Trigger operated brake for handheld tape dispenser including a barbed spool holder

Abstract

A handheld dispenser of pressure sensitive adhesive tape comprising a handle and a rotating spool holder including a brake plate and holding a roll of pressure sensitive adhesive tape on the tape spool holder, and a cutting blade, an idler pulley, and a finger activated trigger stopping the motion of the tape supply reel by engaging the brake plate through actuating a lever coupling the brake plate and the trigger, thus stopping the dispensing of tape when the trigger is pressed by a finger.

Claims

1. A handheld dispenser of pressure sensitive adhesive tape comprising: a handle, and a rotating spool holder including a brake plate, holding a roll of tape on the spool holder by a plurality of flexible retaining clips; a cutting blade; an idler pulley; and a trigger stopping the motion of the tape supply reel holder by engaging the brake plate through actuating a lever coupling the brake plate and the trigger, thus stopping the dispensing of tape when the trigger is pressed by a finger; wherein the brake plate interlocks with teeth disposed in the spool holder to prevent it from turning; and wherein the toothed brake plate engages a plurality of teeth disposed about an interior circumference of the rotating spool holder.

2. The handheld dispenser of pressure sensitive adhesive tape of claim 1, wherein the device includes a spring biased trigger which is coupled to the lever.

3. The handheld dispenser of pressure sensitive adhesive tape of claim 1, wherein the lever is coupled to the brake plate, the brake plate being toothed.

4. The handheld dispenser of pressure sensitive adhesive tape of claim 1, wherein the plurality of flexible retaining clips are disposed about the outer circumference of the rotating spool holder.

5. The handheld dispenser of pressure sensitive adhesive tape of claim 1, wherein the plurality of flexible retaining clips include a barbed end.

6. A tape dispenser comprising: a cogged spool holder rotating as tape is dispensed; a trigger coupled to a toothed brake plate such that when the trigger is actuated the toothed brake plate engagedly couples the cogged spool holder stopping the dispensing of tape, in which the toothed brake plate includes a raised portion having at least one tooth for engaging the cogged spool holder is disposed.

7. The tape dispenser of claim 6, in which the trigger is configured to tension the tape without actuating a cutter to cut the tape.

8. The tape dispenser of claim 6, further comprising a spring bias to return the trigger to its original position when the trigger is released.

9. The tape dispenser of claim 6, in which the toothed brake plate includes a forked portion for engaging an axle of the cogged spool holder.

10. The tape dispenser of claim 6, in which the cogged spool holder includes a plurality of flexible retaining clips to hold a tape supply real on the cogged spool holder.

11. The tape dispenser of claim 10, in which the plurality of flexible retaining clips include a barbed end at an end of a flexible shaft.

12. The tape dispenser of claim 11, in which the flexible shaft deflects when a tape supply reel is installed on the cogged spool holder, with the barb snapping in place to secure the tape supply real during use.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present description will be better understood from the following detailed description read in light of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1. is an illustration of a conventional hand held pressure sensitive tape dispenser.

(3) FIG. 2. is a perspective of the left side of the present example of a tape dispenser with a trigger operated brake.

(4) FIG. 3A. is a left side view of the trigger

(5) FIG. 3B. is the rear side of the trigger.

(6) FIG. 4A. is the rear view of the lever.

(7) FIG. 4B. is the side view of the Lever.

(8) FIG. 5A. is the top view of the brake plate.

(9) FIG. 5B. is the side view of the brake plate.

(10) FIG. 6A. is the side view of the cogged spool holder.

(11) FIG. 6B. is the rear view of the cogged spool holder.

(12) FIG. 7. is the rear cutaway view of the present example.

(13) FIG. 8 depicts a roll of pressure sensitive tape being installed onto an alternate example of having a flexible retaining clip (barbed) spool holder.

(14) FIG. 9 depicts a roll of pressure sensitive tape after installation onto the cogged spool holder with the flexible retaining clip fully engaging the tape supply reel 18.

(15) FIG. 10 shows a side view of a cogged spool holder with anti-slip barbs.

(16) Like reference numerals are used to designate like parts in the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(17) The detailed description provided below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of the present examples and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present example may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the functions of the example and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the example. However, the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different examples.

(18) FIG. 1 is a depiction of a conventional handheld pressure sensitive tape dispenser. The dispenser is provided with a handle 17 and a tape supply reel 18. The pressure sensitive tape supply is threaded from the reel 18 over an idler pulley 20 and behind the cutting blade 19.

(19) FIG. 2. is a perspective of the left side of the present example of a tape dispenser with a trigger operated brake. As the tape is dispensed, the cogged spool holder 16 rotates counter clockwise. When the desired amount of tape has been dispensed, the user depresses the trigger 10. The trigger 10 has a trigger guide rod 11 and a trigger return spring 12 to ensure smooth and consistent movement.

(20) The trigger 10 pushes the lever 13 and the lever pulls the brake plate 15. A raised portion of the brake plate 15 bearing curved teeth, slides into the curved teeth on the rotating spool holder 16. The curved shape of the teeth on the brake plate 15 and the spool holder 16 allows the cogs to mesh together quickly and immediately stop the spool holder 16 from turning, thus stopping the dispensing of the tape. The user then exerts force to stretch the tape over the cutting blade 19 to cut the tape.

(21) After the cut is complete, the user releases the trigger 10, thereby permitting the trigger return spring 12 to restore the trigger to its normal position. The lever return spring 14 returns the lever 13 to its ready to use position and retracts the brake plate 15 teeth from the teeth of the spool holder 16. The user may also stop the dispensing of tape to increase tension and release the trigger without cutting the tape.

(22) FIG. 3A. is a left side view of the trigger 10.

(23) FIG. 3B. is the rear side of the trigger 10.

(24) FIG. 4A. is the rear view of the lever 13.

(25) FIG. 4B. is the side view of the lever 13.

(26) FIG. 5A. is the top view of the brake plate 15. The plate 15 may be made of metal or equivalent material. The plate is generally planar with a raised portion 502 provided, in which one or more teeth 501 are disposed. A forked area 503 is provided to couple to an axle holding the cogged spool holder to a handle assembly (not shown). Alternatively an aperture, such as an oblong opening, may be provided to allow the teeth to engage the cogs (not shown).

(27) FIG. 5B. is the side view of the brake plate 15. The brake plate 15 is substantially flat with a raised portion 502. The raised portion 502 may be formed from the same piece, or may be a separate piece that is attached to the flat portion.

(28) FIG. 6A. is the side view of the cogged spool holder 16.

(29) FIG. 6B. is the rear view of the cogged spool holder 16.

(30) FIG. 7. is a rear cutaway view of the present example.

(31) FIG. 8 depicts a tape supply reel 18 being installed onto a cogged spool holder 16 of the present example. As the tape supply reel is installed onto the cogged spool holder 16, one of a plurality of flexible retaining clips 21 deflect to allow the tape supply roll 18 to be seated into place.

(32) Since the tape supply reel is loaded from one side and held in place on the cogged spool holder 16 by friction, the tape supply reel can potentially slip off or become misaligned on the spool holder during tape dispensing. When the spool of tape is not fully seated on the spool holder it pulls at an angle, creates creases, and can become entangled in the dispenser. The flexible retaining clips prevent the tape supply reel from disengaging the cogged spool holder or becoming misaligned. Barbs 801 help prevent spool movement as they snap over the rim of the reel when it is installed, and may easily be pushed inwards to release the spool.

(33) FIG. 9 depicts a roll of pressure sensitive tape after installation onto the cogged spool holder of the present example, with one of a plurality of the flexible retaining clips fully engaging the tape supply reel 18. Once the tape supply reel 18 is seated in place on the cogged spool holder 16, the flexible retaining clips 21 spring back to their normal position to hold the tape supply roll 18 firmly in alignment with the cogged spool holder and prevent the tape supply roll from disengaging, becoming misaligned, or walking off the spool holder.

(34) When the tape supply reel is depleted of tape, the remaining cardboard liner is removed from the cogged spool holder by pressing inward on the flexible retaining clips 21 and subsequently sliding the remaining cardboard liner off the cogged spool holder 16.

(35) FIG. 10 shows a side view of a cogged spool holder with anti-slip barbs. As tape is dispensed, the cogged spool holder 16 rotates counterclockwise. The anti-slip barbs may be angled in such a way as to engage the cardboard (or equivalent) liner, or core, of the tape supply reel (not shown).

(36) Full reels of tape generally have sufficient rigidity to maintain their engagement with a cogged spool holder without anti-slip barbs; however, as the tape is consumed, the roll of tape loses rigidity and henceforth traction on the spool holder, allowing it to spin independently of the spool holder. The anti-slip barbs 22 bite into or otherwise engagedly couple the cardboard liner of the tape supply reel preventing it from turning independently of the cogged spool holder, thereby allowing the brake (not shown) when applied, to completely stop the dispensing of tape. The trilobular spool holder is shown with two barbs per lobe. Equivalently any convenient number of barbs may be provided on the lobes, and all lobes do not necessarily have to have equal numbers of barbs,

(37) Those skilled in the art will recognize that the present examples provide a substantially easier to use and a more reliable means to dispense and cut pressure sensitive tape from a hand held dispenser. Furthermore, the trigger operated brake for a handheld tape dispenser has additional advantages of it decisively permits the cut off of the tape when the user chooses via a trigger; it substantially reduces the need to untangle and rethread the tape; it uses a small quantity of strength to operate the trigger from a single finger from the same hand to operate; it works consistently with different thicknesses of tape; it works consistently with different quantities of tape on a tape reel; it is substantially simpler, has fewer moving parts, and is less expensive to manufacture than previous tape brakes; it can also be used to stop the tape to add additional tension when going around the corners of a box; it can positively engage the tape reel to prevent misalignment or loss of the tape reel.

(38) While the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but as exemplifications of the presently preferred embodiments thereof. Many other ramifications and variations are possible within the teachings of the invention. For example, range of motion of the trigger, length of the lever, the size and shape of the brake plate and the size and shape of the cogged spool holder.

(39) Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, and not by the examples given.