Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Heavy Duty Pre-Cut Adhesive
Coated Tapes and Dispenser
Technical Field
The present invention relates to pre-cut adhesive coated sheets for joining
one
surface to another and to a dispenser particularly suitable for dispensing a
large
number of such sheets.
Background of the Invention
The art is replete with structures for adhesive coated sheets adapted to
connect
or join one surface to another surface. Tape from #8I0 MAGIC brand transparent
tape
available from 3M, St. Paul, MN is used extensively for a variety of purposes
and is
conventionally dispensed from a roll of such tape on a roll type dispenser
such as the
dispensers disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,928,864 and U.S. Design Patent No.
116,599. Such a roll of tape must be manually cut by cutting means that is
located on
the dispenser. It is difficult for the user to manually cut precise, uniform
lengths of
the adhesive coated tape from the roll, as it is difficult to repeatedly
measure the
lengths precisely. Such a tape/dispenser combination is not suitable for
situations that
require quick and efficient dispensing of precisely uniform, pre-cut lengths
of
adhesive coated tape.
South African patent application no. ZA 903889 discloses individual strips of
adhesive coated tape mounted on a backing tape. The backing tape with the
individual strips thereon may be rolled and included in a dispenser.
Individual tape
strips of pre-determined length can be readily removed by pulling the backing
tape
from the dispenser and peeling a tape strip therefrom. However, this solution
creates
a large waste of tape backing and it may be difficult to remove a tape strip
by only one
hand.
GB 2 181 992 discloses a block of superimposed, individual adhesive tape
strips, wherein each adhesive tape strip has an edge region free of adhesive
to allow
the individual tape strips to be easily lifted and removed from the block one
after the
other. The adhesive free edge piece needs to be removed after removal of the
tape
strip from the block that is cumbersome. In another embodiment, a non-adhesive
element is provided to cover at least an edge region of the adhesive layer.
This too is
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cumbersome and requires use of two hands, which does not allow for quick
taping
operations such as in gift-wrapping.
Similarly, U.S. Patent No. 5,153,043 discloses a roll of adhesive tape that
has
several cuts extending parallel with the longitudinal axis of the roll and
radially
S through the tape so as to divide the tape into a plurality of laterally
tearing tape strips.
A portion of the tape and therefore each individual tape strip has an area
free of
adhesive near one edge to serve as a lead edge for easy removal of a tape
strip. Again,
this does not provide easy and quick dispensing of the individual tape strips.
Moreover, the individual tape strips will vary in width throughout the roll
with the
tape strip near the core of the roll having the smallest width.
It is also known to dispense transparent tape from a pad of tape strips as
described in U.S. Patent No. 4,650,706. '706 discloses a pad of tape strips
where the
length of a tape tab formed at one end of each tape strip extending from one
end
toward an opposite end is progressively greater from one side of the pad to
the other.
1 S '706 teaches that separation of the tape strip with the longest tape tab
may be
accomplished by grasping the tape tab and peeling the strip from the pad
without
separation of the next adjacent strip. Thus, a person desiring a sheet must
manually
separate an edge of a top sheet from the rest of the sheets in the stack and
peel that
sheet away, which is inconvenient, particularly when only one hand is
available to
remove the sheet. Such a stack is not suitable for situations where the user
requires
the use of both hands for operations other than the dispensing of the tape,
such as, for
example, gift-wrapping.
U.S. Patent No. 4,895,746 discloses a stack of adhesive coated sheets, such as
labels comprising release means and attachment means that provide means for
easy
release of the top sheet in the stack of sheets. '746 does not disclose
placing the
release means on alternating opposite edges of the sheets in the stack. Thus,
similar to
the tape strips taught by '706, a person desiring a sheet must manually
separate an
edge of a top sheet from the rest of the sheets in the stack and peel that
sheet away,
which is inconvenient, particularly when only one hand is available to remove
the
sheet. '746 also does not disclose a container for the adhesive coated sheets
adapted
to enclose and protect the sheets.
U.S. Patent Nos. 5,401,547, 5,086,946 and S,S 18,144 teach a stack of adhesive
coated pre-cut sheets that have attachment means and release means alternating
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between opposite ends through the stack. These patents also disclose a
dispenser for
easy dispensing individual sheets. Individual adhesive sheets can thus be
easily and
manually dispensed from the stack by one hand. However, the number of sheets
in
such a stack is generally limited because a large number of sheets in a stack
would
create too big of a gap between the dispensing window of the dispenser and the
stack
once the end of the stack is approaching. This may lead to difficulties in
dispensing
the last sheets from the stack. Accordingly, the stacks of adhesive coated
sheets in
these patents is less suitable for use by heavy duty users that need easy and
convenient
access to a large number of adhesive coated sheets.
Summary of the Invention
The present invention provides a set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets (70)
comprising on a major surface of a substrate (50) at least two stacks (51, S
lA, S 1B)
adhered to the substrate (50'), each stack (51, S1A, 51B) being a stack of
sheets
disposed one on top of another, each of the sheets ( 11, 12, 14, 16) having
first ( 19)
and second (20) spaced ends and a predetermined length between the first ( 19)
and
second (20) ends, comprising a backing ( 10) having opposite major first and
second
surfaces, and having a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive (2, 2A, 2B) on a
major side
of the sheet, the sheets being releasably adhered to each other by releasable
adhesion
of the layers of pressure sensitive adhesive (2, 2A, 2B) to the surfaces of
underlying
sheets to form the stack, with the first end ( 19) of each sheet being in
alignment with
the second end (20) of an adjacent sheet in the stack, and the sheets having
first
release means (8, 8A, 8B) for providing a first adhesion level along a first
end portion
( 15) of each of the sheets adjacent the first end ( 19) between the layer of
adhesive (2,
2A, 2B) and the surface of the adjacent sheet in the stack to which the layer
of
adhesive is releasably adhered that affords easy separation of surfaces of
adjacent
sheets along the first end portion ( 15), and second release means (9, 9A, 9B)
for
providing a second adhesion level along a second end portion ( 17) of each of
the
sheets adjacent the second end (20) between the layer of adhesive (2, 2A, 2B)
and the
surface of the adjacent sheet in the stack, which second adhesion level (9,
9A. 9B)
provides a release force that is higher than the release force along the first
end portion
( 15) and firmly adheres the sheet to the adjacent sheet in the stack during
separation of
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the sheets along the first end portion ( 15) while affording peeling away of
the sheet
from the stack along the second end portion ( 17).
In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides a dispenser for
dispensing tape flags and/or page markers, such as those sold by 3M Company.
The present invention also provides a dispenser for dispensing sheets from a
stack of sheets, the stack of sheets being a stack from a set of stacks of
adhesive
coated sheets of which each stack is adhered to a substrate, the dispenser
comprising
walls defining the shape of the dispenser, a dispensing means comprising an
opening
(42, 82, 92, 126, 132, 142) in one of the walls through which sheets from the
stack can
be dispensed and means for allowing conveyance (49, 89, 99, 129, 135, 145) of
each
stack of the set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets under the opening of the
dispensing
means.
The present invention also provides an alternative dispenser for dispensing
sheets from a stack of sheets, the stack of sheets being a stack from a set of
stacks of
adhesive coated sheets, the dispenser comprising walls defining the shape of
the
dispenser, a cavity that can contain the set of stacks of adhesive coated
sheets, a wall
(153) comprising an opening (156) allowing access to the cavity and a
dispensing
means ( 159) comprising a window ( 152) through which sheets from the stack
can be
dispensed and the dispensing means ( 159) being conveyable so that each stack
of the
set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets can be brought under the window ( 152)
of the
dispensing means.
The dispenser and set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets of the present
invention allow for a quick and efficient dispensing of uniform pre-cut
lengths of
adhesive coated tape. Furthermore, the dispenser and set of stacks of adhesive
coated
sheets are particularly suitable for heavy duty users that need to have access
to a large
number of pre-cut adhesive coated tape without losing a lot of time in
refilling the
dispenser. The dispensers of the present invention need to be refilled less
frequently
than existing dispensers, can be easily refilled and furthermore allow for
easy, quick
and reliable access to a much larger number of pre-cut adhesive coated tape
than with
the prior art systems. In addition, the individual pre-cut adhesive coated
tapes are
totally covered by adhesive and accordingly, there is no need to remove a
portion that
contains no adhesive, as is the case in the prior art.
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Brief Description of the Drawing
The following drawings are provided to illustrate various embodiments of the
present invention without however the intention to limit the invention
thereto:
Figure 1 is schematic drawing of a set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets
according to the invention.
Figure 2 is a schematic drawing of a stack of adhesive coated sheets.
Figure 3A and 3B schematically illustrate two embodiments of an adhesive
coated sheet according to the present invention.
Figure 3C is diagrammatic representation of an adhesive coated sheet stack
showing the portions containing the first release means and the second release
means.
Figures 4A to 4C illustrate three embodiments of a stack of the set of
adhesive
coated sheets.
Figure 5 illustrates a set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets of the
invention in
roll form
Figure 6A to 6D are schematic representation of a partial cross-sectional view
across the dispensing window of the dispenser shown in Figures 9A-C.
Figures 7A-C illustrate a first embodiment of a dispenser in connection with
this invention.
Figures 8A and 8B illustrate a second embodiment of a dispenser in
connection with this invention.
Figures 9A-C illustrate a third embodiment of a dispenser in connection with
this invention.
Figures l0A and lOB illustrate a fourth embodiment of a dispenser in
connection with this invention.
Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of a fifth embodiment of a dispenser in
connection with this invention.
Figures 12A-G illustrate a sixth embodiment of a dispenser in connection with
this invention.
Figures 13A-C illustrate a seventh embodiment of a dispenser in connection
with this invention.
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Description of the Preferred Embodiments)
The present invention provides a set of stacks of adhesive coated pre-cut
sheets. The stacks are adhered to a rigid or flexible substrate typically to
form a
preferably continuous string of stacks. As used in this application "flexible
substrate"
means a substrate that can be readily and repeatably bent without causing
damage to
the substrate. Examples of flexible substrates include plastic film, light
cardboard and
paper. As used in this application "rigid substrate" means a substrate that
cannot be
readily bent without causing damage to the substrate. Examples of rigid
substrates
include rigid plastic body, wood or a thick metal. When the substrate is a
rigid
substrate, it is preferred that the substrate is substantially non-planar. For
example,
the rigid substrate can be an arcuate or cylindrical substrate. The stacks are
adhered to
the substrate such that during the dispensing of individual pre-cut sheets
from the
stack, the stack does not normally release from the substrate. In connection
with the
present invention, the substrate may also comprise a combination of
substrates. For
example, the individual stacks may be adhered to a back sheet having about the
same
dimensions as the stack and these stacks may then be chained to each other by
means
of for example strips of adhesive linking the back sheets of two neighbouring
stacks to
each other. In such a case the substrate will comprise the back sheets of the
individual
stacks and the adhesive strips chaining the stacks together, to form the set
of stacks of
adhesive coated sheets.
The use of a flexible substrate is preferred in connection with this invention
as
it can be used with all of the various dispensers of the invention. In case
the set of
stacks of adhesive coated sheets is to be used with a dispenser that comprises
a
conveyable carrier it will be preferred that the set of stacks of adhesive
coated sheets
contains means for firmly attaching the set to the conveyable carrier. In
accordance
with one embodiment, the substrate may be provided with attachment means at
the
side of the substrate opposite to the side containing the stacks of adhesive
coated
sheets. For example, a repositionable adhesive may be provided at the side of
the
substrate opposite to the side that has the stacks adhered thereto. Instead of
using a
repositionable adhesive, other attachment means can be used as well such as a
hook
and loop attachment commercially available from 3M Company under the brand
SCOTCHiTM or interlocking fasteners also available from 3M Company. Further,
the
surface of the conveyable carrier may be provided with a fabric or non-woven
surface
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and the side of the substrate of the set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets
opposite to
the side that has the stacks adhered thereto, may be provided with fabric
cubicle grips
available from 3M Company under the brand SCOTCHTM. According to an
alternative embodiment, a lead edge and/or trailing edge free of adhesive
coated sheet
stacks may be provided on the set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets so that
the set
may be firmly attached to the conveyable carrier by inserting the lead and/or
trailing
edge in one or more slots on the carrier. As a still further embodiment to
firmly attach
the set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets to a conveyable carrier, that can
be used
with conveyable carriers that are in the form of a wheel or a core that can be
rotated,
the set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets may be provided as a belt that has
a
diameter large enough such as to allow to slide the set of stacks of adhesive
coated
sheets over the conveyable carrier to mount the set thereon while having a
diameter
small enough to avoid slipping of the set relative to the conveyable carrier
during
movement, i.e. rotation, of the conveyable carrier. As a variation of this
embodiment,
the belt may be provided with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the
conveyable
carrier and the substrate of the set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets may
comprise
an elastic material such that the diameter of the belt can be stretched to fit
the belt
over the conveyable carrier.
In case the set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets is to be used in a
dispenser
comprising a conveyor channel to allow for conveyance of the individual stacks
to the
dispensing window, it will generally be preferred that next to the last stack
of the set a
dummy pad is adhered to the substrate. The presence of such a dummy pad will
substantially improve dispensing adhesive coated sheets from the last stack of
the set
of stacks of adhesive coated sheets because without this dummy pad, unwanted
up and
down movement of the last stack in the dispenser may occur. As an alternative
to the
use of a dummy pad, the dispenser may be provided with a means for temporarily
blocking the substrate of the set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets. Such a
means
includes for example a lever or a plunger. A set of stacks of adhesive coated
sheets
having a flexible substrate will preferably be provided in the form of a roll
or as a belt.
Each stack in the set of stacks is a stack of pre-cut sheets disposed one on
top
of another, each sheet comprising a backing and having first and second
opposite
major sides and first and second opposite ends with the first end of each
sheet being in
alignment with the second end of an adjacent sheet in the stack, and a layer
of
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adhesive permanently adhered to the first major side of the sheet, the layer
of adhesive
of each sheet being releasably adhered along the second major side of the
adjacent
(lower) sheet in the stack. Each of the sheets comprises first release means
for
providing a first adhesion level along a first end portion of each of the
sheets adjacent
the first end of the backing between the layer of adhesive and the second
major side of
the adjacent (lower) sheet in the stack. The first adhesion level provides a
sufficiently
low release force (e.g. preferably less than 50 grams per inch; 1.97 grams/mm)
between the adhesive coating and the adjacent (lower) sheet to afford
separation
(which may include "sliding movement") between the side surfaces of the
adjacent
sheets along the first end portion. The adhesion level can be conveniently
measured
by the method ("Release Force") described in US 5,401,547 at column 21, lines
31 to
47.
Second release means are present for providing a second adhesion level along
a second end portion of each of the sheets adjacent the second end of the
sheet
between the layer of adhesive and the second major side of the adjacent
(lower) sheet
in the stack to which the layer of adhesive is releasably adhered. The second
adhesion
level provides a release force (preferably between 4 and 15 ounces per inch;
which is
between 5 grams/mm and 17 grams/mm) that is higher than the low release force
along the first end portion and firmly adheres the sheet to the adjacent
(lower) sheet in
the stack during separation of the sheet relative to the adjacent sheet along
the first
end portion while affording peeling away (e.g. manual) of the sheet along the
second
end portion.
The first release means for providing the first adhesion level and the second
release means for providing the second adhesion level can comprise a variety
of
structures including, but not limited to one or combinations of ( 1 )
providing a uniform
coating of the same pressure sensitive adhesive on each of the sheets together
with a
coating of low adhesion backsize on the portion of the upper surface of each
sheet
only along the first end portion, or providing different low adhesion
backsizes on the
upper surface of each sheet along the first and second end portions, with the
low
adhesion backsize in the first end portion having the greatest release factor
(that is,
lowest release value); (2) making the coating of pressure sensitive adhesive
along each
of the sheets discontinuous along the first end portion and continuous along
the
second end portion, or discontinuous along both portions with greater
discontinuities
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along the first end portion than along the second; and/or (3) using different
pressure
sensitive adhesives along the two end portions. For example, a stack of the
sheets may
comprise a layer of adhesive coated over an entire first major side surface of
the
backing of each of the sheets, the second release means may comprise a layer
of
medium release low adhesion backsize (LAB) coated over at least a portion of
the
second major side surface adjacent the second end of the sheet, and the first
release
means may comprise a layer of premium release low adhesion backsize (LAB)
coated
over a portion of the second major side surface adjacent the first end of the
sheet. In
this example, the sheets in the stack may have a length along a longitudinal
axis and a
width along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stack.
The layer of
premium release low adhesion backsize (LAB) is continuous, extends from the
first
end of the backing along the length of the sheet and comprises between ten (
i0) and
eighty (80) percent of the area of a side of the backing of each sheet in the
stack.
Preferably the premium release low adhesion backsize (LAB) layer comprises
I S generally about thirty-seven and one-half percent of the area of a side of
the backing
of each sheet in the stack.
Preferably, each stack of the set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets has a
tab
releasably adhered to the first sheet of the stack. Such a tab has opposite
first and
second ends and comprises a backing. On a major side of the backing along the
first
end there is provided an adhesive layer and at least a portion of that major
side of the
backing along the second end of the tab will be free of adhesive. Preferably,
the tab
has a length that is less than the length of the adhesive coated sheets in the
stack.
Preferably, the tab will have a length that is about half the length of the
adhesive
coated sheets. The tab is preferably adhered to the stack such that the first
end of the
tab containing the adhesive layer is aligned with an end of the stack. The tab
releasably adhered to each stack provides for an easy way to grab the first
adhesive
coated sheet of a stack.
Generally, as used herein, "sheet material" means a generally flat, flexible
structure, preferably acetate, brightened acetate film, unbrightened acetate
film,
thermoset film, thermoplastic film, polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene,
vinyl,
paper, metal foil, non-woven or combinations of the above mentioned materials.
Preferably the sheet material is transparent to allow a user to see the
underlying
substrate but the sheet material may also be opaque.
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Low adhesion backsize refers to a material which readily releases from a layer
of pressure sensitive adhesive and includes, but is not limited to, silicones,
fluorocarbons, acrylates, urethanes, chrome complexes, grafted or block
siloxane
hydrocarbons, and blends of these materials. Examples of various low adhesion
backsizes are found in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,421,904; 4,313,988; and 4,279,717
the
entire specifications of which are herein expressly incorporated by reference.
Other
low adhesion backsizes that may be used according to the present invention are
described in U.S. Patent Nos. 2,607,711; 2,876,894; and 2,532,011 the entire
specifications of which are also herein incorporated by reference.
Generally, as used herein, "premium release low adhesion backsize" means an
adhesive/backsize interaction with a maximum release force of 100 grams per
inch or
lower, and "medium release low adhesion backsize" means an adhesive/backsize
interaction with a release force of at least 150 grams per inch or higher.
The pressure sensitive adhesive may be of an acrylic, silicone, rubber-resin,
or
any other suitable composition. For example, the adhesive may comprise acrylic
adhesive IOA(95%)/AA (4.5%) iso-octyl acrylate/acrylic acid. Adhesives for use
with
the present invention are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,699,842; 3,578,622;
3,331,729; 2,926,105 and 4,835,217 the entire specifications of which are
herein
expressly incorporated by reference. Repositionable adhesives such as acrylic-
based
microspheres (IOA-ammonium acrylate) is also contemplated as an adhesive for
use
according to the present invention. For example, repositionable adhesives may
be
prepared according to U.S. Patent No. 3,691,140, the entire specification of
which is
also herein incorporated by reference.
The present invention also provides various embodiments of dispensers for use
with the set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets of the invention. A dispenser
of the
present invention typically is capable of holding a set of stacks of adhesive
coated
sheets containing at least 4 stacks, preferably at least 8 stacks and more
preferably at
least 16 stacks. A dispenser of the present invention should include a
dispensing
window through which individual sheets from a stack can be dispensed. Further,
the
dispensing window and set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets should be
movable
relative to each other so that each of the individual stacks can be brought
under the
dispensing window once a stack of the set has been consumed. Preferably, the
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movement is incrementally and means are provided so as to keep an individual
stack
in a temporarily fixed position relative to the dispensing window.
In accordance with one set of embodiments, the dispenser comprises one or
more walls defining its shape and a dispensing means comprising an opening in
one of
the wails. The opening of the dispensing means, also called dispensing window
hereinafter, typically has a width slightly larger than the width of the
adhesive coated
sheet stack and a length which is somewhat less than the length of the
adhesive coated
sheet stack. For example, the width of the dispensing window can be between
100
and 120% the width of a stack and the length of the dispensing window can be
between 20% and 90% the length of a stack. While it is generally important
that the
length of the dispensing window is less than the length of the stack of
adhesive coated
sheets, the width of the dispensing window is less critical and the width may
be large
enough to accommodate two or more stacks in the dispensing window such that
dispensing can take place from several stacks at the same time.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the opening in the
wall through which the individual sheets are to be dispensed may have a width
and
length substantially larger than desired for the dispensing of the adhesive
coated
sheets. In such embodiment, the size of the opening in the wall may be
adjusted by
superimposing on the opening a second opening having smaller dimensions. Thus,
in
such embodiment, the dispensing means will comprise an opening in one of the
walls
and an opening superimposed thereon having dimensions smaller than the opening
in
the wall of the dispenser. The use of a dispensing window superimposed on a
larger
opening in the wall can be of particular use to accommodate the use of
different sets
of adhesive coated sheet stacks having stacks of a different width and/or
length. As a
further alternative, a shuttling dispensing window may be provided on top of
the
opening in the wall of the dispenser. Such a shuttling window will typically
include a
small slot (slightly larger than the thickness of a sheet) through which a
sheet can
extend and during the dispensing operation, the shuttling dispensing window
will
shuttle from one edge to the other over the opening along the length of the
opening.
This alternative has the advantage that the sheet is always in an upright
position and
easier to grab. While the dispensing window is preferably rectangular, other
shapes
can be used as well such as a circular opening, an oval opening or an opening
with
one or more straight edges and one or more rounded edges. The dispensing
window in
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these embodiments is fixed, i.e. non-movable relative to the set of stacks of
adhesive
coated sheets and accordingly, the set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets
will have to
be moved relative to the dispensing window to bring a stack to the dispensing
window. Therefore, the dispenser will include a means to allow conveyance of
the
individual stacks of the set to the dispensing window. Such means fox
conveyance
may include a conveyor channel which may optionally be connected to a cavity
in
which the set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets are stored, or the means for
conveyance can include a conveyable carrier such as a rotating wheel, rotating
core or
belt. Preferably, the direction of conveyance of the set of stacks of adhesive
coated
sheets will be parallel to the longitudinal direction of the set of stacks of
adhesive
coated sheets.
In a dispenser having a conveyor channel, the set of stacks of adhesive coated
sheets should preferably have a flexible substrate. By moving, for example by
manually pulling a lead edge of the set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets,
one stack
after another can be conveyed to the dispensing window of the dispenser. In a
dispenser having a conveyable carrier, the set of stacks of adhesive coated
sheets will
be firmly attached to that carrier and by moving it, each of the individual
stacks of the
set can be transported to the dispensing window to dispense individual sheets
from a
stack.
As an alternative to moving the set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets
relative
to the dispensing window, the dispenser may contain the set of stacks of
adhesive
coated sheets in a cavity in a fixed position and a movable dispensing window
is then
provided.
The set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets of the present invention and
dispenser for use therewith will now be described in more detail with
reference to the
drawings.
Referring now to Figures l, 2, 3A through 3C, 4A through 4C and 5, there is
shown an embodiment of a set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets 70 (Fig.
1,5),
comprising stacks 51 adhered to a substrate 50.
Figure 2 schematically represents a stack 51 of adhesive coated sheets
containing a plurality of adhesive coated sheets 12, 14 releasably adhered to
each
other. According to a first embodiment of a stack 51 of sheets 11 (Figure 3A)
according to the present invention, each sheet 11 comprises a backing 10
having a
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coating of pressure sensitive adhesive 2 on a first major side surface 3 by
which the
sheet 11 may be adhered to a sheet beneath it in the stack 51, a second major
side
surface 5, and opposite first 19 and second 20 edges with the first end 19 of
each sheet
in alignment with the second end 20 of an adjacent sheet to form the stack 51.
Release means 8 provide a first adhesion level along a first end portion 15 of
each of the sheets 11 adjacent the first end 19 of the backing 10 between the
layer of
adhesive 2 and the second side surface 5 of the adjacent (lower) sheet in the
stack 51.
The first adhesion level provides a sufficiently low release force (e.g.
preferably less
than 50 grams per inch; 1.97 grams/mm) between the adhesive coating 2 and the
adjacent (lower) sheet to afford sliding movement (e.g. see Figures 6A-6D)
between
the side surfaces 3, 5 of the adjacent sheets (e.g. the sheet 14 beneath the
uppermost
sheet and the sheet 16 below the sheet 14, Figure 6B) along the first end
portion 15.
Attachment means 9 provide a second adhesion level along a second end portion
17 of
each of the sheets adjacent the second end 20 of the backing 10 between the
layer of
adhesive 2 and the second side surface 5 of the adjacent (lower) sheet in the
stack to
which the layer of adhesive 2 is releasably adhered. The second adhesion level
provides a release force (preferably between 4 and 15 ounces per inch; 5
grams/mm
and 17 grams/mm) that is higher than the low release farce along the first end
portion
15 and firmly adheres the sheet (e.g. 12) to the adjacent sheet (e.g. 14) in
the stack
during separation of the sheet (e.g. 14) relative to the adjacent sheet (e.g.
16, see
Figure 6B) along the first end portion 15 while affording peeling away (e.g.
manual)
of the sheet (e.g. 12) along the second end portion 17 (see Figure 6C-6D).
Preferably, the layer of pressure sensitive adhesive is uniform, of the same
adhesive composition, and has an adhesion to glass of greater than 10 ounces
per inch
( 17 grams/millimeter). For example, the adhesive may comprise acrylic
adhesive
IOA(95%)/AA (4.5%) iso-octyl acrylate/acrylic acid. Adhesives for use with the
present invention are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,699,842; 3,578,622;
3,331,729;
2,926,105 and 4,835,217, the entire specifications of which are herein
expressly
incorporated by reference.
Figure 3B is similar to Figure 3A except that a primer 7 has been added to the
second major side surface 5 of the backing 10 of the sheet 11. Additionally, a
primer
(not shown) may be added to the first major side surface 3 of the backing 10
of the
sheet 11. The primers are optional and where the first release means 8 or the
adhesive
CA 02348013 2001-04-25
WO 00/29225 14 PCT/US99/25539
2 does not naturally adhere to the sheet 11, primers known in the art may be
used
without affecting the release performance of the first release means 8 or the
adhesive
2.
Figure 3C illustrates a generally rectangular sheet I 1 having a longitudinal
axis A defining a length L (preferably 2.0 inches, 5.08 centimeters) and a
width Z.
The area of the first end portion 15 of the sheet 11 shown in Figure 3C is the
length Y
(preferably 0.75 inches, 1.90 centimeter) of the first release means 8
multiplied by the
length Z (the width of the sheet, preferably 0.75 inches, 1.90 centimeters).
The area of
the second end portion 17 of the sheet 11 shown in Figure 3C is the length X
of the
second release means 9 multiplied by the length Z (the width of the sheet).
Generally,
the first end portion 15 extends from the first edge 19 along the length of
the sheet 11
and comprises between ten ( 10) and eighty {80) percent of the area of a side
of each
sheet 11 in the stack 51.
Preferably, the first end portion 15 comprises generally about thirty-seven
and
one-half percent of the area of a side (for example 5) of the backing 10 of
each sheet
11 in the stack. Correspondingly, the second end portion 17 extends from the
second
edge 20 along the length of the sheet 1 l and comprises between twenty (20)
and
ninety (90) percent of the area of a side of the backing IO of each sheet in
the stack 51.
Preferably, the second end portion I7 comprises generally about sixty-two and
one-
half percent of the area of a side of each sheet in the stack. It should be
noted that the
sheet 11 shown in Figure 3C'. is rectangular, however, various shapes are
included
within the scope of the invention including but not limited to square,
circular,
triangular and polygonal shapes and combinations thereof.
In order to individually dispense a single sheet 11 from the stack 51 of
sheets,
the first release means 8 should provide a release force of less than about 50
grams per
inch ( I .97 grams/mm) along the first end portion 15, and the second release
means 9
should provide a release force of greater than about 4 ounces per inch (5
grams/mm)
and less than about 15 ounces per inch ( 17 grams/mm) along the second end
portion
17. If the release force of the first release means 8 is too high (e.g.
greater than about
50 grams per inch); only one sheet will peel off the top of the stack 51 since
the high
release force would prevent the sliding movement of the two uppermost sheets
12 and
14 in the stack 51 relative to the subsequent adjacent sheet 16, which
prevents
separation of sheets 14 and 16 (For example, see Figures 6A-6D). If the
release force
CA 02348013 2001-04-25
W O 00/29225 1 S PCT/US99/25539
of the second release means 9 is too high (e.g. greater than I S ounces per
inch), it
becomes difficult to peel the uppermost sheet 12 from the sheet 14 beneath it.
If the
release force of the second release means 9 is too low (e.g. less than 4
ounces per
inch), however, there is no separation of the two uppermost sheets 12 and 14
in the
S stack S 1 relative to the subsequent adjacent sheet 16 since the uppermost
sheet 12
would peel off the sheet 14 below the uppermost sheet before the sliding could
occur.
Preferably the first release means 8 has a release force of about 2 grams per
inch
(0.097 grams/mm) along the first end portion 1 S and the second release means
9
should provide a release force of about 4 ounces per inch (S grams/mm) along
the
second end portion 17.
Referring now to Figure 4A of the drawing, there is shown an example of a
first embodiment of a stack of sheets according to the present invention,
generally
designated by the reference numeral S 1. The stack 51 of sheets I 1 may
comprise a
layer of adhesive 2 coated over an entire first major side surface 3 of the
backing 10 of
1S each of the sheets 11, a first layer of medium release low adhesion
backsize 1 (LAB)
coated over a second major side surface 5 of the backing 10 along at least the
second
end portion 17 adjacent the second edge 20 of the sheet 11, and a second layer
of
premium release low adhesion backsize 1' (LAB) coated over the second major
side
surface S along the first end portion 1 S adjacent the first edge 19 of the
sheet 11. The
backing 10 may comprise for example, an acetate backing as described in U.S.
Pat.
No. 2,927,868 the entire specification of which is herein incorporated by
reference.
The sheets 11 are stacked with the premium release low adhesion backsize 1'
(LAB)
on each successive sheet disposed along alternative opposite ends of adjacent
sheets
11 in the stack S 1 with the first end 19 of one sheet aligned with the second
end 20 of
2S the adjacent sheets and with the adhesive coating 2 of one sheet releasably
adhering
the one sheet to the second major side surface S of a successive {lower) sheet
to
maintain the sheets in the stack S I . It should be noted that while Figure 4A
illustrates
the premium release low adhesion backsize I' coated on top of the medium
release
low adhesion backsize I , the stack S I could be constructed with the premium
release
low adhesion backsize 1' coated directly to the second major side surface S of
the
backing 10 of the sheet I 1.
Referring now to Figure 4B of the drawing, there is shown a second alternative
embodiment of a stack of sheets according to the present invention, generally
CA 02348013 2001-04-25
WO 00/29225 16 PCT/US99/Z5539
designated by the reference numeral 51 A which has many parts that are
essentially the
same as the parts of the stack 51 of sheets 11 and which have been identified
by the
same reference number to which the suffix "A" has been added. In Figure 4B,
the first
release means 8A for providing the first adhesion level, and the second
release means
9A for providing the second adhesion level comprise making the coating of
pressure
sensitive adhesive 2A on the backing l0A of each of the sheets 11A
discontinuous 18
along the first end portion 15A and continuous 18' along the second end
portion 17A.
Such a stack 51 A may include only a single layer 1 A of low adhesion backsize
along
the second major surface 5A of the backing l0A of sheet 1 lA. Alternatively
the first
release means 8A for providing the first adhesion level, and the second
release means
9A for providing the second adhesion level may comprise making the coating of
pressure sensitive adhesive 2A on the backing 10A of each of the sheets 11 A
discontinuous in both portions (not shown) with greater discontinuities in the
first end
portion 15A than in the second end portion 17A.
Referring now to Figure 4C of the drawing, there is shown a third alternative
embodiment of a stack of sheets according to the present invention, generally
designated by the reference numeral 51 which has many parts that are
essentially the
same as the parts of the stack 51 of sheets 11 and which have been identified
by the
same reference number to which the suffix "B" has been added. In Figure 4C,
the first
release means 8B for providing the first adhesion level and the second release
means
9B for providing the second adhesion level comprise changing the composition
of the
coating of pressure sensitive adhesive 2B along the first 15B and the second
17B end
portions. Like the stack S lA, the stack 51B may include only a single layer
1B of low
adhesion backsize along the second major surface 5B of the backing 10B of
sheet
11B. As an example of the stack 51B, the adhesive 13 used along the first end
portion
15B may be a relatively weak or low aggressive adhesive, such as described in
U.S.
Pat. No. 3,691,140. An adhesive that is particularly suitable for use along
the first end
portion 15B may comprise acrylic adhesive or acrylic microspheres. The
adhesive
13B used in the second adhesion zone 17B may be a relatively aggressive or
strong
adhesive, such as acrylic adhesive, rubber resins, or KRATONTM. Adhesives for
use
with the present invention may be prepared according to U.S. Patent Nos.
4,699>842
and 4,835,217.
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WO 00/29225 l~ PCT/US99/25539
The pre-cut sheets of the present invention are particularly useful for tasks
which generally require the use of both hands for operations other than the
dispensing
of the tape, such as for example, gift wrapping, packaging, book covering, box
closing, medical taping, wire marking and highlighting. Further, dispensing of
the
individual adhesive coated sheets does not require a cutting operation and the
dispensing is therefore easy and fast. Moreover, with the dispensers and set
of stacks
of adhesive coated sheets of this invention, the user can have a large number
of pre-
cut sheets available.
The substrate SO to which the stacks 51, S1A or S1B are adhered can be a
flexible substrate as well as a rigid substrate. A flexible substrate is
preferred for use
with the dispensers of the invention that have a conveyor channel or the
dispensers of
the invention that contain a conveyable carrier for bringing a fresh stack
under the
dispensing window of the dispenser. If the dispenser contains a conveyable
carrier to
which the set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets is to be attached, the
substrate 50
will preferably be coated with a repositionable adhesive at the side opposite
to the side
containing the stacks of adhesive coated sheets. By the term "repositionable
adhesive" in connection with this invention is meant an adhesive that allows
for the
substrate 50 to be firmly attached to the conveyable carrier during the
dispensing
operations while allowing removal from the conveyable carrier after the set of
stacks
of adhesive coated sheets has been consumed without leaving substantial
amounts of
residues of adhesive. An example of a suitable adhesive is the pressure
sensitive
adhesive used on POST-TT~ notes. Alternatively, the substrate 50 may be firmly
attached by providing for a lead and/or trailing edge on the substrate 50 that
is free of
stacks 51 of adhesive coated sheets. A set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets
including a lead edge 53 is shown in Figure 5. This lead and/or trailing edge
can then
be inserted in one or more slots adapted to receive the lead or trailing edge
and
provided on the conveyable carrier. The use of a repositionable adhesive or
the use of
a lead and/or trailing edge may also be preferred to hold a set of stacks of
adhesive
coated sheets in a fixed position with dispensers of this invention that have
a movable
dispenser window.
When the substrate 50 is a flexible substrate, it will generally be preferred
to
provide the set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets in a rolled form as shown
in Figure
5 or in the form of a belt. Also shown in Figure 5 is the presence of a dummy-
pad 52
CA 02348013 2001-04-25
WO 00/29225 1 g PCT/US99/25539
that is adhered to the substrate 50 after the last stack of the set of stacks
of adhesive
coated sheets. Generally, this dummy pad 52 is a pad that has about the same
dimensions as the individual stacks of the set but does not contain the
adhesive coated
sheets. An example of dummy pad 52 includes a hollow plastic rod. The use of a
dummy pad can be of an advantage in dispensers that employ a conveyor channel.
In
those dispensers, the dummy pad will avoid substantial movement of the set
when
sheets are dispensed from the last stack in the set of stacks of adhesive
coated sheets.
Examples of flexible substrates to which the stacks may be adhered include
polyethylene film, cellulose acetate, polypropylene film, polyester film, non-
woven
and woven fabrics, polyethylene or polypropylene coated paper, plain paper and
light
cardboard. The thickness of the flexible substrate is typically between O.OSmm
and
lmm, preferably between O.lSmm and O.Smm. The individual stacks 51, S1A or S1B
are preferably adhered to the flexible substrate with the length of each stack
aligned
with the width of the flexible substrate. Stacks 51, S1A or S1B are preferably
adhered
to the flexible substrate by means of the adhesive layer of the last sheet in
a stack.
However, it is also possible to adhere the last sheet in a stack to a backing
and to then
adhere that backing to the flexible substrate by means of adhesive, for
example a
pressure sensitive adhesive.
When the substrate 50 is provided as a rigid substrate, it is preferred that
the
set of adhesive coated sheets is substantially non-planar. When the rigid
substrate is
substantially planar, neighbouring stacks in the set may be adhered to each
other
causing difficulties in dispensing individual sheets from a stack. Preferably,
the rigid
substrate is arcuate or is a core such as for example a cylindrical core with
the
individual stacks adhered to the outer surface of the arcuate substrate or
core.
A set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets in connection with the present
invention can be manufactured by producing the individual adhesive coated
sheet
stacks as illustrated in the examples of US 5,401,547. In this instance, the
individual
adhesive coated sheet will be z-stacked on a backsheet having the same
dimensions as
the individual adhesive coated sheets. Accordingly, such stacks will contain
as the
bottom most sheet a backsheet. In order to obtain a set of stacks of adhesive
coated
sheets of this invention, these individual stacks may be attached to a
substrate by
means of an adhesive such as a pressure sensitive adhesive or a hot melt
adhesive.
Alternatively other second release means may be employed to adhere the
individual
CA 02348013 2001-04-25
WO 00/29225 19 PCT/US99/25539
stacks to the substrate 50. Such other second release means include so-called
hook
and loop attachment commercially available from 3M Company under the brand
SCOTCHTM or interlocking fasteners also available from 3M Company. In
accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention, the
individual
stacks can be adhered to an adhesive tape by placing the individual stacks
next to each
other as a continuous string on the adhesive coated side of the adhesive tape.
According to an alternative embodiment for producing the set of stacks of
adhesive coated sheets of this invention, a single pad of adhesive coated
sheets having
a length L and a width W may be produced generally in accordance with the
procedure illustrated in the examples of US 5,401,547. As described above, the
lowest sheet in this pad of adhesive coated sheets will be a backsheet and the
individual adhesive coated sheets are z-stacked so that the first release
means 8 and
second release means 9 alternate between the edges defining the width of the
pad. To
obtain the set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets of this invention, the pad
of adhesive
coated sheets is cut at regular distances R along length L. The cutting of the
pad is
however carried out such that each of the adhesive coated sheets is cut
through but
without completely cutting through the backsheet, so-called kiss-cutting. With
the
term "without completely cutting through" is meant that at least 10% and
preferably
at least 20% of the thickness of the backsheet is uncut. Accordingly, n stacks
of a
width R ( the product of n and R corresponding to the length L of the single
pad
except for a potential remainder) and a width W (corresponding to the width of
the
single pad) which are attached and held together on the backsheet, serving as
substrate
50, are obtained. Kiss-cutting of the pad may be carried out in various ways.
For
example, the kiss-cutting may be carried out with a knife that cuts completely
through
a part of the backsheet along width W while leaving the backsheet partially
uncut in
other parts along width W. For example, a knife may be used that cuts
completely
through the backsheet at both edges of the pad while leaving the backsheet
partially
uncut in the middle along width W of the pad, or vice-versa the backsheet may
be left
partially uncut at the edges while cutting completely through in the middle
along
width W. The advantage of partially cutting completely through the backsheet
and
partially not, is that the flexibility of the substrate 50 can be further
increased.
As an alternative to the embodiment described in the previous paragraph, the
single pad of Z-stacked adhesive coated sheets may be wound around a core and
the
..~w~..""~ ,w..... ...,~,.~.~,.~.-..
CA 02348013 2001-04-25
WO 00/29225 20 PCTNS99/25539
single pad may then be kiss-cut at regular intervals along the circumference
of the
core so as to provide a set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets having a rigid
core as
the substrate.
A first embodiment of a dispenser 40 of the present invention is shown in
Figures 7A, 7B and 7C. The dispenser 40 comprises walls defining its shape.
Dispenser 40 comprises an arcuate top side 41 opposite to bottom wall 47. The
top
side 41 comprises an opening 42. Dispenser 40 further comprises opposite front
45
and back 46 sides and front side 45 has a rectangular input opening 44 and a
rectangular output opening 43. The shape of dispenser 40 is further defined by
two
opposite side walls 48. As shown on the cross-sectional view in Figure 7B, the
dispenser contains a conveyor channel 49 connecting the input opening 44 with
the
output opening 43 while passing along opening 42. The conveyor channel 49 can
hold a set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets 70. The set of stacks of
adhesive coated
sheets 70 preferably contains a lead where the substrate SO does not contain
stacks 51.
The length of this lead should at least equal the length of the conveyor
channel
between opening 42 and output opening 43. Although the set of stacks of
adhesive
coated sheets 70 can be fed via input opening 44 into the conveyor channel 49,
it is
preferred that at least one of the side walls 48 is removable so that the
conveyor
channel 49 can be accessed from one of the sides of the dispenser for easy
mounting
of a set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets 70 therein. The conveyor channel
49
should at least have a width and height so that the set of stacks of adhesive
coated
sheets 70 readily fits into the conveyor channel. Typically, the conveyor
channel 49
will have a width and height that is slightly larger than respectively the
width and
thickness of the set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets 70. However, as shown
in
Figure 7B, the height of the portion of the conveyor channel 49 between the
opening
42 and the output opening 43 is preferably reduced to slightly larger than the
thickness
of the substrate 50 of the set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets 70. The
dispenser 40
preferably also includes a ballast 100 to give the dispenser sufficient weight
to remain
stable during the dispensing operation. Alternatively, to keep the dispenser
stable
during the dispensing operation, the bottom wall of the dispenser may be
provided
with a suction cup or the attachment means described in EP 355700. Any of
these
means to stabilize the dispenser and in particular the use of a ballast are
preferably
also included in the further embodiments of the dispensers described
hereinafter.
CA 02348013 2001-04-25
WO 00/29225 PCT/US99/25539
21
However, for reasons of clarity and convenience, such means are omitted in the
drawings and description corresponding to these further embodiments.
A second embodiment of a dispenser is shown in Figures 8A and 8B.
Dispenser 80 of Figures 8A and 8B comprises walls defining the shape of the
dispenser, the walls include a arcuate top wall 81 opposite to bottom wall 87.
The top
wall 81 contains an opening 82 through which the adhesive coated sheets can be
dispensed. Top wall 81 is furthermore removable or hinges so that a set of
stacks of
adhesive coated sheets winded as a roll (see Figure 5) can be easily inserted
in
cylindrical cavity 88 of the dispenser. This furthermore allows for easy
access to the
conveyor channel 89 so that the first stack of the set can be easily placed in
front of
the opening 82. As shown in Figure 8A, when closed, the dispenser contains in
front
wall 85 an opening 83 through which the substrate 50 of the set of stacks of
adhesive
coated sheets extends. Once a stack of adhesive coated sheets is consumed, the
next
stack in the set can be moved under the opening 82 by simply pulling substrate
50.
A still further embodiment of a dispenser in connection with this invention is
shown in Figures 9A, 9B and 9C. Dispenser 90 contains walls defining its shape
including a bottom wall 101 and an opposite top wall 91 containing an opening
92
through which adhesive coated sheets can be dispensed. Dispenser 90 further
includes
a back wall 96 and an opposite front wall 95 containing a rectangular opening
93
connected to a conveyor channel 99. As shown in Figure 9A, conveyor channel 99
extends through side wall 98. Conveyor channel 99 is further connected with a
cylindrical cavity 94 in which a roll of a wound set of stacks of adhesive
coated sheets
70 can be mounted. Cavity 94 also extends through side wall 98 such that both
the
cavity 94 and the conveyor channel 99 can be easily accessed for placing a set
of
stacks of adhesive coated sheets in the dispenser. The set of stacks of
adhesive coated
sheets is placed in the dispenser with a lead of the substrate 50 extending
through the
opening 93 in front wall 95 and the first stack of adhesive coated sheets
under the
opening 92. The cavity 94 may be closed with a removable or hinging cover 94b.
As
a variant of dispenser 90, the complete side wall 98 may be provided as
removable or
hinging. In this latter instance, conveyor channel 99 and cavity 94 should not
extend
through the side wall 98.
Further as shown in Figure 9C, the set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets
wound as a roll may be contained in a cylindrical holder 55 containing an
opening 56
CA 02348013 2001-04-25
WO 00/29225 22 PCT/US99/25539
through which the substrate 50 of the set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets
extends.
The set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets contained in the cylindrical
holder 55 may
then together with that holder be inserted in the cavity 94 of the dispenser
90 which
will further facilitate mounting of the set of stacks of adhesive coated
sheets in the
dispenser. It will further be clear to one skilled in the art that a set of
stacks of
adhesive coated sheets 70 winded as a roll and contained in a holder having an
opening through which the substrate 50 can extend, can also be used with other
dispensers of this invention containing a cavity for holding the set of stacks
of
adhesive coated sheets.
As illustrated in Figures 9A-9C, the dispenser 90 may further include raised
parts 102a and 102b at the corners of opening 92. The pair of raised parts
102a and
102b define a recess 103 at the short edges of the opening 92. Raised parts
102a and
102b defining recess 103 offer the advantage of guiding the fingers of a user
grabbing
an adhesive coated sheet thereby facilitating the dispensing. The dispensing
operation
of an adhesive coated sheet from a stack of the set of stacks of adhesive
coated sheets
in dispenser 90 is illustrated by Figures 6A to 6D. Figures 6A to 6B show a
partial
cross-sectional view through the dispensing window of dispenser 90. As can be
appreciated from these Figures, upon pulling sheet 12 from the stack,
underlying sheet
14 will release from sheet 16 underlying sheet 14 and continuing pulling sheet
12 will
eventually bring edge 20 of sheet 14 through opening 92. Subsequent pulling
sheet 12
will then separate sheet 12 from sheet 14 while leaving sheet 14 releasably
adhered to
sheet 16 so that the dispensing operation can be repeated. Once a stack of the
set is
consumed, the next stack of the set can be brought underneath opening 92 by
pulling
on substrate 50. This operation is convenient, fast and easy. Accordingly, a
heavy
duty user will have a large number of adhesive coated sheets available to him
without
having to refill the dispenser as frequently as is the case in a dispensing
system
disclosed in e.g. US 5,401,547.
A further embodiment of a dispenser that can be used in connection with this
invention is illustrated in Figure l0A and IOB. The dispenser of Figure l0A
comprises a cartridge 121, preferably a disposable cartridge that contains the
set of
stacks of adhesive coated sheets 70 in the form of a roll. The cartridge 121
contains an
opening 126 allowing for the dispensing of individual sheets from a stack of
the set of
stacks of adhesive coated sheets. As shown in Figure lOb, the cartridge 121
further
CA 02348013 2001-04-25
WO 00/29225 23 PCT/US99/25539
includes a conveyor channel 129 connecting the opening 126 with an opening 127
through which the substrate 50 can be evacuated. The conveyor channel 129 is
defined by the walls of cartridge 121 and the spring 128. Spring 128 assures
that a
stack 51 of the set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets 70 is held in place
during
dispensing of sheets therefrom. The dispenser further comprises a second part
122
containing a cavity 123 for receiving cartridge 121 and engagement means 125
suitable for engaging with engagement means 124 of the cartridge 121.
Dispenser 130 illustrated in Figure 11 is a dispenser that includes a
conveyable
carrier as the means for conveyance. As shown in Figure 11, the dispenser 130
includes a cover including an opening 132 through which individual adhesive
coated
sheets can be dispensed. The cover 136 is provided with a hinge 137 allowing
the
cover to be opened to get easy access to the interior of the dispenser and to
mount a
set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets therein. The set of stacks of adhesive
coated
sheets is firmly attached to the conveyable carrier comprising rotatable wheel
131.
The outer surface of wheel 131 is provided polygonal and wheel 131 further
includes
an axial extending slot 133 in which the lead and trailing edge of the
substrate of the
set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets can be inserted. This will assure that
the set of
stacks of adhesive coated sheets does not slip relative to wheel 131 when
wheel 131 is
rotated. Further the width of each side of the polygonal outer surface of
wheel 131
preferably corresponds to the width of the stacks of the set of stacks of
adhesive
coated sheets. Instead of wheel 131, it is also possible to use a cylindrical
core. Wheel
131 may be manually rotated by means of knob 135. Advantageously, the wheel
also
includes means for keeping the wheel in a fixed position while dispensing
adhesive
coated sheets from a stack.
Referring to Figures 12a-12c, there is illustrated a further embodiment of a
dispenser containing a conveyable carrier. Figure 12a shows a front view of
dispenser
140. Dispenser 140 is a tilted cylindrical dispenser having an opening 142
through
which individual adhesive coated sheets can be dispensed. Figure 12b shows a
cross-
section of the dispenser 140 along a plane that is parallel to the axis of the
cylindrical
dispenser and Figure 12c shows a cross-section of dispenser 140 along a plane
perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical dispenser. As shown in Figures
12b and
12c, dispenser 140 contains a conveyable carrier comprising rotatable wheel
145.
Wheel 145 can be removed from the top of dispenser 140 for mounting a set of
stacks
CA 02348013 2001-04-25
WO 00/29225 24 PCT/US99/25539
of adhesive coated sheets on wheel 145. Similarly as described above for
dispenser
130, the wheel includes an axial extending slot 147 in which the lead and
trailing edge
of a set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets can be inserted to firmly attach
the set to
wheel 145.
In Figures 12d-g, further variants of the dispenser 140 are shown. As shown
in Figure 12d, the opening 142 may be provided with half spheres 200 attached
to the
short edges of the opening 142 and centered at about the middle of the short
edges.
Such embodiment has the advantage of reducing the risk of the adhesive sheet
accidentaily disappearing in the opening 142. In Figure 12e, there is shown a
variant
of dispenser 140 wherein on opening 142 of the dispensing means, an opening
202 of
a different shape can be superimposed on the opening 142 via engagement means
201
provided in the wall of the dispenser 140. Figure 12f shows a variant of
dispenser 140
wherein a shuttling window 203 has been provided on top of the opening 142. As
shown by arrows 204, the shuttling window 203 will shuttle up and down along
the
length of opening 142 during the dispensing operation. Finally, Figure 12g
shows a
variant of dispenser 140 wherein a hinging opening 205 is superimposed on the
opening 142 of the dispensing means. Hinging opening 205 can pivot around
hinge
206 revealing larger opening 142. This offers the advantage that the user can
easily
restart the dispensing in case of malfunction for example when a sheet has
disappeared in the opening and there is no longer a sheet ready for grabbing.
When
closed, hinging opening 205 will lock wheel 145 and avoid possible up and down
movement of wheel 145 during the dispensing operation.
In Figures 13A-13C, there is illustrated dispenser 150 including a movable
dispensing means 159 including a dispensing window 152. Dispenser 150
comprises
an arcuate surface 155 to which a set of stacks of adhesive coated sheets is
firmly
adhered for example by slots (not shown) at each end of the arcuate surface
155 into
which the lead and trailing edge of the set of stacks of adhesive coated
sheets 70 can
be inserted. Portions 153 of an arcuate top wall of dispenser 150 extend from
the side
walls of the dispenser and define an opening 156 extending from end wall 157
to end
wall 158. The dispensing means 159 is provided under top wall portions 153 and
comprises a dispensing window 152 and sliders 154 that are supported by
arcuate
surface 155. Sliders 154 have a height such that the dispensing means can
easily
move between the top wall portions 153 and the top of the stacks of the set of
stacks
CA 02348013 2001-04-25
WO 00/29225 PCT/US99/25539
of adhesive coated sheets. Accordingly, the dispensing means 159 can be slid
from
end wall 158 to 157 so that each stack of the set of stacks of adhesive coated
sheets
can be brought under the dispensing window of the dispensing means. The
dispensing
means further includes raised parts 151 at the corner of the dispensing window
to
5 provide for guidance of the fingers upon dispensing a sheet from a stack.
Various modifications and alterations of this invention will become apparent
to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and principles of
this
invention, and it should be understood that this invention is not to be unduly
limited to
the illustrative embodiments set forth hereinabove. All publications and
patents are
10 incorporated herein by reference to the same extent as if each individual
publication or
patent was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by
reference.
