.
BP~IEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
. . .
Figure 1 is A perspective view of a tape dispensing device
according to the inYention positioned on Q roll of tape, shown in
phantom outline.
Figure 2 is a front plan view of a tape dispenser Qccording to
the present invention.
Figure 3 is a side pl~n view of the tspe dispenser of the
present invention positioned on ~ roll of tape, with the hand of a user
shown in dotted outline.
Figure 4 is a side plarl view of an slternative configuration of
the tape dispenser of the present invention.
Dl jTA I j,E O Dl~ Cllll'llOII
The tape dispenser of the present invention is shown generally in
Figure 1 ~t 10 positioned on a roll of tape 11 having a core 13.
Tape dispenser 10 includes a top wall 12 having a top surface 14, and
~ bottom sur~ace 16. Top wall 12 81so hQS a front edge 18, a back
edge 20 and side edges 22. The width oî top wall 12 is slightly
greater than the width of the tape roll on which it is used. The
length of top wall 12 snd the rel~tionship and size of ~11 elements are
humanly engineered in direct proportion to the natural grip of a per-
son's hand and to fit the various generally ~vailable sized t~pe rolls.
Flexible side w811s 24 ~re perpendicular to and extend
downw~rdly from each OI the side edges 22 of top wall 12. Side walls
24 eaeh have a top edge 2~, ~ bottom edge 28, a *ont edge 30 and
baek edge 32. Top edge 2B OI side walls 24 ~buts and is
coextensive with sIde edges 22 of top wall 12, so that at the
interse~tion bI the side wall and top wal1, the side wall extends the
entire length of the top w~ll aq shown in Figure 1.
Bottom edge 28 of side walls 24 is tapered or otherwise
ergonornically shaped to allow the user to comfortably and conveniently
grip flnd control dispenser 10. In a preferred embodiment, the taper is
downward from back edge 32 towards front edge 30 along Qn ~rc of a
circle to thus define a smooth tapering surface, although other
ergonomically shaped tapering or cut~way configurations which allow
the tape dispenser to fit securely ~nd comfortsbly in the apex between
thumb and forefinger may also be used.
O~le alternatiYe configuration is shown in Figure 4, where side
wall 24 has a generally L-shaped configuration. ln this coniiguration,
bottom edge 28 is "tapered" or cutaway by having a first edge 29A
which extends from b~ck edge 32 towards, but terminating inwardly
from, front edge 30 of side wall 24. Bottom edge 29A is parallel to
but spaced downwardly from top wall 12. Bottom edge 29B extends
from the inner terminal end of edge 29A and is perpendicular to edge
29A. Bottom edge portion 29C connects bottom edge 29B to front
edge 30. Thus, in the configuration shown in Figure 4, a "tapered" or
ergonomic cutaway portion is formed.
The tapered bottom edge 28 in Figures 1-3, or bottom edge
29A-C in Figure 4 also ~llows the downward extension of side walls 2~
from top wall 12 to be gre~ter at its front edge~ as shown at 34,
than at the back edge of side w~ll 24, as shown ~t 36. Although in
fl preferred form of the invention, bottom edge 28 tapers from neQr
top edge 26 to near front edge 30, and thus includes connecting por-
tion 28A which connects bottom edge 28 to front edge 3~, it is within
the scope of the invention to have the downwardly tapering bottom
edge 28 extend from top edge 26 to front edge 30, while maintAining
the ergonomically shaped form of the dispenser. The downward extent
34 of ront edge 30 is sufficient to span the full thickness of a t~pe
roll on which it is to be used.
Tape dispenser 10 includes shoulders 38 perpendicul~r to and pro-
jecting inwardly from the inner surf~ce of side walls 24. Shoulders 3 8
_ 5 ~
are positioned near the intersection of the bottom edge and front edge
of side walls 24 in opposing spaced relatiQn. Sidewalls 2~ are spaced
a distance sufficient to allow sidewalls 24 to flank opposite sides of
roll 11. This distance may, of course, vary to ~ccom modate tape rolls
of different size. Shoulders 38 serve to spread sidewalls 24 as
dispenser 10 is placed on a roll of tape 11. After shoulders 38 clear
the inner radial edge of roll 11, they sn~p bflck underneath the core
and help to retain dispenser 10 on tape roll 11.
Top surface 14 of top wall 12 has a control recess 40 adjacent
to back edge 20 of top wall 12. Control recess 40 has sidewalls 41.
In a preferred form, the control recess 40 extends Qpproximately one-
sixteenth (1/16) of an inch below top surface 14 and includes a curved
front edge 42 to generally conform to the shape of the thumb.
A cutting edge is provided for severing tape. Preferably, the
cutting edge is a blade 42 retained within a groove 44 on the inner
surface of side wfllls 24. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, cutting bl~de
42 is parallel to and subst~ntially coextensive with top surface 14 of
top wall 12. Although A serrated edge blade is shown ~nd is the pre~
ferred blade for generally cutting tape, a spike, pointed, or a pyram i d-
shaped blnde may be preferred for cutting certain types of tnpe, such
as vinyl tape.
Preferably, dispenser 10 is molded in one piece from plsstic or
similar materi~ls. However, light gauge metals or the like may also
be used. Also, blade 42 may be integrally formed as part of dispenser
10 rather than a sep~rnte piece inserted in groove 44, as shown.
In use, dispenser 10 is snapped onto 8 roll 11 and may be freely
placed at any position on the roll. Dispenser 10 is readily guided
~bout roll 11 by a user's thumb in control recess 40. ~idewall 41
allows the thumb to laterally stabilize dispenser lOo When dispenser
10 has been positioned to cut a desired length oî tQpe, dispenser 10
and roll 11 mny both be gr~sped firmly in the npex of thumb and
forefinger to provide a large surface are~ of support for dispenser 10
."
-- 6 --
which provides stability flnd control while severing the tape.
Additionally~ control recess 40 allows the user's thumb to not only pro-
vide downward pressure in opposition to the fingers, but to also pro-
vide lateral support and stability during tape tearing. Shoulders 3B
abut the inner surface of core 13 and serve to further stabiliæe
dispenser 10 on roll 11. Recess 40 also allows the user to adjust the
position of dispenser 10 on the tape roll to cut precisely the desired
amount of tape. After roll 11 is depleted, dispenser 10 is re~dily
removed by spreading sidewalls 24 ~nd may be reused.
Although a p~rticulsr preferred embodiment has been described,
it is not intended to limit the invention thereto. Various modifications
and changes will occur to those of ordinary skill in the ~rt, and the
invention is defined only by the following claims.
