US3417935A - Tape dispenser - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 24, 1968 J DOUGLAS ETAL 3,417,935

TAPE DISPENSER Filed Aug. 17, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS ARTHUR J. DOUGLAS their ATTORNE Y5 SEYMOUR SCHECKNER Dec. 24, 1968 DOUGLAS ETAL 3,417,935

TAPE DISPENSER Filed Aug. 17, 1967 2 Sheets-Shea 2 INVENTORS ARTHUR J. DOUGLAS their ATTOR NE YS Y SEYMOUR SCHECKNER United States Patent 3,417,935 TAPE DISPENSER Arthur J. Douglas, Rockport, Mass., and Seymour Scheckner, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignors to LePages, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Aug. 17, 1967, Ser. No. 661,362 6 Claims. (Cl. 242-55.2)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tape dispenser formed from a single piece of plastic material, and fabricated by initially molding an essentially flat form and thereafter folding th flat form into a dispenser configuration having a front tape-cutting edge and integral, folded side walls fastened together in parallel relationship to form a hub for supporting a roll of tape to be dispensed.

Background of the invention As is known, dispensers for pressure-sensitive tapes and the like usually comprise a pair of parallel side Walls having inwardly facing circular lip portions which support the opposite inner peripheral edges of the core of a roll of tape to be dispensed. The side walls, at one end, are interconnected by means of an upright member terminating at its upper extremity in a tape-cutting edge; while the other ends of the side walls may be interconnected to give the dispenser added strength.

In the past, such dispensers for small diameter rolls of tape have usually been formed from tinware comprising a fiat metal stamping having complementary side wall portions interconnected by means of a short metal section which eventually forms a back wall for the dispenser. The side wall portions of the stamping are bent at right angles to the integral, back wall to form the two side walls of the dispenser; and the dispenser is completed by crimping a forward, up right wall portion to the free edges of the two parallel side wall portions. The forward wall portion is also stamped, and its upper edge is formed into a serrated cutting edge for the tape.

While metal dispensers of the type described above are satisfactory for their intended purpose, they are relatively expensive to manufacture, particularly when it is remembered that they are discarded after use. Attempts have been made to form such dispensers from plastic material wherein the two side walls are molded at right angles to a forward wall section. This construction, however, requires a relatively expensive three-dimensional molding technique and the resulting product is not much, if any, cheaper than the stamped metal tinware type. Furthermore, because of molding difficulties, prior art plastic dispensers molded as a three-dimensional object do not have a back wall portion interconnecting the side wall portions, nor do they employ a hub extending between the side wall portions on which the roll of tape is carried. As a result, dispensers of this type are rather flimsy in construction.

Summary of the invention As an overall object, the present invention provides a tape dispenser formed from an essentially flat plastic member comprising a forward wall portion having a serrated cutting edge formed thereon, together with integral side walls which are bent at right angles to the forward wall portion along junctions of reduced cross-sectional area to form the side walls of the dispenser.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tape dispenser construction of the type described above wherein the side wall portions are molded with mating hub porice tions which snap together to form a hub for the roll of tape as the side wall portions are bent at right angles to the forward wall portion along the reduced cross-sectional area junctions. As will be seen, this results in extremely strong, one-piece dispenser construction wherein the tape roll is supported on a hub which extends between the side wall portions rather than on lip portions formed in a metal-stamping or plastic member.

In accordance with the invention, a tape dispenser is provided comprising an integral, essentially flat plastic molding having a forward wall portion bounded by and contiguous with side wall portions bent at right angles to the forward wall portion to form parallel side walls for the tape dispenser. The junctions of the forward and side wall portions are of reduced cross-sectional area and may, for example, comprise notches, the sides of which are folded upon each other when the side Wall portions are bent at right angles to the forward wall portion. A hub portion is molded integrally with at least one of the side wall portions, and snap-action fastening means are provided on the hub portion for securing the side wall portions together in side-by-side relationship.

In the manufacture of the dispenser, the molding is initially formed, preferably from a plastic such as polypropylene. After molding, a roll of tape to be dispensed is placed upon the hub portion and the two side wall portions are bent at right angles to the front wall portions along the aforesaid reduced cross-sectional area junctions until the hub portion snaps together with the side wall portions in parallel relationship and the roll of tape on the hub portion ready to be dispensed.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the plastic molding from which one embodiment of the invention is formed;

FIG. 2 is an edge view of the molding shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 1 showing the V-shaped notched junction between the front and side walls of the dispenser;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational View of the assembled dispenser having a roll of tape thereon;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the assembled dispenser of FIGS. 1 and 2, but without a roll of tape thereon;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the molding for another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is an edge view of the molding of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the dispenser of FIG. 7; and

FIGS. 9 and 10 comprise side elevational and edge views respectively of another embodiment of the invention.

With reference now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1-4, the embodiment of the invention shown therein comprises a plastic molding, preferably formed from polypyropylene, having a front wall portion 10 provided with a serrated tape-cutting edge 12. Integral with and contiguous to the front wall portion 10 are side wall portions 14 and 16, the two side wall portions 14 and 16 being separated from the front wall portion 10 by means of vertically-extending notches 18 and 20.

The notch 18 is shown in detail in FIG. 3 and comprises two sides 22 and 2-4 approximately at right angles to each other. As an illustrative example, the thickness T of the material from which the molding of FIG. 1 is formed may be in the range of about 0.035 inch to 0.055 inch. The polypropylene must be of sufficient molecular weight such that it forms a rigid mass, and at the same time it must be of sufliciently low molecular weight to permit bending at the area of notch 18, for example, whereby the side wall 14 is at right angles to the front wall portion with the two sides 22 and 24 of the notch 18 in abutment with each other. The molecular weight should also be such as to provide wide spaced teeth on cutting edge 12. If necessary, a rigid metal or plastic insert may be employed to give a satisfactory cutting edge.

With specific reference to FIG. 2, the side wall portion 14 is provided with a hollow boss 26 which forms the major portion of a hub upon which a spool of tape is supported. The boss 26 is provided with a central opening 28 into which a tapered end 30 of a plug 32 on side wall portion 16 fits. In the assembly of the device, the two side wall portions 14 and 16 are bent inwardly toward each other as illustrated by the dotted outline of FIG. 2. That is, side wall portion 14 is bent about the notch 18 in a counterclockwise direction; whereas side wall portion 16 is bent about notch 20 in a clockwise direction. As the hollow boss 26 and the plug 32 approach each other in this process, the tapered end 30 on plug 32 will fit into the opening 28 on boss 26. The maximum diameter of the tapered end 30 is greater than the diameter of the opening 26; however with a slight amount of pressure, the tapered end 30 may be forced into the opening 28, whereupon the edges of the opening will snap over the tapered end and into an annular notch 34 formed in the plug 32. Before the two side wall portions 14 and 16 are rotated inwardly toward each other, a roll of tape is slipped over the boss 26 such that when the tapered end snaps into the opening 28, the tape will be securely supported on the dispenser hub which now comprises the outer peripheral surface of the boss 26 and a short cylindrical portion 36 of the plug 32. The completed assembly is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, that shown in FIG. 4 incorporating a roll of tape 38 wound upon a paperboard, plastic or similar type core 40 which rises on the hub 42 formed by the boss 26 and plug 32. While the use of heat is not required to fold the side walls of the dispenser in the case of polypropylene, localized heating at the point of bending may be required for other plastics. In this latter case, a friction fit may be employed to lock the male and female sections together instead of a pliable hinge and snap lock.

With reference, now, to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, another embodiment of the invention is shown which is similar to that of FIGS. 1-4 and includes a molded frontal portion 44 having contiguous side wall portions 46 and 48. As best shown in FIG. 7, the side wall portions 46 and 48 are again separated from the frontal portion 44 by means of reduced cross-sectional area portions 50 and 52, respectively. In this case, however, the areas 50 and 52 are formed by beveling the inside corner formed between the side wall portions 46 and 48 and portions 54 and 56 of the frontal portion 44. Formed on the side wall portion 46 is a hub portion 58 having a reduced diameter section 60 with a groove formed therein. In a similar manner, a hub portion 62 is formed on the side wall portion 48 and is provided with a flanged portion 64 having an annular bead which snaps into the groove 60 on portion 58 when the two side wall portions 46 and 48 are rotated toward each other.

As will be understood, the bevels 50 and 52 at the junctions of the side wall portions 46 and 48 and the portions 54 and 56 form hinges about which the two side wall portions 46 and 48 rotate into parallel relationship. Here, again, a roll of tape is placed on one of the hub portions 58 or 62 prior to rotation of the side wall portions toward each other whereby a completed dispenser with a roll of tape thereon is effected when the bead on flanged portion 64 snaps into the groove in the reduced diameter section 60. As was the case with the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4, a serrated cutting edge 66 is provided at the top of the frontal portion 44 to sever lengths of tape as it is pulled from the roll.

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate still another embodiment of the invention which again includes a front wall portion 67 having an upper serrated edge 68. Note, however, that the front wall portion 67 in this case does not extend to the bottom of the dispenser but only serves as a bridge between two contiguous side wall portions 70 and 72. Notches 74 and 76 again separate the front wall portion 67 from the side wall portions 70 and 72. However, in this case the notches 74 and 76 are reversed with respect to those shown'in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4. That is, the side walls of the notches separate from each other rather than come together in abutting relationship as the two side wall portions 70 and 72 are rotated toward each other. The side wall portion 70 is formed with a hub portion 78 while side wall portion 72 is provided with a hub portion 80. Hub portion 78 is in the form of a hollow boss provided with an opening 82 which receives a flanged portion 84 on the hub portion 80. The flange 84 is snapped into the opening 82 to secure the two side portions 70 and 72 in parallel relationship.

The present invention thus provides a means for forming a tape dispenser from a single, integral flat plastic molding. Although the invention has been shown in connection with certain specific embodiments, it Will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and arrangement of parts may be made to suit requirements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. A tape dispenser comprising an integral, essentially fiat plastic molding having a forward wall portion bounded by and contiguous with side wall portions bent at right angles to the forward wall portion to form parallel side walls of the tape dispenser, the junctions of the forward and side wall portions comprising areas of reduced cross-section which facilitate bending of the side wall portions with respect to the forward wall portion at right angles thereto, tape roll hub portions molded integrally with said side wall portions, and snap-action fastening means on said hub portions for securing together the hub portions and said side wall portions in side-by-side relationship.

2. The tape dispenser of claim 1 wherein said reduced cross-sectional portions are formed by generally V-shaped notches.

3. The tape dispenser of claim 2 wherein the notches have opposing side walls which are folded upon each other when the side wall portions of the tape dispenser are bent at right angles to the forward wall portion of the tape dispenser.

4. The tape dispenser of claim 2 wherein the notches are provided with facing sides which separate from each other as the side wall portions of the tape dispenser are bent at right angles to the forward wall portion of the tape dispenser.

5. The tape dispenser of claim 1 wherein one of said hub portions has female snap-action fastening means thereon and the other hub portion has male snap-action fastening means thereon.

6. The tape dispenser of claim 1 wherein said side wall portions are molded at right angles to sections of the front wall portion, the corners between the side wall portions and said sections of the front wall portion being beveled.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,275,408 3/ 1942 Alliss.

2,701,110 2/1955 Guyer 206-52 2,985,075 5/1961 Knutsson-Hall 229 3,092,797 6/ 1963 Wood 206-52 3,127,989 4/ 1964 Travaglio 206-52 2,414,333 1/1947 Schieman 22566 WILLIAM T. DIXSON, JR., Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

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